Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 21 Mar 2024

Vol. 1051 No. 4

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation

Deputy Pearse Doherty

Muireann Kavanagh is a 14-year-old girl. She lives on Arranmore Island off the coast of Donegal. Her father, grandfather and great grandfather were all fishermen. Muireann also fishes. She catches pollock with a hook and line, the method of fishing with the lowest impact. She wants a future on the island but she has been banned from fishing for pollock. While Muireann is told by the Government that what she was doing is now illegal, she watches from her bedroom window and sees what look like small cities. These are the foreign super-trawlers off the coast of her island hoovering up thousands of tonnes of fish, including pollock, and the Government tells her that for them it is perfectly legal.

By anyone's book, this is not fair. This is a young girl who just wants to fish. How does the Tánaiste stand over this? A 14-year-old island girl is banned from fishing with a hook and line while foreign super-trawlers hoover up the same fish as by-product off her island.

The Tánaiste

The fishery has been closed on scientific advice to make sure stocks can recover. Can the Deputy be a bit more honest in his public debate on these issues? He presents it in a certain way-----

Deputy Pearse Doherty

It is not completely closed

The Tánaiste

-----and with a certain spin. Is he saying we should ignore scientific advice? Is he saying we should now enter into a new era where we simply ignore all advice that we get, just do whatever we want, allow the stocks to be depleted and then some fine day people will turn up and there will be no fish to fish? I am advised that the fishery has been closed on scientific advice, with reducing stocks. If you close it, it recovers and people will be able to fish sustainably into the future. That apparently is the issue.

An Ceann Comhairle

Thank you, Tánaiste.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

On a point of order-----

An Ceann Comhairle

No, there is no point of order.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

It is a genuine point of order.

An Ceann Comhairle

There is no point of order on these questions.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

There is when somebody calls into question one's honesty.

An Ceann Comhairle

No, there is not.

The Tánaiste

Come off the stage.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

The super-trawlers are allowed to fish the stock as by-product.

The Tánaiste

The Deputy calls our honesty into question every single day.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

The super-trawlers are allowed to do it.

The Tánaiste

Come off the stage.

Deputy Duncan Smith

We face significant challenges throughout the country as regards access to special education. The special education teacher, SET, allocation for schools for 2024-25 needs to be revisited. One school in Swords in my constituency will face a decrease of 12.5 hours, which means it will lose a number of programmes, including one-to-one teaching, it has in place for children with additional needs. We cannot go backwards in this area.

There is a hugely disjointed provision of autistic spectrum units, not only in my constituency but across the country. In Malahide, for example, there are no AS units at primary school level, yet there are two classes at second level. In a town the size of Swords, some schools have four AS units while others have none. This issue is coming up on every single canvass we are on. It is a challenge and crisis that is not getting the attention it deserves. We need a change of approach. What will the Government do in the coming months?

The Tánaiste

I think the Deputy is talking about the special education teacher model and its organisation. There are about 14,600 special education teachers supporting mainstream classes in the 2024-25 school year. That is an increase of about 1,000 since the end of the 2021 school year. It is the highest number of special education teachers ever in our schools. The model has been in place since 2017. There has been a limited change to the method since then. I have spoken to the Minister on this. The model makes an allocation on the basis of a number of inputs, including enrolment numbers. Children with complex needs are supported in the model by using school-level data from standardised tests in order to reflect relative levels of overall need. There is an appeals mechanism within the new allocation model. Some 67% of schools have either increased allocation or retained their previous allocation. Of the schools whose allocations have been decreased, about 70% have seen hours reduced by five or less.

