Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 16 Feb 2023

Vol. 1033 No. 5

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation

Deputy Pearse Doherty

Yesterday's report by the National Economic and Social Council shows that under Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, homeownership has gone in one direction, that is, down. The level of homeownership here is now in the bottom one third of the EU. Why is that the case? It is because of the policies that the Tánaiste's party has pursued, which have pushed up house prices. The Central Statistics Office yesterday reported that house prices rose by 8% in the past year. In the Border region they went up by 12% and in the west they went up by 15%, in part because Government policies are driving up house prices.

This is not just the view of Sinn Féin. It is also the view of Davy Stockbrokers, as reported in today's Irish Independent. An entire generation of young people are locked out of homeownership because of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael policies. Does the Tánaiste accept that the Government is making homeownership harder? Does he agree with the assessment of Davy Stockbrokers that the Government's policies are pushing up house prices? When will the Government deliver homes at a reasonable price that people can afford?

The Tánaiste

The Deputy has come a long way if he is now quoting Davy Stockbrokers to me. Perish the thought. I would be cautious about all of that if I were the Deputy.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

Does that not say how bad things have got in terms of home ownership-----

The Tánaiste

The Deputy has come a long way.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

-----when your own are even turning on you?

The Tánaiste

Fianna Fáil has been in government for the past two and a half years. Fianna Fáil has identified housing as one of our key issues.

Along with our colleague parties in Government, we are increasing State investment in housing. We have been building more houses, particularly social houses, in the last two and a half years than we have in more than a decade. We will continue with that. There is a wide variety of schemes, including schemes for affordable houses.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

Does the Tánaiste accept that his Government's policies are pushing up house prices?

The Tánaiste

Sinn Féin opposed the help-to-buy scheme.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

These policies are pushing up houses prices.

The Tánaiste

Its policies would have reduced supply while the help-to-buy scheme brought in by the previous Government has enabled thousands of people to buy homes.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

Even the Davy Group is saying that these policies are pushing up house prices.

The Tánaiste

The Deputy's confidence in the Davy Group is revealing.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

Even the Tánaiste's own are turning on him. He cannot deny the facts.

The Tánaiste

He did not even want to give them a bonus and now he is quoting them.

Deputy Ivana Bacik

When the Taoiseach took office in December, he stated his intention to end child poverty, establishing a child poverty unit in his Department. Crucial to any work on this absolutely vital issue is ensuring an adequate supply of quality affordable childcare and early years education for all children. I want to know specifically how the Government will address the severe shortage of preschool and early years places across many communities. As just one example, I raised with the Taoiseach the research from Young People at Risk, a group of childcare professionals and others operating under the north-east inner city task force. This group found that one in four children in the north-east inner city is without any place in early years education. That chimes with my experience in my constituency of Dublin Bay South. Every week, I hear from parents who are distressed at being unable to find any affordable childcare or early years education places for their children. How can we ever hope to turn the tide of disadvantage if we do not get this right? What can we see from the Government by way of action on this?

The Tánaiste

That unit has been established in the Taoiseach's office. I agree with the Deputy that investment in the early years is crucial with regard to child poverty and also with regard to children's chances for the rest of their lives. People learn more before the age of three than they do in the rest of their lives so we have to resource provision in that period as much as we can. I refer to developmental childcare and early years education and to other targeted measures, including supports provided through social welfare schemes targeted at children in low-income families to support their development. The budget will support a reduction of up to 25% in childcare fees. There are two issues, namely, expanding the availability of places and the question of affordability for parents.

Deputy Holly Cairns

Today, my Social Democrats colleague, Deputy Whitmore, held a briefing on the continuing barrier people who are pregnant are facing in accessing medication for hyperemesis. As the Tánaiste will be aware, this is a condition involving vomiting and nausea and it is very debilitating. Many end up in hospital as a result of dehydration or weight loss. Hyperemesis Ireland has campaigned tirelessly for free access to Cariban, an incredibly expensive medication that can cost up to €3,000 over the course of a pregnancy. Unfortunately, the Government response was to make it available under the drugs payment scheme but only with a prescription from a consultant. That is wholly inadequate and presents an unnecessary barrier for exhausted and extremely sick individuals, who may have to wait weeks for an appointment while suffering. Will the Tánaiste remove this obstacle and allow GP prescriptions to be used so that everyone who needs it can access medication for hyperemesis under the drugs payment scheme without that unnecessary wait and cost?

