Mary Lou McDonald
Question:1. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on children and education will next meet. [20326/23]
Ceisteanna - Questions
Cabinet Committees
Alan Dillon
Question:2. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on children and education will next meet. [21425/23]
Cathal Crowe
Question:3. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on children and education will next meet. [22438/23]
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor
Question:4. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on children and education will next meet. [22439/23]
Pádraig O'Sullivan
Question:5. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on children and education will next meet. [22442/23]
Michael Moynihan
Question:6. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on children and education will next meet. [22444/23]
Mick Barry
Question:7. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on children and education will next meet. [22480/23]
Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:8. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on children and education will next meet. [22820/23]
Bríd Smith
Question:9. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on children and education will next meet. [22823/23]
Ruairí Ó Murchú
Question:10. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on children and education will next meet. [22856/23]
Ivana Bacik
Question:11. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on children and education will next meet. [22860/23]
Gary Gannon
Question:12. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on children and education will next meet. [22916/23]
Paul Murphy
Question:13. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on children and education will next meet. [22920/23]
Rose Conway-Walsh
Question:14. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Children and Education will next meet. [23217/23]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 14, inclusive, together. The newly established Cabinet committee on children and education will oversee the implementation of commitments in the programme for Government in the area of children and education, including further and higher education, with a specific focus on child poverty and well-being. The first meeting of the new Cabinet committee will take place shortly. Work has been taking place with officials meeting with organisations and groups ahead of the next Cabinet committee. The new Cabinet committee will enable a greater focus on improving the lives of children in Ireland and giving them the best start possible, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to fulfil their potential. We believe that through education, we can empower young people. They can develop the skills necessary to build a better life and achieve better outcomes for themselves and their families. I speak regularly with the Ministers, Deputies O'Gorman, Foley and Harris, at Cabinet meetings and I also engage closely with the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan.
We are a couple of weeks out from this year's leaving certificate examinations and there is still no certainty about when those exam results will be released. It was anticipated that we would see a return to the traditional mid-August release, but the Minister for Education is unable to confirm whether this will be the case. Recent media comments by the Minister for Education appear to blame the State Examinations Commission, SEC, for not being able to confirm the date. The Minister also cited the second-chance exams and the shortage of examiners, as if these were matters outside of her control. Of the 60,000 students who sat the leaving certificate last year, just 397 students availed of the State exam's second sitting, and the Minister has had 12 months to address any staff shortages. It is also important to note that the numbers sitting this year's leaving certificate exams are only marginally higher, and access to those second-chance exams remains extremely limited. People need to know when the leaving certificate results will be out.
First, I welcome the Ballyheane Women’s Group from Castlebar, who are joining us today in Leinster House and who are in the Gallery.
I raise a similar topic, which is that the leaving certificate examinations are approaching and the dates of when students will receive their results remain uncertain. The absence of a definite release date for leaving certificate results is causing significant anxiety among young students. I have been contacted by several students. Approximately 500 Irish students apply to higher education institutions in the Netherlands and are seeking information on this matter. Unfortunately, for the fourth successive year, the State Examinations Commission has indicated that results may not be available in the traditional mid-August timeframe, impacting the incoming first-year students who will once again be delayed in starting their college courses. While I am aware that the State Examinations Commission is responsible for the operation, delivery and development of State examinations, it is beyond reason why the State Examinations Commission is not in a position to confirm the date for those results. The lack of a specific date heightens uncertainty and anxiety among students. I kindly request clarification on this matter, which is causing enormous issues among students who are diligently preparing for their State exams.
Schools are willing to play their role by providing autism classes. Increasingly, the response from the Department is that they provide modular accommodation. I think schools deserve more and it needs formal investment. I ask the Taoiseach to respond.
We have committed to reducing class sizes in schools on the basis of having one teacher for every 23 students, which I think is historic. I welcome this ratio. Yet, there is a school in rural Carlow that has two new students and this pushes it over the ratio limit. The Department has said it is not entitled to keep and retain their teacher from last year. It is my understanding that the primary staffing appeals board goes on 2022 figures. The school is telling me that even though the Department knows it has the number, it has to submit a new staffing appeal to the June meeting of the primary staffing appeals board. Common sense should prevail. The school has a teacher and it has all the children for 2023. Why is the primary staffing appeals board going on 2022 figures? It just does not make sense. I have spoken to the Minister, Deputy Foley, about this. This issue is probably across all other schools as well.
I ask the Taoiseach about the unmet needs of children with additional needs. Is the Taoiseach satisfied that, as students transfer from primary school to second level, enough is being done to ensure that there are places available for people with additional needs?
