Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 11 Feb 2025

Vol. 1062 No. 6

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

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

I move:

Tuesday's business shall be:

- Motion re Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions (without debate)

- Statements on Programme for Government (resumed) (to adjourn after 2 hours)

Tuesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Government Response to Storm Éowyn, selected by Sinn Féin.

Wednesday's business shall be:

- Statements on Programme for Government (resumed) (not to exceed 1 hr 32 mins)

- Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of an opt-in to the negotiating mandate on an EU-UK Youth Experience Scheme (to conclude within 54 mins)

- Ministers and Secretaries and Ministerial, Parliamentary, Judicial and Court Offices (Amendment) Bill 2025 (Second and remaining Stages) (Second Stage to conclude within 1 hour and 28 mins and any division claimed to be taken immediately prior to Committee Stage, but in any event, no earlier than 5.30 p.m.; Committee and remaining Stages to commence no earlier than 5.30 p.m. and to conclude within 30 minutes)

Wednesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Housing, selected by the Labour Party.

Thursday's business shall be Statements on Road Safety (not to exceed 2 hrs 25 mins).

Proposed Arrangements for this week’s business:

In relation to Tuesday’s business, it is proposed that:

1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the following extent:

(i) only three Leaders' Questions pursuant to Standing Order 38 shall be taken, in the following temporary sequence: Sinn Féin, the Labour Party and Social Democrats;

(ii) Parliamentary Questions to the Taoiseach pursuant to Standing Order 47(1) shall not be taken and Government business shall commence at the time when Parliamentary Questions to the Taoiseach would normally be taken; and

(iii) private members’ business may be taken earlier than 6.12 p.m. and shall in any event be taken on the adjournment of the Statements on Programme for Government, or where those statements conclude within the available time, on the conclusion thereof, with consequential effect on the commencement times for the items following in the ordinary routine of business, namely, oral Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and topical issues, and on the time for the adjournment of the Dáil;

2. the proceedings on the Motion re Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions shall be taken without debate;

3. the resumed Statements on Programme for Government shall be interrupted and stand adjourned after 2 hours and the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows:

(i) the arrangements for the resumed statements shall be in accordance with those contained in the table immediately below (to be read across, not down);

(ii) any speaking slots which are not reached may be taken on Wednesday in accordance with the agreed sequence; and

(iii) members may share time; and

4. pursuant to Standing Order 176(2), Sinn Féin shall have the right to nominate a member of the party to move a motion or Bill standing in his or her name.

In relation to Wednesday's business, it is proposed that:

1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the following extent:

(i) only three Leaders' Questions pursuant to Standing Order 38 shall be taken, in the following temporary sequence: Sinn Féin, Social Democrats and the Independent and Parties Technical Group; and

(ii) the weekly division time may be taken earlier than 8.45 p.m. and shall in any event be taken on the conclusion of the proceedings on the Ministers and Secretaries and Ministerial, Parliamentary, Judicial and Court Offices (Amendment) Bill 2025;

2. pursuant to Standing Order 176(2), the Labour Party shall have the right to nominate a member of the party to move a motion or Bill standing in his or her name;

3. the resumed Statements on Programme for Government shall not exceed 1 hour and 32 minutes and the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows:

(i) the speaking slots from Tuesday’s arrangements for the statements shall be continued from the point at which they were adjourned;

(ii) following the statements, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and

(iii) members may share time;

4. the proceedings on the Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of an opt-in to the negotiating mandate on an EU-UK Youth Experience Scheme shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 54 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply thereto:

(i) the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows:-

opening speech by a Minister or Minister of State – 10 minutes;

speech by representative of Sinn Féin – 10 minutes;

speeches by representatives of the Labour Party, Social Democrats, Independent and Parties Technical Group, and Independent Technical Group – 5 minutes per party or group;

speeches by non-party/group members – 4 minutes; and

a speech in response by the Minister – 10 minutes; and

(ii) members may share time; and

5. in relation to the Ministers and Secretaries and Ministerial, Parliamentary, Judicial and Court Offices (Amendment) Bill 2025, the following arrangements shall apply:

(i) the proceedings on Second Stage shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 1 hour and 28 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply thereto:

(a) the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows:-

opening speech by a Minister or Minister of State – 15 minutes;

speech by representative of Sinn Féin – 15 minutes;

speeches by representatives of the Labour Party, Social Democrats, Independent and Parties Technical Group, and Independent Technical Group – 10 minutes per party or group;

speeches by non-party/group members – 8 minutes; and

a speech in response by the Minister – 10 minutes;

(b) members may share time; and

(c) any division claimed on the Second Stage proceedings shall be taken immediately prior to Committee Stage, but in any event not earlier than 5.30 p.m.; and

(ii) the proceedings on Committee and remaining Stages shall be taken on the conclusion of the Second Stage or at 5.30 p.m., whichever is the later, and shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 30 minutes by one question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform.

