The Order of Business is No. 1, statements on flooding, to be taken at 1 p.m. and to conclude at 2.30 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed ten minutes, all other Senators not to exceed five minutes and time may be shared, and the Minister to be given not less than ten minutes to reply to the debate; and No. 4, Private Members' business from the Labour Party, Prohibition of Advertising or Importuning Sex for Rent Bill 2025 – Second Stage, to be taken at 3 p.m. with the time allocated to this debate not to exceed two hours.
An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
I have a similar outline as well, Leader, but No. 4 should be No. 2, for clarification purposes.
Okay.
I thank the Leader.
I want to raise the difficulties faced by nut and other allergy sufferers in Ireland. Allergies are very common in Ireland with about 29% of people suffering with an allergy, but those numbers are rising. The rates are similar to those found in other European countries. Roughly 15% of the population has complex allergy problems requiring specialist care, typically a dose of adrenaline using an EpiPen where the nut is ingested or even airborne. Parents of allergy sufferers are campaigning for additional support and practical solutions to the dangers faces by children whether at school, matches or in playgrounds. A parent, teacher or coach will not always be on hand with an EpiPen and the EpiPens may not always be in date, which is another issue. EpiPens must be kept in a cool place away from sunlight, so summer camps and sports can be a real problem. The parents of these children live in fear they will eat something they are allergic to or that the EpiPen itself will not function correctly when it is needed.
What can be done? One practical solution would involve the roll-out of EpiPen kits in busy public spaces such as schools, restaurants and playgrounds. We have seen the increased awareness and visibility of defibrillators in public spaces. Anaphylaxis kits could and should be every defibrillator's next-door neighbour. Each kit would contain adrenaline auto-injectors, commonly known as EpiPens, and clear usage instructions ensuring accessibility, even for untrained individuals during emergencies. We all remember the tragic loss of teenager Emma Sloan from Drimnagh who died on O'Connell Street after going into anaphylactic shock. Emma mistakenly ate a sauce containing nuts while out for dinner with her family. Had an EpiPen kit been available in the restaurant, or anywhere on one of the busiest thoroughfares in our country, there would likely have been a very different outcome on that day. There is a company in the UK rolling out kits and specialist training by way of an annual subscription.
The kit is monitored and replenished if and when pens go out of date. It can be made available to schools, sports clubs, restaurants, public parks and playgrounds. I invite the Minister with responsibility for food safety to a debate on the possibility of rolling out a similar public health campaign here in Ireland.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy, DMD, is a progressive neuromuscular disease that causes muscle weakening. It is the most common lethal genetic disorder diagnosed during early childhood, primarily affecting young boys. Worldwide, one in every 3,500 baby boys is born with DMD, with symptoms typically starting between the ages of one and five. Here in Ireland, approximately 110 people are known to be living with DMD, the majority of them under the age of 18. These young children face tremendous challenges, including difficulties standing up, walking, running or even climbing stairs.
DMD is a disease I had no knowledge of until a young boy from Tallaght, Archie Ennis, was diagnosed. Watching his parents and the community come together to try to raise €3.2 million for gene therapy in the United States has been truly heartbreaking. However, there is a drug called givinostat, which, if given the opportunity, could help halt the progression of DMD in little Archie's body and in other children affected.
For those unfamiliar with the symptoms, a child with DMD may have difficulty walking, running or jumping, struggle with standing up, experience delayed speech development, be unable to climb stairs without support and face behavioural or learning difficulties. Givinostat is a relatively new drug that works to slow down the progression of muscular degeneration in individuals with DMD. While it cannot undo the damage done, it can significantly slow down the progression when administered. One of the cruellest aspects of DMD is that people are racing against the clock.
In December 2024, givinostat was approved by the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency for people with DMD aged six and older. The drug is now available through the early access programme, with local NHS invited to participate. The programme allows for medication to be provided to patients at no cost. However, despite the approval of this drug, it has not yet been made available to patients throughout Ireland.
