The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding (i) Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (Variation of title: Dietician), and (ii) Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (Variation of title: Speech Therapist) - referral to committee, to be taken at the conclusion of the Order of Business without debate; No. 2, motion regarding arrangements for the address to Seanad Éireann by Mr. Phil Hogan, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development on 26 April 2018, to be taken without debate; and No. 3, statements on councillors' conditions, resumed, to be taken at 4.45 p.m.
Order of Business
I send my personal condolences and those of the Fianna Fáil group to the people of Toronto, especially the families of the ten people who were killed and the 15 people who were injured when a man drove a van into a crowd of pedestrians yesterday. I have family members in Toronto, who I visited last summer. It is an ethnically diverse and very safe city. One of the victims has been identified as a young woman who worked in an investment bank. She was on her lunch break when she was killed. The identities of others will be revealed in the coming days. My heart goes out to the people of Toronto. I hope this tragic incident proves to be an isolated one.
Five years have passed since the mobility allowance and the motorised transport grant were abolished. It was promised that they would be replaced, but that has not materialised. I would like the Leader of the House to ask the Government to reinstate these important schemes which applied to disadvantaged people with disabilities. Their removal needs to be rectified.
I ask the Leas-Chathaoirleach to bear with me while I raise a final item. Obviously, the MetroLink project is a very important part of Dublin's proposed strategic infrastructure. I wish to highlight the effect it will have on a 50-year old urban Gaeltacht near Griffith Park in the north of Dublin city. I ask the Minister to be cognisant of the impact it will have on this Gaeltacht. Scoil Mobhí, a Gaelscoil on Mobhi Road, was informed on 22 March that Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, was proposing to install a tunnel boring machine launch site, works and a depot at the Griffith Park underground station on the Na Fianna pitches. The school shares the campus with Na Fianna, Scoil Chaitríona and the Tír na nÓg preschool. All of their buildings are within 5 m and 15 m of the site of the proposed tunnel. There is a very special relationship between the four institutions on the campus or hub, each of which is focused on the preservation of the Irish language and culture. The TII plan has the potential to have a negative impact not just on Na Fianna GAA Club and its pitches but also on the daily lives of the community on a campus on which the Irish language, culture and sporting traditions are central. Many children spend between 14 and 16 years moving from one institution to the next on the campus. When Project Ireland 2040 was announced last week, plans for the creation of a Dublin city language and cultural hub were included. It is important that this cultural hub, which has been established and developed on the site for the past 50 years, be nurtured and taken into consideration as MetroLink is progressed.
Roinneann Scoil Mobhí an campas céanna le Na Fianna, Scoil Chaitríona agus réamhscoil Tír na nÓg. Tá na foirgnimh uilig cóngarach - idir 5 m agus 15 m - don suíomh oibre. Tá gaol ar leith idir na ceithre hinstitiúidí ar an suíomh seo, agus gach uile ceann acu bunaithe ague dírithe ar chaomnhnú agus ar fhorbairt cultúr na hÉireann. Má dhéanann TII páirceanna Na Fianna a threabhadh suas, tá gach seans go loitfidh siad ní hamháin páirceanna agus club Na Fianna, ach freisin saol laethúil na scoileanna timpeall an champais, áit ina mbíonn an teanga, an cultúr agus na cluichí traidisiúnta lárnach. Caitheann go leor páistí idir 14 bliain agus 16 bliain ag dul ó scoil go scoil ar an suíomh seo. Cuireann an plean seo an Ghaeltacht uirbeach seo i mbaol. Luadh i Project Ireland 2040 plean chun "Dublin city language culture hub" a chruthú. I mo thuairim, tá sé níos tábhachtaí an lárionad Gaeilge agus cultúir atá cruthaithe cheana féin ar Bhóthar Mobhí, agus atá i dtuaisceart na cathrach le breis agus 50 bliain, a chothú. Ba mhaith liom cuireadh a thabhairt don Aire, an Teachta Madigan, teacht go dtí an Teach seo agus ráiteas a dhéanamh ar an ábhar seo.
I thank the Leader for organising the resumption of the debate on councillors' pay and conditions this afternoon. More importantly, I thank him for organising statements on housing which will be taken tomorrow in the presence of the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government. I look forward to contributing to that discussion which will be timely in the context of Rebuilding Ireland.
I want to spend some time acknowledging the contribution of the media.
In recent weeks, we have heard how some journalists have come under enormous pressure to declare, or in some way identify, some of their sources. We, as politicians, recognise the importance of working in partnership with the media. The media works well on the whole. It relies on contact with politicians, policy makers and advocates and usually does a good job. In recent months, there has been much debate on, and investigation of, the role of the media and its reporting on the public, civic, artistic and, in particular, cultural and commercial aspects of the lives of our citizens. I wish to acknowledge the media, its work in terms of reporting on the political, commercial and civic life of our society, and how journalists carry out that work.
As I was travelling here this morning, I was thinking about an item mentioned on the "Morning Ireland" RTÉ radio programme. I ask all Members to watch tonight's episode of "Prime Time", which will feature an RTÉ Investigates report on the harrowing story of three victims of sexual abuse who should have been protected by the State. The details of the case and those involved are in the public domain and due process has been done in terms of the court case. The report will be on "Prime Time" tonight. I wish to commend the bravery and courage of those who told their story as well as the journalists involved, in particular Aoife Hegarty of RTÉ Investigates, who assisted the three women to tell their horrific story. The programme is an example of good journalism, particularly investigative journalism.
Members may or may not be aware that Justine McCarthy, a journalist for The Sunday Times, recently won the Mary Cummins award for outstanding achievements in the media at the sixth annual Women in Media conference in Ballybunion, County Kerry. She works in this House and most Members know her. I wish to acknowledge that Justine never hesitates to take on institutions of this State, and politicians, if required, in the public interest and is fearless, forensic and fair in her journalistic work. It is a great day for her, journalism and the media and I wish her well.
And she won it in a good county. I thank Senator Boyhan and call Senator Conway-Walsh.
I wish to extend our deepest sympathy to the bereaved families in Toronto, and all Canadian people, on yesterday's incident which took so many lives.
