Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 25 Feb 2025

Vol. 1063 No. 4

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 Statements on Disability (not to exceed 2 hrs 25 mins).

Tuesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Driving Test Waiting Times, selected by Sinn Féin.

Wednesday's business shall be:

- Statements on the Third Anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine (not to exceed 2 hrs 25 mins)

- Statements on the Future of Healthcare for Longer, Healthier Lives (not to exceed 2 hrs 25 mins)

Wednesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Gender-Based Violence, selected by the Independent and Parties Technical Group.

Thursday's business shall be Statements on the Housing Commission Report (to adjourn after 3 hrs 22 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) the Dáil may sit later than 10.30 p.m.; and

(ii) private members' business may be taken later than 6.12 p.m. and shall in any event be taken on the conclusion of the Statements on Disability, with consequential effect on the commencement times for Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and topical issues;

2. the Statements on Disability 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

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) pursuant to Standing Order 48(1)(f), the only Parliamentary Questions to the Taoiseach pursuant to Standing Order 47(1) which may be answered shall be those under the aegis of the Government Chief Whip, with consequential effect on the time for commencement of the SOS pursuant to Standing Order 25(1);

(ii) pursuant to an Order of the Dáil of 18th February, 2025, Parliamentary Questions to the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence shall be taken immediately following the SOS, with consequential effect on the commencement time for Government business; and

(iii) the weekly division time shall be taken either at 8 p.m., or on the conclusion of the Statements on the Future of Healthcare for Longer, Healthier Lives, whichever is the later, with consequential effect on the time for the adjournment of the Dáil;

2. the Statements on the Third Anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine 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

3. the Statements on the Future of Healthcare for Longer, Healthier Lives 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

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) 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

(ii) the Dáil shall adjourn on the conclusion of topical issues which may be taken earlier than 7.24 p.m. and shall in any event be taken on the adjournment of the Statements on the Housing Commission Report; and

2. the Statements on the Housing Commission Report shall be interrupted and stand adjourned after 3 hours and 22 minutes and the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows:

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

(ii) members may share time.

	Gov	SF	Lab	Gov	SF
Mins	35	25	15	15	5
	SD	Gov	SF	IPTG	Gov
Mins	15	15	5	12	15
	SF	ITG	Gov	SF	NP/G
Mins	5	12	15	5	8

An Ceann Comhairle

Are the proposed arrangements for the week's business agreed to?

Deputies

Not agreed.

An Ceann Comhairle

I ask Deputies to strictly stick to one minute, or less if possible.

Deputy Mary Lou McDonald

The ultimate check and balance in the Oireachtas is, of course, that the Opposition holds the Government to account. Central to this are slots for Leaders Questions and Priority Questions that are the Opposition's opportunity to hold the Taoiseach and his Government to account, yet they persist in holding that logic on its head, the most basic premise upon which we carry out our democratic business. They gave us their word that the Government would withdraw its proposals to placate Deputy Michael Lowry and his colleagues as part of its grubby government deal.

They gave us their word and it seems they have gone back on it. They have come forward again with proposals that still seek to insist that Government Deputies would be in Opposition slots.

An Ceann Comhairle

I thank the Deputy. She has got her minute.

Deputy Mary Lou McDonald

It is unacceptable. It will not fly. I am on my feet to make that clear to the Taoiseach.

Deputy Ivana Bacik

On behalf of the Labour Party, I want to express our strong opposition to the Government's attempt to ram through this proposal to designate those who are clearly in government, who have supported the Government, as "Other Members". It is ridiculous to see the tortuous attempts the Government is making now to facilitate the Lowry lackeys by this attempt to shoehorn in-----

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy should show respect.

Deputy Michael Healy-Rae

Who do you think you are?

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy Bacik must show respect for other Deputies.

Deputy Noel Grealish

Deputy Bacik should withdraw that comment. They got elected here the same as her.

Deputy Ivana Bacik

I will withdraw that remark.

(Interruptions).

An Ceann Comhairle

That is enough. The remark has been withdrawn. Deputy Bacik can move on.