As we reflect on the struggles of those living with DMD, we must acknowledge the urgency for accessing this life-changing treatment, givinostat. Every moment counts for a child like Archie and it is crucial that we advocate for them so that they can also have the chance to benefit from these advancements in medical care. I call on the Minister for Health to make a statement on the status of givinostat being made available to Irish patients because without this option, 110 people will continue to suffer.
The final draft of the revised national planning framework was approved by Cabinet yesterday. Since that was announced yesterday, a plethora of statements and circulars have been issued on behalf of the Government through the Minister's office. I wish to acknowledge the importance of the work by me and Senator Higgins because we pursued the Government when these matters were being discussed in the Senate and called for these matters to be brought before both Houses of the Oireachtas. The cover of the final draft of the revised national planning framework mentions that it incorporates amendments arising from the public consultations and from the environmental assessment. Of course, they will be subject to the approval of each House of the Oireachtas. That was a good bit of parliamentary work.
The Government is all over the place on land zoning, rezoning and the residential zoned land tax. Why do I say that? A number of local authorities have been approached by the Planning Regulator effectively telling them to dezone. Today, I met a Fianna Fáil man who told me that in Newtownmountkennedy, there were issues about the zoning of land and it came down to one vote. There is a suggestion in some quarters that somehow councillors are in the back pocket of some developers if they rezone land.
That is not true. That is not correct and must be refuted at all times. We have the Government encouraging local authorities to build up land banks and rightly so. The Senator will be familiar with this in Galway county. Local authorities have an economic brief and enterprise brief. They also have to make provision for the future of housing need within their jurisdiction and that requires the purchase of lands. South Dublin County Council is making a case that they should be exempt from the residential zoned land tax. In this House last year I said that the residential zoned land tax would become a burden on local authorities and their own lands. Now we have a situation where local authorities throughout this country are going to have to pay residential zoned land tax because they zoned land and brought it in some of the way in terms of infrastructure ready to go for housing. It is crazy and it does not make sense. I reiterate that all local authorities subject to these conditions should be exempt from the residential zoned land tax, as should farmers who are actively farming for agricultural enterprise.
I call yet again for a debate on to the quantum of housing. I told this House last week about the 4Dublin housing supply pipeline report that is given to the Minister. There were 49,000 permissions for residential units and none of them have commenced. In some cases, sites have changed hands one, two and three times.
I wish to have a debate on the action plan from An Bord Pleanála. I raise the issue of the Planning and Development Bill, which was guillotined in both Houses because we were told that it had to happen, and it was urgent. Virtually none of it has commenced. The Act has not even been translated into Irish. What is going on with the Housing Commission report? This report was commissioned by the Government. Its members were appointed by the Government. It made fabulous recommendations. Where has it all gone? We need a serious debate on housing at all levels and a debate on zoning.
I raise the issue of thatched homes. Thatched home owners are facing a growing crisis. They are part of our built heritage. They are not just homes. Every year the owners face the struggle of finding house insurance. Many insurers have just left that sector altogether. The ones that have stayed in the game are charging anything up to €2,500 for house insurance once the owners can find somebody to insure them. They also face the issue where if they cannot get house insurance, they cannot get a mortgage or sell their house. In the event of a disaster, they are taking their lives in their hands because their house will be destroyed if damaged by fire or water. Many of the insurance companies are citing those exact reasons, for example, structural concerns and fire damage, for not wanting to give insurance. Instead of working with homeowners, they are just pulling out of this section of the industry all together. One can mitigate against these issues by using alternative fuels and fire mediation. I welcome the work by the Department of housing, the Heritage Council and the thatched buildings steering group. Carrying out assessment is not going to be enough to get insurance for these homeowners. The thatched property insurance action group is also trying to create a group insurance scheme, which is commendable, but we need the Government to help with this and support this, whether through subsidies, tax incentives or a shared risk model.
Another aspect of this, which is also a pressure for these homeowners, is the shortage of skilled workers to thatch these houses. If we do not develop training schemes for apprentices for this trade, as it is a dying trade, we could end up with these thatched homes just being used for tourism and not being liveable anymore. I ask for a debate in the House on this at some stage.
