The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding proposed approval by Seanad Éireann of the Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2023, back from committee, to be taken without debate on conclusion of Order of Business; No. 2, motion regarding proposed approval by Seanad Éireann of the Planning and Development (Fees for Certain Applications) Regulations 2023, back from committee, to be taken without debate on conclusion of No. 1; No. 3, motion regarding proposed approval by Seanad Éireann of the Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. XX) Regulations 2023, back from committee, to be taken without debate on conclusion of No. 2; No. 4, motion regarding the appointment of members of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, to be taken on conclusion of No. 3 without debate; No. 126(8), Private Members' business, motion regarding care payments, to be taken at 12.45 p.m., with the time allocated to this debate not to exceed two hours; No. 5, Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person (Amendment) (Spiking) Bill 2023 - Committee Stage, to be taken at 3 p.m., with the debate to adjourn on the conclusion of proceedings in respect of section 1 of the Bill or at 3.45 p.m., whichever is the earlier; and No. 6, statements on the situation in Israel and occupied Palestinian territory, to be taken at 4.30 p.m. and to conclude after 60 minutes, with the opening contribution of the Minister not to exceed five minutes, all Senators not to exceed five minutes, and the Minister to be given no less than five minutes to reply to the debate.
An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
I support the Order of Business as outlined. This morning, we heard the good news that a new round of the sports capital and equipment programme is opening from 17 July. This is a wonderful opportunity for sports and community groups around the country to develop the infrastructure that is so important to our towns and communities.
It is good to see that the amounts have increased and that local projects can now apply for up to €200,000, which has increased from €150,000, and those of regional significance can get up to €500,000. This is a key source of capital funding and, of course, those that are sustainable and those that have gender equality have a better opportunity than others. However, I would suggest that local communities look at ways in which different groups can avail of funding. It is really important that we have multipurpose organisations working together. We should not have a number of separate buildings, shall we say, or infrastructures. It is a super opportunity.
Speaking about sport, of course, female participation in sport, and a higher visibility of female sport, is really important. We have seen all the excitement about the women's soccer team going over to Australia. I wish them well in their first upcoming match against the home country. There is a campaign for a player charter. It is really important to see ladies football and camogie players coming together. Mr. John Kiely, the Limerick hurling manager, came out strongly in support of this at the weekend. It is important that there is a charter to provide the basics, such as medical care, gym facilities, nutrition and expense arrangements for our county players. The days of female athletes having to change in cars and toilets should be well and truly gone. However, I have seen in my own county and around the country situations where female players and teams are not being given the same support. We absolutely have to call a halt to that. I appeal to the Minister of State with responsibility for sport, Deputy Thomas Byrne, who I know is passionate about female participation in sport, to make sure that charter really is negotiated and implemented.
The last item I wish to raise, which has been raised previously and about which I have spoken in the Chamber, is our meeting with representatives from the Association of Irish Local Government, AILG, last week. We are getting to a stage now when conventions are being held around the country. We have excellent councillors and candidates coming forward. Local communities and politics and democracy need them. We have to treat our councillors with absolute respect. The representatives spoke to us about a number of issues, but the one glaring issue about which something must be done is the gratuity. In any other job situation, if somebody is retiring and he or she was working on the basis of an old agreement and old pay structure, I believe it would be struck out by law. It is important that this gratuity is sorted once and for all.
I wish to highlight the issue student nurses are facing. On 13 December 2022, the McHugh report suggested a €9 million package and recommended a €500 per year payment for student nurses in years 1 to 3. It also outlined an €80 allowance for overnight accommodation being introduced, together with an increased weekly cap of €300 for students who need accommodation away from their homes. Student nurses and midwives can also avail of a reasonable cost-of-uniform laundry service during periods of overnight accommodation on a vouched basis. They will also get two extra uniforms. This was all great when it was announced on 13 December, but the fact of the matter is that it has not happened.
We are now in the middle of July and these student nurses have not received their €500 payment. I have been contacted by many student nurses who are going out and working in hospitals on placements who have not received their money. Really, the Minister for Health needs to introduce this money or give this payment to the student nurses as soon as possible. He introduced and announced this in December and said it was approved, and it was welcomed by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, at the time. I would certainly appreciate any intervention the Leader can make.