In relation to Thursday's business, it is proposed that:

1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the following extent:

(i) only three Leaders' Questions pursuant to Standing Order 38 shall be taken, in the following temporary sequence: Sinn Féin, the Labour Party and the Independent Technical Group;

(ii) no motion for a Committee report pursuant to Standing Order 111 or private member's Bill pursuant to Standing Order 169 shall be taken; and

(iii) topical issues may be taken earlier than 7.24 p.m. and the Dáil shall adjourn on the conclusion thereof; and

2. the Statements on Road Safety shall not exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes and the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows:

(i) the arrangements for the statements, not including the Ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the arrangements contained in the table immediately below (to be read across, not down);

(ii) following the statements, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and

(iii) members may share time.

	Gov	SF	Lab	Gov	SF
Mins	25	15	10	10	3
	SD	Gov	SF	IPTG	Gov
Mins	10	10	3	9	10
	SF	ITG	Gov	SF	NP/G
Mins	3	9	10	3	5

An Ceann Comhairle

I thank the Chief Whip. Are the proposed arrangements agreed to?

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

Not agreed.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

Not agreed.

An Ceann Comhairle

I thank the Deputy.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

The leader of the Fine Gael Party, Simon Harris, must come into the Dáil to make a statement about his party's investigation into Senator Martin Conway for inappropriate behaviour to a female staff member. We have written to the Ceann Comhairle to request that time be set aside for the Tánaiste to do just this. We know there was an investigation by Fine Gael, but what we do not know is what Simon Harris knew or when he knew it. We also know from media reports that a sum of €10,000 was made in payment. I am sure the Ceann Comhairle will agree with me that a sum of €10,000 suggests a very serious incident. We are entitled to know what happened-----

An Ceann Comhairle

I am sorry, Deputy. Excuse me.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

I am requesting that time will be set aside to facilitate that statement.

(Interruptions).

An Ceann Comhairle

I ask that the Deputy not make allegations of that nature. I did write back to Sinn Féin. Deputy Mac Lochlainn received the letter.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

I did not make any allegations.

An Ceann Comhairle

I refer to the allegations you just made with regard to moneys.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

There were no allegations made. I did not make any allegations. I simply repeated-----

Deputy Pearse Doherty

She referred to-----

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

I repeated what was in the media in the public domain.

An Ceann Comhairle

Well, in this House, Deputy, we do not go by the media.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

Ceann Comhairle-----

Deputy Pearse Doherty

Simon Harris should come before the House.

An Ceann Comhairle

You have a-----

Deputy Pearse Doherty

Simon Harris should come before the House.

An Ceann Comhairle

Excuse me, Deputies, if you would let me speak-----

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

The Ceann Comhairle is underlining the reasons why-----

An Ceann Comhairle

Resume your seat while I speak Deputy.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

-----Simon Harris should come into this House and-----

(Interruptions).

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy, I wrote back and gave-----

(Interruptions).

An Ceann Comhairle

Excuse me, Deputies. Excuse me, while the Chair is speaking. I would like to outline that I am not saying the Deputy cannot say it. I am saying she cannot say it now. In the correspondence to Deputy Mac Lochlainn, I outlined the process by which you can say it, which is during Sinn Féin's Private Members' business. That goes for everybody in the House.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

Ceann Comhairle, that is not acceptable. That is not acceptable at all.

An Ceann Comhairle

Whether it is or it is not-----

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

I am asking you that you would put time aside to facilitate the Tánaiste to make a statement to clear up the serious questions that are now in the public domain.

An Ceann Comhairle

I think the Deputy is fully aware as a long-time Member of the House-----

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

I am more than well aware of the procedures and I am certain that I am well within the rules.

An Ceann Comhairle

Well then, you will know you bring this matter to the Business Committee. I thank the Deputy and ask her to resume her seat.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

I am asking that the Ceann Comhairle would use her office to put aside some time to facilitate the Tánaiste making an important statement.

An Ceann Comhairle

We move to the Labour Party. Deputy O'Reilly knows full well what was received in the letter. I do not have the authority to do that and you bring it to the Business Committee as per motion. I thank the Deputy.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

I am asking the Ceann Comhairle to accept it.

Deputy Ged Nash

I thank the Ceann Comhairle very much. Tax breaks for developers were announced this week. We will also be dealing this week with the addition of three new Ministers of State to the bloated ranks of baby Ministers. I was expecting to see Bertie Ahern in the chair there today. It is a case of back to the future, with tax breaks for developers and a boom in baby Ministers and Ministers of State. We had 15 Ministers of State in 2016. We had 20 in the last Government. There are 23 planned for this Government. The Minister is bringing legislation to the House tomorrow to provide for the increase in the number of Ministers of State, which is entirely unjustifiable in anybody's mind. This is a stroke and about keeping restive backbenchers on board.

Deputy John Lahart

What about-----

(Interruptions).

