I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Damien English, to the House.
Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters
Local Government Reform
I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this Commencement matter. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Damien English, to the House. He is no stranger to local government having been a Minister of State in that Department. He is hugely committed to local government, to reform and to the participation of the widest possible number of people in local government. He is a strong advocate of that and I am delighted he is here to take this Commencement matter.
The Commencement matter I have tabled is on the need for the Minister of State with responsibility for planning and local government to make a statement on increasing participation of women and diversity in local government, including the funding to facilitate this participation. That is the issue. At the very outset, I acknowledge the decision yesterday of the Cabinet to approve, at least in principle, maternity leave. It is a really important step but it is only one step in terms of increasing the participation of women, particularly in local government. However, I want to see more than that. I want to see diversity within local government. I am thinking of the migrant community and of new people who have come to our shores who are eligible to participate in local government because that is also an important part of it. It is about good people in local government, and supporting people into local government.
I am supportive of promoting wider inclusivity and diversity in local government in all local decision-making. It is important the new entrants into local government are supported and facilitated and assisted in every way possible. It is also important we support the existing councillors. One of the things brought to my attention in recent weeks through the women's caucus is about bringing women into politics, which is fantastic and I fully support it. However, we must also support the women who are there already. Ageism is alive and well in local government and I do not like the suggestion that everyone has to be young to be in local government. There are very able and experienced women in the Minister of State's party and in all parties, but Fine Gael has, I think, a higher ratio of women in local government than most. These women need to be supported too. It is not about them being pushed aside for new entrants. We want new entrants in politics but we also want to support those who want to stay. That is an important point.
I acknowledged that the Cabinet has approved, in principle, maternity leave, which is important. I acknowledge also the work of the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Peter Burke, who has done much work collaboratively with the Association of Irish Local Government, AILG, and the Local Authorities Members Association, LAMA. It is important to acknowledge Councillor Mary Hoade. She is a former president of the AILG and is a very strong advocate for women and for the participation of more women in local government as well as for more councillors in local government. She achieved a lot during her term as president of the AILG and I want to acknowledge that.
I acknowledge Councillor Terry O'Flaherty, who has been a councillor on Galway City Council for many years, and Councillor Karey McHugh, who was on that small steering group the Minister of State, Deputy Burke, picked to look at this issue.
What I am really saying is that it is all very progressive and very important. A new round of funding has been identified for increasing participation of women and diversity in local government, which, as it happens, is what this Commencement matter is about. There is a new call for 2022. I think we need to talk about that. We need more publicity in relation to it. People need to be aware there is funding being put in place by Government to encourage women in the parties. It is also for independent women who make a conscious choice not to join a political party. They are as valid and as important in the local government structure.
It is important we encourage people and that we support women, diversity and everyone who wants to make a significant contribution to local government.
Go raibh míle maith agat.
I am glad to have a chance to address Senator Victor Boyhan on the important issue raised today around increasing the participation of women and diversity in local government. It is essential and I am delighted to be able to respond on behalf of Minister of State, Deputy Burke, who successfully brought his proposal through Cabinet yesterday in relation to maternity leave, which should have been there for many years. I am glad he has achieved that now.
It will again assist with the participation of women and people from diverse backgrounds in local government, and rightly so.
I fully agree with the Senator that this is a really important conversation we need to have more often. We need to promote the work that is being done in this regard, as well as the notion of people of all ages entering politics. Very often when we talk about new candidates, it is assumed they are young candidates but that is not necessarily the case. New candidates of all ages and all backgrounds are essential in the system and we also need to protect those who are already there and who are giving great service. I came into politics quite young myself, firmly of the belief that every generation should have a voice and be represented, whether at local or national level. There certainly should not be any ageist comments, against either older or younger people. A blend of people from all backgrounds and all age groups should come into politics.
I thank Senator Boyhan for raising the issue of increasing the participation of women and people of diversity in local government. I fully recognise the low rate of female participation in local government and addressing this issue has been a policy priority of the Government since its formation. A range of initiatives have been undertaken that are aimed at improving the gender and diversity balance of councils while, at the same time, working to make the role of councillor more sustainable for all and more attractive given, as we all recognise, it is a very busy but very important role, whether the person is a member of a party or is an Independent. They are all equally important and equally beneficial to their local community.
On the specific issue of funding to local authorities, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has issued annual calls for funding since 2019, requesting local authorities to submit appropriate proposals for projects to address the under-representation of women and people of diversity in local government structures and decision-making. While it is fully appreciated local authorities do not have a specific role regarding political candidacy for local elections, they are in a position to create an informed, supportive and encouraging environment for women and people of diversity who might be interested in local government.
There has been great interest from the local authority sector, with a range of innovative applications received. In 2021, more than €103,000 was allocated to 14 local authorities. Proposals that have received funding at local authority level include a behaviour and attitudes survey among non-national groups, a webinar on political engagement, a work shadowing programme for young women interested in local government and the publication of an information booklet on the role of the councillor. Earlier this month, the 2022 call for funding was issued to local authorities.
In addition, following research funded by the Department in 2021 on female caucuses in local government structures, funding was approved for local authorities to assist with the establishment and running of such caucuses. The provision of this funding was through an application process and funding was provided mainly to caucuses that were yet to be established. In 2021, funding of €62,000 was approved to help facilitate 24 local authorities with local level and regional caucuses. Since 2019, grant funding has been made available to political parties for specific projects aimed at increasing female participation and diversity in their parties.
