Adjournment Matters

Missing Persons

Senator Martin Conway

I welcome the Minister of State. This is the first time I have spoken in his presence. He is someone for whom I have always had tremendous regard and it is great to see him in the House.

I submitted the same Adjournment matter last July. At the time the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs was very positive about the commencement date of the missing persons' hotline. This is a pan-European number which many of our European colleagues have already set in motion, but this country has not yet put it in place.

In her reply last July, the Minister said she was at an advanced stage in negotiating with a number of non-governmental organisations, NGOs, telecommunications operators and other voluntary groups involved in providing helplines to distressed people and it appeared that the service would be rolled out in Ireland in a matter of months.

Given that students in Cork won a national competition for the Forget Me Not campaign, whose purpose is to ensure that people do not forget missing persons, the benefits of such a hotline are already agreed by all stakeholders. It would provide a mechanism for members of the public who may have information that could facilitate Garda investigations. Visitors to Ireland might observe something that an Irish person might not see as relevant. The service would establish a relationship with our European colleagues who could share information. In the age of communication, where social media are put to very good use, our society has an obligation to provide such a telephone number. It has been agreed internationally and at European level.

The service will not be cost-prohibitive. It will not break the bank. I know we are in a difficult economic climate and every penny must be accounted for. We learned today from our colleague, Senator van Turnhout, that Childline receives no State funding, which is an issue for another day. However, we have signed up to the hotline service and it is part of the European project. I hope the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Fitzgerald, through her colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy McGinley, will give us some news and firm dates this evening.

Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Deputy Dinny McGinley)

I am taking this Adjournment debate on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald. I thank the Senator for raising this matter, which is obviously of concern to him and to all of us.

I am pleased to be here to address the Seanad on the 116000 hotline. I hope to update Members on progress that has been made on this issue.

In Ireland the incidence of children going missing is fortunately low and we have witnessed a decrease in these figures year-on-year. Any incident of a missing child is deeply traumatic and is a life changing event for any family. We all share in the sense of unease and panic that surrounds accidents and misadventures involving children but to live with the reality of a missing child for one's whole life is a burden too great to contemplate.

From the outset the Minister felt that there is a need to refocus and to ensure that a child-centred approach informs and shapes the way in which the 116000 hotline will be implemented and operate in Ireland. The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs has taken a particular interest in this issue since her appointment. Deputy Fitzgerald is especially pleased that the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, ISPCC, which has a proven track record in the delivery of child-centred services, has recently been allocated responsibility for the operation of the 116000 hotline number.

While support and services for children when they go missing and for the families of missing children are vital, the first action which should be taken when a child goes missing is to alert the relevant local authorities, which in the case of a child going missing in Ireland, is An Garda Síochána. The investigation of the child's disappearance is the responsibility of the Garda, and their structures in this regard include not just the local gardaí who will have primary responsibility for the investigation, but also its missing persons bureau.

It is of paramount importance that any arrangements which are put in place to operationalise the 116000 hotline recognise that the first and foremost contact to be made is to notify the Garda so the investigation can commence without delay.

In essence, the purpose of the 116000 telephone number is to provide a contact number to families if children go missing. The setting up of the hotline has been overseen by an interdepartmental project team which was established in January of this year and which is chaired by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. The project team is cross-sectoral involving a number of Departments and agencies.

The current position is that ComReg, following cross-departmental consultation and an examination of the issues involved by the project team, has now allocated the 116000 hotline number for Ireland to the ISPCC. The operation of 116000 hotline is now a matter for the ISPCC which, I understand, has made an application for funding to the European Commission and a decision on this application is pending.

In the coming months the project team will be working to ensure that the hotline becomes operational in a timely manner and operates in a way that supports and augments existing arrangements to secure child protection. To this end the ISPCC will develop inter-agency protocols with the HSE and An Garda Síochána.

Last week, the 116000 hotline number went live, with an interim message advising callers of appropriate action dependent on individual circumstances. The ISPCC has indicated its preferred timescale of September 2012 for the hotline to be fully operational.