Deputy Ged Nash

By the time the Government is finished, we will have 50 TDs from the Government ranks being chairs of committees, Cabinet Ministers or Ministers of State. That is more than half of the entire makeup of the Government who are dependent on the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste for their political careers over the next few years. I will ask the Minister this question. How do we know this is a stroke? It is because only half an hour has been allowed to debate a range of amendments from the Opposition-----

An Ceann Comhairle

I ask the Deputy-----

Deputy Ged Nash

-----to interrogate and debate this very important issue. We need more time to debate this important matter.

An Ceann Comhairle

I thank the Deputy. We moved to Deputy Gibney from the Social Democrats.

Deputy Sinéad Gibney

Go raibh maith agat. Last week, we saw a proposal from the Government to water down the occupied territories Bill 2018 to the point that would remove services from it. It is imperative that we enact this Bill as it is, with the legal improvements that have been made to make it secure against any test at EU level and bring it to commencement immediately in this House.

An Ceann Comhairle

I thank the Deputy. I call Deputy Michael Collins. I am sorry, I did not see Deputy Boyd Barrett. I call him now and then Deputy Collins.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

The Government is planning to further expand the gravy train of ministerial jobs and allowances and it is doing it with a guillotine to suppress proper debate and discussion of the expanded gravy train it is planning. This is completely unacceptable. There should not be a guillotine. Additionally, we have had very alarming pronouncements made by the Taoiseach that he is planning to, effectively, hand over the housing sector, lock, stock and barrel, to profit-driven investors.

I refer to private investors, vulture funds and corporate landlords - the very people who are responsible for the housing crisis that we have.

An Ceann Comhairle

I thank the Deputy.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

We have still not had a discussion on the Housing Commission report that we have been asking for a debate on since it was published seven or eight months ago.

An Ceann Comhairle

I thank the Deputy.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

As was requested at the Business Committee, we are looking for a discussion on the housing crisis and the announcements the Government is making and an opportunity to question the new Minister about the Government's crazy housing proposals.

An Ceann Comhairle

I thank Deputy Boyd Barrett and I call Deputy Michael Collins.

Deputy Michael Collins

We in Independent Ireland would like a discussion on the new speed limits that are causing serious concerns all over the country. They went down from 80 km/h to 60 km/h on the local routes, which most people accepted, but now we are being told that speed limits on regional routes, which are the main routes into a lot of a our constituencies, are going from 100 km/h to 80 km/h and from 80 km/h to 60 km/h. If that is to continue, it will cause widespread damage to our economy and it cannot be allowed to go ahead. There has to be discussion. We fully accept that there are blackspots but we ask for time so that public representatives - be they councillors, TDs or Senators - have some say in what is going to happen in their constituencies.

Deputy Jack Chambers

I thank all the Deputies for their contributions. In response to Deputy O'Reilly's point, it is an internal matter for the Fine Gael Party-----

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

It is a matter for the Oireachtas.

Deputy Jack Chambers

-----and it is not appropriate for me to make any further comment on it.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

Be honest.

Deputy Jack Chambers

Deputy Nash will be aware we have set aside 88 minutes to discuss the Bill on Second Stage and then a further 30 minutes.

Deputy Ged Nash

We have 30 minutes for amendments on Committee and Remaining Stages.

Deputy Jack Chambers

As the Deputy outlined, it is very clear what the legislation sets out to do. We have Ministers of State in the marine area and in other areas such as older people and migration who are going to be appointed and who want to get down to work. That is the context in which we are bringing this Bill through and trying to accelerate the timeline around it.

In response to Deputy Gibney, the Tánaiste responded to her party last Thursday on the ongoing drafting that the Government is undertaking on bringing forward a Bill of our own on the occupied territories.

Deputy Boyd Barrett raised the same issue as Deputy Nash, to which I have responded, on the time provided for the Bill. I have no objection to a wider debate on housing policy. I am sure that can be facilitated in the coming weeks. I am aware the Labour Party has tabled a motion on housing, so there is an opportunity to discuss housing in the House this week.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

We want to question the Minister.

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy should please be aware of the clock.

Deputy Jack Chambers

It was also raised elsewhere. The Minister will be here to respond to the motion whenever it is taken.

In response to Deputy Collins's point on speed limits, the reforms that have been introduced relating to speed limits in this country will make a serious difference in saving lives on our roads. We know that speed is the central factor to so many of the road deaths across the country. That is the reason, when I was in the role of Minister of State for transport, we took on board the recommendation to reduce speed limits, in particular on local, rural roads from 80 km/h to 60 km/h, because it will make a difference and it has an evidence base. There is a role for the local authorities as well to amend speed limits, where appropriate. The outworking of that has to take place. It will be co-ordinated by local authorities this year.

Question put: "That the proposed arrangements for this week's business be agreed to."

The Dáil divided: Tá, 89; Níl, 66; Staon, 1.

