I call the leader of the Green Party group, who will outline the Order of Business today.
An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
The Order of Business is: No. 1, motion regarding Ireland's Opt-in to the 2021-2027 Asylum Migration and Integration Fund - Regulation (EU) 2021/1147, to be taken on conclusion of the Order of Business without debate; No. 2, Garda Síochána (Functions and Operational Areas) Bill 2021 – Committee Stage, to be taken at 1.15 p.m. or on the conclusion of No. 1, whichever is the later; and No. 3, Child Trafficking and Child Sexual Exploitation Material (Amendment) Bill 2022 – Second Stage, to be taken on the conclusion of No. 2 with the time allocated not to exceed two hours.
I wish Senator Pauline O'Reilly well in her first day taking the Order of Business as Acting Leader of the House.
Tomorrow is Countess Markievicz's birthday and, to celebrate and commemorate that, Women for Election are launching a new campaign called "Count Her In". It is about supporting women to stand for election. They will be having a photo call outside the gates of Leinster House at 12.45 p.m. for all of the incumbent women in the Oireachtas - those of us who are fortunate and privileged enough to be here. Certainly, we should play our part in terms of supporting more women to come in. I wish them well with that campaign.
There is something that I want to raise and I have struggled with talking about it over the past few hours. We all know the grief and the sorrow that the whole country felt around the horrific murder of Ashling Murphy. We have all vowed and committed to do better and I have no doubt that we will. Hearing of the random attacks that have happened since then, in Cork, in Kilkenny and yesterday in St. Stephen's Green, brought me back to last summer when my 12-year-old niece was walking through St. Stephen's Green on a sunny day and was attacked by older men and beaten down to the ground. Luckily, she was not hurt physically, apart from bruises and that, but there is the emotional and psychological impact of that. It really worries me about our society. There is only so much that we can do at a legislative level in terms of criminal justice and policing. We need to make our streets safer with CCTV, lighting, etc. As was said in Hamlet "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark". We need to get to that misogyny and that feeling that a tiny minority have that they can control women and that they can show that anger. It is awful. It merits not going away from the issue; we need to talk about it again.
The other issue that I want to raise relates to the primary medical certificate. A commitment was given in the Dáil recently by the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, that a comprehensive review of the scheme would be undertaken to include a broader review of mobility supports for people with disabilities. Deputy Donohoe is working with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy Roderic O'Gorman, on this. This important work has to be expedited. We know so many people whose choice in the way they live their lives, because of the impact of their disability, has been taken away. We all hear of these cases. I look forward to that being expedited and a strong message going from here.
Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh, agus a Cheannaire Ghníomhaigh. Cuirim fáilte roimpi. Go n-éirí léi mar Ceannaire Gníomhach an tSeanaid.
I want to raise an issue today that is quite delicate. It is something that I am conflicted on as a criminal barrister and somebody who has practised in an area of law that requires principles of justice to be applied delicately. I believe wholeheartedly in the importance of a fair trial, the right to represent yourself and all of the other rights that are contingent on that. There is an issue that has been about for a number of years and which has perhaps come to the fore this week - I do not want to talk about any particular case - and that is the right of persons to represent themselves in criminal trials and to face their accuser. It is tremendously important to allow people to face their accusers. It is part of our system. It is one of the fair trial principles that we have. You must know the details of who is accusing you, what they are saying and all the rest, in order to be able to mount a defence. There also must be a coterie of cases where we can legitimately restrict the right of a particular person to face a particular accuser. It is probably reasonable in certain types of cases. The ones, of course, that spring to mind are cases such as rape and sexual assault.
In those types of cases it must be reasonable to say a person may not directly cross-examine the person who has accused him or her of a very serious and personal offence. It is, as I say, delicate. It requires very careful consideration.
Very often we put down these principles and they become expanded after they become law. An example of that is section 16 of the Criminal Justice Act, which allows statements to be put to people. It was originally envisaged as being part of a very narrow set of offences and it has expanded over time through practice. Thus, it is something that requires very careful consideration. However, it is also right to say that where a person makes a complaint of that type of offence it is reasonable to say to the accused person that of course he or she can represent themselves and conduct the trial, however unwise that might be, but he or she is not entitled to directly cross-examine that person. He or she can only do so through counsel. He or she can only do so through a lawyer. It is important we consider a legislative solution to that. We have a coterie of people at the Bar of Ireland, and I am one of them, who are incredibly professional, qualified and experienced in this area and know what the parameters of that process are. An individual who represents himself or herself does not. That should not stop them from doing it, however unwise that might be, as I said, but it should allow us to step in and say there is a small and very carefully-defined category of offences where it is not acceptable to do that and where the law is going to prohibit someone from doing that. It is reasonable for us to explore in a debate and in a legislative solution what we can do to protect complainants who come forward in certain types of cases.