The Tánaiste

I believe the Minister for Health spoke on this issue this morning. We would love to do everything we can to help here. I will come back to the Deputy with a more comprehensive reply in respect of the regulatory side and definitions across the medicines spectrum. That is and has been a challenge as a result of the more medicalised view of the world and so forth. I will come back to the Deputy with a more comprehensive reply.

Deputy Paul Murphy

The workers at Go-Ahead voted for strike action just before Christmas. They are now heading to the Labour Court. The reason they overwhelmingly voted for strike action is because of the low pay they face, which is entirely inadequate in the context of the cost-of-living crisis, along with the long shifts and unsociable hours. They are the victims of the project of successive governments to drive a race to the bottom in public transport in complete opposition to the interests of workers, those trying to take the bus and our environment and the need to shift people out of private cars. The other victims are those who are left waiting for buses, including the 175, 59 and 45A services, because, when one bus is missing as a result of insufficient staffing, people can be left waiting for up to an hour and a half. It is completely unacceptable. Go-Ahead is a profitable company. It sent more than €2.5 million home to its parent company in Britain in the last year. Will the Tánaiste support the workers in their struggle for a decent wage? Will he stop the process of deregulation and privatisation?

The Tánaiste

We do not have a policy of wholesale privatisation.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

Wholesale.

Deputy Paul Murphy

Piecemeal privatisation.

The Tánaiste

Let us be balanced. We have invested very substantially in public transport. We will continue to invest in and expand public service provision in transport. Unprecedented investment is being made in rail via Iarnród Éireann and buses via Bus Éireann. We have expanded the fleet and the workforce. We are also working on the competition framework. There is room for both. However, anyone who enters the market has to ensure that workers are protected and that pay and conditions meet the proper norms. The industrial relations mechanisms are then used to resolve any issues that arise in respect of pay and conditions. That is what I advise in this instance.

Deputy Noel Grealish

I want to read an email into the record of the House. It is reflective of emails, calls and messages I receive every week. It reads as follows:

I work in the tech industry, and at 35, I'm renting a bedroom in a house with 4 other working professionals.

I've given up on hoping that the housing disaster here will improve, so I've had it approved by the company I work for and will be emigrating. My colleagues are now making similar requests.

I'm just writing to let you know of a reality that many working professionals my age deal with. Now with the Irish Independent reporting that house building will slow down due to costs, unless the state gets involved and builds affordable apartments and houses, there will be a brain drain in this country as we are in no position to lay roots and start families here. My only hope in sending this is to get your understanding how serious this problem is for so many.

Thank you for reading,

- Owen

What can be done for Owen and so many more like him across the country?

The Tánaiste

I thank Deputy Grealish for sharing that experience. I do get it. That is why I gave the answer I did to Deputy Berry earlier in respect of the housing issue. We have to do everything we possibly can at every level to build more houses and to build them more quickly. That is what we are going to do. A range of measures has been introduced, including Croí Cónaithe, Project Tosaigh, which relates to affordable housing, the cost-rental schemes and tax credits of €1,000 last year and €500 this year, which are an interim measure that people like Owen can avail of to reduce their rental costs. We built 29,000 houses last year, the highest number in a long time. We intend to build more. We are now looking at mechanisms to counter the consequences of the inflationary spiral of the last 12 months in order to reach the targets we set ourselves for 2023.

