The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding proposed approval by Seanad Éireann of a proposal for a Council Decision on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, of an agreement between Canada and the European Union on the transfer and processing of passenger name record data, to be taken on the conclusion of the Order of Business without debate; No. 2, motion regarding proposed approval by Seanad Éireann of a proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of an agreement between Canada and the European Union on the transfer and processing of passenger name record data, to be taken on the conclusion of No. 1 without debate; No. 3, Research and Innovation Bill 2024 - Committee Stage, to be taken at 3.45 p.m. and to adjourn at 6 p.m., if not previously concluded.
An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
At the outset, Members are aware that the apology to the Stardust victims is ongoing in the Dáil and in many ways, the Stardust tragedy has been the backdrop and soundtrack of our lives. We feel great solidarity with all of those impacted. To the families and on the stories which we heard yet again over the weekend, we admire their tenacity and that of all of those who fought for the victims.
Every one of us is conscious of the housing situation and of how difficult it is to rent or buy a house. Kildare is certainly no different in this regard, despite the fact that 8,500 houses have been built in the past four years. One important principle I believe in is that of the State not interfering in the private market. Already, we have had issues in Newbridge where our local authority, Kildare County Council, has tried to buy existing buildings for community purposes but has been priced out of the market by private buyers who have bought for the purpose of housing international protection applicants. Thankfully, new policies have been put in place to address this but, doubtless, they will take time to implement.
Very recently the residents in one housing estate in Newbridge learned that a property owner had signed a contract with the international protection accommodation services, IPAS, to house international protection applicants at an exorbitant price to the taxpayer.
The issue here is not about who resides in the house, but the start of a practice whereby IPAS is taking from the private market. There are very few properties - 13 at this point - to rent in Newbridge. There is no way an ordinary working person or family could compete with the rent IPAS is paying. There is a very real concern that these houses will be completely excluded from the property market, for which prices are currently exorbitant. The residents of this older established estate are some of the finest people I know. They hope their family members will be able to buy or rent close to them. They are hugely concerned, as are many others, that we will have landlords buying up properties in estates to tap into this lucrative opportunity, should it present itself. We need an assurance that IPAS and the Department are not aiming to make it their custom and practice to rent from the private market. I ask that the House send a letter to the Minister. I have already written to him. This practice must be stopped.
I want to quickly raise another issue. The Garda Representative Association, GRA, is holding its conference in Westport as we speak. The theme for the year is It's A Job Worth Doing. We all agree that policing is a job worth doing but, to paraphrase an old saying, who is protecting our protectors? Listening this morning to John Joe O'Connell, the GRA's Kildare representative, speak about the issues the conference will discussing, I could not but agree with him.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir.
We need our gardaí to keep us safe and secure. We need to have them patrolling our streets and roads and we must support them. The Minister for Justice should be in Westport listening to the concerns-----
I thank the Senator. Gabhaim buíochas lei.
-----of the gardaí who protect her and us.
Gabhaim míle buíochas leis an Seanadóir. I call an Seanadóir Carrigy.
I echo the comments of Senator O'Loughlin. We, too, support the Garda but in any discussion everybody needs to be at the table to discuss matters. To be honest, it is disappointing to hear those comments.
I welcome the announcement today by the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, of multimillion euro funding for local improvement schemes throughout the country. Those of us from rural areas and counties, including the Leader, know the benefit of these schemes. There is a significant increase in the budget for them this year, with €900,000 announced in my home county. I welcome that and thank the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, for continuing to provide this funding.
There was a session in the audiovisual room the other day about functional neurological disorder, FND. It is a condition that is not commonly known or talked about. There are similarities between FND and autism in terms of their effects and the therapies used to treat people on the autism spectrum, for example, occupational therapy and other such therapies. However, no services are available for anybody who suffers from FND.