I also raise the transport section of the Department of Education, particularly dealing with kids with additional needs. Answers are not being provided to families who changed plans from the grant aid to transport being provided mid-stream because of family circumstances. They are being held up. Is the Taoiseach satisfied that the transport section is as efficient as it could be? More importantly, I raise the issue of the unmet need when students go from primary school to second level and then when they complete second level and go onto third level or placement. Is he satisfied with that? This is an issue that should be dealt with, particularly from the children and the education points of view.
Three-quarters of secondary schools report having teacher vacancies with zero applications. Teacher shortages are at a crisis point. Maths is being hit. Irish is being hit. Foreign languages are being hit. Woodwork, metal work and technical subjects are really being hit. Students are being forced to drop subjects. Students with special needs are disproportionately impacted as teachers are moved around to fill gaps.
Last night, teachers and parents held a public meeting in the Taoiseach’s own constituency of Dublin West to demand action. They want permanent jobs for teachers, pay that can cover the rent and affordable housing. As anger grows about this issue, what assurances can the Taoiseach give those people that he is going to take any action that makes any real difference on this issue?
In relation to children, I refer to a couple who have three children aged 16, 14 and ten years old. They have been homeless for two years. They do not want to bring their young children into homeless accommodation because they are terrified for them, particularly for their daughter, who they think would be very vulnerable. The children, as a result, are now staying with their 72-year-old grandmother on camp beds and in the grandmother's bed. The parents are couch surfing separately and the family has been separated for over a year. There are no available properties and they are being overlooked by homeless services because they are “not engaging with homeless services”. In other words, they do not want to go into hostels with their family. To me, that case highlights a serious problem in terms of child homelessness.
We cannot put families into the situation whereby the only option available to them is to bring children into completely unsuitable conditions.
I add my voice to the issue relating to the lateness of the leaving certificate results. It impacts on such institutions as Dundalk Institute of Technology, DKIT, in being able to offer positions to those coming from the North who may already have their offers of United Kingdom Accreditation Service, UKAS, positions. We need that to be dealt with.
I also have a question in regard to children’s autism services. We know we do not have the speech and language therapists, the occupational therapists and the psychologists. We need the workforce planning piece to be done. Moreover, we need to be able to offer services, not the silo services however. We know the issues that exist. Whether we are talking about primary care, child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, or disability services, there has to be no wrong door. We have to be able to offer people the best case scenario we can offer now, while filling all the positions that are unfilled in the very near future.
I join with others in raising the issue of services for autistic children, children with autism. Yesterday I met with a group of parents in Athy, County Kildare, and heard directly from them about their difficult experiences in seeking to access education and services not only for their children but for those whose children had turned 18. Services for young adults are sorely lacking. I appeal to the Taoiseach to ensure more can be done on that and also of course to flag that tomorrow morning we will again raise this issue with our Labour Party Private Members’ motion on autism services and the need for a national plan on autism.
I also raise the growing crisis in the provision of early years childcare places. In my constituency another crèche has recently closed. I hear regularly, every week, from constituents about the difficulties they have in accessing childcare and early years education places. I know it is not unique to my constituency as I hear it from Labour Party representatives throughout the country. What proposals has the Taoiseach to ensure adequacy of supply of childcare and early years places?
I wish to raise the issue of visibility and safety for members of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, LGBTQI, community among both faculty and students in schools. BeLong To research from last year showed that more than three-quarters of LGBTQI students feel unsafe in post-primary schools. The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation, INTO, LGBT+ teachers’ group, a voluntary sub-group of the INTO, advocates for LGBT+ inclusion in our primary schools. It expressed its disappointment with the cineáltas implementation plan released last April. In that plan there is far less explicit focus on LGBTQI+ bullying when compared with the 2013 anti-bullying procedures. How can this be the right choice when we have seen such an increase in vile attacks? What is the Taoiseach going to do in order to make our schools safer and allow our teachers, faculty and students to feel visible in the school environment?
I wish to ask the Taoiseach about the condition of many of our schools. We have some fantastic physical buildings. The Taoiseach was in one recently in my community in Kingswood. That shows what is possible. That should be what we aspire to for all our children to have access to. Unfortunately, many children go to school in buildings that are completely unfit for the purpose of being used as schools and need new, quality buildings in their place. For example, the Minister for Education was recently out in St. Aidan’s Community School in Brookfield. She saw it, and the Taoiseach can ask her about it. It is in a terribly dilapidated state. The roof is an ongoing problem. There are multiple serious leaks through the roof every year. The carpet is damaged as a consequence. The external walls have white stuff coming out of them in many places. The windows are in a terrible state. I could go on.
Please do not.
The point is they need a new building but they cannot even get a timeline as to when such a decision will be made.
