The Order of Business is No. 1, Ministers and Secretaries and Ministerial, Parliamentary, Judicial and Court Offices (Amendment) Bill - all Stages, to be taken at 12.15 p.m., with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister in the debate on Second Stage not to exceed ten minutes and those of group spokespersons not to exceed ten minutes and time may be shared, those of all other Senators not to exceed five minutes and the Minister to be given no less than ten minutes to reply to the debate, and Committee and Remaining Stages to be taken immediately thereafter.
An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
I support the Order of Business as outlined by the Leader of the House. There has been a long interim since I was last in this seat and I thank all those who supported me along the way. It was a pleasure to engage with people who care passionately about their communities throughout the 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland over recent months as I sought their support to represent them in the Seanad.
Somebody said yesterday that it did not really matter where any of us come from because we have a national mandate, which we absolutely do, but I do think where we come from is important. It informs who we are and gives us a sense of place, which is all the more important when we see displacement around this country and across the globe. I am a proud Kildare woman, from the county of St. Brigid, and normally I have the opportunity to wish everyone a happy St. Brigid's Day, which happened the weekend before last. I wish Senators the spirit and legacy of St. Brigid in the months and year ahead.
When I talk about displacement, yesterday morning, as we were preparing to come for our first sitting here, I received a number of early calls and communications from the community of Newbridge regarding the news that had just broken relating to the Eyre Powell Hotel, a place where people have found a home. It is a direct provision centre and has been there for about 25 years. While we all agree the system is not the best, the centre is home to a lot of families, children and adults. Thirty-seven children have places in schools, of whom six are doing State examinations this year, and many of the people volunteer in the community or have jobs. They were given less than 24 hours' notice that they would have to move from there because of a fire hazard. Apparently, the hazard had been noticed over the past 18 months and the owner had been asked to work on it but had not done so. Thankfully, we have had some reprieve in the past 24 hours, but this is a very inhumane way to treat anybody. I ask those in the State bodies and the community engagement group to think harder about how they deal with these situations. We certainly hope we will be able to support those who are there.
The other point I raise relates to violence against women and the epidemic we have seen over recent years and, indeed, recent months. It takes two forms, one of which is domestic violence. It was horrific to witness what we saw over the Christmas period. We need to do far more. The second aspect concerns the random acts of violence that have been inflicted by men on women.
It was very important that Cathal Crotty's suspended sentence was overturned. The Judiciary and society need to give a strong message that random acts of violence against women or anybody will not be tolerated in this country.
I congratulate the Leader on his position and I wish him well. It looks like we have a fairly full House today so if he will be answering questions he might be half the day replying to everyone. I am sure that will change in time.
I ask that we have a debate with the new Minister for Transport at the earliest convenience. The previous Minister, Eamon Ryan, did an awful lot of good work in certain areas in terms of public transport, walkways and cycleways but in the previous programme for Government there was an agreement for two thirds spending on public transport and one third spending on roads. That was a challenge for the previous Government with regard to road projects throughout the country which are a priority and need to be done. One in particular, the N24, is in my area. Tomorrow morning the Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council will host a meeting with elected representatives from Kilkenny and Tipperary, including Oireachtas Members, to outline what will happen with the project. This road project was funded up to a certain point. It had almost reached planning stage when funding was stopped in 2024. It needs an extra €2 million to get to planning stage and then it will be a decision for the Government to decide to construct it.
The challenge we have in Tipperary and Kilkenny is that people in many areas in the buffer zone cannot build. Farming families cannot build a house or change anything on their site because they are in buffer zone where a road might be built. The funding to build that road has been paused. We need to make a decision that we will not do it and allow people to get on with their lives and build a house or do whatever they want to their farmland, or fund it with the extra €2 million to get it to planning stage. The reason this is so important is that if we do not do anything in the next couple of years we will have to go right back to the very start where we were five years ago. We have already spent €5 million on the project. Essentially we will have wasted €5 million if we do not get it to planning stage. If we do get it to planning stage and complete it, no matter what happens at least we will be at a point where we do not have to go backwards. Any future Government could then state that once it is in a position to do so the road can be constructed. This is one example but there are numerous examples throughout the country. We have all travelled the country and met councillors. There are big issues regarding housing, disability and health. If we speak to councillors in rural areas, the main issue is with regard to road projects. I would really appreciate if we could have a meeting with the new Minister for Transport to outline his vision of what he wants to deliver in the next five years.
I congratulate the Cathaoirleach on his election for another term. I wish him well. I also want to take this opportunity to wish the Leader well and thank him for his work and his vast experience in here. More importantly, I want to welcome everyone to the House. It is a unique place and we are unique people. We are individuals who bring our life experiences to the House. Be we on the university panels, Taoiseach's nominees or on the vocational panels, we all have a legitimate and valid seat and a place in the Chamber. We need to start off with that. We need to respect one another and support one another. We need to respect that there is reasonable opposition that is not antagonistic to the Government and, vice versa, the Government clearly has a prerogative to outline its policies. This is an important relationship that we need to understand. It is always respectful but it is political.
I want to turn to the next issue, which is local government. This is something I have championed, as have many here. The majority of us have been elected by city and county councillors. The Cathaoirleach, many Members of the House and I were on the Seanad Public Consultation Committee. This was a unique committee of this House, and not the Lower House, where we discussed local democracy, local government and the issue regarding more power for local government. We have the most centralised structures for local government and we need to devolve more powers to local government.
Throughout the election campaign, many of us were challenged and asked what we were going to do about local government, what we would do for city and county councillors, how we would empower them and how we would support them in their work. It is not all about remuneration or pensions. It is about policy and how we can dovetail them more into the relevant discussions that take place in these Houses. I ask the Leader to organise a meeting to discuss and debate the report of the committee the House established, a document which has 25 recommendations. We have never discussed or debated it. Given that we do not have a lot of policy or legislation coming down the track, I ask that the document be circulated to every Member of the House and that we have a timely discussion on local government and local democracy and how we can give more power to our city and local councillors. It is very important that we do so. This is my initial ask in the House. Let us enjoy it, respect one another and move forward.
