Vol. 296 No. 4
It gives me pleasure to welcome to the distinguished visitors' Gallery our very good friend, the ambassador of Slovakia to Ireland, Mr. Andrej Droba. He is joined by Deputy Head of Mission, Mrs. Viera Motešická, and intern Ms Katarína Kopèanová. It is Ms Kopèanova's last day in the office. I thank her for her time in the office. I hope she enjoyed her visit to Dublin and Ireland. We wish her every success in the remainder of her studies.
^ An tOrd Gnó (Atógáil) - Order of Business (Resumed) ^
Fáilte to our distinguished guests. Today is World Animal Day. Unfortunately, it is nothing for Ireland to boast about when it comes to dog welfare. During the summer, there was the very quiet release of the control of dogs statistics, which showed a 95% increase in stray dogs entering pounds. It would not come as a surprise to anybody who listened any of the times I raised this issue in the House and flagged that we were facing a tsunami of unwanted dogs post-Covid. Some 8,116 dogs entered pounds in 2022, compared with 4,165 in 2021. Likewise, the number of dogs euthanised has doubled. The statistics are firmly going in the wrong direction. Unfortunately, to further confirm that, there have been two more reports in the past 24 hours. The first was carried out by Madra Dog Rescue, which carried out the first census of homeless dogs. It found that 3,227 dogs are currently awaiting rehoming, with hundreds more on waiting lists to be surrendered. Today, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, ISCPA, released findings of a survey it had carried out by Amárach Research. It found that the number of abandoned dogs is at an unprecedented level.
Interestingly, the survey also looked at the reasons people abandon dogs. I think 40% of people said they would love to have a dog but the reasons they cannot have been raised in this House by me, such as restrictions on pet ownership for renters. It is a big issue for people who would love to have dogs. I have repeatedly raised the issue. It is not fair that if somebody who is a renter and a dog lover or wants to have a pet cannot do that because of restrictions in the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. It is not fair on children growing up in such households that they do not have exposure to pets and the empathy it teaches them.
The other issue raised about dog owners was increasing costs of veterinary care, which are way above the rate of inflation, particularly since corporate veterinary practices came into the country and bought up a lot of the family practice. There has been a huge increase and spike in veterinary costs. It is a reason people on low incomes are forced to surrender their dogs or have their dogs euthanised as they cannot afford ongoing medication for them.
Tomorrow, the Seanad will again debate my Bill, the Animal Health and Welfare (Dogs) Bill 2022, which would alleviate some of the pressure on rescues by allowing dogs seized on welfare grounds to be rehomed. Broader legislative reform is needed. I would welcome a debate in this House on the matter, given that we currently have a very light schedule in the Seanad. It is warranted that we have a debate on dog welfare.
We were very proud as a nation last week, collectively and properly, of our Naval Service and how it dealt with the drugs haul. It certainly distinguished itself and made us proud. It brings into question the entire resourcing of our Naval Service, our Defence Forces in general and our Reserve Defence Force. There is a twin problem in our Defences Forces. First, there is the problem of recruitment and then there is the problem of retention. I do not have the figures with me - they are in my car - but I know there are fewer than 8,000 at the moment. I think there are 7,900 and something. It is way below the optimum figure and 79% of what it should be. It is a very serious state of affairs. I would like the Leader to bring this issue to the Minister, also the Tánaiste in this instance, and perhaps have a special debate about it.
A very high-profile recruitment campaign for the Defence Forces is needed, going into schools, etc. Retention procedures are also needed. With that, there needs to be pension reform. The Department of Finance and the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform must look at the pension schemes in this case and at a retention allowance for members of the permanent Defence Forces who continue to serve to get a financial incentive. This was previously costed; it would come in very reasonably and would achieve the objective of keeping people in the Defence Forces. That is needed, as well as pension reform.
The working time directive, as per EU law, needs to be implemented to allow members of the Defence Forces to have normal family life and a predictable existence so they can go home to their families and know when they are going home to their families. It should not be beyond the genius of management to arrange that. If there could be a proper pension structure, a retention allowance - which will come in cheaply and is very effective - proper hours in the form of proper rostering and the implementation of the working time directive, then we could hold onto those who are there and, I hope, recruit new people. Equally, we must approach our Reserve Defence Force with similar gusto. Last week brought into focus the importance and need of our Defence Forces. I look forward to the Leader's response. We may get back to this issue with a debate if she so wishes.
