Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:1. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach if he will provide a timeline for future citizens’ assemblies. [50103/22]
Ceisteanna - Questions
Citizens' Assembly
Paul Murphy
Question:2. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he will provide a timeline for future citizens’ assemblies. [50106/22]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together.
The programme for Government commits to establishing four citizens' assemblies, on the topics of biodiversity loss, the type of directly elected mayor and local government structures best suited for Dublin, drug use and the future of education. The Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity Loss and the Dublin Citizens' Assembly on local government were formally established in February, began their meetings in April and are on schedule to complete their work and submit their reports by the end of this year, in line with the timelines set out by the Oireachtas. The Government is committed to establishing the next citizens' assemblies, on drug use and the future of education, at the earliest opportunity following the completion of the assemblies currently under way. The timelines and terms of reference for the next assemblies will ultimately be determined by the Oireachtas. It is a matter for the House to agree. It is anticipated that we in the Government will consider the matter early in the new year, following which motions will be put before Dáil and Seanad Éireann for debate, setting out timelines and terms of reference for the new assemblies.
I hope the Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity Loss will look very closely at the manner in which our marine resources and offshore marine areas have been grabbed for so-called relevant projects in offshore industrial wind. The developers have chosen the sites, which are often very sensitive sites that arguably or definitely should have been designated as marine protected areas, something that the Government has failed to do. I read this morning that hundreds of records released to Coastal Concern Alliance, a citizens' group, under freedom of information rules raise serious questions about habitat protection in the offshore area. The documents seem to suggest political interference in the designation of special areas of conservation and that areas which should have been designated as sandbanks were removed. For example, in the context of areas of the Codling Bank, the Kish Bank and so on that should have been designated as sandbanks and almost certainly would have gained protection but have now been grabbed as sites by developers, there is a suggestion of interference in the designation and lack of protection of those sites where private companies are planning offshore industrial wind.
New research shows that the world's wildlife populations have declined, on average, by almost 70% in the past 50 years. In Ireland, the butterfly population is down 35% since 2008. We are living through the sixth mass extinction event. The report suggests that land use change remains the driving factor behind the crisis and the loss of biodiversity. In addition, there is overexploitation of natural resources, as well as pollution and climate change. At the root of this is a system of ecocidal capitalism that is concerned only with maximisation of profit and cares nothing for the devastation of the natural environment and the consequences of that for all of humanity. It is good that we have the citizens' assembly examining the question of biodiversity loss but the real question is whether the Government is going to take action. I have full confidence that the citizens will demand action, but is the Government going to follow through? For example, will it designate 30% of our seas as marine protected areas? Will it end the model of industrialised agriculture based on monocultures? Will it pay farmers to engage in rewilding and regenerative farming? Will it expand native afforestation?
There was considerable controversy during summer in agreeing sectoral emission targets for the agriculture sector in particular. My colleague Deputy Sherlock called on the Government to convene a citizens' assembly on the future of agriculture and food production in Ireland. Would the Taoiseach and the Government agree with such an approach? It would enable a good conversation to take place on the difficult questions in respect of how to deliver a just transition to farming communities through lowering emissions and protecting livelihoods. I am asking for the view of the Government on that proposal.
On a separate matter, I raised the issue of thalidomide with the Taoiseach two weeks ago, on Wednesday, 5 October, and he said he would respond to the Irish Thalidomide Association on a proposal within two weeks, or that was our understanding. Today marks two weeks since that commitment and the Irish Thalidomide Association has requested that I ask the Taoiseach to confirm that he will engage with it.
I wish to ask the Taoiseach about a possible date for the proposed citizens' assembly on drugs. The issue of drugs has been once again brought to the fore by two matters in particular, the first being the episode of "Prime Time" broadcast last night which discussed the matter in detail and the second being the unfortunate comments yesterday of a Government Deputy which reduced people suffering serious addiction abuse to a single derogatory and hateful term that I will not repeat. We need a new approach to drugs. Some 50 years after heroin first penetrated the north inner city, are we still going to criminalise people for their addictions or can we have a more tolerant and humane approach? If that starts with a citizens' assembly, so be it, but we should do it with urgency.
The Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity Loss heard this weekend that Ireland is not losing its biodiversity; it is haemorrhaging it. An expert told the assembly that we are one of the most nature-depleted countries on the planet. Anyone crossing Ireland will see Sitka spruce plantations and biodiversity deserts everywhere. Basically, hedgerows that should be a refuge for biodiversity have been wiped out. We have learned from the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, that our rivers and oceans continue to be of poor quality as a direct result of the growth in nitrate use which, in itself, is a direct consequence of the intensive farming and export-driven model into which farmers have been forced. It is time to move beyond platitudes on the biodiversity crisis and accept that Food Vision and other related plans from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine have left the farming community largely struggling to survive, benefited only a tiny minority involved in intensive farming and export, and left us bare in terms of nature and biodiversity. We cannot separate the agricultural model in this country from the biodiversity crisis and collapse that is being overseen.
When will this change and when will the platitudes on biodiversity end?
I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. First, I endorse that call for immediate action on the citizens' assembly on the issue of drugs. The matter is outstanding and is urgent. As Deputy Gannon said, we know from our own constituency and the communities we represent just how critical this is.
I also want to ask the Taoiseach about a citizens' assembly on the issue of Irish reunification. We had the People's Assembly in Belfast, where people were gathered from across society in that city. The support for its citizens' assembly is overwhelming.
Similarly, the Ireland's Future event, which was a huge event in the 3Arena - the Taoiseach's own colleague Deputy Jim O'Callaghan addressed that gathering - is equally calling for this. This is a very widespread call for the necessary planning that can be facilitated through a citizens' assembly. When will the Taoiseach move on this matter?
Finally, we are a decade on now since the overwhelming majority at the Convention on the Constitution, as it was then, voted in favour of extending voting rights for presidential elections to Irish citizens living outside of the State, including the North. It has been one whole decade and we are still waiting. This waiting needs to end.
I also reiterate that we really need a date for the citizens’ assembly on drugs. We can all accept at this stage that the so-called war on drugs is well and truly lost. We know that we have communities which are completely under the cosh of criminal elements and that we do not have the addiction services that are required to deal with the need that is there. Most of my dealings with An Garda Síochána are generally related to drug debt intimidation at this point in time where families are under severe pressure. We know that this issue needs to be health-led, that there is a policing element and that there is an education element.
We know that we also need community and family supports which are absolutely lacking. We have to deal with the issues right through from multigenerational trauma to poverty but we are not doing any of these. We need to hope that our citizens will have more courage, perhaps, than all of us and will be able to look at these particular issues, but it is already too late. The best we can do is to set a timeline where we can actually get underway with this. We may have lost some people but we need to ensure that we save more of our citizens from the absolute disaster that the drug trade has introduced across Ireland and the world. We need a solution on an Irish, an all-island, on a European basis and even beyond.
On the matter of the Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss, the lack of broadleaf trees was very much raised. In my constituency, very close to my home, we have Cratloe Wood, a 600 acre plantation which was once western Europe’s largest oak wood. The rafters above the chamber in which Queen Elizabeth II lay in state were built from Cratloe oak beams. The Royal Palace Amsterdam and HMS Victory were all built from Cratloe oak and, perhaps, even this building. Nowadays, if one goes to Cratloe Wood, it is Sitka spruce everywhere and there is only a small cohort of native oak trees. I have been leading an initiative locally.
There are a few drops of rain falling from the sky light, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, with some lightning too. Perhaps we need to get the roof fixed but we could fix it with Cratloe oak because the water is dropping here now.
This would be a great initiative as we are trying to lead something locally, but there needs to be Government buy-in. Perhaps the Government might pick some project forests like Cratloe Wood to reintegrate native trees. They are being propagated once more with the nurseries in Wicklow taking the acorns from Cratloe oaks. We could do with some Cratloe oak here as there are even more drops falling, as I speak. We may have to abandon the Chamber soon.
I cannot sing but I am tempted to sing “Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head”.
You’re a gas man.
The last point is very valid and I say to the Deputy that if he wants to come back to us with his local community group on Cratloe Wood, we are open to initiatives from the community up on biodiversity and in respect of native woodlands in particular. The Government would be very interested in getting behind that idea and developing a project around that. There are many projects across the country, as Deputies will know, where communities are taking the initiative in respect of biodiversity and in restoring flora and fauna and it is something of which I am very strongly supportive.