Deputy Ivana Bacik

The proposal put forward by the Government to facilitate the group led by Deputy Michael Lowry does not even make grammatical sense, nor does it make legal sense. It would apply to members of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to designate a body of Members who are not in opposition in this way.

An Ceann Comhairle

I thank Deputy Bacik and I call Deputy Cian O'Callaghan.

Deputy Ivana Bacik

We are strongly opposed to it.

Deputy Paul McAuliffe

We have the same mandate as Deputy Bacik.

Deputy Noel Grealish

Hear, hear.

Deputy Cian O'Callaghan

The Social Democrats are strongly opposed to the proposals the Government is bringing forward. It is very important that the Opposition can hold the Government to account. The Dáil is already one of the comparatively weaker parliaments in terms of its ability to hold the Government to account.

The Taoiseach

No, it is not.

(Interruptions).

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputies should please not interrupt.

Deputy Cian O'Callaghan

It absolutely is. We have one of the strongest executives. In other parliaments, the executives do not always get everything passed by virtue of the majority they have. We have one of the strongest Whip systems in western democracy, which makes it one of the strongest executives. We need to have more accountability, not less.

An Ceann Comhairle

I thank the Deputy.

Deputy Cian O'Callaghan

We need more Government accountability rather than creating new slots where only Government TDs can ask questions of the Government.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

The Government is trying to undermine democracy by insisting that the Lowry and Healy-Rae groups can be part of the Government and simultaneously be part of the Opposition-----

Deputy Noel Grealish

Get a majority and vote it down.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

-----taking up its speaking time, committee places and resources. This is clearly an effort to minimise the ability of the Opposition to scrutinise the Government.

Another example of that is that this week for the third time, every single week, instead of two appearances by the Taoiseach at Taoiseach's Questions, he will appear only once this week. The fact that it is not a coincidence is confirmed by the Government's submission on Dáil reform where it is looking to reduce Taoiseach's Questions to one day a week.

An Ceann Comhairle

I thank the Deputy.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

That would further reduce the Government's exposure to interrogation, not just by the Opposition but by its own backbenchers whom it claims to care so much about.

Deputy Michael Collins

We need a proper debate in the Dáil this week about damage caused by flooding in Ireland, especially in the past week, particularly in County Cork. The community in Ballinascarthy was flooded once again for the second time in two months, as was Dunmanway and Halfway. The River Bride also flooded in Blackpool. The main cause of this flooding is the lack of rivers being cleaned. They are full of muck and silt. A national river cleaning programme must be put in place immediately to save people's property and maybe their lives. We cannot kick this can down the road. Will the Government allow a proper debate this week in the Dáil so that communities like Ballinascarthy can be-----

An Ceann Comhairle

I thank Deputy Collins.

Deputy Michael Collins

-----confident that efforts are being made to make sure that something like this will not happen again?

An Ceann Comhairle

I thank Deputy Collins. I call on the Taoiseach to respond as quickly as he can.

The Taoiseach

I have listened to quite a lot. I have observed with some interest the growing alliance between the Labour Party and the Sinn Féin Party in this House.

Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

There are four Opposition groups.

Deputy Noel Grealish

You still do not have enough for Government.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

It is an alliance of the left.

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputies should please allow the Taoiseach to speak.

The Taoiseach

The Opposition keeps using the phrase that the Government is trying to ram this through. It seems to me that the Opposition has been trying to ram through a new order in the House and a new precedent.

(Interruptions).

The Taoiseach

This is an important matter.

An Ceann Comhairle

It is an important matter. Questions on Policy or Legislation is being compromised.

The Taoiseach

It seems that in the new order Deputies McDonald and Bacik will dictate who forms the groups in this House.

Deputy Ivana Bacik

That is not the case.

The Taoiseach

We have freedom of association.

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputies should resume their seats.

The Taoiseach

It is a fundamental, basic principle that people are allowed to associate with whom they like. That is the first point. That is being denied here for the first time.

I have never seen this before, since I became a Member of Dáil Éireann. There has been a bit of a herd-like attitude to this debate among the Opposition and some commentators. People have not looked at the fundamental principles underpinning all of this. In the next six weeks alone, 90 priority questions will be asked here. Sinn Féin will have 47 of them, the Labour Party 12, the Social Democrats 11 and there will be zero for backbenchers on the Government side.