In conclusion, I would like to thank Senator Conway for giving me an opportunity to address the Seanad on the 116000 hotline.

Senator Martin Conway

This is very good news, with regard to missing children. The ISPCC is the appropriate NGO to be responsible for this operation. We now have a firm date of September 2012. When the Minister of State, Deputy McGinley, walked in the door of the Seanad Chamber, I knew he would have good news. I have not been disappointed in that regard.

Deputy Dinny McGinley

I thank the Senator very much. Go raibh míle maith aige.

Leader Programmes

Senator Mark Daly

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I have a simple question and, coming from his part of the country, he will be aware of the issue I raise.

When will the west Kerry Gaeltacht be incorporated into the Leader scheme? It is not clear whether it will be included with South Kerry Development Partnership or with North and East Kerry Development. The matter has not been finalised and applications are awaited. There seems to be a state of indecision. I hope the Minister of State can clarify the position.

Deputy Dinny McGinley

I thank the Senator for raising this issue. It affects my own constituency, being a Gaeltacht area.

The Leader initiative was established by the European Commission in 1991. It was designed to aid the development of sustainable rural communities following the reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy.

Leader II commenced in 1994. It extended the programme to all rural areas in Ireland and was delivered by 34 groups. While Leader I had been a pilot initiative, Leader II was designed to complement the strategy for rural areas in the National Development Plan 1994-99. In addition to increased funding and coverage of all rural areas, emphasis was placed on the development of the acquisition of skills and improvements to the animation and capacity building levels to ensure delivery of the business plan for the area.

Leader continued in the 2000-2006 round of EU funding and is currently operational in the 2007-2013 Rural Development Programme, RDP.

Groups operated in all rural areas in the 2000 to 2006 programming period, while 35 groups are delivering the Leader element of the rural development programme 2007 to 2013 in all rural areas. Since 1994, therefore, all rural areas, including all Gaeltacht areas, have been included in the Leader elements of successive rural development programmes. The west Kerry Gaeltacht has also been included in successive rural development programmes since 1994 and there is no question of any Gaeltacht area being excluded from the Leader element of the programme.

Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta, the group contracted by the Department to deliver Axes 3 and 4, the Leader element, of the rural development programme in Gaeltacht areas, went into liquidation on 7 September 2011, leaving Gaeltacht areas without access to the programme temporarily. Progress in the legal winding up of Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta is ongoing. The process of identifying those promoters whose projects are at an advanced stage of development and most likely to be ready to make a claim for payment is well advanced and an interim system, in co-operation with local development companies contiguous to Gaeltacht areas, including west Kerry, is in place to facilitate payment to these projects in the short term. Many of these files have been sent to the relevant local development companies which will be in touch directly with the promoters to arrange payment in the very near future.

In the context of delivery of Axes 3 and 4 of the rural development programme in Gaeltacht areas in the longer term, the Department is examining the submissions submitted as part of an overall process commenced in March which requested expressions of interest from established local development companies to deliver the Leader elements of the rural development programme in MFG areas for the remainder of the programming period. In that context, an alternative delivery mechanism will be identified for all Gaeltacht areas formerly serviced by Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta, including the west Kerry Gaeltacht. Some further work has to be done to finalise this process. However, I envisage its completion shortly.

Acting Chairman (Senator Terry Brennan)

An bhfuil tú lán sásta leis an freagra sin?

Senator Mark Daly

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I understand the issue relating to payments, but, as is evident from his reply, there is no mechanism in place for new applicants. People who have business plans and with ideas have nowhere to go. The Minister of State has referred to a mechanism in place for those who have made applications for development which are at an advanced stage and and can claims payments, but it is clearly stated in the final paragraph of his reply that there is no mechanism in place for persons in the west Kerry Gaeltacht who have contacted me to make an application for Leader funding. It is stated further work must be done to finalise the process and that it will be completed shortly. We are nearly in the middle of the year; as the Minister of State is aware, the Leader programme operates from the beginning to the end of the year and it will be a long time before people can make applications. I accept he might have similar issues with which to deal in his area, but in west Kerry people with ideas have nowhere to apply for Leader funding. They are told the responsible bodies are the East Kerry Development Partnership and Sliabh Luachra Development.

