Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Apr 2024

Vol. 1052 No. 4

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Deputy Hildegarde Naughton)

I move:

Tuesday's business shall be:

- Motion re Referral to Joint Committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the proposal for Regulations and a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on international protection, asylum and migration (without debate)

- Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024 (Second Stage) (if not previously concluded, to adjourn either at 5.30 p.m. or after 1 hr 41 mins, whichever is the later)

Tuesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Cancer Strategy, selected by Sinn Féin.

Wednesday's business shall be:

- Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the proposal for a Council Decision on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, of an agreement between Canada and the European Union on the transfer and processing of Passenger Name Record data*

- Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the proposal for a Council Decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of an agreement between Canada and the European Union on the transfer and processing of Passenger Name Record data*

* The above two motions to be debated together and brought to a conclusion within 57 mins

- Statements on Road Safety (not to exceed 2 hrs 27 minutes)

- Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024 (Second Stage, resumed, if not previously concluded) (to adjourn at either 8 p.m. or after 2 hrs 36 mins, whichever is the later)

Wednesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Disability Justice, selected by People before Profit-Solidarity.

Thursday's business shall be the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024 (Second Stage, resumed, if not previously concluded).

Thursday evening business shall be the Motion re Report entitled "Report on the examination of recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly report on biodiversity loss" (Committee on Environment and Climate Action).

Proposed Arrangements for this week’s business:

In relation to Tuesday’s business, it is proposed that:

1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the extent that private members’ business may be taken earlier than 6.12 p.m. and shall in any event be taken on the adjournment of the proceedings on Second Stage of the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024, or where those proceedings conclude before they must be interrupted, on the conclusion thereof, with consequential effect on the commencement times for the items following in the ordinary routine of business, namely, oral Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Education, and topical issues, and on the time for the adjournment of the Dáil;

2. the proceedings on the Motion re Referral to Joint Committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the proposal for Regulations and a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on international protection, asylum and migration shall be taken without debate; and

3. the proceedings on Second Stage of the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024 shall, if not previously concluded, be interrupted and stand adjourned either at 5.30 p.m. or after 1 hour and 41 minutes, whichever is the later, and shall not be resumed on Tuesday.

In relation to Wednesday's business, it is proposed that:

1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the following extent:

(i) in the event the Taoiseach is unable to attend for questions pursuant to Standing Order 46(1), the SOS pursuant to Standing Order 25(1) may take place earlier than 1.49 p.m., with consequential effect on the commencement time for Government business; and

(ii) the weekly division time may be taken earlier than 8.45 p.m., but not earlier than 7.30 p.m., with consequential effect on the time for the adjournment of the Dáil;

2. in relation to the Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the proposal for a Council Decision on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, of an agreement between Canada and the European Union on the transfer and processing of Passenger Name Record data and the Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the proposal for a Council Decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of an agreement between Canada and the European Union on the transfer and processing of Passenger Name Record data, the following arrangements shall apply:

(i) the motions shall be moved together and the proceedings thereon shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 57 minutes by one question which shall be put from the Chair;

(ii) the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows:

- opening speech by a Minister or Minister of State - 10 minutes;

- speech by representative of Sinn Féin - 10 minutes;

- speeches by representatives of the Labour Party, Social Democrats, People-Before-Profit-Solidarity, the Regional Group, the Rural Independent Group and the Independent Group - 5 minutes per party or group;

- speeches by non-aligned members – 2 minutes; and

- a speech in response by the Minister – 5 minutes; and

(iii) members may share time;

3. the Statements on Road Safety shall not exceed 2 hours and 27 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply thereto:

(i) the arrangements for the statements, not including the Ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the arrangements agreed by Order of the Dáil of 30th July, 2020, for 135 minutes, and the Resolution of the Dáil of 20th September, 2023, providing for two minutes for non-aligned members;

(ii) following the statements, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and

(iii) members may share time; and

4. any resumed proceedings on Second Stage of the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024 shall, if not previously concluded, be interrupted and stand adjourned at either 8 p.m. or after 2 hours 36 minutes, whichever is the later, and shall not be resumed on Wednesday.

In relation to Thursday's business, it is proposed that:

1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the extent that topical issues may be taken earlier than 7.24 p.m. and shall in any event be taken on the scheduled interruption of any resumed Second Stage proceedings on the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024, or where Second Stage of that Bill concludes within its allotted time, on the conclusion thereof, with consequential effect on the commencement time for the Motion re Report entitled “Report on the examination of recommendations of the Citizens Assembly’s report on biodiversity loss”, and on the time for the adjournment of the Dáil: Provided that if Second Stage of the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024 concludes before Thursday, topical issues on Thursday shall be taken on the conclusion of the SOS.

An Ceann Comhairle

Is that agreed?

Deputies

Not agreed.

Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Not agreed.

On the schedule here today, we have a motion without debate about the EU asylum and migration pact. I appeal to the Taoiseach to facilitate the maximum amount of debate in this House on a serious matter. The Government has made a shambles of the whole immigration area. Communities all across this State have been failed. The asylum seekers themselves are being failed. We are asking for the maximum participation and opportunity for those of us in the Opposition who are seriously concerned with the Government's approach. I assume the Taoiseach can agree to that.

