Paul Murphy
Ceist:1. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with the Roman Catholic Church leaders on 31 August 2017. [39675/17]
Ceisteanna - Questions
Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements
Gerry Adams
Ceist:2. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meeting with representatives of the Catholic Church as part of the church-State structured dialogue process. [40410/17]
Bríd Smith
Ceist:3. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meeting with the Catholic hierarchy. [40413/17]
Joan Burton
Ceist:4. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his meeting with the hierarchy of the Catholic Church in Ireland on 31 August 2017. [40538/17]
I propose to takes Questions Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, together.
On 31 August, I held a formal meeting under the structured dialogue process with representatives of the Catholic Church, led by Archbishop Eamon Martin. I was accompanied at the meeting by the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Fitzgerald; the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Bruton; the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris; the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross; and the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty.
A wide-ranging discussion took place on a range of important national and international issues including the World Meeting of Families in August 2018 and the possibility of a wider visit to Ireland by the Pope, education issues, the eighth amendment of the Constitution, Northern Ireland, overseas development aid, and social and justice issues. I was very pleased with the engagement that took place and found the exchange of views to be very valuable. Churches and faith communities play an important role in Irish life and it is very beneficial that Government should engage with them in a structured way.
This was the first in a series of meetings that I will be holding with dialogue partners.
Did the Taoiseach take the opportunity to raise with the representatives of the Catholic Church the problem of discrimination against transgender and non-binary students in State-funded schools run by the Catholic Church and the lack of mandatory LGBTQ-positive education? This is obviously an issue for all schools, but it is particularly the case for the Catholic Church given its transphobic teachings. For example, last year Pope Francis complained that, "Today in schools they are teaching this to children - to children - that everyone can choose their gender." He also claimed that increased visibility of trans people is due to "ideological colonising", which he described as terrible.
The Gender Recognition Act, passed in July 2015 formally recognises trans people in their preferred gender. That includes provision for 16- and 17-year olds to be legally recognised. According to the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, trans people are protected under the Equal Status Act, which protects students or prospective students from discrimination by educational establishments. Unfortunately, that is not currently taking place.
A recent survey by TENI found that only 18% of students felt their gender was respected in terms of the use of gender-segregated facilities such as bathrooms and locker rooms. Only 16% were able to wear uniforms specific to their gender identity. Only 27% reported their name and pronouns were respected by their school or college.
Did the Taoiseach ask the Catholic bishops to outline the steps being taken to ensure the preferred gender of trans students is respected in Catholic schools?
Before the Taoiseach replies, I propose to take all the questions and then allow the Taoiseach to answer. Is that okay? I call Deputy McDonald representing Deputy Adams.
I am not sure that lends itself to us actually getting answers.
I remind the Deputy that there are 12 minutes left in the slot and at the moment five speakers are offering. I ask her to-----
Deputy Paul Murphy has asked specific questions and I am sure he wants answers to those.
Okay, but I remind-----
I do not want the Taoiseach bunching everything together and for us not to get answers. This is a highly problematic slot anyway.
On a point of order, I do not make the rules of the House.
I appreciate that, but-----
In fairness, the Taoiseach did not make those rules, but I will be-----
I know he did not make the rules. I am saying we want answers to our questions.
Will the Deputy allow me to finish my comment?
There are 11.5 minutes left in this slot. When that time is up I have to move on.
Right.
If we proceeded in the way the Deputy is suggesting some people might not get an opportunity to get answers to their questions.
That is fine. Okay. I just think it is bad practice to mix everything because then no one gets answers. I have made that point.
I could ask the Taoiseach 100 different things. I believe such structured dialogue is very good. In any republic there must be clear separations of state and churches. It is not appropriate for any faith community to expect that the law of the land tallies with its theological view of the world. We must also respect people's right to practise their faith and that cuts across all denominations - Roman Catholic and others.
I ask the Taoiseach to enlighten us as to the discussion he had with the representatives of the Catholic hierarchy in respect of the eighth amendment. What did they say to him? What did he say to them? Were any requests made of the Taoiseach? Did they lobby him in any way in respect of the position the Government might reach? Did they suggest not having a referendum? In the event of a referendum did they promote a particular approach? What did the Taoiseach tell them? Did he tell them it is the Government's view to repeal the eighth amendment to protect women? What was said?
Did they give the Taoiseach a date for the Pope's visit? Does the Pope intend to go North?
I thank the Deputy for her co-operation.
