The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding the 15th report of the Seanad Committee on Parliamentary Privileges and Oversight, to be taken on conclusion of the Order of Business without debate; No. 2, Air Navigation and Transport Bill 2021 - Committee Stage (Resumed), to be taken at 1 p.m. and to be adjourned at 2.30 p.m. if not previously concluded; No. 92, motion 3, motion regarding search and rescue services, to be taken at 2.45 p.m. and, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, to conclude at 3.45 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the combined opening contributions of the proposer and seconder not to exceed 16 minutes, the contribution of all other Senators not to exceed five minutes, the contribution of a Minister or Minister of State not to exceed ten minutes and the proposer to be given no less than four minutes to reply to the debate; and No. 92, motion 4, motion regarding the passport service, to be taken at 4.30 p.m. with the time allocated not to exceed two hours.
An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
I am going to break with precedent. Normally I would call on all the leaders of the groups to follow on from the Leader's announcement of the Order of Business. However, I now call the father of the House, Senator Norris, because I know today is a very important day not only for him personally but for all Joycean scholars, of whom he is the greatest by any measure.
I would not claim to be the greatest Joyce scholar. I would award that to my great friend Fritz Senn in Zürich who is 90 years old and still keeping his students happy. It is a very important and happy day. As Samuel Beckett might have replied, it is a happy day because it is the 100th anniversary of the publication of Ulysses. In the early 1920s James Joyce was in Sylvia Beach's bookshop, Shakespeare and Company, bemoaning the fact that he could not find a publisher for Ulysses. I remember Sylvia Beach very well. She was a tiny bird-like little American woman, but a woman of great fortitude and steel. She offered to publish it and Joyce took up her offer. So it was that 100 years ago today Ulysses was published.
What a remarkable book. Virginia Woolf had outlined the design for stream of consciousness in, I think, The Common Reader. However, she never did it herself. She wrote the prescription; Joyce fulfilled the medicine. He was very superstitious and so it was published on his birthday, 2 February 1922. Sylvia Beach went to the railway station and collected the first two copies, one for the window of her shop and one for James Joyce. When Joyce opened it, he discovered that the printer in Dijon, Darantière, had decided to correct Joyce's manuscript. For example, there was a list of characters, famous Irish characters ranging over the centuries, including Michael Angelo Hayes. Darantière thought "Michelangelo?" and so put "Michelangelo, Hayes", not realising that Michael Angelo Hayes was a real person known to Joyce and had founded the Dublin Photographic Society. That partly explains the 5,000 errors that were claimed to be in Ulysses. Whatever about the errors, it is a wonderful life-enhancing book and we should give thanks to James Joyce for having written it and having given us so much pleasure.
I thank Senator Norris, for marking the 100th anniversary of James Joyce's Ulysses, a great work of humanity and imagination, which many view as one of the greatest works of art of the 20th century. The Senator might agree with that.
I forgot to say 100 years like the Senate.
It was a good year.
Yes, and during the 100 years since this House was established, Senators have often championed minority causes and fewer people have been a greater champion of minority causes than Senator Norris. We thank him for all that work and all his work in bringing to a wider audience the work of James Joyce. We take great pride in him and the work he has championed including that great work of art, which is one of the greatest artistic achievements of any Irish person.
I now revert to the normal Order of Business and call on the acting leader of the Fianna Fáil group this morning, Senator O'Loughlin.
Senator Norris is very humble when he says that he is not the world's greatest Joycean scholar. No matter what, he is our Joycean scholar and we are all incredibly proud of him both for his work on Joyce and literature and for the work he has been doing in the Seanad. In addition to celebrating the 100th anniversary of the publication of Joyce's Ulysses, it is also important to note that he was 40 on the day it was published so today would have been his 140th birthday. There is no doubt that the world of literature was changed forever. It is terrific to see how our culture and our literature are yet again being celebrated around the world.
In particular, I wish to mention Susan Leybourne who at this moment is in the Shakespeare and Company bookstore in Paris having published an e-book. In celebrating the 100th birthday of Ulysses, she has organised a birthday cake to come from Trieste and has organised school competitions in Italy, France and Ireland. How we hand on our literature and our understanding of literature are important. I thank the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, for her help and support on that. Long may we live to read the works of Joyce and celebrate them.
Yesterday, I spoke about a bridge between the pagan world and the Christian world and that bridge was St. Brigid.
I want to talk about another bridge today and that is Caragh Bridge in Kildare. For the second time since 2016, the bridge has been substantially damaged. This means a large part of the population of Caragh has been cut off from the other part. It is causing great disruption in getting to school and getting to work. It is also causing huge disruption to the businesses in Caragh which do not have passing traffic. As this is an historic monument, permission must be sought from the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan. I have written to both to ask them to give their permission very quickly for the work that needs to be done. Tenders are being sought at present. There is a bigger issue here. The bridge is not fit for purpose with regard to the quality and quantity of vehicles traversing it. There should be another bridge. I also ask for an assessment of the bridges in Kildare. There is a large number of bridges because of two canals, various rivers and our railway works. I am very concerned not only about Caragh Bridge but also Moore's Bridge and, of course, I also have to mention the necessity for a new bridge crossing in Newbridge.
There seems to be a difference this week. We have had 1 February and St. Brigid's Day and now we have the Ulysses centenary. I am glad the winter is behind us. We all seem to be feeling a bit more upbeat. Today I want to focus on neurological services and the shortage of neurological nurses nationally. It is a worry. The Neurological Alliance of Ireland has said we need an extra 100 neurological nurses. In Beaumont Hospital there should be 15 but there are ten. In St. James's Hospital there should be 14 but there are only four. They cover epilepsy, migraine, brain and spinal cord injury, long-term neurological conditions such as stroke and Parkinson's disease, and life-limiting neurological conditions such as motor neurone disease. There is not a family in Ireland that is not affected by neurological needs.