I welcome Senator Pauline O'Reilly to the Leader's chair. I had intended raising another issue but in light of Senator O'Loughlin's Commencement matter I want to focus a little bit more on that issue as it is critically important. It goes to the very heart of communication in government and how a Government, especially a coalition one, and in this case a tripartite coalition Government, communicates with people and with the citizens. The matter is of course Cathal Brugha Barracks in Rathmines. The Senator teased out the issue with the Minister for Defence who spoke at great length about it. In fairness, he gave it a lot of time. There are issues of concern here. Much of the criticism and concern in recent days is over this conflict of messaging involving the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan. I fully respect and accept this site falls within his constituency and he has every right to comment on such matters, especially in relation to Government policy on it. We then had the Minister for Defence, Deputy Coveney, before us earlier telling us there had been absolutely no decision. That clarity is welcome and I thank Senator O'Loughlin for it. However, what is really interesting is we need to be careful about the messaging and the hysteria building up around these things. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, gave great clarity earlier. The key message in all of this that he said: "The Department of Defence has secured funding from An Taoiseach, under the Housing for All implementation fund, to engage consultants to undertake a Cost Benefit Analysis and feasibility study in relation to the possible re-location of Cathal Brugha Barracks." That, in fairness, is in line with what the Minister for Transport said. How it was said and the timing of the messaging was the issue. It caused the confusion and sent a mixed message. The Acting Leader cannot answer for either of them to highlight the issue. What, therefore, am I asking for? The Minister for Defence earlier confirmed there would be a report, which he hopes to able to publish, by the commission on the future of the Defence Forces. I welcome that and know many people in the Chamber have contributed to that ongoing debate.
We must always remember the three Rs in the context of our Defence Forces. We must respect them. We must support their restructuring and their resourcing. They are three key messages for the Defence Forces. I acknowledge the enormous work and focus my group colleague, Senator Craughwell, has put into this area. He is very focused on this and has given it an enormous amount of his time, both in the House and outside it. Therefore, my final ask is that when this commission report is published next week - and the Minister confirmed to the House this morning that is what he intends - we have an early debate on it. I am aware others have asked for that; I am not asking for anything new. I would like us to ask the Leader's office to facilitate us, where practical, to have a debate on this important matter.
I place on record my appreciation to the Leader for allocating cross-party time next Thursday for the Safe Access to Termination of Pregnancy Services Bill 2021. It is another example of how this House can work constructively and positively on important issues. I know it is a Thursday afternoon but I appeal to Members, again on a cross-party basis, to ensure we have an important Committee Stage on that Bill. There are going to be amendments proposed by us in response to the Minister's concerns because we want to make this Bill as effective as possible. We would, therefore, appreciate the support of Senators.
There is an added urgency to this matter. There have been ongoing protests outside University Maternity Hospital Limerick for some time. However, Together for Safety has informed me in the past couple of weeks that the protests are now coinciding with the exact times of the appointments that women, including some who are pregnant, have for their own private medical business and often for business that relates to terminations. That is disturbing and clearly it shows that information from within the hospital is being shared with these protesters. I cannot say that is happening in every hospital but the protests are happening all across the county in State-owned hospitals. I am firmly of the view, as is my party, that the protesters have no business there. This is the business of the woman attending a hospital and her business alone. Granted, the right to protest is important but protesting directly outside a maternity hospital is just appalling. It is within all our powers now to do something about it.
When the Minster for Health was in the Chamber on Second Stage he asked whether we would co-operate on his Bill and I put on record that we would because we all want to see this done. There is no Bill at this point in time apart from the Together for Safety Bill. I hope the Acting Leader will acknowledge we have approached this on a cross-party basis. I am not claiming to own the Bill. I acknowledge that the Acting Leader, the leader of the Fianna Fáil group today and Members on a cross-party basis joined us behind the Together for Safety banner months ago. I appeal to them to keep that co-operation going next week because we must make progress. There is an added urgency to this when women are being targeted at the time of their appointments. I find that to be the most appalling behaviour but that is what is happening in Limerick, the city where I live. I ask that we co-operate in the best spirit of this Chamber next week. We have Committee Stage of the Bill. Let us deal with the Bill professionally but let us support it and get it through to the next Stage so that we can make an advance in protecting the right of people to attend hospitals without interference, intimidation and without subtle coercion.
I welcome Senator Pauline O'Reilly as Acting Leader. I wish to take a moment to mark the tragic death of Eoin Collins after a short illness. He passed away on 1 February in the care of his family in Lucan, just three months after the untimely and sudden death of his husband, Josep Adalla, in November.
Eoin was one of the principal architects of the extraordinary progress and change for LGBTQI people over the past few decades. As one of the founders of the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network, GLEN, he was a key driver of legislative reform and progress towards equality for LGBTQI people. His fingerprints are on much of the groundbreaking change we have seen over the past 20 years. Eoin and his colleagues campaigned for many years for decriminalisation and having achieved that in 1993, they then campaigned for wide-ranging multi-ground equality legislation in close collaboration with a range of other equality organisations. He then worked with the Rainbow Coalition and Labour Minister for Equality and Law Reform, Mervyn Taylor, to bring forward the Employment Equality and Equal Status Bills that were crucial in building a fairer, more equal Ireland for LGBTQIA people and for all those included under the nine grounds of that legislation. Throughout this period and prior to working on the staff or GLEN, Eoin worked with Nexus Research Ireland for more than two decades and was a key figure in community development across Ireland.