My questions are not dissimilar. Did the Taoiseach raise the question of the redress payments due from the church when he met representatives of the Catholic hierarchy? The latest figures available to us show that €85 million of €700 million, which was promised by the church to fund the redress board, has been paid. That is 13% of what was committed to. These figures come from the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General. Did that come up in the discussion? What did the Taoiseach say to them? What was their response?
There is considerable concern about the convergence of a number of events - the World Meeting of Families which is to take place here in Ireland, the Pope's visit which will obviously be very high profile and the referendum on the eighth amendment. One does not need to be a rocket scientist to figure that there may be a connection between these three things and it might be wise to separate out the referendum on the eighth amendment from the other two. It might be only fair and just to separate these out in order that a clear, unambiguous and balanced debate can take place. I reiterate the question that was already asked. I ask the Taoiseach to outline the discussion on the timing of these visits and the referendum on this amendment?
Did the Taoiseach raise the divestment of schools and hospitals with leaders of the Catholic Church at his meeting in August? Church leaders have made public statements supporting this policy for schools in particular, but also apparently an agreement is in progress relating to the National Maternity Hospital moving to Elm Park. Divestment is very slow in practice.
Money was committed in respect of redress in the infamous deal with the then Minister, Dr. Michael Woods, and the then Taoiseach. Over the summer, it was reported that the Christian Brothers had sold a small number of acres at Clonkeen College in Deansgrange for upwards of €18 million. Where stands redress in terms of amounts still owing and amounts committed to be paid at this point in time?
I would like to hear the discussions that took place on the eighth amendment. Obviously the Catholic Church is a significant institution in Ireland. I have attended a number of these meetings, which serve a very good purpose.
I thank the Deputy.
However, we are facing into a potentially very divisive referendum on the repeal of the eighth amendment, which I have supported for a long time, as has my party. We are owed a fairly detailed description of the discussion that took place between the Taoiseach and the church leaders.
I thank the Deputy.
I ask the Taoiseach to commit again to the desirability of the referendum being held prior to the visit of Pope Francis towards the end of August 2018.
I had asked about this meeting in July and the Taoiseach answered that national and international issues were discussed but did not elaborate on which specific ones were discussed. The media reported that one of the topics in the dialogue with the church hierarchy was the World Meeting of Families to be held in Ireland next August.
While it is organised by the Dublin diocese, it will involve events throughout the country and thousands of people in its organisation. Many thousands more will apparently visit Ireland during that particular week. Could the Taoiseach indicate whether the Government reaffirmed its commitment to assist the organisers to make the event as successful as possible? Could he also confirm whether that is the occasion when Pope Francis will visit Ireland and attend the event?
Separately, it was reported that the Taoiseach discussed the issue of referendums at the meeting. As was confirmed yet again this morning, the Government has developed a habit of briefing journalists about referenda it intends to hold and when it intends holding them. To avoid any doubt, will the Taoiseach confirm that he understands the Government cannot call any referendum as doing so is a power which rests in the hands of the Oireachtas. Every Deputy and every party holds exactly the same right as the Government to propose the holding of a referendum. This is nothing new. I recall the Taoiseach's predecessor saying that there would be a referendum day about two years ago, so every now and again the reference to a multiplicity of referendums gets aired. Could the Taoiseach indicate why he did not consult first with parties in the Oireachtas as to the optimal approach to the holding of referendums and also the prioritisation of the various referendums that are being proposed?
I suggest, Acting Chairman, that we might give the Taoiseach a bit of leeway in terms of the amount of time he will have to respond because each of the issues are hugely complex and not insignificant. Could the Taoiseach report on the conversation he had with the Catholic Church in this instance in respect of the changes - announced four days ago - Education and Training Boards Ireland proposes to make regarding faith formation within the 12 community primary schools? I am interested to learn whether the issue was the subject of conversation with Archbishop Eamon Martin and the other attendees at the meeting in question.
With the agreement of the Members present who are involved in this debate, I will give a little leeway to the Taoiseach because we have almost run out of time. He might commence answering all of those questions.
I will start from the top. The rights of transgender citizens did not come up as a specific issue. While it did not arise, it may of course be possible to discuss it at a future meeting or bilaterally at meetings that will occur between the Minister for Education and Skills and the Catholic Church.
The issue of patronage and divestment was discussed. The Government expressed the view that it would like to see more divestment occurring but that our principal interest involves taking into the account the views of parents and that the most important thing is that divestment should only occur where the parents and prospective parents of children attending those schools want it to occur.