I raise the issue of dense breast tissue. Marian Lovett was an extremely talented and much loved art curator and mother. I was never lucky enough to meet Marian who raised her family along with her life partner Shane in a rural part of County Sligo. Anyone who knew or met her spoke about her personal qualities and she was a fierce advocate for social justice.
Marian passed away last autumn at the age of just 61 as the result of breast cancer. She received a clear mammogram in 2022 but just a year later, was diagnosed with terminal stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. While there was initial hope that treatment could at least prolong Marian's time with us, it was not to be. In 2024, she suffered a dramatic and catastrophic health incident as the cancer rapidly spread and took her life within the space of a couple of days.
What Marian did not know at the time of her mammogram was that she had dense breast tissue. Neither did she know that having dense breast tissue makes the screening for potential cancers through mammograms less effective. Dense breasts have less fatty tissue and a greater level of fibrous and glandular tissue. They do not look or feel different from non-dense breasts. A self-examination or examination by a health professional will not reveal whether a woman has dense breasts. A 3D mammogram, however, will reveal it. If at the time of her mammogram Marian had been made aware of the fact she had dense breast tissue and had been informed of the potential that it made her clear test result less accurate, and made her more prone to developing breast cancer, she could have asked for an ultrasound or MRI scan to confirm the clear results.
Marian's daughter Martha has inherited her mother's sense of justice and compassion. She has channelled the very sad loss of her mother into energy to highlight the issue of dense breast tissue. It is not just about one woman. Dense breasts, although I had never heard of the condition before Martha approached me, are very common. It is estimated that between 43% and 50% of women have dense breast tissue. While the level of density can be genetic, it is also affected by factors such as age - younger women naturally have denser breasts than older women - and body weight. Regarding the latter, women with a low body mass index are likely to have dense breasts. The use of medication, such as hormone replacement therapy can also increase breast density.
What Martha is asking for, and why she has approached me, is something that is already done in every state in America, as well as across much of Australia and Canada, and by several of our EU neighbours. She is asking for information that is easily derived by the radiologist who is taking the mammogram. He or she should pass the information to women at the time of their screening. Women clearly need to know whether they have dense breast tissue. They also need to know the potential consequences of that information.
More than 7,500 people have already signed Martha's petition calling on the Minister for Health to introduce a Bill for mandatory breast density notification to ensure that all women are clearly informed after a mammogram whether they have dense or non-dense breasts. It calls for clear guidance to be provided as to what women's breast density means and the availability of any additional screening options, such as an ultrasound or MRI. It also calls for GPs to receive this information so they can properly advise patients.
I commend Martha on her work. I ask the Minister to consider drafting this legislation as a matter of priority.
I will ask the Leader to initiate a debate. As seems to often be the case with me, I do not know which Minister I am looking for. This is an agricultural issue but it may fall under the remit of the Minister for the environment. An article in last week's edition of the Irish Farmers' Journal, ran under the headline, "Farm emissions estimates cut by 7%." This is massive news in the context of the climate and the targets that have been set for the agriculture sector. The article states that a refinement of the greenhouse gas emission inventory of the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, has made better use of Ireland-specific data and has resulted in a downward revision of farming's emissions estimates for every year since 1994. The biggest revision was a 7% reduction in 2022. That statement alone suggests that the EPA has been using worldwide or international standard modelling. Now that it has eventually got around to using Ireland-specific modelling, we can see that there have been massive reductions. The reduction in 2022 amounts to 1.56 million metric tonnes of CO2.
The EPA has also stated that the agriculture sector is not going to meet the targets set for it by 2025 and 2030. On what figures is it basing that argument? What modelling does the EPA use to predict we are not going to meet the target for reductions? On the opposite side of the equation are carbon capture and sequestration, which the agriculture sector has the land and forestry to do. Was the EPA using Ireland-specific modelling for the figures quoted for our carbon capture and sequestration? Are hedgerows included? There has been an ongoing argument from those in the agriculture sector in this regard.