We are now approaching 600 days since Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine. I hope that this Chamber will invite the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to the Chamber to talk about the strong and correct support Ireland continues to give to Ukraine. A number of us had the privilege last week of meeting the speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament, who was very clear that the people of Ukraine are very thankful for this country's continued support. Ireland's strong support, as exhibited at European level this week, is to be commended. I hope that the Leader will invite the Tánaiste to outline our work in that area to the House.
Strong sanctions have been applied by the European Union. Yale School of Management has monitored this - more than 1,000 companies have pulled out of Russia. I am glad to say any Irish company that could has pulled out of Russia. Unfortunately, some well-known international brands continue to trade in Russia and are trying to skirt around some of the economic sanctions. Some are well-known brands such as Lacoste and Benetton. Other well-known brands, most notably Burger King, keep indicating that they will pull out yet have given no sign of doing so. We need to start highlighting companies that are skirting around economic sanctions for the purpose of profit. Companies that engage in this behaviour should be boycotted. At a European level, given the strong economic sanctions put in place, we must work towards enforcement. This country has a very strong tradition of supporting the people of Ukraine and acting in concert with our European partners, which we must continue to do.
I second the proposal of my colleague, Senator O'Loughlin, that leave be granted to introduce the Sex Offenders (Amendment) (Coercive Control) Bill 2023. The Bill originated as a suggestion from Jason Poole. Jason and his family tragically lost their beloved sister, Jennifer, on 16 April 2021. Jennifer was the mother of two young children, and was brutally murdered and left to die by an intimate partner. Women's Aid tells us that it receives more than 30,000 contacts a year from people who are suffering from domestic or other sexual-based violence, intimidation and coercion. Women's Aid recorded 28,000 disclosures of domestic violence, including coercion, in 2022. The majority of those victims are experiencing that abuse from intimate current or former partners.
This is a very serious issue. It is a really practical suggestion to seek to amend our sex offenders legislation to require those convicted of coercive control to be registered, and for that information to be made available to the public. I hope the Minister for Justice will take on board the proposal for this legislation, and I hope the Leader will invite the Minister to the House to debate this legislation and update us on the really valuable work she and her Department are doing to tackle domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.
Relatives' organisations across Ireland, Members of this Chamber and the Dáil, the Irish Government, all the political parties in the North, the British Labour Party, representatives across the EU and the US, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and other human rights organisations are united in their opposition to the British Government's Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill of shame. Yet, that Bill is now law, passed by the most self-serving, disreputable group of charlatans ever to be at Westminster. It brazenly grants an amnesty to those members of the British crown forces who killed hundreds of people in the conflict. It arrogantly denies truth and justice to thousands of broken-hearted relatives who lost loved ones at the hands of the British crown forces. It legally covers up these killings which the British Government had illegally been covering up for decades. The man responsible for this infamy, Lord Caine, will be in this Parliament tomorrow, at a meeting of the Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. Lord Caine is the architect, apologist, arm-twister lobbyist and the mendacious advocate for this inhuman piece of legislation. He, his Government and their Bill are an affront to the grieving and forlorn relatives. His presence is an insult to the elected representatives of the Oireachtas and to the people of Ireland. No good will be served to anyone, especially those relatives whose loved ones were killed by the British crown forces, by his presence. We have heard his pathetic attempts to defend the Bill of shame outside the precincts of Westminster. Few, if any, in this institutions are interested in listening to the well-practiced and rehearsed mealy-mouth platitudes from Lord Caine on behalf of killers in the pay of the British Government. Our thoughts are with the relatives of those who were murdered by the crown forces and the decades-long devastation caused to families by the British Government's refusal to tell the truth. The message Lord Caine should leave the Oireachtas with, as he closes the door behind him tomorrow, is that the Irish Government will see him, his Government and his Bill in the European Court of Human rights. I call for an urgent debate on that issue.
What I want to discuss today may be more appropriate for a Commencement debate, but I will have to submit that request after the budget is finished. It concerns a tax scheme for shared mobility, based on what is used in France. How it works, essentially, is that employees are able to choose from a list of approved shared mobility schemes, whether it is cargo bikes, bikes, taxis, buses or GoCars. There is a whole range of options. The employer can then buy a credit voucher for the employee. It is a tax-free initiative, very similar to the bike to work scheme. It has been used in France, and has been so successful that the €500 allowance has been increased to €800. It essentially provides tax-free money to people to get out of their cars and get into that modal shift. It is about integrating modal models as well. For example, you could use it to get a bike and travel a certain amount of the way, then get into a taxi or a GoCar to take you on the rest of the journey. It is about encouraging people into that modal shift in a sense, by providing a one-off tax-free lump sum that a person can use throughout the whole year.