I also wish to raise the plight of residents in Ballycummin, Glencairn and a few other estates nearby in Limerick at present. The Foynes to Limerick rail line is being reintroduced, which everybody is delighted with, but the motorway is actually outside that rail line. Iarnród Éireann and Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, took down all the sound barriers. They took down the trees. I stood in the bedroom of a house recently which is back-to-back on to this rail line and the motorway outside it and it was as if the cars were inside the person's bedroom. It was frightening. These people have triple glazing in their house. The Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, is due to come to Limerick to view it. I have spoken to the Minister of State about releasing the money to TII because the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications said it will pay for half of it if TII pays for the other half. It is really important that the Minister of State meets the residents, which I have asked him to do and I believe he will. Realistically, however, the money has to be given and released to pay for the trees to be released. One Sunday afternoon, the residents were at home when somebody came along with strimmers and the whole thing was removed. It has also left them open to people walking up and down the rail line and security issues.
Yesterday saw the publication of the Government's quarter 2 Housing for All progress report for 2023. All those with ears to the ground will know it is not exactly a roaring success story. In the report, we conspicuously received no update on the figures with regard to completed new-build social housing or those detailing new-build affordable housing along with absolutely no mention of the knock-on effects of last year's missed targets. We are told that nearly one third of the Housing for All so-called priority actions have been delayed in their delivery.
The Housing for All target for new homes for 2023 is 29,000. We are more than halfway through the year and the construction has only begun on fewer than 13,000 of these.
We need to examine solutions to the housing crisis outside of the conventional building of houses, while acknowledging that there must be some form to the backbone of our response. I mentioned before the idea of the Government declaring a period of amnesty for capital gains tax on the sale of second homes or apartments owned by an individual and sold on to a person, couple or family who want to live in it, but not to a vulture fund. Capital gains tax is charged at 33% so a third of a person's profit from sale is snapped up by the Government, which has no hand in facilitating the sale. How many people baulk at that idea and are put off all the work and hassle of selling a house they have no use for or for downsizing? We need to be thinking along these lines if we are to increase the housing stock that is to be put on the market in Ireland. On Monday I got the shock of my life when an 85-year-old man walked into my office. He has been out of a house for ten years and living in bed and breakfast accommodation for six years. I was ashamed.
We need to discuss the digital euro and the future of currency. I am continually baffled by the sheer lack of attention being paid to this in Ireland. The European Commission has put forward a package of legislation which sets out the framework for the introduction of a digital euro, while also thankfully acknowledging the role of cash in our society. Member states will need to ensure the widespread acceptance of cash payments as well as a sufficient and effective access to cash. The European Central Bank has said that the investigative phase of its digital Europe programme is concluding in October. Prior to this, our House should have an opportunity to put our heads together and set out what we want the future of Ireland's financial landscape to look like with regards to currency and the control of same in this country. Maybe the Leader could organise that debate into October with the Minister for Finance.
We are seeing a dramatic increase in military spending around the world. On 28 June, Ursula von der Leyen said that common procurement will give the defence industry more certainty and bring us closer to a European defence union. Essentially we can ramp up production and see the further armament of Europe with more weapons, more war, and more young men and women dead. On Thursday evening last week, the Dáil set aside 55 minutes to discuss and approve Ireland's participation in European Defence Agency, EDA, projects. That is a rubber stamp, not a valuable discussion or debate and there was no opportunity for scrutiny or questions. The Minister did not even respond to the Sinn Féin amendment on that occasion. There should be detailed examination of Ireland's involvement in these projects and how they affect our neutrality. Members of the Dáil who are tasked with approving Ireland's involvement should be confident that when a proposal comes before them, it has been properly scrutinised and a proper examination has taken place. For our part, Sinn Féin has been clear that these projects should come before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence. That is the appropriate forum in which to scrutinise Ireland's involvement in EDA projects, and it should not be relegated to a 55-minute slot on a Thursday evening. The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence would also enable Senators to have their say and partake in the scrutiny. On that basis, I ask the Leader of the Seanad to write to the Government and say that in advance of Dáil Éireann approving Ireland's participation in future EDA projects, the matter should be referred to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence for detailed scrutiny so Senators could also have their say and do their scrutiny.
It is disappointing to hear that we probably will not be able to reduce the backlog of driving tests until October. As far as we know over 60,000 people are waiting to do their driving tests. I am aware that in April some 75 additional driver testers were recruited but those people need to be trained up. Unfortunately, the portal we have to apply for or cancel your test is not fit for purpose. I know from my experience of using it recently that it is not fit for purpose. Yesterday we had a Bill in front of us on access for people with disabilities, and the portal on the Road Safety Authority website to apply for your test has no way of supporting people with disabilities.
