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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 18 Jun 2024

Vol. 1055 No. 6

Ceisteanna - Questions

Cabinet Committees

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

1. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on EU and international affairs will next meet. [23995/24]

Bríd Smith

Question:

2. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on EU and international affairs will next meet. [23998/24]

Paul Murphy

Question:

3. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on EU and international affairs will next meet. [24000/24]

Mick Barry

Question:

4. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on EU and international affairs will next meet. [25588/24]

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

5. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on EU and international affairs will next meet. [25960/24]

Seán Haughey

Question:

6. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on EU and international affairs will next meet. [26038/24]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 6, inclusive, together.

The Cabinet committee on EU and international affairs oversees the implementation of programme for Government commitments and considers policy matters relating to the European Union and international issues. The committee generally meets in advance of meetings of the European Council to discuss the agenda for these meetings. In addition, it considers current EU and international matters, including the ongoing situation in the Middle East and the conflict in Ukraine. The committee most recently met on 10 June when it looked ahead to the informal European Council meeting, which I attended yesterday, and the meeting of the European Council scheduled for 27 and 28 June. Both meetings take place in Brussels.

At the informal meeting, leaders reflected on the outcome of the European Parliament elections and focused on the new EU institutional cycle. At the meeting of the European Council proper on 27 and 28 June, leaders will hope to sign off on a new strategic agenda for the period ahead. They will discuss issues including Ukraine, the horrific humanitarian catastrophe in the Middle East, security and defence and the EU's competitiveness agenda.

Ahead of yesterday's informal meeting of the European Council, I attended the conference on peace in Ukraine hosted by Switzerland. This conference comes at a time Ukraine continues to be under relentless attack from Russia, including the targeting of civilian infrastructure. Some 20,000 children have been abducted in Ukraine - snatched by Russia, taken from their parents and from their towns and villages. If Ukraine managed to get one child a day back, it would take 55 years to return all of the children. We must be relentless and challenge ourselves to do much more in this regard. Certainly, from the Government's perspective, we are very eager to see what more practical assistance we can provide to help with that humanitarian issue. The aim of the conference was to rally world leaders around a peace initiative that is based on the principles of the UN Charter and in support of Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence. During my intervention, I expressed Ireland's strong support for President Zelenskyy's peace plan.

It is expected that the Cabinet committee on EU and international affairs will next meet again in the coming months as necessary and ahead of the meeting of the European Council in October.

I note that at the summit there was a lot of talk about adherence to international law, which is right. There is no doubt the atrocities that Putin has carried out are horrendous and that it was a bloody and indefensible invasion, occupation and war. However, it is difficult to credit the claims of adherence to international law or the desire for peace when, at the same time that all of this is going on, many of the countries in attendance at the conference continue to support and arm the state of Israel while it is guilty of committing genocide in front of our eyes. While we were counting the votes in the European and local elections, Israel slaughtered just under 300 people in Al-Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza in what an Al Jazeera journalist described as “descending into hell”. After the opprobrium at that, last night, Israel was attacking the same refugee camp again. It was also killing people in Rafah as they waited for aid trucks. However, nothing is done. Some of those in attendance at that conference, like the United States and others, continue to arm the state that is doing this. In fact, they may well have been complicit in the attack on the refugee camp as it looks like their troops on the so-called humanitarian pier were involved in supporting the Israeli massacre in that refugee camp. When are the shocking double standards and failure to act against Israel's genocidal attack by the western governments that arm and support it, including in the European Union, going to stop? When are we going to see sanctions?

I want to raise the issue of Palestinian third level students who are going to be here as a consequence of the genocide that their families are experiencing in Gaza. Perhaps they are able to flee, have already fled or are going to be fleeing here over the next period. I was in touch with the Taoiseach and his office previously when he was Minister for higher education regarding a particular case that is still ongoing and is illustrative of the issue. Amir is a 19-year-old Gaza man who is studying at TU Dublin. He arrived as a regular international student and regular international student fees were paid. Then, in October, his family home and family business in Gaza were destroyed and he had to apply for international protection. However, TU Dublin is continuing to pursue him for the fees it says he owes based on assessing him as an international student, so he is facing thousands of euro in fees. It previously said his exam results would be withheld, although it has since progressed that and has released the exam results and said he can put a payment plan in place for paying these fees. He has no mechanism to pay the fees. TU Dublin has said that the Government has not provided any scheme or funding for students from Palestine but that if a scheme is put in place, as was put in place for Ukrainian students, it would be able to implement it. It is one way or the other. TU Dublin is saying it needs the money to be able to do this. Either TU Dublin or the Department needs to step in here.

