Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 7 Dec 2023

Vol. 1047 No. 3

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

Deputy Pearse Doherty

It is disappointing the Minister is leaving because I wanted to talk to him about the defective concrete block redress scheme in Donegal and elsewhere. Despite having been badly let down, people are trying to engage and rebuild their homes. The question, however, is about the mortgageability of these homes following remediation. Will people be able to sell the properties or get top-up mortgages in future? These are key issues. In a reply to a parliamentary question I asked, the Minister indicated the properties would be fully remortgageable once a home had been certified as remediated. However, I have been informed that a number of engineers cannot guarantee certification of properties for a number of options under the scheme. I would like to ask the Minister who has just walked out whether he has sought clarification from the engineering sector on this issue. Why is there no implementation group involving key stakeholders, namely, the homeowners, the banking industry, the insurance sector and the engineers, to resolve outstanding issues? Will the Minister set up such a group? The other issue is that the banks have put forward a proposal of a zero-interest loan for homeowners to help them get set up.

I understand it is with the Department. What is the update in that regard?

An Ceann Comhairle

Is the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, taking this question?

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Deputy Kieran O'Donnell)

I note both points the Deputy has raised. Have the engineers been in contact with the Department on that issue? We do not appear to have received anything specifically on the issue to date. If there is a particular issue, the Deputy might bring it to our attention. More particularly, the engineers might make contact with us. I know the issue came up at a meeting of the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. It came up a number of months ago and was raised by the engineers. It is not a matter that has been formally raised with the Department so the Deputy might bring up that.

On the loans that are available, I understand there has been engagement between the Banking Federation of Ireland and the Department. I will follow up that point with the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien.

Deputy Ivana Bacik

I am not sure of which Minister I am asking this question now that the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, has left. Instead of the sharp drop that is needed, current global commitments will see greenhouse gas emissions rise by 2030. Even if countries implement their current commitments, the world is on track to heat by between 2.5°C and 2.9°C. The UN state of the cryosphere report tells us we cannot negotiate with the melting point of ice. In this awful context, many of us have been disheartened by the coverage of what has been emerging from COP28 in the United Arab Emirates, UAE, and the presence of so many oil lobbyists, a great deal of spin and, indeed, fake news about the impact of fossil fuels. I wanted to ask the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, how the Government proposes to reduce emissions in the construction sector, in particular, in this context, while also ramping up the necessary building of homes and infrastructure. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, may respond to the point.

I recently met representatives of the Irish branch of Architects Declare, a group of architects who are part of a global movement to ensure more sustainable building methods. Has the Minister engaged with that group? How does the Government intend to implement more environmental concerns in planning law?

Deputy Kieran O'Donnell

I thank the Deputy. A body of work on the issue of environmental and climate savings within building, and the employment of modern methods of construction, is under way in the Department. I cannot give the Deputy a formal response as to whether we have engaged with the particular group she mentioned. I will follow up on the issue and revert to the Deputy.

Deputy Jennifer Whitmore

I have been contacted by a number of constituents in Wicklow who are unable to access GP services. They are unable to register or have lengthy waits for appointments. I did a survey in Wicklow and 70% of the GP surgeries I contacted in the area are not accepting new patients. One GP in Arklow has more than 200 people on the waiting list. Surely the fundamental principle of a health service is that people can easily access a GP. What is the Minister for Health doing to ensure that people in Wicklow and across the country are able to access GPs when they need to?

Minister for Health (Deputy Stephen Donnelly)

I thank the Deputy. This is an issue she and I have been involved with in the past. We once faced a situation where constituents were telling me, and no doubt were telling her too, that from Wicklow town, through Greystones and to Bray, they were unable to access a GP, whether as a private patient or a general medical services, GMS, patient. It is an issue around the country and is worse in some places than others. It is difficult in some parts of Dublin and in rural areas. We are in the middle of a large expansion of the GP workforce. We have tripled the number of training places available. The Irish College of General Practitioners, ICGP, is bringing in several hundred GPs from abroad, including from South Africa and other countries. The levels of this year's applications for the GP training scheme are the highest we have ever had. There has been a big increase. Word is getting out and demand among medical graduates for these GP places is increasing. The ICGP believes that over the next few years, the increase in demand will resolve the problem. However, there is still a short-term issue. We are working with the ICGP to bring in international GPs to help in that regard.