The reason it is important is that, first of all, it will certainly help us on the way to meeting our climate targets, and secondly, there genuinely is a public appetite for shared mobility. No one wants to be sitting in a car in 20-minute traffic or stuck on a motorway. People want public transport options and they want sustainable bikes or scooter options at the same time. We should follow France's lead and look at introducing this model. We have seen how it works very well. As I said, I think there is a clear appetite for it. If we can provide that, people will use it. It is about forward-thinking. I would like to see the scheme introduced within the next year.
I support Senator McGahon's proposal. It is a great idea and I have no doubt the Leader will take it up with Government.
I want to raise the issue of charging batteries. A number of years ago, EU legislation was passed on making phone chargers compatible, enabling consumers to use one charger for all types of phones. This is not the case with tools, such as gardening tools, tools for contractors or household tools. There are different chargers for different tools. This involves huge costs for the construction industry, self-employed people, families and farmers. Whey they buy a piece of equipment for either doing the garden or for use on the farm or in the construction industry, they have to buy a charger. The EU should pass a law to make the chargers for these tools compatible so that one charger can charge several tools. It should pass legislation similar to that on mobile phone chargers. I think it is necessary and we need to do it. I hope the Government will take up this in Europe and that we will go down the route we did in relation to phone chargers.
In the week coming up to the budget, I call for the Leader to make representations on behalf of this House on the need for a strong agricultural budget. We need a budget that supports sustainable food production and the 150,000 farming families we have in the country. We must also put funding into creating that carbon balance sheet for every single farm, to ensure farmers know what they are emitting and what their land is sequestrating. It is important that farmers know what is on their balance sheet. We have the technology to do it. Devenish in County Meath has proved that it can be done, so why are we not providing the funding for farmers to be able to do it on a single farm basis? It is also being done in the North. If we can do it in the North, we can do it here in the South.
I also want to highlight a sector that has had no extra subsidy from the State, namely, the sheep sector. In advance of the budget I forewarn the Leader that if there is no extra funding given to the sheep sector, I would like a debate in the House on how we propose saving the sector. If the sheep industry is not supported in next week's budget, we will need a serious exit plan and supports. The sector will fail, and it will be on this Government.
I rise today to welcome the news from the Road Safety Authority, RSA, regarding legislation on e-scooters. It was announced today that the minimum age requirement for e-scooter users will be 16 years of age. I welcome the announcement that they will have to have lights, wear helmets and the fact that they will not be able to use footpaths. It is most welcome news. The sooner this legislation is enacted and signed in, the better. I live in the centre of Limerick and have noticed the number of people of all ages go up and down the road on e-scooters. I saw a man recently travelling with his two small children on an e-scooter, which is very dangerous.
It is frightening to see it. The sooner this legislation is enacted, the better, especially for older people. I have spoken to older people who have nearly been knocked down by the scooters coming up behind them. While some people on them are respectful, many others think they have the right to just push people out of the way. I welcome that news.
The Senator made a good point about e-scooters. It is something of which we all need to be cognisant. Glaoim anois ar an gCeannaire.
Senator O'Loughlin proposed an amendment to the Order of Business, that No. 17, which is the domestic violence register Bill, be taken before No. 1. This was seconded by Senator Fitzpatrick. I am happy to accept the amendment to the Order of Business. I commend Senator O'Loughlin on her work on this Bill. It is important, timely and links in very well with the programme of work the Minister for Justice has done in this really important area. A transformative body of work has been done in the Department of Justice relating to sexual and gender-based violence. It is a fantastic addition to that work. I commend also Jason Poole, whom I have had the pleasure of meeting. He is a fantastic advocate and he is still grieving the loss of his sister, Jennifer. She left two children behind, as Senator Fitzpatrick also mentioned. It is an area we have to get to grips with. Unfortunately, domestic violence is a scourge in our society. It was often behind closed doors, but we are now making it a public issue. It is an issue everybody in the country needs to deal with. I commend Senator O'Loughlin on her work on this Bill. We look forward to debating it in the House. I have not made the request yet, but I have no doubt the Minister herself will take the legislation. She has been very hands-on in dealing with the issue of domestic violence.
Senator O'Loughlin also raised the issue of drug crime, which is linked to the drug seizure off the west coast of Cork, and requested a debate with the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, about drugs. We will request that debate at the earliest opportunity. Certainly, the topic is now more widely discussed, given the events of last week. People have become more aware of how prevalent and available drugs are on the streets of every town and village in the country.