As a facilitator, writer and activist, his capacity for vision and empathy for change placed him at the heart of many human rights struggles. His work was always tempered by critical self-scrutiny and genuine humility. His work allowed him opportunities and spaces to make lasting changes in dealing with issues of discrimination, exclusion and marginalisation. With the support of The Atlantic Philanthropies, Eoin then worked on GLEN's staff to build on the foundation of legislative progress to drive real, meaningful change in the lives of LGBTQIA people. He worked with Governments, politicians, including many in this House, civil and public servants and civil society bodies to ensure LGBTQIA people could be free and equal. This work included transformative change in education, physical, mental and sexual health, workplace and immigration reform, the first research in Ireland on trans equality and, in particular, the equal recognition and protection of LGBTQIA relationships and families. Eoin was a member of the Government's Colley group, which charted a way to marriage and constitutional equality for same-sex couples and was instrumental in the group's findings that only marriage equality would deliver that equality.
He is one of the principal drivers of the work to secure comprehensive civil partnership legislation - which is possible without a referendum - and the foundations of family recognition legislation, both of which paved the way for the eventual success of that extraordinary referendum in 2015.
He leaves an incredible legacy of hard won progress for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual, LGBTQIA, people. While we still have significant work to do, our task is made easier through the transformational change he was a major part of bringing about. I would like to pass on my condolences to the family of Mr. Eoin Collins, and express my personal, profound gratitude as a member of the LGBTQIA community, for all the work he did to make Ireland a better place for all. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.
Go raibh maith agat. I thank the Senator for that tribute.
I wish to discuss Facebook, which we know recently changed its name to Meta and announced that it would be focusing its energies on developing its virtual reality, the metaverse. Mr. Mark Zuckerberg outlined how the metaverse technology will involve inhabiting virtual spaces, using wearable sensors to track one's body and wearable headsets and other sensors, which can map one's home and the space around it.
Around the same time, Facebook also announced it was shutting down its facial recognition system and deleting its huge trove of face data that it had collected, which includes the faceprints of around 1 billion people. On the surface, this was welcomed. It seemed like a positive move. A couple of years previously, Mr. Zuckerberg made a statement promising that the future is private, and it might have seemed that he was fulfilling that promise. In reality, the only reason Facebook is deleting its face data is because regulators, policy-makers and citizens were slowly catching up with it.
In Illinois in 2020, Facebook was sued for its use of people's faceprints to suggest tags and had to pay €650 million to settle that class action. Seven states and over 20 cities in the US have limited government use of facial recognition tech amid fears over civil rights violations, racial bias and invasion of privacy. It took a long time for regulators to catch up with facial recognition technology. Bureaucracy and politics move slowly, and Facebook knows this. In short, facial recognition has finally become a regulatory headache for Facebook, attracting huge amounts of scrutiny.
Last week it was reported in the Financial Times that Facebook has been applying for patents for new technology, which will be used in the metaverse. These new technologies will track one's eye movements and facial expressions. Effectively, what we have here is the removal of facial recognition, but a new way to get around policy through loopholes and introduce something similar, but done through sensory features. There is no reason why this technology cannot store new types of prints, perhaps generated from a person's movements or other physical features. Perhaps they will not be called faceprints, but they will be called something else.
There are many other sinister purposes that the metaverse sensors will be put to. For example, some of these sensors are designed to scan the inside of one's home. These sensors might detect where objects are inside one's home and therefore what it can sell to people.
Facebook's strategy to be able to keep collecting and exploiting our data is to pretend it is no longer collecting the data and then simply collecting it and exploiting it in a completely different way. It is deleting its face data while working on new ways to extract biometric data from us. The problem here is that tech evolves faster than we can regulate it. On this basis, it is crucial that, as policy-makers, we are proactive about this. I would like to call for a debate in this Chamber on artificial intelligence, the metaverse, facial recognition and its new technology in terms of sensory printing.
I wish to highlight my huge concerns regarding the actions of the Democratic Unionist Party, DUP, agriculture minister. It is very concerning that he would go on a solo run to obstruct, increase tensions and order workers at ports to break the law and cease checks that were put in place by an international agreement passed by both parties to that agreement, namely, the UK Government and the EU. These are sinister electioneering tactics by the DUP. This morning we heard that the DUP First Minister will apparently resign this afternoon, which is another tactic. It is shocking and it is an absolute betrayal of people, businesses and the communities, never mind a breach of international law.
The UK Government needs to intervene and the EU needs to stand up strong against this. It needs to stand up and accept that Brexit is actually happening. It is actually the largest procrastinator regarding Brexit. If the DUP had followed the original deal of the former Prime Minster, Theresa May, Brexit would have been done, oven-ready and cooked. We probably would be on our way to digesting it at the minute if it had backed Theresa May. An awful lot of the DUP's problems at the minute are its own fault.
I also want to highlight another campaign - a positive campaign. I am referring to the Count Her In campaign that will be launched tomorrow on the birthday of my hero, Constance Markievicz. When I was growing up, Constance Markievicz was a portrait on my wall and I took my confirmation name as Constance. When I found out about her - not in history class, but on my own time - I thought if she could do it back then, I could do in the future, coming from the wee corner of the Cooley Mountains. It is absolutely important and the value and quality of debate in this House having 40% women is notable. There is a far greater and diverse range of topics in consideration in this House, having 40% women here, compared with looking back on previous Seanaid. More women is absolutely a positive thing and I am sure all Members would agree.