Based on figures from the UK, the number of people suffering from this disorder in Ireland is approximately 3,750. There are no services or interventions in place for them. I know of a number of families in my county with young teenagers who suffer from this. Costs were incurred by some families who travelled to the UK to get private treatment at an early stage to try to help their young children. As it happens, the expenditure is not refundable under the current scheme in place for people travelling abroad for health services. I ask for a discussion on FND and that we can bring to the attention of the Minister for Health the need to put in place a pilot scheme in the a hospital such as St. James's Hospital. I know some work has been done by a doctor based in that hospital, but there has not been significant support from the HSE. That needs to change. With many ailments and illnesses, early intervention is key. Where we can provide early intervention to youngsters with FND, we should do so but we first need to recognise the condition and provide supports through a pilot programme.
I welcome Felim Dunne, a guest of Senator Clonan, to the Gallery. I wish him céad míle fáilte.
It is with a heavy heart and some distress that I raise the issue of a very talented young student with disabilities who applied through the CAO in good faith for a place in the National College of Art and Design, an institution that is supposed to represent truth and beauty and the highest ethical standards.
Unfortunately, despite this student having an amazing portfolio and having exhibited and sold paintings successfully in galleries, despite those qualifications, the supports she would have expected in one of our universities were not evident when she arrived. This student was failed. She did not fail; she was failed. She was proactively failed by the National College of Art and Design in so many ways. She was failed in her first module on the course, despite the fact that the NCAD proclaims on its website to be a champion of diversity and equality. To my mind, however, and based on the information I have become aware of, it is an ableist institution. While our universities would never accept behaviour towards categories of citizens on the basis of sexism, racism or homophobia, they are very proactive in their practice of discriminatory behaviours towards disabled citizens, which is ableism. It is reprehensible.
This student was given a profile of needs assessment by an unqualified and unsupervised person, who forged the student's signature on the document and then circulated it to all the members of staff, even though it is a confidential document-----
Senator, I ask you to tread carefully with your remarks and what you are inferring. You are making a direct allegation. Bí an-chúramach, le do thoil.
Grand. I ask you to give me a few extra seconds at the end.
I will not, but-----
The family, when they became aware of this, brought it to the attention of the board and the senior leadership team of the NCAD. The Minister, the board and the senior leadership team have known for six months about this discriminatory treatment but they have not acted. Their only response was two weeks ago, when Emma O'Kelly, for RTÉ, did a story that covered it. Then they issued a bland statement that they would engage in some sort of protocol assessment. Even though third level institutions are not de facto in loco parentis for students such as my son and Felim's child, they do have a strong pastoral duty of care towards disabled citizens and to say that citizens should not be failed in this way.
I want a debate in this House with the Minister, Deputy Patrick O'Donovan, to fully rehearse the responsibilities of institutions such as NCAD in terms of their commitment and supports for our disabled citizens. We should not fail a talented artist who wants to have visibility as a disabled artist in this way. It is a most reprehensible series of incidents. As a father, a parent and a carer to a university student such as this one, to me, it beggars belief that we would treat a citizen in this way.
Well said.
I acknowledge the families of the 48 victims of the Stardust tragedy, their friends and the wider community, who for 43 years have waited for justice and who today have received a State apology from the Taoiseach. Neither last week's verdict of unlawful killing nor the Taoiseach's apology today can ever make up for the loss of their loved ones. I hope, however, that the recognition of the truth of what occurred 43 years ago and the apology for the further hurt and pain they endured at the hands of the State will be a source of some comfort. I also acknowledge those family and friends who have not lived to see today's apology.
I was really struck by the words of retired dairy farmer and well-known inventor Tony Bergin, from Cooleeshill, south County Offaly, as he accepted the 2023 Unsung Hero of Offaly award at a reception in Tullamore recently. Tony, at nearly 94 years of age, puts the majority of his enjoyment in life down to his love of nature. In his very powerful acceptance speech, Tony spoke with a mix of nostalgia, passion and sorrow as he described memories of hunting and fishing and walking through the fields and meadows with bees and butterflies flying around him. He recalls listening to the corncrake and hearing the lonesome call of the curlew, sounds he has not heard in many years. What particularly struck me, and has remained with me since, were Tony's words to the effect that as farming progressed, farmers ploughed up the fields of flowers and sowed a new type of grass such that they had lovely green fields but without a flower in them. Those flowers, he said, were the source of food for all wildlife. Farmers were advised to cut down the hedges so people could see the countryside, and in doing so, Tony said, they cut down everything in sight: plum trees, crab trees, cherry trees and the hawthorn. Nature planted those fruit trees, he said, and man destroyed them.