Tá

• Aird, William.
• Boland, Grace.
• Brabazon, Tom.
• Brennan, Brian.
• Brennan, Shay.
• Brophy, Colm.
• Browne, James.
• Burke, Colm.
• Burke, Peter.
• Butler, Mary.
• Butterly, Paula.
• Buttimer, Jerry.
• Byrne, Malcolm.
• Byrne, Thomas.
• Cahill, Michael.
• Callaghan, Catherine.
• Calleary, Dara.
• Canney, Seán.
• Carrigy, Micheál.
• Carroll MacNeill, Jennifer.
• Chambers, Jack.
• Cleere, Peter 'Chap'.
• Clendennen, John.
• Collins, Niall.
• Connolly, John.
• Cooney, Joe.
• Crowe, Cathal.
• Cummins, John.
• Currie, Emer.
• Daly, Martin.
• Dempsey, Aisling.
• Devlin, Cormac.
• Dillon, Alan.
• Donohoe, Paschal.
• Dooley, Timmy.
• Feighan, Frankie.
• Fleming, Sean.
• Foley, Norma.
• Gallagher, Pat the Cope.
• Geoghegan, James.
• Grealish, Noel.
• Harkin, Marian.
• Harris, Simon.
• Healy-Rae, Danny.
• Heneghan, Barry.
• Heydon, Martin.
• Higgins, Emer.
• Keogh, Keira.
• Lahart, John.
• Lawless, James.
• Lowry, Michael.
• Maxwell, David.
• McAuliffe, Paul.
• McCarthy, Noel.
• McConalogue, Charlie.
• McCormack, Tony.
• McEntee, Helen.
• McGrath, Mattie.
• McGrath, Séamus.
• McGreehan, Erin.
• Moran, Kevin Boxer.
• Moynihan, Aindrias.
• Moynihan, Michael.
• Moynihan, Shane.
• Murnane O'Connor, Jennifer.
• Murphy, Michael.
• Naughton, Hildegarde.
• Neville, Joe.
• O'Brien, Darragh.
• O'Callaghan, Jim.
• O'Connell, Maeve.
• O'Connor, James.
• O'Dea, Willie.
• O'Donnell, Kieran.
• O'Donovan, Patrick.
• O'Meara, Ryan.
• O'Shea, John Paul.
• O'Sullivan, Christopher.
• O'Sullivan, Pádraig.
• Ó Fearghaíl, Seán.
• Ó Muirí, Naoise.
• Richmond, Neale.
• Roche, Peter.
• Scanlon, Eamon.
• Smyth, Niamh.
• Timmins, Edward.
• Toole, Gillian.
• Troy, Robert.
• Ward, Barry.

Níl

• Ahern, Ciarán.
• Bacik, Ivana.
• Bennett, Cathy.
• Boyd Barrett, Richard.
• Brady, John.
• Buckley, Pat.
• Byrne, Joanna.
• Carthy, Matt.
• Clarke, Sorca.
• Connolly, Catherine.
• Conway-Walsh, Rose.
• Coppinger, Ruth.
• Cronin, Réada.
• Crowe, Seán.
• Cullinane, David.
• Cummins, Jen.
• Daly, Pa.
• Devine, Máire.
• Doherty, Pearse.
• Donnelly, Paul.
• Ellis, Dessie.
• Farrelly, Aidan.
• Farrell, Mairéad.
• Gannon, Gary.
• Gibney, Sinéad.
• Graves, Ann.
• Guirke, Johnny.
• Hayes, Eoin.
• Healy, Seamus.
• Hearne, Rory.
• Kelly, Alan.
• Kenny, Eoghan.
• Kerrane, Claire.
• Lawlor, George.
• Mac Lochlainn, Pádraig.
• McGettigan, Donna.
• McGuinness, Conor D.
• Mitchell, Denise.
• Murphy, Paul.
• Mythen, Johnny.
• Nash, Ged.
• Newsome Drennan, Natasha.
• Ní Raghallaigh, Shónagh.
• O'Callaghan, Cian.
• O'Donoghue, Richard.
• O'Donoghue, Robert.
• O'Gorman, Roderic.
• O'Hara, Louis.
• O'Reilly, Louise.
• O'Rourke, Darren.
• Ó Broin, Eoin.
• Ó Laoghaire, Donnchadh.
• Ó Murchú, Ruairí.
• Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
• Ó Súilleabháin, Fionntán.
• Quaide, Liam.
• Quinlivan, Maurice.
• Rice, Pádraig.
• Sheehan, Conor.
• Smith, Duncan.
• Stanley, Brian.
• Tóibín, Peadar.
• Wall, Mark.
• Ward, Charles.
• Ward, Mark.
• Whitmore, Jennifer.

Staon

• Gogarty, Paul Nicholas.

Tellers: Tá, Deputies Mary Butler and Emer Currie; Níl, Deputies Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and Jennifer Whitmore.

Question declared carried.