In September 2021, following a review of the scheme, an increased fund of €150,274 was allocated to seven political parties and, for the first time, to an Independent group. I have no doubt the Senator will have been aware of that and will be glad to hear it confirmed. Under this scheme, initiatives previously funded include: the appointment of a party diversity officer, a recruitment campaign targeting new members from migrant backgrounds, the Traveller community and people with disabilities; development and training workshops for women members; and an annual women’s conference. It is proposed to issue a further call for funding again this year to the political parties and, no doubt, to the Independent groups as well.
I again thank the Senator for raising this important issue and for his considered views. It is important we continue to shine a light on the efforts of everybody in these Houses to increase diversity and gender balance in local government.
I thank the Minister of State. I am very familiar with the Independent group that was included last year because we lobbied for it. It had not been included in the initial proposals and we pulled together a group of Independents to make a submission to the then Minister of State with responsibility for the matter, Deputy Phelan, the year before last. To be fair to him, he was very keen to facilitate that.
The Minister of State, Deputy English, summed it up when he stated it is important every generation have an opportunity, to which I would add that all generations should have an equal opportunity, be they diverse or whoever they are, to participate in local democracy. The work the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has been doing is exceptional. I acknowledge also Ms Louise Purcell, an assistant principal officer who has really driven this and taken responsibility for it within the Department. She has kept in touch with the city and county managers, the chief executives and the local authority and councillor groups, so I acknowledge her participation and support, as well as that of the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke. It is all very progressive and will, I hope, bring in more new candidates.
Let us continue to keep the focus equally on supporting in their work those who wish to stay on as city and county councillors. We need every generation to get involved. Local government is best served by having a mix of people with diverse views and a mix of generations.
As I described, a range of measures are being taken to promote gender balance and diversity in local government, including supports through local authorities for women’s caucuses and political parties. Like the Senator, I recognise all those who have been involved in promoting this, whether in the Department, local government, the Local Government Management Agency, LGMA, or any of the other various councillor representative bodies, to make it happen, along with the Senator himself. Deputy Peter Burke has been a Minister of State very open to engaging and he has built on the work of Deputy Phelan, working with all stakeholders to try to get results and make things happen. It may have taken longer than it should have in regard to maternity leave and so on but I am glad the matter passed through Cabinet yesterday, which is really important.
The measures I mentioned also include supports to Women for Election, Longford Women’s Link and the National Women's Council of Ireland, which provide capacity-building and training services as well as policy research benefiting all women interested in entering local government. As I said, the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, just yesterday secured Cabinet approval for proposals to provide maternity leave and supports for councillors, as well as cover in respect of votes or important decisions at local authority level and administrative support, as may be required, which should take some pressure off councillors who need maternity leave to look after a newborn. They will not feel as though they have to be there for all the meetings and votes and they will have a choice in that regard. To be clear, that should have been in place a long time ago and I am glad it has been secured. These measures are in addition to the significant reform of councillor remuneration introduced with effect from 1 July 2021, which places the role of councillor on a more financially sustainable footing and recognises their expanded role.
We continue to work with the sector on non-pay-related improvements to the role. It is the intention of the Government that through the funding schemes I have mentioned, alongside the holistic reforms being put in place such as maternity leave and supports, the role of the councillor can become truly achievable and sustainable for all, exactly as the Senator outlined. It should be an option for everybody, no matter who they are or where they are from. In that way, we will have elected councils that are more fully representative of the diverse communities they represent.
Employment Rights
It is good to see the Minister of State and I thank him for coming to the House. European works councils play an important role in the information and consultation of employees of multinational companies across borders. It is a very important function, underpinned by an EU directive. The directive on European works councils compels member states to put in place adequate administrative or judicial procedures in order that workers and company management can enforce all the rights and obligations deriving from the directive, but Ireland's legislation has not properly transposed the EU directive, leading to problems and issues that have been highlighted time and again.
On foot of a complaint made by SIPTU, the European Commission "has identified a number of shortcomings in Irish legislation, which fails to guarantee the right of workers' representatives, the Special Negotiating Body (a body of workers' representatives) or the European Works Council to go to a national court over disputes related to breaches of the rights and obligations under this Directive". As the Minister of State knows, this has not just appeared out of the blue. The Government was warned by the European Commission and for years, Sinn Féin Deputies and I have been calling on the Tánaiste to update the legislation governing European works councils to benefit workers and to comply with European Union law, while my party colleague Chris MacManus MEP has been working tirelessly on this matter in the European Parliament. The Brussels European Employee Relations Group, BEERG, wrote to the Minister of State's Government in 2020 and even outlined a solution prepared by Mr. Kevin Duffy, barrister and former chairman of the Labour Court. SIPTU also warned the Government about its concerns but it was ignored as well. The Government has refused to act and it has now been issued with a letter of formal notice under Article 258 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
As I said, this came about because SIPTU felt there was no other option but to make a complaint to the Commission because the Government had refused to act. My colleague, Denis Sheridan, from SIPTU had been in contact with the Minister of State's Department on a number of occasions and got nothing positive back when he highlighted these issues. Indeed, I have to highlight the Minister of State's own statement of just three months ago, in March of this year when, in a written reply to a parliamentary question, he stated, "My Department are satisfied that the Transnational Information and Consultation of Employees Act, 1996 as amended fully and correctly transposes Directive 2009/38/EC into national law."