Unfortunately, Tony's account, while sad, is a reality we must own up to. By "we", I mean policymakers. For decades, we have been encouraging, training and incentivising farmers to chase higher yields without much regard for the impact of these policies on nature. Now that we have changed that ask and are incentivising measures like multispecies swards and hedge-planting, there is a narrative among some farmers that we, the policymakers, are placing the blame for the biodiversity crisis on them, with no reckoning for our own role in its demise. That is not the case, nor would it be fair or useful. We policymakers need to acknowledge the mistakes we have made and to commit to supporting farmers to go back to doing what is in their DNA and hearts, because farmers want to farm and I know they can restore nature while they do that.
Tony, like so many farmers before and after him, loves nature. While he is officially our unsung hero in Offaly, I am sure he will not mind me saying that there are farmers like him all over the country who are unsung heroes for nature and who long for the return of wildlife to their farms. I thank Tony Bergin for his reflective insight.
I appreciate what Senator Clonan said. He spoke with a heavy heart.
I, too, speak with a heavy heart on Israel's genocidal war against the people of Gaza, which has now been going on for 200 days. Thirty-four thousand people have been killed and many more are missing. Today at Nasser hospital, Khan Younis, central Gaza, Palestinian Civil Defence workers are uncovering mass graves filled with hundreds of corpses. Some of these corpses have been found with their hands and feet bound and some are children. Israel has systematically invaded hospitals using the flimsy pretence of fighting Hamas. It is invading hospitals and it is rounding up and summarily executing people.
Israeli soldiers claim they are fighting terrorism but they are actually acting like terrorists and committing war crimes. Their leaders have no intention of holding them accountable. They have been given a licence to kill any civilian they come across. The intensity of the bombing has lessened but the Israelis are now using hunger and disease as weapons of war, which is criminal and inhumane. Israel is continuing to block the delivery of any adequate amount of aid to Gaza. American and European calls for Israel to facilitate aid deliveries fall flat when America and European countries continue to provide Israel with weapons, aid, diplomatic cover and preferential trading arrangements. People are starving and Gaza's healthcare infrastructure has been absolutely destroyed. Aid is needed urgently to prevent famine and disease from spiralling out of control.
Activists from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition are setting out to do what governments have so far failed to do, namely, to break the illegal siege on Gaza and deliver aid directly to the people who so desperately need it. They have set out from Istanbul carrying 5,500 tonnes of aid, and over 1,000 doctors, lawyers and other volunteers intend to provide care and support for the Palestinian people. They are unarmed and totally defenceless. This is an act of extraordinary courage given that Israel has violently detained any groups, activists or aid workers who have attempted to defy its genocidal, colonial siege of Gaza. In 2010, the Israelis murdered ten activists who sought to reach Gaza. If Israel will not facilitate the entry of adequate levels of aid and set out a clear timeline for the end of its occupation, the international community needs to intervene and start making its own deliveries of aid directly. I would like the Leader to ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs to come to the House to update us on what Ireland is doing for the people of Gaza.
As the Cathaoirleach knows, I have spoken many times here about the housing crisis in Limerick but today I want to raise the housing crisis in Cork. On my many visits to Cork in recent weeks, I was genuinely shocked by the number of vacant houses, particularly in Cork city. There are over 500 right now in areas like Mayfield, Farranree, the Glen, Togher, and Carrigaline. Many of the people I spoke to, along with my colleague, Deputy Gould, told me these houses have been vacant for months and, in some cases, years. All this is happening when there are 7,500 people on the housing list in Cork city. This is an insult to so many of our young people, particularly young parents stuck on the housing list, who can do nothing but watch the condition of perfectly good homes deteriorate by the day.
A recent report by the National Oversight and Audit Commission found that it takes Cork City Council on average 58 weeks to turn around a vacant council home. Council houses in Cork are left idle, vulnerable to vandalism or to rot for more than 14 months before the council fixes them up. That is scandalous. Ireland has repeatedly been found to be in breach of European law because of the substandard condition of our council housing and the European Committee of Social Rights has found Ireland to be consistently in breach of Article 16 of the European Social Charter. I was shocked at the number of houses that have damp, mould and broken gutters. They are perfectly good houses but there is a complete lack of maintenance in those communities which, frankly, have been forgotten about in large part.