I wish to begin by endorsing Senator Ruane's call for a debate. I would like to note that I previously did so as well. Our data is being collected, our privacy and the entirety of our lives is being collated for marketing and sinister purposes, unbeknownst to us.
It is Thursday, so I am here to talk about this morning's meeting of the Joint Committee on Disability Matters. We heard two representative experiences, the first being the Irish Thalidomide Association. I do not need to explain that, except to say that it is shocking that in the 1970s these people were awarded medical cards and some of them are denied it because of their income. We need to arrest that and I will pursue it. In addition, the lived daily experience of people was impactful. If one does not have a limb, how does one take one's blood pressure? In addition, the excruciating pain they have to go through in just having blood taken when they do not have an arm. People are not insured to take blood from legs. Their lived experience is quite excruciating and we need to have a tailored response to it. I echo their calls.
We also had a wonderful woman called Ms Elaine Dennehy in to speak about how she is in permanent lockdown because of the use of light-emitting diode, LED, bulbs. She cannot leave her home because there are traffic lights at the end of her road. She lived in the town, but had to move out of the town. She cannot leave the end of her street because the LED lights and the traffic lights cause her such excruciating pain and illness. To back it up, to be fair to her, there was also an organisation called LightAware.
Ms Dennehy cited an EU opinion from the Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks that noted there is this phenomenon in response to LED lighting in communities. The prevalence of its use is just making people's lives unlivable. Germany has recognised this as a disability only recently, and a man has won a right to have incandescent light bulbs provided and supplied to him. We can make arrangements locally for people and we should, but we need to have a debate and discussion on this issue.
I wish to raise the issue on the National Women's Council. I was looking over the headlines yesterday and read, "Woman in hospital after assault in broad daylight in St. Stephen's Green" and "Gardaí identify boy (13) as person of interest in attack on woman in Cork". I thought, "What on Earth is going on? What has become of this country?" However, I remembered that we, luckily, have many great supports for women from all walks of life and there is help to be had out there for those who need it. We have people fighting for women in this country.
I looked up the National Women's Council and read through its mission statement, which had some great lines:
The ambition of the National Women’s Council is an Ireland where every woman enjoys true equality and no woman is left behind.
It is "part of the international movement to protect and advance women’s and girls’ rights" and includes "fearless leaders for all women". These are all wonderful things to be and do. Then, tucked away at the bottom of the page is its definition of "woman", which reads, "By ‘woman’ we refer to any person who identifies as a woman." Just like that, every single preceding statement is utterly changed because the normal, ordinary, commonly understood definition of "woman" - the central topic of the page - has been abandoned in favour of a sociopolitical statement that invalidates the very nature of the council itself. It refers to anyone "who identifies" as a woman - not anyone who is a biological woman or is even legally registered or lives as a woman, including those who have medically transitioned from male to female. It is just anyone who happens to feel like a woman at any given point.
The council was founded in 1973. Imagine telling the women of the day back then that one day, the very definition of "woman" would be based purely on feeling and emotion rather than fact. The council states that it wants no woman left behind but it will be leaving many women behind who no longer feel represented by it. I certainly no longer feel represented. Until the National Women's Council of Ireland can adequately define that middle word in its name, it should enjoy no financial support from the taxpayer.
I welcome the Acting Leader into the hot seat. I am sure she is well fit to handle it.
I would be grateful if the Acting Leader could facilitate a meeting with the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, who might come into the House to have a discussion on credit unions in this country. Unfortunately, there are many examples throughout the length and breadth of this country where some of our banks have packed up their suitcases and turned their backs on those who served them for many a long year. In many instances, this has left the credit union as the only financial institution in a given town. Unfortunately, in County Monaghan, we have examples of banks pulling out in Clones and Castleblayney, and even in County Cavan in places like Cootehill, Shercock and Kingscourt.
As I said, the mainstay of a community from a financial perspective is the local credit union. They look after people's savings and loans, offer cash to their customers and provide many other services. We all know we need more competition in the banking sector in this country and I believe the credit union is well placed to provide that. All we need is a pathway from the Government to see how that could be developed further. The one constant we have is the credit union movement. They are in the midst of all our communities to serve the people and they are in for the long haul. I would welcome a debate in the House with the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, therefore, in order that we can chart out that pathway to give the credit unions an even greater role in all financial aspects for the benefit of the community at large.
The Acting Leader is very welcome to the hot seat. It is good to see her in it. I wish her well today.
In response to Senator Keogan, people who identify as women are entirely normal and ordinary. I for one am glad to see organisations using inclusive and progressive language.
Well said.
I wanted to make that point at the beginning of my remarks. I have not been in the Chamber for all of the Order of Business but I heard some colleagues refer to the developing situation in the North. I heard the Minister, Deputy Coveney, reflect on the latest stunt from the DUP in his remarks during last night's Private Members' business. My party will respond and give its own views in the course of the day. I do not want to pre-empt any of that other than to say it is important that we hold firm to the political unity that has been steadfast throughout Ireland with regard to the protocol, its implementation and why we need it. That chimes with the overwhelming majority of people in the North, across Ireland, throughout these islands and, indeed, across Europe and beyond.