Deputy Joan Collins

I listened to an interview with Dr. Patricia Keilthy, head of policy for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, this morning. The number of calls to the society went up by 20% last year and continues to rise. Calls for help with energy and utility bills went up by 40% and a quarter of the calls received were from first-time callers. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is calling for targeted supports in the spring budget or whatever it will be called. Dr. Keilthy said that many of the supports provided in the budget were welcome but are now gone and that almost half of lone-parent households will see an increase in child poverty. The society is calling for increases in the qualified child payment, including an increase from €42 to €47 for children under 12. It would cost the State €110 million to provide these increases both for those under 12 and older children. It is also calling for an increase in the working family payment. For those households in low-paid work, being brought into the fuel allowance net would give a net benefit of more than €950. It is also calling for increases in social welfare and State pension payments. Will the Tánaiste raise these calls in today's discussions?

The Tánaiste

We are examining a whole range of issues.

Obviously, the key focus will be on those measures that are due to expire and ensuring there is not a cliff edge. The measures we introduced in the budget proper are not once-off; they are embedded into the payment structure. The core rate increased by €12 which was the highest for many years. The once-off measures which came through in the last three months of 2022 and the energy credits continue up to March. We will continue to look at ways we can protect in particular the families the Deputy identified. That will be a matter for examination.

Deputy Joe Carey

A cohort of 35 children aged between six and 11 with cystic fibrosis are desperately trying to gain access to the wonder-drug, Kaftrio. A health technology assessment started in December. This issue has gone on for more than a year and a half. When will these children and their families be able to get access to that drug?

The Tánaiste

I am familiar with this issue and have spoken to the Minister for Health on it. The Deputy will be aware of the framework governing this area which can be quite frustrating for the political system. However, it was designed to try to get as objective an assessment as possible. We had similar debates on Orkambi. Parents of children with cystic fibrosis say that Orkambi has had a huge impact and it is my instinct that the same would apply to Kaftrio. The company also needs to engage here. Between the agency and the company, I would like to think the interests of these 35 children would be prioritised to enable them to have access to this drug.

Deputy Colm Burke

I understand a review of the 2006 wind energy guidelines has been going on for two and a half to three years. It has not been published. This deals with the issues of noise levels, set-back distance, shadow flickering and community obligation. When will those guidelines be published, in particular with regard to set-back distance from private properties? I understand the current guidelines are not adequate and many people are concerned. Wind energy is making a major and welcome contribution. At the same time, we need to take into account the concerns of local communities over set-back distances for any future developments. When will the guidelines be published? Responsibility lies with both the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

The Tánaiste

I am also well aware of this issue which has gone on for a long time. I have an awful feeling that the review the Deputy mentioned could itself now be subject to a review, if that makes sense to the Deputy.

Deputy Colm Burke

Yes.

The Tánaiste

The bottom line is that we need new guidelines. There has been a major shift away from fossil fuels which will continue. The only solution is offshore wind as well as onshore wind where it can be done with the support of and in collaboration with communities. I believe the Ministers, Deputies Eamon Ryan and Darragh O'Brien, have discussed this and may now be now examining a final set of guidelines to issue. They will be reviewing the review.

Deputy Colm Burke

Will we see it before St. Patrick's Day?

The Tánaiste

I think Brigid might have more powers than Patrick.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

Jackie and her husband are a lovely couple in their 50s. He has worked all his life for a semi-State company. Tomorrow morning, I will be accompanying them and their two children to the District Court where their landlord is seeking enforcement proceedings to evict them from the home in which they have lived all their lives. Because they are over the threshold, they are not entitled to social housing and are not entitled to housing assistance payment, HAP. They are absolutely goosed. They need hope. At the moment the local authority is saying that the tenant in situ scheme does not apply because they are over the threshold. They cannot get HAP because they are over the threshold but they cannot even come close to affording the rents being charged in their area. As I am very worried about their welfare, I am making an urgent last-minute appeal for the Government to instruct local authorities that the tenant in situ purchase scheme will apply to people, even if they are over the threshold, where they are threatened with homelessness. At the very least they should be entitled to HAP so they can try to source alternative accommodation.

The Tánaiste

I thank the Deputy for raising this. If it is in court tomorrow-----

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

They are in court tomorrow.