The HSE has advised that plans will be developed to incrementally increase their overall numbers. There has been an overall increase in nursing and midwifery but this needs to be a priority. It is about having the right care in the right place. Having neurological nurses takes pressure off consultant neurologists and allows us to build up what we need for community care in nurse-led clinics, liaison services and outreach programmes. I experienced this recently when meeting Acquired Brain Injury Ireland, which does incredible work. A total of 19,000 people per year are affected by brain injury. Acquired Brain Injury Ireland provides neurorehabilitation. It takes an holistic approach with wraparound services not only for those who suffer a brain injury but also their families, on whom it also has an impact.
We put much emphasis on acute care and care in hospitals but people start a whole new chapter when they leave hospital. There are too many people in the wrong place such as nursing homes. Acquired Brain Injury Ireland takes the care into the community and provides multidisciplinary support to people in their homes, including occupational therapists, social workers and psychologists who support the families. It is a no-brainer. This is exactly the kind of service we should support and that the HSE should support. We need to have a conversation about Sláintecare now that we have come through Covid. It would be an apt time for a debate on it. This is exactly the kind of service the HSE needs to support and fund. I call on the HSE to speak directly to Acquired Brain Injury Ireland. Let us improve services.
It is great to be in the Seanad to speak. Spring is in the air and it is a time of renewal. A great new energy is rising. It is a time of planting and many farmers throughout the country will shortly begin to sow seeds. Calving and lambing are under way, the days are lengthening and there is evidence of new growth. Imbolc is also about the seeds of new ideas. We are one of the world's top agricultural producers but we have one of the lowest rates of organic production in Europe. Organic farming is still a new idea to many. While many of the practices are similar to those our grandparents used, we have become dependent on chemical inputs and solutions to produce our food. Consumer attitudes are changing and we need to work with natural systems for all the food we produce.
The market for organic produce is growing and support for organic farming is also growing. Next week I will reopen the organic farming scheme for the second time in as many years with an additional €5 million. It will be more accessible to a greater number of farmers. The scheme will open every year for the next five years and, hopefully, beyond. I ask farmers to please consider it. Organic farming will be a big part of our future. As it happens, tomorrow I will launch Ireland's first ever master's programme in organic agriculture at Waterford Institute of Technology. It is designed to upskill farmers and growers in organic farming practices. This is an important step not only for climate action, biodiversity and water quality but also for soil health. Our soil holds the key to many of the problems we face and we need to nurture it.
Yesterday we celebrated St. Brigid's Day. While she is much associated with Kildare, recently I found out she also has Offaly connections, having been made a nun at Croghan Hill. Brigid is well recognised as a patron of all things nature and agricultural. I pay tribute to all of the women in agriculture and science who work so hard in sectors dominated by men. As someone with a science background, I encourage more women to take up careers in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, agriculture and, like all of the women in the Chamber, in politics. We need more women in politics in every party and at every level. This week, I was delighted to welcome a young woman in County Laois into politics. Rosie Palmer from Ballinakill is playing her part not only in a greener future for Laois but in increasing female representation in politics in Ireland. I welcome Rosie on board.
I also applaud two young scientists, granddaughters of farmers, who recently presented a project on milk quality at the BT Young Scientist exhibition. Caoimhe O'Grady and Clodagh McGauran from Navan compared the quality and yield of milk produced from mixed species sward to that coming from a rye grass sward. This is a topic close to my own heart and the results were encouraging. Encouraging too is the fact that young women such as Caoimhe and Clodagh are pursuing science and agriculture with such a progressive topic. I am sure Brigid would be very proud of them both.
I welcome the comments of the Minister of State on the opening up of the organic scheme. We know Ireland is a complete laggard when it comes to organics. It can only help when more farmers are encouraged to go into organic farming. It links into what I want to raise this morning on the biodiversity crisis we have in the country and what I believe is a complete lack of respect for protecting habitats and wildlife. In some parts of government there is not just a lack of respect but contempt for our natural environment, particularly for those who seek to protect it. We often see that those who seek to protect the environment are treated as pariahs while those who flout the laws through illegal burning, hedgerow cutting and badger baiting rarely go punished. In some cases it can be State bodies that carry out the breaches of the law.
I have good reason to believe that in one case the OPW carried out works on Emo Court that disturbed a bat roost, knowing full well it had no derogation licence for the works and that the assessment carried out in advance warned that those works could not be done without significant disturbance to the bat roost. Last weekend, Friends of Tymon Park brought me to the park in Tallaght to see a badger sett that was completely flattened by park staff to make way for a cross country running track.
The community group has tried without success to get answers from South Dublin County Council on the works that were carried out. There appears to be no evidence of any environmental assessment and no public consultation on the location of that cross country running track in Tymon Park. If our badger setts are not even safe within our parklands, what hope do they have when they are on private land? It is hardly surprising then that when an EU official, Mr. Ciobanu-Dordea, spoke at a Friends of Irish Environment conference he slammed Ireland’s track record and pointed out that only 15% of our terrestrial habitats are in favourable condition; 50% are suffering decline; rarely, if ever, are environmental impact assessments carried out on peat extraction and afforestation; and we are bottom of the Natura 2000 network with only 2.5% of our marine waters protected. Likewise he pointed out that the penal and uncertain costs associated with bringing environmental court cases is a clear attempt to try to chill and deter environmental cases being taken. We are the most expensive State in the EU in which to take an environmental claim before the courts and those who do are slated in the media and by some politicians who have castigated them and have openly threatened to cut the funding of environmental NGOs. It is a damning account of access to justice in Ireland. It is exacerbated by the fact that our National Parks and Wildlife Service was so under-resourced for years that it too lacks the capacity to uphold the law, and it has no legal status to properly meet its current obligations in protecting the habitats. I ask the Leader if we could have a debate on the biodiversity crisis in the country and on the National Parks and Wildlife Service review, particularly on access to justice and Ireland’s lack of compliance with the Aarhus Convention.
I want to start by expressing solidarity with Poland on the death of Agnieszka due to Poland's restrictive abortion laws. That happened in January and follows the death of a woman known as Izabela in December. As many people would know, the supreme court in Poland rowed back on its abortion laws, as have states such as Texas.