I intend to submit a Commencement matter one day next week, upon which I hope the Cathaoirleach will look favourably, on the issue of the programme for Government commitment to hold a referendum on extending presidential voting rights to citizens outside this State. This long-standing promise and commitment from the Government goes back to the Constitutional Convention in 2014. The former Taoiseach Enda Kenny, on one of those occasions when the Government tends to go around the diaspora on St. Patrick's Day, went to Philadelphia and announced the holding of a referendum. We are getting close to that time again. I hope that as we emerge from the understandable health restrictions that were placed upon us as a result of the pandemic, the Government will be able to outline a timeframe for holding that referendum. I hope to speak more about that next week.
It is great to see Senator O'Reilly in the Acting Leader's chair today. No doubt she will do an excellent job.
The issue I will raise again, which I have been talking about for a long time, is the concept of the three-day taxsaver flexi ticket for commuters. The National Transport Authority, NTA, wrote to me last Friday to say that after 18 months of telling me it was going to introduce it, and telling me as recently as 18 December that it would do so at the end of the first quarter of 2022, it is not going to introduce it because it is too complex and financially difficult. That is totally and utterly wrong. It shows where commuters lie in the NTA's priorities. We have had 18 months in which we have done colossal things in terms of introducing legislation overnight. A flexi ticket should be something that can be easily introduced regardless of whether there is a pandemic. To give one common example, I spoke to a friend of mine who was travelling twice on the train from Dundalk to Dublin this week. It cost him €64 for two return trips. It would be cheaper for him to put €50 in his tank and drive up and down the road. We know we need to get people out of private cars and onto public transport. Because the NTA is not willing to introduce this and said it will look at alternative options, it is actually cheaper and easier for someone to drive to Dublin and back. I want to be very clear. It is not the fault of the Minister either. Devolved responsibility has been provided to the NTA. It is something on which the NTA has been solely working. After I have spent 18 months trying to work it through the official channels with the NTA, which has failed to deliver and pulled the plug at the eleventh hour, I would appreciate if we could speak to the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and I will speak to the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, to put some real ministerial pressure on the NTA. If it is not going to reduce it, what is the alternative? What is the next option? How soon is it going to introduce it? We need to get some affirmative action now. It is just not acceptable at this stage.
It is nice to see Senator Pauline O'Reilly in the role of Acting Leader. Well done to her. I agree with Senator Gallagher with regard to the debate on credit unions.
I wish to mention the decision by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, to reinstate a derogation for farmers to burn green waste. Of course it is not the ideal solution but there is no other solution at the moment. Often, farmers have to cut away material that is then left lying in fields, particularly where there are dangerous road junctions. The run-off from that is not good if it runs into drains. That derogation is, therefore, in place. I acknowledge the Government and the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, who have agreed to reinstate that derogation for now until we get some other solution for that problem.
With the little time I have left, I wish to mention the issue of crime. I come from a county that was designated the safest county in the country in which to live in a survey carried out by the Irish Examiner last year. There has definitely been a rise in house robberies, however. A family will go away and when they come back, a window will have been broken and items removed from the house. In an area close to me, a couple were actually eating their dinner at 6 o'clock in the evening when guys came in, robbed the place and got away. This is a very frightening situation for people. Crime is on the decrease here; there is no doubt about that. We should have a conversation, however, about these people who frighten the hell out of people, older people in particular, by carrying out this type of robbery. They are not violent but they are very frightening. I would like to see a tightening up of the law. We should have a discussion with the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, with regard to this. It is just a discussion. I am not attacking the Minister. It is an area on which we need to focus and send a clear message to these people that they will not get away with this. It is our job to do that.
It is lovely to see the Acting Leader. I wish to raise two issues. In Limerick, the Coonagh to Knockalisheen road is due to be opened before the summer. The Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, said recently that it is "unsustainable" and "uneconomic" for phase 2 of the project to proceed.
We will now end up with half a road going to half the section. The part that is needed for the expansion of the University of Limerick and the National Technology Park was voted for by both Limerick and Clare councils. It is just not right that the road should suddenly come to a halt. The Minister for Transport said "Taking an alternative route on an unsustainable, uneconomic basis, without good transport planning in regard to the roads in County Clare would be the last thing we should do." Much work went into getting this road approved and it is disappointing to now find that it is going to come to a standstill.
Vitalograph is a company based in Ennis but it has announced that it will open a new headquarters in Limerick city and expand its business there, so I welcome it to Limerick city.
I agree with Senator Murphy on the issue of burning. I raised this with the Minister of State, Deputy Heydon, yesterday morning and he and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine worked on it all day yesterday. I welcome this morning's announcement that the derogation will be lifted because farmers are so reliant on this. They will now be able to burn agricultural waste until the end of February.
I congratulate the Acting Leader on assuming the role. It is a great honour. A number of Senators mentioned the issue of credit unions and asked that the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, come into the House. We should encompass the post office in that debate as well. It was one of the financial institutions that stayed open fully through Covid and provided vital services to our communities, not just in rural areas but in urban areas and our cities. It is important that it is supported in that. I thank the Minister for Social Protection for the support she gave the post office with the moving of jobseekers' payments back into the network. We were suffering a decline of 12% in social welfare payments out of the office network, which had a significant impact on the business being done. It also impacted communities and the businesses around them. I thank her for that support and look forward to continued support for the network.