Deputy Boyd Barrett began the session by raising the issue of marine resources. This is the first Government which has actually provided for a marine spatial plan and it has also provided legislation in respect of the regulatory framework governing the use of our seas. We need more nature reserves. I am not clear what the Deputy is referring to in regard to political interference on designation. I certainly have not seen that. Are his comments made in regard to the present Government as I certainly do not think that that is possible?
I will send the Taoiseach the material.
Please do. The main point is that we must develop offshore wind, which is clear. We want to reduce and eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels. The most effective way to do that is both onshore and offshore wind, which we are both agreed upon. That has to be done in a regulated and planned way with inputs from all stakeholders, not least those representing our biodiversity. I have already spoken to the environmental pillar on the social dialogue and it made some very good, sensible suggestions as to how its inputs could be fed in at the very beginning on such matters. We will need wind farms, calls will have to be made in respect of decisions and these will be hard decisions.
Land use is key and a major review is underway in respect of land use in the country which will inform future practice in respect of the point made by Deputy Paul Murphy. Again, we have an agricultural model here and no one is forcing anybody into the model that we have. Food security is important.
CAP is.
Excuse me?
The Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, is. We incentivise farmers to engage in industrialised farming because of the whole nature of the subsidy system.
The Deputy used the word “force”. Farmers have been attached to the land for a very long time in this country. We have to engage with all involved on the land, including our farming community, and food security is important. We have to balance all of that. We need a greater variety of production and we are, through the carbon tax revenues, encouraging environmentally friendly farming, multi-species swards, and greater technologies to reduce the impacts on the environment. Not least this year, there has been a pronounced reduction in fertiliser use, brought on by the war on Ukraine, but it is nonetheless having some beneficial impacts in respect of the environment.
Deputy Bríd Smith talked about a nature-depleted planet which I do not disagree with. We have to focus more strongly on the quality of our rivers, the marine, our estuaries and ocean waters. Again, Food Vision 2030 is endeavouring to balance food production with-----
It is not balanced.
----- the need for environmental sustainability. That is the objective and there was widespread consultation. Not everybody agreed with the outcome-----
It is clearly failing so it cannot be balanced if it is failing.
-----and it was only announced about a year ago and has some distance to go yet in respect of its objectives.
On the citizens’ assemblies, to respond to the point made by Deputy McDonald, I think the shared island initiative in respect of the dialogue series that is there is a far more effective way of building reconciliation and mutual trust through working with people on the ground and engaging in dialogue across-the-board on issues such as climate. A climate and biodiversity network has been created on the island together with many research networks. An all-island women’s forum has been selected. I attended a group on Monday with Community Relations in Schools, CRIS, with communities involved in education at the interface areas in Belfast from preschool to primary school and secondary school. That is the type of understanding and dialogue which we need to build up on the island and that is the approach I favour in that respect.
The next two citizens’ assemblies will be on drugs. Deputy Gannon highlighted that. That is where we intend to go.
Deputy Bacik, to whom I apologise, also referred to the need for a citizens’ assembly on agriculture and food production. I would not disagree with that entirely but drugs and education are the next two themes to which we have committed. They got the largest cross-party consensus in terms of a need for an assembly on drugs and on education. The date for the assembly, to answer Deputy Ó Murchú, should be early in the new year.
I asked about the thalidomide issue.
We have not proposals worked up on that yet, but as soon as we have we will come back to the Irish Thalidomide Association as quickly as I can.
We are over time as there were many contributions. There will be a little less time for the next two groupings.
National Economic and Social Council
Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:3. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the National Economic and Social Council, NESC. [50104/22]
Paul Murphy
Question:4. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the National Economic and Social Council. [50107/22]
Mick Barry
Question:5. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the National Economic and Social Council. [52019/22]
Ivana Bacik
Question:6. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the National Economic and Social Council. [51663/22]
Cathal Crowe
Question:7. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the National Economic and Social Council. [52024/22]
Paul McAuliffe
Question:8. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the National Economic and Social Council. [52031/22]
James Lawless
Question:9. Deputy James Lawless asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the National Economic and Social Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52027/22]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 9, inclusive, together.