Deputy Jennifer Whitmore

In 2018, promises were made to have a new neurorehabilitation centre for CHO 6 area, that is, east Wicklow. It was to be in Bray and was to come to fruition last year. A team of 13 posts were being pulled together. Funding was available and recruitment was to commence. Unfortunately, that is now all on hold because of the moratorium in the HSE. It is possible for this centre to go ahead if a derogation is provided. In light of the much-needed services this neurorehabilitation site would provide, will the Tánaiste ensure a derogation is provided in order that the Bray centre can go ahead and the hundreds of people in Wicklow who are waiting on services can get them? The money is there and the recruitment process started. It seems a shame that it is now being held up because of the recruitment freeze.

The Tánaiste

There has been a substantial increase in employment numbers in health over recent years and provision was made for additional numbers this year. I will speak to the Minister for Health on the specific case raised by the Deputy and ask him to revert to her.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

Monkstown Educate Together National School has lost a whole special education teacher for next year. This is happening all over the place because of this new model of allocation of special education resources and the removal of complex needs as a criterion. It needs to be addressed. When speaking to school communities affected by this, they make a simple point - the Department should trust the schools to tell it what they need. In Monkstown Educate Together National School, the same kids are there and they have the same needs but because of this new algorithm, which has removed complex needs, the school is down a special education teacher. In Sallynoggin Educate Together National School, there is another example of the anomalies. The school has two autism classes, wants to open two more and is in a position to do so, but is being told by the Department of Education that it will not get them until it gets its permanent building.

An Ceann Comhairle

Time is up, Deputy.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

Other schools do not want them. We need to look into this and change the model based on need.

The Tánaiste

On autism classes, 1,300 additional teachers have been appointed, we have opened new special schools and we are opening new autism classes on a regular basis. There will be specific issues with specific schools, with configuration of buildings and so on. All that has to be in place before you can take on a new school. On the allocation model, the Minister has informed us that school bodies and managerial bodies at a national level, for example, support the new model.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

Not the schools.

The Tánaiste

I am just saying what the position has been at national level. Principals' organisations also support the new model.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

Not all of them.

The Tánaiste

We are anxious that no child with a complex need will be under-provided for in respect of the allocation model. We will keep the matter under review.

Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick

Massive population expansion has resulted in increased need for the creation of new schools and school places, special needs places in particular, and greater accessibility to them. In the budget, the Government made provision for additional special needs teachers and special needs assistants. This is very welcome. However, there are serious problems relating to early intervention. Normally, one or two people come to my constituency office daily about this. The situation has become very serious. Any time we contact the Department we are told there is no place available. Where can someone with a child with special needs who cannot find a school go? Every child has a fundamental right to an education. People are really down in the dumps. They do not know where to go for help. Even TDs do not get any help when we contact the Department. What can we do to help these people? They are not one-off cases. People are coming in to me constantly.

An Ceann Comhairle

That is why we have SENOs to do this job.

The Tánaiste

One of the fundamental rights in the Constitution, as the Deputy said, is the right to a primary education. It is a good right that is in the Constitution. The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, and the Department have an obligation to fulfil that right in terms of securing a place for the child. We have made significant progress on this in the last two years but wherever there is a need, provision should be made. I empathise with the anxiety many parents feel when their child cannot get a school place. I do not find that acceptable. There needs to be proper planning in advance to make sure that where shortages are identified, that provision is made. As the Ceann Comhairle said, there is a widespread network of SENOs and so on but new classes and places need to be delivered quickly in any area where there is an increase in numbers requiring special education provision. We then need to make sure we can support the schools. There has been fairly significant expansion, to be fair. I am not aware of the specifics of the case but perhaps the Deputy will send them on.

Deputy Mattie McGrath

I go back to the same issue, which is huge. The Tánaiste has mentioned the figure of 1,300 several times. There are huge concerns in my constituency about the lack of ASD school places. Parents contact me daily expressing huge concerns about the lack of a school place for their child in September. Some are applying to up to ten schools to see if they can get a place. Many are not getting one. Some intend to leave their five-year-old children in preschool for the year so that they will be in some sort of a school setting. There is a massive problem here and talking about all the teachers who have been appointed is not good enough. There must be some major change.