I thank the Cathaoirleach for the opportunity I had to speak yesterday when I outlined number of areas of importance to me. After this discussion we will get into today's business, which is the legislative proposal that was shunted through the Dáil yesterday. With regard to my particular interest, I would welcome at some stage a debate on all-Ireland economic matters which the Minister for enterprise would attend. I notice that responsibility for trade is being moved to the Tánaiste's Department, somewhat surprisingly. Last year I had the opportunity as Northern Ireland's Minister for the Economy, to lead the first all-Ireland trade mission to Singapore. The general election interrupted the presence of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment at the time. It was surprising that the first all-Ireland trade mission involving IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Invest Northern Ireland and the Departments North and South was 26 years on from the Good Friday Agreement. It was a very successful visit and there was a real appetite to have more.
The growth in the all-Ireland economy has been organic. It has been growing year on year. The volume of trade North to South and South to North has been growing exponentially in recent years. There is a real opportunity for setting aside all of the politics in the approach to all-Ireland matters. Business is well ahead of the political game regarding the opportunities there are for it. I would very much welcome the opportunity to have the Minister responsible come to the House to discuss how we use InterTradeIreland and other bodies responsible for the promotion of business on the island, particularly given the greater uncertainty we have globally regarding economics and where issues might go regarding tariffs and other matters of uncertainty. There is a real opportunity to strengthen business on the island to create more trade throughout the island and ensure we grow a very strong economy. I would very much welcome the opportunity to debate this at a future date when it is possible.
I have several items to raise. I agree with Senator Ahearn's point on the progression of the N24 but the 2:1 split on transport spending by the former Minister Eamon Ryan has led to a transformation in rural public transport, particularly Local Link services, the reduction in public transport fares and free transport for children aged under nine. This has been transformative for rural Ireland. It has reconnected many communities. It was the right decision, notwithstanding the need to progress the project. Eamon Ryan increased funding for regional roads and spoke of his support for regional roads and bypasses throughout the country.
I would welcome the opportunity to have a debate in the Chamber on Storm Éowyn and extreme weather events generally. I travelled extensively during the Seanad campaign, as we all did, and more recently around Roscommon, Leitrim and Mayo. I spoke to contractors working on the removal of trees and making the roadsides safe. Regarding calls to remove all trees from roadsides, there is a broader debate to be had. Putting a fund in place to manage roadside trees might be a more appropriate measure. Senator Boyhan might know about this as a fellow horticulturist. I would welcome the opportunity to have a debate on putting in place a fund to support local authorities which could be used for tree surgeons to make roadside trees throughout the country safer, rather than removing them altogether.
There are going to be targets for standing wood, dead wood, in our nature restoration plan. It is important we can use this as an opportunity to embed resilience in our rural communities in particular around trees in our countryside. They are an important and vital asset and they provide vital ecosystem services in terms of flood retention and carbon sequestration. Calls for removing them completely from our roadsides are ill-judged. It is important we have a debate on that as soon as possible.
I would like to follow on from all the points that have been raised here around the balance of transport. I would welcome a debate with the Minister for Transport to look at the imbalance there is when we look at the west and north west of Ireland in terms of public transport. I refer to the train line but also the N17, the N54 and the N15. We have been overlooked as a region. I know other Senators such as Senator Noonan have raised the Local Link services which have transformed rural Ireland. It has definitely transformed our part of the world. We need an emphasis on opening up the western rail corridor. We refer to it locally as the spine of Connacht and it will transform both North and South. We talk about economic development and having an all-Ireland approach. I would welcome the debate to include the rail corridor in the strategic all-Ireland rail review.
Also, on the point of public transport, I raise the issue of why the catering trolley has not returned on the Sligo-Dublin train.
Hear, hear.
It was removed during Covid. It has returned on the Dublin-Belfast train and the Cork-Dublin train. I ask the Minister for Transport why it has not come back to the north west. Maybe it is indicative of the emphasis that is placed on transport in our region.
Comhghairdeachas to the Cathaoirleach and to everyone who has been elected. It is a great privilege for all of us to get to serve in this House. I start by thanking everyone who voted for me and who supported me. I particularly thank the Seanad staff, including Martin Groves in the Seanad Office. Without their work none of us would have been elected and they did it with great professionalism, patience and accuracy. I thank them for my count alone. I thank my sister Niamh, Niall Butterly who has worked with me, my husband Seán, my sons Jack and James and my daughter Kate. Without any of those people I would not be standing here today. I also thank RGDATA which nominated me. RGDATA represents the independent indigenous domestic Irish retailers in every town and village. Its members are up early in the morning - before most of us - to open their shops and most of them do not close until many of us have finished our day's work and gone to bed. It is a huge privilege for me to have been nominated by this association. I look forward to championing the issues that are of concern to its members such as the impact of Government policy decisions on small businesses, the impact of crime on their staff and customers, the lack of housing, and the need for town and village regeneration. They have a lot of asks. I intend to be their champion in this House.
When I am talking about small shops and businesses, I want us all the stop for a moment and think about the small shop on Oxmantown Road and the people on that road and in Stoneybatter in Dublin 7, who last week were visited with horrific and unexpected violence in their community. Yasir and his staff on the street and everybody living in Oxmantown Road were deeply upset by it. I call for an early debate in this House with the new Minister for Justice on making our cities safer.
Finally, on a more positive note, last weekend in my constituency of Dublin Central we got to celebrate the 102nd birthday of the great Brendan Behan. I congratulate everybody in the north inner city who got together on Russell Street to celebrate his birthday, his legacy, his literature and his works. He said many things but I will leave Senators today with one quote attributed to him: "if you accept your limitations you go beyond them". We can focus on the limitations of this Chamber or we can work collectively challengingly and respectfully to go beyond them. It is my commitment to work with all Senators to do that over the next five years.
I think he also described himself once upon a time as a drinker with a writing problem. More famously, after he was charged and sentenced in court in his absence, he said they might as well hang him in his absence as well. He was a man of great wit and humour.
I rise first of all to congratulate the Leader. I look forward to working with him over the coming years. Senator Ahearn raised the N24 which certainly has the same impact on Limerick as it has on Tipperary the whole way to Waterford. It is about connectivity and I too support his call to ask the Minister of Transport to come before us.