In the context of the eighth amendment, the Catholic Church gave its view and its view is very clear - I respect its view, which is that the eighth amendment has saved lives, that this is a matter of human rights and that it will oppose any attempt to remove the provision from the Constitution. That is the church's stated view. As a Government, we said that we respect that this is its view and that we understand this to be the case. We also indicated that it is our intention to proceed on the basis of the Constitutional Convention's recommendation that there should be a referendum on the matter and that we will be guided by the outcome of the all-party committee as to what should be wording of the question.
On the Pope's visit, the date for the World Meeting of Families is 21 to 26 August 2018. We do not yet know the specific date or dates on which the Holy Father will be in the country and no decision has been made on whether he will travel to the North. However, I did express my wish that he would consider doing so. Unfortunately, when he visited Ireland, Pope John Paul II was not able to travel to the North and made his plea for peace from Dublin. I certainly would like to see that happen. We indicated to the church authorities that the State will do its best to facilitate any programme that he wants to engage in - in any part of Ireland - and that it will put at his disposal the necessary support from the security forces and other groups that might be able to assist in accommodating his visit.
Deputy Micheál Martin is absolutely correct; the holding of referendums is not a decision for Government, it is one for the Oireachtas. It is only the Oireachtas that can make a decision to hold a referendum. What the Government did today was put out a timeline to work towards. People know that some of these referendums are in the pipeline for years and the Government thought it appropriate to set out a timeline that we can work towards because it is not just a case of having a referendum. One has to work back from a referendum. First, there needs to be a wording, the legislation, which must go through the Dáil and Seanad, has to be brought forward and a referendum commission must be established. There is a minimum period during which a referendum commission can be established and there is also a need to provide a period of at least three or four weeks for a campaign. It takes time to have referendums. Assuming that the all-party committee is able to report by 20 December - I am confident it can do so - the earliest possible time at which a referendum could be held would be May or June 2018 as a result of the need to have legislation passed by the two Houses, to facilitate the establishment of the referendum commission and to hold a campaign. I did not quite understand what Deputies said but if they are suggesting a different date I would be curious to know what that is. Obviously, the referendum could not be held earlier than May or June 2018. If, therefore, people are suggesting a later date, I would certainly be interested to find out if that is the case and to understand why.
Redress was one of the topics discussed. The view expressed by the Government is that we would like to see the matter concluded. We would like to see a financial settlement that would involve the payment of many millions of euro to the taxpayer to help us cover the cost of compensation.
Deputy Micheál Martin asked about a referendum day. We decided not to do that. It had been proposed in the past to have six, seven or eight referendums on the one day but the Government has formed the opinion that having so many questions on the one day could cause confusion. We decided that the referendum relating to what is probably the most sensitive and controversial issue - namely, the eighth amendment - should be held on a stand-alone basis but that the others, which, perhaps, relate to matters that are a little less controversial, could be held in batches of two or three. The latter has been done previously.
In terms of international issues, it is important to point out that this was a dialogue with the Catholic Church, not the hierarchy, so other people were present as well. It was not just bishops. Among those present were representatives from Trócaire, an agency which, as Members know, does phenomenal work in terms of international development around the world and which receives substantial funding. Needless to say, part of the discussion was a request that we increase the budget for Catholic organisations such as Trócaire and that for overseas development aid in the years to come.
The issue of Education and Training Boards Ireland and community national schools did not arise specifically and the issue that arose in recent days was not on the agenda at the time.
I found the meeting to be very useful. It went on for approximately two hours. It was a very good engagement, with lots of areas of agreement and disagreement. I agree with Members that such a dialogue is appropriate. There will be another meeting but next on the list is a dialogue with the Church of Ireland and the other Protestant denominations. We are trying to schedule a time for that now.
Taoiseach's Communications
Brendan Howlin
Ceist:5. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his conversation with the Indian Prime Minister. [32694/17]
Gerry Adams
Ceist:6. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent telephone conversation with the Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi. [40411/17]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 and 6 together.
I spoke with Prime Minister Modi by telephone on 16 June. It was a short congratulatory call, similar to a number of calls I received from Heads of State and Government when I took office. During our brief conversation, we discussed a number of matters including our support for the resumption of talks on an EU-India free trade agreement and co-operation on increasing partnerships between higher education institutions in Ireland and India.
We spoke about the strong bilateral relationship between our two countries and agreed on the further potential to further strengthen trade and investment links between them. The call concluded with Prime Minister Modi inviting me to visit India, which I hope to do at some point in the future.