I raise the proposal for a new fire station in Ballymahon, County Longford. At present an industrial unit beside a housing estate is being used. The biggest tourism infrastructure project in the country has been developed in the area in Center Parcs, with over 2,500 people staying there every single week. I am going there myself tomorrow with the kids and I am looking forward to it. It is important that we have back-up for a project like that and that we have a proper fire service. The local authority is identifying a site in the town in order to build that station but we need money from the Government to develop it. I ask that that be prioritised.
I acknowledge the presence of Senator Pauline O'Reilly in the role of Acting Leader. I have two questions, one of which is perfect for her and is right up her street. First, I acknowledge the decision by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, last night and the work between him and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to lift that ban on burning. It is important and that work by the Minister should be acknowledged and appreciated.
Would it be possible to get a debate in the Seanad on cycleways and walkways and the amount of money the Minister for Transport has put towards them? I would like him to outline how this money will be spent over the next number of years and his vision of what this can do for the country. We have a beautiful blueway going from Clonmel to Carrick-on-Suir and because of the money the Minister has put in to design areas to expand it, it now looks like we will be able to expand the blueway onto the greenway in Waterford. That is a huge advantage the region and the area because we all know how well-known the greenway in Waterford is. To connect that to Clonmel, Cahir and the Rock of Cashel will bring huge added advantage. Such a debate would be an opportunity for the Minister to explain the opportunity this brings to regions like mine in Tipperary.
I also ask for an update on the sports capital grants and when they will be announced. I could list a range of clubs that need money but it would take some time.
The Senator does not have the time.
I know.
I mean that literally.
They are in Clonmel, Cahir and everywhere. This is important. The clubs are ready to go and waiting for an announcement. It is welcome that there will be extra money from this year's pot and that is important because more clubs will be successful. We need decisions to be made on this as quickly as possible so these clubs can get going on developing their area and enhanced sporting activity and everything that goes with that.
Senator Currie is just in time.
I am out of breath.
We will give you a few extra seconds. I can keep talking while you gather your breath. Thank you for making a dramatic entrance.
I can substitute if the Senator wants.
We do not have that much time.
I thank the Cathaoirleach. We have spent the last six years tirelessly working to find solutions for Brexit and to deal with the democratic will of the UK to leave the EU, even though the majority of people in the North of Ireland did not want it. Now those who campaigned the hardest for Brexit, and for the hardest of Brexits, are obstructing the only mechanism they could agree on to make it happen, even though the majority of people in the North of Ireland support the protocol and making it work better for the entire community. Yet again there is disregard for the community as a whole, as well as for rule of law.
Speaking of which, my thoughts turn once again to the victims of the Troubles, with whom I, the Cathaoirleach and others met this morning. The Truth and Justice Movement is a cross-community group of victims. However, it really only represents one community, and that is the truth and justice community. It is meeting the Taoiseach right now, following a meeting with the Minister for Foreign Affairs last week. I am sure these people will receive the same assurances they got at that meeting that the Irish Government is utterly opposed to an amnesty. That group achieved something that no other organisation on this island has done, namely, a consensus and a resolution, signed by all the main parties on this island, to oppose the amnesty. That is quite an incredible achievement. It is also the same in the UK. All the parties except the Conservatives have supported this resolution and we want to bring that message to the White House to get support there as well. I very much support the Truth and Justice Movement in its meeting today. We should all be part of that community fighting for truth and justice.
I need to correct the record of the House from yesterday. A statement was made yesterday that the Air Corps is not regulated-----
I must interrupt the Senator. The purpose of the Order of Business, as he knows, is to agree the order of business as outlined and propose legislation. It is not the purpose of the Order of Business to continue a debate that had ample time yesterday.
I did not have the information yesterday when the statement was made.
There is another mechanism the Senator can explore under Standing Orders. I can get him that information if he so wishes but the purpose of the Order of Business, as the title states, is the order of business. It is not for people to make statements. There is another mechanism for that to be done.
Do I have the right to raise an issue that brought my good name into question yesterday?
There is a mechanism for that which we can outline to the Senator. There are different mechanisms under Standing Orders but as the Senator can appreciate, we cannot open up every debate that we just had to more debate.
I appreciate that.
People had ample time yesterday. I am happy to have open debate and discussion but the Order of Business is for the purpose we have all agreed in Standing Orders. I will share with the Senator the relevant Standing Order.
I need to have the two issues that were raised yesterday corrected. I was not in a position to correct them yesterday, so I am very willing to take the Cathaoirleach's direction on this. It is vitally important that we deliver accurate information in this House and that we do not stoop to personalised attacks on people and their record.
That happened to me yesterday and I am very upset about it.
It is good to see Senator Pauline O’Reilly in the Deputy Leader’s chair. I look forward to hearing her response to the Order of Business.
I raise the question of the Winter Olympics, which are to open in Beijing tomorrow. They will be the most shameful Olympic Games to have taken place since those in Berlin in 1936. We all know about the ongoing human rights abuses in China, such as the Uighur genocide and what has been happening in Hong Kong. Today I raise, in particular given it is an often forgotten conflict, the case of the people of Tibet. Freedom House has stated the human rights abuses in Tibet rank only with those of Syria in terms of their seriousness. It has found the Chinese Communist Party has oppressed the culture and language of the people of Tibet.