Equally, Senator Fitzpatrick raised the whole issue of people feeling safe in cities. I believe the Minister for Justice but it is also about the number of derelict and vacant buildings and people being on the street. It is about how to deal with the issues on the street such as people coming up to people and looking for things. It will be a combination of work by the Minister for enterprise on how to support and expand businesses to fill those vacant units, and by the Minister for Justice on how we can create a greater Garda presence on the street. Those are two things on which I would like the Leader's support.
I am delighted to see the Leader back in the Chair this term.
With the increase in the Dáil numbers from 160 to 174, in recognition of our growing population, it would be wise to revisit our numbers within local government. In the 2014 local government reforms we reduced our local representation from 1,627 to 949. Our population in 2014 was 4.6 million and today we have a population of 5.5 million. The CSO expert group has projected our population to grow to 7 million by 2050. That would mean every councillor would be responsible for 7,500 citizens.
We also need to look at the introduction of an European affairs office within all local authorities. Few counties have these but this needs direction from our new Minister. Millions of euro in grants are going elsewhere because local authorities do not have dedicated staff sourcing and applying for these grants for communities.
That leads me also to call for the introduction of a European affairs strategy policy committee to be financed by our new Minister. It is vitally important that those within local government know what directives, regulations and decisions are coming out of Europe. I call on the Leader to request the new Minister of State, Deputy John Cummins, to come into this House to discuss his vision and that of the programme for Government and to listen to the voices within this House as well.
If the Cathaoirleach has any pull at all and can make an executive order, can we please get rid of the plastic straws?
Plastic straws, okay.
I would like to speak about breast cancer screening and symptomatic breast cancer services for younger women. There is a rise in younger women being diagnosed with breast cancer and we need to move with the times when dealing with this. Last week, on 4 February, we marked World Cancer Day. This year, the story of a young woman, Ziva Cussen, was covered in the media. She went to her GP with a lump on her breast and at times was reassured there was nothing to worry about. It took six months for a scan to take place. At that point Ziva's cancer had spread to her bones and she had a stage 4 cancer diagnosis. Ziva's case is not an isolated incident of a young woman presenting with a symptom of breast cancer and not being scanned in a timely manner. At 36, I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer after presenting with a lump. My GP referred me to St. James's Hospital to err on the side of caution but he was not concerned because of my age. At that time other women in my community of Tallaght were being diagnosed with breast cancer, including my dear friend Fiona aged 37 who was referred quickly because we had the same GP who knew the importance of referring a young girl on. I think of Fiona today. Tomorrow is her second anniversary. Nicola, aged 28, had two lumps. She was dismissed as having a cyst or a blocked milk duct.
She insisted on her referral and six weeks later was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer.
There are approximately 3,700 new cases of breast cancer annually in Ireland, with 23% of these cases diagnosed in women between 20 and 50 years of age. The number of younger women being diagnosed is increasing. The key message we hear in every conversation about breast cancer is “Early detection saves lives”. Breast checks should be extended to women from the age of 40, and I want change for women in their 20s and 30s in how they are dealt with when they present with breast cancer signs.
I have lived through the illness. I know how frightening it is to find a lump, and I know I am very lucky to be here today. I will not stop advocating until young women no longer feel dismissed, their concerns are taken seriously and they get the care and attention they deserve when they present with symptoms of breast cancer.
I request that the Leader invite the Minister for Health in to have a debate on cancer services.
I thank Senator Costello for sharing her personal experience and being an advocate for that important cause in this House.
I join in congratulating Senator Kyne on his appointment as Leader of the House. I wish him every success and I look forward to working with him.
I second Senator Ahearn’s request for a debate with the Minister for Transport. There are a whole swathe of issues in the west of Ireland and projects that urgently need investment and delivery. We need to move on from the stage of talk. There has been much inertia on projects, and a lack of delivery on projects. The western rail corridor, which Senator Cosgrove raised, is a critical piece of infrastructure that needs to be delivered for the west of Ireland. There are 33 km of line in public ownership that were used in the past which urgently require investment to connect the western seaboard if we are serious about supporting rural Ireland and the west of Ireland. This is a key priority that must be delivered, and I am sure the Leader is familiar with it. If it is not under the brief of the Minister for Transport, then the junior Minister should be brought to the House in order that we can have a debate on the investment in and delivery of the western rail corridor within the term of this Government. It is ambitious, but also realistic if we put our collective minds to it.
My second point is on an N26 road infrastructure project. It is the gateway to north Mayo and west Sligo, and it has been talked about for 30 years. I encourage a debate on it so we can move from talk to delivery on this project.
The previous Government and the previous Minister for Transport made great efforts in terms of public transport and active travel measures. There was great ambition with active travel. Each town had local transport plans but, unfortunately, that was used as a tool by local engineers to say they would wait for the local transport plan to come. The local transport plans have been created but are not being funded in the ambitious way that they were supposed to be. It is causing itty-bitty little projects to be delivered as opposed to transformative ones. Along with the safe routes to school, we need to make sure that the new local transport plans are not delivered in piecemeal approaches but are transformative so we can actually consider children cycling to school and people safely commuting, walking and cycling, to school, which is not happening at the moment. There has been much talk, but not delivery, on it. We need to see action from that.
I request a debate on the effects of Storm Éowyn. It particularly affected the midlands and the west, including my county of Cavan, very badly. Some customers were only reconnected with power this week, meaning they were 19 days without power. I was nine days without power, and that was difficult enough. I also particularly mention people who are vulnerable. There were older people, people dependent on oxygen and people dependent on hospital beds and hoists, which are electronically managed, who ended up with bed sores because they could not use their hospital bed. Something needs to be done to address that in this situation. It did not matter that they were on the ESB’s vulnerable customers list; it made no difference in the middle of the storm. They possibly need to be provided with generators to ensure that if a storm like this hits again - as is quite possible - they are not left without power to operate their medical device.
I also raise the issue that many people, while reconnected with their power, have not been reconnected with their broadband. People are left without phone coverage. They are working from home and they cannot receive emails. They basically cannot do their work. There seems to be a very poor response from broadband providers. That needs to be highlighted, called out and addressed immediately.