I want to raise the issue of the abortion review that is ongoing here. I am quite concerned that it is being set up to not address the wider issues which need to be addressed such as rogue pregnancy agencies, the 12-week limit and the medically unnecessary three-day wait. I listened to the Minister for Health when he addressed the Joint Committee on Health last December and he continually said that service users would be at the centre of the review. I have gone looking for that and how service users or people who have either accessed abortions in Ireland, or have had to travel to access abortions, can engage with the review and all I can find is the general online public consultation that is happening. That is quite insulting to women who have been impacted by our abortion laws, either in accessing them and the problems they encountered, or the nearly 400 women who have to travel every year.
I welcome the appointment of the chair of the review but I am very concerned the review will not have the impact we thought it would have or address the issues of limitations to abortion. Abortion will always be contested. People will always try to row back on abortion rights and sometimes they succeed after waiting for a very long time. It is very important that the women who have been denied abortions, have had to travel or have accessed abortions here, are included in the review. I cannot see how they will be included in the review other than an online public consultation process, which the review reminds us can be subject to the Freedom of Information Act.
I want to raise a second issue, that of the Minister of State, Deputy Burke's comments on thousands of housing units being delayed by judicial reviews. I find it quite concerning that there seems to be some kite-flying in ways to eliminate judicial reviews, public participation and access to the courts for proper and sustainable planning. While on the other side developers are using what are called strategic lawsuits against public participation, SLAPP, lawsuits. I also find it quite concerning that Fine Gael sources have been reported in newspapers today as saying the chairman of the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Matthews, is not allowing a review of that, which is not true. We must have a proper debate . We need to go back to the source as to why judicial reviews are succeeding. That is because An Bord Pleanála is granting permissions which contravene development plans. If we had not messed with the planning system back in 2018 we would not be in this position now.
It is lovely to see our colleague, Senator Norris, back in the House this morning.
I want to commend my Civil Engagement colleague, Senator Flynn, on the introduction of her first item of legislation in tomorrow’s Private Members’ time. I am very disappointed I will not be able to be here tomorrow due to another commitment but I will be here with her in spirit. The Bill addresses outdated references to child pornography in Irish legislation and seeks to replace the term with child sexual exploitation material. These words really do matter, especially when we are talking about something as heinous as the abuse and exploitation of children. I am proud of Senator Flynn and the work she and Ms Jessica Bray in her office have undertaken in preparing this Bill, which will bring the language we use when referring to child sexual exploitation and abuse up to international best standard.
I also want to raise the topic of Amnesty International's damning report on the situation in Palestine - Israel, Palestine and the Occupied Territories - which was published yesterday morning. The report prepared by Amnesty has resolutely determined that Israel's institutionalised and systematic discrimination against Palestine and the Palestinian people amounts to apartheid under international law, which is a serious human rights violation and a crime against humanity. This report lays bare in great detail yet again what Palestinians have said for decades, namely, that they are living under a system of apartheid. Last year Israel’s biggest human rights organisation, B'Tselem, said the same. As Ireland has stood up for human rights and played such an important role in opposing apartheid in South Africa in the 1980s, I think we have an obligation to act on this report. We need to move beyond words of condemnation and begin to take a concrete action. Our inaction on this issue has become even more unjustifiable. I believe enacting my Occupied Territories Bill is a swift and decisive action we could take in Ireland, an action that could perhaps promote the international community to finally hold the Israeli state to account for the human rights violations it is perpetuating against the Palestinian people. I ask that some time be set aside to debate this issue in the Chamber and that the Minister would come into the House to update us on what the Government will do about this in order that we can determine how best we can use our political influence to bring peace and prosperity to all people in the Palestinian territories.
I listened to the contributions of Senators Norris and O'Loughlin and they spoke about Joyce in Irish literature and how international Joyce is. We heard discussions about Zurich, Trieste and Paris. It is worth noting that Joyce was a UCD graduate and that the Museum of Literature Ireland, MoLi, as part of UCD, has programme plans for this year, including an interactive programme that needs to be acknowledged. Part of that international expanse of Joyce and his influence are the links MoLi have developed with the University of Buffalo in New York. In particular, that university has a very strong Joyce collection. One of the strongest advocates of links between Ireland and the United States in celebrating that Joyce collection is New York State Senator Tim Kennedy from Buffalo. We need to look at the extent to which our literature influences and shapes international discussion. I would join everybody else in saying that this is a great day to be able to celebrate the centenary of Ulysses.
I also wish to raise the issue of Garda numbers. I tried to raise the issue by way of a Commencement matter but was advised that as it is an operational matter, it was not possible to do so. According to figures for the end of last year, in the Wexford-Wicklow Garda division currently there are 333 gardaí based in Wexford and 306 based in Wicklow. Traditionally, and historically, those have always been low numbers. Taking account of comparable counties in terms of size, Tipperary has 398 gardaí, Waterford has 372 and Kerry has 351.
Along with the fact that there are fewer gardaí in Wexford, there is also the challenge of the expansion of Rosslare Europort. Rosslare has had a good Brexit but that places additional resource pressures on the Garda and customs. That comes from the existing Garda base and it is something about which the chief superintendent has asked. I also ask that the Leader raises with the Minister for Justice the concern regarding the low numbers of gardaí in counties Wicklow and Wexford, and particularly the fact that the increased numbers must be diverted to Rosslare.
Bhí ócáid speisialta againn i Ros an Mhíl inné nuair d’fhógair an tAire Talmhaíochta, Bia agus Mara, an Teachta McConalogue, €25 milliún chun calafort domhainfharraige a thógáil i Ros an Mhíl. Is dea-scéal é do Ros an Mhíl, don Ghaeltacht, do Chonamara agus do Chontae na Gaillimhe uile. Molaim an obair atá déanta le tamall fada ag an gcoiste áitiúil, Coiste Tacaíochta Chalafort Ros an Mhíl. Tá sé ag obair níos mó ná 20 bliain ar an togra seo. Is obair dheonach atá i gceist agus molaim an obair atá déanta aige.
Is rud fíorthábhachtach é don cheantar mar go gcruthaíonn sé a lán deiseanna dó ó thaobh fostaíochta agus araile. Tá deiseanna anseo ó thaobh fuinnimh in-athnuaite de agus an tábhacht a bhaineann leis na feirmeacha gaoithe ar chósta iarthar na tíre. Beidh seans ann go mbeidh áiseanna speisialta i Ros an Mhíl ó thaobh fuinnimh in-athnuaite de.