An Associated Press investigation has identified at least 60 Palestinian families where 25 family members or more were killed by Israeli bombing between October and December. In some cases, four generations of one family were wiped out. Israeli bombing has destroyed homes, buildings and infrastructure to the point that there is now 37 million tonnes of rubble in Gaza. It is estimated that it would take ten years to clear it. Last year, while the assault was well under way, a European politician compared Israel's role to Ukraine's defence against Russian aggression. She said: “All these conflicts have one thing in common: they are about the struggle between those who seek peace, balance, freedom and co-operation - and those who do not want any of this.” That politician was Ursula von der Leyen. Why is the Taoiseach supporting this woman for the Presidency of the new European Commission?

A meeting of EU leaders in Brussels yesterday evening failed to endorse Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as the European Commission President. This should be welcomed by all right-thinking people. Through her offer of unconditional support for Israel, she provided political cover for the genocide that continues to unfold in Gaza. By continuing to block a review of Israel's human rights obligations under the EU-Israel association agreement, she is providing economic cover for Israel's genocide and failing to hold it to account, unless there is further information in that regard. She has acted outside of her competency, impugned her office and damaged the credibility of the European Union to act as an agent of peace and a champion of human rights across the world. We spoke earlier about the possibility of a debate in the House. Can the Taoiseach assure the House that the Government will oppose the reappointment of the Commission President?

As expected, there was a shift to the right across Europe in the recent European Parliament elections, with migration and the response to climate change emerging as key issues during the campaign. However, it seems the centrist coalition has held, by and large. The coalition is made up of the European People's Party, the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats and Renew Europe, and it remains to be seen if the Greens or the European conservatives and reformists will also join any new coalition in the Parliament. All of this will determine the future policy direction of the EU and, of course, how the top positions will be filled. It seems to me, despite what we just heard from other Deputies, and despite her initial response to the Israeli-Hamas war, that Ursula von der Leyen is set to become Commission President again. The Taoiseach discussed these matters at a special European Council meeting yesterday. Various names are being mentioned in the media for the posts of Council President and foreign policy chief, as well as the President of the European Parliament. What is the Taoiseach's approach to these issues? When will Ireland's next EU Commissioner be announced? It is generally accepted that the earlier the name is known, the better for securing a significant Commission post. If the Taoiseach would like to name the Irish Commissioner now, I am sure the House would welcome any information he can give in that regard.

Who is being elevated?

I am not sure the Tánaiste would. Under our coalition agreement, the Tánaiste will bring a name to Cabinet for consideration. What Deputy Haughey said about the importance of timeliness is a statement of fact in this regard, and I and the Tánaiste share that view. I should say that the process is as the Deputy said. The European Council last night took stock of the European elections at an informal meeting.

With respect to Deputy Ó Murchú, it was never a meeting that had a legal basis to make a decision. That will be the European Council meeting next Thursday and Friday. Obviously, once a President of the Commission is in place, it is then member states formally submit the names of their Commissioners or Commissioners-designate. I share the view that clarity around the name in the coming weeks, which is the plan of the Government, would be good in our national interest because that then allows us to engage with the Commission President on portfolios and trying to ensure the portfolio is a good fit for the person Ireland sends and a good fit for Ireland in terms of policy interests and national interests we may have.

The approach I took last night was, I think, the approach that was taken by all members of the European Council, which is that there needs to be a balanced approach. There are four positions, as the Deputy rightly said: President of the Parliament, which is dealt with by the Parliament, and President of the Council, President of the Commission and the High Representative for foreign affairs. It is important that there is a balanced approach to that package of roles that reflects the democratic outcome of the European election results and also tries to take into consideration other things in terms of the size of member states and geography, where possible. Last night was an initial take stock discussion. I do share the Deputy's view that the centre has held. One hears lots of different views in this Parliament, as is entirely appropriate but people cannot forget the fact that the European People's Party gained seats in the European election, and that it looks like it will be possible to put a centrist coalition together in the coming weeks as well.