I commend the community spirit that was shown in every community across the country, where we had community hubs established, be it through the county council, the GAA or other community groups, providing support for people. However, the humanitarian assistance scheme needs to be looked at and adjusted because it is being interpreted differently depending on which social protection office one goes into in which county. It needs to be standardised so that everybody gets the same treatment and gets sufficient treatment to ensure they are recompensed for losses.
I also have huge concerns about the lack of support for businesses affected by the storm; it seems be absent. We need to ensure that insurance companies pay out for damages caused during this storm and not find a loophole to avoid doing so.
I congratulate Senator Kyne on being appointed the Leader of the Seanad. I know he will do a fantastic job.
I rise to talk about the now-ceased SEAI boiler grant. I understand the reason it was ceased but I am concerned about older people who just want a new boiler and a grant for one. The air to water and the retrofitting is just too much hassle for someone in their later stage of life. Can something be done, such as the reintroduction of something for older people who just want a boiler? In time, it could be phased out again. It is causing a lot of hassle. There are other great schemes, which are all very welcome, but some people just want a boiler. I would like a debate or to ask the Minister if we could reintroduce it, even for special circumstances, obviously not for new builds or anything like that, but perhaps for people over a certain age who do not want the hassle of getting big works done to their house.
Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh. Déanaim comhghairdeas leis, leis an Seanadóir Kyne agus le mo chomhghleacaithe ar fad atá tar éis a suíocháin a thógáil sa Teach seo. Is mór an onóir domsa suíochán a ghlacadh i Seanad Éireann agus táim fíorbhuíoch den Tánaiste. Táim ag súil go mór leis an obair sa Teach seo agus an comhoibriú eadrainn ar fad.
I did not speak yesterday, frankly because I wanted to take it all in. It is a huge honour to be nominated to Seanad Éireann, and I am very grateful to the Tánaiste, Deputy Simon Harris, and to the Fine Gael Party for their faith in me. It is a humbling experience to be here among you leaders and change-makers. I thank members of my own party, Fine Gael, but also the Senators and TDs from all parties across both Houses who have reached out to welcome me. They must all remember being new. I hugely appreciate their generosity of spirit this week – I really mean that. I have huge respect for all Members of this House. I mean it when I say that I want to work with them on issues that are important to the people we represent, but also important to the people who perhaps feel that they do not have representation in the Oireachtas. I feel that we have a responsibility to use our voices in that way.
In the coming weeks and months, I wish to highlight the issue of dual diagnosis relating to addiction and mental health. We are failing a cohort of people in this country who have found themselves on that knife edge, and I would welcome a debate on that issue. A person with a dual diagnosis is someone who presents with a concurrent mental health disorder and a substance abuse disorder. We have not found a way to treat these people in a holistic way. People cannot enter a rehabilitation centre if they take any kind of medication, even if that medication is for a mental illness. However, people cannot get their mental illness treated until their addiction substances have been addressed. It is a systemic failing, and we are failing people when they are at their most vulnerable.
Eleven and a half years ago, I lost my brother to suicide, not long after he was turned away from a psychological facility due to his decade-long struggle with addiction. Cormac was my younger brother and he is one of the reasons that I sit in this House. I was very proud of him, and he would be very proud of me today.
Senator Stephenson spoke so eloquently yesterday about living in peace and helping people find peace. This is just another example of that. Hundreds and thousands of people with dual diagnosis do find peace, but not in life. I want to work with Members of this House, not just to raise the issue of dual diagnosis but to address it and to navigate a way to help the people who feel they have been deemed beyond help. I ask the Leader to invite the Minister to this House for a debate on this matter. Míle buíochas, a chairde.
I congratulate Senator Kyne on his role as Leader and I look forward to working with him during his term. I, too, want to discuss Storm Éowyn. In County Galway, where I come from, not only was the impact felt while the storm was going through the county, but it lasted until last Monday when the last person in Galway, in Dunmore, had their electricity reconnected. That is far too long to wait. We have to reflect and learn from this. Learning is great but we have to operationalise that learning. That does not fall to one Department or one Minister. It falls to many of them. It falls to the responsibility of local government, social protection, communications and health. While there was co-ordination, it also exposed how vulnerable and weak we can be within our communities. What were really vulnerable were our daycare centres for older persons and those with additional needs. Our health hubs and primary care centres, pharmacies and GPs were also vulnerable and left exposed. Something else that was exposed was our lack of community centres. Loughrea does not have a community centre. Kinvara has a small community centre but it did not have PE hall that could have been used. We saw in Dunmore that if they had had the kVA generator they had in 1937, they would have been further on than they were in 2025. Ten miles up the road from where I live is Lowertown in Woodford, where people only got their electricity back last week. The storm really exposed rural isolation and people living alone. While we do have network of vulnerable adults and families, GDPR stood in the way of sharing a lot of that information. I ask the Leader to arrange for us to have a conversation in this House with whatever Minister he believes has the responsibility as to how to put the learning into operation.
I congratulate the Leader of the House, Senator Kyne. I look forward to working with everyone.
I thank the people who supported me in getting to this position, particularly the people in Cork South-Central. I have had three elections this year. I put on record my thanks to my parents, Mary and Ted, my four younger sisters, Michelle, Andrea, Rachel and Celine, and my campaign manager, George Cummins.
I want to touch on three issues. I, personally, and the Labour Party are opposed to the proposed privatisation of Bord na Móna Recycling. We support the calls from SIPTU that there should be discussion on the issue. I call for a discussion with the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, on this. We have deep concerns about workers' rights and the fact they were not consulted or updated as part of the strategic review that was undertaken internally in Bord na Móna Recycling. To my knowledge, this was not included in any party manifesto during the recent general election, nor is it in the programme for Government. We should discuss this.
I am deeply concerned about the proposed restructuring at BIMM music college, which is funded by TU Dublin. The fact that many of the lecturers may lose their positions, be put on reduced hours or be at risk of precarious work is very concerning. It is great to see they are being supported by their union, the Irish Federation of University Teachers, and the students within the college. BIMM has produced some of the best bands in the country, if not the world. This is something we should value. I am very concerned about this race to the bottom in further and higher education in how staff in the sector are being treated. I would welcome a debate with the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science on the issue.