I wish to discuss the hooded men briefing held in the AV room in Leinster House. I thank my colleague, Senator Niall Ó Donghaile, and Mr. Jim Gibney for organising it. I also thank the Tánaiste, Deputy Coveney, for agreeing to meet them this afternoon. I hope the meeting will be productive. Their main request and that of Sinn Féin is that the Government appeal the judgment of the European Court of Justice, ECJ, on this case. At the briefing we heard from Francie McGuigan and Liam Shannon in particular, two of the 14 men singled out for special treatment and torture during internment in 1971. Those not familiar with the events should look up what happened in the nine days for which these men were taken away and deemed missing, the techniques that were used and the sheer and utter brutality of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, RUC, with the backup of the British Army, in a purpose-built torture centre in Ballykelly. The ruling of the European Court of Human Rights in 1978 did not take into account all the relevant details. These men want to know who was responsible for what happened to them and why it was done. The main issue is the need for the Government to appeal the judgment of the ECJ. Uniquely, those who carried out the torture asked the British Government for immunity before the men were tortured. I was not aware of that until we heard the first hand experiences of the hooded men and from Darragh Mackin of their legal team.
They described how they were taken in a helicopter and how they were hung backwards out of the helicopter. They were five foot from the ground but they had no idea how high in the air they were. They described how they were subject to white noise and how, for seven days, they were not allowed to use the toilet. It was deemed as degrading and inhumane treatment. We are also aware that it was torture.
It was torture. The Senator is right.
I thank Senator Norris. The Belfast High Court and the British Supreme Court acknowledged that if it was done now it would be deemed as torture. I am asking for this to be done not just because of these men, but because of the international consequences of that kind of treatment not being deemed as torture. We need to take that into account. There was a British Minister in attendance at the time these torture techniques were being shown to be approved. It is for all of those reasons.
I commend the men and their legal team for coming down today. I commend the Tánaiste for meeting with them and I hope there will be a positive outcome. I ask the Leader, and the parties and Independent Senators who operate in the Seanad, to help these men to get this appeal in place. It is time limited and it needs to be done before the 15 May.
I am sorry to have missed them myself. I had prior engagement. I sent my apology.
I refer to my motion that Seanad Éireann requests the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, CPP, to delete Standing Order No. 41 that prevents the Seanad from accepting amendments that create a charge on the Exchequer. I have received a note from the Cathaoirleach's office, on the advice of the Clerk. It states:
I regret [...] to have to rule that your motion in relation to the removal of Standing Order 41 is out of order on the basis that Standing Order 98 tasks the Committee on Procedure and Privileges with recommending "any additions or amendments to Standing Orders that may be deemed necessary". As you know, the Committee has already been asked by you to consider a proposal in respect of Standing Order 41.
This is the most farcical ruling I have ever come across in a long career in Seanad Éireann. It is utterly inane. The very reason I sent the request to the CPP is because it is the committee that has the function of doing this. For what other reason would one send the request? It is linguistically, grammatically and legally utter nonsense to make such a ruling. I have consulted very widely legally on this. A senior counsel, a former Attorney General of this State, and the legal officer of the Labour Party have all agreed that this is utter, classic nonsense. It is wrong. It is an incorrect ruling.
I have already said that the 1922 committee, under the 1922 Constitution, had no such restriction on the powers of Seanad Éireann. I have been advised that a simple motion in my name and in the names of other Senators to delete this Standing Order would be legally appropriate and that Seanad Éireann could do it, regardless of the CPP. In deference to the CPP, however, and in deference to Leas-Chathaoirleach and the Cathaoirleach, I put in a request. If one is not able to request something then there is no point in continuing.
Professor Gary Murphy of DCU has recently called for the abolition of the Seanad again, precisely because there has been no reform of any kind whatever; not a single stitch. This request is a significant reform that we could point to. All we are looking for is the right to debate issues. Every single Member of this House has complained about this restriction at one time or another.
I have received support in this regard, for which I am extremely grateful, from the entire Fianna Fáil Party, from the Sinn Féin Party, from the Labour Party and from the two sections of Independents in this House. That is very significant. I very much hope that my friends and colleagues in Fine Gael would find the courage to do the same and support this. It is actually a slavish following, with no argument, of a British parliamentary precedent. We are a republic. We should be prepared to take this on. I will be pushing this. I understand it is to be discussed at the next meeting of the CPP in May.
I very much hope that we will take a firm decision and make this small expansion of the powers of Seanad Éireann as a significant measure of reform.
As the Senator knows, the Cathaoirleach has made his ruling regarding this matter. It is not for me to second-guess him but I understand that the matter will be dealt with in a substantive way at the next meeting of the CPP. We must let it rest there for the moment.
I congratulate Leinster on qualifying for the European Rugby Champions Cup Final and commiserate with Munster. The cost of flights to Bilbao on the weekend of the final is €800.
A Senator
Disgraceful.
It is disappointing that our national carrier is charging those prices. I fully understand demand and supply but two nights' accommodation in Bilbao is approximately €1,200 that weekend and the following weekend flights and two nights' accommodation will cost €290. That illustrates how people are being exploited. Aer Lingus is the only Irish carrier flying directly into Bilbao. I am sure it will not dampen the spirits of the supporters but it certainly will lighten their pockets.
Ba mhaith liom cúpla focail a rá ar dtús faoi na mbunscoileanna uilig atá ar fud na tíre agus an tóla maoinithe atá de dhíth orthu. I have raised the issue of funding of primary school education several times. A report issued yesterday shows that parents in this country are contributing €46 million per annum to the funding of primary education. I am sure that comes as no surprise to the parents of this country or to primary school principals or teachers. This needs to be addressed. Capitation grants go some way towards the cost of running our schools, but unfortunately the current capitation grant does not go halfway to accounting for the costs that it normally would meet, such as insurance, lighting, heating and other basic items.
It is regrettable that school principals and teachers are preoccupied with fundraising measures rather than concentrating on the job they are qualified to do, which is teaching our children. By extension, it is unfair to the children and to their parents. The children lose valuable teaching time because the teachers are preoccupied with making sure the school continues to run. The Minister for Education and Skills needs to come to the House to advise us on what moves he has in place to address this issue. School principals have said that it is critical to the future running of the schools. I compliment the parents of the country on all their hard work in fundraising activities, be it cake sales, 5 km walks or runs. I earnestly request that the Leader bring this information to the Minister and ask him to consider restoring the capitation grant to a level that will ensure the schools can run and that parents and teachers do not have to worry about raising funds to make sure they stay open.
I join my colleagues who expressed their sympathy with the people of Toronto. If the tragedy in Toronto has taught us nothing else it has taught us that a simple vehicle can now be used by those who wish to wreak mayhem within a community.
I also listened to the presentation by the hooded men today. My sympathy is with them and I congratulate the Tánaiste on meeting them. I hope there will be more than a meeting and that we see their case properly analysed.
