Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 21 Feb 2023

Vol. 1033 No. 6

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 Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 (Section 4(2)) (Scheme Termination Date) Order 2023 (without debate)

- Motion re Referral to Joint Committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of Regulation (EU) 2021/2303 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 2021 on the European Union Agency for Asylum and repealing Regulation (EU) No. 439/2010 (without debate)

- Motion re Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use (to conclude within 110 mins)

Private members' business shall be the Motion re Housing and Evictions, selected by Sinn Féin.

Wednesday’s business shall be:

- Motion re Presentation of Further Revised Estimates [Votes 16, 23 and 34] for Public Services 2023 (without debate)

- Motion re Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions (without debate)

- Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023 (Second Stage) (if not previously concluded, to be interrupted either at 4 p.m. or after 1 hr 10 mins, whichever is the later)

- Communications Regulation and Digital Hub Development Agency (Amendment) Bill 2022 (Amendments from the Seanad) (to be taken no earlier than 4 p.m. and to conclude within 30 mins)

- Oil Emergency Contingency and Transfer of Renewable Transport Fuels Functions Bill 2023 (Amendments from the Seanad) (to conclude within 30 mins)

- Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill 2022 (Report Stage, Amendment No. 27, resumed, and Final Stage) (if not previously concluded, to adjourn at 8.30 p.m.)

- Motion re Extension of the Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (to conclude within 45 mins)

- Financial Motions [Nos. 1 to 3] by the Minister for Finance (to conclude within 90 mins)

Thursday’s business shall be:

- Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the National Archives Act 1986 (Section 1(2)(d)) Order 2023 (to conclude within 55 mins)

- Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023 (Second Stage, resumed, if not previously concluded)

Thursday evening business shall be Second Stage of the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021, sponsored by Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne.

Announcement of 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 conclusion of Government business, with consequential effect on the commencement time for Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and topical issues, and on the time for the adjournment of the Dáil;

2. the Motion re Referral to Joint Committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 (Section 4(2)) (Scheme Termination Date) Order 2023 shall be taken without debate;

3. the Motion re Referral to Joint Committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of Regulation (EU) 2021/2303 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 2021 on the European Union Agency for Asylum and repealing Regulation (EU) No. 439/2010 shall be taken without debate; and

4. the Motion re Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 110 minutes, with arrangements in accordance with those agreed by Order of the Dáil of 30th July, 2020, for 100 minutes, following which a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes, and members may share time.

In relation to Wednesday’s business:

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

(i) the Dáil shall sit later than 9.30 p.m.; and

(ii) the weekly division time shall be taken on the conclusion of proceedings on the Financial Motions [Nos. 1 to 3] by the Minister for Finance;

2. the Motion re Presentation of Further Revised Estimates [Votes 16, 23 and 34] for Public Services 2023 shall be taken without debate;

3. the Motion re Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions shall be taken without debate;

4. the proceedings on the second reading motion on the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023 shall, if not previously concluded, be interrupted and stand adjourned at either 4 p.m. or after 1 hour and 10 minutes, whichever is the later;

5. the proceedings on the amendments from the Seanad to the Communications Regulation and Digital Hub Development Agency (Amendment) Bill 2022 shall be taken no earlier than 4 p.m. and shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 30 minutes and any amendments from the Seanad not disposed of shall be decided by one question which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments to the Seanad amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications;

6. the proceedings on the amendments from the Seanad to the Oil Emergency Contingency and Transfer of Renewable Transport Fuels Functions Bill 2023 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 30 minutes and any amendments from the Seanad not disposed of shall be decided by one question which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments to the Seanad amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications; and

7. the proceedings on the resumed Report Stage and Final Stage of the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill 2022 shall, if not previously concluded, be interrupted and stand adjourned at 8.30 p.m.;

8. the Motion re Temporary Business Energy support Scheme shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 45 minutes, and the following arrangements shall apply:

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

- opening speech by a Minister – 5 minutes;

- speeches by representatives of Sinn Féin, 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; and

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

(ii) members may share time; and

(iii) any division claimed on the proceedings shall be taken immediately; and

9. in relation to the Financial Motions by the Minister for Finance, the following arrangements shall apply:

(i) the Financial Motions shall be grouped together for the purposes of debate;

(ii) the proceedings thereon shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 90 minutes by one question in respect of each motion which shall also dispose of any amendments to the motion and which shall be put from the Chair; and

(iii) any divisions demanded shall be taken immediately.