The filmed attack on the child in Navan more than a week ago has shocked so many people throughout the country. The sustained nature of it, as the child lay on the ground, was brutal. It is important there is justice for this child and his family. Sadly, it is not an isolated event. Peer violence outside schools is growing in this country and child-on-child violence is also growing in Ireland at the moment. I do not wish to speak specifically about this case in its legal aspects because we want to see the law implemented properly. However, in general terms, would the Taoiseach agree that there has to be a real cost to young perpetrators of violence on young people, a real deterrent to protect children from violence? The youth diversion programme plays a valuable role in diverting children from the criminal system. However, would the Taoiseach agree that when it comes to significant violence by children on children that the juvenile liaison officer, JLO, system is not the required justice and is not a sufficient deterrent?
Will Members agree to take two minutes from each of the next two blocks of questions to give the Taoiseach a chance to respond? Agreed. We are adding four minutes to this section for a response, with the agreement of the Taoiseach.
I thank the Ceann Comhairle. Deputies Clarke, Dillon and Ó Murchú raised the issue of the date for the leaving certificate examination results. I do not as yet have a date. We all want it to be in August. Young people in sixth year want to know what course they will be doing next year. Many have to find accommodation, which is difficult, and the more time they have the better their chances. Of course, there are people who are applying for courses abroad and people from Northern Ireland who are applying for courses here. I know the Minister, Deputy Foley, and the State Examinations Commission will do all they can to make sure the results are issued as early as possible. It is not in a position to say as yet because that will depend on the number of examiners it can hire and on other issues such as second sitting. Nobody wants to give a date and then change that date. I assure Deputies that we are working on this.
In regard to modular classrooms, often the reason the Department of Education offers modular classrooms is that they can be provided quite quickly and are needed quickly. They can also be of extremely high quality. There are a number of them in my constituency. When people hear “modular” they sometimes think of the prefabs of old. Some of these buildings are top class and unless you were told they were modular you would in many cases not even know. I hear what Deputy Murphy has to say about new schools. It was a pleasure to open Kingswood Community College in his constituency the other day, St. Mochta's, and Cahir National School in County Tipperary. I look forward to opening the Edmund Rice Secondary School in Castleknock in a few days’ time. Looking at these new school buildings makes it clear how wonderful they are, what high quality they are and what is possible. However, it makes the old buildings appear all the worse. I have the same experience when it comes to new hospital wings. It reminds us how much more we need to do when it comes to replacing old infrastructure, rather than just building new infrastructure. We have a school building budget now of about €1 billion a year. It has never been higher. There is a huge programme under way. Can we increase it further? Yes, we can, and we will consider that as we review the national development plan, NDP, thresholds. However, there are real constraints. There are only so many builders out there. There is only so much steel and so much concrete. We are starting to run into constraints that are not about money. We can increase the funding. However, that will speed it up but will also increase the cost. I totally understand where the Deputy is coming from on that.
On the staffing levels, raised by Deputy Murnane O’Connor, she was right to say we have more teachers in Ireland now than ever before. Teacher-pupil ratios are at or close to an all-time low. On the specific issue, I will have to get back to her. I just do not know enough about this issue and I do not wish to give an incorrect answer. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Foley, to come back with a detailed reply.
In regard to the issue of children with additional educational needs raised by Deputies Moynihan, Bacik and others, we have a dedicated Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, with responsibility for special educational needs now for the first time ever. There is a substantial budget of about €2 billion. Nearly a quarter of all our education budget now goes on helping children with additional educational needs. There are more special needs assistants, SNAs, all the time as well as more special classes and some new special schools. Am I satisfied? No, I am not. I do not think I could be. Anybody who attends their constituency office or constituency clinic and hears the number of stories of children who are not getting the help they need early enough could not possibly be satisfied. However, we are doing more every day, every week and every month. That will continue.
In regard to the issue of teacher shortages occurring in many schools, which was raised by Deputy Barry, I accept this is an issue. I know of quite a number of schools, not just in my constituency but in others, where students' subject choice has been restricted. Many more subjects are offered than in the past so it is harder to fully staff all the subjects than would have been the case in the past. It is a shame however, to see student choice being restricted in that way. It is one thing not to offer a subject. It is another thing to take it away. That is happening in certain instances. The Minister, Deputy Foley, is working on this to see what options are available. However, as is the case across our economy, in both the public sector and private sector, for low-paid jobs and well-paid jobs, we are at full employment and there are shortages across the board. Even increasing pay does not necessarily solve the problem because of full employment. That is particularly the case when there is an international labour market for particular skills.
Anything we can do that we believe will work, we will do, however. I cannot go into the individual case raised by Deputy Boyd Barrett without knowing the details. If he passes those details on to me, I will see if we can get a reply from the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage on that specifically.