I raise the issue of public transport in Cork and in Cork city, in particular. Public transport in Cork needs to be improved. Public confidence in the bus service in Cork is at an all-time low because of the unreliability of the service. We have been waiting too long for a light rail service in Cork. Compared with Dublin, Cork is very much forgotten when it comes to public transport.
I congratulate the Cathaoirleach and wish him an energetic and peaceful term. I also congratulate my colleague, Senator Kyne, who I know will be fair and wise. I am honoured to be elected to the Twenty-seventh Seanad. My colleague, Senator Ahearn, told me yesterday to take it all in and I am certainly doing that. I take my seat here as the greatest privilege.
I thank my party, Fine Gael, my husband, Finbarr, and my daughters, Elle-J and Savannah, my friends who have supported me, my mam and dad, looking down from heaven, and all who have helped me over the last two years to get here. I am following in the great footsteps of many who treasured this position. I can assure the people of Meath West of my full commitment to this role and I look forward to the next few years of working with everyone. I thank Retail Excellence Ireland for nominating me. I will be the voice for business, jobs and communities, as well as all the other issues that I am passionate about.
I ask the Leader to request that the Minister for Justice be invited here to discuss the personal injury guidelines. These came into effect in March 2021 and we are already looking at increasing them by up to 17%, less than four years later. We have not even seen the impact they have already had. I speak from experience of nearly losing my own business over insurance. I speak for the likes of play centres, pet farms and any business that has anything to do with fun, play and risk. This is a significant concern. I worry about the impact this increase would have on the Personal Injuries Resolution Board, PIRB, if general damages are to be reviewed and potentially increased every three years. Will this leave us in a position where people are going to hang on? It has taken the injuries board two and a half years to get to a resolution, so are people wait the extra six months to try to get it increased? We cannot let this happen. I am beginning to fear for businesses such as play centres where our children can play. Businesses have had to take on so many increased costs over recent years. A few years ago, insurance was the main issue. Now, everything is an issue when it comes to the increased costs of doing business. We do not need to add this 17% on to businesses. Allow them to be in business. Allow employees to stay in business. I ask the Leader to ask the Minister for Justice to come here to discuss how we can protect our small businesses.
Comhghairdeas, a Chathaoirligh, agus the Leader. I wish you well, along with all the fellow Senators who were elected and appointed. My door is open to anyone who is finding their feet, from all parties and none. I would be delighted to help in any way I can.
I want to mention a fellow Senator, Martin Conway, who was not present yesterday. I feel he is owed a duty of care by these Houses after his incident on O'Connell Street. There has been a lot of commentary about the incident. In all of the commentary, I have not heard it once being asked if he is okay, if he needs help, if he is getting the support he needs or how his family are coping. Have we lost all humanity in these Houses? Oireachtas Members, staff and journalists who walk these corridors can attest to the fact that when Martin recognised you, he would have a friendly word and was pleasant and helpful. His political record speaks for itself. I will finish where I started. A Senator with severely impaired vision had an incident on a Dublin street. The very least he is owed by these Houses is a basic level of decency.
Hear, hear.
Hear, hear.
Would it be possible to invite the Minister for housing in specifically to discuss the regeneration of flat complexes around Dublin? As an example, the refurbishment and redevelopment of communities and flat complexes in Dublin Bay South and in the south inner city is desperately needed.
The regeneration is moving at a snail's pace. Residents are having to live in accommodation that is completely unacceptable. There is a situation where rats are running freely around developments not too far from here, including Leo Fitzgerald House, Pearse House and over near Bishop Street. Almost all the flats have significant issues around maintenance. Residents are expected to live in conditions that none of us would be willing to put up with. We need to have a debate on regeneration. I was in a local community centre seven years ago to discuss the redevelopment of St. Andrew's Court. There is a very small block of flats there. Again, that is not too far from here. That was seven years ago and nothing has happened. The flats that were there are still there and they have been empty in the middle of a housing crisis. The council has said it is going to take another three years before 33 flats will be built. It will, therefore, be ten or 11 years before the council can deliver 33 flats for social housing. That is completely unacceptable. We need to fast-track regeneration and redevelopment of flat complexes around the city. I ask that the Minister come into the House to debate this issue and look at a way to ensure that residents are not expected to put up with and live in accommodation that is completely unacceptable in 2025.
I raise the issue of flooding in the town of Enniscorthy. It was flooded in 1924, 1947, 1965, 2000, 2002, 2009, 2014, 2016 and most recently in 2020. Approximately 159 houses and 169 businesses are currently within the flood zone area in Enniscorthy. Since 2014, approximately €51 million has been allocated by the Government to deliver a flood relief scheme in Enniscorthy. To date, however, this has not come to pass. I ask that we invite into this Chamber the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works to get an urgent statement on this matter. The reality here is that people in Enniscorthy are living within the flood zone in fear every time that there comes a warning for heavy rain. This is the situation these people are facing daily during their day-to-day business. I would appreciate if we could proceed with this undertaking. Go raibh maith agat.
There has been some discussion here of the storm and the response to it. I published a document some time ago that I also circulated to Members of the House. I will circulate it to Members again. It is about the requirement to have a statutory-based, overarching emergency management system in the State. We are one of the few states in Europe that does not have a statutory emergency management system.
The other issue I wish to bring up is search and rescue. We have been banging this issue to death for the past four years and it looks like we are on the way to doing so for another four years. We awarded a contract to Bristow for €800 million. It took over the Shannon base in October 2024. Shannon is not operational from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. There is, therefore, no cover for the Atlantic coast from Shannon from 8 p.m. until 8 a.m. Recently, we had to bring generators to the Aran Islands. Part of the contract entails being able to carry under the aircraft heavy goods that have to be shipped, like generators. Who did this job? It was CHC, the old contractor in Sligo. It came to Clare, next door to Shannon, picked up the generators and brought them to the Aran Islands.