All this is happening under a Government that until recently had three senior Ministers from Cork in Cabinet. How has this been allowed to happen on their watch? It is further evidence of the failure of the Government on housing. There is a particular failure in Cork. This is another example of why we need a new Government. I ask for a debate on the issue and for the Minister for housing to urgently tell us why this is happening. The message I am getting loud and clear is that a lack of Government funding of the local council has allowed this crisis to deteriorate and get even worse. It puts the lie to all this nonsense about Housing for All. Housing for All is not delivering for the people of Cork. People only have to go to these estates to see it first-hand. I was genuinely shocked at the number of boarded-up houses. It is not good enough. We need an urgent debate on the matter.
I am sure the Leader and all Members of the House will join me in expressing solidarity with the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, over the disgraceful scenes outside his home last week. There are plenty of places where people can protest about any aspect of Government policy or any other issue, but doing so outside an individual's home is not appropriate. I hope the House will join me in expressing solidarity with the Minister and with any figure who experiences such horrific acts.
The announcement at the weekend by the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, on behalf of the Government of €30 million investment in community centres is welcome. Two of them are in County Wexford. One is at Ballymitty, but the one I will speak about is the planned community centre at Riverchapel. It is an investment by the Government of almost €1.8 million in the community centre. Courtown-Riverchapel is now the fifth-largest urban settlement in County Wexford. It is one of the fastest-growing areas in the country. When I was growing up it was simply a seaside village of 300 or 400 people. More than 3,000 people now reside there, but unfortunately the community infrastructure has not kept pace with that growth. A large team of local volunteers, led by Craig Lang, came together to develop this project. I also pay tribute to Wexford Local Development and Wexford County Council for supporting it. An investment of €1.8 million in a new community centre is extremely welcome. The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, is committed and she understands the importance of investing in community infrastructure, as does the rest of the Government. It will make a transformational difference to the community that really appreciates the funding of the new centre.
I join others in welcoming and acknowledging the families of the 48 victims of the Stardust nightclub fire in 1981, before I was born. To think it has taken this long to get to where we arrived last week in respect of the verdict and this week with regard to the State apology is unimaginable, as is the trauma those families have had to endure over such a protracted period. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of them today.
Last week, we had an important debate in this House on small businesses. Not one of the Opposition parties decided to turn up for it, which was disappointing.
One of the measures the Government has introduced is the increased cost of business grant, which is open for applications until 1 May for up to 95% of all ratable businesses. A sum of €257 million has been allocated to that fund. Unfortunately, the rate of draw-down and applications throughout the country has been quite low. In some counties, it is as low as 20%. No county is above 50%. There is an element of awareness. We all need to work towards ensuring that all businesses are aware of the grant. Any business that paid between €10,000 and €30,000 in rates in 2023 is eligible for a grant of €5,000. Any business that paid up to €10,000 gets 50% of its rates back. They have until 1 May. I would like the deadline to be extended beyond that, given the low uptake. In fairness, that would give the Minister, Deputy Peter Burke, ammunition to go to the Government to provide more supports for small businesses in the next budget. That fund must be drawn down by businesses. We really have to make sure that everyone who is eligible for the grant applies without delay.
Today I address the EU migration pact, which comprises five separate regulations. The Eurodac regulation aims to create a central database for biometric data to help member states determine responsibility for asylum applications and to aid law enforcement in preventing criminal activities. However, concerns about potential expansion of surveillance on all citizens should be noted. Second, the screening regulation seeks to enhances border control by screening third-country nationals for asylum procedures. This may impact countries such as Ireland which are not part of the Schengen area. Third, the asylum procedure regulation aims to harmonise asylum procedures across the EU to ensure fair treatment for applicants. However, stricter requirements for determining safe countries could affect Ireland’s ability to return applicants. The asylum and migration management regulation aims to modify criteria for processing asylum applicants and establish a solidarity mechanism. This could lead to Ireland accepting a minimum of 30,000 asylum seekers annually or facing significant financial penalties. There is a significant concern that this regulation would place a disproportionate burden on Ireland. If the calculations in the regulation had been in place in 2022, Ireland would have been required under EU law to take in more than 106,000 migrants. Given the unsurmountable chaos of our migration system at this time, signing up to this would be an unmitigated disaster. I call on the Government to seriously consider turning down this pact. We are signing up to a disproportionately financially burdensome position. We are also at risk of causing a humanitarian crisis as we are stretched beyond our capacity at this time.