(Interruptions).

An Ceann Comhairle

If Deputies do not want to hear the answer, we will move on.

The Taoiseach

The people who elected their TDs-----

(Interruptions).

The Taoiseach

With respect, a Cheann Comhairle, I have had to listen for five or six minutes-----

An Ceann Comhairle

The point is they do not want to listen, so we will just move to the vote.

The Taoiseach

I want to make a point. The people have elected TDs-----

Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Where is Michael Lowry? Where is the architect of this?

The Taoiseach

People would be shocked by the idea that their TDs do not have the right to speak or ask questions-----

An Ceann Comhairle

You have 20 minutes to address Deputy Collins's question. Please do so.

The Taoiseach

-----whether they are in a political party or not. We are not going to be railroaded, browbeaten or intimidated by the Opposition in terms of its tactics.

I will be very happy to facilitate a debate on the issue of flooding in Cork. The Deputy asked last week for a debate on the Housing Commission and there will be statements on it on Thursday. If we can do it this week, we will.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

What about Taoiseach's Questions?

An Ceann Comhairle

Are the proposed arrangements agreed to?

Deputies

Not agreed.

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

The Dáil divided: Tá, 88; Níl, 62; Staon, 0.

Tá

• Aird, William.
• Ardagh, Catherine.
• Boland, Grace.
• Brabazon, Tom.
• Brennan, Brian.
• Brennan, Shay.
• Brophy, Colm.
• Browne, James.
• Burke, Colm.
• Butler, Mary.
• Butterly, Paula.
• Buttimer, Jerry.
• Byrne, Malcolm.
• Cahill, Michael.
• Callaghan, Catherine.
• Calleary, Dara.
• 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.
• Dolan, Albert.
• Dooley, Timmy.
• Feighan, Frankie.
• Fleming, Seán.
• Foley, Norma.
• Gallagher, Pat the Cope.
• Geoghegan, James.
• Grealish, Noel.
• Harkin, Marian.
• Harris, Simon.
• Healy-Rae, Danny.
• Healy-Rae, Michael.
• Heneghan, Barry.
• Heydon, Martin.
• Higgins, Emer.
• Keogh, Keira.
• Lahart, John.
• Lawless, James.
• Lowry, Michael.
• Martin, Micheál.
• Maxwell, David.
• McAuliffe, Paul.
• McCarthy, Noel.
• McConalogue, Charlie.
• McCormack, Tony.
• McEntee, Helen.
• McGrath, Mattie.
• McGrath, Séamus.
• McGreehan, Erin.
• McGuinness, John.
• Moran, Kevin Boxer.
• Moynihan, Aindrias.
• 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'Donovan, Patrick.
• O'Meara, Ryan.
• O'Shea, John Paul.
• O'Sullivan, Christopher.
• O'Sullivan, Pádraig.
• Ó Cearúil, Naoise.
• Ó Fearghaíl, Seán.
• Ó Muirí, Naoise.
• Roche, Peter.
• Scanlon, Eamon.
• Smyth, Niamh.
• Timmins, Edward.
• Toole, Gillian.
• Troy, Robert.
• Ward, Barry.