We need a debate, possibly with both the Minister for agriculture and the Minister for the environment, to get a full explanation as to what went wrong here. Can we trust the new figures and the new modelling? There are life-changing things happening out there for farmers and the agriculture sector, based on what have been proven by the EPA to be false modelling and false figures. We need that debate as a matter of urgency.
I want to speak about the safe routes to school programme. I find myself speaking about road safety quite a lot in the Chamber. I am sorry if I am driving colleagues mad, but it is very important to me and to many people in County Meath. A fantastic road safety opportunity is provided through the safe routes to school programme. In fact, it is a no-brainer. My colleague Senator Rabbitte mentioned the programme a few weeks ago when she was discussing safe routes outside day services. The National Transport Authority, NTA, funded and ran this programme and during the term of the previous Government, under the auspices of the Department of Transport. I ask that both the Department and the NTA provide information on whether the programme is going to be reopened in order that more schools can apply for funding. The programme was originally launched in March 2021 but has not reopened for applications since then. A few hundred schools applied for funding initially but many did not submit applications and would love the opportunity to do so now.
The safe routes to school programme provides front-of-school treatments which enhance access to school grounds and create a safe space for students at the front of schools. It accelerates the delivery of walking, cycling and wheeling infrastructure on key access routes to schools and expands the amount of bike and scooter parking available at schools. I urge everyone to visit the programme's website to see the fantastic work that has been done under the programme.
A great deal of work needs to be done in County Meath to make the journey to school safer. The previous Minister of State in the Department of Transport, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, said that her ambition was that all children in Ireland would have the option to make their daily commute to the classroom on foot or by bicycle or scooter in a way that is safe and protected. She said that she was confident that this ambition was shared by children, their parents, teachers and the wider school community. I totally agree. I urge the Department to finish the job.
Last night, I spent my time switching between various news channels to watch the greatest bully on the face of the earth deliver additional tariffs. The 104% tariff on China is an example of what happens when a bully is allowed to get away with what he is doing. There is something unseemly about watching news programmes on which spokespersons for the United States say that 70 countries are lining up to negotiate with Donald Trump on the tariff issue. It is wrong in every sense of the word to placate this type of behaviour. Europe should stand strong and we should not be pleading to reduce the impact of tariffs on our country. Ultimately, the people who will suffer, particularly if pharmaceuticals are included, are the sick, especially elderly and extremely young people who are sick. They are going to suffer in the United States.
Already we see cracks in the US Cabinet and between Musk and others within the Trump regime. We cannot allow a bully to dictate to the world. If we look at the history of the world, we can see that America brought about a great depression in 1907. It did so again in 1929, 1974, 2000 and 2008. Who in this room does not remember 2008? What about now? Are we going to allow one of the most indebted countries in the world to dictate to the rest of us how we live? We must stand strong as Europeans. We cannot allow ourselves to be backed into a corner. We must not go cap in hand to somebody who is prepared to destroy the world. A significant number of elderly people have contacted me in the past few days. They are watching their pensions being destroyed. It is just not on.
I rise to talk about three schools in Donegal which are all located adjacent to the N56. The first school is St. Naul's National School, Keeloges, which is a national school off the N56. There is a problem there in the mornings and the evenings with traffic going to and from the school. They are trying to get back onto a main road, something it is very hard for people to do with the speed of the traffic coming. It is an accident waiting to happen.
The second school is Dunkineely National School. I raised the issue of traffic calming measures for Dunkineely National School the first day I spoke on the Order of Business. It is going on maybe two years now. I would like an update from the TII. Every question I ask comes back with the response that they are working on a report. That is no good. We need to see action on this.
The third school is Killaghtee National School, just down the road from Dunkineely National School. There is a very dangerous junction there too. It is not so bad in the morning, when the drivers turn left, but going home in the afternoon at 3 o'clock, everyone has to cross the main road. I would like the TII to do an urgent report on that stretch of road from Inver Bridge down as far as Bruckless, to see what can be done to safeguard our children going to and coming from school. Like my colleague, Senator Nelson Murray, has said, we need to get the safe schools scheme back up and working. It was a great scheme and it worked well in Donegal. It is something we need to get back up and going again.