I would like the Minister of State to explain that statement. To be frank, the dogs in the street knew the way the Government had transposed this law was not correct. This is something that has been highlighted for years and years. I believe it also highlights a political bias in the Department the Minister of State represents in terms of workers' rights. Anything that even touches the idea of collective bargaining is resisted on every occasion.
The good news is that at last week's meeting of the Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment, BEERG outlined once again the proposals from Mr. Kevin Duffy, which are very straightforward. This group believes the appropriate model of legislation should be based on the Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Act 2006. As the Minister of State knows, this Act provides that where a dispute arises it is first referred to the Workplace Relations Commission for mediation. If mediation is not successful the dispute is then referred to the Labour Court for a recommendation and, if the recommendation fails to solve the dispute, either party can ask the court for a binding determination. The Minister of State has a roadmap to fix this, which was highlighted by the enterprise committee's meeting just last week. This approach is seen as fitting with the well-established Irish model of industrial relations, namely, direct talks between the parties followed by mediation and, if necessary, followed by the involvement of the Labour Court.
I have some simple questions for the Minister of State. Will he explain that statement he made in March? What is now the response from this Government? What will it do now? Will this Government act to amend the legislation or is Ireland set to face massive fines from the European Union?
I thank the Senator for the opportunity to provide an update on the position regarding a letter of formal notice that was adopted by the European Commission on 19 May 2022. The case concerns European works councils and the transposition of the Transnational Information and Consultation of Employees Act 1996. The 1996 Act provides for the establishment of a European works council, or other mechanisms, in community-scale undertakings and community-scale groups of undertakings for the purposes of informing and consulting employees. Community-scale undertakings are large multinationals with at least 1,000 employees across the member states and at least 150 employees in each of at least two member states.
The complaint alleges that rights under EU Directive 2009/38/EC cannot be effectively enforced in Ireland. It suggests a lack of access to justice for special negotiating bodies and European works councils, and the absence of certain dispute resolution mechanisms concerning exercise of these rights. My Department is engaging with the European Commission on foot of the complaint alleging nonconformity of Irish legislation with the directive. Department officials have also sought legal advice from the Office of the Attorney General and will engage further with the European Commission once this advice has been received.
On a personal level, I kind of feel sorry for the Minister of State because in all my time doing Commencement matters this is the shortest answer I have ever seen. In effect, he has no answer for me, which is extraordinary in circumstances where this has been highlighted for years by SIPTU. I will again reference Mr. Denis Sheridan, my colleague from SIPTU, who stated, "As a consequence of the inadequate transposition of the Directive, the new Irish law made it attractive for multi-national companies to move their legal base to Ireland, in order to avoid meeting their obligations under EU law." The point is this issue is being watched all over Europe. The enterprise committee meeting last week had a huge audience of trade unionists and employers' groups watching to see when the Government will actually take action. From the answer the Minister of State has been handed to read out today, it is very clear the Department still has nothing to say.
I will give the Minister of State one final opportunity. Will he please explain his reply in March when he, in effect, said there is nothing to see here and there is no problem with how we have transposed this directive? The Minister of State is wrong. The EU Commission has clearly said he is wrong. He should at least own up to that and tell us what he will do.
The question as set out asked me what departmental processes are involved in this. The Department's involvement with the EU Commission is a process and that is exactly what I have updated the House on.
To be very clear again, the Department's position is that the provisions of the 1996 Act, as amended, meet the requirements of the directive. That is our opinion as a Government and a Department.
Still.
There is currently no evidence to support an assertion that the rights afforded to special negotiating bodies and European works councils under the statutory provisions mean there is a lack of access to justice or an absence of dispute resolution mechanisms concerning their rights. However, we will engage with the European Union, as we do. Departmental officials will continue to engage with the European Commission on this matter. Should any amendments to the procedures be deemed necessary as a result of this engagement, they will be effected as quickly as possible. That is the process we are involved in.
We will respond to the Commission by 15 July. The Senator asked me for a timeline. That is the timeline and legal process we are involved in. It is as far as I can go today. Naturally, after our initial response to the Commission, if there are further questions or issues to be addressed, we will also do that and we will engage in a satisfactory manner. That is the process we are involved in and it is important we see it out.
That is an extraordinary statement.
National Monuments
I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Expenditure and Reform, Deputy O'Donovan, to the House.
I thank the Cathaoirleach's office for accepting this Commencement matter. I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber. As he knows, 22 August will be the 100th anniversary of the death of General Michael Collins. The Taoiseach and the Tánaiste will address the annual Béal na Bláth commemoration on Sunday, 21 August, as a sign of reconciliation in this decade of centenaries. It is perhaps reflective of the new reality of politics in this country in the context of a coalition Government involving the two great rivals. As the Minister of State will also know, the monument to Daniel O'Connell, the great liberator, was erected in 1880. He was famous for his role in Catholic emancipation and as a pacifist. It is extraordinary even with that passage of time we still have no national monument in Dublin to General Michael Collins or, indeed, to many other of the great heroes of our War of Independence, whether they are Cathal Brugha, Countess Markievicz, William T. Cosgrave or Éamon de Valera. There is no reflection and commemoration in Dublin, our capital city, to these great heroes of our independence.