Níl

• Ahern, Ciarán.
• Bacik, Ivana.
• Bennett, Cathy.
• Boyd Barrett, Richard.
• Buckley, Pat.
• Byrne, Joanna.
• Clarke, Sorca.
• Collins, Michael.
• Connolly, Catherine.
• Coppinger, Ruth.
• Cronin, Réada.
• Cullinane, David.
• Cummins, Jen.
• Daly, Pa.
• Devine, Máire.
• Donnelly, Paul.
• Farrelly, Aidan.
• Gannon, Gary.
• Gibney, Sinéad.
• Gogarty, Paul Nicholas.
• Graves, Ann.
• Guirke, Johnny.
• Hayes, Eoin.
• Healy, Seamus.
• Hearne, Rory.
• Kelly, Alan.
• Kenny, Eoghan.
• Kenny, Martin.
• Kerrane, Claire.
• Lawless, Paul.
• Lawlor, George.
• Mac Lochlainn, Pádraig.
• McDonald, Mary Lou.
• McGettigan, Donna.
• McGuinness, Conor D.
• Mitchell, Denise.
• Mythen, Johnny.
• Nash, Ged.
• Newsome Drennan, Natasha.
• Ní Raghallaigh, Shónagh.
• O'Callaghan, Cian.
• O'Donoghue, Richard.
• O'Donoghue, Robert.
• O'Flynn, Ken.
• O'Gorman, Roderic.
• O'Hara, Louis.
• O'Reilly, Louise.
• O'Rourke, Darren.
• Ó Laoghaire, Donnchadh.
• Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
• Ó Súilleabháin, Fionntán.
• Quaide, Liam.
• Quinlivan, Maurice.
• Rice, Pádraig.
• Sheehan, Conor.
• Sherlock, Marie.
• Smith, Duncan.
• Tóibín, Peadar.
• Wall, Mark.
• Ward, Charles.
• Ward, Mark.
• Whitmore, Jennifer.

Staon

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

Question declared carried.

An Ceann Comhairle

Before I call Deputy McDonald, I reiterate that Members have one minute to ask questions and there is one minute for responses. There are 15 Deputies offering. We will not get to the final three if Members do not comply.

Deputy Mary Lou McDonald

The parents of children with special needs face a constant battle to find school places for their children. The idea that any child is forced into a lottery for the chance of getting a school place is unthinkable, and yet it is happening. The child's future is down to the luck of the draw. The child whose number does not come up is left behind. The mother of Jay Meehan from Waterford is quoted today in the media as saying it is like playing the EuroMillions for her child's future. Parents are frustrated, exhausted and heartbroken. They are receiving rejection letter after rejection letter. Last week, we tabled a motion calling on the Government to ensure that every child will have access to a school place in September within a reasonable distance of their home. However, the Government opposed the motion and made amendments to dilute that very reasonable demand. Why is it that the Government refuses to guarantee a suitable school place for every child next September?

The Taoiseach

My clear belief is that there is a constitutional right for every child to have a school place and an education. I met yesterday with eight Ministers to discuss the establishment of a disability unit within the Department of An Taoiseach. There has been and there will continue to be significant investment in special education, particularly in the context of additional special schools and classes. The number of special classes doubled in the past five years to 3,336. Some 11 new special schools have been established since 2020, with five more planned for 2025 and 2026. That is no consolation to Jay and his family. However, we will do everything we possibly can to get a place for that child for September next and, indeed, places for all the children who are waiting. That will be a very clear focus of the Government, particularly in area of special education, where investment continues and will have to continue.

Deputy Ivana Bacik

The Taoiseach stated that it is unacceptable to have so many people in homelessness. There are 4,500 children in emergency accommodation. We need workable proposals from Government to address the housing crisis. We do not need things like beds in sheds; we need really workable schemes. We in the Labour Party welcomed the tenant in situ scheme. We recognise it is the only hope for many families faced with the prospect of eviction. What we are hearing from across the country is that it is simply not working. It is ineffective in the context of keeping people out of homelessness. We are hearing this from families who have been turned down and from landlords who cannot access the scheme and who are being turned down before they have even fully engaged with the process.

What is the Taoiseach doing to ensure that the tenant in situ scheme will be effective in keeping people out of homelessness?

The Taoiseach

The tenant in situ scheme has been effective and impactful, certainly last year and the year before.

Deputy Ivana Bacik

They cannot get places from the Government.

The Taoiseach

The Minister is looking to target that scheme more effectively, particularly for people who are very vulnerable. We will have clarity next week on the situation for the remainder of this year.