In relation to Thursday’s business:

1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the extent that topical issues shall be taken at either 5.15 p.m., or on the conclusion of Government business, whichever is the earlier, with consequential effect on the commencement time for Second Stage of the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021 and on the time for the adjournment of the Dáil;

2. the Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the National Archives Act 1986 (Section 1(2)(d)) Order 2023 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 55 minutes, and the following arrangements shall apply:

(i) 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; and

- a speech in response by a Minister or Minister of State - 5 minutes; and

(ii) members may share time; and

3. the resumed proceedings on the second reading motion of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023 shall, if not previously concluded, be interrupted and stand adjourned at 5.15 p.m.

An Ceann Comhairle

Are the arrangements for the week's business agreed to?

Deputy Mary Lou McDonald

They are not agreed. We saw another attack last night on the Garda Síochána. One officer has been hospitalised and we wish that officer a speedy recovery. It is now very clear we do not have the Garda resource required throughout the State to keep communities and citizens safe. I would go so far as to say that, increasingly, people feel very unsafe in their homes, on their streets and in their communities. Today, Brendan O'Connor, the head of the Garda Representative Association, GRA, said that, as it is, there simply are not enough gardaí policing our streets 24-7. They do not have the necessary equipment and the force is facing an exodus of officers, demoralised by the entire situation. This situation cannot stand. I ask that the Minister for Justice present himself with an active plan, including a timeline and timeframe to address this situation.

Deputy Ivana Bacik

As homelessness figures continue to break records, we know many people are entering homelessness from the private rental sector. It is nearly two weeks since the Dáil debated a Labour Party Private Members' motion putting forward eight constructive measures to alleviate the worst effects of the housing crisis, including the extension of the eviction ban. The Government voted against our motion then and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage did not even attend the debate. There is a second Private Members' motion on the same issue to be debated tonight and a third tomorrow. I hope the Minister will find the time to attend those. With this concerted approach being taken by the Opposition, will the Government hear our calls and agree to bring forward legislation to extend the eviction ban temporarily, as we are seeking, and introduce the other measures so urgently needed to alleviate the housing crisis?

Deputy Mick Barry

The big hoteliers will be popping the champagne corks tonight and no doubt toasting the Minister for Finance, Deputy McGrath. Meanwhile, ordinary householders will be forced to work out which items they will now have to drop from the weekly shop. A €225 million gift for the hospitality industry and a bimonthly €200 electricity credit cut for the others. At the same time, prices are rising. We need a full debate on this. There will be a vigorous debate when these issues come before the House.

Deputy Mattie McGrath

While we welcome the reports announced today in many cases, we need more time for debate. We are also concerned about excise duties, which had been reduced, on diesel, petrol, home heating oil and gasoline. They will be phased out gradually by October, as I understand from what I saw in the proposal. This is unheard of at a time when there are record profits out of the litre of petrol, diesel, agri-diesel, home heating oil, and across the board. The Government is trying to implement a green agenda by forcing exorbitant prices on people. That is going to affect the price of every piece of bread, butter, jam, ham or whatever you want if diesel goes up again in price, which the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Ryan, wants. He has won out in this case, obviously. We need more time to debate this issue tomorrow than what we have and we need those supports to be maintained as well for the hard-pressed motorists, hauliers, agricultural people and everybody across the whole sector.

Deputy Danny Healy-Rae

In the first place, they only took 2 cent off agricultural diesel.

The Taoiseach

For clarity, the lower rate of VAT on hospitality, energy and gas and the lower rates of excise on petrol, diesel and green diesel are due to go back up fully in eight days' time. We have taken a decision as a Government not to do that and not even to begin unwinding it until June, which is what Members will be asked to vote on. They need to be unwound at some point. They were not factored into the budget but we have enough finance to extend them for some more months.

We intend to do this. That is the proposal being put and there is adequate time to discuss it. If that vote is defeated, they will go back up overnight on 28 February. I hope the Members opposite will vote with us now that there can be no doubt about what the vote is about.