Deputy Ivana Bacik

We are all very conscious that it is six years since repeal. It is one year since Marie O'Shea's report was published. It is four months since the Oireachtas health committee gave its report to the Minister for Health on the implementation of the O'Shea report recommendations. We all owe a debt of gratitude to Aoife Hegarty and the "RTÉ Investigates" team for last night's exposure of ongoing gaps in the provision of abortion care services to women who need them. Of course, we owe a debt of gratitude to those brave women who came forward and told their stories in last night's harrowing programme. I am very concerned to hear the Taoiseach's response today that the Government has yet to consider some of the key recommendations for legislative change made in the report. I absolutely acknowledge the improvements in operational delivery and the increase in the number of hospitals and GPs. This is greatly welcome for women in crisis pregnancy who need the service. This week we need to hear from the Minister for Health as to precisely when and how the Government proposes to implement the recommendations through legislation. We do have on the books the Bill of my colleague Deputy Howlin to regulate rogue crisis pregnancy agencies. I have just received a response to a parliamentary question from the Minister for Health stating it will be years before the current process of registration of counsellors will have effect in regulating rogue agencies out of existence. We saw very seriously concerning reports about the continued operation of such agencies last night. We need urgent debate in the House on a timeline for implementation of these crucial recommendations.

Deputy Róisín Shortall

We need time allocated for an urgent debate on the implications of the ending of the Covid payment for healthcare workers. Many of them face losing everything, including their health, career, financial security and, in some cases, their homes. We applauded the bravery of these healthcare workers when they selflessly went into work on our behalf. We commended them on that. Now it appears they are being abandoned. Does the Taoiseach accept that the Government needs to fulfil its duty of care to these workers? Can we have a discussion this week on how we address this issue? We cannot leave these workers abandoned. It needs to be dealt with this week.

Deputy Bríd Smith

We echo the call for a debate on the European migrant pact, obviously for different reasons. We do think we have to have the debate. The issue I want to raise is the question of the use of Shannon Airport by the US military. I was there on Sunday at a protest. There is great concern in the country about the escalating and increased use of Shannon Airport by US military flights. As the situation in the Middle East becomes more precarious with the possibility of an outright war, it will mean the increased use of one of our key airports in that war. We still do not know whether weapons hardware is carried on the planes because the State does not carry out inspections. We need a debate on this issue.

Deputy Verona Murphy

With regard to the motion on the European migration pact, it is imperative that we have a full and frank discussion. This can only be done where we have objective witnesses brought before a committee who can help us to establish whether there are constitutional or legal implications for the country and its people. I ask respectfully that the Chief Whip takes it back to the Business Committee and amends the motion to include expert witnesses being brought before the committee.

Deputy Mattie McGrath

I raised this at the Business Committee last week, as the Ceann Comhairle knows. I said I would object. I dissented from agreeing the business. The Rural Independent Group and I have been concerned about this not in the past week or days but for more than 18 months. We have been looking for a debate here and we have been denied it. We urgently need a debate. We cannot have a motion without debate referring the migration and asylum pact to a committee without debate in the House. We demand a full debate in the House, hopefully this week, before it is referred to the committee. It is of the utmost importance that we have full scrutiny of it and full understanding of the massive implications it has for many areas of life in our country, including our housing situation and everything else. We just cannot cope with it. We have to have a debate before it goes to the committee.

Deputy Michael McNamara

Will all of south Tipperary have to be owned by one man and trust funds linked to him before the matter is debated in this House and measures are taken to prevent that concentration of land ownership because of the economic and social consequences of that?

Just because one is a large donor to the parties in government, it should not preclude one from examination by this House.

The second point I wish to make, regarding the EU migration pact-----

An Ceann Comhairle

You can only raise one matter.

Deputy Michael McNamara

Well, I have heard others raising two.

An Ceann Comhairle

Sorry, go on.

Deputy Michael McNamara

The migration pact is not one Bill, but it is several. I believe it would be beneficial to this State to opt into some of them, but some of them would be very detrimental. My concern is that this will come back from the justice committee with a motion that we apply and endorse either all measures or none of them. That would be profoundly undemocratic, and I believe it would be detrimental to the interests of this State.

Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne

I also want to call for a debate on the European migration pact. It is one of the most contentious issues of today. I fear that if the Government does not allow for a debate to happen in this House, it will unfortunately then leave it to the public to debate it themselves outside this House. That would not be beneficial or appropriate either, so I would like to call for a debate on that.

An Ceann Comhairle

I can only take one speaker from each group; I cannot take more than one. I call the Taoiseach.

The Taoiseach

I thank Deputies for their contributions. In relation to the EU migration pact, let us be really clear: we will have a very long debate in this House, we will have a vote in this House and there will be ample opportunity for that.