Today, I raise an issue that I have raised previously. Almost every other colleague has raised it before too. It is the infamous issue of passports. We have got away from the pandemic and the backlog it caused. Everyone was given the benefit of the doubt in that situation. I have been contacted by a person who applied for a passport for a child. The application was signed and stamped at a barracks, as required. The person has just received an email stating that as there was no answer when the Passport Office phoned that barracks for clarification on the signature and stamp, it has sent the whole application back to the applicant. This is an application which involves very sad personal circumstances and the return of the application is only compounding the grief of the people involved. To add insult to injury, the story did not end there. The lady in question panicked and went to another barracks. She got the whole thing signed again and sent the application by courier in order that it would be at the Passport Office the next morning and she would receive the passport before Friday, when they are due to fly out. Her efforts were in vain. Lo and behold, our great Passport Office does not accept courier deliveries; applications have to be posted.
There is no business in the country that will not accept a courier delivery. There is no business or person in the country who has to ring to clarify an official stamp and official signature on a document. If we all operated like that, the whole country would grind to a halt. The problem with the Passport Office, and I will pull no punches, is management and systems that are all wrong.
I am demanding that the Minister come to this Chamber immediately, if not sooner, in order that we can have a debate on this and the Minister can go back and get the Passport Office management and line service to sort themselves out. As I said, nobody in this day and age will not accept something by courier. If we all had to get clarification and a follow-up phone call for a document received that had an official stamp on it, the whole country would grind to a standstill. It is not good enough. These poor people are suffering through absolutely no fault of their own. We need that debate sooner rather than later.
Sula nglaoim ar an gcéad chainteoir eile, cuirim céad míle fáilte roimh bhean chéile an Seanadóir Lombard, Catherine. I welcome Senator Lombard's wife, Catherine, to the Public Gallery. I thank her for her perseverance in marriage but also in looking after Senator Lombard. She deserves a bed in heaven.
She turned him out well.
I thank the Cathaoirleach for those very kind words. We are 45 or 46 days away from the local elections. This debate about what we are going to do about local government and where it is going to be a part of our society needs to happen in a very appropriate place like this.
Limerick is going to be the leading light when it comes to local government in the next few days. Limerick will have a directly elected mayor. Five full-time staff will be working directly with that directly elected mayor. The role will have a budget of €8 million pertaining to it directly workable for that mayor.
This is a model at which we need to really look. Cork and other counties and cities need to look at how Limerick is now going to stride ahead and make sure there is going to be proper accountability. We had comments in the Chamber today about housing and housing delivery and issues regarding dereliction. That is about getting accountability in local government.
It is very hard for our part-time councillors to get accountability from officials. When we have a directly elected mayor, however, that is a full-time proposal and full-time gig. That puts the onus of responsibility on to that individual. That person also has a budget coming directly from the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform.
We need to put time aside to ascertain the view of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage on this really important issue of local government. Does he have a vision that we are going to roll out directly elected mayors in the next five years in cities like Galway, Cork or even Waterford? What is the vision now? Are we going to let Limerick stand out on its own as the only region that has the capability to have a direct elected mayor? Time needs to be put aside to get a vision, not alone from the Government but maybe from the parties, about what our vision for local government is and where this issue about directly elected mayors is tied in. I personally believe it is a positive step and we need to do something about it.
I thank the Senator very much. That was well said. I genuinely welcome Senator Lombard’s good wife, Catherine, to the Public Gallery. I thank her for all the work she does with the Senator and others. Céad míle fáilte.