Last week I called on the Leader to arrange for the Minister for Defence, An Taoiseach, Deputy Leo Varadkar, to come to this House to discuss the crisis in the Defence Forces. I have not got anywhere with that so far, therefore, I am renewing the call.
I have some statistics that may be of interest. Recruitment is not working. There has been a fall-off in applicants for the Defence Forces from 2013 to 2016 with 55% less now applying. Media coverage of the state of income and conditions in the Defence Forces has led to a serious fall-off in recruitment. A total of 2,831 left between 2013 and 2017, representing a total of 29.8% of the entire Defence Forces. Some 76% of those retiring were premature voluntary retirements and of that group 34% had fewer than five years service.
When military capacity is reduced or cannot be produced it can take months or even years to replace those who have been lost to the service. While that is true of specialists, such as explosive experts, marine engineers, cyber and IT staff, pilots, etc., it also applies to soldiers, non-commissioned officers and officers who have acquired specific skills during the course of their service.
Between 2013 and 2017, 2,799 recruits or cadets were inducted. Of those who joined, 712 left, 576 left while in training and 31 cadets left while in training. That is an unbelievable number - people who had a clear career objective were forced to leave. Seven officers left with fewer than five years service.
The cost of training a recruit is €25,000 plus and the cost of training a cadet is €64,000 plus. The cost of the 503 who left in 2016 was €15.13 million to the Exchequer. Following the Lansdowne Road agreement, that rose to more than €20 million of a loss to the Exchequer due to soldiers leaving within five years of their service. We need An Taoiseach, the Minister for Defence, to come into this House to discuss these serious issues.
I have many more statistics which I will continue to release until such time as I get the response required. The Defence Forces are falling apart and we are standing idly by when we may very well be faced with a hard border in the not too distant future. We do not have the capacity to manage that hard border.
I want to raise a survey carried out in England by Cancer Research UK which suggests that television advertisements for sweets, crisps and fast foods have a real impact on primary school children. Health organisations are looking for tougher advertising curbs in the forthcoming Government child obesity strategy. According to recent government statistics for England, about one fifth of children in the last year of primary school, aged between ten and 11, and about 27% of adults are obese. Obesity has been linked to 13 types of cancer so far and polls have shown that many people are unaware of the link. I believe if the same study were done here, the findings would be the same. It is a huge issue, especially when it comes to diabetes and what follows on from diabetes with its link to cancer.
The Government should close existing loopholes and restrict children's exposure to junk food marketing across all media by backing a 9 p.m. watershed. I would like to see that done in this country.
Having young children look at cartoons or television programmes in the afternoon can have a detrimental effect and put pressure on parents to go out and buy junk food. Changes can be made. It is all about education. I am a prime example of changing one's lifestyle and making a change in one's life. It can be done, but we have to educate young people. It is all about education in schools and proper cooking at home as well. Nobody has any problem with having treats during the week, and perhaps once a week going to whatever fast food takeaway but not living on it for five, six or seven days a week. It is a huge issue. I would like the Minister to come in here to discuss a ban on the advertisement of junk food in this country between 2 p.m. and 9 p.m.
I welcome the report by Helen Boaden on RTÉ's symphony and concert orchestras entitled Ensuring a Sustainable Future. However, I do not think that is really the problem. In looking through the report, RTÉ talks about how funding the orchestras presents a challenge to its financial circumstances and the fact that, as the national broadcaster, it is legally required to maintain them. It also refers to how the orchestras have been underresourced for years and how RTÉ could not continue to fund them because of shifting consumer behaviours and preferences, and a decrease in the staffing for both orchestras and in the number of musicians. RTÉ recommends that the national symphony orchestra would remain a national cultural institution.
There are two examples of possibly the greatest orchestras in the world. One is Barenboim's West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, which has Middle Eastern, Egyptian, Iranian, Israeli, Jordanian, Lebanese, Palestinian and Syrian players. It is a cultural icon above politics that travels the world. The second is El Sistema from Venezuela, which has created youth orchestras all over the world and its players have gone on to be great musicians and great conductors all over the world. My point is that we cannot argue that we do not have the money for our National Symphony Orchestra or our second orchestra, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, or that we only have €20 million for this and €10 million for that and €30 million for something else. We have to decide that they are an extraordinary part of our culture-----
Hear, hear.
-----and that they are the pinnacle of what other communities are trying to do through the power, elevation, energy and vitality of music. We cannot argue whether there should be this, that or the other. They must be part of our cultural heritage and musical life - our expressive life.
Absolutely.
If they are to be in RTÉ then they are to get the money to be ring-fenced and developed so that the RTÉ Symphony Orchestra can travel. At the moment the RTÉ Symphony Orchestra cannot travel and it has been reduced to 68 players. The RTÉ Concert Orchestra cannot do a lot of things because it does not have the money. It is an outrage that we cannot argue for them on the grounds of the power of music - the absolute encased power of the beating heart of all our percussive hearts - which is where we begin with the heartbeat of music. We have to argue it at that level.
If one looks at countries that have taken music and made it come alive for the gangs of Venezuela or for the political impasses of Israel and Palestine, that is the power of music. That is what I call for today. I know the Minister to be a very fine Minister who does not argue on the grounds of whether she has €20 million or whether it should be a cultural institution. Both of those orchestras should remain alive in our country. I wanted to put that on the record today because it is so important. It is not politics. We have the money. It is about the development of our expressive, cultural, rhythmic selves. I will leave you with this, a Leas-Chathaoirligh. Thank you for the time. It is most interesting-----
There is a lot of injury time.
-----that in the leaving certificate we give 25 points for mathematics but we will not do it for music as a subject.
I am trying to reverse that argument and come at it from a completely different angle.
Well said.
I have just come from a protest taking place outside the House by a bereft family who lost their young daughter to suicide a few months ago. They are calling for the introduction of a new law, Coco's law. I am aware of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs report that was recently launched. We asked that digital harassment be included in the legislation to mitigate against and be a major deterrent to bullies online. That is a growing concern, particularly for vulnerable people and young people who do not have the skills to deal with it. I ask the Leader if we could have an update on the appointment of a digital safety commissioner and on the inclusion in the legislation of digital harassment, as recommended by the Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs.
On a separate issue, will the Leader ask the Minister, Deputy Zappone, to let us know if the United Nations special rapporteur on the investigation into mother and baby homes, Pablo de Greiff, is coming to Ireland? It was mentioned on 1 June last year that his extensive experience and insights would help the Minister but there has been nothing about it since. The concern is that Dr. de Greiff will reach the end of his term as special rapporteur for the UN in May, which is about a week away. The issue is apt because there will be a long discussion on the matter tonight at the launch of My Name is Bridget in Dublin, which is the story of two missing baby boys from the Tuam Mother and Baby Home. It is the story of Bridget Dolan. Her daughter is trying to locate the two babies she believes were probably sold and whose bodies are not in the silo pit in Tuam. The Minister might be able to confirm the invite to the UN special rapporteur and whether it will happen before his term ends.