Deputy Mick Barry

Any time I have gone to hospital, the first person to help has been a clerical or administrative worker. Anyone who knows how hospitals work knows their contribution is vital and that the system would collapse in a matter of hours without them. The Government has decided to pick a fight with those workers by freezing recruitment. The Government has called it a "pause" but that is playing with words. It is a recruitment freeze. Vacancies across the country will go unfilled. Stressed-out workers will be put under even more pressure to cover work that is not theirs. I am glad these workers are standing up for themselves and protesting at hospital gates again today. As we speak, workers at Cork University Hospital are lining the pavement and holding their placards aloft. I have no doubt there will be a lot of noise in Wilton as people honk their car horns in support. The public know these workers are fighting not just for themselves but for the public's health service. End the recruitment freeze now.

Deputy Stephen Donnelly

I thank the Deputy and fully agree with the sentiment that these are valued and essential healthcare workers in our system. It is why in the lifetime of this Government we have had an unprecedented increase in management and administrative grades. The Deputy will be aware that the management and administrative workforce has gone from 18,000 to 24,000 in the lifetime of this Government. We have invested at a level that has never before been seen. When all of those funded posts were filled, as is the case with every school and Garda station, and as is the case here in the Oireachtas and with every employer in the country, we had to stop hiring because there was no more funding. The same applies to medical and nursing grades, and for health and social care professionals. It is no different from a school principal hiring the number of administrators they can hire and when they have done so, not being able to hire any more. I must say that after the unprecedented level of investment, and when we did nothing other than stop hiring once the funded posts were filled, it is disappointing to see this response.

Deputy Peadar Tóibín

British state forces have murdered hundreds of people in Ireland, North and South. In the majority of cases, those murders were covered up by the British state. Hundreds of families have spent decades trying to get to truth and justice in that regard. The British legacy Act has now stated that cannot happen. It looks to cover up even more of those murders.

We have only one chance to stop the monstrosity of the legacy Act, and that is for the Irish Government to bring a case to the European Court of Human Rights. There is an urgency here and the Government has stalled. A court case must be taken before 18 January. There are only 40 days left and at least 14 to 20 of those days will be taken up in Christmas holidays. Will the Government state it will stand by those who have lost loved ones through British state murders and that the Irish Government will bring a case to the European Court of Human Rights to stop the legacy Act?

Deputy Stephen Donnelly

I thank the Deputy. We are aware there are many groups representing victims and many Members of this House, including the Deputy, have called for the Government to initiate this interstate case on the Northern Ireland legacy Act before the European Court of Human Rights. The Government has received legal advice on the matter from the Attorney General and is considering next steps. We are fully aware the initiation of an interstate case would be a significant step and would have to be taken on solid grounds. It is not a step we would take lightly. I will refer to the Tánaiste the points the Deputy has raised and ask him to revert.

Deputy Peadar Tóibín

Time is running out.

Deputy Stephen Donnelly

I take that point.

Deputy Mattie McGrath

October 29, 2018, which should have been a joyous day for Lisa and Mel Duffy, turned into an absolute nightmare when their son, Luke, died while being born at Portlaoise hospital. While Luke's death was absolutely tragic, what is even more tragic is that it should never have happened. Three days earlier, Lisa Duffy asked, begged and pleaded with physicians and doctors to induce Luke. This is a terrible situation. Unfortunately, Lisa Duffy is not the only woman with such an issue. Many other women have lost babies at full gestation. A group called Safe Births Ireland is pleading with the Minister. It has corresponded with him and received inadequate responses. Its representatives are being fobbed off and dismissed, which is all the more insulting after they have lost precious children. They are being fobbed off. Will the Minister commit to meeting the ladies of the representative group Safe Births Ireland? It is an emotive, important and sad issue.