I do not accept that President von der Leyen is blocking any review of the association agreement because this is a matter for member states. There are 27 member states. Ireland and Spain have signed a letter saying we want it reviewed. The Belgian Presidency has made some progress on this, which I welcome. However, I call on all European leaders to join us on this because I fundamentally believe that the association agreement needs to be reviewed because there are human rights clauses in it.

In response to Deputy Barry, there has to be a correlation between the outcome of the European elections and the President of the Commission, and that has been established. Indeed, the Deputy respectfully campaigned on that basis in the European elections when he asked people to vote for candidates who would definitely not vote for President von der Leyen. I heard the Deputy say that. That is his position and I respect that but the reality is the European People's Party chose at a congress President von der Leyen to be the lead candidate. Other political groupings chose other people to be the lead candidates and we had an election across the European Union. That has to count for something in ensuring there is not a democratic deficit or disconnect between the citizens of the Union and those who are appointed to roles.

With regard to President von der Leyen, people have made comments in our Government in the past about the early days of the Middle East situation. However, looking at President von der Leyen's actions in respect of the support for UNRWA when others were not supporting UNRWA - that is the humanitarian aid, for people watching in - and her calling for an immediate ceasefire and her belief in a two-state solution, sometimes she is wrongly positioned on this issue in terms of-----

She is blocking sanctions.

-----how she is being wrongly presented by people on this. President von der Leyen is committed to peace and wants to see an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East. She is also someone who has been a good friend to Ireland on Brexit, and someone who is responsible for saving many lives through the roll-out of the Covid vaccine programme.

In response to Deputy Murphy, I am happy to immediately engage with him on the specific case he raised. I should not get too much involved in a back-and-forth with the universities as I respect their autonomy, independence and all that sort of stuff but international fees are set by them and therefore, that answer they gave the Deputy makes me bristle a little bit. There is absolutely nothing to stop any university today deciding not to levy those fees on a student. They do not need a Government initiative to do so. We have universities of sanctuary, for example, as well. I do understand that in general, our universities have been taking a case-by-case approach to this but I am disappointed to hear of the situation that Amir finds himself in. We are doing work - I will not waste time going through it all now - on scholarship programmes and fellowship programmes for funding schools in the Middle East so maybe I could send the Deputy a note regarding our position on all of this.

In response to Deputy Boyd Barrett, this country, small as it is, is doing everything humanly possible to continue to articulate for peace. I share the view that there is an inconsistency in approach being taken by the world to the conflict in Ukraine, which needs to immediately end as it is an illegal, brutal invasion - and I welcome the Deputy saying those things - and to what is happening in the Middle East. It is a humanitarian catastrophe and there are war crimes being committed. It is important that we call out both. Ireland does, and others should.

And those complicit.

Child Poverty

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

7. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Taoiseach to report on the published third meeting of the cross-government network on child poverty and well-being. [23997/24]

Paul Murphy

Question:

8. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach to report on the published third meeting of the cross-government network on child poverty and well-being. [24002/24]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 8 together.

This Government established the child poverty and well-being programme in the Department of the Taoiseach to make sure we prioritise children, and particularly vulnerable children, and to make sure they get a real chance to realise their potential. From Poverty to Potential: A Programme Plan for Child Well-being 2023-2025 was published last year. It is the initial programme plan for the child poverty and well-being programme office in my Department. The programme plan does not address everything but rather takes a focused approached on six key areas that have the potential to bring about significant change for children and their families. These include income supports and joblessness; early learning and childcare; reducing the cost of education; family homelessness; consolidating and integrating public health, family and parental assistance, and well-being services; and enhancing participation in culture, arts and sport for children and young people affected by poverty.

The role of the Department of the Taoiseach is to co-ordinate and focus Government action. To help facilitate this, the office has established a cross-government network on child poverty and well-being. Three network meetings have taken place to date. The purpose of the cross-government network is to bring together the very wide range of actors across Departments, their agencies and local authorities who are responsible for implementing actions and policies which impact on the objective to end child poverty and enhance child well-being. The network creates a platform to support this diverse work and identify shared purpose and mission and meets three to four times per year. Information about the network and its meetings is published on gov.ie.

On 27 February, the third meeting of the network addressed the theme: achieving a continuum of care: exploring effective strategies for enhancing service integration. The objective of the discussion was to support policymakers and service providers to share learning and think creatively about the challenges and benefits of integrated services. Integrated services is one of the key focus areas of the programme office. The overall ambition for integrated services is to identify and create pathways for children and families to smoothly access the services they need.