“We failed you when you needed us the most.” They were among the opening words of the Taoiseach today in the Dáil Chamber when he was delivering a State apology to the victims of the Stardust fire. We have to think back to that eventful night of the eve of St. Valentine's Day, when many of us would have been around. Certainly, I was around then. People were out enjoying themselves when that fateful event happened on that tragic night. What was powerful and moving about some of the words I heard from the Taoiseach today was that he was not even born. Yet, he struck a chord of empathy with the people who were there.
I had an opportunity today to meet some of the people from the Stardust. I knew people who lived in Kilmore and who were involved in Kilmore Celtic Football Club who were there on that eventful night. The trauma, pain and hurt of losing your loved ones can never be forgotten. Today is a new beginning but it is important that no one overpromises or overcommits and that we are realistic that this is going to be a staged process.
The planning legislation that will come before the House in the next few weeks is an opportunity for us as parliamentarians. I do not care what the Government says about transitional periods required for the transitional changes for buildings; no building that does not fully comply with health and safety regulations should be open tomorrow night - none. There will be issues with that but we have to send out a strong message.
I thank the Taoiseach. It is the day of the people from the community of Artane, particularly around the Stardust nightclub. It is great to see them in these, the people's Houses, the Chambers where politics is done. I salute the Taoiseach and the Government. Let us not overcommit or overpromise, but travel the journey with these people to ensure they are given all the supports that are necessary.
I find myself echoing what our colleague, Senator Boyhan, said. I was six years of age when the Stardust fire happened and I remember it well. I remember its aftermath and the front pages of the newspapers. It is an indictment that it has taken over 40 years to get to this day but it took our generation to right the wrong of previous generations. I salute the Taoiseach as well because he acted quickly, decisively and with empathy. He did what was most important by giving a State apology to the families who lost their loved ones and also for how they were treated. There is nothing worse than losing a love one but the way the State treated the families was an abomination. It was embarrassing. Periodically, particularly around the anniversary, there would be news reports on the case. It was an embarrassment. I salute the Taoiseach.
There is more work to be done. I agree that nobody should be overpromising. There is a process but the most important element of that process was the full State apology, which was given in the Dáil today. This is a very important day for the many families who lost loved ones and have suffered the trauma of injustice since. In the fullness of time, the House should do whatever is appropriate. The planning legislation is important. Nowhere that is in any way a risk to anybody's life should be open. The legacy of the Stardust should be that we have the best fire safety standards, safety standards, exits and building regulations in the world. That should be the legacy going forward.
The deadline for businesses to apply for the increased cost of business grant expires on 1 May, which is in less than seven days. Small businesses such as shops, hairdressers, pubs and cafés can apply to have 50% of their rates bill returned to them. For example, a business with a rates bill of €8,000 in 2023 can get a grant of €4,000 or 50% of the rates bill. For businesses with a rates bill of between €10,000 and €30,000, the maximum grant is the lesser of 50% or €5,000. That amounts to a good grant. The uptake of this grant among businesses is very concerning, however. I understand approximately 130,000 businesses are entitled to apply for the grant but that to date, only 30,000 have applied. This clearly illustrates that we have a problem in that businesses are not aware of the grant. With the deadline for applying now less than seven days away, I propose that the Leader, on behalf of the Seanad, write to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Peter Burke, asking that he extend the deadline for another three or four weeks to facilitate greater awareness of the scheme and to allow time for local authorities to contact businesses to alert them to this grant.
I have been in business for the best part of 20 years and people are so busy doing the day to day and keeping the ship afloat that they do not get time to know what is going on around them. I would be grateful if we could write to the Minister and take the common-sense approach of extending this deadline for another three or four weeks so businesses trying to keep the ship afloat will have more time to apply for this grant.
I thank the Members who contributed to the Order of Business. Fiona O'Loughlin acknowledged today's apology by an Taoiseach to the victims of the Stardust tragedy. Many Members spoke about that tragedy today, including Senators Boyhan, Cummins and Conway. It is a poignant moment in what has been a very long battle. They have waited more than 40 years for justice. I extend my solidarity and support to the victims and their families on this important day for them. The State apology is welcome, albeit long overdue. It is still great to get there; better late than never, as they say. It is a very important day for those families.