Deputy Liam Quaide

Earlier this month, St. John's special school in Dungarvan, County Waterford, had to operate a draw overseen by a local Garda superintendent. The draw was not for a raffle to raise money; it was to allocate places in the school for children with additional needs. This is the kind of dystopian ritual that schools are being forced to undertake due to chronic under-resourcing of special education. There are now 20 children from west Waterford, Cork and south Tipperary who are on the waiting list for St. John's. One of them is Jay Meehan, who is four years old. Jay's mother, Rebecca, has said that the State is playing EuroMillions with her son's education. I want to be clear that I am not blaming the school; it was put in invidious position. The blame for this lies squarely on the shoulders of this Government and those that preceded it. Children should not have to enter a draw to get an education; it is outrageous. Every child has a right to an education. This is the bare minimum. We have economic prosperity like never before. Will parents of children with additional needs have to endure the current stress of long commutes to school? How long will this go on?

The Taoiseach

I addressed this earlier. I make the point that as a percentage of the overall population, the number of children with special and additional needs is increasing fairly significantly. For example, in 2018, about 42,000 children benefited from domiciliary care allowance. That has risen to 64,500 in a short number of years. We need to provide additional spaces in this regard. Officials from the Department of Education are visiting St. John's today, as are officials from the National Council for Special Education. There has been investment at the school, with a three-classroom extension completed last year. The issue will be to provide for those on the waiting list that is now there. I understand that some of them are from east Cork and other geographical locations nearby. We need to make sure that we provide places for those who have not been allocated places in St. John's and whatever else we can do to help St. John's to deal with the increase in numbers.

Deputy Seamus Healy

The town of Clonmel is the social and economic hub not only for south Tipperary but also for east Limerick, north and west Waterford, south and west Kilkenny and part of north Tipperary. It has a rich history and heritage and it is a great town in which to live, work, shop and socialise. Unfortunately, however, the town centre has suffered a number of high-profile closures, including last week's announcement by New Look. The urban regeneration development fund, URDF, operated by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage an important when it comes to the redevelopment and regeneration of town centres. Tipperary County Council has a town centre project for Clonmel ready to go. A successful application under call 4 of the programme is vital for the future of the town. When will call 4 be opened for applications?

The Taoiseach

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. The decision by New Look is a devastating blow for the workers in the first instance. We will do everything we can, through the Government agencies, to see if we can secure alternative employment for those workers. Clonmel is a fine and very attractive town, and a significant hub in the region. I will talk to the Minister about a timeline for call 4 of the URDF.

Deputy Ken O'Flynn

The Mayfield primary care occupational therapy team is supposed to have three full-time occupational therapists. This is already insufficient for the number of children who need special attention. I have been made aware that there is only one part-time therapist working on the team at this time. The current set-up is: one therapist is on maternity leave and her work is not being covered; the second left and has not been replaced; and, as stated, the third only works part time. I have also been made aware that the position in the centre when it comes to physiotherapy is exactly the same. It is hard enough to fight for one's a child. In this instance, parents are fighting on behalf of children with autism spectrum disorder.

It is a kick in the teeth when the services that are meant to be provided are not there. What is the Government going to do to resolve this issue, which is having an impact across the nation?

The Taoiseach

Fundamentally, it is about recruitment and retention. What is the name of the service?

Deputy Ken O'Flynn

It is Mayfield primary care centre.

The Taoiseach

The Deputy outlined the situation. One person is on maternity leave - I will check with the HSE about that because there should be a locum operating in that role - and another has left. The recruitment and retention of therapists has been a real issue for the HSE. There have been additional resources provided. Progress is slow. Approximately 272 extra whole-time equivalent staff were recruited last year. A further 111 are expected to join soon. The national vacancy rate dropped from 29% to 21% in 2024. How that manifests in the case of Mayfield is a different matter. I will try to ascertain the position in that regard. The Deputy's point is well made. We are alert to the need to recruit and to retain staff.

Deputy John Lahart

Bipartisanship, the political process by which opposing political parties find common ground through compromise, has, as we all know, been dying a slow death in the US to the point where it does not exist anymore except, remarkably, on St. Patrick's Day. Republican and Democrat Senators and Congressmen and Congresswomen vie with each other to participate in the events relating to what is a unique political day and to make themselves available to Irish politicians of every political hue, North and South. Does the Taoiseach agree with my assessment? Does he agree that this unique opportunity to wear the green jersey for Ireland is more vital this year than ever before and that failure to take it would demonstrate an abject failure of leadership and of understanding of the significance of the event and the value it holds for our country, our economic well-being, our strategic national interests and more?