I have just come from the launch of a report by the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre on public perceptions of sexual violence. It is research that was carried out in recent months. Some of the indications are positive. People believe that sexual violence is extremely common and are very concerned about it. The report pointed out that 85% of men say they feel safe while only 48% of women do. Most still believe that sexual violence is common for women. In reality, one in two women and one in four men will experience sexual violence in their lifetime. A certain level of victim blaming still exists. For example, if a female victim has been drinking or has taken drugs and is raped or assaulted, many still believe she is partly responsible for the rape. The attitude among younger men, that is, men under 24 years of age, is concerning in that they believe more in victim blaming and tend to believe a victim only if they report their case to the Garda. Astonishingly, over 70% of cases are not reported to the Garda, and that is because people feel they will not be believed or there is a stigma attached.
Can the Minister for Justice be invited to the Chamber for a debate on issues concerning sexual violence in general and on the findings of this report? We need to increase public awareness of the support services available because many survivors do not access any support. We also need to have education on consent, and not just within schools. Every parent has a responsibility to talk to their young teenagers in particular about consent. Society at large has a responsibility as well. We need to address the barriers to reporting and why so many do not report the crime. The courts system puts people off reporting because courts can take years to come to a conclusion on issues like this. People feel they will be dragged through the courts and so do not report it. I would appreciate it if we could have that debate.
I renew my call for a debate in this House, as my colleague, Senator Craughwell, has talked about, on the growing impact of the escalating trade tensions that are going to affect the Irish economy. We have seen overnight that more than 60 countries have been impacted by the trade tariffs that have been applied. My colleague mentioned the tariffs of 104% on China. These developments were warned about in this House some weeks ago. Around the world, countries are starting to lean back into protectionism, which we thought we had got away from. Most notably, the US is pushing this. These moves may be strategic for some, but they present real dangers to small, open economies like Ireland's. Irish businesses, in particular those reliant on exports and international supply chains, are being put in a deeply uncertain postilion. Last night it was shocking to hear that the pharmaceutical industry is possibly the next to be targeted. That puts pressure on families at a time when we have just come out of the post-Brexit negotiations, etc.
Therefore, it is essential we act now. I call for a debate in the House, with full input from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and for clear engagement with the United States to make sure Ireland is not caught in some sort of crossfire of broader disputes. It is not just a matter of trade policy. It is about economic stability and strategic foresight.
I raise the question of Ireland's current position on the Mercosur deal. While I was glad to see that the programme for Government contained commitments to fighting it, I was shocked and disappointed when the Irish Independent reported that Ireland did not turn up to a meeting of other EU nations, led by France, which are also committed to fighting the current deal. I call for the Taoiseach to appear before the Chamber to answer for this incident and to clarify the Government's stance and the plan for fighting the current Mercosur deal. This deal spells ruination for Irish farmers, especially our cattle sector, which simply cannot compete with the sheer scale of South American industrial battery farming. The vote is likely to be held by this autumn. We cannot play it coy and put any action on the long finger.
The Government says it wants the deal to contain biodiversity clauses for South American nations, but as they have repeatedly ignored and falsified their way past similar regulations, this will be a suicidal compromise. Free trade with South America will inevitably spell a race to the bottom for our economy. Poland and France have committed to opposing the deal. Italy has signalled against it and Austria is on the fence. Our decision as a nation will be decisive in forming the blocking minority needed to fight the deal. Instead, our Government appears to be out to lunch while others are actively organising in defence of their farmers. We must hold the Government to its promises because, at this rate, it looks likely it will let itself be pushed over, which will sell out our constituents and farmers once again.
Is mian liom tagairt a dhéanamh do chúrsaí a tháinig faoi mo bhráid cúpla seachtain ó shin.