The Tánaiste

-----the eviction ban applies.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

No, it does not. The Tánaiste just does not understand. I have been saying it for weeks.

The Tánaiste

Sorry.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

Because the notice to quit was before the Government introduced the ban, it does not apply.

The Tánaiste

The Deputy did not say that.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

I have only got one minute. I have said it about 20 times in this House.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

The Tánaiste has one minute.

The Tánaiste

The Deputy has never stuck to one minute. Has the Deputy spoken to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage?

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

Yes.

The Tánaiste

Okay, we will pursue it and try to get that resolved for the couple involved. I do not want to understate the anxiety and stress on that couple.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

I am seriously worried about their welfare.

The Tánaiste

I appreciate that.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

This Chair will try to keep both sides under the minute.

Deputy Bríd Smith

On Tuesday Top Security, which has blocked a meagre wage increase for security workers for the last 21 months, will be in court in an attempt to continue to block that cost-of-living increase, which would bring all 15,000 security workers up to €12.90 per hour, which is not exactly a king's ransom for workers doing one of the most dangerous, most antisocial and toughest jobs in the country. Those workers also worked throughout the Covid pandemic. I am referring to Top Security and a small wage increase it blocked under an employment regulation order. Why has the Government changed the rules on issuing licences to private security firms by removing the clear demand that any private security firm must comply with the State's employment regulatory order in order to get its licence? What strategy does the Government have to protect low-paid workers from this sort of vicious attack by employers that stops them earning a decent living?

The Tánaiste

The employer should adhere to the employment regulation order in respect-----

Deputy Bríd Smith

The Government has allowed it not to.

The Tánaiste

I can come back to the Deputy on that particular point. We will take any measures we can to ensure adherence to the employment regulatory order.

Deputy Bríd Smith

That is an unbelievable answer.

The Tánaiste

I will come back to the Deputy on it.

Deputy Richard Bruton

Is it intended to expand the penalties available to the courts in sentencing children convicted of serious offences? Is legislation planned in this regard because this would be important in underpinning safety in our communities?

Minister for Justice (Deputy Simon Harris)

I thank the Deputy for raising this because it provides me with an opportunity to update the House. I am examining the issue raised in a recent court case very carefully. Government approval has been provided for the drafting of heads of Bill to provide for an amendment to the Children Act 2001 to ensure there are sufficient alternative sentencing options to fully and partially suspended sentences. This legislation is being prepared. The amendments are intended to maximise the alternative sentencing options available in the 2001 Act and to remove existing barriers to their use. The proposed legislative amendments will provide for deferred sentence supervision orders.

Deputy Mark Ward

I received a very worrying response to parliamentary question this morning outlining the number of people being spiked with drugs without their consent. In 2021 there were 62 incidents reported to the Garda. Last year that nearly doubled to 106. These are only the ones reported to the Garda. Very often they go unreported. Just this week, third level student bodies issued warnings in the lead-up to Rag Week. I am sure the Tánaiste and the Minister for Justice will agree with me that spiking a drink is a cowardly act and getting spiked is very frightening for victims. In 2021 there was an awareness campaign and I am asking for that to be repeated. Can it be rolled out to staff in pubs and nightclubs so that they can become aware of the issue? Is there anything else the Government can do to combat this horrendous crime?

Deputy Simon Harris

The short answer is that it can and should. I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, and I came together on this issue with the Garda and with student unions to roll out an awareness campaign. I now intend to work with the Garda and student unions to do the same again. It is absolutely horrific when this happens to people. It is really important that people are aware. The Deputy is quite right to say that people in the industry need to be aware of their responsibilities and have awareness of the issue.

Deputy Thomas Gould

Last week it was announced that rents in Cork had risen by over 15% in 2022 and the average monthly rent is now over €1,700. The Tánaiste is a Cork man, like me. There is no way any ordinary family can afford €1,700 a month for rent.

It has gone beyond the ordinary person. On top of that, dozens of families are in with me at the moment that I am trying to help. They are facing eviction in April, May and June when the eviction ban ends. I fear a tsunami of homelessness coming for the summer and I implore the Tánaiste to look at extending the ban on evictions to at least the end of the year to give those families some protection. When this ban on evictions ends, where will those people and families go?

