On Monday night, a petrol bomb was thrown at a house in Onslow Gardens in Cork city. A number of children were very fortunate to escape without injury. In the past three weeks, there have been two shooting incidents in the city and very many more serious incidents. Communities in Cork city feel neglected and terrified when incidents like this happen. It is not only Dublin that the Minister, Deputy McEntee, has left exposed by the lack of gardaí. Despite the best efforts of local gardaí, under the Minister communities in Cork city do not have enough gardaí on the beat. In 2009, there were 31 gardaí in the Garda station in Mahon, just down the road from the Tánaiste. This number went down to 22 and has now gone down to 17. This month, as I told the Tánaiste last week, Cork only got one of the 126 gardaí who came out of Templemore. It got a single garda. The Minister for Justice is letting communities in Cork and across the State down. What is the Tánaiste going to do about it?
Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation
First of all, I condemn the petrol bomb attack on that family home in Onslow in Cork, and also the shootings. These are reprehensible actions. I pay tribute to An Garda Síochána in Cork and to the force for the work it does and continues to do to protect citizens in Cork. Cork is a very attractive city, particularly during the Christmas period. The city centre in particular enjoys a bustling civic life-----
Absolutely, but we do not have enough gardaí.
-----and that needs to be said as well. Without question, the issue of garda recruitment is one that is accelerating with the numbers coming in every 11 weeks now.
That is-----
Sorry, these gardaí are coming into training and that is the key issue. Increasing numbers are being recruited through Templemore and the issue then is the allocation-----
We are not getting enough on the streets.
-----of those gardaí. The numbers are approaching 200 recruits going to Templemore every 11 weeks, so the numbers are increasing very significantly through the pipeline. Yes, we need to get more gardaí to Cork and other jurisdictions.
I express my condolences to Victoria and the family and friends of Shane MacGowan on the sad news of his death today. We are thinking of all those who are affected.
Yesterday evening, an important Labour Party Bill passed Final Stage in the Seanad. Our reproductive leave Bill will provide paid time off work for women who lose a pregnancy early in the term, and for employees who access reproductive healthcare such as IVF. Earlier this week, we were all briefed by the pregnancy loss research group, which has conducted an extensive survey of workers' experiences of pregnancy loss. This study was commissioned by the Department of the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, and provides useful data to inform next steps. It is instructive to know that this group received over 900 responses to its request for people to respond to the survey. This is a huge number. So many people, women in particular, have experienced such distress as a result of pregnancy loss early in term, and yet there is no statutory entitlement to paid leave in such circumstances. Will the Tánaiste allow the Bill that has now passed through the Seanad as a Labour Party initiative to pass through the Dáil in Government time? We are happy to work with the Tánaiste and his colleagues on bringing it forward.
I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. It is a progressive piece of legislation. I will talk to the relevant Ministers to see if we can be responsive to her initiative and to see how we can progress this. As the Deputy will be aware, the Minister has announced funding for the first time ever for IVF and we are positively disposed to other initiatives on this front.
I ask the Tánaiste about the record number of people who are homeless. There are now 13,179 people living in homeless emergency accommodation. This is the highest number ever recorded in the history of the State. This includes 190 pensioners and almost 4,000 children who are growing up without a home and will spend Christmas in homeless emergency accommodation. At the same time, €220 million that was allocated and was supposed to be spent on building local authority social housing this year has not been spent and has been reallocated elsewhere. What is the Tánaiste going to do to urgently reduce the number of people who are homeless?
First of all, there has been record numbers of social housing provided in the last two years because of Government capital allocation and funding. As I said earlier, approximately 30,000 social homes have been delivered since we came to office and a further 22,000 are at design, tender or delivery stage. Therefore, there has been very substantial provision on the social housing front. Indeed, 2,500 tenant in situ purchases are in train as we speak, which prevents homelessness. Substantial numbers of people have been prevented from becoming homeless in the first place because of initiatives we have taken. Then the focus has been on reducing the amount of time people are in emergency accommodation, which is important. It is not just about the overall volume, which is too high, but it is also about making sure we prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place and getting them out then as quickly as we can.
