Before we move on, to spare me giving out and further interaction, I remind Deputies that there is one minute for questions and one minute to reply. I ask for a little respect on all sides.
Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation
I also extend my sympathies with the family of the late Noel Treacy.
A decade ago, Fine Gael and the Labour Party removed the right to retire on a State pension at 65 years. Over the last two years, the Government has plotted and planned to ratchet the pension age up to 66, 67 and 68 years. We in Sinn Féin remain absolutely committed to people's right to retire if they so wish at the age of 65 on a pension.
The report of the Oireachtas joint committee on social protection rejected the Government's plans to ratchet up the pension age. Will the Taoiseach give a clear commitment that the pension age will not rise? Furthermore, will he give a commitment that the Government will act to restore the retirement age of 65 years of age? He said he has an open mind. I ask that he have an open mind on this issue because it is a matter of fairness and fair play for workers.
I am a bit confused because last October Deputy McDonald's party increased the pension age in Northern Ireland from 65 years to 66 years. We do have an open mind-----
Does the Taoiseach want me to answer that?
----on the report of the pensions commission and the Oireachtas committee. We will examine that report in conjunction with the Commission on Taxation and Welfare.
Is that a "Yes" or a "No"?
I raise with the Taoiseach legislation the House passed on Second Stage last December, in its final act of the previous session, namely, the Proceeds of Crime (Gross Human Rights Abuses) Bill 2020. I introduced the Bill which is what is known as a Magnitsky Act. It is designed to be able to react against people who are gross abusers of human rights internationally. In the context of what is happening in Ukraine, many countries are strengthening their Magnitsky legislation. Will the Taoiseach give support to the early enactment of the Proceeds of Crime (Gross Human Rights Abuses) Bill and allow it to go quickly through these Houses?
The Bill is very progressive legislation. I would have to examine the detail obviously but I am generally supportive of the spirit of the legislation and what the Deputy is endeavouring to achieve.
Will the Taoiseach come back to me on that?
Yes.
This morning, the Dáil unanimously passed a Social Democrats motion on the cost of cancer care. It was hugely welcome and it was a very unifying debate in the Chamber. The motion had three asks, namely, to abolish the €80 inpatient charge for those receiving cancer treatment, to direct the HSE to end the practice of using debt collectors to collect hospital charges from cancer patients and to honour the commitment in the programme for Government to introduce a cap on the maximum daily charge for car parking for visitors in all public hospitals. When does the Taoiseach intend to act on that motion? When will we see some satisfaction in terms of deliverables?
The Government is constantly looking at charges, particularly in the health area. The Deputy will know that in the budget we reduced inpatient paediatric charges and the threshold for the drug payment scheme. We will consistently and on an ongoing basis continue to look at charges. We will take the Social Democrats motion into account.
I thank the Taoiseach.
We have a serious difference emerging between the Green Party and Fine Gael at least, as we are not sure of the Taoiseach's position, on the question of liquefied natural gas, LNG. The Minster for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, intervened with An Bord Pleanála and told it that under no circumstances should the Shannon LNG project be given planning permission because it would be in opposition to the programme for Government and the commitment not to import LNG. The Minister believes the project would not make sense because it would conflict with the programme for Government. The Tánaiste said last week, as quoted in the newspapers at the weekend, that the Government would not prevent the Shannon LNG project from going ahead if it received planning permission. I need to know what the Taoiseach's position is. We also need to know what conflict is emerging over these defining issues for the time we are living in and if the Government is going to lock us into a fossil fuel future by allowing Shannon LNG to go ahead.
As Taoiseach, I would rarely intervene in decisions An Bord Pleanála has to make. I never do, in any event, as a public representative. The Government policy statement, which was approved and published on 18 May 2021, sets out that the Government does not support the importation of LNG fracked gas. That is the policy statement on the importation of fracked gas. The Deputy is probably familiar with that statement. I do not need to read it in detail here because I do not think I have the time to do so. That outlines the position.
I asked the Taoiseach what the difference was between him and the Tánaiste on the decision taken by the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan.
No, I am moving on. We move to the Rural Independent Group-----
The Deputy's question would take too long to answer.