A keynote address exploring effective strategies for enhancing service integration was delivered by Dr. Carmel Devaney, associate director of the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre at the University of Galway, and a practice panel looked at the evidence, legitimacy and feasibility of service integration in practice. Panel members were from a wide range of organisations, including representatives from Meitheal, a family resource centre, and a children and young persons' services committee.

Reflections from this cross-government network meeting and the inaugural child poverty and well-being summit, which I attended, inform the ongoing work of the programme office. I believe we can absolutely transform the lives of children and their families, and we must give every child the best possible start in life. Achieving this is not just the right thing to do for children but it is also essential for protecting social cohesion, empowering vibrant communities and securing our long-term economic future.

It is all very well setting up a committee to deal with child poverty and welfare but it has to do something. The Taoiseach said he wants to give children the best start in life - absolutely. One of things that guarantees they do not have a good start in life is if they are homeless or they are facing the prospect of being homeless. A total of 4,170 children are in emergency accommodation, and the situation is getting worse every month. The Taoiseach needs to address that and to recognise that his Government has so far failed to do so. It has worsened every month.

I want to just point him to a few things that could help. First, we do not have enough three- or four-bedroom houses being bought or built by local authorities. In the new Part V private development that is coming up in Shanganagh as opposed to the Land Development Agency development, all of the units that are being bought are only one- or two-bedroom apartments, even though there are loads of three- and four-bedroom apartments. When we are talking about kids, they generally have three- our four-bed needs.

Housing needs assessment does not take into account families that are on RAS and HAP transfer lists but many of them are families with children. When people are facing the possibility of eviction, they cannot get the higher rate of homeless HAP until eight weeks before they are facing eviction. Even though many people know months in advance they are facing the prospect of being homeless, local housing authorities will not do anything for them until they are eight weeks out. Even then, they will basically say to them to wait until they are homeless and then knock on their door, by which time the kids are thrown into homelessness. That has to stop. There has to be a proactive and preventative approach to kids or anybody, but especially kids and families, going into homelessness. At the moment, that is not what is happening. It is a bureaucratic approach and it is not prioritising children and families.

The minimum essential standard of living report was published today and it is pretty damning. It shows that social welfare is lagging behind basic needs. In more than three quarters of the cases at which the report looked, people had an inadequate income. In 43% of cases, people had a deeply inadequate income. It found that the costs of a minimum essential standard of living, that is, the very basics one needs to have the basics of a decent life, have gone up by nearly 17% since 2020. Food has gone up by more than 20% and energy costs are up by more than 60%. The costs of babies has gone up the most; the price of baby formula is up 37% and the price of nappies has nearly doubled over that period of time.

The report states that the small increases the Government has introduced in social welfare, including the one-off payments, have not compensated for that. They have not meant people have kept step with achieving a minimum essential standard of living. It found a two-parent family with two kids, one of whom is in primary school and the other in secondary school, is being left €96 per week short of a minimum essential standard of living. This is a political choice. We have a €65 billion surplus. Will the Taoiseach make a different political choice in the coming budget to say that no one will be left below the minimum needed for a basic, decent quality of life?

I wish to ask once again about enhanced family supports, which are absolutely necessary for those children and families who are the most marginalised and, at times, the most chaotic. We have all seen programmes that have worked in recent years but sometimes the resources get spread too thin and they do not have the impact. We have seen they can do huge things in saving kids and families from what can be incredibly difficult lives. They can save many people from the criminal justice system and they can save a lot of State resources, such as those nuclear options that are needed later. Recently, I have been dealing with an even greater number of families and communities who are being impacted by chaotic families in their own areas. We do not have the necessary supports, whether we are talking about the Garda, Tusla and support services, or the powers that council need to deal with this. We need a review of these circumstances. If we could put in enhanced family supports early, we could probably save ourselves from a lot of these issues. They are needed at both ends.

I thank the Deputies for raising these issues. On child homelessness, we have a real need to do more. The point Deputy Boyd Barrett made about three-bedroom and four-bedroom houses is interesting because - and this is the challenge with a housing crisis in general - I often meet people in my constituency who are always looking for a one-bedroom house. If we are being honest and truthful, this is what happens when there is a deficit of social housing when we are playing catch-up, although last year we seen the largest number of social homes provided since the 1970s. I take the point about three and four-bedroom houses and I will scratch the surface on that a bit more.