On the matters raised by Deputy Tóibín, the Deputy is right. If children are engaged in violence and serious crime, there have to be consequences. That has to be done on an individualised basis, however. Nobody wants to see a child being criminalised, getting a criminal record or being put in detention, and that is why there are alternatives in place. It depends on the individual case, the gravity of the crime, the circumstances around it and what is best for the children involved.
Economic Policy
Alan Dillon
Question:15. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the economic policy unit of his Department. [21423/23]
Cathal Crowe
Question:16. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the economic policy unit of his Department. [22440/23]
Michael Moynihan
Question:17. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the economic policy unit of his Department. [22445/23]
Mick Barry
Question:18. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the economic policy unit of his Department. [22481/23]
Mary Lou McDonald
Question:19. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the economic policy unit of his Department. [22483/23]
Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:20. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the economic policy unit of his Department. [22821/23]
Bríd Smith
Question:21. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the economic policy unit of his Department. [22824/23]
Cian O'Callaghan
Question:22. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the economic policy unit of his Department. [22854/23]
Ruairí Ó Murchú
Question:23. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the economic policy unit of his Department. [22857/23]
Gary Gannon
Question:24. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the economic policy unit of his Department. [22917/23]
Paul Murphy
Question:25. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the economic policy unit of his Department. [22921/23]
Rose Conway-Walsh
Question:26. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the economic policy unit of his Department. [23218/23]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 to 26, inclusive, together.
The economic policy unit is part of the economic division of the Department. The unit assists me, as Taoiseach, in delivering sustainable and balanced economic growth and advancing the Government’s economic priorities. The unit also advises me on a broad range of economic policy areas and issues and provides me with briefing and speech material on economic and related policy issues. It assists the delivery of the Government’s economic commitments as outlined in the programme for Government, especially where these are cross-cutting issues affecting multiple Departments. In particular, it assists the work of the Cabinet committee on the economy and investment, which is chaired by the Tánaiste, and several related senior official groups.
The unit is also responsible for co-ordinating Ireland’s participation in the European semester process, the annual cycle of economic and fiscal policy co-ordination among EU member states. This includes preparing each year the national reform programme for submission to the European Commission. The national reform programme provides an overview of economic reforms and policy actions under way in Ireland, including in response to country-specific recommendations received. The unit is also responsible for liaison with the Central Statistics Office.
There are 12 Deputies to contribute on this grouping and we only have 11 and a half minutes, so I ask them to keep their contributions as succinct as possible to leave time for the Taoiseach to reply.
I again emphasise the crucial need for balanced regional development throughout the country, specifically in areas such as Mayo, which I represent. It is imperative we continue to focus on delivery of high-quality jobs in rural communities to bring prosperity and opportunities to every corner of Ireland. While I welcome IDA Ireland's four-year driving recovery and sustainable growth strategy up to 2024, the proposed Castlebar advance building solution is one of three that has not yet completed the site selection process. It is still unclear when the public procurement and planning process will be completed. I appeal to the Taoiseach to give this project his full attention. We have seen the success of Meissner Filtration Products, which is located in such a building in Castlebar.
In addition, I ask that the Government prioritise key development infrastructure projects such as the western rail corridor, the N17 from Knock to Collooney, the N5 from Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge and the N4 motorway from Mullingar to Longford.
I wish to ask the Taoiseach about the impact the Ukrainian refugee situation has had on tourism. It is estimated that the current impact is approximately €1.1 billion in terms of hotels tied up with contracts. We in County Clare are very proud to have played a major role so far in providing accommodation. Approximately 6% of the population of the county is made up of Ukrainians or international protection applicants. The many businesses in the tourism industry that are not tied into these contracts are suffering. Surf schools and other visitor attractions, as well as hotels that are not contracted to the Government, are floundering. There should be a Covid-style payment to tide these businesses over this very difficult period because we simply do not have that tourism footfall in the county anymore. Many hotels are contractually tied in. It is lucrative for those hoteliers but there are other hoteliers who will go to the wall without Government intervention.
Balanced regional development is very important. In light of everything that is happening with the cities, the shortage of housing and everything else, it is the way forward. In that context, there is particular need to prioritise the M20 connection road between Limerick and Cork and beyond. The recent tragedies on the streets of Charleville are a major concern for all those representing the area. It is very important that the M20 gets the go-ahead. It needs to be prioritised in order to address the issues relating to the main street in Charleville and ensure balanced regional development of the Cork and Limerick region. It should be moved through the various stages at pace.
I live in Blackpool, on the north side of Cork city. Two miles from my house is the European headquarters of Apple, in Hollyhill. Hollyhill is high above the city, as the name suggests. From it, you can look out over the city and see hospitals that are in the headlines every second week because of overcrowding. You can see schools that only get over the line at the end of the year thanks to the help of fundraising by parents, children and staff. They are crying out for public investment, as are hospitals, schools and public services throughout the State. Today, however, the Government is sending legal representatives into a courtroom to fight an attempt to put €13 billion into the coffers of this State. Who would be paying that sum? The biggest company in the world, which paid 0.005% tax in 2014, would be paying it. How can the Taoiseach justify such a stance?