Tréaslaím do gach uile dhuine a bhí páirteach sa togra seo ar feadh na mblianta agus don Rialtas a thug an tacaíocht don togra seo. Tá deiseanna ann ó thaobh na tuarascála de a d’fhoilsigh Údarás na Gaeltachta. Tá deis ann go mbeidh 900 post á gcruthú mar gheall ar an bhfógra seo.
I acknowledge the announcement made yesterday by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Charlie McConalogue, that there will be a new deepwater harbour in Rossaveal. I wish to note that Rossaveal is an equal distance between Killybegs and Castletownbere and the new harbour will be a resource of great importance. It can be a hub for the wind energy industry in operations and maintenance assembly. The announcement is a great news story for Rossaveal and the Gaeltacht. I acknowledge the work that has gone in over a long number of years to bring this project to fruition. The project is another reason the Galway City ring road is crucially important, as is the upgrade of the R336 road, because this is going to be vital in the operation of the Rossaveal facility.
I want to raise the issue of unmasking schoolchildren. When the National Public Health Emergency Team, NPHET, decided that primary school children should be masked back at the start of December, the National Parents Council was flooded with calls from concerned parents. They did not feel they had been given enough information to understand why their children now needed to wear masks, when all through the pandemic mask wearing had not been required. Perhaps since then that information has been given but certainly since then that information has changed.
It has been over a week since restrictions have been lifted and it has been so good to see so many people around the country. However, children as young as eight years are being told to keep their masks on for hours on end during the school day, even as we adults are out enjoying meals and spending time in pubs. I think that it is wrong. When the whole population was unvaccinated and hospitals were bursting at the seams, parents were told that it was inappropriate for under-13-year-olds to wear face masks. Now that we are where we are but out of it, we still subject children to stricter restrictions than adults.
Dr. Jeanne Noble directs the Covid response for the University of California, San Francisco emergency department. She is part of a group of physicians and scientists who have announced a national campaign in the US to restore normalcy to children's lives by putting them first in line for the lifting of mask wearing mandates and other restrictions once the Omicron surge passes. I know that the mask mandate is due to be reviewed at the end of February but I strongly believe that we should do this before that date. We can bring a smile back to our children's faces. They also need a plan for exiting the pandemic and we should allow them to get back to normal life.
I rise with much sadness after hearing of the death of Noel Treacy from east Galway and maybe it has already been mentioned. He was an extraordinary successful politician. Mr. Treacy was first elected in a by-election in 1982 and he retired in 2011. Recently he fought a battle with illness and when I spoke to him four weeks ago he was in great form. He served in a number of junior ministries and was a very active politician. He was one of the best politicians that ever came into Leinster House. I know that he would have engaged with this House on many occasions, particularly in his role as a junior Minister. I want to remember his wife, children, grandchildren and his extended family this morning.
To conclude, yesterday's clarification regarding the leaving certificate was a good day for students. I listened to some of the second-level student representatives last night and they seem to be quite happy now that we have had clarification and they can move ahead. Some very important changes will result from the decision made by the Department and the Government that will help students through what will be a different type of leaving certificate in more difficult times. However, this matter again raises an issue, on which the Leader will have strong opinions as well, which is that we need to have a major conversation about the effects the Covid epidemic has had on young people.
I recall that the other evening I left my son and his nephew to a disco, which was the first time in almost two years that they had been at the disco. When I collected them at 2.15 a.m. I asked them how the night went and they just said okay. I said to them that they did not seem to be in great form, to which they replied they were not because they knew hardly any of the people. They said that a new generation of young people were at the disco and nearly all of their friends had gone. It was then that I was struck by the fact that young people have suffered and yet they have been great. I ask the Leader to arrange a debate and bring in some of the youth groups. A debate would afford us an opportunity to listen to their representatives, discuss how we can move forward to re-engage with youth and, maybe, in some way compensate them for the loss of two valuable years.
I join with the Senator in extending my sympathies, and I am sure the sympathies of all Members of this House, to the family of Noel Treacy. He was a gentleman to his fingertips and always had a great word for everyone. He knew everybody's name, which is a great gift. As I know very well, he had a huge amount of filing cabinets apparently; he had a file on every issue. He worked diligently on behalf of his community and on behalf of this Oireachtas. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.
I would like to be associated with the vote of sympathy for the late Member of Dáil Éireann. Noel Treacy was an excellent contributor in this House as well and attended here on a regular basis. He was always very cheerful. I wish to extend my sympathy to his wife and family.
I wish to raise an issue with the Leader, namely, the recent huge increase in ESB bills and the ever-present public service charge that still features on every single bill issued. The public service charge was brought in to extend the service to remote and rural areas. There are not that many remote or rural areas nowadays because, as the population has dramatically increased over the last 50 years, the service has been provided to nearly single corner of the country. Anybody who seeks an ESB connection must now pay a hefty price to the ESB, yet the public service charge is still being paid.
I would ask that the public service charge be examined. I suggest that it could be used to pay a loan to the householder or householders to install solar panels or do something of that nature on their premises. I ask that the Leader invites the Minister responsible for energy to come into this House to debate these issues. We must ensure that the public service charge is not just added to the bill but that it pays for something or is used to pay a loan to retrofit houses by installing solar panels or some energy-saving mechanism.
It seems to me that the public service charge is an extra charge that is taken for granted and included in the householder's bill month after month. I ask that we have a debate on it.
I want to begin by supporting every word our colleague, Senator Black, said regarding Palestine, an issue raised by Senator Ó Donnghaile yesterday. I have visited Palestine and seen first-hand the horrors of apartheid. Let me be clear, it is an apartheid state. Many fine Jewish activists also acknowledged that, including organisations like B'Tselem. We know what we need to do, and Senator Black has called it out. When we have a seat at the UN, it would be wonderful if we took action and supported the occupied territories Bill to make concrete moves to support the Palestinians in the way they desperately need.