I am advised by NESC on strategic policy issues relating to sustainable economic, social and environmental development in Ireland. The NESC work programme in 2022 has five main areas, including to carry out a major piece of research and consultation on climate, biodiversity and how to achieve a just transition in agriculture, and to continue to help us deepen our understanding of how to deliver more affordable and sustainable housing systems, drawing on international and national experience, including ongoing work in Ireland on cost rental. NESC is continuing to work on Ireland's well-being framework by examining how well-being frameworks are implemented in practice. NESC has undertaken an extensive programme of research and consultation to support the shared island initiative. It produced a report on the shared island in quarter 1 of 2022, which made recommendations in five key areas: economy and infrastructural investment; social policy; climate and biodiversity; well-being frameworks; and data co-ordination. It examined aspects of the Covid-19 pandemic to help identify strategic lessons about public governance and how Government can be supported to arrange and manage its activity to deliver the best results for society. The findings of this examination were published in June this year.
NESC published five reports in 2021 and two reports in 2022, as follows: the Covid-19 Pandemic: Lesson for Irish Public Policy - Council Report No. 158; Shared Island: Shared Opportunity, NESC Comprehensive Report - Council Report No. 157; Grounding the Recovery in Sustainable Development: A Statement from the Council - NESC Report No. 152; Shared Island: Projects, Progress and Policy Scoping Paper - NESC Report No. 153; Digital Inclusion in Ireland: Connectivity, Devices and Skills - NESC Report No. 154; Ireland's Well-Being Framework: Consultation Report - NESC Report No. 155; and Collaboration on Climate and Biodiversity: Shared Island as a Catalyst for Renewed Ambition and Action - NESC Report No. 156. As reports are finalised in the relevant areas, they are brought to Government for approval in advance of publication.
I propose that NESC and, indeed, the Government urgently look into the question of the nationalisation of our entire energy sector. I want to demonstrate one example to show the Taoiseach the problems we face. That example is the bills over the course of a year of one woman on a district heating system in an area in Dun Laoghaire. In the bill from January to March, the tariff is 0.8 cent per kWh; in the next bill, it is 21 cent; in the next, it is 38 cent; and in the next, it is 49 cent per kWh. These are multiples of even the extortionate increases for ordinary people who are not caught, but trapped, on district heating systems. I mentioned Enniskerry Road, where the picture is similar in the cost-rental development that the Government trumpeted. This is insanity. It is grossly unfair and it is causing incredible hardship for people that profit-hungry, very profitable energy companies are, willy-nilly, charging unaffordable rates. There is no cohesion to the thing and people on that estate have been cut off.
On 31 August, the local employment services in Tallaght and Clondalkin were shut down, 39 workers were made redundant and the areas are going to be left with no service for at least two and possibly three months. At the end of that time, the local partnership will attempt to re-employ a reduced number of workers on lower wages and with increased responsibilities. The consequence will be a significant reduction in services. When we attempted to raise this previously, the Government said, “Nothing to do with us” and it is the responsibility of the local partnership. The root of it is the tendering process that the Government insisted all of these partnerships went through. It effectively encouraged a race to the bottom in terms of services, with competition from for-profit providers. Will the Taoiseach instruct the partnership to re-employ all of the workers on existing terms and conditions and will he provide the funding to enable it to do so?
There seems to be a lot of leaking going on in the Dáil today but I will ask my question in any case. I asked the Taoiseach yesterday about the case of, say, a woman who is faced with a choice this winter of heating, eating or paying full rent, and who decides to put the interests of her children first, ahead of the interests of her landlord, and to pay some but not all of the rent. I asked could an eviction be processed under the proposed legislation in such a case. The Taoiseach did not provide an answer. I want to make it clear that the legislation needs to include an inability to pay clause that speaks to circumstances such as this and guarantees that the Residential Tenancies Board will not entertain cases such as this and that it is open and shut, and landlords cannot evict on those grounds.
In conclusion, the Government walked itself into a massive contradiction yesterday, supporting a ban on evictions but not supporting a ban on disconnections, at least not an across-the-board one that will include pay-as-you-go customers. The Minister is meeting the providers at the moment. When is the Taoiseach going to tell us the outcome of these talks and give assurances to the pay-as-you-go customers?