We know wholesale electricity prices fell 42% in the year to April and, as Professor Edgar Morgenroth of DCU noted, it is likely that some, if not most, of the future contracts purchased last year are now largely finished, yet the cost of electricity in Ireland is the highest in Europe, with a unit cost that is nearly twice the European average. It is astonishing that consumers are being warned not to expect electricity and gas prices to return to 2021 levels, as if we should all sit back and accept price gouging at an eye-watering level. It is concerning that the response of the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU, was that it merely expects consumer prices to fall by the end of the year. That is not good enough. It is not enough for the CRU to monitor wholesale and consumer prices while energy companies make supernormal profits off the back of struggling families and micro and small businesses. What consideration has the Taoiseach given to introducing new regulatory powers for the CRU to include a statutory remit to investigate hedging practices and price gouging? What we need here is transparency accompanied by a reporting mechanism.
How much money has the Government spent on the lawyers who are representing the Government in supporting Apple to stop the people of this country getting €13 billion in additional tax revenue? It beggars belief that the Government is backing the richest company in the world, a company that was paying less than 1% tax, in a case where it claims it was paying its fair share of tax, as against the view of the European Commission, which clearly and correctly identified the fact that Apple was getting favourable tax treatment. Some of us argued that if we forced such companies to pay more by removing things like the double Irish or increasing the corporate tax rate, they would not run out of the country. We can now see that they did not run out of the country when those things were done.
Public liability insurance is a significant issue for those involved in adventure tourism, community centres and community organisations, many of which are facing possible closure. They are very lucky if they can get ridiculously high premiums. When will the Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022, which will address the duty of care and occupiers' liability, be dealt with in the Seanad and enacted? We need IDA Ireland and others to bring more players into the market. We then need to ensure we can keep insurers honest. We know they have not passed on the savings relating to the personal injury guidelines. We need all this to happen as soon as possible because we are behind time.
Dublin is one of the only capital cities in Europe or the world that operates without a municipal market, yet on both sides of the Liffey, north and south, there are large infrastructural buildings lying idle. For many decades, markets were where generations of working-class people throughout the city made their money.
Yet, in the hands of Dublin City Council, certainly on the north side of Dublin - it is more complicated on the south side - these buildings are lying idle. It would benefit the State as a whole if we could rejuvenate these markets and it would be to the economic benefit of the city. For the best part of half a decade I have implored Dublin City Council to get these open. If it does not, I encourage the Taoiseach to intervene on behalf of the State to take the buildings into State ownership, potentially with the OPW, to reinvigorate them for the benefit of the capital city.
Right now, lawyers are being paid large amounts of money, paid for by the public, arguing in the European Court of Justice, incredibly, that the public should not receive €13.1 billion from one of the richest and largest corporations in the world. If the court finds against the Irish Government and the money is paid, that €13.1 billion could be used to build 70,000 homes. It could be used to provide extra hospitals or to increase the numbers of beds. It could be used to fund a just and rapid transition to a zero carbon economy. Instead, the State and the Government is using public money to say this money should stay with Apple and it should stay on Apple's cash pile, which already sits at more than $200 billion. Does this not illustrate that the entire purpose of the economic policy of this Government is not to serve the interests of ordinary people but instead is to serve the interests of rich corporations?
For several weeks we have raised the issue of price gouging in the retail sector. In the two weeks since the retail forum met, nothing has changed. My colleague Deputy Ged Nash has published a Bill to address the lack of enforcement powers for the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, CCPC. We ask the Taoiseach and the Government to take up our Bill, adopt it, and ensure we have proper, strengthened powers to take on the retailers.
I thank the Deputies for their questions. Deputy Dillon's was the first question, and it related to balanced regional development. I really want to echo his words in that regard. It is a Government objective to make sure we have job opportunities in all parts of the country. We are making some real progress in that regard. More than half of all of the investments by IDA Ireland companies last year were outside Dublin. Some two thirds of Enterprise Ireland-supported jobs, which are Irish companies exporting, were outside of Dublin last year. I was delighted to see Dexcom creating 1,000 jobs in Athenry. I was in Clonmel on Friday to announce 400 jobs by Boston Scientific. There was also a major jobs announcement in Limerick recently. I was present with Deputy Dillon to visit Meissner some years ago. I will take up the issue of the advanced technology building in Castlebar. That is one I was personally involved in with Deputy Dillon back when I was the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. I want to make sure that is available as a potential site for investment and job creation in Mayo into the future. We will continue to invest in infrastructure in the county. I am looking forward to opening the Castlebar to Westport road, which I believe is the biggest infrastructure investment by the State in Mayo. We will continue to invest in roads and broadband and infrastructure in the county, including the Ireland West Airport at Knock.