I welcome the joint committee report on pensions being launched at 12.30 p.m. It is a comprehensive report. It is great to see the report has been delivered on an all-party basis. It makes clear calls regarding keeping the pension age at 66. It gives clear alternatives on how to fund pensions into the future. It would be very useful if we had a debate in the wake of this report so that we could engage on this issue in a way that is helpful.
As part of the committee, I discovered that each year we sign off on €2.4 billion of a subsidy for private pensions and, shockingly, 50% of that amount, or €1.2 billion, benefits just 5% of people utilising those subsidies. The richest 5% of the population takes €1.2 billion each year in taxpayer subsidies. If we are serious about pensions justice, surely we should start with recognising that as fundamentally unfair, standardise reliefs and use the money to support our social welfare system. I call for a debate on the matter.
I want to be associated with the expressions of sympathy to the family of the late Noel Treacy. He was an outstanding politician and very active and successful Minister. He was popular with all sides of the House and a good pal of mine. I was very sorry to hear the news as I came into the Chamber.
I congratulate the Cathaoirleach and Independent Group for arranging for our colleague, Senator Norris, to address us today on a subject about which he has been so erudite and entertaining all his life, namely, Ulysses and James Joyce. It is a privilege to listen to him. In fact, it has been a privilege to have been his colleague for the past 15 years.
Is it possible to arrange for the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, my colleague and county woman, to come before the House and update us on her recent announcement regarding leaving certificate 2022? I commend the Minister on having the courage to make a very clear decision, and the right decision. The leaving certificate is a standard in education, examination and evaluation that is second to none in Europe. It is important we protect it and its integrity. Due to the Covid situation, the Minister had to reinvent the wheel for last year's leaving certificate students. Despite all of the shouting and roaring, she succeeded in getting the balance right and succeeded in getting the balance right again this year. Obviously, evaluation could not continue on the same basis because there were no junior certificate results on which to base an evaluation. She ensured there would be a wider choice of questions and fewer questions to answer. She has also pledged to upgrade the overall results if that proves to be necessary. At the same time, she has secured and underwritten the integrity of our leaving certificate process. That is most important. I taught leaving certificate English for many years and was also an examiner of leaving certificate scripts for many years. I know what I am talking about when I say that one of the few things in this country which is fair and equitable and has stood the test of time is our leaving certificate. The Minister must be commended on what she had said.
I do not intend to have cross words with any of my colleagues, but I take a totally different view to Senators Black and Gavan on the attack by Amnesty International on Israel. It was a completely uncalled for and unbalanced statement. It brings into question what Amnesty is all about, what its underlying philosophy is and to whom it is answerable. I look forward to further debate on the core question of Israel and Palestine. It amazes me, given this is the one country in the Middle East where there is democracy, women are treated with respect, there is social justice, people have freedom of speech and there is a social platform that many countries would envy, and that we in this Chamber and country attack that particular country in light of all of the transgressions and outrages we see in Russia, China, Cuba, Korea and elsewhere. We need to have a serious debate on this issue and address it in a whole new way.
For different reasons to Senator Gavan, I too call for us to have a debate on the recent Pensions Commission report. There has been a process and we now have a report. I look forward to reading and dissecting the report from the joint committee so that we can have a debate that involves both reports, which would be beneficial. The concerns I am hearing in my office relate to a proposal in the report of the Pensions Commission to impose PRSI on occupational pensions. A concern that is being raised in letters, phone calls and by people I meet in communities is that there were no pensioner representatives on the Pensions Commission, yet decisions or suggestions were being made regarding pensions. Where was their voice?
The report uses terms like "gesture of intergenerational support" and "social solidarity", and states that the commission considers that everybody, including existing pensioners, ought to contribute by paying more PRSI on other income they might have. People who are occupational pensioners, in particular those in receipt of a State or semi-State pension, did not have an opportunity to pay into a scheme over the years. It is as it is presented to them. As a consequence, their pensions have been frozen for a number of years, albeit for all the right reasons during a time of crisis in our country. They already pay PAYE and contribute. It seems a little unfair. I would like an exploration and understanding of that and have the opportunity to discuss the report in the House.
There is sadness across Galway today, which has been mentioned by a couple of Members. I ask the Leader to arrange an expression of sympathy for the late Noel Treacy. I will provide some context and background. Noel was a political giant in Galway and was successful in every general election. He ran in eight in total, which is a reflection of his appetite for hard work and the esteem in which he was held by his constituents. He first won a by-election to Dáil Éireann in 1982, one of only two in the past 40 years that the Government succeeded in winning. He was an able and capable Minister of State across a number of Departments. More importantly, I knew him as a kind and genuine person. He was interested in people and put people first. You had his undivided attention and he made a significant impact in this House and across his political life. He held a deep and passionate interest in the GAA, especially his club, Pádraig Pearses, and went on to serve for five years as chairman of Galway GAA.
He was utterly dedicated to people and communities. On a personal level, when I entered politics in 2009 he was a fantastic support to me. I remember his passion and his very helpful advice. He was an orator. As outlined by Senators O'Sullivan and Murphy, I always got from Noel that his family came first. There was nothing more important than his family. He was a real Galwegian and a great educator. I send my sincere sympathies to his wife, Mary, his four children, Joan, Emer, Lisa and Rory, and the extended family. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.
I thank the Senator for that tribute to former Deputy, Noel Treacy.
Anyone in this House who has not heard of Ronnie Fay is not on the right side of justice or politics. Ronnie worked in the Traveller movement for better positive social change for our community and with our community. She was the director of Pavee Point for more than 35 years. Ronnie was a true ally of the Traveller community. This morning, I am thinking of Philip, her children and her extended family and, of course, all at Pavee Point. Ronnie will be greatly missed by the Traveller movement. As Martin Collins said, Ronnie left a great legacy and the fight has to go on for equality for the Traveller community.
I call for a debate on the report by Amnesty International. Senator O'Sullivan questioned the goodness of Amnesty. For me, as an activist involved with civil society for the past 15 years, Amnesty is an organisation that stands for freedom, justice and equality. Unfortunately, we as politicians, or the society in which we live, may not like the truth. However, I believe in the report Amnesty has launched and I think there is a need for greater debate on it.