It is simply unbelievable at this stage that the contractor awarded an €800 million contract is unable to provide a 24-7, 365 days service in Shannon. It was due to take over Sligo this Friday, but CHC has just been notified that it will be required to remain in Sligo indefinitely. Somebody somewhere has to start answering for this situation. I attempted in the previous Oireachtas to get the Secretary General of the Department to come before the relevant joint committee to deal with this issue. We were told that Secretaries General did not answer to the Oireachtas. It was the Minister who would answer. We need to put an end to this situation. We need to get search and rescue up and running. The State needs a 24-7, 365 days service. If the Leader would not mind, I call for a debate on this matter.
I start by congratulating the Cathaoirleach on his election to his position. I also congratulate my party colleague Senator Seán Kyne on his election as Leader of the Seanad.
It is an honour for me to be here as an elected Senator. I have been involved in politics for many years now at a party level and a local level. Contesting the Seanad election and meeting the wonderful councillors we have all around the country was quite the experience. I am really delighted to be here. I thank all those who supported me, particularly my family and friends, who have stood by me through all of this.
I ask that we seek a debate with the Minister for Transport on the provision of transport services for those receiving adult disability day services. Under the school-leaver rehabilitative training exit programme, no funding is provided for transport for adults to receive these day services. Transport is available for access to these services on a discretionary basis in exceptional cases, but there is no definition of this term anywhere within the governing guidelines for the school-leaver rehabilitative training programme. I appreciate that this may be something we should be discussing with the Minister for Health as well, but having previously raised the issue through the HSE forum, I was advised it was a transport issue.
In my county of Cork, €3.6 million goes into these day services for adults with disabilities every year. There are 242 service users across 25 providers. The carers facilitating transport for these adult service users are saving us millions of euro every year. These service users, as they are getting older, are receiving day services as opposed to a full-time residential service, which is again a saving to the Exchequer. The people involved with these families and service users are often neglected. We do often see them protesting. I feel it is very important that we reinstate this transport facility for over-18 service users. Not providing the service to them is placing a great barrier in the way of them accessing services.
I welcome Senator O'Loughlin referring to gender-based violence in her contribution. It is an important issue that we as a House should be addressing. We have issues in Ireland in relation to how we respond to gender-based violence. Across December and January, eight women on the island of Ireland were killed: Malika Noor Al Katib, Vanessa O'Callaghan, Searon Naughton, Karen Cummings, Mirjana Pap, Paula Canty, Annie Heyneman and Gillian Curran. Six of these women were killed by people they knew. I would, therefore, welcome a debate with the Minister for Justice about how we respond to gender-based violence, as well as with the Minister for housing concerning how we make provisions for those people trying to flee domestic violence situations. Our refuges are full. They are short-term places where people go fleeing circumstances. Then, the people fleeing those situations - women or men - have nowhere to go after the fact. I would welcome a debate with the Minister for housing on special provisions for gender-based violence survivors.
I congratulate our colleague, Senator Kyne.
I speak today on the great damage done to forestry throughout Ireland by the storm. We have now come to a crisis situation where many of these forests will have to be removed and harvested. Unfortunately, every forest needs a licence. In the years gone by, we have seen that it takes up to two and half years to get a licence to remove a forest. I hope and ask that this House would seek that the Minister with responsibility would fast-track these licences and that the forestry companies would try to give a fair price to the people who own these forests. Many of them are owned by individuals who have undertaken it for their own investment.
Now we have an investment on the ground that is close to worthless. With the new legislation, the cost of harvesting and selling this will only pay for the cost of replanting the land that has been destroyed. I therefore ask that the Minister and the powers that be attend a task force on where we are going to go with all the forestry that is on the ground, what its carbon footprint is, what damage has been done and how we can compensate these companies and farmers.
I request the Minister to come to the House to discuss and follow through on abolishing means testing for carers. During the election campaign, I met many carers in my area, as I am sure other Senators did. Care and social care professions predominantly involve females. I met people who were at their wits' end - they were in tears - because they could not make ends meet because of the means testing of carers. They are fantastic people. They are committed and give their lives to caring for people, but no one takes care of them. I am therefore asking for a debate on that and that we follow through on the promises we all made to abolish means testing for carers so we can finally take care of the people who take care of the most vulnerable in our society.
I second that it would be useful to have a debate on forestry, which would also look at reforming forestry policies, including the mandates of such organisations as Coillte. We have seen that monoculture does not work and is dangerous. We do not simply want a short-term solution where we replant more of the same. We need to move, within Coillte and our wider subsidised forestry policy, towards the idea of something that is environmentally, socially and economically sustainable, rather than have short-term, commercial monoculture which does not deliver for the climate or in the face of climate change.
I will expand on something I mentioned yesterday about how important international and national law are. Right now we are seeing extraordinary attacks on the concepts of international law, the rule of international law and the idea that there are common principles and standards we will apply to one another. In other countries we are also seeing attacks on the legal and political checks and balances and that means an attack on people's rights. I therefore urge that we try to address this. One way we in Ireland can show that we take international law seriously is by legislating for it and delivering the occupied territories Bill. That is one of the clearest signals we can send to the world that we take international law and the International Court of Justice seriously.
We need to see - and I urge for a debate on this - regulations, laws and rules. Regulations and standards do not slow down innovation. In fact, they drive innovation that is compatible with democracy. Right now, there are proposals in the EU for an omnibus Bill that is being called "the bonfire of regulation", to destroy a huge number of the standards we demand of corporations. Ireland has a key voice, especially in applying regulations and defending the principle of regulation because we are the key anchor for many of the large international tech corporations.
Many Senators spoke eloquently about neutrality yesterday and I hope we will discuss it further because we need to defend our neutrality. It is precious and an asset to Europe and the world. Let us be clear, the United States of America has a huge army. Germany is the most heavily armed country in Europe. Neither of those countries is being defended or protected against assaults on laws, checks and balances. Armies do not protect against that. Having legal standards we all stand by gives us the greatest protection as a smaller country. Having two or three more tanks or ship - although we do need to resource our Naval Service, including those who work in it, a little more - does not protect us. What protects us and how we contribute to European protection is by taking our role as regulator in such areas as data and online regulation very seriously. Crucial to that is standing by regulations and standards at European level and championing their retention, because if we get rid of them it will be a slippery slope.