As I said, people are considering leaving their five-year-olds in preschool, which will also cause blockages. The level of demand for these classes is growing massively. What the Tánaiste talked about is not keeping pace with that. We know there are so many. Some of the SENOs are good but they are significantly overworked. Some of them do not like getting representations from us at all, but the problem is there for parents who are tearing their hair out not knowing where their children will be. It is crazy to keep a child back a year at preschool until they are aged six.

The Tánaiste

If the Deputy knows of specific cases, I ask him to bring them to the Department's attention. I will speak to the Minister for Education after this session and will raise the fact that a number of Deputies have raised this issue. I know the objective is to provide places for children when it is appropriate for them to progress to primary or secondary level schools.

Deputy Joan Collins

This day nine years ago, more than 88,000 people marched for the Right2Water campaign. One of its demands was to keep water permanently in public hands. Many parliamentary members of the Government parties signed the SIPTU petition - I am holding a photograph of one of them signing it - supporting this demand in 2015. On World Water Day tomorrow, I will chair a uniting the community public meeting at 7.30 p.m. at Wynn's Hotel, recognising that goal has still not been met. The meeting will outline a strategy to pressure the Government to keep its promise of a water referendum. This will be followed by two motions at the Unite conference in April to support that strategy. I am positive these will be passed.

Water service workers in local authorities are refusing to move to Uisce Éireann until this referendum takes place. The Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, promised a referendum, alongside a right to housing referendum. We were told this would happen early in 2023 and then last November. It did not. In reply to a parliamentary question in February, we were told it would take place in the not-too-distant future.

An Ceann Comhairle

I am afraid the Deputy's time is up.

Deputy Joan Collins

Will the Tánaiste confirm that the Government will hold a referendum on the public ownership, management and maintenance of our water system, and when it will hold it?

The Tánaiste

As we know, referendums can be very complex.

Deputy Joan Collins

I know. You would probably win this one.

The Tánaiste

The first row will be about the wording.

Deputy Joan Collins

If you do not change the wording.

The Tánaiste

I make the point that we now have a national State body in public ownership. There is no question of the privatisation of Irish Water or water supplies at all-----

Deputy Joan Collins

That is no guarantee. The Government could change that.

The Tánaiste

-----other than the group water schemes, which are private schemes delivered by local communities. It is simple to propose referendums, but we have all learned the complexity involved in-----

Deputy Joan Collins

The key thing is it will be in the Constitution-----

The Tánaiste

-----formulating a referendum proposal and delivering one through-----

Deputy Joan Collins

-----so no future governments can change it.

Deputy James O'Connor

I raise the issue of the Covid sick pay scheme that was in place for healthcare workers who, unfortunately, suffered from the serious consequences of long Covid. I met with these workers in my office recently. They are two nurses who have been out sick since they contracted long Covid. Unfortunately, it is not recognised as an occupational illness. I express my discomfort that this scheme is stopping. The individuals I have met who are suffering from this illness, especially those who worked in a healthcare setting, are extremely ill. They are very worried about the future of their families, their financial security and keeping their homes. They were only doing what was in fact their jobs. The State needs to do more to recognise that for some people, particularly the 120 healthcare workers who relied on this scheme to survive, this is a very serious healthcare problem that will now impact their family incomes as well. It is something the Government should consider extending for another period.

The Tánaiste

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I acknowledge a long-term Covid diagnosis and the existence of the Covid sick pay scheme is a very serious issue. I will talk to the Minister of Health on this matter. I will also raise with the Minister for public expenditure the fact that it has been raised and there have been discussions. I will see what the situation is and revert to the Deputy.