-----and Deputy Michael Collins.
In the past few weeks, Cork County Council has rejected a planning application for almost 100 houses in Clonakilty. The reason for the refusal was the Irish Water report in the planning in which it stated that water supply deficiencies are too high in the Clonakilty area to allow extra development. In my time as a councillor between 2004 and 2016, water problems in Clonakilty were being seriously recognised. Cork County Council developed a strategy to augment the supply to Clonakilty by drawing water from Curraghalicky Lake at Drinagh via a new pipeline. However, when Irish Water took over the running of water and sewerage these plans were abandoned. This has been a disaster for future growth in Clonakilty. To make matters worse, the county development plan is zoning more grounds for development in Clonakilty at the cost of rural surrounds when the council knows full well that no development can now take place due to lack of water. This is a huge blow not only to Clonakilty but to the surrounding areas of Timoleague and Rosscarbery as the growth of one of west Cork's biggest towns is now at a standstill. Will the Taoiseach, through his office, immediately work with Irish Water to find the funds for a new water scheme for Clonakilty and its surrounding areas?
Clonakilty is a beautiful and delightful west Cork town with a wonderful quality of life. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan has been raising this issue with me for some months now and has outlined and articulated the problem. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Michael McGrath, is also engaging with Irish Water on this issue, which seems to be a different scheme from the one the Deputy is talking about. Irish Water is talking about a major connection between Bandon, I think, and Clonakilty and says the length of time that will take is considerable. There are a number of towns in west Cork that will be similarly impacted with respect to the speed of getting connections and so on. Therefore, we will engage with Irish Water on this question.
The Taoiseach is aware the HSE has a plan in place to dramatically alter the distribution of elderly care long-stay beds in north Tipperary. The existing 25 beds in the Dean Maxwell Community Nursing Unit will be transferred to Nenagh in order to justify a bigger unit. The HSE has consistently ignored all representations to correct this absurd and unacceptable situation. It is obviously running the show and is dictating policy. The Ministers with responsibility appear to have no say or zero influence with the HSE. Is it the policy of the Government to downgrade the Dean Maxwell unit? Will the Taoiseach please tell the people of Roscrea he is not going to stand back and allow the HSE to close the long-stay unit? On behalf of the people of Roscrea, I am asking him to insist on the HSE investing in a modern facility offering a broad range of services, one which caters for the needs of older people and incorporates a bed complement for residential care for the people of the town. I also ask that the day centre be reopened. It has not opened since Covid, which is causing considerable disruption for people and anger.
I appreciate the Deputy's interest in this issue. It is not the intention of the Government to downgrade the Dean Maxwell unit. There have been various proposals brought forward, as the Deputy knows. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, will meet senior HSE staff and Department of Health officials tomorrow to discuss these issues. I ask that she come back to the Deputy and other Oireachtas Members from the county following this meeting.
I raise the non-signing of a derogation to enable farmers to burn bushes. I am not talking about bushes that are alive. These are bushes that were cut during the winter season and are then piled up and usually burned in the spring when they dry out a bit. As a result of the non-signing of the derogation, they will now have to be mulched. I ask Deputies to excuse me for being slightly out of breath. I was running late. The bushes will be mulched using vehicles with diesel engines so I question the benefit to the environment. This is a huge inconvenience to farmers and there has been no lead-in time. I ask the Taoiseach whether this derogation will be signed because until now, his Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, has declined to sign it.
I will come back to the Deputy on that. I will have a look at this. The issue came to my attention last evening. There are obviously a number of perspectives on this in terms of the environment, clean air and other issues as well. I will examine the matter in full. I have not yet had an opportunity to do so. I will come back to the Deputy. I just want to give him time to catch his breath.
I was anticipating a response, but I appreciate-----
Now that I have my breath, maybe I could have another opportunity to address the Taoiseach.
Hopefully, I have sufficient breath. The latest phases in major road upgrades around the country for this year have been shelved by Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, citing insufficient funding. These include the N4 Mullingar to Longford upgrade, which has now been more than 20 years in gestation. It is a critical piece of infrastructure for the region and, given the road's inclusion in the national development plan, NDP, there was a realistic expectation locally that this road would proceed. Will An Taoiseach indicate whether additional funding can be provided to ensure that the next phase of this road upgrade proceeds as hoped?