I am very much a believer in the republican stance of strict separation of church and state, but since we do not really have that luxury, as I would call it, in this country, I will say something on preserving balance or parity of esteem among faiths and religions in this country. A couple of weeks ago, Ramadan ended, which, as most Members will be aware, is a big festival in the Muslim faith. There are now approximately 100,000 Muslims in the country. It is a time of great austerity for them and a time they feel very obviously separates them from the rest of the community. As an inclusive nation, we should be very aware of that and try to not make an issue of the fact Muslims are fasting and going through a time of austerity due to their beliefs and practices.
It is important to underscore the contribution of the Muslim community to this country. As somebody who has visited schools for the past 20 years, I pay tribute to primary school teachers in Ireland for the great work they do in integrating Muslim children into the education system. If we underscore the practices of Ash Wednesday and the distribution of ashes at Leinster House, we should also try to give uplifting remarks to all other faiths and communities.
The Irish Neutrality League held a significant press conference this morning, when a coalition of Opposition TDs and Senators united to urge our Government to heed the voices of the people. Time and time again, polls have shown that the majority of our population remains steadfastly committed to maintaining our neutrality.
We must call on the Government to halt any efforts that could undermine our democracy and damage our international standing as a beacon of peace, particularly in light of its plans to abolish the triple lock. The Government has signalled its intention to advance legislation aimed at dismantling the triple lock as part of the spring legislative programme. The triple lock represents a solemn promise made to the Irish people addressing widespread concerns about militarisation and the potential erosion of our neutrality. It ensures that, with few exceptions, Irish military personnel cannot be deployed for combat operations abroad without prior approval from the United Nations, be it from the Security Council or the General Assembly.
As a nation, we take great pride in our long-standing contributions to UN peacekeeping missions and our influential role in advocating for global disarmament and international law. Our credibility in these areas has been bolstered by our commitment to neutrality. The Government's move to abolish the triple lock signifies a fundamental and dangerous shift in our foreign policy. It signals a troubling alignment with NATO and the concept of a European army, ultimately putting the brave men and women of our Defence Forces at greater risk. We must remind ourselves of the values that define us as a nation. We must protect our neutrality and continue to champion peace, ensuring that Ireland remains a respected voice in international affairs. I call for an urgent debate on this issue as soon as is possible.
At 6 o'clock this evening, Aontú will hold a protest outside the Dáil to call on the Government to keep the triple lock. Roger Cole is a long-standing advocate for peace and is the founder and chairman of the Peace and Neutrality Alliance. He will be the guest speaker tonight. At a time when there is violent conflict across the Middle East, an ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and atrocities being carried out in Gaza, it seems that now more than ever we should be trying to foster peace and de-escalation.
The Government is campaigning to remove the triple lock on the basis that it dilutes our autonomy when it comes to deploying Irish troops on peacekeeping missions. While many would acknowledge flaws within the UN system, it is a total affront to the long-standing mechanisms of peacekeeping to act as though our sovereignty is being eroded. Was our sovereignty under threat when Micheál Martin, now Taoiseach, stood in the Dáil Chamber in 2013 and stated that the triple lock is "at the core of our neutrality"? In fact, he commented on the idea of Russia and China vetoing our peacekeeping missions as "nothing more than an out-of-touch ideological obsession on the part of Fine Gael".
Ruth Ní Bhriain wrote an excellent paper that I recommend Government members read because it would dispel the confusion and misinformation they are propagating. She correctly wrote that it is an incredible stretch to frame UN procedures as a threat to Irish sovereignty. We cannot discredit and disregard the international structures that have governed global peace and security for decades and conclude that Ireland should suddenly abandon legislative commitments to them. There is zero public appetite to erode our neutrality. By aligning ourselves with one military bloc or another, including the EU, we are compromising the position of the Irish people.
I encourage everyone to attend the protest this evening. We need a cross-party approach to this. We cannot allow the Government to attack our neutrality at a time when there is an increasing appetite for warmongering throughout Europe.