As for the Deputy's point about when people can access the higher rate of HAP and why they have to wait until they are nearly at the cliff edge before being able to access it, I have passed that onto the Department of housing on a few occasions. The Deputy's point sounds logical in that regard and I will purse it again with the Department of housing. I raised it with the Department after the Deputy raised it with me here previously. I will take away the suggestions that I accept he is making in good faith.

As to Deputy Murphy's point on the minimum essential standard of living report, which was published today, truthfully, I have not yet read it, but I will. We want to make child poverty a priority. There is no one in Ireland who wishes to see a child in poverty. There is no one in this House, regardless of political ideology, who wants that. I accept there are political choices to be made. One of the political choices to be made is universal versus targeted measures. I discussed this at the child poverty and well-being summit at Dublin Castle recently. There is absolutely a benefit to doing universal things as there are certain things we all want to be universally provided for all children in Ireland. The free schoolbooks scheme and the expansion of the hot schools meals programme are examples of that. I have to be honest that there is also a need to do more on the targeted side. I listened to people such as the Children's Rights Alliance on this issue recently and they talk a lot of sense. As we approach the next budget, child poverty will be a priority but we are going to have to make very targeted decisions because we need to bring all children to that equal starting place in their lives. I am proud of a number of things the Government has done in this area. I could list them but I will not in the interest of time. There is a need to look at more targeted measures for children in particular need.

Deputy Ó Murchú's point is a similar one in the context of those wrap-around, enhanced supports we need in communities. I hope, as the community safety partnerships develop and roll out, that they do not just become discussions about criminal justice issues. They are not mean to be in terms of their membership. We are trying to have a conversation about what can be done to create a better and safer - in every sense of the word - communities. That is why it is important the likes of family resource centres and others are plugged into that discussion.

Programme for Government

Cian O'Callaghan

Question:

9. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the programme for Government. [24004/24]

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

10. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the programme for Government. [25302/24]

Christopher O'Sullivan

Question:

11. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Taoiseach for an update on the programme for Government. [25608/24]

Brendan Smith

Question:

12. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach for an update on the programme for Government. [25610/24]

Mick Barry

Question:

13. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach for an update on the programme for Government. [26071/24]

Ruairí Ó Murchú

Question:

14. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach for an update on the programme for Government. [26074/24]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 to 14, inclusive, together.

Individual commitments in the programme for Government are advanced through the co-ordinating mechanisms of the Cabinet committee structure. There are ten Cabinet committees established by the Government to reflect the full range of policy areas set out in the programme for Government. Cabinet committees meet regularly to accomplish their work.

The strategy statements of all Departments reflect the national priorities outlined in the programme for Government. The Department of the Taoiseach is continuing to help advance the programme for Government commitments in the following significant policy areas: implementation of the Housing for All strategy, including additional initiatives as necessary, to advance housing-related commitments; continued engagement at EU and international level on the situation in the Middle East, including by calling for full observance of international law by all parties; increased funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees and working to build consensus at an EU level to take a more proactive approach in assisting a negotiated two-state solution and lasting peace process as, on 28 May, Ireland formally recognised the State of Palestine, a decision which the Government took, in co-ordination with Spain and Norway, to support the two-state solution and which fulfils our commitment under the programme for Government; engagement with EU leaders to advance high-level objectives in the programme for Government, economic and competitiveness issues in particular, energy security, external relations including with the UK, as well as continuing our strong, collective EU response to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine; pursuing our international commitments, including strengthening our relationship with the United States and implementing the UN sustainable development goals; advancing the Government’s commitments on the shared island initiative; ensuring implementation of the New Decade, New Approach commitment, working with the relevant Departments, North and South, in advancing these goals; strengthening the British-Irish bilateral relationship including with London, and the devolved governments in Wales and Scotland; implementation of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 and the Government’s climate action plan; advancements in Sláintecare, improving access, outcomes and affordability for patients by increasing the capacity and effectiveness of the workforce, infrastructure and provision of patient care; supporting the development of the next national disability strategy that will be a blueprint for the further realisation of the UNCRPD; oversight of implementation of the third domestic, sexual and gender-based violence strategy, which is something we have discussed, rightly, a lot today in this House; oversight of the implementation of A Policing Service for our Future, which is the Government’s plan to implement the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland; development of the well-being framework for Ireland and driving its whole-of-government integration in policymaking and budgetary systems; publication of Harnessing Digital, the digital Ireland framework in February 2022; and the establishment of a child poverty and well-being programme office in the Department of the Taoiseach. These are a number of the vehicles we have in place to ensure implementation of the programme for Government and to monitor that implementation across the Government.