The Senator also made a very important point about the cross-border healthcare directive and access to healthcare in Northern Ireland and abroad that greater flexibility is needed. It is an unusual situation that you can purchase private healthcare in the North but you cannot purchase it here. However, it does alleviate some of the pressure on the system. It is a good scheme and it has helped a lot of people, but it can be a significant outlay at the beginning for patients who are looking for treatment.
Senator Keogan raised the issue of migrants and Ukrainian refugees coming to our shores, as well as the conditions in Stradbally. I agree with the Senator that the conditions there are very poor. I have seen footage of the flooding and the storm last week. I have been to Electric Picnic. When you are vacating the tents after the three-day festival, the ground conditions are poor because they have been trodden on by thousands of people over three days. I can imagine that when they arrived the conditions would have been poor, simply because the place had been extensively used before that. Despite the tents being nice, they are not suitable.
The Minister has made the point this is for the short term, and we have to acknowledge the unprecedented numbers who have come into the country in a relatively short time. In the space of a year, approximately 100,000 people have come in. It is a lot for us as a small island nation to deal with. Overall, we have done a good job of accommodating people in extraordinary circumstances, with those pressures. Every member state has felt the pressure. Certainly, those bordering Ukraine have felt the most pressure. We have a moral and ethical obligation and duty to take people in when they arrive, to look after them as best we can, and to try to do better in accommodating them where we do fall short on occasion. The issue was raised yesterday in terms of using hotel accommodation. That has brought its own challenges because it has impacted on our tourism sector and small businesses. No matter which way you go, you are going to find pressure. A call was made yesterday by Senator Dooley, and this is also a call I have made, for the tourism sector in rural areas to be addressed for next year's season. Without accommodation, we will not have tourists, and it will be the coffee shop, the pub and the restaurant that will be impacted. We were always going to feel the impacts of such large numbers coming in. It is a matter of managing that challenge and pressure as best as we can.
Senator Martin spoke about the planning and development Bill the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, will publish shortly and which will be debated over the coming weeks in this House and in the Dáil. It is landmark legislation. It is the largest overhaul of the planning laws in this country that has taken place in many years. It is long overdue. People will accept the planning process that is currently in place is slow, cumbersome, does not serve citizens very well and can at times be hijacked by individuals who have an agenda or purposes that are not in line with the public interest. It is the intention of the Government and the Minister to overhaul the planning process. I note what the Senator said in relation to the comments made by the former Chief Justice Frank Clarke. He warned there was the potential to create unintended consequences. However, you could say that about any legislation, and until it is passed, is in operation and is potentially challenged through the courts system, there will always be that risk. However, it is a risk that is worth taking to deal with the challenges in the planning system, which we have been discussing for years. I commend the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, on his work on this and I look forward to debating the legislation. I look forward to a more streamlined planning process that will serve our people and our country well and will allow us to get on with the business of running the country as well.
The Leader mentioned the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and I take this opportunity to welcome the guests from St. Benedict's senior citizens' group from Malahide to the Gallery.
They are very welcome.
They are all very welcome. I thank them for being here today and I hope they have a very pleasant visit to Leinster House.
Senator Boylan spoke about it being World Animal Day and about the issue of dog welfare, as the Senator often does. I want to put on the record that I fully share the Senator's concerns about dog welfare. She rightly pointed out that people took in pets during the Covid-19 period that maybe in hindsight they could not manage when they went back to work or back to the office. That is posing a challenge. She mentioned Madra and Dog's Trust. These are fantastic organisations that do great work. The numbers mentioned, such as the 95% increase in the number of dogs going into pounds, are a concern. The message we should always try to put out is, where you can, if you are looking to get a pet, try to adopt a pet. That is one of the things we can do to try to reduce those numbers going in. Perhaps something could be looked at. The dog charities and pounds that are working in this space are very limited in both resources and time. They probably do not have the time or capacity to run campaigns to try to encourage people to adopt a dog. Maybe that is something the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine can look at to try to assist in that regard. I note the Senator's comments on the restrictions for renters in having a pet in the property. The landlord will say they have had a bad experience where a pet did damage to the property. A happy medium must be found so that people can be allowed to have a pet in their home. Whether you are a renter or a homeowner, it is still your home and you should have the same flexibility and rights as anybody else. There is work to be done there to try to address those numbers.