For those who are watching in, the motion that is before us today is simply to refer the pact to the committee for scrutiny. That is what we generally do. It goes to a committee, it is scrutinised at a committee, and it will come back here before the Dáil. Let me assure Deputies on the record of the House that when it comes back, not only will we wish to fulfil their requests, but we wish to have a proper debate on the migration pact because it will be very interesting to see how different people wish to grapple with the issue of migration. There is a lot of very important stuff in the EU migration pact. I am committing plenty of time in the Dáil for this, and of course it will also happen in the Seanad-----

Deputy Michael McNamara

Separate votes

The Taoiseach

----- but the appropriate thing is for it to go before the justice committee. How the justice committee decides to assess-----

Deputy Verona Murphy

Can we amend the motion?

The Taoiseach

Give me-----

Deputy Verona Murphy

We need objective opinion.

The Taoiseach

Just give me one second. Deputy Verona Murphy has been at this for long enough to know how it works. I do not tell the justice committee what to do. There would be uproar if I started telling the justice committee-----

Deputy Michael McNamara

Come on.

The Taoiseach

No, go down-----

Deputy Michael McNamara

No-----

The Taoiseach

Go down to the-----

(Interruptions).

Deputy Michael McNamara

No instances-----

An Ceann Comhairle

Will you let the Taoiseach answer, please?

The Taoiseach

The way these things usually work is that the committee sets out its own work.

Deputy Michael McNamara

The majority.

Deputy Mattie McGrath

Majority.

The Taoiseach

Every Member of this House is welcome to go to the justice committee, make contributions and put forward their views in relation to it.

Deputy Verona Murphy

Contributions to what? It is just a Minister's briefing - from a biased Minister who has already said she approves of opting in.

The Taoiseach

In relation to the EU migration pact, there is a motion to refer it to the justice committee. The justice committee can scrutinise it. It will come back here, and the Government will give it ample time. Deputy Murphy can make her contribution both before the justice committee-----

Deputy Mattie McGrath

Anti-democratic.

The Taoiseach

-----and here in the Dáil.

Deputy Carol Nolan

Anti-democratic.

The Taoiseach

There were a number of other suggestions for debates. I am happy to facilitate a debate in this House at the appropriate time on abortion services. We should take that issue to the Business Committee. I am sure Members will want to discuss that matter. Similarly, some of the other issues around land use and Shannon, etc., can be explored at the Business Committee.

Deputy Shortall raised the important issue of long Covid payments, as well as the importance of that to the workers we applauded in this House. I am pleased to inform the Deputy of our decision to extend those payments for three months.

Deputy Michael McNamara

What about your donor's land bank?

An Ceann Comhairle

Please.

The Taoiseach

I do not have any donors. Stop it with your slurring of people.

Deputy Mary Butler

Hear, hear.

An Ceann Comhairle

Are the arrangements for the week agreed to?

Deputies

They are not agreed.

Question put.

The Dáil divided by electronic means.

Deputy Mattie McGrath

Because of the narrowness of the vote, that this is a matter of great importance and that the gap is fewer than ten, under Standing Order 83(3)(b), I am asking for a vote other than by electronic means.

An Ceann Comhairle

As the Deputy is a teller and the difference in the vote is fewer than ten, the division will proceed.

Question again put:

The Dáil divided: Tá, 67; Níl, 62; Staon, 0.

Tá

• Brophy, Colm.
• Browne, James.
• Bruton, Richard.
• Burke, Colm.
• Burke, Peter.
• Butler, Mary.
• Byrne, Thomas.
• Cahill, Jackie.
• Calleary, Dara.
• Cannon, Ciarán.
• Carroll MacNeill, Jennifer.
• Chambers, Jack.
• Costello, Patrick.
• Cowen, Barry.
• Creed, Michael.
• Crowe, Cathal.
• Dillon, Alan.
• Donnelly, Stephen.
• Duffy, Francis Noel.
• Durkan, Bernard J.
• English, Damien.
• Farrell, Alan.
• Feighan, Frankie.
• Flaherty, Joe.
• Fleming, Sean.
• Foley, Norma.
• Griffin, Brendan.
• Harris, Simon.
• Haughey, Seán.
• Heydon, Martin.
• Higgins, Emer.
• Humphreys, Heather.
• Kehoe, Paul.
• Lahart, John.
• Lawless, James.
• Leddin, Brian.
• Madigan, Josepha.
• Martin, Catherine.
• Martin, Micheál.
• Matthews, Steven.
• McAuliffe, Paul.
• McConalogue, Charlie.
• McEntee, Helen.
• Moynihan, Aindrias.
• Murnane O'Connor, Jennifer.
• Naughton, Hildegarde.
• Noonan, Malcolm.
• O'Brien, Darragh.
• O'Brien, Joe.
• O'Callaghan, Jim.
• O'Connor, James.
• O'Dea, Willie.
• O'Donnell, Kieran.
• O'Donovan, Patrick.
• O'Dowd, Fergus.
• O'Gorman, Roderic.
• O'Sullivan, Christopher.
• O'Sullivan, Pádraig.
• Ó Cathasaigh, Marc.
• Ó Cuív, Éamon.
• Phelan, John Paul.
• Rabbitte, Anne.
• Richmond, Neale.
• Ryan, Eamon.
• Smyth, Niamh.
• Stanton, David.
• Troy, Robert.