Deputy Alan Dillon

It came to light this week that out of the 1.6 million smart meters installed by ESB Networks, thousands are malfunctioning. This is leading to homeowners receiving inflated bills. It was also alarming to hear that many homeowners are not adapting their smart meter energy plans. We certainly need a more effective plan. Currently, only 6% of homeowners are using the lower night rate, which begins at 11 p.m. That time is ridiculous. The late start results in increased demand during peak times, which impacts our electricity grid and environment. Having appliances running late into the night also disrupts families with young people. We need the Government to consider a policy shift to ensure that the night rate starts at an evening time, possibly at 7 p.m. or 8 p.m., after peak time. This would encourage more people to use their appliances during these times, which would save money, conserve energy and reduce emissions.

An Ceann Comhairle

It appears smart meters are not that smart.

The Tánaiste

Yes. It is the ESB's job to make sure the meters work. The Opposition obviously does not think I am a man of many talents, but fixing smart meters is not one of them anyway. I have to confess it is not my area of expertise. I take the Deputy's point on the policy, however. There is probably room for moving the time, although it should be kept away from peak time as much as possible, but that would then involve the regulator. I will talk to the Minister regarding the points raised.

Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú

I bring up the issue of the difficulty for autistic kids and their families in accessing necessary mental health services. I have just come from a meeting of the all-party parliamentary group on autism with Families for Reform of CAMHS. We all know the ping-pong game that has existed between disability services and CAMHS. At times, it has been a case of no room at the inn if somebody has autism. I was told that the autism protocol was meant to deal with this but my understanding is it is not in operation across all community healthcare organisations, CHOs. That is something that needs to happen. Another issue Families for Reform of CAMHS brought up relates to CAMHS intellectual disability teams. Since September 2021, if a child has an intellectual disability, a regular CAMHS team will not see him or her. There are ten consultants, some of whom have no CAMHS team or only one or two. These are all issues that need to be dealt with. I will use the example of a 12-year-old child-----

An Ceann Comhairle

No, please. Time is up.

Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú

-----with autism. All private assessments have stated the child has ADHD but that child cannot get an assessment anywhere, which is necessary.

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Mary Butler)

I cannot comment on individual cases. I can tell the Deputy that a huge amount of work has been done to reduce the CAMHS waiting list. I, too, have met with the organisation the Deputy talked about. It members are concerned about the potential dual diagnosis of children with autism and a mental health illness. I have to be very clear, and I have said this several times on the floor of the House, that CAMHS support is only needed for approximately 2% of children. Those children have a primary diagnosis of a mental health issue. Some children, for example, do not have such a diagnosis but have severe autism issues. That is where the difficulties arise. I have met with Families for Reform of CAMHS and attended the autism committee. The HSE is currently working on a programme to support these families.

On the additional €10 million that has been allocated, all of that money will be spent on youth mental health. The provision of a mental health intellectual disability, MHID, team is included in that.

Deputy Chris Andrews

Harold's Cross Educate Together Secondary School is a relatively new school in the community. It started with just 38 students and has grown rapidly due to the high demand in the area. Planning permission for vital works was granted two years ago but parents, teachers and students have seen absolutely no progress since then. This is a new school with nearly 300 children that has no facilities, such as a sports hall. There is no canteen or appropriate outdoor space. These are essential for a child's development at school and a holistic education. Will the Tánaiste engage with the Minister for Education to address the delays and see what can be done to expedite the building works at the school?

The Tánaiste

What stage is it at?

An Ceann Comhairle

Planning permission has been granted.

Deputy Chris Andrews

Permission was granted two years ago.

The Tánaiste

Has it gone to design?

Deputy Chris Andrews

It has gone to design, yes.

The Tánaiste

Some progress has been made. I will talk to the Minister in respect of where that project is and how we can expedite it.

Deputy David Stanton

The Tánaiste will be very familiar with the N25 between Carrigtohill and Midleton and the fact that, thankfully, thousands of houses are being built in Carrigtohill and Midleton. The condition of that road is atrocious. The old Amgen site is still sitting there and cannot be used.