Yesterday was World Hijab Day. I wish to celebrate my Muslim sisters all over the world. I know it was St. Brigid's Day yesterday; we heard a great deal about it in here. Today I want to celebrate the hijab. It should be a national celebration within Irish society.
I wish to be associated with the remarks of colleagues on the sad passing of former Deputy, Noel Treacy. Prior to entering politics, Noel was an auctioneer and sold many of sheep. My father and uncle were two of his better customers, so I knew him for a long time outside politics. The Cathaoirleach rightly said, among Noel's many gifts and talents, his ability to remember faces and names was unbelievable. I was introduced to him by my father on one occasion in what was a very brief encounter. When I met him several years later, without any prompting he greeted me as "Young Daly". I do not have to explain that it was not today or yesterday that he made that comment. It was an unbelievable gift he had, along with many others. Go ndéana Dia trócaire ar a anam uasal.
I wish to raise a pressing matter relating to the Waste Management Act (Prohibition of Waste by Burning) Regulations 2009. Under these regulations, household or industrial waste may not be disposed of by burning. However, there was, and is, an exemption to allow farmers to burn bushes. Unfortunately, this exemption was allowed to expire on 1 January and this is causing significant concern among the agricultural community. Farmers are only allowed burn during the season in which they are allowed to cut, that is, from 1 September to 28 February. Due to the nature of the dampness of and sap in bushes, many farmers cut early in the season and then stockpile the cuttings, let them dry out and then burn them before the season expires on 28 February. They do so under licence from the environmental section of their local council and in compliance with a condition under which they have to inform the local fire brigade. However, nobody was informed this exemption was being allowed to expire. It has come as a shock to environmental sections within county councils across the country, which now find themselves unable to issue the said licences. There are stockpiles of bushes all over the country that cannot be disposed of in any other fashion. This is vital. I have contacted the Taoiseach and the Ministers for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Environment, Climate and Communications but I think we need to put the weight of the House behind the request. It is a narrow window. The season will expire on 28 February anyway but, as of now, councils are at a loss as to what they can or should do. They cannot even inform farmers of any alternatives. Those who have stockpiled have no alternative. I would greatly appreciate the House getting behind the push to get the exemption reinstated in light of the urgency of the matter. The exemption will expire on 28 February anyway with the end of the cutting season.
I wish to raise the same issue as Senator Daly in respect of the 2009 waste management regulations. There are farmers in County Tipperary who got letters from the county council, as they do every year, to say they were exempt in the context of controlled burning on their farms. They were then sent letters stating that, unknown to them and certainly unknown to us as public representatives and the council, as a result of a directive from the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, the extension in respect of burning until 28 February would not happen. This happened without consultation or any information whatsoever being provided to councils, public representatives or farmers. If the Department and the Minister want the farming community to support his measures to reach our carbon targets and the role agriculture plays in that, doing something like this does not help. It creates division between the agricultural sector and the Minister. The least he could do is to inform us this might happen so that we could communicate with farmers when it is happening and why. There has to be some sort of understanding in respect of farmers. These are farmers who were seeking permission to carry out controlled burning. We know there are many people who carry out burning without looking for any exemption. These are farmers who are looking to do things right and correctly. I call on the Leader to contact or write to the Minister, Deputy Ryan, on this issue. There are several issues on which he has taken action in recent months as Minister for Transport, or as Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, without any consultation whatsoever. The very least we should expect in this House as public representatives is to be informed and given clarity. I ask the Leader to do that.
I concur with my colleagues, Senators Ahearn and Paul Daly, on the issue of green waste. It is quite bizarre that in this day and age we were given an indication that this exemption would be extended but, unfortunately, it has not been. Time is ticking. There are only a few weeks to get this sorted. I appeal to the Leader to engage directly to try to get movement on this issue.
One of the big issues I have encountered in recent weeks is that of digital hubs. The digital hubs network is very important infrastructure that has been put in place, particularly in recent months and years. National policy has been to push the proposal of having people working from home or from spaces in clusters. Digital hubs are a very important part of that. For it to work, everyone must play their part. We now have a bizarre scenario where local authorities are levying rates on digital hubs, which is making them nearly unaffordable. Exceptional pressure is being placed on the digital hubs and making it difficult for them to survive. We often hear about a whole-of-government approach on issues. That is what is required here. This needs a whole-of-government approach such that everybody can work together to ensure we have sustainable rural hubs and digital hubs that will be effective for communities. Unfortunately, if rates are going to be imposed on the hubs, that will make them unaffordable and we will not have the successful digital hubs we need. We need everyone to work together, including in local authorities, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Department led by Deputy Humphreys that provides such valuable money for these digital hubs.
If all three could work together, we can solve this issue. If not, the rates that will be put on these units will effectively mean that in time they will close, and they will be unaffordable for the person who really needs them. It is important particularly these days, when we are moving to a new platform of working, and remote working is a very important part of that.
I wish to raise just one issue, which is on the Irish Thalidomide Association. I raised this issue twice in January. One of the most important functions and powers we have as Senators is to shine a light in a dark place. I have said this very often, and I use this analogy because I believe it to be true. The association has been in touch with me, and in touch with all Oireachtas Members. I have seen the correspondence flowing backwards and forwards. Some Members have responded and some have chosen not to do so, which is their call. I appeal not only to the Leader today, I also wish to appeal to every Member of these Houses of the Oireachtas. Most parties have parliamentary party meetings on Wednesday evenings. I call on Members to ask genuinely and highlight the plight of these people. It is nearly 60 years ago. Ireland is one of the last jurisdictions in the world where litigation around the damage done by the morning sickness drug is still ongoing against Grünenthal. It is very sad. I spoke with a woman recently who said that all her life she wanted the wrong that had happened to her to be recognised. She did not really want redress but she wanted some explanation for her family. She said that she had always struggled to get a job and among all of the people in her community, there was enormous bias against the "little person" as she described herself, and people had said they would not have work suitable for her. How does this make one feel? Many of the people who were affected have struggled to have relationships too. I have had long conversations with many of these people; but there are not too many of them there. We all want to be loved, we all want to be respected and we all want to be valued. These are innate requirements for us all, whatever our choices and whatever our options. These people are crying out for support. We are the Oireachtas and we are the Parliament. Their simple request today is to meet the Minister for Health. He has agreed but today I contacted them and still there was no proper date or appointment for a meeting with the representative body. I ask colleagues to please use their power and their voice to undertake to raise this issue at their parliamentary party meetings this evening in order that we can have a meeting with the association and the Minister, and chart a course with them as they wish to proceed, and put this behind us. While many of these people were not lucky to have the opportunity to have a family, some do have families, and they all need our support. Let us stand in solidarity with these people and their association.