Yesterday, I raised the tenant in situ scheme with the Taoiseach. Will NESC and the Government look at how to strengthen that scheme as part of the package of measures, including the eviction ban, that will be necessary to keep people out of homelessness and to secure homes for families and individuals into the future? Currently, the tenant in situ scheme has too much red tape and there is inconsistency across different local authorities. Will councils be resourced to buy homes? Will they be given an instruction to do so by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage? Will the resources be provided to ensure that where landlords are evicting because they want to sell, the local authority will have first call on purchasing or, indeed, the tenants themselves might in some cases be offered the property? What measures can the Government put in place to ensure strengthening of the tenant in situ scheme to ensure greater protection for families and individuals who are renting against the risk of eviction and homelessness?
I call Deputy Cathal Crowe, if he is still afloat.
If my hair stands up, the Leas-Cheann Comhairle will know the microphone has shocked me, with the rain dropping in this corner. I notice it is dry in other parts of the Chamber but we are still standing.
I have a straightforward question and I hope the Taoiseach can tell us something positive. The Limerick northern distributor road, phase 1, from Coonagh to Knockalisheen, finally got under way for the second time. The contractor fell through but work has restarted, which is great. We now see all the improvements that the Government promised starting to come on stream. The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, a 150-bed hospital, will soon go in for planning. We also have an industrial zone to be planned beside it and we had news earlier this week that a brand-new train station will be built. However, if the true economy of this belt between counties Clare and Limerick is to be realised, we need phase 2 to happen between Knockalisheen out as far as the University of Limerick. I have had my own squabbles over many years about how we should route it. We have largely lost those battles or, at least, they have been settled. We now need to know with some certainty what will happen with phase 2. Will it stay in limbo or will it be realised as well?
NESC has just published the findings of focus group work undertaken in the north-west on the experiences of people in the Border areas under the themes of sustainability and connectivity. Indeed, connectivity concerns are at the heart of this work. The Taoiseach met with a cross-party delegation of councillors from Donegal, Derry and Strabane earlier this year. During that meeting, the issue of the funding for City of Derry Airport was put to him. Some 40% of passengers who use Derry Airport are from County Donegal, unsurprisingly. It has connections to London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow and other places. Reopening the Derry to Dublin air route would create enormous opportunities for the north-west. At that meeting, the Taoiseach agreed to engage further with the Minister for Transport on these matters and noted the Government's interest in working with the aviation authorities and airlines to get this service going. What progress has been made on that matter?
I thank the Deputies for raising a range of issues. We can in the future put to NESC the issue of the nationalisation of the entire energy sector, although I do not advocate that. We have a regulated market and an independent regulator.
Not on district heating.
The Deputy made a specific point in respect of district heating but the specific issues pertaining to district heating would not in themselves merit the nationalisation of the entire energy network and system in the country.
It is just one instance.
We need to have bespoke measures to try to help people in district heating settings with effective interventions.
Deputy Paul Murphy raised the issue of local employment services in Tallaght and Clondalkin being shut down for three months and then being restored in a differently organised way. He said it is a slimmed down version. The tendering did not facilitate a race to the bottom. We need efficiencies as well. We need people to have good models. From what the Deputy is saying, the local partnership won the contract. It was not the Minister's intention that those who won contracts would lay people off, but neither is it on that the Government would micromanage every partnership and every agency across the country. Government is a balance between delegation of its authority, as agreed by the Oireachtas, and, at a macro level, dealing with issues that are more appropriate to the Executive. I often note that the Deputy's side of the House calls on the Government of the day to keep directing and keep instructing - keep dictating, basically - people to do it our way and no other way. I am not sure that is the correct or the balanced approach to take. That is just the view that I have.