Yesterday, I put a specific question to the Minister of State, Deputy Troy, as to why Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael had proposed in their manifestos a betting tax levy increase of 1%, from 2% to 3%, yet when they got into government, it was abandoned. There is no sign of it in the programme for Government. I got absolutely zero answers as to why it has been abandoned. It is not good enough that Ministers come in and avoid answering any question whatsoever. It is all just non-answers. Will the Government include the 1% increase in the betting levy in the budget later this year. It would be really important that the Minister for sport would come in and debate the need for investment in sport because it is a critical issue.
I thank all Senators for their contributions this morning. We started with Senator Ní Chuilinn, who had a very interesting proposal for co-locating EpiPens with defibrillators around the country. We know the important role defibrillators play in saving lives. EpiPens clearly have a very important role as well. This is an interesting proposal. I will consult with the Minister with responsibility for food safety, depending on who has responsibility, to see if the proposal is either practical or possible. In the meantime, the Senator may wish to raise this as a Commencement matter.
Senator Costello spoke about givinostat, which is a drug that assists with slowing down the progression of DMD. Will the Senator put down a Commencement matter in order that she may get a quicker response? Obviously, there is an impact on the 110 people who are living with this progressive disease. I will raise the matter with the Minister for Health.
Senator Boyhan referred to the national planning framework. There is a lot to debate here. The Minister for Housing was in last week. I am not sure if the Senator was present or if he got the opportunity to raise this matter.
I was.
I am also not sure whether the Minister was able to give any reassurance or response in respect of it. I will raise the matter with the Minister of State, Deputy John Cummins, to see if he can get involved, perhaps by coming to the House to discuss this very important issue.
We had over zoning over many years in respect of which there was no control. When I first served as a councillor in 2004 and 2005, hundreds of acres in small and medium-sized towns were being zoned. There was a change in policy to try to regulate what was happening but perhaps it went too far. We need to ensure that we have land zoned not for the sake of it and not to benefit somebody but, rather, to ensure it is serviced and available. We have a mixture of zoning, serviced sites initiatives and investment in services to make sites available for planning. There is also the zoned land tax. The Senator talked about active farmers, who are very important. The Government has been clear on the need to exclude active farmers from the zoning tax. As I said last week, it is my view that lands should not be zoned while being actively farmed without the tax. It is a case of having the lands dezoned, and that policy was there. This is a very important matter. The Senator also talked about the Housing Commission and An Bord Pleanála. I will ask the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, to come before the House to discuss those matters.
Senator Collins talked about thatched houses, which are part of our built heritage. They are not as common as they once were. As a result, it is important they are protected. I have come across some cases where, for example, a council will not buy a house under the tenant in situ scheme because it had a thatched roof. There is an issue in relation to insurance costs. Obviously, the cost of insurance relates to the risk. Insurance companies have made a judgment on the greater risk from relating to thatched houses. This is a real issue of concern. I am not sure where to go with it but perhaps if the Senator put down a Commencement matter then the Minister of State with responsibility for heritage, Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan, might be able to shed some light on possibilities. There was a news story during the week of a school in Portnoo in Donegal that is involved in training the next generation of thatchers. That is a positive development. It was on the RTÉ website during the week.
Senator Cosgrove talked of Marian, may she rest in peace, and her daughter Martha in the context of dense breast tissue. The information provided by the Senator is very interesting information. I was not aware of it either. It certainly makes sense that 3D mammograms and breast ultrasound scans would take place in those cases where there is dense breast tissue. I will certainly raise this matter with the Minister. Perhaps the Senator could also table a Commencement matter in order to get a more direct response.
Senator Paul Daly talked about the interesting and positive news in relation to greenhouse gas emissions and lower figures in this regard that are now evident here. Ireland has a grass-based food, beef and dairy system that is different from those in other countries across the world that involve more intensive feeding indoors.
That is possibly why the standards are being considered. If there are international standards, there are always outliers. Clearly, if Ireland is an outlier, then we need to be able to use the most up-to-date data about our emissions. I will ask one of the Ministers, Deputies Heydon or O'Brien, to come to the Chamber to discuss this matter.