The time is up, please.
Approximately 713 households were prevented from entering emergency accommodation by way of a tenancy being created. I apologise that I did not have enough time to go through it all.
I have been contacted this week by a number of families whose children go to the Discoveries Crèche and Montessori School in Shankill. I understand something similar has happened at the Discoveries crèche in Firhouse. The organisation has decided to pull out of core funding because it is inadequate and therefore the parents are being told they will endure a 28% increase in childcare fees. For one woman, this means her childcare costs for two children will go up to €2,000 a month. For another couple with three children, the costs will go up to €2,500 a month and in their case, they are saying one of them will probably have to give up work. This is very serious and is a result of the inadequacy of core funding. These cases are not isolated cases. We need proper investment to ensure childcare is made affordable, either by increasing core funding-----
I thank the Deputy. His time is up.
-----or, as we propose, by introducing a proper national childcare system.
There has, without question, been an exponential increase in funding towards childcare and a reduction in cost for parents in particular. There was a 25% reduction last year and by the end of this year, there will be a further 25% reduction. I am not familiar with the details of the individual case the Deputy raises regarding a Discoveries crèche. I will talk to the Minister for children in this respect and will ask him to engage with the Deputy on the details of that particular case.
Three years ago, the long-awaited final report of the expert group on the review of the law of torts and the management of clinical negligence claims was published but we are still waiting for action. This includes the provision of the long-awaited vaccine damage compensation scheme, which the Tánaiste committed to progressing both as Minister for health and as Taoiseach. It is in the interests of both public health, and the individuals and their families concerned, to deliver a no-fault compensation scheme for those who have been damaged by State-run vaccination programmes. Some 12 months ago, the Tánaiste told me in the House that there was an ongoing consideration of such a scheme within the Department of Health, but last month the Minister for Health said that such a compensation scheme required further scoping work and detailed consideration. Are we ever going to actually see the scheme which I believe is being delayed within the Department of Health?
I am not sure I can add anything further to what the Minister said to the Deputy last month, but I will engage again. We need a scheme but I have no doubt that there are significant implications and complications involved in the design of any such scheme. I am of the view that such a scheme should come through.
I too want to be associated with the vote of sympathy to the MacGowan family and to Victoria, on the death of fellow Tipperary man, Shane MacGowan. He was a wonderful artist and has left a very rich legacy.
The Tánaiste visited Ardfinnan more than two years ago, in September 2021, about Ardfinnan Bridge.
I salute Margaret Egan and the community council and the work they have done there, but it is a shame and a scandal to leave the bridge like that for eight years. The Minister of State, Jack Chambers, visited it in July of last year, but Ministers' visits and promises are no good. The people and the communities all around Ardfinnan, Clogheen, Ballyporeen and Mitchelstown and the surrounding hinterland need that bridge put back to a two-way system. The council is stubbornly refusing to do that and it has delayed and delayed. We have as much money spent on consultants' reports as would have repaired the bridge or built a new one. It is shocking that the communities have been left with half a bridge for eight years in this modern day and age and that people are not prepared to put the investment into it.
First of all, I commend Councillor Micheál Anglim-----
Come on. Get off it, will you, for God's sake?
-----who has worked with the local community to advance this issue very significantly-----
We have had letters about meetings and money.
-----with the result that progress has been made on the report of the commission, the optimal approach to dealing with this issue, which is the construction of a proper-----
It beggars belief.
-----bridge there. A lot of progress has been made, and I spoke recently again to Councillor Micheál Anglim about this.
He will build it, I suppose.
I have spoken to the Minister, and our objective is to get this done.