The Government will make a decision on the eviction ban in the next two to three weeks. We will have to give it careful consideration. When we introduced it in November, we had hoped it would have the same effect as it had during the pandemic and we would see the number of people in emergency accommodation go down. This has not happened. We have to face up to the fact that it has not had the desired effect and we are still seeing people entering homelessness for many different reasons, including family breakdown and losing a place in the private rental sector. It has also had some unintended consequences. We have probably all come across people coming home from abroad and back from Australia, Dubai and other places who cannot move back into their own house or apartment. This is also an issue. We must weigh up the pros and cons of a further extension.

I join all Members of the House in condemning unreservedly the attack that occurred on a member of An Garda Síochána in west Dublin. There is no excuse for it. It is disgraceful to see any member of An Garda Síochána, the people who protect us and keep our streets safe, coming under attack in this way. We wish the garda a speedy recovery. We are investing in more gardaí. We provided funding for an additional 1,000 recruits this year. Recruits enter Templemore every 11 weeks now, and the total number who completed or began training last year was almost 500. I take confidence in knowing that a further recruitment campaign will be launched in the coming months. This will ensure a pipeline of suitable candidates.

An Ceann Comhairle

Are the proposed arrangements for this week's business agreed to? Agreed. We will now deal with questions on policy or promised legislation and I call Deputy McDonald.

Deputy Mary Lou McDonald

The cost-of-living package does not envisage any additional relief or support in terms of energy costs. I note that Pinergy has announced a 7.1% cut in its electricity prices. We know wholesale prices have dropped considerably. We also know companies are not passing on this reduction to their customers. What does the Taoiseach propose to do in this situation? Has he had contact with the other energy companies? Will he make contact with them? Will he have a conversation with them and insist they follow in the footsteps of Pinergy and start to take some of the burden off hard-pressed families and businesses?

The Taoiseach

I do not think what Deputy McDonald said was quite correct. The low 9% VAT rate on electricity and gas has been extended until the end of October. It was the position of Deputy McDonald's party not to extend it until the end of October but only until May or June. This is the measure that is in the announcement today that will at least have a marginal downward effect on electricity and gas prices that would have gone up otherwise. There will be another €200 energy credit applied to people's bills in March or April, which was previously announced. It has not happened yet but it will happen.

That Pinergy has reduced its prices is welcome. I understand they are still higher than most in the market. What I say to energy companies, which is what I said earlier today very clearly, is that I do not accept the idea that prices went up within a few months after wholesale prices went up, but for some reason when wholesale prices come down, it takes a year or two for prices to follow. I do not buy this. We know we have the possibility of using a windfall tax to take back any superprofits made by the companies. Subject to wholesale prices staying down or going down further, I would expect to see reductions within months and not years.

Deputy Ivana Bacik

In today's mini-budget, which is not a mini-budget, we will see a decision to bring forward more one-off payments. This is an admission that the Taoiseach and the Government got it wrong in budget 2023 and that wages and social welfare payments in particular are still too low. After these new one-off payments are made, the reality is that incomes will still be too low and will not keep pace with inflation and skyrocketing prices. We know 1 million people have fallen into poverty and one in five working people is officially low paid. We have heard about pensioners taking out credit union loans just to meet the cost of exorbitant energy bills. We know one-off payments cannot mitigate against the failure in the previous budget to increase sufficiently the minimum wage and minimum basic social protection rates, including pensions, carer's allowance and the fuel allowance.

Why will the Government not increase the minimum wage to at least €12 per hour in this mini-budget and why will it not increase social welfare rates by a further €8 per week, as per our calls and the calls of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Social Justice Ireland and others?

The Taoiseach

This was not a mini-budget or a budget, which is why we did not make changes to any weekly payments, although there are quite a number of once-offs. In regard to the national minimum wage, it went up by 7.8% this year and it looks like inflation this year will be lower than 7.8%. It is not the case that the minimum wage goes up faster than inflation every year but if we take the three-year view, the five-year view or the ten-year view, it has done so, and I think this year will see it go up faster than inflation. We increased the national minimum wage based on the recommendations of the Low Pay Commission, a body that was set up when Fine Gael and the Labour Party were together in government. I support that commission and have been happy to follow its recommendations down the years.