Níl

• Andrews, Chris.
• Bacik, Ivana.
• Barry, Mick.
• Boyd Barrett, Richard.
• Brady, John.
• Browne, Martin.
• Buckley, Pat.
• Cairns, Holly.
• Carthy, Matt.
• Clarke, Sorca.
• Collins, Michael.
• Connolly, Catherine.
• Conway-Walsh, Rose.
• Cronin, Réada.
• Cullinane, David.
• Daly, Pa.
• Doherty, Pearse.
• Donnelly, Paul.
• Ellis, Dessie.
• Farrell, Mairéad.
• Fitzmaurice, Michael.
• Fitzpatrick, Peter.
• Funchion, Kathleen.
• Gannon, Gary.
• Grealish, Noel.
• Guirke, Johnny.
• Harkin, Marian.
• Healy-Rae, Danny.
• Healy-Rae, Michael.
• Howlin, Brendan.
• Kenny, Gino.
• Kenny, Martin.
• Kerrane, Claire.
• Mac Lochlainn, Pádraig.
• McDonald, Mary Lou.
• McGrath, Mattie.
• Mitchell, Denise.
• Munster, Imelda.
• Murphy, Catherine.
• Murphy, Paul.
• Murphy, Verona.
• Mythen, Johnny.
• Nash, Ged.
• Nolan, Carol.
• O'Callaghan, Cian.
• O'Reilly, Louise.
• O'Rourke, Darren.
• Ó Broin, Eoin.
• Ó Laoghaire, Donnchadh.
• Ó Murchú, Ruairí.
• Ó Ríordáin, Aodhán.
• Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
• Ryan, Patricia.
• Shortall, Róisín.
• Smith, Bríd.
• Smith, Duncan.
• Stanley, Brian.
• Tóibín, Peadar.
• Tully, Pauline.
• Ward, Mark.
• Whitmore, Jennifer.
• Wynne, Violet-Anne.

Staon

Tellers: Tá, Deputies Hildegarde Naughton and Paul McAuliffe; Níl, Deputies Mattie McGrath and Pádraig Mac Lochlainn.

Question declared carried.

Deputy Mary Lou McDonald

The Taoiseach has regularly held up as an achievement during his time as Minister for higher education the area of apprenticeships. We all agree that they are essential. I wish to raise with him an issue, however, because, despite all his rhetoric, our craft apprenticeship system is in fact in crisis. The number of craft apprentices waiting to undertake their off-the-job training has risen to about 9,000 a year. People are waiting because of a shortage of craft instructors. This has very real implications and consequences for young apprentices, including the level of pay they receive. We also now see significant dropout rates, amounting to almost 1,000 apprentices every year since 2020. Some of them are packing their bags and heading for Australia, so this is a very serious matter. Qualified apprentices are, as the Taoiseach said last year, "critical for our societal well-being, and ... critical for our future". I share that view, but he needs to tell us directly what he will do, which he has not done so far, to put a stop to this and ensure that those thousands of young apprentices can get their off-the-job training, can remain here and can qualify and contribute here rather than in the southern hemisphere.

The Taoiseach

I share Deputy McDonald's view on the importance of apprenticeships. I was very pleased as Minister for further and higher education to see the highest number of newly registered apprentices ever in the history of the State last year. That is a good thing. We have also seen the expansion of the number of apprenticeship programmes. That is also a good thing. The Deputy is right that some people are waiting too long. The numbers are now falling, though, and SOLAS has produced a plan, which I know Deputy Mairéad Farrell will be familiar with, to eradicate the backlog for those waiting longer than they should be in terms of their phase 2 training. I will get Deputy McDonald the most up-to-date figures. I will write to her on the matter.

Deputy Ivana Bacik

Today is the Taoiseach's first day answering questions in this House in his new role. I wish him well personally. It is my first opportunity to do so.

The Taoiseach

I thank the Deputy.

Deputy Ivana Bacik

I want to raise with the Taoiseach an issue that is a real concern around the mental health of young people and children. Paul Gordon of the National Youth Council of Ireland has said today that millennials, Generation Z and Generation Alpha may be the first to have worse outcomes than their parents since the foundation of the State. A National Youth Council survey shows that a third of respondents under 30 rarely or never feel optimistic about their future, citing the housing crisis and mental ill-health as reasons for this.

I will continue to raise the housing crisis in this House - we know the serious impact it is having on the mental health of young people - but I want to focus on the issue of social media and their detrimental impacts. Tonight an RTÉ "Prime Time" programme will expose how TikTok's algorithm, designed to increase revenues for a private company, is showing content which apparently promotes self-harm and even suicide to children as young as 13. How does the Government propose to address this serious issue? How does it propose to regulate social media companies to ensure that this sort of harmful impact on children is not felt? I am conscious that the Tánaiste, in his speech at the weekend to his party's Ard-Fheis, referred specifically to the detrimental impacts on children's mental health of their being exposed to content through social media. All of us as parents are alarmed about this. What will the Government do about it?