Have we any idea of how we can deal with this crisis for young people? The Leader knows from living in Mayo that young people going to university need cars. It is not the case that they can jump on a Luas or bus. This is something we need to look at seriously in this House and in the other House. It is disheartening to see that thousands of young students will not be able to have their driving tests by September. I wanted to raise that issue. I will write to the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, but it is about us finding a solution. We must be passionate about it and value our young people who are looking to get on the road.
This year eight primary schools in Greystones and Delgany came together and the parents and young people adopted a voluntary code to agree that children of 12 years of age and younger would not have a mobile phone. They agreed that they would not purchase or use a mobile phone once the children were in primary school, that mobile phones were for secondary school and that they would not do that. The collaboration of all of the schools and parents meant that no child was left in a place where their parents did not agree with a mobile phone and so they were the only children left out. It is effectively a uniform ban on mobile phones although it is not a ban because it is voluntary.
I was impressed by this. I have spoken to a number of teachers and parents who feel they cannot make that decision but who would like to make that decision for their children. I made the decision that our child will not have a mobile phone until secondary school because I am concerned about the developmental stages that are lost by a child having their head stuck in a phone instead of playing and using their imagination to play with their toys. They need to have that robust forward and backwards on the playground of falling out with each other or making friends, and of playing and collaborating in games together. On top of that, there is all of the bullying and that possibility but before that is the developmental stage and the social skills that are lost by children being on their mobile phones too much. Parents who want to make those decisions are left on their own if the initiative is not school-wide, and nobody wants their child left behind in such a situation.
Last weekend I escalated that call. I have written to the Department of Education and Coimisiún na Meán to ask if we can have a conversation about the national use of mobile phones by children of 12 years and under. I also asked if we could have a circular from the Department of Education that would support this throughout primary schools. Since then I have had overwhelming support and I have had a number of schools contact me. This morning I was on Midwest Radio and the Leader will be glad to know that Castlebar and Crossmolina are implementing this as well. Throughout the country schools are beginning to bring these codes of conduct on the use of mobile phones online. When we return in the new term I would like us to have statements on the use of mobile phones and smart devices by young people. We need them in exceptional circumstances. Some children will need them for medical reasons and children with diabetes might need that monitoring. We should have a conversation about the social change that is coming in that everybody is being pressured into. We should talk about how we push back against that.
Most committee members will have received an email in recent days about the public service performance report for 2022. It was published on 11 July 2023 and it claims to be a key milestone in the parliamentary budgetary cycle, providing a valuable opportunity for sectoral committees to engage constructively in a more structured calendar with parliamentary oversight of the budget process. It goes on to ask why committees should read this and it says that they should do so to ensure that appropriate parliamentary function is provided and that the Government is held to account.
We read in yesterday's The Irish Times that Transport for Ireland has 100 electric buses that cannot be used because it has not put in the charging points for them yet. That still has to go to planning so when will we see those buses? We will possibly see them in 2024.
The Comptroller and Auditor General has reported on ineffective expenditure; for example, €99 million has been wasted or written off on the metro north project and €32 million was wasted or written off on the DART project. The estimate for the cost of metro north was €3 billion but this has escalated to €21 billion now. Some €1 billion has been paid out for search and rescue, with nothing to show for it. We will not have so much as a nut or bolt at the end of the contract. The Defence Forces are in collapse. The Reserve Defence Forces have been waiting for a reply to a letter from the Department for two months. The number of members of the Garda Reserve has fallen from 1,000 to 300. Who the hell has oversight? We are being blocked at every twist and turn. Secretaries General refuse to attend committees, do not provide information claiming it is commercially sensitive and we are wasting billions of taxpayers' euro. I wonder where we will be if we see a day that the budget gets tight and we do not have a surplus of €11 billion to play with. It is time committees were given the power they need to do the job they need to do. We are being treated like idiots in committees by the civil servants and it must stop. They must come before the committees to explain what they are doing. There must be oversight of procurement and other things they do. I ask the Leader to write to the Taoiseach to ask him how we can re-enforce the oversight role of elected Members of this House.
I welcome the group from Sunshine Days who are here as part of their summer camp experience. The boys and girls are welcome. I hope they have a pleasant experience in Leinster House.