Deputy Jennifer Whitmore

Women vomiting 100 or more times a day, vomiting so much they are bursting blood vessels in their eyes or rupturing their oesophagus, feeling so sick they choose to terminate a much-wanted pregnancy rather than suffering for the entire pregnancy with this illness, and suffering post-traumatic distress and considering suicide: that is what happens when you have hyperemesis. There is a drug that can help with this but the Government has made it so difficult to access this drug under the drug payment scheme that it is virtually impossible to do so. There is no medical or licensing reason for the way the Government has set that up. If I was more sceptical, I would imagine it is a financial limitation that is being put on this. What is the Government going to do to reduce and remove these barriers for women who are suffering so much during their pregnancy?

Minister for Health (Deputy Stephen Donnelly)

I entirely reject the characterisation by the Deputy. As she will be aware, the Government has just made Cariban free. That has never happened before. It is an unlicensed product-----

Deputy Jennifer Whitmore

There is no point in having that if people cannot get it.

An Ceann Comhairle

The Minister, without interruption.

Deputy Stephen Donnelly

It is an unlicensed product, as the Deputy will be aware. If she has been reading the responses, she will also be aware that the HSE is following exactly the protocol that it follows in all such cases for an unlicensed product, which in the first instance is that a specialist has to prescribe, and then a GP can. The Deputy, of course, is also aware, although none of this is reflected in her contribution, that I have asked the HSE to review this, given that many women who would benefit from Cariban could avail of and benefit from it earlier than when they would typically have their first appointment with an obstetrician.

Deputy Mick Barry

Kay McShane grew up on Spike Island in Cork Harbour. She survived polio in her youth and went on to win a silver medal for Ireland in the marathon at the 1984 Paralympics, and two bronze medals in 1988 as well. She died aged 70 in 2019. The Cork County Council-owned Spike Island Development Company planned an exhibition on her extraordinary life and achievements for this summer but the exhibition is now in jeopardy because Kay's family quite rightly refused to facilitate an event that would have excluded Kay and other people with disabilities. How so? The bus from the island’s ferry dock to the exhibition centre, way up on a hill, is not wheelchair accessible. It would cost a mere €8,500 to make it so, but the council-owned development company says it cannot afford to do so. Will the Taoiseach agree this is a sorry state of affairs in the year 2023 and undertake to contact the company to see that the issue is resolved, and that a heroine of Irish sport can be celebrated this summer in the way she should be?

The Taoiseach

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I am afraid I do not know the details or the facts so I am loath to comment on it. Certainly, if the Deputy wants to get in touch with my office with the details, we will look into it further and raise it with the relevant council and company.

Deputy Verona Murphy

The farming community will have been a bit disappointed to hear the Taoiseach say earlier that he was not aware of what the price of fertiliser is in the UK per tonne because it has been their talking point for a week.

Farmers now realise the only way they as primary producers can ensure the sustainability of their farming income and activity is to have direct input into their cost base and for them to have direct involvement in the primary and secondary processing of their product. A large number of farmers have come together in the past week and agreed on the need to form a co-operative to import their own fertiliser needs on a not-for-profit merchant basis. The reality of Ireland's fertiliser prices flatlining at €1,000 per tonne while our competitors next door are at €500 per tonne is damning indictment of how much anything outside the M50 means to this Government. Will the Government support these farmers setting up a co-operative as not-for-profit merchant importers?

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Deputy Martin Heydon)

The issue of import costs is a huge concern for us. That is why measures we have introduced across Government have been particularly targeted at supporting farmers. Last year we had the fodder scheme and more than €90 million of different interventions to support farmers in that regard. Government will continue to step in and provide support there. We have also supported farmers with producer organisations and the establishment of same. We very much want to see more farmers work collectively on the sale of their produce, and the co-operative movement is something we support as well.

Deputy Verona Murphy

Will the Government support this co-operative?

Deputy Martin Heydon

As for the proposal the Deputy is talking about, I am happy for my officials to look at that and examine it further.