The Taoiseach

I agree with the Deputy 100%. He articulated very well the importance of St. Patrick's week in the US, particularly in regard to solidarity with our significant diaspora there. The diaspora really values the engagement with Ireland. It is important in terms of the undocumented. The link with Senators and Congressmen and Congresswomen is extremely important in terms of looking out for the undocumented in various parts of the US.

Deputy Ruth Coppinger

They are being deported, actually.

The Taoiseach

The economic relationship is enormous. Many thousands of Irish livelihoods and Irish workers depend on the economic relationship between the United States and Ireland. That needs to be said. It has been taken too much for granted. Hence the need for a very proactive engagement for the entirety of St. Patrick’s week across the length and breadth of the US.

Deputy Colm Burke

On 29 November 2022, the Cabinet decided that Sarsfieldscourt would be the site of the new elective hospital in County Cork. More than two years have passed and we have still not seen the design plan for hospital. In addition, the planning application has not been submitted. The former Minister, Stephen Donnelly, was very much in favour of the development of elective hospitals, not just in Cork but also in other parts of the country. When are we going to see the plans for this elective hospital? When will a planning application will be submitted in order that we can go ahead with this project at Sarsfieldscourt?

The Taoiseach

I thank the Deputy for raising an important matter. As he will know, along with him and others, I have been a champion of an elective site being built on this site. I am also supportive of the project relating to an elective hospital for Galway. The HSE tends to have rather lengthy processes, particularly in terms of getting to the stage of tendering for a project of this scale. My understanding is that it is close at hand, but I will check for the Deputy to get an accurate timeline for the progression of this particular elective hospital.

Deputy Joanna Byrne

The port access northern cross route in my home of Drogheda has been planned since 2006. Funding applications were refused by successive Governments right up to 2022, when phase 1 was funded by Louth County Council, Housing Infrastructure Services and developers. Phase 2 is about to commence and is to be funded by Louth County Council through development levies. Phase 3, the crucial section that crosses the Dublin to Belfast railway line, is flagged as a strategic priority for Louth County Council in terms of road infrastructure with the Department of Transport. It needs to be funded by central government. The Departments of Transport and the Housing, Local Government and Heritage have both refused to fund this road to deliver homes to 5,000 people by means of schemes that delivered roads and homes elsewhere in the country. A meeting is to take place next Monday with the Department of Transport regarding funding of the final phase, the crucial piece that will open up the area entirely. Will the Government, after 19 years, finally commit to funding the final phase and the completion of the port access northern cross route or will Drogheda become the biggest cul-de-sac in the State for years to come?

The Taoiseach

The Deputy will accept that the Government has invested heavily in the Dundalk area over many years.

Deputy Joanna Byrne

It is Drogheda, Taoiseach.

The Taoiseach

It has also invested in Drogheda, and progressively, as the Deputy said. I do not have the background to the meeting next Monday. However, I will check with the Minister regarding the up-to-date position.

Deputy Ruth Coppinger

This is Eating Disorders Awareness Week. Tomorrow, a briefing will be held by relatives about this matter. Over the past 20 years there has been an absolute explosion in this most deadly, fatal mental illness. Yet, we still only have three beds for people with eating disorders. Some 200,000 people suffer with such disorders. Eight beds were to be opened at Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown. Nothing has happened. We need beds because this is such a complex mental health issue. Psychiatric hospitals are not able to deal with it. An all-round approach is needed. Outpatient clinics are also needed. When is the Government going to do something about this? For so many years, parents and sufferers have been in contact with me about the situation relating to the three beds. The Minister of State is sitting behind the Taoiseach. Nothing has happened in the past four years despite an explosion in the number of cases, particularly during the pandemic. Is this because, yet again, it is mainly women who suffer?