This morning I welcome the announcement that the sports capital and equipment grant programme will open to applications next Monday, 17 July. The programme has a few new features. The maximum grant available for local projects will increase from €150,000 to €200,000. The maximum grant for regional projects will increase from €300,000 to €500,000 and there are new rules on providing equal access to facilities for men and women which is hugely welcome and long overdue. It is a huge opportunity for sports clubs, community groups and organisations to apply for funding to support projects they have been working on that will improve or build new facilities to enable young people and adults alike to participate in a wide variety of sports and activities. As a former physical education teacher until I was elected to this House in 2020, I fully understand and appreciate the huge work that goes on across communities to give opportunities, especially to young people, to participate in sport and activity and the huge benefits that brings to wider society. That is why the sports capital and equipment grants programme is hugely valuable and important. I wish all the clubs and organisations that will apply all the best with the application process. We had a huge result for my county, County Waterford, in the last round of the programme. I encourage as many organisations as possible to get their applications in by the closing date in September.
First, I will comment on the motion without debate on planning and development, to point out Sinn Féin's perspective. We need to give this issue more time for it to be discussed and considered fully. That is Sinn Féin's position on that motion.
I will raise the issue of firefighters. My union, SIPTU, has recommended that the Labour Court proposals be rejected. In my experience, that means the proposals will be rejected and rightly so. We have discussed the plight of our retained firefighters, who are expected to survive on a retainer of approximately €700 per month, a number of times. The proposals made by the Labour Court simply do not go anywhere close to far enough to deal with these issues. It was interesting to see the quote from Karan O'Loughlin of SIPTU who said there is not enough political will to inject the resources necessary to resolve the current impasse and create the environment for re-engagement on the broader issues in this dispute. She makes the point that essentially - I would have expected us all to understand this by now - the key issue is that they do not have enough money to survive. Their issue is one of precarity and we are losing workers as a result. Now we are facing an all-out strike this summer, which is an entirely unacceptable situation. It was compounded by the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, a few weeks ago when he declared the issue could only be dealt with in the context of the next round of national pay talks. It is entirely unacceptable that the Oireachtas is going into recess leaving the State in an entirely precarious position where these essential workers are being forced to go back on strike. I call for an immediate intervention by the Minister and the Government. Everyone should agree that these workers are essential, that they get nowhere near enough pay and that we need real political will to deal with this. It is frankly a disgrace that to date the political will has not been forthcoming from this Government. I would call for a debate on the issue but we do not have time for a debate. When will the Government get its act together, understand the value of these workers and deal with the issue?
To clarify, there are three motions on planning before us. Was the Senator referring to all three motions or only the first?
All three.
All three. We are just putting it on the record.
Like Senator Cummins, I welcome the sports capital and equipment grants and advise clubs and community groups to avail of the opportunity to apply for them.
I will raise the issue of occupational pensions this morning and how they have fallen far below the State pension. Occupational pensions, for example with An Post, Coillte, the Irish Aviation Authority and even Eircom, are only approximately €240 per week now, compared to the State pension of €265 per week, without taking allowances into account. They have fallen far behind. I ask the Leader to contact the Minister for Social Protection and the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform about this issue. It is not good enough for those pensions to fall so far behind. Government intervention is needed to grant the increases every year. For instance, between 2008 and 2022 An Post got an increase of 6.7% whereas the State pension was increased by 18.8%. There is a difference of more than 12% in that period. We propose that the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and the Minister for Social Protection be contacted about this issue as those in receipt of occupational pensions have done the State great service and their pensions should be brought in line with the State pension.
I join with others in welcoming the sports capital and equipment grants programme which will open next week. A detailed circular was issued early this morning. I have read three or four copies of it so it is out there. It is great news and to be commended. Sport is important to our health and well-being and we are all involved in it in the broader sense. It has lots of benefits. Well done to all involved. I wish applicants every success.
Further to last night's debate, I thank all who actively engaged. The debate on Senator Clonan's Private Member's Bill was one of the best debates we have had in the Seanad for a long time. I will not go back on it. The right decision was made and it is now going through to the next Stage. A Bill has to travel a long way. I was reminded in this context to ask what we can do to further people with disabilities. Today, many of us will have seen the letter from former Senator John Dolan, now of the Disability Federation of Ireland, DFI. He makes a few requests for the budget. In simple terms, DFI's budget focuses on sustainable disability, health and social care services; tackling high poverty levels and the cost of disability; ensuring community inclusion and participation; and realising Housing for All in the context of the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People 2022-2027.
I suggest we lend our support and use our contacts within the Oireachtas to make representations on behalf of DFI and support this genuine ask. I thank the former Senator, John Dolan, for this ongoing and continued advocacy work for people with disabilities.