Given the Taoiseach's own connections to India, the first logical question to ask him is whether he plans an official visit. Has he extended an invitation to the Prime Minister of India? I am conscious that India is a country of 1.3 billion people, the largest democracy in the world. Would the Taoiseach agree that we should expand our relationships there?
Not long after his appointment, the Taoiseach spoke about a desire to grow the Irish diplomatic presence abroad. Currently we have an embassy in India as well as four honorary consulates. In countries with which we have strong relationships, normally at least some of these honorary consulates are transformed into full consulates with full diplomatic representation. Given the size of India, which is a subcontinent, would the Taoiseach agree that we should seek to expand?
Has the Taoiseach had an opportunity to discuss human rights issues as they arise in the context of both India and Ireland? Such a discussion might include the potential impact of Brexit on immigration from the Indian subcontinent to the UK which, obviously, at this point in time, still includes Northern Ireland.
I am sure Deputy Varadkar's election as leader of his party and subsequently as Taoiseach attracted very considerable interest in India and, I do not doubt, a very considerable and justifiable pride. Our two countries have a long tradition of friendship and engagement that goes back for generations, as we know, including during the efforts of India to secure its independence from Britain. We have much in common.
What was the substance of the Taoiseach's exchange with Prime Minister Modi in respect of Brexit? Bilateral trade between India and Ireland touched around $1.2 billion from 2014 to 2015. While that is considerable, there is massive scope for development. Currently, our major items of export to India include telecommunications equipment, computer accessories, precision equipment and pharmaceuticals. Could the Taoiseach give us a flavour of the conversation he had on a sectoral basis, if these issues were discussed?
Does the Taoiseach have plans to visit India? Did he extend an invitation to Prime Minister Modi to return to our shores? I understand he last visited here in September 2015.
The links between Ireland and India go back to before independence, as Deputy McDonald said. There were very strong links between the former Taoiseach and President, Éamon de Valera, and Indian politics of the time. Those links were renewed in recent years, particularly in the area of science policy. The initial Ireland-India research programme offered considerable opportunities for Irish and Indian researchers to exchange information and pursue opportunities in both countries. What is the current status of that research programme and what are the Taoiseach's plans for it?
In respect of Brexit opportunities in India, what extra resources will specifically go to Enterprise Ireland and Tourism Ireland to pursue opportunities within the Indian market?
As was mentioned, Prime Minister Modi made a visit to Ireland last year and I had the opportunity to meet him on that occasion. I certainly did invite him to visit Ireland again and would very much like him to do so. However, I appreciate that having only visited last year, it might be some time before an Indian Prime Minister is able to visit again. He did invite me to India and asked that I bring my family with me. I would certainly like to visit India in the future but no arrangements have been made as yet. There are, of course, a number of other places that I need to visit, particularly with so many European issues on the agenda. I have plans to visit a number of European countries over the next couple of months, if I can.
In response to Deputy Burton, I agree that we should expand our consulates around the world and expand our diplomatic footprint. The Deputy mentioned that we have an embassy in Delhi but only honorary consulates in a number of other cities. One city that springs to mind, in which we could perhaps in future have a consulate, is Mumbai, one of the largest cities in the world and very much India's economic capital. I imagine it is the kind of place where an Ireland House operation involving IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Bord Bia and a consulate would be very appropriate.
I have asked a number of Ministers to work together to develop a plan to double our global footprint over the next seven to eight years. That is not necessarily a doubling of offices, staff or budgets but it is a matter of looking at the entire suite of Irish diplomatic representation - our embassies and consulates, Bord Bia, IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, and Tourism Ireland - and also our cultural presence around the world, and thinking strategically as to how we can increase that over the next seven or eight years. This is in part a response to Brexit but even if there was no Brexit it is the kind of thing we should be doing anyway. We are a small country and we need boots and suits on the ground. Compared to other countries like Denmark and New Zealand, we are somewhat behind. If we really do want to be an island at the centre of the world, we are going to need more people out and about around the world representing us. However, these things should not be done overnight. They should be done in a planned way and scaled up to make sure we have the right people with good competence doing exactly those things.
In respect of the other matters, this was a very short, congratulatory call which probably did not go on for more than eight or nine minutes. While the issues mentioned by Deputies are of course very important, it was not possible to discuss them all in the time we had.