Before I raise my issue I want to support Senator Marie-Louise O'Donnell on the issue of the orchestras. I agree with her that this is not about politics; it is about our culture.
I raise the issue of the announcement by Irish Water that it plans to submit a planning application for a new pipeline connecting water from the River Shannon to Dublin. The water will be taken from Parteen, treated in Birdhill and transported to Dublin to supply Dublin and other areas in Leinster, including places in my area of Westmeath. It is estimated that there will be a need for approximately 330 million extra litres per day by 2050 to meet the needs of the growing population and the projections that have been studied.
I welcome any investment in Irish Water, and we all know that water has been a hot topic of conversation here. However, we also know now, and hindsight is a great thing, that there must be investment in water infrastructure. There has not been any serious investment in water infrastructure for more than 60 years. One could probably argue that there has not been proper investment in water infrastructure in the past 150 years.
I am keen to make sure that we invest in Irish Water but also that there would be a debate on it. I ask the Leader to ask the Minister to come into the House to allow us discuss the future of the water pipeline between Parteen and Dublin, taking into account issues such as the route that has been chosen, the landowners who will be affected and the environmental impact. I ask the Leader if he could organise that.
I would like to start by expressing my support for Senator Norris's contribution earlier when he spoke about the motion he is seeking to bring before the Seanad. I was disappointed, as was Senator Norris, that it was ruled out of order. I would like to see us continue to press the point. As Senator Norris said, it is an important facet of Seanad reform that we would not restrict ourselves in the way we currently appear to believe we are. I hope we will move forward on this and I offer Senator Norris the support of the other members of his Technical Group, that is, the Labour Party Senators.
It is a Seanad technical group and all of us are supportive of Senator Norris's efforts and have co-signed the motion. As Senator Norris said, we also got legal advice on it and we believe it should be possible for the Seanad to take this motion. We will be pressing the matter further and I want to endorse what Senator Norris said on that.
I join with others in expressing sympathy to the people of Toronto on the horrific attack yesterday. Like others, I have spent time in Toronto. I worked there as a student and it is a really cosmopolitan, multicultural city. It is a very vibrant, young city and it is devastating to see that sort of fear being perpetrated on Yonge Street in the heart of Toronto city centre.
I also want to express support for the RTÉ orchestras and for the position taken by the union group in RTÉ that they would remain part of and under the umbrella of the national broadcaster. Senator Marie-Louise O'Donnell is right to talk about the orchestra as well. It is such an important part of our panoply of cultural resources to have a symphony orchestra and a concert orchestra. The idea that we would downgrade or look to diminish the status of the orchestras further is wrong. We should look at bolstering the orchestras. I have met with some of the musicians involved and I know that there has been real concern about the failure to hire people where vacancies had arisen and about what appeared to be a gradual diminution of status of the orchestra. I hope we will see that trend reversed and I would like to work with colleagues on a cross-party basis to try to ensure we have protection for the status of the orchestras.
I ask the Leader for a debate, after the referendum, on the issue of political purpose and our legislation on the Standards in Public Office Commission, SIPO, and on charities regulation. I ask this in light of what happened yesterday. I was present outside the Project Arts Centre when the mural painted by Maser, an internationally recognised artist, was painted over by Cian O'Brien, the artistic director of the Project Arts Centre in what he described as an act of defiant compliance with an instruction from the Charities Regulator in regard to the mural, which was a repeal the eighth mural. It is a mural that represented a picture that has become iconic. The Project Arts Centre had been told by the Charities Regulator it had to take it down and that it was in breach of the rules under the Charities Act 2009. We need to look again at how we legislate under the Charities Act 2009 and the broader issue around SIPO and its interpretation of the same sort of phrasing of political purpose. We have seen a lot of concern expressed by the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and other NGOs about how this idea of political purpose has been interpreted in such a way as to curtail and restrict legitimate human rights activities of different organisations. It is a different issue from the Charities Act 2009, but the two are related. It would be worthwhile having a debate in this Chamber as to how best we could reform the legislation, both the Charities Act 2009 and the SIPO legislation.
Today is the opening day of the Punchestown national hunt festival, which I suppose is Ireland's Cheltenham, and we wish it good weather. It seems to me to be an opportune time to ask for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Creed, to come into the House to give us an overview of the Irish racing situation as he sees it. I would like to hear his views on the recent development whereby the television coverage of Irish racing has been signed over to an organisation called Racing UK, RUK, which will have exclusive rights to show Irish racing for the next five years from January 2019 onwards. This has been welcomed by Horse Racing Ireland and by the racecourse owners' association because they will be financial beneficiaries of this deal. That is important because they need that support, but it is very worrying to note the number of people who are very prominent in the horse racing business in Ireland who are expressing more concerns about this proposed monopoly situation.
At the moment a stay at home punter can watch racing live on television on two channels, namely, "At the Races" and RUK. "At the Races" is relatively cheap and can be bought as part of a normal Sky package. If one wants to watch RUK at the moment, one will pay €32 per month, or €350 for a yearly package.
"At the Races" will clearly be in difficulty now that it can no longer access Irish racing and there is every possibility it will fold. When this five-year deal is over, it looks like we will have a monopoly. RUK will control the relaying of Irish television and it will be able to charge what it likes. I am no great fan of Mr. Michael O'Leary but he is a fairly good businessman, and he states it has all the appearance of a stitch-up and a monopoly. He is very concerned, as indeed are horse owners and horse trainers such as Mr. Willie Mullins and Mr. Robbie McNamara, who have spoken out. The man who will be hit by this is the ordinary fellow, the stay-at-home punter who has his little couple of bob each way every day, and fellows such as myself who like to have an occasional punt and are prepared to pay for a service but will not pay through the nose for it. I ask that the Minister would come in and outline whether he has any concerns about this development. I would welcome that.
I would like to raise a serious concern about the way An Bord Pleanála does its business. We have great plans for development and growth in this country, including infrastructure and roads, and private individuals have plans, whether it is to build a house or their businesses. We all would agree that they need to operate with efficacy, to see that time is of the essence and that time means money, and that we need projects deliberated upon as soon as possible.