The volume of traffic is increasing massively on that road and it is very dangerous. Why did the Minister for Transport hand back €7 million last year and the year before and underspend €150 million in both years when such work like this is crying out to be done? I thank the Ceann Comhairle.

The Tánaiste

First, I acknowledge the difficulties on the N25. I met recently with the county manager in County Hall in Cork who was very concerned about the condition of the N25 from a road safety perspective and as a key artery between Midleton, Youghal, Carrigtohill and Waterford - thank you Deputy Butler - and it has not really been upgraded for a long time. Last year the Department of Transport spent all of its money. I was told this as late as yesterday by the Minister, who said all of the capital was spent.

We have to go back, not necessarily to the drawing board, but to re-examine the N25. Money was provided for the bypass further downstream and I see that Deputy James O'Connor is smiling. A very strong case was made to me by the county manager on the safety issue.

Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív

The Tánaiste knows my concern about the treatment of republican prisoners in Maghaberry Prison and it is a long-term concern. I bring to his attention the case of a Dermot Burke, who is a prison in Maghaberry at present. He was arrested in January and is being held in solitary confinement since. During that period he has been scanned 18 times by an X-ray body scanner and he has had no visits from family. They keep saying that something is being secreted within his body. Can urgent representations be made by the Government to the authorities on the need to allow independent medical supervision of the next scan in order that we can get to the bottom of this particular case? I would suggest, for example, that the International Red Cross could provide that independent medical supervision because it has the capability to do so.

The Tánaiste

I know of the work the Deputy is doing on prisoners' issues and I would generally acknowledge that. I will talk to my own Department officials to raise this issue on the particular prisoner Deputy Ó Cuív has referred to and the fact that there has been such extensive scanning. We have over the years made representations in respect of Maghaberry Prison and I will revert back to the Deputy.

Deputy Mairéad Farrell

Tá sé tagtha chun solais nach bhfuil an Ghaeilge éigeantach do phost mar stiúrthóir scoileanna san Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board, GRETB. Is cúis imní é seo do scoileanna Gaeltachta agus do Ghaelcholáistí. Tá seacht meánscoileanna Gaeltachta agus dhá Ghaelcholáiste taobh amuigh den Ghaeltacht faoin GRETB agus is é seo níos mó ná aon trian de na meánscoileanna Gaeilge ar fad atá sa Stát. Tá dualgas, ar ndóigh, ag scoileanna Gaeilge faoin Acht Oideachais an Ghaeilge a chaomhnú agus a neartú. Cén chaoi go mbeadh stiúrthóir scoileanna gan Ghaeilge in ann a ghnó nó a gnó a dhéanamh leis na scoileanna seo mura bhfuil Gaeilge aige nó aici? An gcreideann an Tánaiste go mbeifear in ann é sin a dhéanamh agus nach dtéann sé sin in aghaidh na ndualgas an Ghaeilge a chaomhnú agus a neartú sna scoileanna sin?

The Tánaiste

Tá an Rialtas ag déanamh gach aon iarracht an Ghaeilge a chaomhnú agus, go háirithe, áiseanna a chur ar fáil do scoileanna lánGhaeilge agus scoileanna sna Gaeltachtaí. An bhfuil an Teachta ag labhairt faoi scoileanna laistigh de na Gaeltachtaí?

Deputy Mairéad Farrell

Táim ag labhairt faoi stiúrthóir san GRETB i nGaillimh agus i Ros Comáin, ceantar a bhfuil seacht meánscoil Gaeltachta agus dhá Ghaelcholáiste i gceist.

The Tánaiste

Cén fhadhb atá ann?

Deputy Mairéad Farrell

Is faoin stiúrthóir don phost nua-----

The Tánaiste

An é nach bhfuil stiúrthóir ann faoi láthair?

Deputy Mairéad Farrell

-----do na scoileanna ar fad. Tá duine éigin nua á fhostú i gceann cúpla mí.

The Tánaiste

An bhfuil duine ann anois?