In July 2020, the board of Waterford Airport made an application to lengthen the runway by 491 m at the northern end, and 363 m to the southern end, and to widen it from 30 m to 45 m, which would facilitate the landing of Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 aircraft. It is an essential component to the future development of the airport. The Government also decided at Cabinet to support this with €5 million in capital support from the State, to be matched by €5 million in private investment and €2 million from the local authorities. As I said, that application was made in July 2020. A decision was due to be issued by An Bord Pleanála in February 2021. We are now in February 2022 and a decision has not yet been issued by An Bord Pleanála. It is wholly unacceptable that such critical and strategic infrastructure would be held up in An Bord Pleanála for such a lengthy period. I am slow to criticise the board, and I appreciate that it has been inundated with applications, particularly for strategic housing developments that it has had to prioritise. This is critical infrastructure and I ask that a decision be made urgently by An Bord Pleanála to allow the airport board progress with investment plans it has for the airport. You cannot consider locking down and finalising investment proposals with a private investment if you do not have certainty in planning.
I am sure that all Members will join me in condemning the vile racist abuse experienced recently by cast and crew of The Lion King when they were going home to their accommodation after performing a fantastic production at the Bord Gáis Energy theatre. It is absolutely unacceptable in this day and age that people who bring so much joy with their performances to individuals and families right across this country, would be subject to such racist abuse. We should all condemn it in the strongest terms possible.
Hear, hear.
Hear, hear.
I join with my colleagues today to pay condolences to family of Mr. Noel Treacy from Gurteen, Ballinasloe. It is a really sad loss. He was a proud student at Garbally College in our town. He was an auctioneer and a public servant for his community and this country through the 1980s and 1990s for Galway East. He was also an advocate for the west. He never forgot where he came from. Locally in Ballinasloe there is a great deal of recognition for Mr. Noel Treacy's achievements. As our local Ballinasloe Life magazine has said, he was a very gregarious, affable and generous east Galway man who never turned away a constituent or an organisation.
The leaving certificate examination is a very difficult time for students. It is very important that measures have been put in place by the Department of Education to offer extra questions and to reduce the amount of time. This is crucial to ensuring that our students will be prepared for life after college. I note that in the CAO form now there is, thanks to the Minister, Deputy Harris, all the further and higher education options and all the apprenticeship posts, and under the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, more than 6,000 places were provided in the past two years to increase the numbers of places at third level institutions. I am aware that the Minister, Deputy Harris, will be doing his utmost to ensure that higher education institutes will be able to provide more places also.
Yesterday morning the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney, was on RTÉ with regard to the famous champagne-gate. The Minister made the point that the report, which many of us do not accept, now concluded the matter. There was some reference to the fine, or the request, to the then Secretary General of the Department to make a contribution of €2,000. This was supposed to be it, that it was all over and done with and we will move on, thank you very much. The Secretary General moved from his position to one of the most luxurious ambassadorial posts this country has. He moved with his salary of €213,000 per year, which is about one and a half times or twice the salary paid to any other ambassador. The Minister spoke about reputational damage and that the former Secretary General would have to live with reputational damage. But I do not believe it will do him any harm where he is. I also do not believe that he will be too worried about the €2,000 he has to pay. There was a strong case made to put this behind us and to move on but it is not that easy. Many families in the State suffered horrendously over the period of Covid. I do not believe it is good enough to say that it is over and done with now. Of those who were there at the time, two have been appointed into ambassadorial roles at a salary much higher than any other ambassador. Six of the people out of the 25 who were there have been promoted. This really does not bode well for this organisation. It suggests that something in what Deputy McGuinness said in the Irish Examiner some weeks ago is actually true: that we are not in charge of the organisation, that somebody else is, which is the permanent government.
I have said it at the committee and I will be saying it again, that Mr. Burgess must come before the Oireachtas joint committee and explain himself, as must Mr. Rogers and Mr. Concannon who were the senior people there on the night. It is not good enough to just wipe it away and to forget about it is not that easy.
Finally, I would like to join in with the remembrance of Mr. Noel Treacy. He was a giant of a man in Galway, not just in the county but also in the city. He was an extremely pleasant man to meet. Even though all of my family were Fine Gael, he was always decent to us when he met us.
Oh no.
And admitting to it.
I thank everyone for their extremely warm tributes to former Deputy, Noel Treacy. As everyone has said, he was a great giant and a great gentleman.
I concur. I acknowledge all the contributions that have been made by those who were clearly Noel's friends. I extend my condolences to Noel's wife, Mary, and all his children and family, and, indeed, the Fianna Fáil colleagues he had and the odd Fine Gael colleague he had. He certainly sounded like a wonderful man. I will organise a service and statements here to honour his service to the State as soon as possible.
Senator Flynn raised this morning the passing away of Ms Ronnie Fay in the past couple of days. She was widely known and highly regarded and respected within the Traveller community because of her human rights campaign, which she championed over 35 years. She was a very proud Skerrieswoman. She taught camogie and mentored the girls' teams for donkey's years. Above all, she was a wonderful, kind-hearted, generous, sweet, sweet lady. I extend my condolences and those of all the Senators to her family and children and the wider community who are mourning her loss today.
Senator Craughwell raised the report that the Minister for Foreign Affairs acknowledged on the radio yesterday. The Taoiseach did make a statement regarding it yesterday, outlining that the Cabinet, in so far as it was concerned, had answered the questions that needed to be answered. I am quite sure, however, that the Oireachtas committee will bring forward the Senator's request. I believe there is a private meeting today and I am sure the Senator will be at it. If other questions need to be answered, I have no doubt that the committee will address them, as is his wish.