Deputy Matt Carthy

Earlier today, Sinn Féin met the family of Joe Drennan. Joe was killed in a hit-and-run in October 2023. The man who killed Joe had 46 previous convictions. He was on bail at the time and was banned from driving. That night, he drove a BMW at top speed, broke a red light, smashed a car so fast that even after the back wheel had come off, the car continued to proceed to smash into Joe, robbing him of his young life. That man then got out, wiped down the car and ran away like a coward. Shockingly, he will not serve a single day for killing Joe as the sentence is to run concurrently with a separate firearms conviction. Does the Minister agree that the criminal justice system in this case has failed Joe Drennan and his family? Will the Government act in response? In particular, will it introduce legislation to ensure that concurrent sentences do not apply for separate instances where in one of those instances loss of life has resulted?

Deputy Jack Chambers

I appreciate the difficulties and my sympathies are with the family of Joe Drennan. I cannot imagine what they are going through, particularly in light of what the Deputy outlined. I am not familiar with the specifics around the sentencing. I do not want to comment on specific sentencing relating to the courts system but I will ask the Minister for Justice, who is familiar with the case, to engage with the Deputy and respond to his specific question on legislation. I will ask him to do that quickly, also in the context of the family whom the Deputy met today.

An Ceann Comhairle

I call the Labour Party leader, Deputy Bacik.

Deputy Jack Chambers

The Minister for Justice wants to comment.

An Ceann Comhairle

Excuse me.

Deputy Jack Chambers

I am sorry; I did not know he was here.

Minister for Justice (Deputy Jim O'Callaghan)

I am aware of the tragic case of Joe Drennan. As the Minister said, I will get back to the Deputy in respect of it. Obviously, I cannot deal with issues arising from specific sentences imposed in individual cases but it is the case that in certain instances, consecutive sentences appear to be more appropriate than concurrent sentences. There is a benefit in clarifying that across the board.

Deputy William Aird

I support everything Deputy Carthy said.

An Ceann Comhairle

Excuse me, Deputy. Please do not interrupt like that.

Deputy William Aird

I am not interrupting; I am just supporting Deputy Carthy.

An Ceann Comhairle

That is completely out of order, Deputy. I call Deputy Bacik.

Deputy Ivana Bacik

We have a serious issue with waiting times for ambulances arrivals - 500 times in six months last year, ambulances took longer than an hour to arrive on the scene of a high priority case. These can be cases of life and death, literally. The Minister for Health may wish to respond. I have just been informed of a very sad case in my constituency in which an elderly woman suffered broken bones and a head injury at her home, which is ten minutes from a hospital. The ambulance took three hours to arrive and the delay, the family were told, resulted from a shortage of trolleys at St. Vincent's University Hospital. Very sadly, this poor woman died some weeks later. I express my deepest sympathies to her family, who asked me to raise this case. The family deserved better than a three-hour wait for an ambulance to bring a patient just ten minutes up the road. How will the Minister act to speed up ambulance responses?

Minister for Health (Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill)

I thank Deputy Bacik. Like Deputy Bacik, the first thing I want to do is offer my condolences to the family of the lady. A three-hour wait is simply not acceptable. I would like to get more details of the specific case, if the Deputy does not mind.

Deputy Ivana Bacik

I will supply those.

Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill

The issue of trolleys and congestion in hospitals, particularly at weekends, is an absolute priority for me. I will be bringing a series of data points to Cabinet on this next week. There are two issues - I am happy to discuss them with all Deputies - namely those relating to underlying capacity and work practices. Even in the very short period that I have been the Minister for Health, I have seen considerable problems across hospitals on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holiday Mondays. Different hospitals manage matters differently, but this is a matter of major concern for me. I am happy to speak to all Deputies on this, directly and very soon.

Deputy Gary Gannon

Yesterday I listened again the Minister for Justice became a commentator-in-chief and stated that parts of Dublin are unsafe. How long do those parts of Dublin have to remain unsafe? What exactly does the Government intend to do to increase not only perceptions of safety in our city but also actual safety? Last year we saw the first increase in Garda numbers since 2020. The increase in question was 196. At the current rate of increase, it would take two decades to bring the force up to the 18,000 recommended by the Garda Commissioner. What is the plan? Parts of Dublin cannot simply remain unsafe.

Minister for Justice (Deputy Jim O'Callaghan)

I thank the Deputy. I was asked a straight question yesterday and I gave a straight answer. Before I was appointed as Minister for Justice I was asked whether parts of Dublin are unsafe at certain times and I said that they are. I am not going not change my answer simply because it is convenient to do so. I emphasise, however, that I would have thought that if people in this House were asked whether Stoneybatter was a safe place on a Sunday afternoon, they all would have said that it was a safe place. Obviously, circumstances can arise that make it unsafe. I am committed to ensuring that Dublin is safe. The best way to do so is to ensure that we have more Garda visibility. The Deputy and I both support that. I assure him that in my engagements with the Garda Commissioner, the primary point I keep making is that we want to see more gardaí on the streets.