I welcome the fact the Minister of State with responsibility for sport, Deputy Chambers, indicated he will not attend the games, and I do not think we should give any diplomatic recognition to the games, but we also need to call out the sponsors of the games, one of which is Airbnb. In China, because it follows the rules of the Chinese Government, it will not allow any of its premises there to be let to somebody from a Uighur or Tibetan background. This is morally wrong.
There are other commercial sponsors, such as Coca-Cola, Toyota, Panasonic, Intel and Proctor and Gamble. All these commercial sponsors need to be called out for engaging in the propaganda purposes of the Chinese Communist Party. What is going on in China before our eyes is disgraceful and disgusting. The Irish Government has to stand up for the human rights of those who are being oppressed. The Olympic Games is an event that should inspire all of us, but the fact it is going ahead at all in Beijing - I do not believe the athletes should be disadvantaged - is morally wrong and we need also to call out those commercial sponsors that are involved. In this House, we have had strong debates on China. We need to send that message clearly to the commercial sponsors as well.
It is great to see Senator Pauline O’Reilly in the Deputy Leader’s chair. I hope it is the first time of many.
I raise the issue of multi-denominational, co-educational secondary schools, particularly in Dublin Central. When I was growing up, there was no multi-denominational, co-educational secondary school there, and it is more than ten years since I supported a campaign for such a school. This morning, I met people from Clonturk Community College, a secondary co-educational, multi-denominational school based in Whitehall. It opened its doors in 2016 and is going from strength to strength.
I thank the Minister for Education for this morning meeting the principal and the board of management, and I thank also the City of Dublin Education and Training Board. The school is a partnership between the Department of Education, the education and training board, Educate Together and the local community. It has been a great success and I am delighted the Minister was today able to confirm it is on the major capital programme of the Department. There is much ambition for the school and the Department is committed to the school having proper, purpose-built accommodation, with capacity for up to 1,000 students and up to four special educational needs, SEN, classes. I put on record my support and congratulations to everybody who was involved in the campaign from an early stage and everyone who continues to support the school. It is a wonderful, open, diverse and inclusive community and it is going from strength to strength.
It is great to see Senator Pauline O'Reilly in the position of Deputy Leader today, so I say, "Well done".
The circumstances that are developing in Northern Ireland warrant an urgent debate in the House next week. We recall when Sinn Féin pulled down the Northern Ireland Executive over the cash-for-ash scandal, which created a wave of unexpected consequences. This time, if the Democratic Unionist Party, DUP, pulls down the Executive, it will be far more complex, with many more challenges, and it will create considerable instability on the island of Ireland. The issue definitely warrants a debate in this House in the presence of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
I welcome the announcement in recent days that the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Peter Burke, will reform the planning laws to make it more straightforward and easier for people who wish to build houses to get planning permission to do so. There is a housing crisis in this country, yet the planning system is tied up in knots. It is time to unwind those knots, make planning straightforward and easy, and bring it into international best practice in order that houses can be built in the appropriate way and on appropriate sites. It will mean people will not have to wait years to get planning permission to build houses. The only way in which we will resolve the housing crisis is by providing houses. We need to ensure every instrument will be made available, as easily as possible, to those who are prepared to build them.
I call on the Acting Leader to respond to the Order of Business.
I thank the Senators for their welcoming remarks. I do not know how the Leader manages to respond to everyone but I will give it a go.
I begin by responding to Senator Hoey, given it is important when someone raises the death of someone who did so much for society and human rights that we acknowledge that at the outset. I extend my condolences to the family of Eoin Collins, who did so much for Ireland and for equality.
Senators O'Loughlin and McGreehan and others raised the Count Her In campaign, and a launch is taking place at the moment on the Leinster House plinth led by Women for Election. We absolutely have to support women, men and those of all genders and it is welcome there is a campaign that seeks to increase the number of women in the Houses. Although there are a large number of women in the Seanad, the same cannot be said for the Dáil or at local authority level. The issue of violence against women was raised and Senator O'Loughlin spoke about her family's experience, whereby her 12-year-old niece was attacked. I agree we have to examine the causes within society. We had a very good debate on the matter last week but we will have to return to it on an ongoing basis.
Senator Ward raised a somewhat related issue, that is, the ability of defendants, as it stands, to cross-examine their accuser. I agree we need to address that and consider whether it should really be an unfettered right to represent oneself, particularly when it comes to cross-examination.
Senator Boyhan raised the issue of Cathal Brugha Barracks. I listened to the Commencement matter raised by Senator O'Loughlin earlier and the fulsome response from the Minister for Defence. To respond to Senator Boyhan's question, I am not entirely sure why the Defence Forces did not know about the feasibility study, although the Minister outlined that it was coming from his Department, which is seeking funding through Housing for All. He indicated no decision has been made, so it might be worth reviewing his comments in that regard. The Senator also sought an early debate on the commission’s report, a request I can certainly pass on to the Leader.
Senator Gavan spoke about a Bill of which I am a signatory, the Safe Access to Termination of Pregnancy Services Bill 2021. In some respects, I welcome the fact it is coming back before the House. As he said, he was prompted to take action on the basis the Minister for Health has not progressed matters to the extent we would like. Nevertheless, I welcome the scheduling of a debate next week on Committee Stage.
Senator Ruane spoke about the issue of Facebook, in particular, and sought a debate on artificial intelligence, AI, and the metaverse, a request that was welcomed by other colleagues.