Deputy Stephen Donnelly

I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. I share his sentiments in respect of these awful situations where parents have lost babies. I am unaware of the correspondence from Safe Births Ireland but I would be happy to look at it and revert to the Deputy.

Deputy Michael McNamara

I too had a question for the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, but it seems that Elvis has left the building. Perhaps the support act could undertake to answer the question.

In a letter to the trade union representative of Irish Water workers last June that helped to avert industrial action, the Minister for housing, Deputy O'Brien, wrote that it was agreed that water workers, uniquely in the local authority sector, would have the option of availing of a voluntary severance scheme. For the workers who opt to remain with the local authorities, this option would remain open until the end of 2026. It would seem from that letter that workers can take voluntary severance or redundancy up to the end of 2026. However, some water workers that I represent in the local authority sector have been led to believe that there will be a redundancy scheme opened in the spring of next year, but only then, and that they will have to avail of it then in order to leave by September of 2024 at the latest. That seems to be at odds with the Minister's letter and I seek clarity on what exactly he meant and whether the workers can avail of severance up to 2026.

Deputy Stephen Donnelly

I will leave the rock analogies or allusions to Deputy McNamara but as he will appreciate, I do not have the detail he seeks. I am very happy to take the issue up with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and will ask him to revert to the Deputy directly on the question he has raised.

Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív

If the Minister for housing had been here, I would have asked a different question but since it is the Minister for Health, I will ask what is a very relevant question for many people. I recognise that a lot more people have GP cards now than was the case previously. I also recognise that with the abolition of hospital charges, the increase in the GP card threshold and the lowering of the drug refund threshold, the Minister has narrowed the financial difference for those who do not have a card. However, there is a major problem at the moment that I keep coming across which is that people who have had medical cards for years are, on review, losing those cards for a very simple reason. As has been pointed out earlier, social welfare payments, including pensions, have gone up and the minimum wage has gone up. Some might say there is not much difference, that it is only €80 but for people with young families, there are other things attached to the medical card. For older people, it is fair to say that the medical is gold dust. Are there proposals to change the income thresholds for the medical card?

Deputy Stephen Donnelly

It is something we have to keep under constant review for the very reasons the Deputy has outlined. We have substantially reduced the cost of healthcare right across the board. Approximately 1.6 million people now have GP or GMS cards. For the first time ever, over half of our population is entitled to free GP care. However, as the Deputy rightly points out, notwithstanding increases in the over-70 medial card thresholds in 2021, we have not moved the other thresholds in some time and increases in income are inevitably pushing some people just short of where they were previously. The Deputy will also be aware that a very considerable number of discretionary medical cards have been issued as well. The point he raises about those who move to wrong side of the threshold because of quite marginal changes to social welfare payments, among other things, is certainly something we need to keep under review. We are aware that a number of people are being affected by that.

Deputy Colm Burke

Over the past six to seven years we have increased the number of staff in our hospitals and the health service generally by over 40%. We have moved from 103,000 whole-time equivalents working in the health service to over 143,000. However, we have not increased the infrastructure available to them. For instance, a lot of consultants are finding that they have only one half day per week in theatres. There is a proposal to put surgical hubs in place in a number of centres and hospitals around the country. One issue that came up at the Oireachtas health committee yesterday was that of elective hospitals for Cork and Galway. We learned that the design team has not even been appointed yet. I am concerned about this in the context of our growing population, which is up by over 40% in the last 23 years. Last year there were over 100,000 more people in the country and if that continues every year there will be 6 million people here by 2030. We will have all of the people we need employed in the health service but will not have the infrastructural capacity to deal with the work that is required to be done. Can we do something on the elective hospital issue, in terms of both structure and delivery?