There is a growing demand for healthcare services in this country and a severe shortage of primary care providers in many areas. There is no doubt that community paramedics bridge this gap, providing a vital service in communities across Ireland. A recent study by the National Ambulance Service has shown that 55.6% of patients responded to by community paramedics were discharged to an alternative care pathway by those paramedics. This shows just how important community paramedics are in alleviating the pressure on our hospitals. It is clear that an increased number of calls attended to by community paramedics has the potential to significantly reduce the number presenting at hospital emergency departments and reduce ambulance transport hours. They need support and proper training, however, and that cannot happen until SI 109 of 2000 is amended. Will the Tánaiste ask the Minister for Health to amend SI 109 of 2000, the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (Establishment) Order 2000, to ensure that community paramedics can avail of the proper training?
I welcome the Deputy's raising this. In fact, he has just outlined an initiative I took as Minister for health in 2000, the establishment of PHECC-----
It still has not happened.
I am talking about then. That was a new development and departure then in terms of professionalisation of first responders. What the Deputy is now asking actually illustrates the progression that has been made over the years. I will talk to the Minister about the research he has outlined. It is very positive, and anything he has suggested that can be done, I think, would be very positive. I will talk to the Minister about the matter.
Deputy Alan Farrell is not here. I call Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh.
We have had quite a while now without a major election in this country, the last one being in February 2020, but 2024 will be a year of elections, between local, European and directly elected mayoral, as well as a referendum and Lord knows what else. Four years might seem a short timeframe, but there have been profound shifts in that time in how we do politics and elections, particularly enabled by digital technologies. I am thinking of generative AI in particular. Both Sadiq Khan in London and the leader of the Progressive Slovakia party, Michal Šimečka, have fallen foul of deep fakes aimed at denting their political chances directly before elections, and we would be very foolish to think ourselves immune here.
The Electoral Reform Act 2022 has two provisions. Part 4 deals with the regulation of online political advertising and Part 5 with the regulation of electoral process information, online electoral information and manipulative or inauthentic behaviour. Have those Parts been commenced in full? If not, what is the hold-up? It is important we get them commenced.
Indeed. As Taoiseach, I was very anxious that those measures would be included in that Bill. I think we can all see, even today and in recent events, the degree to which social media can be distorted with very false information, as we have seen only this week in respect of certain issues arising out of the rioting last Thursday in terms of identification of people and so on. I have just seen clarification statements today. It is quite shocking how such false news can be propagated so quickly. If that happens in the middle of an election, or with a week to go in an election, and disinformation is spread, it could clearly impact the outcome of the election.
I will talk to the Minister. I cannot give the Deputy a direct answer today as to whether those sections have been commenced but I will impress on the Minister the need to commence them as quickly as possible.
I again raise the need for additional practical supports for rural communities that are welcoming refugees and international protection persons. I have a public meeting in Ballinasloe tonight and another in Boyle tomorrow. The communities raise the same issues: the lack of services, particularly health and medical services. I have raised this many times and I cannot understand why, when additional people are going into an area, it cannot be understood that doctors are under pressure and no one asks what the HSE can do. The HSE does not seem to be anywhere on the ground. Can we share an additional doctor or nurse in two areas once a week? I refer to anything at all that can be done to get rid of the tension and the frustration, which can easily be avoided if additional resources, particularly around education and health, can be put into areas to get rid of the tension and the frustration in those communities and support them. I do not understand why that is not being done.
I thank the Deputy for raising the issues she has raised. Very significant additional resources have been allocated under the health services to-----
Not GPs.
Yes they have. A whole range of measures have been taken in terms of access to health services. I do not have the details but I can forward them to the Deputy in respect of the measures that have already been taken. As regards the Estimates every year, the evidence is there of the contingency funds we have had for the past two years in respect of these issues, particularly as regards Ukrainians' access to healthcare and as regards IP applicants, notwithstanding the challenges in some rural communities. Prior to any of this, we had challenges with rural primary care and the sufficiency of numbers of GPs in certain rural locations. That has always been there, but notwithstanding that, we are trying to make improvements.