The Taoiseach

I thank Deputy Bacik for her good wishes. I look forward to working constructively with her in this House. I really appreciate her raising this issue. I will watch the RTÉ documentary very closely this evening because I share the views and concerns that she has echoed and that the Tánaiste echoed at the weekend on the impact of social media on the mental health and well-being of our young people. We now have Coimisiún na Meán established and we have regulations and laws from Europe on digital media. We also have CyberSafeKids, with which the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, and the Ministers, Deputies Donnelly and Foley, have engaged. I will ask all relevant Ministers to bring forward an up-to-date position on what more we can do in this space. The Tánaiste's message at the weekend is one I support and, I hope, one we can all support. The companies need to get real on this and get on top of it. If they do not, we need to be ready to act. I have not seen the programme tonight - none of us have - but what I have read about it is deeply harrowing. We will need a response, and I will be back to this House with one.

Deputy Róisín Shortall

Last week, amid all the speculation about whom the Taoiseach would promote, there was a lot of talk about geography and, clearly, that has influenced his decision-making around that. Does the Taoiseach accept that this promotes the practice of parish pump politics, or certainly the perception of it, where a Minister and holding ministerial office are more about delivering goodies for your constituency than about considering the public good? Does he accept that Ministers must have a national remit and that they should be fully accountable for the spending of public money? Will the Taoiseach give a commitment that he will draw up guidelines for all his Ministers on the announcement of funding for particular projects or the location of particular public infrastructure such that those decisions will be taken on the basis of objective decision-making-----

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

Thank you, Deputy. You are way over time.

Deputy Róisín Shortall

-----and that there would be a rationale for those decisions?

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

I call the Taoiseach to respond.

Deputy Róisín Shortall

I would welcome the Taoiseach's commitment to doing that.

The Taoiseach

I assure Deputy Shortall that I appointed people both to Cabinet and as Ministers of State based on their ability. Obviously, leaders and taoisigh can consider a variety of issues. I would point to gender. Every female Fine Gael TD seeking re-election is now a Minister or Minister of State, so that is a commitment to gender. Geography does have an important role to play in politics - it is not all just the greater Dublin area - and having different perspectives brought to the Cabinet table and decision-making tables is important. I do not think there is a need for new guidelines on this, but I will lead a Government that will adhere to the public spending code and will of course put a rationale and criteria in place as regards our spending decisions.

Deputy Michael Lowry

Family carers play a crucial and irreplaceable role in homes across our country. Without them there would be a catastrophic crisis in care for people of all ages. Family carers are ordinary men and women who are motivated by love. This love drives them to put a family member's needs before their own. They sacrifice their own plans and desires because a family member needs their care. This enables their loved one to be cared for while continuing to live in the home. When it comes to rewarding them for their vital role, however, family carers are subjected to means-testing. Their vital work is completely disregarded. The fact that they save the State substantial money on institutional care is conveniently ignored. This is wrong, unfair and unjust. Means-testing for carers must be abolished. Our Regional Group will bring forward a Private Members' Bill next week. I ask that the Government support the Bill and make arrangements to drop the necessity for means-testing and prove to family carers that their work is valued.

The Taoiseach

I thank Deputy Lowry for raising this important issue as regards carers. My colleague, the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, has increased the income thresholds for carer's allowance such that from June a couple earning up to €900 per week and having €50,000 in savings will still be able to qualify for the full carer's allowance payment.

The Minister has also established an interdepartmental group with the Department of Health tasked with looking at the area of means-tested payments to family carers, an area the Deputy suggested. The work of the interdepartmental group will be informed by a broader review of means-testing more generally which is under way in the Department of Social Protection. The work of the group will be considered in the context of the national carers' strategy. I expect to have that report to be able to make informed decisions before the budget. We will consider the motion the Deputy's grouping will table next week as well.

Deputy Paul Murphy

This Saturday will see an important protest in Tallaght to save the post office at The Square. There are similar campaigns to save post offices in Phibsborough, Rathmines, Roscommon, New Ross and Tipperary. These are the post offices next up for privatisation by An Post. In the case of Tallaght that means the current post office will close and a new post office will open at a different location but will be smaller, have fewer staff and counters and will offer fewer services. The workers are being treated abysmally. After that, once it is privatised, it could go entirely, as did Rathfarnham post office recently, Templeogue post office and hundreds of other privatised post offices over the past five years. This privatisation agenda needs to stop for the good of communities who need their local post services and for the good of the workers. Will the Taoiseach ask the Minister to meet the CEO of An Post and express the Government's opposition to this privatisation agenda and ask for it to stop?

The Taoiseach

I thank Deputy Murphy for raising the issue. I will seek an update for him from the Minister and the CEO of An Post.

Deputy Mattie McGrath

I am very concerned about any plans to pause or review plans for ASD classes in rural areas. In a response to a parliamentary question the Minister for Education stated that, due to falling demographics at primary level, the Department "considers it prudent to maximise the use of existing spare accommodation capacity ... in the first instance, before considering any applications for further accommodation needs." She added: "It is also likely that most of the new additional ... classes may be required in [big] population centres."