On 21 May, the Cabinet approved plans that will result in the loss of direct DART services that serve Howth, Sutton and Bayside. Under the plans approved by Cabinet, these direct services will be lost and they will be replaced by a shuttle service between Howth and Howth Junction DART station. This is happening at a time we should be encouraging more people to use public transport rather than taking decisions that will have the opposite effect. Will the Taoiseach tell Irish Rail it needs to maintain these direct services that service Howth, Sutton and Bayside?

I got a phone call earlier that I would have much preferred not to have got relating to the technological giant, PayPal. There will be up to 85 redundancies happening in the next while. I received the usual commitments of enhanced packages.

In or around 900 people work at the Dublin site and 700 staff now remote work but would have formerly been on the Dundalk site. They are saying that these losses would be almost half and half. We would like to see some kind of engagement from the Government to ensure that it would be at the lower end of the figures and that workers would be looked after. The State should engage with people and facilitate further employment for them. There were some 200 redundancies in February. The company says it is still committed to Ireland. There needs to be engagement from the Government so that we can assure those other workers who are very worried - my heart goes out those who may lose their jobs - that there is a commitment by this tech giant company to Ireland.

One of the commitments in the programme for Government is to invest in sporting infrastructure. I was delighted to see the successful European Championship athletes visit the Taoiseach recently. It was important that he spent time with them. Ireland had an incredible European Championships. Ciara Mageean won a gold medal, as did the mixed 4 x 400 m relay athletes, and Rhasidat Adeleke won a superb silver medal. I congratulate Rhasidat on an incredible achievement. If she is listening, I want to assure her that 99.9% of the people of Ireland are proud of her. We are absolutely delighted with her performance and I say to her to ignore the bigotry and racism. The women's 4 x 400 m athletes also won a silver medal. This placed us on the medals table ahead of the likes of Germany and Ukraine, which are athletic superpowers. We did all this despite the fact that we are not investing in our athletics infrastructure. My point is that we need to invest in athletics infrastructure. For example, in Cork, 8,600 athletes do not have an athletics track to train on. This is despite the fact that the likes of Phil Healy, the "Ballineen Bullet", who was part of that 4 x 400 m women's silver medal winning team, is a member of Bandon Athletics Club, as is Nicola Tuthill who finished ninth in the hammer throwing event. Bandon Athletics Club is in the process of building an athletics track. This could be a game changer for athletics in Cork. I ask the Taoiseach to support this facility and investment in it. The club has submitted a sports capital grant application. It needs to be successful in this regard, but it also needs other sources of funding to complete this vitally important project.

I ask the Taoiseach about the issue of childcare in Ballincollig in Cork or, more precisely, the lack thereof. Cork City Council recently turned down planning permission for a crèche. Does the Taoiseach know how many disappointed parents had their names on the list for a place? The answer is 400. One of those 400 parents was on unpaid leave at the time. She will now have to quit her job to look after her child. Another disappointed couple will have to carry on driving 27 km each way every day for childcare outside Ballincollig. It is the only facility they can get. In the next decade, Cork will be the fastest growing city in the State and Ballincollig will be one of the city's fastest growing areas. What does the Government intend to do now to resolve the childcare crisis in Ballincollig and other population centres like it?

The programme for Government was written when we were coming out of the Covid pandemic. Much of it dealt with economic recovery and the impact of Covid on particular groups of workers. One group that I campaigned and advocated for very strongly was taxi drivers. They last two years of work at the time. Following pleas from the taxi drivers, the Government conceded that those with cars reaching the ten-year replacement deadline during the pandemic would get an extension. Some of those who were reaching that deadline got an extension. I have raised this issue before. An anomaly has emerged for other people who were on the road with slightly newer cars but still lost two years of work. That means two years during which they could not finance the loans they had. They lost the same amount of income and were equally impacted. They are now facing having to take their cars off the road in January, even though they last two years of income. This is very urgent for them. I put a question to the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, about this and he basically said he was not planning to do anything about it. That is wrong. Anybody who was on the road at the time lost two years of income. Their cars did not operate for two years, so it is legitimate that they would get an additional two years. In fact, there will be an anomaly where cars that are much older will still be on the road in 2027 because of the extension their owners got, whereas cars that are newer will be forced off the road. This is a very big financial issue for the taxi drivers involved. We are appealing that everybody who was on the road at the time get the two-year extension.