I ask about legislation that would protect horse-and-carriage drivers who look after the welfare of their animals and the condition of their carriages, which would get rid of the chancers. Without this legislation we could face a tragedy, with horses dying from being driven too hard or being put down after a crash, or even customers dying in such a crash. During the summer, a wheel flew off one such carriage here in the city. When will the long-promised heads of a Bill be published? When can we expect legislation to be passed to help the Garda, the council staff and the animal welfare section to regulate and ensure the best for all carriage drivers, the public and the horses?
I will ask the Minister about that and revert to the Deputy on it. I appreciate that the Deputy has raised the issue of where the legislation is right now and how soon we can expect the heads of the Bill.
Once again I raise the continued persecution of many mothers and some fathers in the course of family law pursuits, in particular the use of the phrase "parental alienation" as a means of ensuring that only one side can win, which is a complete violation of the constitutional rights of women who are mothers, mostly, and some men. The abuse continues apace, and I raise it once again because of the urgency of the situation. It cannot continue.
I appreciate the points the Deputy has made. I have come across a case or two as well in which some very surprising manifestations of what he has been articulating for quite some time have been very evident, so his points are well made and valid. The challenge is how, in the context of the separation of powers, one legislates and provides for matters of this kind.
Which is promised.
I rise in support of a point Deputy Kerrane made. I am from a community where we have taken in almost 1,000 Ukrainian refugees from war. It is a town of 10,000 people. Obviously, there are stretches on the capacity of local services and education supports. I know the Tánaiste is aware of this because he came to see it. Youghal, in my constituency, has lost two out of its three hotels, one permanently. It is now being used for Ukrainian refugees. There is a concern locally that the last remaining hotel, the Walter Raleigh, may be sold for purposes other than tourism. Will the Government look at this as an issue? We cannot have towns losing the entirety of their hotel accommodation. There must be some consideration that for a town of 10,000 people, this is just a step too far.
The Deputy raises a very fair point. I am very conscious of the situation in Youghal, where two out of the three hotels are now used for Ukrainians or those seeking international protection under the Geneva Convention.
The Government is very aware of the need for balance. It is also aware of the need for tourism, particularly in towns such as Youghal for which tourism is a key industry given the historic closure of many manufacturing enterprises of previous eras. Because tourism is important to the town, it has to have capacity to have a tourism offering. This is well accepted. Therefore, it has to go into any measures to make sure that the balance is right.
Media reports in Waterford indicate that the Minister for Finance, Deputy McGrath, is due in town tomorrow. There is an expectation that he is bringing an airport runway under his arm. I understand the business case is ready to be put to the Government, but I have seen many frothy announcements for Waterford left to wither on the vine as the Government stonewalls and forces private capital to look elsewhere. I remind the Tánaiste that the Government has paid out €198 million in regional aviation supports since 2020. Waterford received just €375,000 of that, namely, just 0.2% of national airport funding. Will the Tánaiste give a commitment that the Department's response will be finalised and provided in the next two months in order to allow a schedule to begin at Waterford Airport for spring 2025? If it is a daunting ask, I remind the Tánaiste of the speed with which the Government moved to approve the Dunkettle roundabout and the extensions at Cork and Dublin airports.
Deputy Shanahan's detailed analysis of Cork development is always appreciated. If he could communicate it to Cork local media, it would be helpful.
The Tánaiste does that every well himself.
It would be an extraordinary feat if the Minister for Finance could manage to go to Waterford this week and bring a runway under his arm. I will speak to him about the issues involved. There has been significant development in Waterford, and the economy there has improved greatly over the past three years.
It only received 0.2% of the aviation funding.
I take Deputy Shanahan's point, but in terms of foreign direct investment into Waterford and domestic industries developing, it is a different story. In this regard, I refer to the investment in the quays by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy O'Brien, by means of the urban regeneration and development fund.
I will debate the figures with the Tánaiste any time.
There has been a huge commitment to Waterford. Sometimes Deputy Shanahan has to balance it with the positives as well.
I can see the positives but to date it does not-----
There is also the increase in employment. The aviation world has been challenging, not only in terms of Covid but also developments across different parts of the country.