Senator O'Loughlin raised another important point around housing and the constraints in the private housing market relating to units available to rent and purchase. She raised concerns that IPAS is now renting properties from the private rental market, and mentioned Newbridge, County Kildare, in particular. That is hugely concerning because it will upset people locally. We try not to have the State competing with individuals and families in the private sector for rent and purchase of housing unless it is absolutely needed. That will certainly only further discommode local residents and there will be bad feeling in that community if that is happening and people's families cannot get somewhere to rent in the locality. I concur with the Senator's remarks and urge the Department to move away from a policy of purchasing or renting accommodation in the private sector for IPAS. It is going to breed more problems rather than solve the challenges we have.
The Senator also referenced the Garda Representative Association, GRA, conference taking place today in Westport. I welcome the GRA to County Mayo for its annual conference. It is good to see that the theme and objective of the event is to say it is a job worth protecting and I support gardaí in their work in that regard. Many issues have been highlighted with An Garda. From my conversations with local gardaí in County Mayo, there is a feeling that the hierarchy in An Garda Síochána does not have the backs of ordinary rank and file gardaí. That is evidenced by the fact that a few months ago more than 90% of gardaí voted no confidence in the Garda Commissioner. I am sure that is the reason the Commissioner is not present at the event. It is regrettable that the Minister for Justice was unable to attend, but it is important we continue to listen to gardaí and the concerns they are raising. There are cases like what is now well known and referred to as the garda bicycle case where the GRA says there was a lack of a common-sense approach. I concur with that. There is also the case of the garda being prosecuted for dangerous driving. There are concerns among ordinary rank and file gardaí that they are not in a position to use their discretion. There is a chill effect and a fear among gardaí about doing their jobs fully because they fear they will be reprimanded. That is something that needs to be looked at. You have to ask how we can turn that around. How can we increase morale in the force, and encourage more people to enter An Garda Síochána? That will be difficult to achieve in the current circumstances without regime change at the top. I thank the Senator for raising the issue.
Senator Carrigy welcome the investment in local improvement schemes by the Minister, Deputy Humphreys. He mentioned that €900,000 was put into County Longford. He also raised concerns about functional neurological disorder services across the country. Senator Clonan raised the specific issue of a young student who entered the National College of Art and Design, NCAD. I do not have the full details of what happened apart from what the Senator mentioned.
I believe there are sensitivities around that. I am happy to work with the Senator to try to assist in that particular matter.
The Minister of State, Senator Hackett, also referenced the Stardust apology today. She spoke of Tony Bergin, an Offaly man who received a local award for his work in farming and protecting nature and about his love of nature. I wish Tony the very best. It is great to see that his work over many years has been acknowledged.
Senator Black raised the plight of the people of Gaza, as she has done on numerous occasions. I concur with her remarks. It is an abhorrent situation. Words do not do justice to what is happening to the people of Gaza. While we will always condemn the 7 October attack, what has happened since then has been disproportionate. I believe war crimes have been committed and that the people of Gaza are being starved, tormented and tortured by the IDF. All we can say, as we have said repeatedly, is that we need a ceasefire now, peace in the region and a two-state solution.
Senator Gavan made reference to the housing crisis in Cork, as he sees it, in terms of vacant homes. I remind the Senator that the vacant homes grant of up to €70,000 is available from the State to bring a vacant or derelict building back into use. It has been a hugely successful scheme. Vacant properties have been brought back into use in every county, including Cork. He said there was a lack of Government funding under Housing for All. There has been record investment in housing. A €4 billion plan has been put in place that is delivering homes. The numbers are going in the right direction and there is momentum behind house building. Sinn Féin has yet to produce its housing plan, but is very quick to point out the difficulties and challenges. That is easy to do, but actually solving the housing crisis and getting the work done is the job of Government, and that is what is happening under the Minister, Deputy O'Brien.
Senator Malcolm Byrne spoke about the disorder around the home of the Minister, Deputy Roderic O'Gorman - I do not think one could call them protests - and the erection of disgusting banners on his home, which is private property. We universally condemn what happened at his house. No public representative, at any level, should have their home subjected to that level of abuse. Working in politics and being a public representative is becoming more difficult and, at times, more dangerous. We have to be very conscious of that and call it out where it happens. The Senator also welcomed the €1.8 million for a new community centre in his area of Wexford.