Deputy Barry again raised the issue of choices and people being in significant difficulties. First, there are moratoriums in respect of people in vulnerable situations. Second, the measures that the Government has taken on funding have been significant in supporting people in need through the cash payments that we will make between now and the end of the year, the permanent measures from January onwards in terms of social protection increases and payments, including the working family payment, and a range of cost reductions that we have introduced, which will help people with their bills, with energy remaining the big one. Regarding social protection, there is the additional needs framework to help families who are in difficulty, not just with energy, but across the board, to ensure that they are never in a position where they would have to make that choice. These measures and mechanisms are robust. We are being clear and insistent with the providers that we do not want any disconnections, particularly of families in difficult situations. I do not believe, given everything that has happened under the various strands, that people should be disconnected in the circumstances that the Deputy has outlined where there is a genuine need and difficulty.
Deputy Bacik raised the housing in situ scheme and whether NESC could be deployed or a request made of it. I am not clear that the scheme requires legislative underpinning. We can ask NESC more broadly about the homeless housing issue. I still believe that we need to allow discretion by, and the delegation of authority to, local authorities. Substantial funding has gone to local authorities in respect of housing, and that will continue, but we are open to suggestions and discussions around that issue more generally in terms of what NESC could do.
Deputy Cathal Crowe raised the issue of the Limerick northern distributor road, about which he is passionate. I am glad the first phase of that is under way. He mentioned the investment by the University of Pittsburgh. The new train station that was recently announced by the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, is a positive because I think that, in future, there must be a balance between road and active travel. The Deputy also mentioned the industrial park, which is good news as well. I understand the motivation behind, and have sympathy with, the proposal for a second phase. Others are not as inclined towards phase 2 and have different views on it. It was not in the original national development plan, NDP, so we have to try to work out how that can be progressed. I note the Deputy's commitment to it.
I thank the Taoiseach.
Regarding the north west, I have spoken to the Minister for Transport on this matter. I am anxious for that to happen, but it is in the transport domain right now. Regarding the rail strategy, east-west connectivity is a big issue because the A5 has been caught in a lot of planning issues, public inquiries and so on. Then there is the rail issue. The largest number of submissions on rail came from the north west. The all-island rail strategy, funded by the Minister and the shared island fund, is nearing completion. We need an Executive back up and running for it to be published and acted on. It would help enormously with long-term connectivity for a high volume of numbers if we could get that off the ground.
Departmental Bodies
Mary Lou McDonald
Question:10. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the public service, justice and police reform division of his Department. [48038/22]
Cathal Crowe
Question:11. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the public service, justice and police reform division of his Department. [52025/22]
Paul McAuliffe
Question:12. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the policing reform implementation programme office in his Department. [52032/22]
Ivana Bacik
Question:13. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the policing reform implementation programme office based in his Department. [51661/22]
Gary Gannon
Question:14. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the policing reform implementation programme office based in his Department. [52017/22]
Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:15. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the public service, justice and police reform division of his Department. [51710/22]
Paul Murphy
Question:16. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the public service, justice and police reform division of his Department. [51713/22]
James Lawless
Question:17. Deputy James Lawless asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the public service, justice and police reform division of his Department. [52028/22]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 to 17, inclusive, together.
The public service, justice and policing reform unit is part of the social policy and public service reform division of my Department. The work of the unit supports me in my role as Taoiseach on policing reform, criminal justice, public service reform, social affairs and other related matters, supports the Civil Service management board, including the Civil Service renewal programme, and contributes to the oversight and governance of the new public services reform plan. The unit also assists the work of the Cabinet committee on social affairs and equality and the associated senior officials group, which were established to oversee implementation of programme for Government commitments in the areas of social policy, equality and public services. Policy areas covered include gender equality, which encompasses efforts to address domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, and matters relating to arts and culture, children, justice, policing reform and community safety, disability, social inclusion, direct provision, the Irish language, and sport.
The unit incorporates the policing reform implementation programme office, which oversees the implementation of A Policing Service for the Future, the Government's plan to implement the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland. A Policing Service for the Future is broken down into four stages of implementation. The first three phases have been completed and much has been achieved. The future focus of the programme for the final or consolidation phase will be on several key organisational and corporate enablers to assist in achieving a sustainable transformation of policing. This includes areas such as IT, HR and finance, which are key enablers across the entire reform programme, as well the necessary legislation, operating model, community safety and non-core duties.
In addition, the section has departmental oversight of the NESC, participates in relevant interdepartmental committees and other groups, and provides me with briefing and speech material on criminal justice and policing matters as well as social policy and public service reform issues.