Deputy Stephen Donnelly

The short answer is "Yes". The Deputy will be aware that a painstakingly slow process must be gone through for hospitals. We are in the middle of that process for the national maternity hospital and are dealing with it to some extent for the elective hospitals. To try to deal with this, we have got agreement from the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform to reduce the number of stage gates, which is helpful and we are doing various things in parallel on the electives, including looking at similar design for the different hospitals across the country. In the meantime, I have one note of good news. The Deputy will be aware that the enabling works have now started in CUH for the surgical hub, which is the shorter-term solution while we wait for the elective hospitals to be developed.

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh

I am very concerned that the EPA and Department of environment officials who visited one of the most toxic nuclear sites in the world believe there are "no significant matters" that should cause concern for Ireland. This was their response to a Guardian newspaper report this week which cited crumbling buildings, cracks worsening in a reservoir of toxic radioactive sludge, and the ongoing leakage of a soup of radioactive magnesium alloy filings dissolved in water, which is likely to continue until 2050. The exposé also states that many of these revelations are being swept firmly under the rug. What steps will be taken to protect the Irish public and how will the Government ensure that the British Government will act before the likely inevitable disaster happens, given that Sellafield holds five times the amount of radioactive material that Chernobyl held?

An Ceann Comhairle

We have not heard about Sellafield in a long time.

Deputy Stephen Donnelly

I went to school right on the Irish Sea in Greystones and high radioactive levels from Sellafield were being recorded when I was a teenager. It is a matter that is close to my heart. I will raise it with the Tánaiste and ask him to engage with the UK on it in light of the report cited by Deputy Ó Snodaigh.

Deputy Ciarán Cannon

There is a commitment in the programme for Government to hold a referendum to extend voting rights in presidential elections to our citizens living abroad. When will that referendum happen? We are hopelessly out of step with the European Union and the rest of the world in extending any kind of democratic opportunity to our citizens living in Northern Ireland and across the world. These are people who have a major stake in the future of Ireland. We know, for example, that 30,000 of our citizens returned home to Ireland last year. By the very fact of moving abroad, our citizens are denied the right to play their part in shaping the future of this country. We are completely out of step with so many other countries who offer this opportunity to their citizens. Ireland does not do so. When are we going to make it happen?

Deputy Stephen Donnelly

I thank the Deputy for his question. This is a matter that we need to focus on in the context of the all-island situation and the diaspora as well. At the moment we are focusing on several constitutional amendments at it is. One is on care and replaces very outdated language in our Constitution and the other is related to the programme for Government commitment on housing. The Minister for housing, Deputy O'Brien, is considering reports on that at present. On the issue of votes for the diaspora and for all citizens on this island, I will ask the line Minister to revert to Deputy Cannon directly.

Deputy Paul McAuliffe

From the very earliest days of this Dáil I have been pushing for the establishment of the Finglas primary care centre which is part of the Sláintecare plank of improving healthcare through primary care. We have received an update on the very slow process of transferring land from the diocese to Dublin City Council and then on to the HSE. We have been promised that a planning application will be submitted in quarter 4 of 2023 and I hope that promise will be delivered. I ask the Minister to intervene to make sure that the very hardworking HSE team that is putting the application together meets the deadline and that we continue to push this project on as quickly as possible.

Deputy Stephen Donnelly

I acknowledge Deputy McAuliffe's ongoing advocacy, work and engagement with me and the Department on getting this primary care centre built. It is a priority to which I and the Government are fully committed. We need to see the planning happen in the coming weeks. The latest report we have is that the deadline for submission is this quarter so there are only a few weeks left. The Deputy can rest assured that this will feature in the capital plan as well. It is absolutely mission critical for Deputy McAuliffe's constituents and we are going to make sure it is built.

Deputy Dessie Ellis

The co-ordinator of the Finglas and Cabra local drugs and alcohol task force, Mr. John Bennett, who did an enormous amount of work, passed away recently. A temporary co-ordinator has been put in place until the vacancy is filled.