Deputy Mattie McGrath

The Minister for Transport, Deputy Ryan, makes good soundings when it comes to a bypass or relief road for Tipperary town. This is on the route, as the Taoiseach knows, from Foynes in Limerick to Rosslare. While we got €2 million this year to progress that from Cahir to Pallasgreen, that is only at the design stage and going to planning. We need a ring road for Tipperary town. The traffic every day is choking the town. It is killing the businesses. It is so bad for people's health as well, given the fumes being belched out. It would be good if we could even get the trucks out of it. Nice statements and commitments are no good. This is going on for ever and ever. God knows when we will see the motorway, the 2+1, or whatever they build. We need to get the trucks and passing traffic out of the town to allow the commerce, business and the enjoyment of the lovely town get back to normal. At the moment it is all traffic and it is a desperate situation.

The Taoiseach

I have been to Tipperary town many times and I agree it is a town that needs a bypass. I think about €2 million was provided for that particular road project-----

Deputy Mattie McGrath

That is right.

The Taoiseach

-----but that just helps narrow the route and with route design. We have about €250 million a year for new national roads. That is not enough to allow every project to progress every year but it is enough to make significant progress on many of them. The Minister, Deputy Ryan, is especially keen to prioritise bypasses of towns. Many got funding in this round, including Virginia, Carrick-on-Shannon, and a couple of others too. Perhaps Tipperary can be considered as part of that in future.

Deputy Catherine Connolly

It has been a year and five months since Katie Hannon's documentary on the Women of Honour. An inquiry was set up. I understand Ms Justice Bronagh O'Hanlon has completed that and her report has been given to the Government. Given the elapsed time, will the Taoiseach clarify when the report will be published? Trust is of the essence.

Deputy Mick Barry

Hear, hear.

The Taoiseach

The chair of the independent review group, Ms Justice Bronagh O'Hanlon, submitted the final report to the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence on 2 February, so only in the last week or two. The Tánaiste has indicated he is considering the report in full consultation with the Attorney General, and thereafter he will bring the report to Government for consideration and further engagement with stakeholders. It is imperative the current workplace culture is fully aligned with the principles of dignity, equality, mutual respect and duty of care for every member of the Defence Forces. This report will help us transform our Defence Forces in this regard.

Deputy Willie O'Dea

I am seeking an assurance the 26 students in Limerick who were not offered a secondary school place will be accommodated, and that this will happen shortly. I also bring to the Taoiseach's attention the fact the selection system in Limerick is badly broken. Imagine the psychological impact on an 11- or 12-year-old of not being offered a school place and getting not fewer than 11 letters of rejection from 11 different schools. That system must change.

There is a report locally, which I hope is incorrect, that the majority of those pupils are going to be herded into one class in one school, which, for geographical and other reasons, would make life impossible for the families affected. I ask for the Taoiseach's assurance that this is not going to be the solution, because it is not a proper one.

The Taoiseach

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I understand that 26 children in Limerick did not receive secondary school places, but I am sure we will be able to find places for everyone. This happens in my constituency from time to time - the numbers are often much higher than 26 - and we are always able to find a place for every child in the school. It may not be in the school of first choice or the nearest school, but we are always able to find a place. I am not familiar with the solution the Deputy mentioned about having them all in one class, so I cannot comment on the matter. The Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, is very much seized by this matter. I will ask her to talk to the Deputy directly to see if she can help some more.

Deputy Maurice Quinlivan

On Friday, the Taoiseach visited University Hospital Limerick, UHL, and met with staff and some hospital campaigners. I welcome this as I have been calling for such a visit for a long time. I hope the Taoiseach saw the unsanitised version of the problems faced by patients and staff there. That was on Friday. In the past two days there have been 205 people on trolleys. The total number of people on trolleys in the hospital to date this year is 1,140, which is much higher than last year. In all of 2022, we had 18,012 people lingering on trolleys. This was the highest toll ever recorded in any hospital. The declaration of a major internal incident following the crisis at Christmas had an impact, but once that was stood down, the numbers, as expected, shot right back up.

There should be nobody on a trolley. There should be sufficient capacity for all patients. In that context, the construction of the three new units needs to proceed with the utmost speed. This is one critical aspect of the solution. The other is the recruitment and retention of new staff and the retention of the existing medical staff. Can the Taoiseach outline the efforts being made for immediate improvements in the context of treatment of patients at UHL and the longer term plans to alleviate the pressures at our local hospital?