Significant capital moneys have been allocated to roads and public transport in the NDP. Notwithstanding that, a whole range of projects have been at different stages of development, whether it be route appraisal and so on. We will have to engage with the Department and TII with a view to how these projects can be progressed. Some only have to move to route selection, which would not entail a whole lot of money in the short term. I am of the view that planning of projects should continue. A difficulty may eventually come when we get to the end of the planning stage, but so many people have their lands sterile, for example, without having any indication as to when their lands can be utilised for one purpose or another. They are waiting to see if they will be subject to compulsory purchase order or whatever. It is not fair to people to be kept waiting so long. In addition, there is the issue of actually getting the roads done.
In light of the recent spate of horrific attacks on young women, in particular, the murder of Ashling Murphy in January, and the publication of the gender-based violence policy the Government will bring forward soon, which cannot be published soon enough, will the Taoiseach recognise that there is legislation that I believe we as a House should change, particularly relating to sentencing guidelines and the likes of the sexual offences Bill, which I know is being considered by the Department of Justice? Would that be an opportunity for us to have serious consideration of putting in place very serious consequences for any such future attacks on women in Ireland?
All the party leaders in the House met on Monday to discuss the issue of violence against women and sexual violence. Legislation was one of the areas raised, along with others. The Oireachtas should look at this through the Joint Committee on Justice. I know that the families of women who have been murdered are very aggrieved at the current situation in respect of their being alerted to parole requests, for example. There needs to be a more victim-centred approach to all of this. Sentencing for this violence should be hard, strong and very clear. Again, I favour the justice committee examining the issue in more detail.
We remember the Government's fanfare at major launches such as Our Rural Future, the shared island initiative and the ten launches for the NDP. The lofty words spoken at those launches about commitment to rural, regional and all-Ireland development actually count for very little when compared with the failure to deliver the infrastructure projects our regions require. We recently learned that the actions of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and the Government have resulted in the TII stalling the next planning phase of the Clontibret to the Border N2 road scheme, for example. Money was diverted from that project to pet projects of the Minister. The actions of TII at the behest of the Government could permanently condemn a project that was a key component of several peace process talks and is an integral infrastructure project for a region that has no rail network and a pathetic level of public transport options. Will the Taoiseach outline today whether he will ensure that this decision is reversed and the funding for this infrastructure project will be restored?
The Deputy is prone to a little fanfare himself.
I am prone to delivery.
My experience of cross-Border projects is that planning and objections seem to be slowing down many of them. We are making funding available to cross-Border road projects.
This project.
For example, for the first time in a long time we are putting flesh on the bones of the Narrow Water bridge project. I have allocated funding to it with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien.
This is the Clontibret to the Border project.
I will examine that project along with others. The NDP is very expensive in terms of the amount of money that is being provided for road projects. As I said, we will engage with the Minister and the TII in respect of what can be done on a whole variety of projects that are at different stages of development.
I wish to raise the issue of overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick, UHL. Since the Government took up office significant inroads have been made, including the provision of new bed blocks. Many good things are happening, but there is still a very acute problem with trolley numbers. On 26 January, this number again broke national records with 111 people waiting for beds. The situation has been described by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation's Phil Ní Sheaghdha as being "out of control." In recent days, Tony O'Brien, the former director general of the HSE, recommended that the mid-west, and UHL specifically, have an elective-only hospital. Sláintecare has recommended elective hospitals for Galway, Cork and Dublin. I am asking the Taoiseach, as helmsman of the Government, to try to push for the mid-west to have its own elective hospital to end once and for all the incessant waiting times crisis we have in the region.
Yes, in short I would welcome a proposal from the mid-west in respect of an elective-only hospital. In the health service generally, capital projects are moving too slowly. The elective process has gone on for five or six years through different working parties, in addition to people, consultants and administrators having different views. The Government has taken a decision to press ahead with elective-only hospitals for Cork, Galway and, latterly, Dublin. My advice to the Deputy is to look at State-owned land and to come up with a very clear focus for the region. We will then go after it and get it done.