Deputy Roderic O'Gorman

What is the Government's policy on the use of reading schools and reading classes in our education system? Reading schools are special schools with low pupil-teacher ratios that are designed to meet the needs of children with severe dyslexia. Due to their success, a number of reading classes have been set up. These are attached to mainstream primary schools and perform the same function. Countless parents I have spoken to have referred to the benefits their children have gained from reading classes. However, the NCSE has put in place a moratorium on the setting up of new reading schools. As the Minister, Deputy Chambers, is aware, the NCSE blocked the creation of a new reading class at St. Francis Xavier school in Blanchardstown. A constituent of ours had to go as far as suing the Department of Education in the High Court in order to get access to a reading school. There is no reference to reading schools, reading classes or dyslexia in the programme for Government. What is the policy?

Deputy Jack Chambers

I thank Deputy O'Gorman. I made representations, as I know he did, under the previous Government in respect of reading classes and reading schools. We are both active on the case to which he refers on behalf of many parents of children who attend St. Francis Xavier school. I will ask the Minister for Education to respond to Deputy O'Gorman directly. I know how important reading classes are for particular children and their needs. I know this has been reflected to us directly in Dublin West. As stated, I will ask the Minister for Education to respond directly and I will continue to take up the case with her also.

Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty

Legislation to enable a domestic violence register was listed as a priority in the Fianna Fáil manifesto before the general election. However, this important matter is not mentioned in the programme for Government. Will the Minister for Justice indicate whether it is still a priority - he has said that it is - and, if so, when will legislation, to be known as Jennie's law in memory of the late Jennifer Poole, to create a register for those with a history of coercive control and abuse be brought forward? The Department of Justice has stated that the focus is now on practical ways to enable An Garda Síochána to warn partners and family members about dangerous and violent individuals. If it is that straightforward, can we get a promise to make it so in the coming weeks? If not, can we commit to progressing this legislation in order to help in preventing further lives being lost?

Deputy Jim O'Callaghan

I thank Deputy Gogarty for his question. There is a reference to this matter in the programme for Government. I am committed to trying to bring forward that scheme.

As the Deputy identified, this issue was raised by Jason Poole in respect of the tragic death of his sister, Jennifer. We met him. This is of benefit to people who find themselves in relationships with individuals who have a history. It is unusual that we do not have a register of convictions in this country whereby if somebody is convicted of a violent assault against their partner, the matter will not be registered and we will not find information in respect of it unless a journalist is in court on the day. I spoke to the Garda Commissioner about this last Friday. I have organised a meeting in my Department in respect of it. I remain committed to bringing forward the scheme to which I refer.

Deputy Erin McGreehan

I am seeking an update on the waiting list action plan. We have a strategy in place. I raise this matter in light of the crisis situation at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda. The emergency department is continuously in surge capacity and appointments are constantly being cancelled. We have two hospitals in County Louth, namely those in Dundalk and Drogheda. The hospital in Dundalk is under-utilised. There is capacity there that is not being used. Surely we can come up with a plan that will allow us to increase capacity in Dundalk, reduce the need for Drogheda to be continuously going into surge capacity and support patients in County Louth?

Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill

I thank the Deputy for her question. I will be bringing the second iteration of the waiting list action plan to Cabinet this week. The first iteration brought waiting times down from an average of 13 months to seven. We have further to go in order to reach our Sláintecare targets.

As I said to Deputy Bacik, there are two issues here. One is about moving people out of the general hospital system to surgical hubs, the first of which will open this week, and dealing with waiting times. The other relates to weekends. In the context of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda, the number of people on trolleys on the Tuesday after the bank holiday weekend was 43. On Wednesday last, there were 39 people on trolleys. On Thursday, the number was 28. It was down to 21 on both Friday and Saturday. The number was back up to 45 after the weekend. This is not unique to Drogheda. Other hospitals suffer in the same way. The corresponding figures for Waterford were zero people on trolleys all week. We have two different issues, namely weekends and the underlying capacity issue. We have to treat them differently.

Deputy Peter Roche

This is my first opportunity to speak in the House. I want to comment on a tragic event that happened in my community over the past few days where we lost our icon, the great Galway hurler Michael Coleman. I convey my sympathies to his wife, Mary, his son, Dara, and his daughter, Sinéad, and the wider Coleman family. They have given so much to Galway and to hurling.

If you drive around east Galway, you will see that many farm buildings have been devastated. Some of these are quite historic and are included in the listed building category. As we all know, many of them are used to house cattle, sheep and other animals at this time of year. Some are beyond repair. I am anxious to understand whether the Government has any plan to offer some supports or grant assistance to bring those back into meaningful use again, by way of restoration, preservation or refurbishment.

Deputy Martin Heydon

I join the Deputy in extending sympathy to the Coleman family. I also extend heartfelt sympathies to all of the community in Galway who have suffered significant losses.