Burncourt National School, which is waiting for sign-off for modular accommodation for a sanctioned class, and St. Michael's Junior Boys School in Tipperary, a town with no ASD unit at primary level, are both meeting a brick wall in progressing new classes. In Newcastle, An Caisleán Nua, my local school, has had an application for additional accommodation ongoing since 2017 and has been further delayed. This is simply not good enough. These areas have approval in some cases and they just cannot get the work and get the positions for those children who need these services badly.

The Taoiseach

I will seek an update on that situation. The Government's perspective is that it wants to increase autism classes. I do not mean this in relation to Deputy McGrath's comments but we should not just use the term "ASD" because autism is obviously not a disorder. The Government is committed to increasing the number of autism classes. I will ask the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, and the Minister, Deputy Foley, to engage with the Deputy directly.

Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice

Some 150 children attend Mullingar regional hospital for diabetes treatment. It covers counties Offaly, Longford, Westmeath and surrounding areas. The weekly clinic and nurse on-call service are now gone. That is critical. I have spoken to parents with babies aged from two or three months to six months old. These are children who are not talking yet and cannot tell their parents how they are. Chaos is ensuing. This is a dangerous situation. I ask the Taoiseach to go to the Minister for Health today to get this resolved because I am very fearful of what will happen with that service being withdrawn and not being fulfilled for those parents. Alarms are going off at night every two hours for some parents trying to balance their children's blood sugars. Will the Taoiseach speak to the Minister today to get this issue resolved for those parents?

Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice: One hundred and fifty children 03:29 attend Mullingar regional hospital ??/ for diabtetes. It covers Offaly, Longford, Westmeath and surrounding areas. The weekly clinic and the nurse on call service are now gone. That is criticfal for the simple reason.. i spoke to parents, especially with babies from two, three to six months, children that are not talking yet and cannot tell their parents how they are. Chaos is ensuing. this is a dangerous situatoin. I ask the Taoiseach to go to the Minister for Health today to get this resolved because I would be very fearful of what will happen with that service being withdrawn and not being fulfilled for thos eparents. Alarms are going off at night every two hours for some parents tryinhg to balacne their chidlren's blood sugars. I ask the Taoiseach if he will immediately today speak to thte Minister to get thsi issue resolved for those parents.

The Taoiseach

I will, and I have because this is an important issue. There is a scarcity of specialist-trained paediatric nursing staff. This has posed significant challenges to the continuity of paediatric services at the regional hospital in Mullingar in recent years. My understanding is that the hospital has maintained the provision of existing services catering to more than 12,000 children. I think there is some positive news on this matter. An interim plan was discussed with the clinical lead at a meeting last week. Hospital management has provided a commitment to finalise a solution to address the long-term staffing-----

Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice

There is no clinic today.

The Taoiseach

-----needs - hang on one second - and avoid any impact on paediatric diabetes patients and their families. I will keep a close eye on this. I will talk directly to the Minister for Health and come back to Deputy Fitzmaurice directly.

Deputy Cathal Crowe

I congratulate the Taoiseach and wish him the very best in his new position.

The Taoiseach

I thank the Deputy.

Deputy Cathal Crowe

I raise the inability of thousands of people in County Clare to get flood insurance for their homes and businesses. I recall when, in 2009, the lower River Shannon spilled its banks and flooded streets, pitches and many areas. However, only two homes in the whole county of Clare actually took water inside the front door that winter. Yet, the response of the insurance industry has been risk equalisation, an awful term. The practice works very well on the health front - everyone gets health cover but they pay for it - but not when it comes to homes. If someone's home has been bone dry and never took in a drop of water and if the topography of land is different such that one home is 20 ft higher than another, why can people in Shannon town, Shannon Banks and Westbury - about 6,000 people - not get flood cover at the moment? It gets worse, though. When they try to sell their homes and due diligence and conveyance are carried out, the sale often falls through because the solicitor will tell people not to go near the home because the owners cannot get flood cover. What can the Government do to address this?

The Taoiseach

I thank Deputy Crowe for his good wishes and for highlighting the issue of flood insurance and the challenge in accessing it for his constituents. I know this is a very real and sensitive issue in his part of the country and a number of other parts as well. Just last week, I appointed Deputy Richmond as Minister of State at the Department of Finance with responsibility for insurance. I will ask that he arrange to have an early meeting with the Deputy on this matter.

Deputy Brian Leddin

I congratulate the Taoiseach on his elevation to his office and wish him well in his time in that office. I also congratulate my county compatriot, Deputy O'Donovan, on his elevation to Minister. My question also relates to flooding in County Clare. I see Deputy Crowe has left the Chamber. It is about the flooding of the railway line between Galway and Limerick just south of Ennis at Ballycar. As Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan sat on this for two and a half years. I hope the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, in his new role with responsibility for the OPW, makes it his highest priority. Will the Taoiseach impress upon the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, as I will, the importance of this infrastructure and services between Galway, Ennis and Limerick? We need a long-term solution locked in. A solution has been identified, as has the cost. It has been agreed between stakeholders; it just needs to be pushed on by the OPW.

The Taoiseach

I certainly will. I have been listening to reports on this issue in the media in recent weeks. I know it is an extraordinarily frustrating situation for people relying on accessing the railway line from Galway to Ennis and Limerick. I will ask the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, to keep a close eye on the issue and to encourage the stakeholders to get on with the plan. I will come back to Deputy Leddin directly.