It is now timely after 100 years and at this point in the decade of commemorations to change that. We should not be ashamed of our past. We should remember it. Young people, in particular, should be able to remember and know what has happened in this country and in our past. Monuments and statues should not be divisive. They should be reflective of our history. This issue was raised yesterday in the Dáil by my colleague, Deputy Phelan. The Taoiseach did not give a particularly informative answer on whether there are plans for a statue to General Collins. It is beholden on us now, as part of this decade of commemorations, that this be looked at seriously and plans put in place for it. The Minister of State might give answers in the context of his responsibility for the Office of Public Works. Is it his job or responsibility to commission a statue or monument? Is it something he can take upon himself or does it have to be agreed by Cabinet or the Taoiseach's office? Who has to give the go-ahead for something like this to be initiated?
So many school tours come to this Chamber and to the Dáil, they visit the Gallery in Leinster House, and they attend the National Gallery of Ireland or the National Library of Ireland. It would be a major addition for all those school tours that come to these buildings, as well as for active retirement groups and other visitors, that there would be a series of monuments or statues to the heroes I have identified as part of our struggle for independence in the general vicinity of Leinster House, whether it be Merrion Square or outside Government Buildings. General Collins was our first Minister for Finance. A monument in the general area of these buildings would be a fitting tribute for the benefit of all those who visit our capital city. It would be a sign of maturity regarding a changing Ireland in that we would finally accept that we have put the divisions in our country behind us, while reflecting on those people who fought for and achieved our independence. We see monuments to their heroes in every other country that has gained independence around the world. Quite rightly, we have seen monuments to Queen Victoria removed from Leinster House, but we have not got monuments to those who replaced her and struggled to get independence from the crown. I look forward to the Minister of State's reply regarding plans that he or the Government may have for fitting tributes.
I welcome the opportunity to speak to the Commencement matter the Senator raised. The Office of Public Works undertakes the acquisition of paintings, sculpture and drawings on behalf of the Department of the Taoiseach. To the Senator's first point, there are no plans at present for any additional sculptures, monuments or anything of that nature for anybody associated with the War of Independence or the Civil War because we have to await instruction from the Department of the Taoiseach.
The OPW commences the acquisition process at the request of the Department of the Taoiseach and initiates management of the art project, be it a painted portrait or a sculpture, when this request has been received.
Since the foundation of the State, the OPW has been involved in managing portraits on behalf of successive Governments. There are several existing representations of Michael Collins in State ownership, including the iconic three-quarter-length portrait painted by renowned artist Leo Whelan in the entrance hall to Leinster House. It is on display in a prominent location and is on view to all members of the public. There is another representation of Michael Collins on view in the environs of Leinster House. His portrait accompanies those of Arthur Griffith and Kevin O'Higgins on the base of the cenotaph, a tall Wicklow granite obelisk that is located centrally on Leinster Lawn. The cenotaph, which was completed in 1950, was designed by OPW architects Raymond McGrath and Frederick Du Berry. The three portraits on its base were created by sculptor Laurence Campbell.
The OPW has been actively involved in marking the decade of centenaries across the many heritage properties it manages. Commemoration ceremonies, exhibitions, public tours, seminars and lectures and a wide variety of events have been held in Dublin and throughout the country at OPW-managed locations. I can advise the Senator that I have written to the Department of the Taoiseach earlier this year regarding a national monument to commemorate Michael Collins, a matter that was raised at an OPW-facilitated venue in Woodfield in County Cork where the diaries of Michael Collins were presented to the National Archives by the Collins family. This matter was raised then and has been raised continually. It has been raised with us by community groups, Members of the Oireachtas, Ministers and others, but, unfortunately, I have no news about whether this project will proceed.
Deputy Ó Cuív and I represent our respective parties on the all-party committee on commemorations that advised the expert working group. This matter was discussed by that committee. Deputy Ó Cuív and I are of the view that three people who, in the early days of the State, were either leaders of the provisional Government or the national Government after the treaty and who lost their lives in quick succession - Arthur Griffith, Cathal Brugha and Michael Collins - all deserve to be commemorated. The Senator is right. Michael Collins is commemorated in the context of his role as Minister for Finance in the form of a coin has been issued by the Central Bank. He will be commemorated in the context of his role as a post office clerk in the form of a stamp that is due to be issued at a later date. I know of nowhere in world - the democratic world certainly - where the leader of a democratic nation who was assassinated is not the subject of a national commemoration. That happens in all democratic countries across the world. As Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW, it is my view that it should happen here.
I thank the Minister of State for his very frank response. I was not at the event in Woodfield. I know from media reports it was suggested that a statue would be commissioned. Did the Taoiseach give a commitment on that day that a statue should be commissioned or that he would look into the matter? According to the Minister of State, the Taoiseach has not requested that the Minister of State look into this matter and commission a statue. Is the Minister of State saying that the OPW would be quite happy to commission sculptures, monuments or other pieces of work to commemorate General Collins, Cathal Brugha, Arthur Griffith and others if the Department of the Taoiseach were to make a request that this be done? The Minister of State said he wrote to the Department of the Taoiseach and there was no reply. Has he even received an acknowledgment of that letter to the Department of the Taoiseach. Is it his intention to follow up on the Taoiseach's plans?
The answer to the Senator's final question is "Yes". It is my intention to follow it up because we are inundated with requests from community groups. In some cases, community groups even volunteer to gift us statues. As the State organisation that looks after commemorative events and sites, we cannot take statues. There is a process and protocol that must be gone through because otherwise it would be at the whim of the Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW to put up everything and anything across the country. There must be a process. Michael Collins was a democratically elected head of State and Government. In my estimation, he must be commemorated. That will either happen in the short or medium term, but I believe it will happen.
Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan from the Cork South-West constituency raised the issue on behalf of his constituents and said this issue needs to brought to national prominence and that it is not appropriate for community groups for do it. The advisory group gave advice on the decade of centenaries, but it is ultimately up to the Government to govern. In my estimation, the first democratic head of Government has still not been properly commemorated. This must be rectified.
Energy Policy
I want to raise what appears to be a complete lack of urgency regarding the new demand-side reduction strategy. Even before the war in Ukraine and the pressure this is placing on energy provision, there was a need to address demand-side pressure on our power supply. The previous Government's policy to make Ireland the data centre capital of the world is coming home to roost. Only yesterday, the Dáil debated the rushed legislation to allow for €400 million of temporary gas-powered generation. The Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action, of which I am a member, did not have an opportunity to do pre-legislative scrutiny on this legislation. Instead we are being asked to fast track approval for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU, to facilitate this gas-powered generation in order to keep the lights on over the winter. It seems that there is no such urgency to produce a demand-side response strategy, however. Months ago, the Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action heard from the Demand Response Association of Ireland how the Department is yet to have a single meeting with stakeholders to even discuss the new strategy. This is unbelievable. The climate action plan has an ambition of 20% to 30% demand flexibility by 2030. Demand-side reduction turns energy users into virtual power plants by allowing users to adjust energy consumption during times of high stress on the grid. Through reducing electricity consumption, it has the same effect as increasing generation but without the need for additional expensive carbon-intensive infrastructure.
Previously seen as an emergency response to prevent blackouts, demand-side reduction in a modern electricity system will actually assist our transition to 80% renewables by 2030. Not only that, it can also help the public to become active participants in the decarbonisation process and to benefit from it. Across the water, the British grid is going to pay households to use less electricity at peak times. Households with smart meters will be able to choose to cut energy use when supplies are high and to financially benefit from doing so by receiving a credit on their bills. As a grid spokesperson said, "demand shifting has the potential to save consumers money, reduce carbon emissions and offer greater flexibility on the system". Opening that demand shifting to households means that it will not just be the big companies that benefit from this. It will also facilitate more flexibility on the grid, which means cheaper power for everybody.
When will the CRU bring forward the new demand-side reduction strategy and will that strategy include households? Big business is what has led to the pressures on the grid, therefore, it should not be the case that only big business benefits from demand-side strategies.
I thank Senator Boylan for raising this important matter. The climate action plan sets out a road map to cut Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions by 51% by 2030 and to reach net zero emissions by 2050. Decarbonising Ireland's electricity system will play a vital role in this transition and, therefore, the Government has agreed a more ambitious commitment to increase the proportion of renewable electricity to up to 80% by 2030. Renewable electricity will also support the decarbonisation of other sectors such as transport and heat. Using renewable electricity to power vehicles and heat homes and offices is an essential step to a zero-carbon future. The climate action plan recognises the need for a range of supporting measures to enable the transformation of the electricity sector. This will involve the development of a balanced portfolio of technologies to facilitate the energy transition, including storage and demand-side response to support a grid with increased levels of renewable electricity.
Demand-side response involves users of electricity reducing their usage from their normal or current consumption patterns when required. It is an increasingly important element of the management of electricity networks worldwide. Successfully lowering electricity demand ultimately avoids the cost and inconvenience of building new generators and transmission lines. Managing demand by changing the time electricity is used can allow greater use of renewable power and considerable savings to households and businesses. Demand-side management is currently used by EirGrid in managing the power system efficiently.
Action 100 of the 2021 climate action plan requires the energy regulator, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU, to deliver an electricity demand-side strategy by the end of this year, following public consultation. This demand-side strategy will aim to have industrial, commercial and residential demand fully participating in supporting system needs with high levels of renewable generation, and seek to facilitate active participation by consumers and communities in the energy market. Key stakeholders will be EirGrid, ESB Networks and a variety of market participants. The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications will also take a keen interest in the development of the strategy. The strategy will be expected to consider various demand-side management techniques, including energy efficiency measures and demand response measures.
Under the national smart metering programme, new electricity meters, systems and processes are being implemented by ESB Networks to provide energy users with improved and more accessible information that will help them better understand and manage their energy consumption, and will enable higher renewable electricity by encouraging flexible demand. Smart meters will give access to new tariffs and services and support participation in the transition to a carbon-neutral economy and society.
ESB Networks is currently working on the delivery of a new strategy, the National Network, Local Connections programme, which is designed to reinforce the electricity network to ensure it is fit for purpose to underpin a thriving economy. Central to the work is a commitment to ensure citizens and communities are empowered to access the grid like more commercial players. Empowering consumers to be participants in the energy transition will take many forms, including supporting them to generate and export excess electricity to the grid as well as to join groups active in the system such as through microgrid initiatives or demand-side management groups.
The unprecedented crisis in European energy, sparked by Russia’s indefensible war on Ukraine, has underscored the urgent need to expedite the energy transition and to ensure Europe capitalises on its renewable resources. This not only means finding ways to bring more renewables online but facilitating an agile and dynamic electricity grid that can respond to challenges in supply and demand, with demand-side responses playing an ever-critical role.