Senator Linda Nelson Murray, supported by Senator Boyle, talked about the safe routes to school programme. When this announcement, more than 1,000 schools applied. Different tranches have been done over the years. The most recent tranche in November involved 141 schools. There is clearly an appetite and demand. If a school is not picked this year, then parents, the board of management, teachers and principals will ask where it is on the list and when it will be picked. The decisions are made, I believe, by An Taisce-----
-----and the NTA, but the county councils have a role, too. It is an important and valuable scheme and we want to see greater investment in it. I will raise that with the Minister for Transport.
Senator Craughwell talked about the important issue of tariffs. Senator McCarthy raised the matter, too. The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade is in the United States today. He has stated:
We are here to keep the lines of communications open with US political and business leaders as well as share insights and engage. During the visit I will be emphasising our desire to find a negotiated solution between the EU and US on tariffs and that I am fully supportive of Commissioner Šefčovič’s work.
I will make the point that the European Union is ready right now to negotiate.
We wish the Tánaiste well in his engagements with Howard Lutnick, the US Secretary of Commerce, over the course of today and the next few days.
Senator Boyle again raised issues relating to the stretch of the N56 from Inver Bridge to Bruckless and its impact on safety. I know there were announcements last week or the week before about Transport Infrastructure Ireland funding. I am not sure if there was any good news in that for the N56. I know there will be greater funding for national roads towards the end of the decade than at the start. That was the agreement under the previous Government, which had a greater emphasis on public transport than road infrastructure. As we progress towards the end of this decade, there will be greater funding for national roads. All I can ask is that the Senator continue to engage with TII and the directors of services at the council about progressing these plans.
Senator Tully raised an important issue relating to sexual violence. There was a recent court case and I commend the brave woman for her testimony. That case dealt with the rape that she was subjected to. I will ask the Minister to come in to talk about sexual violence. I commend the work of, as the Senator mentioned, the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre and all rape crisis centres across the country.
Senator Keogan mentioned the Mercosur deal. We are very much committed to getting the best possible deal for Ireland. I know the Minister, Deputy Heydon, is in the United States meeting the Secretary of Agriculture. We are continuing to engage with our European colleagues about the tariffs and removing whiskey and other associated products. I do not know exactly who called that meeting. I think it was organised by France. I am not sure if it was an official EU meeting but I will try to get clarity on the matter.
Senator Conway talked about integrating Muslim children in our schools. It is important that all children be integrated and that we learn to understand the different religions in this country. I know that work goes on. I acknowledge that we are approaching our Easter festival, which is the central festival of the Catholic church. It is important that we do not forget any religion when discussing these matters.
Senators Black and Sarah O'Reilly have raised the triple lock. We had a debate last week. I know this was addressed by the Minister-----
Deputy Harris.
-----Deputy Harris and the Minister of State, Deputy Thomas Byrne. The latter addressed these issues. He respectfully disagreed with the notion that the triple lock is a threat and that Russia does not have a veto under the triple lock. He maintained clearly, as does the Government, that Russia and the other permanent members of the Security Council have a veto against Ireland's peacekeeping policy. That is the reason for the proposals to change the triple lock.
Senator Andrews spoke about the betting tax. I do not know exactly. I asked the Minister for Finance to come to the House to talk about all matters in his brief. That may be an opportunity to addressed that matter. If the Senator had raised it as a Commencement matter, he would have got an answer from the Department of Finance, which would have come from the Minister's office. Obviously, the Department does not negotiate budget matters on the floor, but the Senator's colleagues can raise the matter in the finance committee, if he is not a member, once committees are established. It is an important issue. I am not sure why it is not in the programme for Government but, as I said, it will be subject to negotiations regarding the budget.
Order of Business agreed to.
Cuireadh an Seanad ar fionraí ar 12.20 p.m. agus cuireadh tús leis arís ar 1.02 p.m.
Sitting suspended at 12.20 p.m. and resumed at 1.02 p.m.