There are ten minutes left and Members will have one minute each. I call Deputy Cathal Crowe.
No, Deputy McDonald is first.
My sincere apologies. I am out of order myself.
The Acting Chairman would not get away with me skipping Deputy McDonald.
He certainly would not, leak or no leak.
I know it well.
There is very little time left in this slot. Please, forgive me. I apologise.
In July, Shane O'Farrell's patients, Lucia and Jim, received a copy of the final scoping exercise report into Shane's death. The process took over three years. It is important to acknowledge that every State-sponsored mechanism by which the family have sought to secure the truth of the events leading to Shane's death has taken an inexcusable time to be completed, with the strategy being delay, delay, delay at every turn.
Along with every party in the House, the Taoiseach shares the view that a full inquiry is needed to reveal what he described as the "shocking malpractice and dysfunction within the criminal justice system". In truth, it is the family who have done the heavy lifting and who have uncovered the true scale of these appalling failures - failures that continued for many years after Shane was killed. We know from a recent media report that the Courts Service has warned its board of potential reputational risk once the report is published. It is the O'Farrell family who uncovered the full extent of the Courts Service's failures. The O'Farrell family have been repeatedly let down by the State in the most horrific of ways.
These are matters of significant public interest. Will the Government establish an inquiry, as the Dáil overwhelmingly called for many years ago?
I understand that the division deals with the realm of policing reform. The Taoiseach does not have a direct function in respect of Garda operations, but the Garda roster that was introduced at the beginning of Covid was known as the four-four roster, under which gardaí would work four days and be off for four days. It was transformative for communities because we saw more of our gardaí on the streets, but it was also transformative for gardaí in their home environments. For the first time in their lives, they were able to plan family events and know when they were going to be on and off duty. Now that we are hopefully emerging from Covid, although it is still lingering a little, the Commissioner, Mr. Drew Harris, is looking at new rosters of seven days on and two off, six days on and three days off, and seven days on and three days off.
The public will not know when gardaí are in the local stations and their families will not be able to plan for things. I just think this is a simple thing. If the Taoiseach is talking to the Commissioner, perhaps he might ask him to speed up the process in cases where gardaí are suspended. We need to find out for better or worse. If gardaí have done something wrong, they need to be removed. If they have not, however, we need to clear them and get them back on the streets.
The "Prime Time" special on O'Connell Street last night revealed the reality of what so many of us already know, which is that we have allowed the main street of our capital city to fall into decline. We also know, however, that policing is a problem across the city centre and not just on O'Connell Street. Indeed, in my area, in the south inner-city, many constituents have expressed serious concerns to me about safety. One local resident spoke about someone having been arrested outside his house who was wielding a knife at 11 a.m. Clearly, therefore, a stronger response is required from the Garda.
I have tabled several parliamentary questions on this matter. The Ministers for Justice, Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, and Enterprise, Trade and Employment have all said they are satisfied that the various Garda operations in the area are sufficient. Can it be ensured that a greater number of gardaí are recruited to make sure we have community policing and visible foot patrols across the city centre area? In 2022, 800 new gardaí were meant to be recruited, but just 24 were added in the first eight months of the year and I understand that only 460 new members of the force are expected to have either completed or started training by the end of this year. Can the Government ensure, therefore, that we will see the numbers of extra gardaí on the streets that we were promised in the budget? It was promised that we would see 1,000 extra gardaí. Is there any chance of this being secured?
Our ability as Deputies to function in these buildings is crucially dependent on the ushers and service officers. They are the first in and the last out, but, in general, they are pretty poorly paid. I raised with the Taoiseach a while ago the issue of the divisors for calculating overtime for ushers still being based on the old Croke Park hours. Essentially, this deprives the ushers and service officers of additional overtime payments. Equally, the service officers for some time have been looking for allowances for some of the additional duties they do and for which they do not get recognition. I ask the Taoiseach to examine these issues out of respect for the important role the ushers and service officers play for all of us in these buildings.