But not for Cork or Dublin. That is the point.
Actually, Dublin is dominating aviation.
I have previously raised the issue of what happened on 10 November when a 93-year-old woman fell in her home in Dundalk and was in abject pain. Her son rang for an ambulance and they had to wait from 5.20 p.m. until 9.05 p.m. An ambulance came and the service provided was absolutely wonderful. The woman and her son made sure to say this. I have tabled questions to the Minister for Health, on which I hope the Tánaiste will follow up, regarding how many people were on duty and how many vehicles were in operation on that particular day.
If you talk to members of the National Ambulance Service, NAS, they will point out particular issues. In the context of Louth, Ardee has the newest ambulance station. That was completed in 2021. It has zero capacity for vehicle expansion. The stations in Dundalk and Drogheda were not purpose built and have no capacity for further expansion to accommodate vehicles. Staffing levels are at NAS capacity 2, which means we have an insufficient service. The service lacks capacity. There are questions to answer and I would appreciate if the Tánaiste followed up on them.
Deputy Ó Murchú said that he has tabled questions to the Minister for Health.
I have the questions in. I am just-----
I presume the Minister will provide detailed replies to him. The objective of the Government and the NAS is in line with protocols to get ambulances to people as quickly as possible. Deputy Ó Murchú indicated that the service that was eventually provided was excellent. I ask Deputy Ó Murchú to give me the details of the case and perhaps forward them to the Minister for Health also.
I begin by acknowledging the passing of the former Cathaoirleach of Seanad Eireann Tras Honan, whose funeral took place in Ennis this morning. I also echo the sympathy expressed to Shane MacGowan's family on his sad passing today.
I want to raise with the Tánaiste the issue of wastewater treatment in Cooraclare and Broadford. As he is aware, a pilot scheme to fund wastewater treatment facilities in villages where no such facilities exist at present was announced last year and is awaiting roll-out from the Department. At the time, Clare County Council made detailed submissions for two villages to be included in the pilot scheme, namely, Cooraclare and Broadford. I have spoken with the Minister about this on many occasions. Both of the villages have campaigned for a long time. Unfortunately, others have promised them false dawns for the date for this, such as, most recently, 9 October. I would be grateful if the Tánaiste informs House when the Minister intends to make the announcement so these communities can finally get the answers they need.
I thank Deputy Wynne. I also want to articulate my sympathies to the family of the late Tras Honan. She was an outstanding parliamentarian who was very proud of her roots and background. She was a force of nature in the Houses and her parliamentary party. Perhaps there will be an opportunity in the Seanad to pay a more meaningful and detailed tribute to her work at an appropriate time.
I am aware of the schemes referenced by Deputy Wynne. They have been raised previously by many Deputies in the House. The Minister has developed an innovative approach to see what he can do for schemes that have been waiting for a long time. I will speak to him in respect of these two schemes in particular. Deputy Cathal Crowe and Senator Timmy Dooley have also been in touch with me in respect of this matter. The allocation to Irish Water has been increased. The issue is trying to get delivery as quickly as we possibly can.
Renewable energy has the potential to be a vital new source of revenue and energy for our market. Its development is our chance to become energy independent eventually. We can harness energy and export the excess energy that Ireland will not need, or we can import it from abroad. This is the choice the country has to make. As an island we are extremely fortunate to have an abundance of natural resources, including our coastal waters. One of the most exciting possibilities with regard to harnessing offshore wind energy is at Foynes in Limerick. The port is uniquely placed with deep water and 127 ha of development land adjacent to it. It is said that developing Foynes Port to be a gateway point for wind energy is the Ardnacrusha moment of our generation. Recently, Wind Energy Ireland made a presentation in the audiovisual room at which it advised that Ireland is further away from reaching its 2030 target than it was this time last year. I appreciate there will be challenges but I would like to know from the Tánaiste what progress the Government has made in progressing the ambition to deliver this.