I will raise the shocking announcement of 77 job losses at Hilton Foods in Drogheda last Friday. This news is bad at any time, but is especially so coming so soon after Christmas. It has been a devastating blow to those 77 workers and their families. I have appealed to the Tánaiste to engage with the company to explore all avenues as a means to protect those jobs. I ask the Taoiseach and the Government to take a proactive approach and to engage with the company to ensure that every single cost-saving exercise is being explored to try to save those jobs. I also ask them to ensure that all supports and help available to those workers will be followed through on.
Yes, it is devastating news for the workers involved. The State agencies should do everything they possibly can to support them and help to ensure that the company can stay open, if that is possible. I do not have the full background to the rationale behind the decision, but it is critical that the State agencies also engage with the workers to support them in every way possible in respect of supports and helping them to seek alternative employment, if that turns out to be the case.
The programme for Government committed to supporting the European Central Bank and the Central Bank of Ireland in encouraging competition in our banking sector and to develop the fintech sector as a source of employment and competition. As a former member of the banking inquiry, I am acutely aware of our macro-prudential regulatory failings in the past and the flaw in the dual role of the Central Bank to regulate and promote financial services. We have moved on very substantially since then, but despite the fact that the Irish Central Bank reports to the European Central Bank, as do all others in the EU 27, we now have the worst reputation in the world in process, procedure and turnaround time. If it continues the way it is going, the Central Bank will be the only bank left in Ireland. Is it the intention that it will face the public and begin to offer retail services? The market internationally is actively avoiding dealing with Ireland. The most recent example is Revolut-----
We are over time. The Taoiseach to respond.
-----which applied for a banking licence. I will mention the point for the Taoiseach because it is important. Revolut announced yesterday that it will do some services in Ireland that will be headquartered in Lithuania.
We are way over time.
It applied for an Irish banking licence then withdrew it. That is 500 jobs for Lithuania, which is its gain and our loss-----
Deputy, we are way over time.
-----because Ireland is seen as a place you cannot do business in from a banking perspective.
The Deputy is eating into his colleagues' time. Deputy, please.
I hope that the Taoiseach might take that on board and engage with the Central Bank.
There really is no time for the Taoiseach to respond because it has been used up. I ask the Taoiseach to do his best.
The Minister for Finance is looking at the fintech issue. A decision was taken by the Oireachtas in respect of taking competition out of the Central Bank's remit. There are issues in terms of bank competition in Ireland. We know that. There are other issues as well, but I do not have time now to go into the detail.
The Taoiseach is very well aware of the importance of Kerry Airport, based in Farranfore, County Kerry, the capital of tourism in the western world. I thank the Government and previous Governments for their support of that airport. I know that the Taoiseach personally recognises the importance of it. On behalf of everyone working at that excellent facility, from the ladies who make the tea to those operating the controls in the tower and so on, I ask that the Taoiseach would ensure it is always supported. There are great plans for the future growth of the airport. It is of massive importance for us from an economic point of view and a connectivity point of view be that with Germany or other parts of Europe. Connected to Dublin, it is our hub in terms of travel around the world. One can travel to Australia from Farranfore airport if you get two aeroplanes. It is our step to the rest of the world and the step from the rest of world to us. The importance of it can never be overestimated. I am asking for continued support from the Taoiseach and the Government for the airport.
The Taoiseach cannot respond if Members do not leave time for him to do so.
I agree wholeheartedly with the Deputy that the importance of Kerry, in particular Killarney and Farranfore airport, can never be overestimated. The airport is very valuable and important to the economic development of the region and to the social life of the region. With the development of the Munster Technological University, there are great opportunities and synergies to be had in terms of increased investment in Tralee Munster Technological University, along with the airport. We are fully behind that.
The regularisation scheme for undocumented people opened on Monday last. While the scheme is very welcome, there are thousands of people excluded from it. I had a meeting with some of them yesterday. These are people who have made lives here and for various reasons are excluded. For example, people who have been temporarily documented within the past four years cannot avail of it, those who have expired student permissions will not qualify and those who are on temporary visas and have cases in the EU treaty rights division are also excluded. These are thousands of people who, by right, should be able to avail of the scheme but cannot. The scheme is being described as a "once in a generation scheme". I appeal to the Taoiseach and the Government to amend the scheme to ensure that all these people are included.