Deputy Crowe mentioned the issue of the tourist towns that have been impacted adversely by the refugee crisis. We acknowledge this is a problem. There are people from Ukraine and from all over the world in all parts of the country. I believe Dublin has more than any other individual county, but on percentage terms the biggest number is down the western seaboard, including counties like Clare, Donegal, Kerry and Mayo. We need to acknowledge that. We have done this in part through the community recognition fund, which is the €50 million to help communities that have accepted a large number of people from overseas. This was very well received. The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Deputy Martin, is looking at how she might be able to help some of the business that have been adversely affected. The accommodation providers are fine but the pubs, restaurants and attractions are losing out. This is clear. We have some data on that. Some will be able to pivot and adapt and some will not. Either way, they will need help. The Minister, Deputy Martin, is working on proposals to do exactly that.
Deputy Moynihan raised the issue of the M20. I reaffirm the Government's commitment to building the Cork-Limerick motorway. It is a very important infrastructural project in the national development plan. It is significant from a balanced regional development point of view, connecting Cork and Limerick and then on to Galway. It is also very important for towns such as Charleville and Buttevant, but as is often the case with these big projects, they take time and this one must go through planning and design.
Deputy Barry mentioned the whole issue of Apple, as did a number of Deputies. I have had the pleasure of being to Hollyhill on more than one occasion. I visited Apple and I saw the work they do there and the thousands of jobs provided by people there. I believe the Apple state aid case is being misrepresented, quite frankly. Let us not forget what this is about. This is the view taken by the European Commission that, about 20 years ago, Ireland had a special tax arrangement with Apple that was not available to other countries. That is simply untrue. The European Court that heard the case found in favour of Ireland and agreed there was no such special arrangement in place. We will see what the European Court of Justice says.
The Taoiseach is over time.
I do not see how the State could do anything other than reaffirm the fact there was no special arrangement with Apple and that the allegations made by the Commission are untrue in that regard. Even if the case goes against us and we find ourselves in the possession of €13 billion, it will not be ours to spend. Other countries will want their share of it too.
The Taoiseach is well over time.
I have seven more questions that I do not have time to reply to.
We will face the same challenge with the next group of questions.
If the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach wants to take time off the next round of questions I do not mind but it is up to Members.
We are already very much against the clock on the next questions as well.
What of the public liability insurance?
And the electricity prices.
Let us have two minutes.
If Members are happy we will have to be very brief with the final round of questioning. Do Members agree to afford the Taoiseach another two minutes? Agreed.
I will be as brief as I can. We plan to enact the duty of care legislation this year. We want to rebalance it or at least say to people that there are inherent risks taken in engaging in certain activities. We hope this will help to bring down the cost of insurance.
Deputy Gannon raised the issue of a municipal market. He is spot on in raising that issue. It is something that is really missing from the city of Dublin. If you go to Madrid or Barcelona, you will see some really beautiful markets. They are good for business, good for tourism and, most importantly good for local people. Such places as the Milk Market in Limerick and the English Market in Cork are very missing from Dublin. There are options there, with the Iveagh Market in Dublin 8 and the Smithfield market. We should seize that opportunity. I will take this up with the city manager the next time I am speaking to him.
On electricity prices, I probably dealt with this in some detail earlier today in response to Deputy McDonald. Suffice it to say, the prices of petrol and diesel have come down and electricity prices will come down. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, is meeting with the CCPC next week to establish that it has sufficient powers to carry out any investigations that are necessary.
If it does not, will the Government look at their statutory remit?
We will. We strengthened its powers and increased its resources only last year, but we will.
Cabinet Committees
Alan Dillon
Question:27. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on a humanitarian response to Ukraine will next meet. [21424/23]
Cathal Crowe
Question:28. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on a humanitarian response to Ukraine will next meet. [22441/23]
Michael Moynihan
Question:29. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on a humanitarian response to Ukraine will next meet. [22446/23]
Mick Barry
Question:30. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on a humanitarian response to Ukraine will next meet. [22482/23]
Mary Lou McDonald
Question:31. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on humanitarian response to Ukraine will next meet. [22484/23]
Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:32. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on a humanitarian response to Ukraine will next meet. [22822/23]
Bríd Smith
Question:33. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on a humanitarian response to Ukraine will next meet. [22825/23]
Ivana Bacik
Question:34. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on a humanitarian response to Ukraine will next meet. [22862/23]
Gary Gannon
Question:35. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on a Humanitarian Response to Ukraine will next meet. [22918/23]
Paul Murphy
Question:36. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on a humanitarian response to Ukraine will next meet. [22922/23]
I ask Members to be very brief and to the point on this round.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 27 to 36, inclusive, together.