Nobody doubts that the unprecedented crisis in the European market is because of the war in Ukraine but the crisis in the Irish energy sector precedes the war. It is disappointing that the Minister of State did not acknowledge the fact that EirGrid's generating capacity statement, which came well before the war, stated that all new demand between now and 2030 would be from data centres. We are living out the consequences of Fine Gael's failed policy. I welcome that residential premises are proposed to be included but I do not hear the same urgency on this as there is with the gas-fired power generation we are rushing through. This is a way of doing the same job and making sure the lights stay on but without having to build very expensive infrastructure, which is carbon intensive and continues to produce carbon emissions. We need more urgency on this. The end of the year is too late, especially if a public consultation is required on the back of that.
Demand-side response involves users of electricity reducing their usage from their normal or current consumption patterns when required. It is an increasingly important element of the management of electricity networks worldwide. It can also provide significant benefits for customers through reduced bills and gives them greater control over the energy they use and produce. Action 100 of the 2021 climate action plan sets out a specific task for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities to publish and implement a new demand-side strategy. This involves the publication of a consultation on a 2030 electricity demand-side strategy in the third quarter of this year, which is not very far away, and the publication of a demand-side strategy in the fourth quarter. The Senator is saying that is some time away but we will have progress on this matter in the third quarter, which we are now heading into, with the publication of the demand-side strategy in the fourth quarter.
Vaccination Programme
I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter. My request is very simple. I ask that all people who are immunocompromised receive the second Covid-19 booster vaccine without delay. I cannot understand why this is not happening. We are told there is no shortage of vaccines. Clearly, it would make sense to vaccinate the most vulnerable in society. Someone with type 1 diabetes is in the same cohort as someone with type 2 diabetes. We all know that type 1 diabetes is much more challenging and has a much bigger health risk than type 2. Type 2 diabetes is more often than not brought on as a result of lifestyle whereas type 1 is something people are born with. It is not appropriate that they would both be in the one cohort. We want all of these people to be vaccinated but there is a delay, which is not acceptable. I would like to know why that is.
We also need a new and revised information campaign on vaccines in general. There is a little slippage in this area. People are a bit careless about getting their booster shots. We need a renewed information campaign about the benefits of the Covid-19 booster vaccine. Covid has not gone away. The Minister of State knows that. We all know it. There are still people getting sick from Covid and there are people in hospital and intensive care as a result of Covid. Clearly there is a benefit to the vaccine. We saw that during the recent Omicron wave. The numbers of people hospitalised were way down even though the numbers that tested positive for Covid were way up. The number of people in intensive care was significantly down in spite of the fact that the virus was rampant throughout the community. That was because 97% of the Irish people were vaccinated. Vaccines work. They will not prevent people from getting Covid but they will prevent them from getting very sick when they get it, in a lot of cases. That is not true in all cases but it is in a lot of them. There are immunocompromised people waiting to be called to get their second booster shot. That is not acceptable. Some have got it from their GPs but many have not. If they look for it, they are told it is not their turn yet. There is something seriously wrong here. I do not know who is to blame, whether the national immunisation advisory committee, NIAC, the Minister, the Department or the HSE. Can somebody please explain the logic of not vaccinating with a second booster shot people who are immunocompromised? It is very simple. This just does not make sense.
There has been a lot of talk of long Covid. There is a huge body of work to be done on people who are still suffering from long Covid. We are hearing a lot of talking about it but we are not seeing too much walking or delivery. That is an issue for another day but I thought I would raise it while I had the opportunity. I hope the Minister of State will have some positive news for the people who are most vulnerable in our society, who need to get a second booster shot in order to protect their health and ensure they do not get sick or lose their lives from Covid.
I thank Senator Conway for raising this issue, which many people throughout the country are discussing. Ireland's Covid-19 vaccination programme is based on the principles of safety, effectiveness and fairness and has the objective of reducing severe illness, hospitalisations and deaths from Covid-19 infection. The vaccination programme is underpinned by independent expert clinical advice provided by the national immunisation advisory committee, NIAC. NIAC makes recommendations on vaccination policy to the Department of Health based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practice in respect of immunisation. This approach has resulted in a high degree of public confidence in the programme, which has contributed to the high levels of uptake in both the primary and booster programmes. More than 96% of adults have now received primary vaccination and in excess of 76% have been administered an initial booster dose.
On 5 April, NIAC recommended that a second booster dose be offered to all persons aged 65 years and older and persons aged 12 years and older with immunocompromise associated with a suboptimal response to vaccination. In making its recommendations, NIAC highlighted that breakthrough infections in those vaccinated and boosted are generally mild and of short duration while in older persons and those with certain specific conditions infection can lead to severe illness and hospitalisation. Following its recommendations, NIAC develops guidance which is contained in the immunisation guidelines for Ireland, which can be viewed online. These guidelines are continually updated and outline conditions that inhibit a sufficient response to vaccination including certain cancers, chronic kidney disease and the recent receipt of an organ transplant. Diabetes is one of a number of conditions associated with immunocompromise but not associated with a suboptimal response to vaccination. Persons in this group are considered at higher risk than the general population and have been offered both a primary vaccination regimen and an initial booster dose.
I emphasise that the Covid-19 vaccines have proven to be remarkably effective at preventing severe disease, hospitalisation and death. Those who are unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated continue to be disproportionately affected. I take this opportunity to urge anyone for whom an initial booster dose of vaccine has been recommended and anyone yet to receive their primary course to come forward and avail of the protection that primary vaccination and an initial booster dose affords.