The Tánaiste

On the broader housing issue, supply is the only answer. Last year we built more houses than we had targeted to build but we need to build more than that; we need to build over 30,000 houses. Likewise, in Cork, Cork City Council and the approved housing bodies have done well in the provision of social housing, and with affordable housing, which the local authority has engaged with. I mention some of the cost rental schemes, such as on Lancaster Quay, which are well below market rents, but we need more of those cost rental schemes, more affordable houses and more social houses to deal with the issue.

The eviction ban is being examined by Government and it will be addressed in March. It is not simple because we also have to maintain supply into the market and to retain existing landlords in the market-----

Deputy Thomas Gould

People need clarity.

The Tánaiste

I know.

Deputy Thomas Gould

People will be evicted in April.

The Tánaiste

I know that so I am talking about-----

Deputy Thomas Gould

They are waiting for the Government to tell them.

The Tánaiste

Supply, supply, supply is the key.

Deputy Thomas Gould

But the supply will not be here by April.

The Tánaiste

For the last five years there has been a substantial exit from the market of property, which is a problem. That creates the problem of scarcity of housing that is available for rent. I am simply saying that we are examining it but it is not simple and we should not present it as a simple issue.

Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh

The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, is at last set to bring a windfall tax, or what is called a temporary solidarity contribution, on profits in fossil fuel production. In Ireland that means the Corrib gas field, which trebled profits in the first six months of 2022 to an estimated €560 million. That puts it on course for €1 billion of profits in the year. This is particularly hard for people to hear as we know it has not paid the corporation tax over the years, instead offsetting the tax liabilities with historical losses incurred by former owners of the gas field. The design of the windfall tax, as it is stated by the Council of the European Union, is far from perfect, as it lets the company keep the vast majority of the windfall profits. They keep all of their normal profits, plus an extra 20%, and then they keep 77% of the windfall profits over and above that. Despite all of these limitations, the windfall tax provides a window of opportunity. Will the Tánaiste consider ring-fencing some of it for investment in the local community, given that the local community saw very limited benefits and given all the turmoil in the community? It would be an important gesture for the people of Mayo and Belmullet, particularly for the likes of Belmullet Community Hospital and the R312.

The Tánaiste

Significant investment is going into roads and health through the normal capital programmes. We have one of the largest capital programmes in any European Union member state. A lot of issues like that can be accommodated in that context.

Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh

Those programmes are not reaching us.

The Tánaiste

The windfall tax will generally go back into the Exchequer, primarily to try to help with the cost-of-living measures we have introduced for everybody in the country. That will be the purpose of the windfall tax but it will not go anywhere near the amount of money we have spent. As I said earlier, we spent about €8 billion since the beginning of 2022, between taxation and expenditure measures.

Deputy Darren O'Rourke

If the Tánaiste listens to the traffic reports every day he will know that there is significant congestion on the N2 between the Rath roundabout and Kilmoon Cross. Transport Infrastructure Ireland informed Meath County Council, and me through reply to a parliamentary question, this week that it is unable to approve progression of this scheme to phase 3 because of funding constraints. There are too many roads projects in the national development plan and there is not enough funding to match. There is conflict within Government as I see it but I want to know where this project will go now. People who are stuck in congestion every morning do not know if a motorway is the solution or if there is an alternative solution within the existing alignment. They do not have public transport or park-and-ride options so where to now for those stuck in traffic on the N2 every morning?

The Tánaiste

Many road projects have been submitted to Government. In line with the national development plan we have identified that all of those projects that were on track prior to the formation of the Government would remain on track in terms of investment and supporting those road projects. It is down to our capacity and resources and on that specific project I will come back to the Deputy with a more detailed response.

Cuireadh an Dáil ar fionraí ar 1.05 p.m. agus cuireadh tús leis arís ar 1.45 p.m.

Sitting suspended at 1.05 p.m. and resumed at 1.45 p.m.