The Cabinet committee on the humanitarian response to Ukraine and migration last met on Thursday, 4 May. The next meeting will take place shortly. This committee, which I chair, works to ensure a co-ordinated approach to the State’s humanitarian response for people arriving from Ukraine who have sought temporary protection here. The Government’s co-ordinated response to the humanitarian crisis is extensive. Ireland has never seen so many people arrive in such a short timeframe. Since the start of the war, more than 83,000 people have arrived from Ukraine and availed of temporary protection in Ireland. To date, Ireland has accommodated 84,000 people in State-sourced accommodation. These are mostly people who have fled here from Ukraine and people seeking international protection.
In light of the acute and growing pressures in the face of continuing arrivals, the Government is continuing to maximise the pace and scale of sourcing suitable accommodation. All Departments and agencies, as well as local government, are working to co-ordinate the State’s humanitarian response at a national and local level. The State’s overall response to current demand pressures includes continuing the unoccupied homes campaign, providing pledged accommodation, preparing installation of rapid-build new homes on suitable sites and accelerating the refurbished buildings programme, which now includes consideration of commercial properties and sites for development, refurbishment or purchase, and the use of alternative modular buildings.
In addition to meetings of the Cabinet committee, I have regular engagements with Ministers at Cabinet and individually to discuss matters of concern to their Departments. Work is also ongoing across Government to intensify communications and community engagement on the humanitarian response. The Government is keeping our response to all aspects of this humanitarian crisis, in particular accommodation options, under continuous review.
As I said during an earlier contribution, we in County Clare are very proud of the response we have made over the past 16 or so months in providing refugee accommodation. There has been a sea change in the approach on the ground, from an official point of view, over recent months. Twelve months ago, there were boots on the ground from many Government agencies, which were co-ordinating this very well and sharing a lot of very useful information. There was huge public buy-in.
If we fast forward to last week and the situation at Magowna House, the level of information that came to us as elected representatives and to the public was absolutely reprehensible. What was most striking of all was that the director of services at Clare County Council, who is a fantastic official and was appointed to lead out this response in the county, knew nothing whatsoever about it. Last night, a similar situation unfolded in the beautiful north Clare town of Corrofin, where there was a belief that another centre was opening. Again, there was no information and there was a protest and a counterprotest. Today, it transpired there was no contract on either side.
As elected representatives, we are very much firefighting. All we need is a decent set of information out there. Some people will like that and some will not but there needs to be better engagement. The director of services at the council who is co-ordinating this should know at all times what is going on. It is not his fault. Someone in the Department is not doing their job.
On the Taoiseach's reference in his response to the 84,000 people who have come in and for whom the State has provided shelter, what engagement have State agencies had with people who have come in, and are willing to work or participate, in the context of the labour shortage right across sectors? Will the Taoiseach give us an update on that, please?
What is the Taoiseach's response to the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service study finding that the operational costs for commercially owned refugee centres are nearly twice as high as those provided by the State, and to the review's finding that congregated settings for refugees will continue for many years to come? The paper on international protection support services estimates a 10% to 15% increase in the number of arrivals over the next 18 months. The European directive for Ukrainian refugees may be in place for another two years. We have a broken direct provision service but what is also now rapidly emerging is an almost two-tier immigration system. In fairness, past and present governments failed to meet that deepening crisis on both fronts. We urgently need to see an operational plan to invest, operationalise and build sustainable accommodation pathways, workforce planning for local health services and schools, and a multi-annual systemic community support scheme. We need that urgently. This cannot wait. The need is growing by the minute in our communities, yet the capacity to take on additional services simply is not there.
It was an absolute disgrace to leave hundreds of asylum seekers vulnerable under tents on the streets. I welcome the proposal to look at the issue of empty buildings, something for which we have called for a long time, including office buildings that are not being used. I draw the Taoiseach's attention to the fact there is an empty office block on Setanta Place, just off Kildare Street, which has been sitting empty - I think it is a Government building - around the corner from Leinster House. It is several storeys high. We should investigate, as a matter of urgency, whether that could be repurposed.
The community recognition fund to support communities that are welcoming and assisting the integration of asylum seekers is a very good idea. What is not so good is we have maxed out on the money coming out from it. That fund should be immediately replenished so money is available to get in ahead of time to support community groups and organisations that are willing to assist in the integration of asylum seekers or Ukrainian refugees.