Yesterday, the Fine Gael Deputy Paul Kehoe said here that O'Connell Street was "full of druggies". I ask the Taoiseach to condemn this use of dehumanising and stigmatising language. I find it utterly incredible that a senior Deputy supporting the Government would speak in such a way, punching down at some of the most vulnerable people in our society, namely, those suffering from drug addiction. I worry that this reflects a certain approach by the Government of criminalising and stigmatising people when it is underfunding drug task forces right across the country. I am on the Tallaght drug task force, which is massively underfunded and the same applies throughout the country whereby these task forces have not recovered from massive cuts ten years ago.
I refer to the refusal by the Government to take a public health-driven approach instead of relying on criminalisation and stigmatising when Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael together have created the conditions of this crisis that exists in many of our communities because of the lack of investment in housing, social services and communities. I would like a condemnation of this comment and a commitment that this is not the sort of approach the Government will take.
Deputy McDonald raised the scoping inquiry into the death of Shane O'Farrell. I met with the family during the summer. The Government agreed to facilitate the family with a copy of the scoping inquiry report. The Government has not yet considered the report in deference to the family's wishes at that time. I will meet with the family again, and I understand a date has now been agreed by my office and the family. The Government has to give consideration to the scoping inquiry. It did take three years, but this was beyond my control. The inquiry was established more than three years ago, and once such an inquiry is established, the chairperson goes through it. This is a comprehensive report. It is fair to say that not all of it meets with the approval of the family, but the Government must consider this report in respect of the next steps.
Turning to Deputy Crowe's contribution, I commend him on his encyclopaedic knowledge of the detail of Garda rosters. This is impressive work and I hear what he is saying but I do not interfere in the operational decisions of the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána regarding how the Garda is organised. More generally, however, in terms of employees, and gardaí in particular, if the home environment is better and so on, then people will perform better. Likewise, with the work environment. The Deputy said changes are coming on stream that could be difficult. I will talk to the Minister for Justice, who is the conduit in respect of matters concerning Garda policy more generally. Turning to the Deputy's wider issue, disciplinary action taken in respect of any agency must always be balanced and fair. People's names do need to be cleared if errors have been made, and I do not know any specific details regarding any specific cases, but speaking generally, people are entitled to natural justice and due process in all situations.
Deputy Bacik again raised the O'Connell Street issue. More gardaí are being trained on an ongoing basis. This process is continuous now concerning the number of trainees. We do need more foot patrols and we also need a stronger community gardaí presence. A substantial number of those emerging from Templemore have been deployed in the capital. This remains the case. In addition, we need more specialisation and this is also happening. There has been a fundamental reform of the policing system in recent years. This has continued, as I said in my original reply.
Moving to Deputy Boyd Barrett's contribution, we all have representatives on the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission, which essentially runs these Houses. It organises and is responsible for policy here. I do not know whether these issues have been raised with the commission. There are established employee–employer relationships and pay agreements, etc., and relativities apply in this context. These, therefore, are issues that can be progressed through the existing channels in this respect. I will look into this and ascertain the current position in respect of any discussions that may be under way.
In respect of Deputy Paul Murphy's question, I did not hear Deputy Kehoe make those comments. I would not agree with nor approve of those comments because drug addiction is very difficult for the individual in the first instance. In our view, this must be about understanding the issues in respect of rehabilitation and helping people to come off addiction and providing the services to enable this to happen on a continuing and consistent basis. I do not accept that our model is criminalisation driven. I do not accept this at all. For 30 years now, we have had a strong public health dimension to drugs in different iterations. Fianna Fáil has strongly supported drug task forces. The Deputy should know this. Previous Fianna Fáil Ministers of State over the past 25 years did a hell of a lot in this area. I think it was the former Deputy and Minister Pat Rabbitte who set up drug task force areas. This approach was continued by subsequent Ministers of State such as Noel Ahern, John Curran, Eoin Ryan and many more.
We are anxious to intervene in communities at ground level. We should condemn the traffickers and the drug barons who are destroying our young people and our city. We have seen this in respect of the criminal gangs that have done great damage to the city of Dublin and to the country through selling drugs, getting people hooked on them and destroying the lives of those individuals and their families as a result. We must have a health-based approach as the key approach to this issue. Education is also important at the earlier stages, in respect of building up people's self-esteem in our education programmes.
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