The Taoiseach

I thank the Deputy. I was very pleased to visit UHL last week. It was the third or fourth time I visited the hospital, and the third time I had visited the accident and emergency department. I was in the old one and in the new one when it opened. I was there again the other day. It really is a very good and modern department. It has some equipment and facilities that just do not exist in other parts of the country, like CT facilities on site, for example, as well as 11 consultants, which is a huge number. It is horribly overcrowded, however. I am sure it is much more overcrowded when I am not visiting. It was overcrowded when I was there, however. The hospital cannot function the way it should function because patients are forced to wait on trolleys for admission. We must do everything we can to change this situation.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

Go raibh maith agat, Taoiseach.

The Taoiseach

When the new CEO of the HSE is appointed, I am going to sit down with him and the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, and see what we can do.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

I thank the Taoiseach.

The Taoiseach

As the Deputy will know, though, developments are under way. A 96-bed block is under construction on the public hospital site. There is also a new private hospital. We want to make better use of Ennis and Nenagh and do other things as well.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

We are over time. I call Deputy Troy.

Deputy Robert Troy

A Programme for Government: Our Shared Future contains a commitment to continue to invest in new road infrastructure to ensure that all parts of Ireland are connected. This is critically important from a regional development perspective. The Taoiseach will know the work both of us did in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in the context of preparing the regional enterprise plans for the north west and the west. Key to this was ensuring that part of Ireland was connected.

Last week, the funding for road projects was announced. Only €200,000 was made available in respect of the N4 road project, when €2.9 million was sought. This means that, for a second time, the N4 road project is going to be suspended. This will result in landowners and homeowners being left in limbo for the second time in a decade. The Taoiseach intervened last year to try to get additional money for this project.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

I thank the Deputy. We are over time.

Deputy Robert Troy

We welcomed that intervention. The then Taoiseach, Deputy Micheál Martin, intervened as well.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

Go raibh maith agat, a Theachta. We are over time.

Deputy Robert Troy

I ask both of them to intervene again to ensure this project is allowed to progress to the next stage.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

Go raibh maith agat, a Theachta. I call the Taoiseach to respond.

The Taoiseach

I thank the Deputy for raising this question. I agree that the road does need to be upgraded. We have approximately €500 million annually for national roads, with €250 million going to maintain and restore those we have and €250 million to invest in new projects. It is not always possible to fund every project every year. It never was and never will be, unfortunately. For the north west, priority is being given to the Carrick-on-Shannon bypass, as well as closing out the Westport to Castlebar road, the Foxford bypass and a few other projects.

We have agreed that during the course of the year, if one project is slowed down or gets stuck at a hurdle, we can reallocate funding from projects that got funding this year to those that did not. That is certainly a matter that is on my agenda.

Deputy Emer Higgins

The programme for Government contains a commitment to review our electoral laws and protect our democracy from external influences like political donations from non-citizens outside the State. At the weekend, there was another revelation regarding Sinn Féin's finances. We heard further contradictions about its electoral spending and more questions were raised about its statutory filings. Sinn Féin is the richest party in this country and yet it failed repeatedly to pay its bills to a local business in my constituency. Our electoral laws need to be updated, and that needs to happen quickly. What is the position in this regard?

The Taoiseach

I thank the Deputy for raising the important issue of our electoral laws. On Saturday, The Irish Times reported that the Standards in Public Office Commission is examining irregularities in Sinn Féin's accounts. The accounts have also been examined by a senior independent accountant, who confirmed the anomalies. We are talking about large sums of money - hundreds of thousands of euro. We have had tribunals for less. This could become a major political issue. It would be appropriate for some time to be set aside for statements on the matter to allow the party president and party treasurer, who are Members of this House, to account for what has been going on and for there to be responses. I strongly believe that accountability should not just be for Government parties. This is public money, and public money needs to be minded. Our electoral laws underpin our democracy and must be upheld. This matter should get the attention of the House, and we should hear statements from the president of Sinn Féin and the party treasurer as to what exactly has been going on.