Senator Cummins talked about Waterford Airport. I was actually at the Cabinet table the day the then Minister, Mr. Shane Ross, announced the funding. That is not today or yesterday. Therefore, what the Senator is saying really is striking. I am not sure whether we can blame Covid, judicial reviews or the possibility that An Bord Pleanála is under-resourced, but there is certainly something wrong when there are strategic developments such as Waterford Airport and sizeable housing projects of 200 to 1,000 houses being delayed for unknown reasons. I will certainly make inquiries today. I agree with the Senator that what he is calling for is long overdue.
I am really sorry that Senator Boyhan has had to raise again today, very sincerely, his commitment to supporting the Thalidomide Association of Ireland. I assumed a couple of weeks ago, when he came in here really happy that the Minister had acceded to meeting him, that a meeting would happen within days. I will follow up with the Minister's office today. A response referring to a meeting at some unknown point in the future is not really a response, and it is not good enough. I am probably one of the people who did not reply to the email. I have not seen it yet so I apologise. I certainly will make the representations today and revert to the Senator later.
Senators Lombard, Ahearn and Paul Daly all raised the exemption that seemed to have quietly slipped under the radar on 1 January. I will write to the Minister today and ask what the plan is. It certainly needs to be addressed. If the exemption is not going to be reintroduced, something else needs to be done, and done very quickly. I will do that today and revert to the three Senators.
Senator Lombard spoke about our digital hubs and the proposals by our local authorities to impose rates. All I could think about was the fact that it is such an Irish thing for us to get in our own way; it really is. It seems like a ludicrous thing to happen. Again, I will raise the issue with the Minister and revert to the Members later.
Both Senators Seery Kearney and Gavan sought a debate on the pending publication of the social welfare committee's view of the pensions commission's report, in addition to the report it published a couple of months ago. I will organise that as quickly as I can.
Senator Ned O'Sullivan spoke about the announcements on the leaving certificate yesterday, as did Senator Aisling Dolan. I must be very sincere and say I am not sure I completely agree with the Senator's synopsis of what happened yesterday. I suppose we have to see the lighter side of these things. I have a young man at home who will be 18 in a couple of weeks and he will have his first vote in the next election. I have lost it. That is pretty much the feeling in our household at the moment. The sad reality for most young 17- and 18-year-olds, who comprise a sizeable group of 60,000, is that they feel we have not listened to them. They feel that we, as grown-ups, have told them yet again that their voices do not matter, what they think and feel does not matter and what they have gone through in recent years is irrelevant, and that it is more important for us to all get back on track. What is really dispiriting is that, in recent weeks, two teachers' unions that have been vehemently opposed to change and that said the past couple of years did not have any implications for students and their educational experience are now heralding that the changes that have to be made by the Department to the examinations need to take into account the educational interruption of the past two years. It is incredibly disingenuous. That is not to say that the Minister was not between a rock and a hard place. I admire her calm, measured tones. She really did manage it as best she could. I am just not sure that the outcome is the appreciated outcome that the young students wanted. I acknowledge that the Senators have raised the matter this morning. I will try to have a debate on it as quickly as I can.
Several colleagues, including Senators Gavan, Flynn, O'Sullivan and Black, raised the Amnesty International report. I will try to arrange a debate with the Minister as soon as I can on that issue.
Senator Burke raised the public service charge and the increase in our household bills, particularly for electricity and gas. He mentioned connections to grids and how expensive they are. He implied that it all seems to be about money and questioned why the public service charge must be paid when a connection fee is paid. The Senator has raised some very valid points, which I will bring to the attention of the relevant Minister.
Senator Murphy talked about the great need for leaving certificate reform. He also called for a debate on the impact of Covid and young people. I will certainly organise that as quickly as I can.
Senator Keogan asked when we will finally be able to allow our children to see the happy, smiley faces of their friends and teachers. The Chief Medical Officer announced this morning that NPHET would make a recommendation in this regard on 17 February. I realise it is not much sooner than the end of February, as alluded to by the Senator, but at least it is a couple of weeks sooner. By Jove, it cannot come soon enough. I thank the Senator for raising the matter.
Senator Kyne talked about Rossaveal. He has been raising the matter in question for the past several weeks. The development is going to be a game changer. I acknowledge the Minister's announcement yesterday of the deepwater harbour for that part of the world. The region is going to have a bright future owing to the development of wind energy, which will be great.
Senator Moynihan talked about the abortion review. When I see the terms of reference, I believe we will have a short debate here on the review of the legislation that we passed some years ago. We will keep a close eye on the matter and come back to it.
Senator Boylan asked for a debate on biodiversity. She spoke of the crisis regarding what is probably our lack of respect for nature and habitats. I will organise the debate as soon as I can.
Senator Hackett talked about the time of year that it is. It is time for planting. The Senator referred to her organic farming scheme, which is really worthwhile. While €5 million might seem like a small amount, it is only the start. This will be consistent and very much part of our future.
Senator Currie spoke about the neurological nurse shortage. The best thing for us to do is to try to have a debate with the relevant Minister by way of statements. I will arrange that for the next couple of weeks because there is probably not an acute hospital in the country that does not have a shortage of neurological nurses.
Senator O'Loughlin referred to the damage to Caragh Bridge and the impact it is having on County Kildare. She is seeking an assessment of all the bridges in the area. I will certainly ask the relevant Minister to consider that for us.
Today we were very privileged to have our proceedings opened by Senator Norris. Ulysses is one book that I could not read until very recently. Another book has been written to show you how to read it. I know that probably sounds like a somewhat stupid thing but I am probably not the brightest. Ulysses is a difficult book but it is so worthwhile and rewarding. There was a lady on the radio yesterday trying to explain to us how, when you get to a difficult part, you should just leave it and come back to it. The book is one of the most worthwhile, well-respected, world-renowned pieces of literature. There is a whole culture and movement behind it, which is wonderful. It is such a pleasure to listen to Senator Norris, who nearly goes into a different zone or world when he talks about Ulysses, because it is in his genes. It is so lovely to hear him and to have him here this morning. I acknowledge the other Senators' great welcome for him today.