Deputy Chris Andrews

For months, the Government has watched Mount Street turn into a tented city. Fine Gael's neglect of the inner city continues. Many residents do not feel safe around Mount Street or, indeed, anywhere in the city. Small local businesses next to Mount Street are on the brink of closing down because of the shambles this Government has created. The people I represent are sick of this Government and of being treated so disgracefully and neglected. If this happened on the streets in Greystones or Ballsbridge, we would see decisive action but because it is the inner city, it is being ignored and neglected. Families are living in flats riddled with dampness and mould. The continued neglect of the inner city needs to stop. Everyone agrees that what is happening on Mount Street is shambolic. Talk is cheap. What will the Government actually do about it?

The Taoiseach

What Deputy Andrews will not do is slur my home town. We should not be divisive on these issues. There are real challenges regarding Mount Street; the Deputy is quite correct. There are real challenges concerning international protection, the International Protection Office being located in the vicinity of Mount Street. The Government is working around the clock to try to find alternative solutions, some of which-----

Deputy Chris Andrews

Baggot Street hospital is empty.

The Taoiseach

-----by the way, are in my constituency. Rather than seeking to divide the House or pit one community against the other------

Deputy Chris Andrews

Baggot Street hospital is empty.

The Taoiseach

-----it is the people of County Wicklow, as Deputy Whitmore and I know, who are now trying to assist in providing responses. This is about a whole-country response. I very much take the point about the need to continue to invest in the inner city. We will very shortly set up a Dublin city task force. I would welcome the Deputy's thoughts and input into that.

Deputy James O'Connor

First and foremost, from one baby of the House to another, I congratulate the Taoiseach on his appointment. I wish him well. He is the youngest Taoiseach the country has ever had and the issue I raise is one our generations share as a major issue, namely, housing and getting more housing built. The Government has done huge work under Housing for All which has been successful as regards increasing the capacity, but we need to look at modular housing for young working professionals to increase housing stock. Industry feels that we could deliver 14,000 additional A-rated homes per annum if the Government were to get behind this for commercial use, not only for those in the asylum process or for temporary emergency accommodation for those who come here fleeing conflict. We need to look at it in a wider context because industry can deliver in this area. Will the Government look at this to increase housing stock further?

The Taoiseach

I thank the Deputy for his good wishes.

The Government definitely has an open mind on this. There are potentially lessons that can be learned from some of the responses we have put in place to assist people in the humanitarian situations arising in Ukraine and elsewhere in the world. I see the excellent use of modular or rapid-build housing in many places such as Backweston and Mahon in County Cork. I raised the use of modern methods of construction as an item at a meeting on housing yesterday. We certainly have an open mind in relation to it.

Deputy Brendan Griffin

I congratulate the Taoiseach on his election to the office he holds. I wish him well for the future. This is my first opportunity to do so. You know you are getting old when the Taoiseach is younger than you.

I will raise a serious matter. As the Taoiseach may be aware, bogus self-employment has been a serious problem affecting workers at RTÉ for a long time. In some cases, it has dragged on for decades for people. Meanwhile, people find themselves in stressful scenarios, such as RTÉ dragging them through lengthy proceedings to have these matters addressed and still some people are not satisfied with their circumstances. The Oireachtas committee on media will meet next week. Individual workers, according to advice from the Office of Parliamentary Legal Advisers, OPLA, will not be allowed to give individual testimonies about their experiences. They will be protesting outside the gate. Will the Taoiseach consider meeting some of these workers to give them a hearing because they feel that they have not been heard? Will he oversee a whole-of-government response to this issue? A number of Departments are involved and the matter has been dragging on for too long without being resolved.

The Taoiseach

I thank the Deputy for his good wishes.

As he may be aware, in late 2020, the Department of Social Protection commenced an investigation into the PRSI classification of RTÉ's contractors. RTÉ provided the Department with lists of 695 workers who were engaged on a contract basis in 2018, 2019 and 2020 and these form the basis of the investigation. The scale of the investigation in RTÉ is significant and further workers may be brought into the scope of the investigation as it proceeds. It is in the interests of workers, RTÉ and the Department that the investigations are progressed in a timely and efficient manner. In conducting these investigations, a fundamental objective is, first, to ensure workers do not suffer a loss of entitlement to social insurance benefits as a consequence of misclassification and, second, to ensure employers collect and remit the correct amount in social insurance contributions. Where the investigation identifies that this has not been the case, the worker's record is corrected and employers are required to remit the correct value of contributions backdated as appropriate. To date, 138 scope decisions have issued, of which 93 were determined to have an employee status and 45 to be self-employed. I will write to the Deputy with further information on this. I am happy for the Government to engage.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

We are out of time now and there are five speakers left, so I ask for their co-operation with brevity.