Senator Cummins also referenced the Stardust apology today. He drew our attention to the cost of doing business grant for small businesses, as did Senator Robbie Gallagher. Up to €5,000 is available for a company or business that has paid between €10,000 and €30,000 in rates. The uptake has been quite low - as low as 20% in some counties. Senator Gallagher said that approximately 130,000 businesses would be eligible for the grant, but only 30,000 have availed of it. The deadline for receipt of applications is 1 May. I concur with the remarks of both Senators. It would be good to try to extend the deadline, if at all possible - I am sure the Minister is working on that - to give us more time to create awareness around the grant availability and encourage eligible businesses to apply for that helping hand.
Senator Sharon Keogan spoke about the EU migration pact. As she will be aware, we will have a full debate on the matter in the House on 2 May with the Minister. She drew attention to the five different regulations that comprise the pact. There are some positives in what she said. We are all supporters of the EURODAC database having more information and data available to the State, as well as the screening regulations and the asylum procedure. I take on board her point on the asylum and migration management regulation and the concerns raised around that. Overall, the pact has to be viewed as a whole. There are positive elements to it. People have been against the pact because it is not hardline enough, while others are against it because they think it is too hardline. It seems that after ten years of negotiations, people have met somewhere in the middle. From an Irish perspective, we have worked with countries to try to deal with what is an immense challenge for the country. This has been hugely difficult for us in terms of housing and accommodation, issues raised by Senators across the House. Working with other countries on this issue is the way forward because it is not going to go away anytime soon. It is here to stay and it is something we have to try to manage. We have to protect the country in terms of the challenges it brings, such as pressure on resources, in particular housing.
Senator Paul Daly spoke about child passport applications. Some 90% of passports are quite easy to get now and the online system is excellent. However, the problem is first-time children's passports. We need to find a better way of issuing them. The system is cumbersome and stressful for parents. People have waited for three months for passports, yet have not received them. The time it takes people to get those passports is unnecessarily long and the system is bureaucratic.
I understand the child protection elements of it and I believe this is why there is a requirement to ring the Garda station, to be doubly sure that what is being sent in is correct. There must, though, be a better way of doing it and a courier should be acceptable. It seems ridiculous it is not the case now. I was not aware of this aspect, to be quite honest. This process is taking too long. Even trying to get the photograph right is challenging for parents. Those applying even months in advance are still not guaranteed to get the passport. This situation needs to change. Besides this issue, a fantastic job has been done with everything else. All other passport applications have been streamlined and are very efficient. It is nearly possible to get a passport within two days using the online application. This is to the credit of the Passport Office. This issue is the one final area to be looked at to improve the service for parents. I have no doubt about the office being able to do this, if it puts its mind to it, and the Department as well.
I welcome Senator Lombard's wife, Catherine, who was here today. Senator Lombard spoke about the election that will take place in Limerick for that city's directly elected mayor. As for the whole space around directly elected mayors, I think there is scope to expand it. It is great to see that Limerick city will soon have its directly elected mayor. I wish all the candidates in that election well. Obviously, Cork and Dublin were asked the question and the people there decided "No" in this respect. The people of Galway city, however, were never asked if they wanted to have a directly-elected mayor and I believe they should be. There is certainly an opportunity here for our larger cities. I am sure Dublin and Cork may wish to revisit the question at some point. What happens in Limerick city will give us an opportunity to see how this new institution beds in. The fact, though, that there will be a team of staff available to the directly-elected mayor, a budget behind the office and the officeholder will have the ability to effect change in communities means that I believe the people of Galway and other cities should be asked if they would like to follow Limerick down this same path. It is an interesting and exciting change for local government in one area, and it should be rolled out beyond this one area. I am sure we will see this happen and that the Department and the Minister will be willing to do this.
Senators Boyhan and Conway spoke about the Stardust fire. Finally, Senator Gallagher spoke about the increased cost of business grant. As a businessman, who has been in business for more than 20 years, the Senator made a valid point when he said it is often difficult for people dealing with the day-to-day running of their businesses to find the time to keep abreast of the different grants that may be available. More of an effort needs to be made to ensure that eligible businesses are aware of this grant. I am sure we can increase the uptake for this important grant from the Government to support small businesses.