I have asked NIAC to continue to actively examine the evidence regarding the likely benefit of a second booster to other groups. NIAC will continue to examine emerging evidence regarding booster vaccination for others in the population where there is evidence of waning immunity and reduced effectiveness and will make further recommendations, if required. I accept what the Senator has said in calling for everyone who is immunocompromised to be included but the guidelines so far have been specific to people who are severely or moderately immunocompromised. I also accept the point the Senator makes with regard to people with diabetes and the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. NIAC is continuously monitoring this matter and it will make further recommendations, if required.
I thank the Minister of State for the reply. I would give NIAC nine out of ten rather than ten out of ten because it was slow off the mark in coming out with recommendations before Christmas of last year. It is just slow in making recommendations. The dogs in the street know what is ultimately going to happen and yet recommendations take forever to come out. It can be very frustrating. Will the Minister of State or his officials go back to NIAC on this specific issue and ask it to decouple type 1 diabetes from type 2 diabetes because there is a significant difference between the two? Type 1 diabetics are often on pumps that have to be monitored 24-7. They are in constant risk of having a diabetic attack. If that is not a case for getting a second booster, I do not know what is. If nothing else comes out of this Commencement matter, I hope type 1 and type 2 diabetes can be decoupled. If NIAC was to allow those with type 1 diabetes a second booster shot, I would have achieved something.
I thank the Senator for being so specific in his request for type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes to be decoupled in view of the severe issues facing people with type 1 diabetes, who are often on pumps and in a more severe condition. I commit to the Senator that, before the day is out, I will personally communicate the views he has expressed directly to the Minister.
I appreciate that. I thank the Minister of State.
Swimming Pools
I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, for taking this Commencement debate. I want to highlight the ongoing lack of swimming pools, or even of a swimming pool, in my constituency of Dublin Fingal and the long-standing frustration of the communities and towns in the constituency at that lack. I know the Minister of State is in charge of the Central Statistics Office. It can be seen from the latest census figures on population released last week that the population of Dublin Fingal has grown by 12% since 2016. We now have more than 170,000 citizens living in Dublin Fingal but no swimming pool.
By way of comparison, the county of Leitrim has a population of 35,000 and has two swimming pools. I do not begrudge the people of Leitrim their two swimming pools but we have none. There is no public pool for the large towns of Skerries, Balbriggan, Lusk, Rush, Donabate and Swords. There are tens of thousands of people living in these villages but they have no pool. Nearly three years ago, it was promised that a pool would be built in Balbriggan alongside a relatively new housing development called Castlelands but it never materialised. In Skerries, planning permission was granted for a swimming pool on council land at the ballast pit in 2000. Despite this, there is no swimming pool and the planning permission has now lapsed. I really encourage the Minister of State's Department to revisit this. The local councillors, including Councillor Tom O'Leary of my own party, have been working hard with the council locally to try to get the issue back on the agenda.
A local group, the North Fingal Pool Campaign, was established a number of years ago. Genuinely month in and month out, it has been calling for a public swimming pool in north Fingal to serve the towns of Balbriggan, Balrothery, Balscadden, Skerries, Lusk and Rush and the tens of thousands who live in those towns who have no access to a pool. It is high time that the families and communities of north Fingal were able to avail of a local swimming pool.
As Minister of State with responsibility for sport, I do not have to tell Deputy Chambers that Swim Ireland tells us that swimming is in the top three sports that girls and women say that they want to participate in. More than 290,000 people swim at least once a week in Ireland. It is the most popular activity among older adults. There are also health and social benefits. One of the biggest barriers is access to a pool.
To be fair, we in Fingal are extremely fortunate to have some of the most beautiful beaches in Ireland, which a great many people use. Even more have been using them over recent years because of the Covid pandemic. However, the sea is not always an option for people who wish to swim, particularly in the winter months. You cannot run water aerobics for older adults and, in many cases, it is not safe for our children. Notwithstanding any inaction over recent years, I want to make the case that the best time to do something is now. I ask for the support of the Minister of State and his Department and for them to work with Fingal County Council to ensure we get access to a swimming pool.
Ireland's first pop-up pool was launched in Donabate Portrane Community and Leisure Centre a number of weeks ago. It is a fully heated pool in a structured marquee that can accommodate 16 children at a time. It has been greatly oversubscribed. It is really popular and welcome but we do not want a pop-up pool. We want our own state-of-the-art full-length swimming pool where the communities of Dublin Fingal can enjoy access to a local amenity week in and week out.
Will the Minister of State's Department give us its view on the possibility of constructing a modular swimming pool? I am informed they can be built for just under €1 million, as opposed to the €25 million that would be needed. This is probably the problem with Fingal County Council. Despite the fact it is one of the wealthiest and has the largest income of any county council in the country, I appreciate that €25 million is lot of money. I want to know the Minister of State's opinion on modular swimming pools that can be built for €1 million. I could suggest a funding breakdown of 50:50 between the State and the local authorities. That would make it much more accessible and easy to deliver. Instead of looking for one, we might look for one for every town.
I thank the Minister of State for coming here this morning. I look forward to working with his Department to try to deliver a much-needed and long-awaited swimming pool for the people for Dublin Fingal.
I thank Senator Doherty for raising this important matter. At the outset, I want to reiterate the Government’s commitment to providing the necessary sports facilities right across the country. If we are to achieve our ambitious targets for sports participation, we need the necessary facilities and equipment. Our commitment in this regard was demonstrated in recent months when we announced €150 million in allocations under the sports capital and equipment programme, which was by far the highest level of funding ever provided under the programme.