Senator Joe O'Reilly spoke about the Naval Service and the resourcing issues there. He mentioned recruitment and retention. I recall when I was an Opposition spokesperson for defence back in 2016, we were talking about recruitment and retention in the Defence Forces. This is a decade-long problem we are starting to address. There are challenges in our Defence Forces that have been well acknowledged by the Government, but we are starting to turn that tide. There is an acknowledgement by the Department of Defence and the Minister that our Naval Service needs additional resourcing. That will involve increasing our defence budget, which I think is something the citizens of this country are quite happy for us to do in light of recent events.
Senator Malcolm Byrne said we are approaching 600 days of the war in Ukraine and Russia's illegal invasion, which is a remarkable and unfortunate milestone to be reaching. He wants a debate on the war in Ukraine and, in particular, on Ireland's unwavering support. He mentioned also the significant sanctions that have been placed on Russia and Russian businesses. He also called out those companies that are trying to skirt those sanctions and are still trading in Russia and which need to be boycotted and called out.
Senator Fitzpatrick seconded Senator O'Loughlin's amendment and spoke about the importance of the domestic violence register for protecting future victims.
Senator Gavan spoke about the legacy Bill, and we all concur with his remarks. It is the stated position of the Irish Government that it is not in support of the British legacy Bill and condemns every aspect of it. It is considering what actions to take on that. It is rare you will find all political parties and politicians on the island united on an issue, but this is one of those rare occasions because that Bill is an affront to victims, their families and the peace and reconciliation process that has been under way in the North for many years. It does great damage to that. I have no doubt the message will be delivered quite strongly to Lord Caine and his team, as well as to members of the House of Commons, about the long-term damage they are doing, not just to victims but also to their international relations and to their relationship with this country, which is important to both islands. That involves both islands and both Governments playing their part to maintain and protect that relationship. Well spoken, Senator Gavan, and I am sure we all concur with the remarks you made.
Senator McGahon raised the potential for a tax scheme for shared mobility. I do not have the details of the scheme but it sounds very positive, almost like an extension of the back-to-work scheme to other modes of green transport. It should certainly be explored. I suggest that it be raised as a Commencement matter. It would certainly be appropriate for a Commencement debate and it might be worth discussing with the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan. The proposal is probably too late for this year's budget but there could certainly be time to develop a scheme in advance of next year's budget, which would be very appropriate. It is a good idea and it is progressive and seeks to get people out of their cars, which is ultimately what we want to do.
Senator Paddy Burke spoke about chargers for tools. Again, this is a very practical suggestion. It would need to be tackled at European level. Perhaps the Department of the Environment, Local Government and Heritage could take it up at that level, as could our MEPs. It would certainly save money. The transformation associated with mobile phones has been very convenient for customers, but has also facilitated cost saving. It is in the interest of the consumer to do as proposed. It is a very good suggestion that would bring down the cost for people working in the construction industry and individual tradespeople.
Senator McGreehan spoke very passionately and strongly about the need for a strong agricultural budget in next week's budget. In particular, she honed in on the sheep sector, which she addresses very often in the Chamber. I am aware that the farming organisations are seeking a significant increase under the sheep welfare scheme, the current figure being €12 or €13. It will need to see a significant increase. As somebody from a part of the country where sheep farming is a big part of the agriculture sector and local economy, I believe it is vital that the sheep sector be supported. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine is keenly aware of this because he too is from a part of the country where sheep farming is a big part of the agricultural space and landscape. I am aware that he is working with his Department on this. In the next few days, meetings will intensify, and every Minister is getting his or her speak in with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and the Minister for Finance. While some details of the budget have been leaked, ensuring plenty of work for journalists, there are some aspects of the budget that I hope will be left until next Tuesday in order that we can have a budget day as we normally have had. The Minister is keen to address the issue.
Senator Maria Byrne spoke about the Road Safety Authority and legislation on e-scooters. In the last term, Deputy John Lahart published some legislation in this area because the issue was big in Dublin, or it was starting to become an issue, but it is now countrywide. E-scooters are the chosen mode of transport for many people but they are unregulated and very often used in an unsafe way. They result in safety and nuisance issues for elderly people who want to use the footpaths without being run over by them. The legislation is very welcome and catches up with where people in this country are already at in their transport choices. It is good to see that there are finally some regulations and rules on how to use e-scooters.
Senator O'Loughlin has moved an amendment to the Order of Business, namely, that No. 17 be taken before No. 1. It has been seconded by Senator Fitzpatrick. The Leader has indicated she is prepared to accept the amendment. Is it agreed? Agreed.