The Derry minor team recently won the All-Ireland football championship by defeating Monaghan, which was trying to win its first All-Ireland at this grade, having lost the 1939 final. I welcome the new All-Ireland champions. I was taken aback by a lovely message from Rían Ó Néill, who was waiting in Moneymore, County Derry, to welcome home the minor All-Ireland champions. He could not help but notice that the local lodges of the Orange Order waited until the Derry bus had passed through before starting their parade. They stood respectfully, and many even applauded the team as they went by. This is a perfect example of the mutual respect and good relations present throughout Moneymore. Although tensions and sectarianism often make the headlines, it is important to highlight the good news of coexistence happening quietly across Northern Ireland. That is the future. It is a quiet revolution, and it is ahead of the politics. Those little gestures go an awful long way. I commend all involved in that lovely gesture of respect to the minor team.
The minor final used to be broadcast and immediately precede the All-Ireland senior final. That is a matter for the GAA. It used to be as Gaeilge. I notice that does not happen anymore. There might be good reasons for that. It has been going on for a few years at this stage. Thankfully, it was live on TG4, although it was not in Croke Park. It is more than just a game. It caused the local Orange lodge to demonstrate some respect. I thank them for that. It is the way forward from all communities, and not just one community. That team-building of respect is the future. It is one full of hope for healing and reconciliation.
I think the Gaelic Grounds in Armagh was a fitting venue for the final last Sunday, and it was a tremendous occasion.
I thank all Members who contributed today. Senator O'Loughlin welcomed the launch of the sports capital and equipment programme, which was also welcomed by Senators Burke and Cummins. There are important changes. Not only have the amounts gone up, but any project now applying for money must now show equal access for men and women. This is not at the point of application but when clubs go to draw down the grant they must show the works have been done. It gives clubs an opportunity to apply for the grant, but to have works completed in terms of equality of access for men's and women's sports facilities. That is a significant change in this year's sports capital equipment programme. I commend the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, on bringing about that change. It is an important scheme for us across the country. There will be great interest. It is opening on 19 July, and people have until September to make those applications. Senator O'Loughlin also spoke about AILG and the issue with the gratuity, of which I am sure all Members are aware. That is being actively worked on and the Minister is aware of it. I am sure all Members of this House will lend their support to that request from our councillors across the country. I agree with Senator O'Loughlin's remarks.
Senator Maria Byrne raised the issue of student nurses' pay. As they were not employees, there was an issue around taxation and whether there should be an exemption because they were not on the payroll. I am informed that has since been resolved, and pay will issue shortly. They have managed to work that out. That was the reason for the delay. It is nice to have some good news about the well-deserved pay and bonuses for the student nurses.
I also take on board the Senator's comments about estates in Limerick which have had sound barriers removed. I hope that is resolved very quickly. It is not justified to leave homes in that situation. I imagine it is distressing to try to sleep in that environment. Limerick is a busy city with plenty of traffic. I am glad to hear the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, will be on site to inspect. I hope the funds will be released very soon.
Senator Keogan spoke about the numbers in the quarter 2 Housing for All report, which has been released. Housing remains a significant challenge. Record funding has been put into housing. The numbers are going in the right direction, in terms of commencements and the social and affordable houses being delivered. Of course, for the first time ever we also have cost rental. There is also a number of new schemes. The tenant in situ scheme is now well funded with local authorities. That is getting up and running now to purchase homes where a tenant is in situ and the landlord might be selling. The first home equity scheme and the Croí Cónaithe scheme are doing well now. The word is getting out and the applications are increasing. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has done a good job in challenging circumstances. However, housing remains the biggest challenge for the Government and the top priority not just for the Minister but for all members of the Government. It is the big issue we are all dealing with in our localities.
The Senator also raised an issue about the digital euro. I will request a debate for the new term with the Minister for Finance so that we can have a conversation about the legislative package from the EU, where we are going, and how that might look and transpose into Irish law.
Senator Warfield spoke about the EU defence union. I am not sure the EU President, Ursula van der Leyen, said it was going to give certainty for the arms industry.
It was the defence industry.
Yes, but the Senator drew a correlation between that and the arms industry, which I felt was perhaps a personal interpretation but not quite her words. I wanted to clarify that point. The European Defence Agency has many positive projects. I think there is an acceptance that, as a small island member state, we do not have the capacity to protect our airspace. We rely on the UK to do that. We do not have the capacity to protect our maritime space, which is bigger than our land space. We are a small country. I do not think the public wants us to spend what would be needed to do that on our own. We work with other member states on things like cybersecurity, pooling resources for research, and assisting in search and rescue missions in the Mediterranean as we did with the Italians some years ago. I think there is sometimes a rush to suggest that co-operation on defence issues simply translates to boots on the ground in a war zone. That is not accurate.