I am mindful of the impact of Storm Éowyn and the impact it had on agricultural buildings, as the Deputy outlined. In many instances, buildings have been completely flattened. In that space, the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme, TAMS, grant is available to allow farmers to construct new buildings. I am looking for some flexibility to be introduced in the scheme to see if there is a possibility to include sheds that had roofs blown off but where the general structure still remains. In general, TAMS grants are for new buildings and not for adapting buildings. However, I am looking to see if we can get some flexibility in that space. I am also seeking flexibility in the context of the planning requirements such that in circumstances where, for example, a shed has been completely levelled, planning permission will not be needed for a like-for-like replacement.

Deputy Donna McGettigan

As the Minister may be aware, the British and Irish Modern Music Institute is forcing lecturers into yellow-pack contracts. Potentially, 53 staff could be laid off. Workers are not permitted to be represented by their trade union representatives at the 30-day consultation. Given the strong links to Technological University Dublin, we have a moral and legal duty to ensure its partner institution upholds fair employment standards. The Minister has a role in this. He needs to engage and intervene so that the abuse of workers’ rights is stopped and ensure that students can continue to learn and that staff can be on fair and decent contracts.

Deputy Jack Chambers

I am aware that an industrial relations process is under way. I am due to be briefed on the matter relating to the technology university and the staff involved and I will come to the Deputy directly in respect of it.

Deputy Michael Murphy

I ask for an update on URDF funding. My hometown of Clonmel is ready to submit an application. That application is shovel-ready. To date there has been an investment of more than €1 million by Tipperary County Council. The project focuses on the regeneration and re-imagination of the public realm in the town centre within the historic heart of Clonmel. This funding is crucial to towns like Clonmel in terms of realising our ambition to be key regional economic drivers, as set out in the region's economic spatial strategy. I appeal to the Minister to launch URDF call 4 at the earliest opportunity.

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Deputy James Browne)

I assure the Deputy that the URDF, like the RRDF, is crucial to towns and villages across the country. The programme for Government provides for an expanded URDF programme under what would be known as the towns and cities infrastructure investment fund. The programme is very important and will be launched as soon as we can get it ready.

Deputy Ryan O'Meara

I raise the need in our society for greater supports for both men's and women's sheds. They are incredibly important organisations in all of our communities. They provide a social outlet for people from all walks of life, particularly people living alone or at risk of social isolation or mental health difficulties. Nenagh men's shed in my hometown has announced it might have to cease operations due to overheads including rent, insurance and electricity. It has approached Irish Rail, the HSE and the Department of Defence to look for just one twentieth of an acre of ground for a cabin to operate from, but to no avail. The lack of community spaces for voluntary organisations such as Nenagh men's shed is a growing issue in Nenagh. I believe there is space for the Government to support local authorities in providing municipal spaces for voluntary groups at lower rents.

Deputy Mary Butler

I thank the Deputy for his question. He is right that the importance of men's and women's sheds cannot be underestimated. Ireland has the highest percentage of men's sheds per capita in the world. They were founded originally in Australia but they have really taken off. We found it hard after Covid to get sheds back up and running but they are back up and running and they are so important for emotional well-being and positive mental health.

There are some areas where local authorities are very upfront and supportive of men's sheds and other organisations; for others it is quite difficult. If the Deputy sends on the details, we will have a look at trying to get the council to come to some sort of agreement. The overriding message has to be the importance of these sheds for people's well-being.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

Skerries and Balbriggan in my constituency are the only two towns in Dublin to be left out of the Dublin central commuter zone. Maynooth, which is in Kildare, and Bray, which is in Wicklow, find themselves in the zone. This means for my constituents an additional potential €440 every year just for the pleasure of taking overcrowded transport to their workplaces in Dublin and beyond.

The programme for Government commits to developing sustainable transport options in the growing commuter belt. I live in and represent the growing commuter belt and I do not know how the Minister can square that commitment with heaping even more charges on my constituents. It is deeply frustrating when we see that towns outside Dublin will be included in this zone, while my constituents, who are Dubs living in Dublin, are left out.

Deputy Jack Chambers

I thank the Deputy. I am familiar with that issue in north County Dublin. The National Transport Authority conducted significant work on a fare determination policy, which the previous Government progressed. I will ask Deputy O'Brien, in his new role as transport Minister, to respond to the Deputy's concerns. He is very familiar with north County Dublin, having previously represented the relevant commuter towns. The wider emphasis is on making sure public transport is more affordable and supporting commuters who come into town. I will ask the Minister, with the NTA, to respond to the Deputy's concerns in the context of overall fare policy.

Deputy Alan Kelly

In reply to a recent parliamentary question, the Minister for Health told me, regarding the HIQA review of the creation of a model 3 hospital in the mid-west, that the decision would be made this May. I cannot comprehend why we need HIQA to do this review. It is as clear as the nose on my face we need another model 3 hospital with an accident and emergency department in the mid-west. There is a review of the NDP. Will we have to wait for that review? The reply said a decision will be made in May. Will that be honoured? Both the Taoiseach and Tánaiste said prior to the election it would be honoured. Will the new 96-bed block in UHL be opened in July as promised? As a knock-on consequence, will the Nenagh community nursing home be transferred back to the people when the block is opened in July?