Senator Seery Kearney sought a similar debate. I agree that very often legislation is catching up with what is happening in real life. There are sinister things happening in terms of how our data are being used. I note that the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022 will come before the House next week. It might provide an opportunity to raise those issues, but quite apart from that there is need for a debate on the issue.
Senators McGreehan and Ó Donnghaile and a number of other Senators raised the issues in regard to Northern Ireland. Some of those Senators also raised other issues, which I will come to later. It is very worrying that so close to an election Edwin Poots is engaging in cynical electioneering tactics in order to undermine the protocol, which has been signed up to. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, has given a very good response, but we need to keep up the pressure there. While I do not believe the steps that have been taken are representative of the views of Northern Ireland, they are putting pressure on workers. That point was well made by Senator McGreehan.
Senator Seery Kearney also raised the issue of LED lights and suggested a practical measure in this regard. Complaints in regard to LED lights come to my attention from time to time. Recognition of this as a disability may be the way to go in terms of providing some support.
Senator Keogan spoke about violence against women and made some comments about the National Women's Council of Ireland as an organisation. Everybody is entitled to decide for themselves whether they want to sign up to the organisation on the basis of their values, in the same way as they do in regard to many other organisations across the State. We should not stop funding an organisation that represents so many people. Quite apart from that, I do not agree with Senator Keogan's views on the matter, but she is entitled to them. I believe people are entitled to their own definitions and identities as they see fit. That includes women.
Senators Gallagher, Murphy and Carrigy asked for a debate on credit unions. Senator Carrigy sought to have that debate broadened to post offices. We need to have a debate around credit unions and community banking, which are so much part of the culture of our communities across the country. We need to expand our understanding of financial institutions.
Senator Ó Donnghaile raised the issue of Northern Ireland and he also addressed Senator Keogan's point, which I have just addressed.
Senator McGahon raised the NTA's response to proposed introduction of a three-day taxsaver ticket. I am 100% supportive of the Senator's position on this issue. I have spoken to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, on the matter. I agree that something needs to be done. If we are promoting flexible and hybrid working, we also have to ensure all of the things that support people getting to their workplace two or three days per week go hand-in-hand with that. The position of the NTA is short-sighted. As recognised by Senator McGahon, the institution is separate from the Minister. I believe something should and can be done on that issue.
Senators Murphy and Ahearn raised the issue of a derogation on the burning of green waste on farms. The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, said a year ago that it would stop in time. As I understand it, that is still the position. The derogation has been signed for another year. That provides us with an opportunity to come up with another solution. We know that quite apart from anything else it impacts on air quality.
Senator Murphy also raised the issue of crime. Returning to my university days, I know that the fear of crime can be just as damaging to people as the crimes. It is important to highlight that issue. Regardless of whether crime is rising or falling, it does not change the fact that people are concerned about crime.
Senator Maria Byrne also raised the derogation on burning, which she welcomed. She also welcomed the expansion of Vitalograph into Limerick and she spoke about roads funding, which is an issue of concern for many Senators, although Senator Byrne was the only Senator to raise it today. All Senators worry about their own constituencies. I have my own views, but there is a budget for new roads and there is a record amount of funding when it comes to safety on our roads. I take on board Senator Maria Byrne's point.
As I said earlier, Senator Carrigy raised the issue of the credit unions and he also advocated for support for a fire station in Ballymahon. I thank the Senator for raising that matter because communities need our advocacy.
Senator Ahearn also spoke about the derogation. I support his call for a debate on cycleways and walkways and how we can link blueways and greenways. We need to have those links across the country. I will ask the Leader to arrange that debate. The Senator also asked for an update on sports capital grants, which we would all welcome. We will seek an update from the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, and the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers.
Senator Currie also raised the issue of the protocol and the consensus. She spoke about the success that a really important organisation, The Truth and Justice Movement, has had in working on a consensus basis. She also mentioned that the group is meeting with the Taoiseach today and that she would support the issue being raised to the White House.
The issue raised by Senator Craughwell was addressed by An Cathaoirleach so I will not go into that. My understanding is that the Senator took on board An Cathaoirleach's point.
Senator Malcolm Byrne raised the issue of the Winter Olympics in Beijing. We have a good tradition in this House of speaking out against human rights violations, particularly in China. In this instance, Senator Byrne raised the issue of Tibet. It is welcome that the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, will not be attending. It is a good opportunity for commercial organisations to take a look at themselves and to consider whether their consumers are supportive of their sponsorship.
Senator Fitzpatrick raised the issue of multi-denominational, co-educational schools. She mentioned Clonturk Community College, which is in her constituency of Dublin Central. She spoke very passionately about her support for the roll-out of multi-denominational, co-educational schools across the country. As many Senators will know, it is something I am very passionate about.
Senator Conway raised the issue of the reform of the planning system by the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke. I support reform of the planning system to unwind some of the knots. As mentioned by Senator Conway, when it comes to planning for housing, greenways, cycleways and so on we are held up by a planning system that clearly is not fit for purpose. Within that, there must be transparency and an ability to have proper consultation and an ability to go to the courts if people feel that is needed.
I thank Senators and I hope have not missed any of the issues raised.
Order of Business agreed to.