Due to the HSE embargo on recruitment, and budget restraints, the task force is unable to fill the position. This position needs to be filled as a matter of urgency because of the serious drug and alcohol problems that need to be addressed in the community. When will the embargo be lifted? This embargo is putting a huge strain on the vital services the task force provides. This needs to be urgently addressed. It is not even an extra cost. It is just a replacement.

Deputy Stephen Donnelly

I join the Deputy in commending the vital work the task force does. As the Deputy will be aware, there is increased investment in drug and alcohol programmes and support services. We need to go a lot further but we are increasing the services year on year. If the Deputy does not mind, I will revert to him regarding that particular post. My hope, especially as regards a replacement post where somebody has resigned, is that we will be able to revert to normal business in due course on that. Certainly, it is not the intention that situation would last, for example, through next year. It was simply that this year, when the HSE reached and exceeded its funded positions, we had to stop for the obvious budgetary control reasons, but we want to get back as quickly as possible to business as usual.

Deputy Dessie Ellis

It is just the like for like.

Deputy Stephen Donnelly

I fully accept that.

Deputy Jackie Cahill

I raise a Revenue issue with the Minister. Farmers who are unregistered for VAT have always been able to reclaim it for infrastructural projects on their farms. In the past couple of months, Revenue has started to exclude items from that list, for example, slurry bags, automatic calf feeders, bulk milk tanks and automatic scrapers. This is completely unjustified by Revenue. It completely changes the VAT treatment for farmers unregistered for VAT. I request that the Government open dialogue with Revenue to get these decisions reversed. If they are not reversed, the whole issue of the VAT rebate rate for farmers, which is currently set at 4.8%, has to be revisited.

Deputy Stephen Donnelly

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. Undoubtedly, it will be a source of concern for farmers throughout the country. I will relay in detail his question to the Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath, and ask him to engage with Revenue on exactly this issue.

Deputy Mairéad Farrell

It is becoming increasingly difficult for many young people to see a future in Ireland. For many of the young people who have left, housing becomes the greatest barrier for those who want to return. We have seen it with rising rents and the unaffordability of housing. Today, Galwegians will have heard something that confirmed what they already knew: house prices in Galway are simply unaffordable. A couple now needs to earn €115,000 in order to be able to buy a home there. Young people and young couples have been crying out for affordable housing in Galway city. We have been promised this for a number of years now. There has been talk about this since 2019 but year after year it has been pushed back. Will the Minister indicate when affordable housing will be delivered in Galway city?

Deputy Stephen Donnelly

With regard to the exact numbers for Galway, I will ask the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, to revert to the Deputy. I acknowledge, as the Government most certainly acknowledges, the pressures on those looking to buy their first home and those looking to rent, be it in Galway, in my constituency of Wicklow and many other places. However, the solution to this, as we all know, ultimately is more private, social and affordable homes. The Minister's plan is working. Of course, we would all like to see more and more of these homes but we are now seeing record numbers of homes being built, including record social housing and record levels of help to buy. I fully appreciate there is a road to go and it will take time.

Deputy Mairéad Farrell

Affordable homes.

Deputy Stephen Donnelly

I will ask the Minister to revert specifically to the Deputy on figures for Galway.

Deputy Richard Bruton

The Oireachtas had an opportunity to hear from family carers this morning. While they welcome innovations coming from the Government, such as the carer's pension, they have identified a number of gaps, including in the statutory home care proposal and support for assisted living wraparound services. When will the commission for older people get under way? Can we expect that the home carer legislation will come before the House during this Dáil session?

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Mary Butler)

Very important issues were raised by Family Carers Ireland. I will answer both the Deputy's questions. In budget 2024, €1.4 million was secured for the commission on care. We are just working through the final details now, but it will be set up in January next year. There will be three different modules. The first module will be six months, there will be a second module of six months, and then a 12-month module. A huge amount of work will be done on the commission on care for older people.

The next piece of the jigsaw in respect of statutory home care is the legislative piece. It is currently under priority drafting and will move to the next phase. I hope to introduce that early next year.