I appreciate the points the Deputy has made. I think we should get on with this scheme. Migration policy is evolving. It is a very progressive and important scheme. We will continue to evaluate it as it is progressed and rolled out. It is a groundbreaking scheme relative to how we have dealt with this issue in the past. Lessons can be learned as we roll it out and we can get greater analysis as to what the true situation is out there in respect of the people the Deputy has identified this morning.
I call on the Taoiseach to convene a citizens' assembly urgently on the biodiversity crisis. Across the globe, biodiversity, nature and wildlife are in peril, nowhere more so than in Ireland. Climate change, habitat loss, habitat destruction and illegal poisoning have all led to a point where 54 of all bird species are now red listed, which means they are critically endangered. There has been an 81% loss in wetland species over a 50-year period. We need to act now. We need to convene a citizens' assembly now because we need to start addressing this biodiversity crisis straightaway.
I appreciate the Deputy raising this issue. I know he has a lifelong commitment to this area. In that context, I intend to bring to Cabinet shortly proposals for a citizens' assembly on biodiversity. It is absolutely critical that we move on this and that we move with speed and conviction. I intend to do that.
I want to raise the issue of day care services for elderly people. The programme for Government sets out a clear commitment to these vital services within our communities. In Laois-Offaly, my constituency, there is a serious problem in that services there have not resumed. It has been brought to my attention that the services in Abbeyleix, Mountmellick and Portlaoise are all closed. We have been informed that the services at Abbeyleix hospital are to be relocated. This has come as a huge shock because it is such a vital and important service within our community. I ask the Taoiseach to take action to ensure that these services are reopened as urgently as possible.
My understanding is that there was a reconfiguration of the hospital there and that it is looking for a new centre, in respect of which it is liaising with the users. I will ask the Minister to come to the Deputy on the matter. We will pursue it.
I welcome the recent and very positive development of the place-based leadership development programme by the Minister of State, Deputy Joe O'Brien. This is a much-needed programme that was proposed in the Nolan and Geiran reports. It is an excellent mechanism of support for communities and a grassroots, ground-up way of dealing with issues. Is the Government committed to rolling out this programme and, if so, when will it be rolled out and when will we see it for other areas? In recent weeks, Deputies, councillors and local activists have been meeting with great concern around an increase in antisocial behaviour, violence and criminality in parts of Dublin South Central. It has been described as being on a knife-edge and could very much go the wrong way. When will the place-based leadership development programme be rolled out to other areas? There are several areas I know that desperately need it.
I will inquire of the Minister of State in terms of the timelines around that. I am working on this and my departmental officials are preparing an overarching plan in terms of partnerships and area partnerships to see what is the best way forward on a multidisciplinary basis to provide safe communities, to ensure those communities most in need are looked after and that people can go about their lives safely.
The Taoiseach will have heard of the brutal attack on a young woman in Cork at the weekend. It comes three weeks after the awful murder of Ashling Murphy. There was another attack last week on a woman in Kilkenny. Our thoughts are with these women and their families. Violence against women is an epidemic. We are all agreed that consistent action is needed to eliminate it. The women of Cork and Ireland need to know that they are safe on the streets, in their homes and everywhere.
Two weeks ago, this House passed a Sinn Féin motion which proposed the establishment of a dedicated unit in the Department of An Taoiseach to co-ordinate a gender-based violence strategy and delivery of actions. What is the timeline for the delivery of this unit? It would be a big step forward.
The Deputy may be aware that the party leaders met during the week. Approximately a fortnight ago, it was announced in the House that the Minister for Justice would lead on policy and services in respect of violence against women and that a new strategy will be published, hopefully, in March. There will then be accountability to the Department of An Taoiseach and the Cabinet sub-committee and there will be a unit in my Department to co-ordinate the work of all Departments. It has to be a whole-of-government response to this issue to make sure that the targets within the strategy that will be published by the Minister for Justice will be fulfilled and followed through.