Urban Development
Gerry Adams
Ceist:7. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Taoiseach the status of the north inner city ministerial task force; and if he will continue to chair this body. [32894/17]
The independent report on the north east inner city undertaken by Kieran Mulvey recommended a wide range of actions to advance the social and economic regeneration of that area. While acknowledging the profound challenges facing the area and its people, the report highlighted a number of significant assets in the area such as its strong community spirit, its proud history, dedicated local projects, and its prime location beside a growing business community. Building on these positives, the report set out a range of actions to tackle the priority areas of crime and drugs, education, training and employment opportunities, services for families and young people and physical improvements.
As recommended in the report, a number of new structures have been put in place to drive forward progress on the actions. These include the programme implementation board comprising statutory, community and business sectors, led by an independent chairperson, Mr. Michael Stone. The board is being supported in its work by a local programme office which has been established by Dublin City Council in Sean McDermott Street. The board is responsible for the development and delivery of a detailed implementation plan and oversight of funding.
The chair of the board is reporting on a regular basis to the oversight group of senior officials chaired by the Secretary General of my Department. This is to ensure continued strong engagement across all Government Departments and agencies and to deal with any structural barriers and issues highlighted by the board. I will continue to ensure that ministerial oversight and support of this initiative is provided through the Cabinet committee system.
The programme implementation board has quickly established four sub-groups, which have strong community involvement. These will help to develop more detailed measures where required to address the actions and recommend steps to overcome particular barriers or gaps in service provision. While this work is ongoing, the board has agreed a number of proposals across the four priority headings for implementation in 2017 at a cost of €2.5 million. This is in addition to the range of local measures already implemented in 2016, which will cost about €5 million.
I acknowledge that the appointment of Michael Stone to chair and to lead the implementation board is very welcome. I have met with Mr. Stone and have formed the view that he is very much in the business of getting things done, which he will have to be.
Notwithstanding the work done by Kieran Mulvey, which I also acknowledge, the report essentially amounts to a listing of a number of initiatives that were already in place and a restatement of moneys that were already promised. While it has some nuggets of truth and there are some interesting parts interlaced in it, I would be misleading the House if I said we are anything other than disappointed and underwhelmed by what has been produced. Given the scale of what needs to be done here, and in light of the depth of the change and radical innovation that is required, tinkering on the edges will not get us very far. I would always be the first to welcome and argue in favour of the provision of small amounts of additional money for local projects, many of which are crying out for funding and resources. The idea that throwing a few bob here and there will sort things or fundamentally change things in this community is just wrong. The community is well aware of that. The collaborative and cross-political party work that has been done by the North Inner City Community Coalition forms the basis of the type of analysis, blueprint and vision that is required to move things along.
I would like to highlight something that the Taoiseach mentioned in his reply. I have spoken to Michael Stone about this. It is an example of how the old thinking still dominates. It is a mistake to bunch crime and drugs together. I do not suggest that there is no relationship between drugs and crime, because it is clear that there is such a relationship. Those who seek to pretend that a criminal justice response will sort out the ravages of drugs in this and other communities - something which is just not true - are missing the essential social dynamic around drug abuse, misuse and addiction. I thought we had reached a position of political understanding and consensus that this approach is wrong-headed. There is no doubt that crime issues have to be tackled and that there is a relationship between crime and drugs. If we are to be radical and real, and if we are to make a serious attempt to get under the bonnet of the north inner city and other communities, our approach must involve looking at drug addiction issues like the relationship between drug dependency and poverty and the absolutely appalling housing conditions in the north inner city. There are people living in flat complexes in the inner city of Dublin that are really not fit for human occupation. This is 2017. People cannot get access to decent work, no matter how hard they try. If we are serious about changing things, we have to take a radical approach in these areas. We have not seen such an approach so far. What is the Taoiseach's personal commitment to this? He has spoken about officials and Cabinet oversight. A commitment was given that the Taoiseach of the day would personally oversee this work. Does that commitment remain?
Having spent the last couple of Sundays in the north-east inner city, I can say that the people there do sympathy very well. This area is crying out for action and real activity, rather than spin, statements and ministerial visits. While Michael Stone has the potential to make a real difference, he will be unable to do so unless he is given an appropriate and dedicated budget that is not coming from other areas of Dublin city or other urban communities across the country. I would like to follow up on Deputy McDonald's question. Who is the lead Minister? Is the Office of the Taoiseach still the lead office in implementing this? If the Taoiseach is no longer the lead Minister, what metrics has he set to see where this is going? Who will report back to him? Will a specific allocation for the north-east inner city be made in the forthcoming capital plan and in next month's budget?