I turn to the application currently before An Bord Pleanála which is for the replacement of Cloongullane bridge near Swinford, County Mayo. An oral hearing was heard in March 2017. Environmental issues were raised by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and were dealt with by the summer of last year. After that, we waited and waited for a decision from An Bord Pleanála. The regional design office responsible for preparing the application on behalf of Mayo County Council was in touch regularly with An Bord Pleanála. I contacted it and there was no hint that there were any further issues. In fact, if there were, one would have imagined they would have been raised. In the first few days of January this year, An Bord Pleanála sought further environmental information, which required further studies relating to alluvial woodland. Most recently, I am told, there may also be an issue with freshwater pearl mussel.
Parking the environmental concerns aside, is this any way for An Bord Pleanála to do its business? Surely, it has some responsibility towards the State and towards the common good that it deals with cases, especially a critical piece of infrastructure such as the N26, a national primary road which is the most substandard section of national primary road in the country and which anyone who would travel it would not even think deserving of that categorisation. Nonetheless, An Bord Pleanála has failed to deal with this case. It is my understanding An Bord Pleanála is not understaffed at this juncture and it begs the question why it cannot see the urgent need to have this deliberated upon as soon as possible. If there are queries, let them be known to the applicant and let them be dealt with. This is no way to do business. I note we will have the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, coming before us tomorrow - at least, I hope it will be him. If not, I will be talking to him further about this. We cannot do business and achieve our plans and ambitions for growth in rural Ireland if An Bord Pleanála does not play ball.
Seo díreach cúpla focal mar gheall ar chúrsaí taistil sa tír seo. On a couple of occasions, I asked that the Leader ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to come before us to speak about various aspects of transport - Brexit being one. Now I am making a point about traffic congestion. It is a huge problem, particularly in my own city, Galway, but it is much wider than that. It is in Cork, Dublin and practically all over the country. Ask those in the Public Gallery, any of us, or anyone and they will say they could be travelling at least an hour to work and an hour home every day. That is a full day's work a week in which they are caught up in traffic. I am a member of the Joint Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport which invited in the managers of both Galway County Council and Galway City Council to speak and deliberate on the traffic problem, especially in Galway but which is a nationwide issue.
We have a fairly simple straightforward suggestion. The World Economic Forum recommended this a week ago but our committee recommended it two months ago. We should engage with a professional organisation, such as Waze, which has partnerships with approximately 60 cities throughout the world but is not in Ireland.
It will help with the technology and create feedback from the public on where traffic jams are and what is causing them. It is a simple solution with no cost to the Exchequer or taxpayer. Something that happens in some Departments or, for example, the Revenue Commissioners is that when they want to focus on an area, they get an expert team to focus on it. I ask, through our Leader, that the Minister would consider setting up an expert team to look at traffic issues in Ireland that can move from one traffic congestion problem area to another. When one has an expert team of probably six or seven people, one can create a model or strategy for continuous improvement. Right now, it is somewhat comme ci, comme ça. If one is lucky, one can get into work in half an hour or three quarters of an hour and if one is unlucky, like the vast majority of people, it takes an hour or more every day to come to work and go home again afterwards. This is a huge economic problem. It costs a fortune. It is a huge issue for employers and employees, many of whom have people looking after their children when they go to work. I ask the Leader to invite the Minister to explain what his Department's strategy is for transport and travel congestion in Ireland.
I welcome the revised trade deal agreed between the EU and Mexico over the weekend, which will be a massive boost to the Irish beef and dairy industry. I welcome other trade deals recently agreed with Japan, South Korea and Canada. I ask the Leader to invite the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, or the Minister of State, Deputy Breen, to discuss all the future trade deals that the EU is lining up to allow Ireland to continue to trade with the world, which will be vitally important in the post-Brexit era, whether with Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Vietnam or a host of other countries where we are not trading. It gives us an opportunity to look beyond our nearest neighbour and to those new markets to support the indigenous economy and get us growing. I ask the Leader to arrange that debate as soon as possible.
I, too, wish to talk about our national orchestras. It is political. If our classical musicians do not have a right to participate in that culture and the Government does not value our orchestras, an argument which could be made about previous years, then it is political. I welcome the report for two reasons. It states that both the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra and RTÉ Concert Orchestra should be retained. I know, from speaking to musicians, there were concerns that lower numbers in both orchestras would result in one merged orchestra. The second issue is that the current funding situation cannot continue. Although the Minister, Deputy Denis Naughten, might be happy to see it removed from being RTÉ's responsibility, the funding will still have to be found. The funding issues involved in RTÉ, particularly with the two orchestras, have been evident for some time. Voluntary redundancies have decimated both orchestras' numbers. It is, therefore, heartening to see the review recommend that funding be restored to its historic levels. Low staffing and funding have meant that the orchestras have not been able to undertake crucial roles in recent years, as mentioned by Senator Marie-Louise O'Donnell, such as travel and community outreach across the island. The report has also made it clear that the current funding situation cannot continue. Both Ministers should move to ring-fence that funding to allow the orchestras to return to their previous capabilities.
Hear, hear.
The RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra should remain as part of RTÉ. It currently has a legislative responsibility to uphold a number of orchestras and any move would only bring further uncertainty to those structures and shirk the funding issues which need to be solved.
I acknowledge that today, Transport Infrastructure Ireland formally moved ahead to appoint design and planning consultants for the M20 from Cork to Limerick. It is a major step forward.
It is an €8 million contract for the design and planning of the M20 and it will be brought to An Bord Pleanála. It is a four-year contract. We will then proceed to move to tender to appoint builders to build the M20.
A number of things are required. The safety of the existing N20 leaves a lot to be desired. The commuting time between Cork and Limerick is between an hour and a half and two hours but we need to bring it down to 45 minutes. It is about balanced regional development. I spoke last week about having a debate on aviation policy. We are a small country. We must have interconnection. It is not just about the regions but about Ireland Inc. The Limerick to Cork motorway is a vital piece of that infrastructure.
I will put it in context. We want the Ryder Cup to come to Adare Manor in 2026. We should be aiming to have the M20 built by that date. It is an ambitious target but is nevertheless achievable. If we do not set targets we will never get to build projects slightly ahead of time. It is very achievable. Would it not be great if our friends in Cork, Limerick and Galway could come to Adare via the M20 and see what our region has to offer? When people look at Ireland from abroad and are looking at whether the Ryder Cup should be here or in the UK, they would say the infrastructure is in place and that Adare Manor is a golf course of world renown. Padraig Haddington said it is the finest golf course in Europe. The M20 is a vital key ingredient in that.