Deputy Mairéad Farrell

Tá an duine bhí ann éirithe as agus maidir leis an bpost seo, níl sé éigeantach go mbeadh Gaeilge ag an duine seo, cé go bhfuil Gaelscoileanna agus Gaelcholáistí mar chuid den-----

The Tánaiste

Níl cumas sa Ghaeilge aige nó aici, an ea?

An Ceann Comhairle

Níl an Ghaeilge éigeantach.

Deputy Mairéad Farrell

Níl sé éigeantach nó riachtanach don phost nua.

The Tánaiste

Níl sé riachtanach. Caithfimid déileáil leis an Aire faoi sin.

Deputy Mairéad Farrell

Go raibh maith ag an Tánaiste.

The Tánaiste

Tá an dlí ann agus déanfaidh mé fiosrú faoi sin.

Deputy Mairéad Farrell

Gabhaim míle buíochas leis an Tánaiste.

An Ceann Comhairle

I call Deputy Cahill now, please.

Deputy Jackie Cahill

The HSE made a decision this week to is to postpone the opening of a community hospital in Nenagh and to use it in the immediate future as a step-down facility for University Hospital Limerick, UHL. I can understand the basis of the decision as I have spoken here many times about the huge pressure UHL is under. There is a significant waiting list for the community hospital in Nenagh. I ask two things. First, to ease the concerns of those who are expecting the community hospital to open this spring, I ask that the HSE guarantee that within the next 12 months, the community hospital will open in Nenagh as a community hospital. Second, this clearly demonstrates the need for a modular step-down unit in Nenagh to keep the pressure off UHL. The capital funding for a 50-bed modular unit should be allocated for that. We have a new 96-bed unit coming on stream in UHL. We will not have all of that number of 96 new beds, so Ennis and Nenagh need this investment to finally cure the chronic situation we have in UHL.

The Tánaiste

I am aware of the issues and I have spoken to the Minister for Health generally in respect of the recruitment issues to see if a resolution can be found more expeditiously on that. I will speak to the Minister again. A very significant investment has been made in Nenagh in respect of the community nursing unit where, I believe, up to €20 million has been allocated to it under the community nursing unit programme. In my view, there can be various debates around this. When we start out with a new community nursing unit if there are no existing staff, one needs additional staff to fully open it up. My own view is that some resolution in the interim should be arrived at. What is being provided on an interim basis is to do with UHL but the unit has been built for a reason as a community nursing unit and I will talk to the Minister again on the issue.

Deputy Darren O'Rourke

I ask the Tánaiste about the new school building programme. In my own area, Lismullen National School is waiting for a letter of intent, Dunshaughlin Community National School and Coláiste Ríoga, Dunshaughlin, went into planning four years ago and, at risk of my speaking time timing out, I mention Gormanston College and Dunboyne national schools. I see that there have been many Topical Issues and written questions from across the political spectrum asking the question as to why projects are not proceeding at the pace they were intended to. That is the position right across the country but particularly in the Dublin region or greater Dublin area. Is there a funding issue or what is behind this? We know that the national development plan is up for review, that many remedial works had to take place on buildings and that a number of building projects were paused last year due to funding. Is there a reason behind delays? Are there capacity issues in the Department or what is the reason for this? I thank the Ceann Comhairle.

The Tánaiste

We have ramped up the school building programme over the past two years and additional allocations are to be made in respect of the national development plan, NDP, as outlined by the Deputy. I expect all of those issues to be resolved very quickly so, therefore, we can hopefully have progress on the schools referred to by the Deputy.

Deputy Gino Kenny

Yesterday was a seismic day in more ways than one in Leinster House. The Joint Committee on Assisted Dying made 38 recommendations in its report, which was published yesterday. One of the main recommendations from the report was to legislate for assisted dying. I believe that this issue transcends politics and ideas and that now is the time to give a commitment and make preparations in the lifetime of this Government to legislate for this issue. Can the Tánaiste give a commitment in the lifetime of this Government that he will make preparations and legislate for this report and its recommendations?