Deputy Michael McNamara

Notwithstanding the Taoiseach's visit to UHL on Friday last, there was near record overcrowding again on Monday, with 109 people waiting for beds. As a result of that and the transfer of patients to Ennis, day surgeries have been cancelled in Ennis again today. Will the Taoiseach look at the capacity of Ennis and the other model 2 hospitals in the region as part of the solution to overcoming the overcrowding in UHL? In particular, will he look at the medical assessment unit. Will he also ensure that there is adequate capacity in Ennis to allow day surgeries to continue to happen? Today's cancelled surgeries are next week's accident and emergency presentations.

The Taoiseach

The short answer is "Yes". As we discussed at the meeting, I foresee Ennis and Nenagh hospitals being upgraded. It is already the case that more patients who are sick but stable are being taken there directly by ambulance. That protocol could be extended further provided it is safe to do so. There can be more medical assessment unit slots and longer hours for the local injury unit. Ennis only has about 50 beds and Nenagh is roughly similar. If those hospitals are going to do more work, they are going to have to be bigger. It is something we are going to examine as part of the overall solution to the problems in UHL. The solutions cannot just be in that hospital; there has to be a regional solution.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

Despite the Government's considerable efforts to put a positive spin on its cost-of-living package, the net fact is that the vast majority of workers, pensioners and social welfare recipients are going to be very considerably less well off because increases in the cost of living and inflation are far in excess of the small increases given in the budget and the one-off measures being proposed today. How can the Taoiseach justify that when those in the corporate sector, energy companies and corporate landlords and developers are making record profits? How can it be fair or justified not to take measures to address the fact that the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer? Specific groups do not get any help at all. People on illness benefit do not get the fuel allowance. People who are over the social income thresholds do not get any rent support.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

I thank the Deputy. We are over time.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

The Government has let people down, despite its best efforts to spin today's package.

The Taoiseach

I certainly hope that does not turn out to be the case. We have always said that we cannot fully insulate everyone from the rising cost of living but that we would try to insulate people as much as we can, particularly those who are the most vulnerable. In any household budget, there are three elements. There is how much you get paid, how much you get taxed and how far the money goes. To take the first element, pay is going up. Public sector pay, private sector pay and the minimum wage are going up. Welfare payments are going up, including weekly payments and other payments as well.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

It is a fraction of inflation.

The Taoiseach

Income tax is coming down. There is the rent tax credit. We are holding off on restoring VAT and excise rates, and we are reducing childcare, education and healthcare costs, student fees, public transport costs, etc. If you are examining this matter in the round, you have to take account of all three; you cannot just focus on one or on a part of one.

Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú

I congratulate Israel Olatunde from Dundalk on being the fastest man in Ireland and for smashing the 60 m indoor record. I will try to be as fast in asking my question.

On the Irish protocol, we have had unhelpful commentary from backbench Tory MPs. One of them is called Boris Johnson or something like that. I seem to remember him from a time gone by. What dialogue is the Government involved in at European level and with the British Government? We all want to see a deal and we all want to see streamlining. However, we cannot have anything that involves even the smell of a hard border. We need to get to a point where the DUP can come on board and put the Executive back in play, because that is absolutely necessary.

The Taoiseach

I thank the Deputy very much. I join him in congratulating Israel Olatunde on a fabulous performance the other day. I watched it on the news. I am very impressed by what he has achieved and with his speed. I also congratulate the Deputy on segueing from that to the protocol. I did not know where the Deputy was going, but fair play.

On the protocol, I spoke with President von der Leyen on Saturday and the Tánaiste met with Maroš Šefčovič in Brussels yesterday. There is contact every couple of days between us and the European Commission, which is negotiating on our behalf. Obviously, we are in touch with the British authorities as well. The situation is that a great deal of progress has been made but a deal has not yet been done and signed off. Prime Minister Sunak wants some time to consult with the Northern Ireland parties and with his own party. We should give him the time and space to do that. We should all avoid any commentary in public which might prove to be counterproductive.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

That concludes the Order of Business.

Deputy Verona Murphy

I was to speak in place of Deputy Nolan.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

Unfortunately, the Deputy made a contribution already in her leader's stead. I see the Deputy’s name here, but she has already spoken.

Deputy Verona Murphy

That is fine.