I wish Michael Stone well in the position to which he has been appointed. There has been a total lack of apprenticeships for young men and women in the north inner city, particularly since the collapse in construction in 2008. The apprenticeships offered by famous educational institutions in the north inner city have always represented an important educational transit point in that area, especially for those moving onto further education. I refer, for example, to DIT Bolton Street, which has a whole school of apprenticeship. If the Taoiseach is chairing this committee, I strongly recommend that he should go to the Linenhall building in Bolton Street to look at what can be done successfully for young people who want to do apprenticeships rather than staying in school. Many such people choose not to stay in school because it has been a negative experience or because their family circumstances do not provide for it. Some of the most qualified engineers in our society came from places like the school of trades in Bolton Street and its counterpart on Kevin Street on the south side. In addition to inventing new solutions, we need to use some of the existing resources we have. When I spoke to some of the staff members two weeks ago, they told me they can hardly talk to anybody in government.
I would like to make another point about these plans. Large parts of the north inner city are filthy. I listened with great joy to yesterday's announcement that various towns, villages and suburbs in different parts of Dublin had won prizes in the Tidy Towns competition. If we are to reinvigorate the north inner city and give concrete opportunities to those who live there, Dublin City Council must respect the places where people are living by helping to clean them up. We have to address the casual dumping of litter, which is one of the most debilitating things for the self-image of a community. Deputy McDonald spoke about how old some of the blocks of flats are. People like living in the north inner city. As Deputy Calleary said, the people there are very friendly and very positive. The local authorities are not sufficiently respecting the people who live in the north inner city by improving their environment to the point where those who have pride in their homes can have pride in the overall city centre as well. Many of those who are paying property tax ask me all the time what they are getting for it and why they are not getting clean streets.
It is important to point out some of the key actions that are included in the report, including the refurbishment and reopening of Fitzgibbon Street Garda station, which will become a centre for community policing and local drug enforcement. There will be an increase in the level of local gardaí in the community. A new policing plan will be drawn up. A single platform will be introduced to streamline education, training and employment activation efforts. A skills need assessment will inform the training requirements and job and apprenticeship opportunities in the area. A specialist hub will be developed for highly vulnerable families. A new model of in-school speech and language therapy will be piloted. A single youth leadership development programme will be provided. There will be a comprehensive physical refurbishment plan for the area. Some very significant things are under way. There will be some community consultative events, with the first meeting to be held on 19 October. As I have mentioned, Michael Stone has been appointed as the independent chair of the local programme implementation board, which has already met on three occasions, on 28 June, 2 August and 30 August. It is scheduled to meet again this week. As I have said, a community consultative event will be held in October.
Deputy McDonald is right when she says that bunching crime and drugs together is wrong-headed. Addiction, as opposed to recreational drug use, is very much a social issue. I would rather see it addressed as a health issue than as a criminal justice issue. Like a number of people in this Chamber, I know the north inner city very well not because of my happy visits there in recent weeks, but because of my regular visits there all the time. I know because I am there all the time that it is an area where many good things are happening. I am disappointed that nobody mentioned any of them, so I might mention a few now. The student accommodation that is coming on stream across the north inner city is a very positive thing.
There will be very few locals living in that accommodation.
Or working in it.
Does the Taoiseach know what the housing list looks like?
It will transform these areas for the better.
The Luas cross city, the order for which I signed six years ago today, will be carrying passengers back and forth through the north inner city from December helping to regenerate large parts of the north inner city from O'Connell Street all the way up to Broadstone and linking with Broombridge station. The Dublin Institute of Technology, DIT, Grangegorman project is phenomenal. It is great to see that-----
That is not in the scope of the work. It is the north-west inner city.
It is fairly near it.
Castleknock is fairly near it.
The Taoiseach, without interruption.
Also, the Summerhill primary care centre-----
At last.
-----is a very significant addition. Somebody is doing a great job for the north inner city and many good things are happening. While there are many problems, we should acknowledge that people are actually delivering and things are happening. Even in regard to litter, and I know it is still a litter black spot, the recent Irish Business Against Litter, IBAL, survey showed an improvement in the north inner city. The city council is investing more in cleaning the streets and more needs to be done.
In terms of where it is led from, it is still being led from my Department but we are in a different phase now. It is no longer a case of a Taoiseach chairing a task force. It is a case of an implementation board implementing the recommendations, and that is being led by Mr. Stone. It has a dedicated budget and that budget resides in the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.