Deputy Pauline Tully

It is planned to open a class for autistic children in Mullahoran Central National School, County Cavan, in September 2024. Funding has been approved by the Department since March 2022 to build a base class. All documentation has been submitted but the school has not got the permission to proceed to tender. If it does not get that permission very soon, the class and space will not be ready for next September. The school is constantly contacting the Department through email and phone calls but is getting no answers. Will the Minister please ask the Minister for Education to respond to the school and give it the go-ahead to go to tender?

Deputy Stephen Donnelly

These projects are so important for local communities. Everyone wants to see the next stage progressed, which in this case is the proceeding to tender. I will certainly raise this directly with the Minister, Deputy Foley, and ask her to revert to the Deputy on it.

Deputy Danny Healy-Rae

It has been indicated by the Department of agriculture that more than 18,000 farmers who have applied under the ACRES co-operation project stream will not be paid until next February at the earliest. This is not acceptable. Farmers need money for Christmas like everyone else. After a very tough year weather-wise - bad weather makes every chore more expensive and fodder is scarce and expensive - they have bills to pay like everyone else. If the Government cannot pay farmers 100%, I ask that it at least pays them 50% of what is owed before Christmas and the remainder as soon as possible. I ask that all farmers be paid 50% of their payments before Christmas and the remainder be paid after that. It is a fair and reasonable request.

Deputy Stephen Donnelly

I have a long, detailed answer for the Deputy, which I will ask to be forwarded to him. The very short answer in the time we have is that payments will commence on 18 December, with two thirds of all the ACRES general participants in the final stages of being processed for payment before the end of the year. There is more detail, which I will ask to be sent to the Deputy.

Deputy Danny Healy-Rae

There are 18,000 farmers who will not be paid until February.

Deputy Catherine Connolly

I am glad the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, is here. We have engaged on the floor of the House on public nursing home beds. She may recall I was delighted that she called for an audit of public nursing home beds last year. I am trying to get a copy of that audit. I think the Minister of State failed to get a copy of it. I have now failed to get a copy. What I have found out, and I thank the Minister of State for the answers, is that in the relevant CHO area there are 591 beds, 91 of which are closed. Taking both the city and county of Galway, there are 256 beds, of which 50 are closed. In a situation where we have waiting lists, I cannot get information. The Minister of State has rightly said that we need to plan for future. To change the relationship between public and private, we need that essential information.

Deputy Mary Butler

I thank the Deputy for the question. I have engaged with her on this issue. The most recent update I have, and my office may have got back to her, is that she will have to request the information from the HSE in person.

Deputy Catherine Connolly

I did. The HSE said that I cannot get it and that I have to ask specific questions. It is an internal document.

Deputy Mary Butler

It is an internal document but I was able to facilitate the Deputy with the details for her area of Galway, which the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, just told me. I know the reason she wants the document. It is a very important document. We want to continue to make sure that we have HSE beds open. We do not want to see any more of them closed. The reason for the closures at present relate to safe staffing issues, but we are pushing the whole time to have any HSE beds open.

Deputy Michael Moynihan

Major work is ongoing to refurbish and extend three important pieces of health infrastructure. It was hoped the units at Millstreet Community Hospital and Kanturk Community Hospital would be completed by the end of the year but it is now hoped to have them completed, opened and occupied by early next year. I would like a date for that. The work on an extension to Mallow General Hospital is hugely welcome for the entire region of north Cork and I compliment everybody involved in it. Perhaps we could get a date for it opening.

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy's question was supposed be about one topic. He is getting great value for Cork with three topics raised in one go.

Deputy Stephen Donnelly

I acknowledge Deputy Moynihan's ongoing advocacy for having these centres opened in Cork. With regard to the Millstreet and Kanturk community nursing units and Mallow General Hospital, I will ask the Department to revert to the Deputy with a detailed response on when we will have them up and running.

Cuireadh an Dáil ar fionraí ar 1.11 p.m. agus cuireadh tús leis arís ar 1.55 p.m.

Sitting suspended at 1.11 p.m. and resumed at 1.55 p.m.