Deputy Jack Chambers

I thank the Deputy. I am very cognisant of the need for increased bed capacity and expanded service provision in the mid-west region. I will ask the Minister for Health to respond on specifics relating to timelines. There is consensus across this House on the need for greater investment in the mid-west when it comes to provision of healthcare and bed capacity. That is reflected in the programme for Government. I will get the Minister for Health to respond to the Deputy on the sequencing around that. In the context of the NDP, we want to ensure a greater envelope for healthcare infrastructure in our country. The Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, will be able to provide a direct response to the Deputy around the specific sequencing. The approach from Government is to ensure we respond to the genuine needs reflected in multiple reports.

Deputy Danny Healy-Rae

What will the Government do about section 39 workers, who have been left behind for so long, regarding pay parity and conditions? They are about to strike shortly. They are calling for industrial action and I feel they have no choice but to do that because they have been promised for so long. These section 39 workers do Trojan work in Kerry around people with disabilities and all the other little problems they have. They do the very same work as section 38 workers but are not paid the same. It is not fair that two sections do the same work but one is paid less. These workers have been promised parity for so long. When will the Government honour the promise made here between 2016 and 2019?

Deputy Jack Chambers

I thank the Deputy. The Government recognises the essential work carried out by community and voluntary health and social care organisations and their staff and the reliance of the State on these organisations to deliver important supports and services in the communities we represent. The programme for Government commits to working with the voluntary sector through industrial relations mechanisms and other processes to progress pay issues affecting the delivery of disability services and the long-term viability of organisations within the sector.

Relevant Departments have proactively engaged with unions and employers on pay funding in a process facilitated by the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC. Talks at the WRC were adjourned around the time of the general election. Ministers in relevant Departments are seeking an early opportunity to restart engagement with unions and employers through the WRC to provide certainty to the sector as soon as possible.

Deputy Ruth Coppinger

It is unfortunate the Minister for Justice had to leave because I wanted to ask him and the Government what laws they will bring in to stop the relentless parade of misogyny we see in the courts. Yesterday, a woman said she was broken twice after she watched a garda who carried out multiple sexual assaults against her and falsely imprisoned her on the job in a Garda station when she was seeking help. She had to listen as his wife testified and 35 character references were pasted up in defence of him. We have had counselling notes, character references and God knows what being used to undermine victims and beef up defendants. When will we see character references completely obliterated? Even if the amendment had been carried out whereby people have to testify, she would have had to listen to 35 people, including a Garda superintendent and other gardaí, testifying against her. It is absolutely outrageous.

Deputy Jack Chambers

Like the Deputy's, my thoughts are with the woman involved in that case, who went through a shocking series of incidents with that person. I cannot comment directly on the court case. Our thoughts are with her. We need to ensure all legislation we advance is victim-centred.

That will be central to the legislation the Minister for Justice advances. I will ask him to respond to the specific questions the Deputy raised in the context of the Government's legislative programme.

An Ceann Comhairle

We are out of time but one Member remains to speak. I will allow Deputy Farrelly to ask his question.

Deputy Aidan Farrelly

I thank the Ceann Comhairle. Deny, deny, deny. That is how Micheál Martin described, from the Opposition benches in 2017, the Fine Gael-led Government's approach to significant issues of health concern raised by members of the Air Corps. At the time, as Leader of the Opposition, he castigated the then Minister, Simon Coveney, and Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, for their lack of response. He said:

The response of the State has been standard and deeply depressing. It has resorted to the courts ... the Government is fighting them very strongly and acknowledging no negligence.

Last night, we heard Gary Coll say on RTÉ that he felt he was robbed and felt coerced into making a settlement without admission of negligence. He said the Air Corps tried to make him sign a non-disclosure agreement and that it was insistent. He said he refused and that he would not be silenced. Is it the Government's intention to establish an independent inquiry into the matters pertaining to Baldonnel and members of the Air Corps?

Deputy Jack Chambers

The health and well-being of the men and women in the Air Corps is an absolute priority for me and the Government. While I cannot comment on the details or circumstances of individual cases, the Department of Defence is aware of a matter that was recently settled by mutual agreement between the parties involved and that the State did not seek to restrict the disclosure of the terms of the settlement.

An independent reviewer was appointed in 2016 to examine disclosures relating to people's exposure to chemical and toxic substances while working in the Air Corps in Baldonnel. The report of the independent reviewer noted that the Health and Safety Authority was the appropriate statutory body to deal with such allegations. The State Claims Agency is currently managing a number of claims for personal injuries relating to alleged exposure to chemical and toxic substances that people suffered while working in the Air Corps. There is ongoing engagement with the State Claims Agency in that context. As a result, it would not be appropriate to comment any further on the matter. The Minister for Defence can give further information about the matter directly to the Deputy.