I had a look again through the programme for Government. I was struck by the number of commitments to improve animal welfare standards. There is even a reference to prioritising equine welfare based on a robust traceability system, which would certainly raise eyebrows after last weeks RTÉ's "Prime Time Investigates" programme. I will focus on Dublin Zoo, an issue I raised previously. There is evidence to suggest that the zoo continues to fall below appropriate animal welfare standards. There have been protected disclosures and allegations made in the Dáil and Seanad and there has been an investigation by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS. I understand that last week a zebra in the zoo was shot dead with a gun. It was euthanised with a gun, as opposed to with an injection which is the appropriate and normal approach in zoos around the world. This was not done by a vet and vets are the only people licensed to do it. It is not the case that the zebra was running around endangering people. There is a serious question about this event and there are other serious questions about the zoo. A question that has never been looked relates to the involvement of Management Support Services, MSS, at Dublin Zoo. This company is also involved in the notorious Ashton Dog Pound where all sorts of abuse of dogs and so on took place. A new, independent investigation is needed into what is happening in Dublin Zoo.

I am not aware of that situation but is a very serious matter to raise. Let me ask for a report from the relevant Department. Dublin Zoo is independently run but receives funding from the State. I take animal welfare extraordinarily seriously. I was utterly horrified by the revelations in the "Prime Time Investigates" programme last week. I want to receive a full and comprehensive report on the actions that will now be taken on this matter at an Irish and an EU level.

Deputy Boyd Barrett and I do not often agree on issues but the issue he raised about taxi drivers seems logical to me. It was raised with me by taxi drivers in certain parts of Dublin when I was out on the canvass recently. The Deputy raised it with me previously and I asked that it be looked into. I ask whoever monitors these matters for me in officialdom to please follow up on this. I will certainly follow up on it on my return to my office. I will talk to the Minister, Deputy Ryan, about it directly to see if anything can be done and come back to the Deputy on it.

I thank Deputy Barry for raising the issue of childcare in Ballincollig in Cork. The number of names on the list indicates the real challenge that clearly exists regarding capacity and childcare services. The Government is already providing capital grants for the refurbishment and expansion of childcare facilities. I can send the Deputy a note on this. Capital funding is now available through the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. I hope it will be utilised in west Cork and by the county childcare committee and others who might be in a position to help. I will send a detailed note on what is available and I am happy to engage further with the Deputy on it.

The happiest day I have had an office is the day I met some of the Irish team who had returned from European Athletics Championships. Their energy and positivity are such a tonic. They have done the whole country proud and I know they are not finished yet. Many of them are planning for the Olympics. I join the Deputy in wishing Rhasidat and the other athletes the very best. Phil Healy was part of the group that came to see me. The Government wants to do a lot more to invest in sporting infrastructure. We are beginning to make real progress in a number of sports on the global stage. Beyond that, sport from a community physical and mental health point of view is vital. We will have the largest sports capital programme ever under the Minister for State, Deputy Thomas Byrne. Details of that will probably be announced around September. I think there will be some €250 million in that. All three parties in government are eager to do more on investing in sports infrastructure.

I will raise with the Minister the specific issue the Deputy raised related to an athletics track.

In response to Deputy Ó Murchú, I am not briefed on the PayPal potential redundancy issue and therefore do not want to say anything that cuts across a process or causes any anxiety. Of course, we think of anyone who is made redundant and, as the Deputy says, our hearts go out to them. Any time there are redundancies, the full infrastructure of the State must kick in, including the Departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Social Protection. I will speak to both Departments. I will also ask the Minister for enterprise, Deputy Burke, to come back to the Deputy specifically regarding PayPal and any interactions or engagement the State is having with it on its Irish operation.

In response to Deputy O'Callaghan, one of the benefits of being out on the campaign over the past while was that this issue was raised with me on a number of occasions when I was in Howth. I clearly understand the depth of feeling there is in the Deputy's constituency related to this issue. The Government signed off on what I believe is a good project, the expansion of the DART network. I am very conscious, though, that the consequence of that in terms of disruption to people in Howth, Sutton and Bayside is something people very strongly about. I intend to engage with Irish Rail on this and I will be happy to come back to the Deputy on it.

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