The Tánaiste

I cannot give that commitment today to the Deputy. I do not know how long the committee sat for. It was probably nearly a year where it deliberated upon a very complex issue. Deputies in my own party participated in that and commented on the report with regard to the comprehensive work that went on, the consultations that took place and the hearings that happened.

The Government should be allowed some time also to examine and read the report as to any proposals that it might consider bringing to the Oireachtas. People will have views on this issue. In our party, this will be an issue of conscience in respect of any prospective legislation. In the first instance, we need to examine the report comprehensively.

Deputy Marian Harkin

In the first opportunity I have, on a personal level I want to wish Leo Varadkar well as he moves on and to recognise his contribution during Covid-19, his defence of Maurice McCabe and his statesmanlike and extremely competent handling of Brexit.

However, we are now in a new political space and Leo Varadkar himself has opened that door. I am calling for a general election for the first time in this administration. I voted for the Tánaiste and for Leo Varadkar because the people spoke four years ago and I believe in stability, but we now have a faltering Government on housing, health, immigration, disability and the recent referendums. The last time I addressed the Tánaiste was at Leaders' Questions and I asked him about the issue of durable relationships. He told me all was well and there was no need to worry. Well, there was need to worry and while Fine Gael may need time to regroup, this country now needs a Government with a new mandate.

The Tánaiste

I thank the Deputy. I have dealt with this issue already in the House this morning. I am very clear the Government is focused on fulfilling the programme for Government. It is an important point that Government must always be about policy and substance, not necessarily about personalities. I have already instanced the planning Bill, which the Deputy has complained about, on the delivery of a whole range of projects. That should be completed before any general election. The future fund Bill which was passed through Cabinet is probably the most important and significant long-term legislative initiative of any Government in a long time and will provide for the future by allocating 0.8% of GNI to cover pensions into the future, as well as to cover healthcare costs and infrastructure that will be required. When, say, times get bad, we always cut capital. The whole idea of the future fund is to make sure, in infrastructure and climate, that we do not ever have that situation if we can avoid it. It ensures we maintain capital levels right on even in the middle of a recession if we provide enough money now. That Bill will enable us to give some mechanisms to future proof our society and our economy. That is a very noble thing to do-----

An Ceann Comhairle

I thank the Tánaiste. The time is up, please.

The Tánaiste

It is the right thing to do and we want to get this through the Houses as well.

Deputy Claire Kerrane

I raise again the situation of flooding at Lough Funshinagh in my constituency. Waters have now surpassed record levels and the situation is getting worse every single day. Water levels are now at 69.16 m above sea level and are rising daily. At least five additional houses are now under immediate threat and another farmyard has been destroyed. Older people in their 80s and 90s are looking at their lives' work totally devastated, young families with big mortgages are unable to let their children outside, and this devastation has been allowed to go on and on. Last month, along with my colleague, Sinn Féin MEP Chris MacManus, and representatives from the community, we met with the director for biodiversity at the European Commission and he was crystal clear with us in saying there is nothing in the habitats directive that prevents a member state from taking emergency action or having emergency legislation where livelihoods are at risk. Livelihoods have been at risk around Lough Funshinagh now for years. So too have lives. At long last, after many years, what is the Government waiting for?

The Tánaiste

Water tables are very high at the moment across the country.

Deputy Claire Kerrane

They are extra high here.

The Tánaiste

I accept that. I do not disagree with the point and I know the specifics of the case but there is no easy resolution of all of this. However, I will revert to the Ministers concerned to see if anything can be done in this specific case. There is reflection needed across the House on where we are. We are seeing changing weather patterns. This morning, we had questions on tillage and so on and how our food production system is now being impacted by the weather patterns but also human survival in given locations. I will certainly go back to the Minister if the Deputy has specific remedies on this.