I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for allowing me to raise the issue. It is a positive news story. It feeds into the story of us being a small island and that of interconnection. When people are looking at Ireland, I want them to look at Ireland as a whole. I worry about us being completely regionalised because it means we do not get the synergies we should get. It would be fine if we were an enormous country but we are not. One can drive from one side of the 32 counties to another in a day. There are very few countries where one can do that. We need to think globally. A key element, if one is looking in from the outside, is the two largest cities outside Dublin are not linked by motorway. One has to ask why. It is now being remedied and it is a fantastic measure. It is a good day for Limerick and Cork and Ireland.
We are at the end of our annual spring clean month. Many volunteers, amenity trusts and local authorities have done marvellous work across the country in a big clean-up. It is important we say "Well done" to them. Volunteers and those in the amenity trusts are unsung heroes. They are the people who get out and sweep and clean. We need to make sure we give them the praise they deserve.
I was disappointed to read in a national newspaper over the weekend that on Friday a Dublin-based DJ captured photos of bins overflowing with rubbish, grass covered in bottles, cans, food wrappers, cardboard boxes, napkins and food waste along the canal at Portobello following the lovely sunny day. I was disgusted by the level of dumping. The photographs have to be seen to be believed. In recent years, following a popular music festival, a local Carlow charity filmed a mind-boggling amount of rubbish, including really good quality camping equipment left behind. The video went viral because there was so much rubbish one could hardly see the grass. Someone has to pick it up.
This month I was blown away by the number of people who took part in the annual Carlow spring clean. The nationwide activity was made all the better because of the sunshine and warm temperatures. The bright sun shone like a light on a really sinister aspect of our attitude to the environment. There is a perception that someone else will pick up after us. While I was out on a local annual spring clean I heard an eight year old girl call out, as she was picking up rubbish, "Do they think that ditches are wardrobes?" Why do people feel they can litter, dump or pollute? Why do we just lie down and accept this behaviour? There are caravans, camper vans and broken down cars on green areas across the country. Drink bottles and clothing are often seen from tourist buses. "Wild", "hidden" and "ancient" are great buzzwords in our fabulous tourism sector. Local authorities and communities are trying their best but something has to be done. There has to be consequences for illegal dumping. We need to look at how we are dealing with these issues.
This situation needs to be addressed and we must ensure that people do not dump or pollute illegally.
I agree with my colleague, Senator Kieran O'Donnell, regarding the motorway from Cork to Limerick. It is an important development that the team has now been appointed to progress the project. We must fast-track it; it should not drag on for four or five years before construction starts. We should set clear timelines and aim to meet them.
I also agree with the Senator that it would be a great achievement if Adare Manor got the Ryder Cup. The advantage of having a motorway built is that many of the people attending could stay in Cork and travel to Adare for the event. There is an advantage for both sides in that regard. The development of the-----
It could go to Galway, too.
Senator Craughwell is dead right. This project is about developing the entire region, and it is important that the emphasis be on the growth of Cork and Munster and moving away from the major growth centre of the past 25 or 30 years, namely, Dublin, so that we can plan properly and ensure we have the necessary infrastructure.
I wish to raise another matter regarding the British media's commentary on Brexit. I was shocked to read an article in yesterday's edition of The Times written by Ms Melanie Phillips. She wrote: "The crisis bubbling just below the surface ever since Britain voted to leave the EU is now at the point of eruption." She also wrote: "Only a tiny amount of trade crosses the Irish border." For someone to write that in what I regard as a reputable newspaper-----
Owned by Rupert Murdoch, who has never owned anything reputable.
(Interruptions).
I will repeat her line: "Only a tiny amount of trade crosses the Irish border." We need to consider whether our Government should provide briefing documents to members of the British media-----
Can they read?
-----regarding the level of trade. Interestingly, when I tweeted about this, someone replied that Ireland was the UK's fifth largest export customer and that there were more exports from Britain to Ireland than there were from Britain to Spain or Italy. We must provide some education on this matter, as there is a great deal of misinformation that needs to be corrected. It is appalling that a journalist could write an article like this and believe she could get away with it.
I apologise, as I have just become aware of the serious issue that I wish to raise. However, it is urgent. It relates to incontinence nappies for children and adults with disabilities. My office and the offices of other colleagues are being called about problems with deliveries across the State. The parents and loved ones of those affected are being promised time and again that their deliveries will arrive the following day, but each day passes with more excuses. This is impacting on respite options for parents and loved ones. Apparently, the HSE is claiming that there was a change of contract in February. We need clarity about who the service provider is and why it is letting down our most vulnerable people. When will we have certainty that this issue will stop? The Leader will appreciate the immense problems it is causing the affected families.
I am also seeking an update on Swan Park. A meeting has been promised for quite a while. I will raise this matter until I have official confirmation that the meeting will take place.
When I was listening to "Morning Ireland" this morning, I heard an item on the Heart Foundation and some research it had done on people with stroke. It was considering younger people with stroke. One of the startling and memorable statistics given was that one in four people with stroke is under the age of 65. We have a cultural fixation with the idea that stroke is a condition of older persons but it is not. There are children, young people and people of working age with that condition. It has huge ramifications for their families and for their work. It is a sweet but difficult example of many of the issues we need to face head on in respect of the work ahead of us on disability inclusion.
I thank the 22 Members of the House for their contributions to the Order of Business. I join with all Members in offering our condolences to the bereaved in Toronto and we extend our sympathies to Mayor Tory on the tragic loss of human life. As Senators Ardagh, Bacik and Craughwell rightly said, this was a person causing carnage by driving a truck down a busy street. I extend my sympathies and those of the Fine Gael Senators and the House. This type of reckless behaviour has no place in a modern society. I refer to reckless abandonment. I am not sure what the motivation for the incident was but it is important we all stand united in our condemnation of what took place in Toronto. Again, I offer our sympathies to the families of those who died in, as Senator Bacik rightly said, a multicultural and vibrant city. We hope Toronto will stand up and be united in its grief but also in coming back from this tragic event.
Senator Ardagh raised the issue of the mobility allowance. As the Senator knows, the Government is working on new legislation for a new transport support scheme. The Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, was in the House earlier this year and answered a Commencement matter from Senator Dolan. Efforts are ongoing to draft primary legislation for a new scheme. It has been unusually complex. In addition, the petitions committee, which I am a member of, has had the Ombudsman and the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, before it. I would be happy to have the Minister come to the House to update us on the matter. It is one the Government is working on.