Acting Chairman (Senator Terry Brennan)

Ceist ghearr le do thoil.

Senator Mark Daly

They are supposed to be in charge of the process, but it has not been formally handed over and no one has been told to send applications to them, or where they should go if they have a business idea. Perhaps the Minister of State might examine the matter again as the people concerned must have a place to make applications for Leader funding.

Deputy Dinny McGinley

I am in regular contact with the Minister on the matter because a Gaeltacht area forms a significant part of my constituency and is dependent on the programme. Unfortunately, the structure in place for delivering the programme to Gaeltacht areas, Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta, encountered difficulties and we are in the process of establishing a new structure. There is EU involvement also because of the co-funding element. I understand the process is at an advanced stage. Expressions of interest have been sought and are being considered. As far as I know, the issue will be resolved shortly. The Minister has indicated that this is the case. I would like to be able to say it will be done today, but it takes a while to dot the i's and cross the t's to make sure a structure will be in place for the delivery of the Leader programme in Gaeltacht areas up to 2013. I am assured by all involved that Gaeltacht areas will be covered as soon as the new structure is operational.

State Airports

Senator Deirdre Clune

I thank the Minister for coming to the House to respond to this issue as it affects Cork Airport. It arises in the context of the Minister's announcement approximately two weeks ago on Shannon Airport, which was welcomed. It has raised issues about Cork Airport and there is concern about when the same will happen there, being the next step in the restructuring of airports. The matter is, therefore, urgent.

Cork Airport is extremely important to the region. It is one of the reasons for the high level of foreign direct investment in the Cork area, including in pharmaceutical and IT companies. The connections to such strong hubs such as London and Amsterdam are vital to the region. I have read the Booz report and believe the reporting on Cork Airport is positive. Booz considers the outlook for the airport is positive. While passenger numbers have dropped considerably, this is in line with the fall in passenger numbers internationally. They have fallen in Dublin Airport also. Booz considers that the economic outlook for Cork Airport is sound, based on its business plan and realistic projections. The report recommends that Cork and Dublin Airports have separate authorities under a national aviation board. The Minister has agreed with the recommendation that Cork Airport should have its own board and be autonomous; make its own decisions; develop its own routes and business plan. That is important and what stakeholders want.

Recently the chamber of commerce had a meeting on the subject. Having spoken to airport management, worker directors, board members and the business community as a whole, I am aware that they want Cork Airport to have its own autonomous board and, as recommended in the Booz report, to make decisions for itself and not to be under the thumb of Dublin Airport. To date, Cork Airport has been treated as an appendage in that it does not have its own decision-making process, which is what is wanted and needed. The reason I raise the issue is that I would like the Minister to outline what is the next step for Cork Airport, his plans for it and the timeframe envisaged for its restructuring.

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Deputy Leo Varadkar)

I thank the Senator for raising this important issue. Following on from the Booz report on the future ownership and operation of Cork and Shannon Airports, the Government decided in principle to separate Shannon Airport from the Dublin Airport Authority and merge it with a restructured Shannon Development to form a new entity in public ownership. It was also decided that the existing ownership of Cork Airport by the Dublin Airport Authority, DAA, would be maintained and that the DAA would be renamed to reflect the fact that there would be two airports in the group structure and an international business.

The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, and I will establish a steering group which will bring forward proposals for the implementation of the Government's decision. Questions on the structural changes for Dublin and Cork Airports are to be considered by the steering group in the first instance. However, the Government is strongly of the view that the future of Cork Airport is best served by it remaining within the DAA group.

Central to the work of the steering group will be the preparation of proposals for the separation of Shannon Airport from the DAA and, in conjunction with the DAA, to agree a business plan for the Cork and Dublin State airports. The group will also identify the optimum organisational structure for the merged entity to best suit the future development of the Shannon area, including a detailed business plan. The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and I look forward to working with the key stakeholders to progress the many issues relating to the Government's decision and particularly the future of the three State airports. Clearly, changes lie ahead for the airports, but it is in all of our interests to work together to ensure the future sustainability of all three State airports.