I spoke earlier on the Ukrainian action briefing I had the pleasure of hosting today. I am very grateful to the members of Ukrainian Action in Ireland who gave us an overview of the findings of their second national survey. It is very welcome to see just how well the majority of Ukrainian people here are doing and how integrated they are. Nearly a quarter of those who responded to the survey are now in employment and many more are actively seeking work. However, the housing issue remains a huge challenge for members of the Ukrainian community and those who come here seeking refuge from other countries.
I raised the issue earlier of the need for a more co-ordinated Government approach and greater co-ordination, in particular, in the search for and repurposing of office accommodation. I welcome that. Offices in my constituency are sitting idle, as are other vacant buildings, including Jurys Hotel, Baggot Street hospital and the Seamark office block. These are premises that could be constructively used to provide housing.
Who is leading out on the promised provision of modular homes for refugees? We were originally told that 700 units would be ready by Easter. We have not seen any evidence of that.
Does the Taoiseach agree with the Garda Commissioner's statement that the far right is not growing? How does that statement tally with the reality of what we have experienced, over the past couple of weeks in particular? A man in his 70s is in hospital after being assaulted at one of these blockades at Corrofin in Clare. We know of tents of asylum seekers being burned, with some of those involved in the protests alleging they had an agreement with the Garda to go in to clear them. The left, and People Before Profit in particular, is being targeted, with our meetings disrupted, our activists intimidated and us being threatened. There are blockades in different parts of the country. We have a situation where, as far I understand, members of an Garda were present when buses were boarded to count people going out and a reference was then made to some sort of right to protest. Is the Garda Commissioner dealing with the real world if he is just ignoring the reality of quite troubling things that are happening in our country?
Will the Taoiseach give some sort of information on what we are hearing regarding the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman, talking about flotels being used to house refugees? I was going to ask what engagement happens on ensuring we have the resources from an education and health perspective across the board but, on hearing about that, it takes precedence.
I again thank Deputies for their questions. On the issue of communications, information and engaging with communities, I reassure the House that work is ongoing across Government to intensify and improve communications and community engagement. We should not forget that 84,000 people have been provided with State accommodation in the past year in more than 100 different centres throughout the country. Most of the time, that has worked well. There has been information, communications and broad acceptance by local communities. We acknowledge, however, that in some places it could have been better. County Clare is one of those places where it could have been better in recent weeks. We appreciate that understanding and listening to communities are essential as we accommodate people in communities across the country.
My Department, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and other relevant Departments and stakeholders are developing a more effective method of sharing information with communities. That work is nearing completion. A tender has been issued to assist in this work and is currently being reviewed. The new model will be implemented as soon as possible. Separate to that, party leaders met last evening and confirmed that the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, and his Department are free to hire additional staff to support him and the Department in their work in engaging with communities.
On the right to work, which was raised by Deputies, and I am conscious we now have labour shortages across the board in Ireland, Ukrainian people, as they are beneficiaries of temporary protection, have the right to work immediately as long as they get a personal public service, PPS, number. Approximately 15,000 are already working. It is different for international protection, IP, applicants. We need to be careful in that regard. Unless a person has been refused permission to stay, he or she can apply for a work permit. I think such an application can now be made after six months. It used to be nine months and used to be impossible. We have a real reluctance in easing that any further because it could be a major pull factor for thousands more people to come to the country and claim international protection. Many people who claim international protection are fleeing war and persecution but many are not. Many are economic migrants who came here and applied for international protection when they ought to have applied for a work permit or work visa but did not. We have to be honest about that, which means making sure that decisions are made quickly and work permits are not issued too easily because that would be a pull factor.
That is something we need to avoid.
As I have said before, when it comes to migration we must be fair and firm in the context of work permits and visas for people who come to work and ensuring that those who come as refugees are treated well, get the opportunities they deserve and are protected. We must also be firm with people who do not follow our rules-based system. We have rules and we will enforce them. We will try to speed up decisions both in favour of and against applicants. When decisions are made against applicants, we want to see more deportation orders. We want people to have confidence that the rules will be applied and implemented.
I am not aware of the office block nearby, but I will let the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, and his team know that it is a possibility and should be looked at.
On the community recognition fund, €50 million was allocated last week. It has been well received. I have asked the relevant Ministers to look into the possibility of a second round in a few months' time.
Deputy Bacik asked who is in charge of modular homes. It is the OPW, which is part of the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, is specifically working on that. The first one will be available next month. That is a further example of the cross-Government effort to help with the refugee crisis. The OPW, which is neither a part of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage nor the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, is working to provide accommodation to people coming from overseas.
It is impossible for me to say whether the far-right is growing. I do not think it is growing in the context of political support. I might be wrong. Perhaps the Garda Commissioner was referring to that or perhaps to the number of protests or to the number of people turning up at those protests, but I do not have those figures to hand.
What is the position with hotels?
They are under consideration, but that is all.