A 55-minute debate is a bit rushed.
I assume the Deputy would like a response to the issue he raised. The point is that there is sometimes a particular individual interpretation of what co-operation is and what it looks like. It is the right of other Members to disagree with that. The Government would obviously disagree with that particular interpretation. I have no difficulty scheduling a defence debate in this House. I have no issue with that at all. I think it is important that we discuss those issues, that all views are facilitated and that people are not shouted down when they express a view not to the liking of somebody else. It is unfortunate that many debates seem to be moving in that direction, where you cannot make a point unless it is particular point. We need to refrain from doing that on what is an important national security issue as well. Senator Warfield also spoke about referring these issues to the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence. I think both Houses are free to debate the issues. As I have said, I am happy to schedule a debate on them.
Senator Flynn spoke about the backlog in driving tests. She acknowledged that 75 new testers have been employed to try to address that backlog. The Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Chambers, has acknowledged that because of the training period it will take until October for the backlog to be addressed by the new testers. However, the issue is recognised and acknowledged. It is a significant issue for young people trying to get on the road. The Minister of State is determined to address it and is actively doing that.
Senator Seery Kearney spoke about the approach to mobile phone use being taken in primary schools in Greystones, County Wicklow. I was glad to hear that she was on Midwest Radio this morning. I was on the same station, when the schools in Greystones took that initiative, to advocate that schools in County Mayo would do the same. I got a positive response. I think parents are looking for guidance and support in this area. The Senator is right to say that parents must come together to do it collectively so that no parent finds himself or herself being the only one telling his or her child "No" when every other child might have access to a phone. She is right that it is important to learn basic social skills like how to speak to another person, strike up a conversation and play and be a child, as opposed to being glued to a screen. It is great to see parents taking action in this ground-up initiative. Schools should definitely be supported. There seems to be a positive reaction from schools, which would love to see this implemented. There is no reason parents cannot give their child access to a phone when they are away on a school trip or a sporting event. There are phones that just do call and text. There is no need for access to the Internet. That is the compromise or solution to address that because connectivity is important.
There are solutions to all the issues that are being raised. I commend the Senator on her work in that area. It is an important issue for us as a society to tackle. The digital age of consent in this country is 16. One should not be able to sign up to a social media platform at a younger age. Clearly, children are signing up to these platforms. Despite having access to the technology, those platforms choose not to verify age when they could do this. Therefore, how we regulate this space is a challenge for us given that borders do not really come into it because it is the online space.
Senator Craughwell spoke about the public service performance report. The Senator wants engagement with the Taoiseach in terms of oversight and accountability. The Taoiseach will be in the Chamber in September. He will be focusing on areas of responsibility within his Department but it might provide the Senator with an opportunity to raise that issue with him.
Senator Cummins raised the issue of the sports capital and equipment grant programme. Senator Gavan spoke about the motions on planning and development. I know the position of the Senator's party on the motions on the agenda today. They were discussed in the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage where Sinn Féin Members would have been present and the schedule would have been published last week and no issues were flagged with me at that point. However, I note what the Senator put on the record today.
I also note the comments on retained firefighters and the Labour Court recommendation being rejected by SIPTU. I still have hope a resolution will be found. We must resolve the situation because it is a hugely important service in every community across the country. The political will is there to resolve this issue. It was a Labour Court recommendation but the Government is eager for this to be resolved to the satisfaction of those working in that space. I do think that, ultimately, it will be resolved. The process is making its way through.
Senator Paddy Burke mentioned the sports capital programme and the fact that occupational pensions are falling behind the State pension. The Senator might raise a Commencement Matter on that matter. It might be worth looking at a further debate in the new term. Engaging with the Minister for Social Protection will be an important aspect of that.
Senator Boyhan raised the sports capital programme, welcomed the progress on Senator Clonan's Bill yesterday, highlighted the request from the Disability Federation of Ireland regarding the upcoming budget and commended John Dolan on his work with this important organisation. Senator Martin spoke about the quiet co-existence, as he put it, of communities in Northern Ireland and the respect that was shown to the Derry minor team when it brought its bus through a loyalist area. It is a lovely story. It is important that we hear those stories. Often it is the negative stories we hear about but there are plenty of positives as well and that is a nice way to end the Order of Business.