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

The Government remains firmly committed to enhancing specialist mental health services, including those relating to eating disorders. It is factually incorrect to say that nothing has happened. When I came into this role in 2020, we had three eating disorder teams - one in place. By the end of this year, 14 of the 16 eating disorder teams will be in place across the country-----

Deputy Ruth Coppinger

Is that by the end the year?

Deputy Mary Butler

That is by the end of the year. Would the Deputy like me to answer or does she want to heckle me?

An Ceann Comhairle

All right, Deputies.

Deputy Ruth Coppinger

All right, go on.

Deputy Mary Butler

We have 14 teams funded. It takes a year and a half to set up a team. They are multidisciplinary teams. We have 100 clinicians and ten consultant psychiatrists working on eating disorder teams across the country. The Deputy is right in that we have not made progress in relation to the bed capacity, but 90% of those with an eating disorder are treated in the community. That is what we priorities in the first instance. We are reviewing the model of care and looking at all situations in relation to inpatient beds.

Deputy Willie O'Dea

There is no clear commitment in the programme for Government to continue the tenant in situ scheme. This is a very good scheme. It has saved many people from homelessness. Unfortunately, I am personally acquainted with a large number of people who will be homeless unless this scheme is restored immediately. Landlords have agreed to sell their houses to the local authorities but because of the delays with the scheme, local authorities are becoming impatient and are threatening to put houses on the private market. People are asking me about this. I cannot answer them and neither can the local authorities. I was in touch with the Department but it does not seem to have an answer either. When is this scheme going to be restored?

The Taoiseach

The scheme is being examined by the Ministers for housing and public expenditure. As I said earlier, there will be clarity on this next week, when I expect an announcement in respect of the scheme.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

A more honest answer.

The Taoiseach

The prime focus has to be on tenants, not necessarily on landlords. We just had a debate about value for money and waste. However, when a Minister is taking a few weeks - I am not saying Deputy O'Dea is saying this; I am just saying it to the Opposition - to see whether the scheme can be retargeted or fine tuned in order to make it more targeted for vulnerable and needy people, there are those who say we should plough ahead and do what we are doing already.

Deputy Frankie Feighan

Since Storm Éowyn on 24 January last, a huge number of people living in rural parts of my constituency and in the north west have no access to broadband or to landline and mobile phone networks. There seems to be absolutely no urgency on the part of the providers to rectify matters.

There are elderly people living on their own who have emergency contact buttons that do not work. They cannot contact friends, neighbours or relations. The Minister for communications needs to intervene with these service providers to get them to fulfil their obligations to people and to restore the services people need in order to call in outside assistance from entities such as ESB Networks. This should be done without delay.

The Taoiseach

I agree with the Deputy. Every effort is being made by the various State agencies to restore services. I have met with most of them - Uisce Éireann, ESB Networks, EirGrid and so on - in the context of getting power restored as quickly as possible and also in terms of the restoration of communications networks. More than that, we need to invest in areas in terms of the social and human networks that were so indispensable to people during this storm. Much of the investment in sporting facilities and local community groups has proved very effective. Many of those facilities were used by communities during Storm Éowyn. Therefore, we think we can support them more. There will be a targeted approach to institutionalising that social network resource we have a bit more.

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Níl a fhios agam má tá an Taoiseach ar an eolas faoin stailc leathlae ag 40 eagras Gaeilge amárach chun réiteach a fháil anois agus infheistíocht chothrom a chinntiú do na grúpaí agus don Ghaeilge, seachas ciorruithe de €820,000 atá fógartha ag Foras na Gaeilge agus easpa maoinithe leanúnach le blianta san áireamh, gan fiú trácht ar an mboilsciú ar na costais. An nglacann an Taoiseach leis go bhfuil géarchéim ann agus an dtacóidh sé leis an stailc amárach? Cad atá á dhéanamh faoin éileamh atá acu?

The Taoiseach

Glacaim go bhfuil deacracht ann gan amhras. Nílim cinnte gurb í stailc an tslí is fearr chun é seo a réiteach. Bhíos ag labhairt leis an Aire, an Teachta Calleary, faoi seo ar maidin. Bhí an tAire ag Ard-Fheis Chonradh na Gaeilge i rith an deireadh seachtaine agus bhí daoine ag caint faoi. Beimid, agus tá súil agam go mbeidh an Tánaiste, ag déanamh ár ndíchill chun feabhas a chur ar an scéal. Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil deacracht faoi leith ann.