I will finish with a Sumerian proverb I found on the Internet - I hope it is an accurate one: do not bow your head for that which cuts heads. It is crucial at this time that we do not bow our heads because of a short-term fear of corporate response or unhappiness and cede our power to ensure corporations are regulated by the State and democracy and the people remain paramount in the five years ahead, which will be a crucial and perhaps challenging five years.
Perhaps we could have debates on those two topics.
That was well timed.
Timing is everything.
Like many other speakers, I will reference the fallout from the storm. We have a large concentration of rural representatives in the House and it is only we who can really voice the anger in the aftermath of the storm about the unpreparedness. It manifested across the country. There is a lot of anger and annoyance, particularly among families of elderly people who were left isolated and of youngsters who were trying to study for exams and could not. The reality is that we will have these events and the catastrophic impact of storms again further down the line. I already wrote to the Taoiseach to recommend we convene a special committee to look at what happened in the storm, how we were so unprepared for it and what actions we need to take. We did something similar for the Covid-19 pandemic and we responded with emergency powers. We need to do the same in relation to the storm.
One specific fallout from it was the area of forestry. I was on the agriculture committee under the last Government and one of the most vexatious issues during the lifetime of that committee was forestry, the challenges for people who had invested in it and trying to get licences. Then overnight we had an unprecedented storm that has wiped out several plantations. If that sector came into this Government in a crisis, it has now plunged into a deeper one. We need the Minister for agriculture to come to the House to discuss what emergency powers we will give to the agriculture sector to safeguard the people who made those investments so that prices do not plummet and they are not taken advantage of by producers.
We have one more speaker, but first, I welcome guests of Deputy Devlin who have been working very hard in his office all week. They are welcome. They are Ali, who is all the way from the United States of America, and transition year students Max, Mark and Mary. I am sure he is appreciative of all their hard work. I thank them for coming to Seanad Éireann today.
I extend my congratulations to the Cathaoirleach on his election as Cathaoirleach of the House and to Seanadóir Seán Kyne on his appointment as Leader.
I will begin my first speech in this Chamber by thanking those who voted for me. I remember in a special way Councillor Anthony Waldron who passed away recently. He was a gentleman and we held a lot of the same political values. I extend my sympathies to his friends and family.
My home county, Cavan, was badly affected by Storm Éowyn. The people are extremely angry and older and vulnerable people in particular felt abandoned. The lack of practical, tangible support from the Government was badly exposed and it was unacceptable. People who were classed as vulnerable by the ESB were not reconnected for 15 or 16 days.
I am talking about people with dementia who are in their 80s, and people with children with autism who need devices to help to regulate them. By the end of it, I had people calling me to tell me that their father was dying and had no oxygen, yet all the Government had to offer were open libraries for charging devices. If something like this happens in the future, we will need a more organised response. Therefore, I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for local government to the Seanad in order that we can ask about future storm responses.
In light of what has been raised in relation to Fine Gael Senator, Martin Conway, can I ask the Leader of the House to request that the Tánaiste, Simon Harris, make himself available to this House so he can make a statement regarding his party's investigation into Senator Martin Conway for inappropriate behaviour towards a female staff member?
Sorry, Senator.
I think that it is appropriate, given that this is now my new place of employment.
The Senator must make herself familiar with Standing Orders. That is not appropriate.
Okay.
I will sit down with you later on it.
That is disgraceful.
I thank all Senators for their contributions on the Order of Business, particularly the first-time speakers who made their maiden contributions and thanked the electorate and their families and friends for the honour of being elected here.
Senator O’Loughlin discussed the issues of displacement and the Eyre Powell centre in Newbridge. I hope that alternatives are found, or at least that there can be remediation of that facility, because it sounds like it is a valuable part of the community. When children are in State education, they are a part of the community and deserve to be treated as such.
The Senator also raised issues of violence against women, as did Senator Stephenson. Senator O’Loughlin spoke about the importance of refuges, many of which are full, as emergency centres. There is a commitment to ensure there is a refuge in every county and that is an important issue. Senator O’Loughlin also asked for a debate on housing and alternatives to refuges. The former Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, did a lot of work on the establishment of Cuan, the gender-based violence organisation, which is getting down to work and has an important role to play.
Senators Ahearn, Cosgrove and Duffy spoke about transport issues, including public transport and roads. They sought meetings or debates with the Minister for Transport on a number of issues. Senator Ahearn is a strong advocate for the N24, which runs from Limerick to Waterford through County Tipperary. Again, it is important that we get progression updates on projects like that. Senators Cosgrove and Duffy spoke about the western railway corridor, of which I am a big supporter. I have worked on it in the past with my colleague, Councillor Peter Feeney, who was one of the founding members of West on Track. Many people across the west, such as Colmán Ó Raghallaigh and Councillor Michael Connolly in County Galway, have done great work in support of the western rail corridor. I would like to see that established. I will try to organise a debate on public transport and an alternative debate on road transport.
Senator Cosgrove spoke about the catering trolley on Iarnród Éireann services. I will endeavour to contact the organisation about that. I am not sure what the latest update is. I know there were debates on this subject in the past and the slow response is hard to fathom. It is important that those services are restored.
Senator Boyhan requested a debate on local government, in the context of centralisation, and the powers of local councillors. I will ask the Minister of State, Deputy John Cummins, who is a former Member of this House and of a local authority, to come here to debate this subject once he is settled in. I am not sure whether he has got his delegation of functions yet. Certainly, our local councillors brought many important issues to our attention during the campaign and they continue to make requests. I will certainly request that debate.
Senator Conor Murphy made a contribution on all-Ireland economic matters. He spoke about all-Ireland trade missions, the growth of the all-Ireland economy and the role of InterTradeIreland. He requested a debate which I will certainly seek in time.
Senators Noonan, Tully, Sarah O’Reilly, Craughwell and Rabbitte raised the issue of Storm Éowyn. I will request a debate on this very important topic at the earliest opportunity. I believe all Senators would like to contribute. I do not know which Ministers are most responsible and should be invited in, as there have been changes to Departments. There has been an impact on communications with the ESB, Eir and broadband services, on humanitarian aid and on social protection. We will try to organise to bring in the Ministers who can give the best responses.