On swimming pools specifically, as the Senator will be aware, the provision of such public facilities is primarily a matter for the relevant local authority in the first instance. My Department, however, provides capital support for such facilities, as the Senator mentioned. In this regard, my Department's capital funding for new swimming pools or the refurbishment of existing pools was previously provided through the local authority swimming pool programme, LASPP. A total of 52 pools have been completed, and three swimming pool projects at Lucan, Buncrana and Edenderry remain in the programme, with the Lucan project nearing completion. My Department's capital support for any new swimming pools is now being provided through the large-scale sports infrastructure fund, LSSIF. The national development plan provided a capital allocation of at least €100 million for the fund over the period to 2027.
The first call for proposals under the LSSIF closed in 2019 with applications confined to local authorities and national governing bodies, NGBs, of sport. All applications were assessed in accordance with the evaluation procedures. It was announced in January 2020. Thus far, approximately €86.4 million has been awarded to 33 different proposals. These initial allocations include funding for eight swimming pool projects. It should be noted that Fingal County Council did not submit any application for a pool project under this call.
The priority in the short term is to advance all of these projects, including the swimming pools, to construction stage. In relation to any future requests for capital support for swimming pools, my Department is currently undertaking a review of progress on all existing grants. As part of this review, my Department is also considering the timing of any new call for proposals. The review work is at an advanced stage and it is expected to be finalised shortly. It will, of course, be a matter for Fingal County Council to decide on its priorities if and when a new call for LSSIF proposals issues.
More generally, the national sports policy commits to the development of a national swimming strategy. As part of this, there will be a review of swimming pool provision to identify where gaps exist and how these can be met. Furthermore, the sports action plan, which was published in November 2021, contains an action to develop and implement this strategy to provide additional swimming opportunities, both indoors and outdoors. Initial preparatory work has been undertaken in respect of this strategy and invitations have issued from my Department in respect of membership of a working group, which will be tasked with the detailed work of preparing the strategy, with a view to its completion and publication later this year. The outcome of these will be considered when deciding on the future funding provision for swimming pools, including any in the Dublin Fingal area.
As someone who was a councillor of Fingal County Council before being elected to the Dáil, I am very aware of the democratic necessity of an increased swimming pool infrastructure. That is why, as part of the national swimming strategy, we are looking at that infrastructure piece. I know that Swim Ireland has ideas. The pop-up pool is one example. There are also interim infrastructure solutions that could arise. The Senator mentioned a modular build of a pool, which, as part of the national swimming strategy, will form part of new of infrastructural solutions that we will have to move on to fill the gap.
As the Senator referenced, if one looks at the existing capital allocations, many of them cost up to €20 million. One cannot put a €20 million swimming pool everywhere. It is, therefore, important to find new solutions to deliver the participation benefits for all ages. As the Senator referenced, swimming is the second most popular sport, with up to half a million people swimming per week. It is important that we meet that demand from a water safety perspective as well. We are open, as part of the swimming strategy, to finding new solutions to deliver new infrastructure in communities. We will be engaging actively on this in the coming months.
I genuinely thank the Minister of State. It is bizarre that we have the Government commitments. The strategy is there and the money is there. There is the figure of €100 million up to 2027. The Minister of State corrected me. I said it was the third most popular sport, but it is the second most popular sport. I have the largest constituency and yet we do not even have an application by Fingal County Council for my area. There is something wrong. This is certainly not the will of the people or of the organisations and the local groups that have established themselves to fight for this. It is certainly not for the lack of it being raised by the local county councillors in my part of Dublin Fingal in Fingal County Council. There is something amiss.
I will tell the Minister of State what I know, which is that 170,000 people deserve to have access to a sports facility for the second-largest and most-enjoyed sport in the country. With the Minister of State’s and his Department’s help and with the swimming strategy, I hope we can co-operate and work together to get the modular builds built fast. It is not a €25 million structure, such as those we see in other towns and villages. Right now, we have nothing. We need something and we need it fast.
I ask for the Minister of State’s support and for someone in his Department to make contact with the relevant director of services in Fingal County Council to see how we can bring forward the modular programme. Certainly, Fingal County Council can afford €1 million. Obviously, any access to funding would be welcome. I ask the Minister of State for a commitment that somebody in his Department will work with us to see if we can advance the delivery of not just one modular pool, but a number of modular pools for Dublin Fingal.
To be fair to Fingal County Council, it was very engaged with Swim Ireland when it came to the pop-up pool in Donabate. That is the trialling of the new concept of delivery around transportable pools. A modular pool is a scaled-up version of that and a more permanent fixture. As a coastal community in Fingal, it is important to have access to swimming pool infrastructure. I take the Senator’s point on that. That is why in the next six months, by year-end, we will have the swimming strategy published. That will, as a key component, look at the infrastructural opportunities and the modular components which are happening right across the world and which we need to embrace in Ireland. As part of that, there will be opportunities to identify the deficits geographically and how we can provide new infrastructure. Then we will try to negotiate a budget line to achieve that.
I appreciate the feedback the Senator has given on the necessity to deliver for a community that currently has that infrastructure gap. We are keen to address many of those issues as part of the national swimming strategy. There are new and exciting opportunities to deliver quickly to communities when it comes to swimming pool infrastructure in terms of the new modular pools, with much more affordable opportunities within communities. That is something the group will be working on in the coming weeks and months.
Cuireadh an Seanad ar fionraí ar 11.09 a.m. agus cuireadh tús leis arís ar 11.33 a.m.
Sitting suspended at 11.09 a.m. and resumed at 11.33 a.m.