Deputy Paul Lawless

Ballinrobe has paid a very high price for poor Government policy in recent weeks and months. The practice of placing very vulnerable and high-risk individuals in emergency accommodation has been a recipe for disaster. What is happening at the Railway Inn in Ballinrobe has caused major difficulties for the town. Crime is rising in the area. Garda numbers in Mayo are falling. Gardaí are really struggling to deal with the issues that exist. There has been a huge lack of rehabilitation support and a lack of Garda services in the area. The gardaí there are doing a tremendous job in very difficult circumstances. There are major questions regarding the operator of the Railway Inn. In recent days, Mayo County Council has agreed to cease using the Railway Inn as a halfway house or for emergency accommodation. However, Roscommon County Council is still using the facility. I am asking the Taoiseach to intervene in light of the difficulties-----

An Ceann Comhairle

Thank you, Deputy.

Deputy Paul Lawless

----- in the town to cease and end the practice of emergency accommodation in Ballinrobe-----

An Ceann Comhairle

Deputy, you are way over your time.

Deputy Paul Lawless

----- particularly at the Railway Inn.

The Taoiseach

The Deputy has raised this issue previously. Again, I do not intervene in every single case. The Minister with responsibility obviously assesses the situation in different locations. I will certainly alert the Minister that Deputy Lawless has raised the matter.

Deputy Charles Ward

The Government's defective blocks scheme has left many homeowners, particularly in Donegal, facing significant challenges. The scheme is fraught with delays, technical barriers and inadequate funding. Despite availing of the scheme, families are still drowning in debt and are expected to carry the financial burden relating to delays caused by a lack of contractors and insufficient processing by Donegal County Council. Despite thousands of applications having gone through, the scheme is not working. Work has only been completed on 69 houses have been completed in the past number of years.

I welcome that the Remediation of Dwellings damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks (Amendment) Bill is listed in the Government's spring legislation programme. When will we see the text of this Bill? What is the expected timeline for its publication. What consultations are taking place?

An Ceann Comhairle

Thank you, Deputy.

Deputy Charles Ward

Will the Bill include retrospective payments - these were promised previously - for homeowners who are currently in the scheme?

The Taoiseach

The Bill is being currently. Some 450 homes are under construction or being refurbished at the moment.

Deputy Charles Ward

Only 69 have been completed.

The Taoiseach

Yes, but there are 450 under construction. That is a significant number. We have to keep ensuring that there is momentum behind this in terms of getting houses refurbished, rebuilt or whatever. This is a hugely resourced scheme. The Government has committed enormous sums of money towards it, and correctly so. If the Deputy is saying there is an insufficiency in terms of the scheme, Donegal County Council will have to deal with it.

Deputy Catherine Connolly

It is seven years since the Government decided to bring in a very good policy at the end of December 2018 to stop trawlers over 18 m in length fishing within the six-mile limit. A significant part of that policy was to stop the unsustainable fishing for sprat. This is the seventh year of the policy. Unfortunately, because of the Government's or the Department's failure to carry out the consultation process properly, the policy was held void. We were promised by the previous Minister and Government that another policy was imminent and would be rolled out. It is absolutely unacceptable and unsustainable that trawlers are still fishing unsustainably and catching sprat.

The Taoiseach

It is my understanding that there is a High Court action, in which the judge-----

Deputy Catherine Connolly

We are finished that.

The Taoiseach

I know, but it is not the Government's fault that we lost. The previous Government had decided-----

Deputy Catherine Connolly

When will the policy - it is a brilliant policy - be rolled out?

The Taoiseach

I agree with the policy. I was going to make the point that because of the High Court decision, the Department said it had to be exhaustive in terms of the second consultation to make sure that it would not fall foul of another court decision in the time ahead if someone challenged it. It was concluded last summer. The consultation is over now. My view now is that we need to move ahead and get this done. I will come back to the Deputy on that.