We have made strong progress on offshore wind. A major Government policy to help deliver Ireland's ambitious climate energy targets is the auction-based renewable electricity support scheme, RESS, through which grid-scale renewable electricity generation projects compete to receive a guaranteed price for the electricity they generate. More than 1 GW and 1.8 GW of new wind and solar generation were secured in the first two RESS auctions. Ireland is on track to reach 6 GW of grid-connected renewables by the end of 2023. The third auction is under way. The SRESS will offer support for renewable electricity installations that are not suited to other support measures, such as the utility scale RESS and the MSS.
In terms of ports, we are very conscious of the great economic opportunity for Foynes and other places across the country in respect of offshore renewable energy.
I want to raise again the issue of thalidomide survivors. The Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, who is present in the Chamber, Deputy Devlin, the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, Senator McGreehan and I have raised this issue persistently for a number of years. I turned on my TV on Tuesday night, as I told the Tánaiste last night, to see the Australian Prime Minister had given an apology to all of the people affected by the thalidomide controversy. In the UK, an apology was offered in 2010. The one thing I took from the news bulletin on Tuesday night was the number of people who turned up with framed picture of deceased loved ones and family members. I pray we will not find ourselves in that situation. I would like to see the people who are still here campaigning on this to get the State apology they deserve. There was a UK apology in 2010 and an Australian apology in 2023. When will Irish thalidomide survivors get their apology?
This is an issue we have been committed to in terms of the continued support for the health, personal and social service needs of Irish thalidomide survivors.
A confidential facilitation process on a range of issues relating to thalidomide commenced during my term as Taoiseach and has continued. Progress was being made on significant aspects in this regard, which we are currently implementing in conjunction with survivors. Regrettably, progress on other matters has not advanced as we had hoped. Alternative channels to progress matters remain available. I cannot go into the details because we were asked at the beginning that this would be a confidential process.
I can tell the Deputy that every effort is being made by the Government. No one was more disappointed than I was at the collapse of the process. It should not have collapsed. The Government wants to ensure the provision of proper, life-long healthcare, housing and adaptability provision and other things. There is a process to get this issue resolved. It should be completed.
Flight paths on the north runway at Dublin Airport have not been appropriately assessed in terms of noise pollution and mitigation. Since the runway opened, more than 138,000 flights have departed and landed. In Ratoath, Ashbourne and surrounding areas, 30,000 people are being impacted. That was never intended to be the case. Will the Government and the Department of Transport ensure that there is appropriate assessment, that there is compliance with planning regulations and that consideration will be given to the alternative proposals being put forward for appropriate flight paths? A lot of matters associated with the Dublin Airport Authority, DAA, are before An Bord Pleanála and other forums. These issues are not, however. There are solutions on the table. Ultimately, the DAA needs to be compliant with planning regulations, needs to work with communities and needs to find a way to resolve these issues.
The aircraft noise competent authority, ANCA, is the noise regulator. It was established under the Aircraft Noise (Dublin Airport) Regulation Act 2019. Its statutory functions include monitoring the impact of aircraft noise, assessing proposals for development at Dublin Airport and regulating for the management of aircraft noise. In 2022, ANCA defined a noise abatement objective, NAO, for Dublin Airport to manage the effects of aircraft noise emissions on the surrounding communities and environment at the airport. It gave a clear policy objective set against measurable criteria and outcomes. A report published by ANCA on 2 August this year, which reproduced the NAO for Dublin Airport, together with an inventory of the measures identified by DAA to mitigate the noise impacts, found that while long-term NAO required outcomes are lower than the 2019 levels, one of the four expected outcomes has not been achieved for the 2022 assessment. There is a regulatory authority there and it will take effective action to achieve its objective.
That concludes Questions on Policy or Legislation. Members made reference to the passing of the magnificent artist that was Shane MacGowan and to the burial today of the exceptional political leader that was Tras Honan. It would be appropriate if we stood for a minute's silence in memory of both of them.
Ar dheis láimh Dé go raibh an bheirt acu.