On the issue of the MetroLink, ar an gcéad dul síos ba mhaith liom mo chomhghairdeas a dhéanamh leis na príomhoidí, na múinteoirí, na tuismitheoirí agus na daltaí ó Scoil Mobhí agus an scoil eile. Gabh mo leithscéal, ach tá mé tar éis dearmad a dhéanamh ar a hainm. Tá a fhios agam gurb é Tír na nÓg an naíonra.
Tá Scoil Mobhí, Scoil Chaitríona agus naíonra Tír na nÓg ar an gcampas seo.
I commend the schools for their creation of an urban Gaeltacht. Senator Ardagh is right to highlight the matter. The national development plan has included the MetroLink north and south projects. As Members will be aware, legitimate concerns are being raised by Senator Ardagh but also by residents and stakeholders affected by the route of the proposed development of the MetroLink. Notwithstanding the benefits it will bring, it is important to listen and understand how we can deliver the MetroLink project while maintaining routes that do not affect the people spoken of this morning.
The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, along with the National Transport Authority, NTA, are engaging in a public consultation process on the matter and it is due to conclude some time in May. I hope that as part of that consultative process, there will be real engagement with those affected. I have asked the Minister to come to the House to discuss transport matters because we have had a number of requests in the past number of weeks.
Senator Boyhan raised tonight's "Prime Time" programme but I do not want to pre-empt the issues coming up in the programme. However, it is important to recognise the serious issues being raised around foster care. I refer, in particular, to the issues of sexual abuse and breach of trust.
None of us can condone or support any such behaviour. I hope that, with the airing of the segment on "RTÉ Investigates", we will continue to see rigorous assessment and checks and balances in the area of foster care. As a former Chairman of the committee dealing with health and children affairs, I know that such incidents are rare. In saying that, where there are people opening their homes and offering children in need a place to receive love and care, it is important that foster carers be above reproach. I will watch the programme tonight and, if necessary, we will have the appropriate Minister come to the House to discuss the issue. The case in question was referred to the National Review Panel, which is an independent body, and there will be outcomes. We will await the discussion on the programme tonight.
Senator Victor Boyhan complimented and congratulated Ms Justine McCarthy on receiving in Ballybunion at the weekend the Mary Cummins Award for Women for Outstanding Achievement in Media. I join the Senator in congratulating Ms McCarthy as we all recognise that she is a very fair and thorough investigative reporter. We congratulate her on being the recipient of this prestigious award. I also join the Senator in saying, as I have before on the Order of Business, that we need an independent media to hold the Executive to account and which are also fair and balanced in their approach to reporting.
Senator Rose Conway-Walsh raised the matter of the hooded men. Like the Senator, I hope this afternoon's meeting with the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Simon Coveney, will bring further progress to the case being presented by the men in question. Looking at the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights, the decision was six:one, which does not add up in some of our minds. In his interjection Senator David Norris made reference to the fact that it was torture.
It was.
From reading the report and the testimony of the men, one cannot but infer that it was. I hope the Minister's meeting with the men will bring further clarity to what the Government intends to do. I do not have any information on the meeting for the House today.
The logical next step is to take the case to the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights.
Exactly.
That is not for me to decide today but a matter for the Minister in consultation with the Departments involved. I will be happy to have him come to the House to discuss the matter. The important point is that he is meeting the men today and that their case is being heard further. I hope we will see justice prevail in the case, given the ruling made earlier which, to be fair, many of us could not comprehend.
I will not get into a row with anyone on the matter raised by Senator David Norris, but it will come before the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. The thrust of the motion is beyond my pay grade. I will not prevent the motion from being heard, but if it is ruled out of order, my hands are tied. I must defer to higher placed beings to decide such matters.
I have written to the Cathaoirleach asking him to refer the matter to the law agent for review.
I join Senator John O'Mahony, first, in congratulating Leinster on their magnificent victory at the weekend in the Champions Cup. I wish them well in the final. I also pay tribute to Munster and express pride in the manner of their comeback in the second half of the match. I share the Senator's dismay and disappointment at the prohibitive cost of flights being offered to supporters of Leinster who wish to travel to the final. It is not good enough to see fares up to €800 being charged. I will be happy to have the appropriate Minister come to the House to speak about the issue. The Senator is a former Chairman of the committee dealing with transport and sporting matters and has been very strong in his defence of supporters of all sports who travel to and from events. It is not acceptable and disappointing to see fans being ripped off in this manner. It is a captive audience, given the nature of the event.
Senator Robbie Gallagher raised the matter of education and referred to the report from the Catholic Primary School Management Association. I remind the Senator that the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Richard Bruton, has increased the budget by €1 billion in the past two years and that €10 billion is being invested in education. It is the highest ever budget spend in the sector. In the past two years we have seen 5,000 special needs assistant posts created and there will be an extra 2,000 this year. There will be 1,280 extra teachers.
The Government is fully committed to investment in education, with 110 schools in disadvantaged areas benefiting and 20,000 students being supported further. It is also important to recognise, which Senator Gallagher did not mention, that while there have been cuts to capitation, the cuts were first announced by the then Tánaiste, former Deputy Mary Coughlan, and the capitation levels are now above the 2008 levels. The Minister, Deputy Bruton, is committed to the restoration of the capital funding and to putting in place the operation of the parent and student charter. He is also asking schools to explain how they spend their allocation of funding. The Minister will come to the House. The programme for Government allows for an increase in capitation so we can have that debate when the Minister comes to the House in the next few weeks to discuss education.
Senator Craughwell raised the issue of the Defence Forces. We have given that matter a good airing in the past number of weeks. The Minister of State will be in the House next week, and I thank Senator Craughwell for not calling for a vote on the Order of Business. To be fair, he approached me about it prior to the Order of Business. The Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, will come to the House next week for the debate on the Defence Forces.
Senator Butler referred to obesity and diabetes in the context of a UK report on cancer. We have seen the introduction of a voluntary code in Ireland regarding the advertising and marketing of junk food to young people. It is important to have a debate on obesity and on how we can use the umbrella Healthy Ireland project to promote and have a better attitude to exercise, diet and lifestyle.
Senators Marie-Louise O'Donnell, Bacik, McFadden and Warfield raised the report published yesterday regarding the RTÉ orchestras. The comments of all Members of the House on the report and the orchestras are absolutely correct. Our cultural institutions must be enhanced. Members who sit in the waiting room in RTÉ on a Tuesday night as they wait to go on "The Late Debate" programme can hear the orchestra practising and can appreciate the level of endeavour and the quality and talent of the musicians involved. As Senator Marie-Louise O'Donnell said, it is the culture of expression, the precision of the heartbeat and what gives us oxygen. If people attend the pre-Christmas "Sunday Miscellany" concert in the National Concert Hall they will see in huge graphic detail the power of the orchestra and the importance of these cultural institutions.
The Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Madigan, said in the Dáil today that she and the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Naughten, will examine the report and return with recommendations. This is of extreme importance. We might disagree as to whether it should be under the remit of RTÉ or elsewhere but we all agree that both orchestras must be protected and supported. I agree with the remarks of the Senators this afternoon on the matter. While it is about culture it is also about what we stand for as a people and how we view ourselves. If we cannot stand united on this, we count for little in terms of our culture. The Senator is correct that it is the beating heart. I will be happy to schedule a debate when the Minister is ready to make recommendations or even prior to her making her decision.
I do not have the answers to Senator Devine's questions regarding the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Zappone, and the UN rapporteur. I am not aware of the issues in terms of what the Senator referred to as not happening. The Minister, Deputy Zappone, is very committed to the mother and baby homes issue.
With regard to the digital commissioner, that matter is before the Government. The Minister was in the House before Christmas to discuss the issue and I will be happy to invite the Minister back to the House to discuss it. The Senator is correct that online digital harassment is becoming far too prevalent and causing far too much distress to people. It is having a detrimental effect on their mental health. We must work collectively to ensure it can be stamped out, and I will be happy to work with the Senator on that. I do not have the information to hand but I will endeavour to get it for the Senator or, if she prefers, she could submit a Commencement matter.
Senator McFadden raised the issue of Irish Water, planning and the Parteen Basin to Dublin proposal. She referred to the importance of investment in our water infrastructure, which is something we certainly should support. In the context of a post fee era, the issue of Irish Water is really relevant.
I agree completely with Senator Bacik regarding the mural at the Project Arts Centre that was taken down. The relationship between the Standards in Public Office Commission, SIPO, politics and the Charities Regulator under the Charities Act must be addressed. We can become over zealous and too politically correct. That is certainly a debate that should happen. Perhaps the Taoiseach is correct that the mural in favour of repeal of the eighth amendment gained far more notoriety than it would have had if there had been no kerfuffle about it. I commend the artist involved.
Senator Ned O'Sullivan raised the very important issue of the position of the horse racing industry in our country. I agree that there is a need to have a debate on the avoidance of a monopoly in the transmission of race meetings and am happy to organise same. While I would defer to Senator O'Sullivan's superior knowledge when it comes to horse racing, I would suggest that the fact that Channel 4 has now transferred racing coverage to ITV means that it is less accessible to Irish viewers. I subscribe to Sky but do not have Sky Sports. Unless TV3 is carrying Cheltenham or Aintree, I will have difficulty watching racing. The point the Senator makes is that "At the Races" provided an important and valuable service in terms of showcasing Irish racing. The possibility of Racing UK having a monopoly is a matter of concern. I am happy to invite the Minister to the House to discuss the matter.
Senator Mulherin raised the issue of An Bord Pleanála in the context of plans and ambitions for growth in rural Ireland. She is a champion of rural Ireland and regional development and has raised such matters on many occasions. It is important to recognise that An Bord Pleanála is independent of the political process. That said, it is important that the board delivers reports on oral hearings in a timely manner and does not prolong issues in rural Ireland. I am happy to schedule a debate on that matter.
Beidh plé againn mar gheall ar chúrsaí taistil. Senator Ó Céidigh asked for a debate on transport and I am happy to have the Minister, Deputy Shane Ross, come to the House to discuss traffic congestion in particular, as well as investment in public transport. Senator Richmond praised the Government in the context of the EU-Mexico trade deal. I commend the Minister of State, Deputy Pat Breen, for his role in that matter. As Senator Richmond rightly said, we are proud to see trade links being developed with Japan, South Korea and Canada. Given President Trump's propensity to engage in trade wars, it is important that we broaden our horizons and open Ireland up to new markets across the world. I am happy to have a debate on that issue in the coming weeks.
Senators Kieran O' Donnell and Colm Burke raised the matter of the M20, a very important piece of infrastructure. I welcome today's announcement of the tender to appoint design and planning consultants, which will bring the €8 million M20 project closer to fruition. This is such an important piece of infrastructure for the south and south west. It has the support of this Government because of its importance to the Cork-Limerick region in terms of connectivity. Senator O'Donnell is correct to ask for a deadline of 2026 for completion to support Adare Manor's Ryder Cup bid. I am happy to support Senator O'Donnell in making that call.
I join Senator Murnane O'Connor in commending all of the volunteers who were involved in national spring clean month. In particular, I commend the Tidy Towns volunteers who do a huge amount of work across the country, week in and week out. Reference was made to the canal in Portobello, which reminded me of Paddy Kavanagh's poem, Canal Bank Walk:
Leafy-with-love banks and the green waters of the canal,
Pouring redemption for me.
The Grand Canal in Dublin, of which the Barrow Line is a branch, joins the River Barrow navigation in Senator Murnane O'Connor's county of Carlow. The canal bank is a tremendous asset and provides a place to walk and exercise. We must take personal responsibility for the rubbish which is discarded on the banks. We need to call out the people who are throwing rubbish in these areas and highlight it. I will be happy for the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Naughten, to come to the House in regard to the matter.
Let me confirm to Senator Colm Burke that we will be having a debate on Brexit. I commend him for his tweet today. The Border is not just a small matter, it is of significant importance to the people on the island of Ireland and, as Senator Burke rightly said, the author of the article knows little when she states that only a tiny amount of trade crosses the Irish Border. There are also the excursions back and forth.
Senator Mac Lochlainn raised the issue of the provision of goods and nappies for those who are incontinent. I am not aware of the matter he raised but it beggars belief that there should be an inordinate delay for people who are most vulnerable, be they adults who require incontinence pads or children who require nappies. We must get an immediate answer to this matter. I assume the HSE is the body responsible for the delivery of the items. I am not sure to which area the Senator is referring, but the matter needs to be addressed urgently. I have not gone up to Swan Park, but I put a request into the Minister's office, as I said I would.
Senator Dolan is correct to highlight the issue of the Irish Heart Foundation report this morning and to commend Mr. Chris Macey, the head of advocacy on the work he is doing. The Senator is correct, it is not only older people who are now prone to suffering a stroke, younger people are having strokes and that is why we need to be very clear around the issue of strokes. It goes back to Senator Butler's point regarding a balanced lifestyle, health and exercise. We will invite the Minister to come to the House to debate this in the coming weeks.
Will the Leader confirm that No. 2 will be taken on the conclusion of No. 1?
Order of Business agreed to.