Senators Fitzpatrick and Maria Byrne raised issues relating to small businesses, such as dereliction and Garda presence. I will certainly request a debate on these important issues.
Senator Fitzpatrick raised the very unfortunate matter of what took place in Stoneybatter last week. I commend An Garda Síochána on its very rapid response. Thankfully things did not escalate. As this matter is before the courts, I do not want to talk about it. In respect of crime and threats, we will ask the Minister for Justice, Deputy Jim O’Callaghan, to come to the House at the earliest opportunity.
Senator Keogan spoke about councillor numbers and representation. It is part of the programme for Government to review the possibility of restoring town councils for larger towns and to look at representation across the country. There will be a job of work on that. In time, I will ask the Minister of State, Deputy John Cummins, to come here to talk about that.
Senator Costello gave a heartfelt contribution regarding her own journey with breast cancer. She spoke about her friends, Fiona, Nicola and Ziva, young women who were diagnosed at a young age with breast cancer. It is a very serious issue. We had a Private Members' debate in the last Seanad on cancer services. One in two of us will get cancer in our lifetimes and one in three of us will die of it. We hope those statistics will continue to change in the positive but at present those are the statistics. It is a very serious issue. I will certainly request a debate with the Minister for Health on that matter.
Senator Murphy O’Mahony asked for the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, to come in to discuss the SEAI boiler grants. This issue has often been brought up in my office by people who just want their boiler replaced than having to go to the expense and hassle of a full retrofit. Despite the supports that are available, they may not be in a financial position to have the wider works done. It might be better to submit a request for Commencement debate if the Cathaoirleach’s office is able to get the Minister involved. There are always issues in this respect because the Minister does not have direct responsibility in the SEAI. However, we will try that as a first port of call.
Senator Ní Chuilinn gave a personal testimony about her brother Cormac and spoke about the issue of dual-diagnosis when there are mental health and substance abuse disorders. This is very worthy of debate and I will certainly request that as well.
Senator Harmon raised a number of issues, including the proposed privatisation of Bord na Móna Recycling. I ask her to submit a request for a Commencement debate on that matter at the earliest opportunity. It might be the best way to get a quick response, subject to the approval of the Cathaoirleach's office. The Senator also referred to the BIMM music college, with which I am not familiar. She may contact the Minister for arts and culture and submit a request for a Commencement debate on the issue. She also talked about public transport issues. I will try to reach out to one of the Ministers or Ministers of State with responsibility for public transport services.
Senator Nelson Murray mentioned Retail Excellence Ireland and also the increases in personal injury guidelines and the cost of business. I will certainly request that the Minister come in to raise the issues regarding insurance. I know we have gone through different phases of impact on businesses and also on families with regard to insurance costs. I know there was a job of work done by previous Ministers to try to change the book of quantum and different things, so it is regrettable to see that the possible costs are going to rise again to that level, which would hugely impact businesses.
Senator Davitt raised our colleague Senator Conway. I have been in contact with him. He is getting help and I am sure he will be back in this House in due course. I am sure he will make his own contribution on issues at that stage.
Senator Andrews has raised issues regarding the rejuvenation of flat complexes. If he has specific issues between Dublin City Council and the Department of housing, they can certainly be raised as a Commencement debate. I hope, once we get Commencement debates up and running, we will try to get six of them per day for a period of time to allow Members to raise a number of issues, as we are starting afresh. That might be a topic as well.
Senator Cathal Byrne spoke about flooding in Enniscorthy. Flooding is such a difficult issue for communities. We see people in housing estates and businesses helpless with regard to the work. Obviously, there are bigger issues with regard to the cause of flooding, why it is happening and the solutions to flooding, whether they be soft or hard solutions. I will certainly request, in time, a debate with the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, or again, the Senator can put down a Commencement matter at a future date on that issue.
Senator Craughwell, who spoke on Storm Éowyn, also talked about search and rescue. I know he has raised this on numerous occasions, and it is very regrettable to see that there are operational issues from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. from Shannon and along the west coast. That is not good enough, and certainly the Minister should be in a position to look into that and see why the contract is not being fulfilled.
Senator Lynch talked about adult disability day services and the funding for those. It is a very important issue, and I will certainly request a debate with the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, with regard to disability services.
A number of Senators raised the issue of forestry, some with regard to Storm Éowyn. Senators Brady and Flaherty both raised issues relating to harvesting and trees being felled in storms. They called for a task force or indeed a review on the whole issue of Storm Éowyn, which is a sensible idea as well. Senator Alice-Mary Higgins has sought a debate on forestry with respect to our planting regime and policy, and bringing more biodiversity into Coillte and private forestry plantations. Again, if we have a debate on forestry, that is something we will bring into the debate.
Senator Higgins also called for a debate on international and national law and obligations, the occupied territories Bill, and different regulations that are possibly under threat. I will certainly request, at the earliest opportunity, a contribution from the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade on these issues as well.
Senator Nicole Ryan spoke about the means testing for carers, and again this is something that all parties, and certainly the programme for Government, have accepted needs to change. We have to see when that can be put in place, whether on a phased basis or directly. I will request that the Minister will come in to talk about that issue as well.
Finally, and I hope I did not leave anyone out, Senator Sarah O'Reilly, first, made a contribution about Anthony Waldron. May he rest in peace. She also talked about Storm Éowyn and its impact on her communities. A lot of people have spoken on Storm Éowyn. Lessons definitely have to be learned. If we had another storm, God forbid, in a month's time that was of the same severity, what would be different? What lessons would be learned? I hope to see time set aside to debate this at the earliest opportunity. Everyone has communities that were affected by the damage done, and the impact on our communications and the ESB. There are lessons regarding the establishment of hubs, generators, vulnerable people and people being left in isolation. There are a lot of challenges that were seen during Storm Éowyn. Many people did a lot of great work but we need to ensure that if a storm like that happens again, that as a country, as a community, as local authorities and as Government Departments, there is better preparation and better response as well. I will try to arrange that debate at the earliest opportunity.
Order of Business agreed to.
Cuireadh an Seanad ar fionraí ar 11.55 a.m. agus cuireadh tús leis arís ar 12.19 p.m.
Sitting suspended at 11.55 a.m. and resumed at 12.19 p.m.