When the steering group has finalised its recommendations later this year, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Bruton, and I will revert to the Government with detailed proposals for the implementation of the Government decision. These will include business plans for the restructured Dublin Airport Authority, DAA, as well as an implementation strategy for the establishment of the new entity at Shannon. It is envisaged that this will include a plan setting out how the entity will contribute to achieving strong regional development while ensuring the highest standard of enterprise and support in the region.

I am pleased to note that, while passenger numbers at Cork Airport have fallen continuously in recent years since its peak of 3.3 million in 2008, recent statistics show that the number of international passengers going through the airport is increasing. I am hopeful that, with all stakeholders working together, this trend will continue for the remainder of the year and into 2013 when we will have the Gathering. All of the events being planned around the country, including in Cork, will attract more than 300,000 additional visitors to Ireland next year. The DAA and Cork Airport will actively support and engage with the event to ensure it reaches its full potential.

I will address some of the direct matters raised by the Senator. According to this year's figures to date, the number of international passengers using Cork Airport has increased every month. This is encouraging. Passenger numbers decreased last year, but it seems that they will increase this year. A major change for the airport is the fact that there are no domestic flights anymore. They will not return, given improvements in the road network. What really matters is the number of international passengers, which is on the rise. The recovery in international passenger numbers is more encouraging in Cork than it is in Dublin. The recovery is non-existent in Shannon.

There are different opinions on the airport's future. Some members of Cork's business community take the view that separation or privatisation would be the best option. Others take the view that the status quo or the status quo with more autonomy should obtain. This is the outcome that I currently favour. Unlike Shannon, Cork carries a considerable debt, largely related to the recent capital investment, that it will not be able to pay down on its own. It will take quite some time for the large passenger volumes passing through Dublin Airport to raise enough funds to pay down the debt. Only at that point could separation be considered, but it is some time away. I could not put a timeframe on it.

The other issue that arises in the case of Cork is that it is a different airport than Shannon. Cork Airport is centred in a heavily populated region and beside a city of real scale. Its future will primarily be led by increasing passenger numbers and passenger services as well as ancillary business. The future of Shannon is probably more the other way around, with a greater emphasis on the aviation industry as well as passengers. The airports are different beasts.

Senator Deirdre Clune

The Minister's favoured option is the status quo with more autonomy. Are we awaiting the steering group’s decision or is it a Government decision?

Deputy Leo Varadkar

That is one of the recommendations in the Booz report, but the Government decision does not address it directly. Rather, the Government decision addresses the fact that Cork will remain a part of the DAA group, with the DAA to be renamed and restructured to reflect the fact that it will become a different body. The steering group will make recommendations on the structure of the new DAA or whatever it happens to be called. The situation remains unclear.

I take a strong view on Cork Airport. If it does not have a separate, autonomous board, it should have significant representation on the main board. It would not be acceptable for there to be only one or two representatives from Cork. The view put forward by Booz is a strong one, namely, each of the sub-entities — Dublin, Cork and Aer Rianta International, ARI —should have its own board. There are pluses and minuses to this suggestion. Some people refer to the CIE model, which does not always work well. The matter requires further consideration.

Senator Deirdre Clune

Is there a timeframe?

Deputy Leo Varadkar

We want to have all of this sorted this year so that there is no confusion or uncertainty.

Senator Deirdre Clune

That is important.

Deputy Leo Varadkar

Yes. However, it is not always possible to avoid either. Although legislation might not be required, it could complicate matters further if it was. Uncertainty creates problems, particularly when one is trying to attract businesses to an airport zone or to get airlines to start new routes. They want clear answers to questions. For this reason, a great deal of political capital and time is being spent on this matter to drive it forward and to ensure that, if possible, it is concluded within this calendar year.

Senator Deirdre Clune

I thank the Minister.

The Seanad adjourned at 6.15 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 23 May 2012.

Seanad Éireann debate - Tuesday, 22 May 2012