Deputy Sorca Clarke

I will follow up on a comment the Taoiseach made earlier about the supposed good news and the clinical lead of the paediatric diabetes service in Mullingar. With the greatest respect, the information the Taoiseach put on the record of the Dáil is not entirely correct, because that letter was not seen by the clinical lead, Professor O'Grady, until after it had been issued to parents. The proposed solution that has been put forward today is to move the paediatric diabetes nurse from Portlaoise to Mullingar for a period of three weeks. With the greatest of respect to this lady - I have no doubt she is very good at what she does - I am told that she has no training in pumps or pump management. If the 145 children who attend the Mullingar service have an issue with their pump, there is no support available to them. The parents, especially of children as young as two years of age who have been recently diagnosed, are beside themselves with worry at this point. They cannot go to their GPs.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

Thank you, Deputy.

Deputy Sorca Clarke

Their GPs will tell them they do not have the expertise-----

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

We are over time.

Deputy Sorca Clarke

-----to be able to read the rates and that they need the service to be properly resourced.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

I call the Taoiseach to respond.

Deputy Sorca Clarke

Again, this is not the first time this matter has been raised.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

Deputy, we are way over time. I ask the Taoiseach to respond.

Deputy Sorca Clarke

This service was in exactly the same position three years ago, almost to the day.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

I asked for co-operation. We are way over time. Please.

The Taoiseach

I appreciate Deputy Clarke raising the issue and the seriousness of it. The information I put on the record of the House is the information I was given, that an interim plan was discussed with the clinical lead at a meeting last week - that is what my note tells me and I can only relay that to the House - and that hospital management provided a commitment to finalise a solution to address the longer term staffing needs of the service to ensure stability and avoid any impact on paediatric diabetes patients and their families. On foot of what the Deputy has said, I will ensure her comments are conveyed to the Minister for Health and that he responds to her directly.

Deputy Patrick Costello

The issues surrounding apartment and fire defects have highlighted in some instances the deficiencies in the Multi-Unit Developments Act. There is a commitment in the programme for Government to review this legislation. Given the Government's time is drawing to a close, will this review start and, more important, finish before the programme for Government finishes?

The Taoiseach

There is nothing yet. The Government will run until March 2025, but I will get an update from the Minister about the important issue the Deputy raised. I know he has raised it before and that people are looking for timely news about it. I will get him a written note.

Deputy Matt Shanahan

I raise the plight of the Gaeltacht community in Waterford, An Rinn and the whole parish. The GP services have closed recently. The refurbished Garda station is now shuttered and the gardaí have been transferred. There are no gardaí there and now the post office is to close. An existing retailer in An Rinn is looking into a post office contract and was asked to contribute €44,000 to an An Post fit-out scheme to service a completely unsustainable contract, which is basically worth €4 to him for a 47-hour week. The Government constantly communicates its desire to protect our teanga. Údarás na Gaeltachta has spent €50 million in the past five years but not a penny was spent in the Waterford Gaeltacht. Will the Taoiseach take action to direct that subventions be provided by An Post and-or Údarás na Gaeltachta to make viable this community post office and support the service in An Rinn agus an Sean Phobal?

The Taoiseach

While I am not directly familiar with the issue, my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, tells me she spoke to the new Minister of State with responsibility for the Gaeltacht, Deputy Thomas Byrne, this morning and he has committed to take a look at the issue. We will revert to the Deputy directly about it.

Deputy Carol Nolan

The Restaurants Association of Ireland has raised serious concerns about the fact that 212 restaurants have closed. This equates to a loss of €288 million to our economy. The Irish Hairdressers Federation has also expressed serious concern and raised the need for the VAT rate to be reduced to 9% again. This would protect jobs in restaurants in our small towns and villages and in hairdressing salons. We need to do it and I call on the Taoiseach to ensure that in the forthcoming budget the VAT rate will be reduced to 9%.

The Taoiseach

I appreciate the seriousness of the issue the Deputy raised and the pressure small businesses are under. I intend to work with Government colleagues to see how we can support small businesses. The budget will be published in October. The budget conversations seem to start earlier every year, but I take on board the seriousness of the matter the Deputy raised and I am happy to engage with her as we get closer to budget day. The summer economic statement in June or July will be the next point in budget discussions.

Deputy Jennifer Whitmore

From one Wicklow TD to another, I wish the Taoiseach the absolute best in his new role.

I feel like a broken record when I address this issue. The Taoiseach is familiar with it. It is the 20 or so students in Greystones who do not have a secondary school place yet for September. We have been repeatedly told that a solution will be found for them. We are only five or six weeks away from secondary schools closing and the primary schools will close a few weeks later. These students do not know where they will be going in late August. Entrance exams are happening at the moment. Applications for the school transport scheme close in less than two weeks' time. Will the Taoiseach give a timeframe indicating when those parents and students will be told they will have a place for school?

The Taoiseach

I thank Deputy Whitmore for raising this issue that she raises regularly, as she rightly should. It is a stressful issue for people in Greystones, for parents and specifically for the young people who are wondering what the name of their school will be. I spoke with a school principal in Greystones about this yesterday and to the Minister for Education directly today. We need an urgent update. The Minister shares that view and I will be using my offices to help to bring about clarity and certainty for students in our constituency and, as Taoiseach, for any student in the country who is not yet sure of a secondary school place. I am happy to talk to Deputy Whitmore directly about it.