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Seanad Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 31 May 2022

Vol. 285 No. 10

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

I welcome the ambassador to the Chamber and wish him well with the opening of the embassy in December.

The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding the Regulation of Providers of Building Works and Building Control (Amendment) Bill 2022, instruction to committee, to be taken without debate on the conclusion of the Order of Business; No. 2, Regulation of Providers of Building Works and Building Control (Amendment) Bill 2022 - Committee Stage, to be taken at 2.15 p.m. and to adjourn at 4 p.m., if not previously concluded; No. 3, Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022 - Committee Stage, to be taken at 4 p.m. and to adjourn at 5.30 p.m., if not previously concluded; and No. 4, Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022 - Committee Stage (resumed), to be taken at 6 p.m. and to adjourn at 9 p.m., if not previously concluded.

I welcome the ambassador to the Chamber and wish him well on the reopening of the embassy.

We saw the images from Dublin Airport over the weekend. My sister and her partner were going home to the UK yesterday and were extremely worried about what faced them. They left at around 7 o'clock. Thankfully, yesterday was not as bad but the images on Sunday put the frighteners on them and on hundreds and thousands of people who took fright and left a couple of hours earlier than planned. This is not good enough for an international airport. We have to look at the image this creates of our country and capital city and at the facilities we have in other airports. We talk about regionally balanced development and all of that. We have three fine international airports on the west coast, namely, Ireland West Airport Knock, Shannon and Cork. They have had difficulties in the past but anybody who has used those facilities knows how handy and quick they are. There is pre-clearance at Shannon as well. There is a wonderful opportunity for people across the country to re-engage with those airports. We do not always have to look to Dublin for international travel. The more people that use the facilities and the more throughput and engagement they have, the more airlines that will provide services from them.

I ask for a debate on the area of air travel and tourism. The potential for the use of Ireland West Airport Knock, Shannon and Cork can be seen now, as well as their importance and the need for them. As the numbers of tourists grow in this country and the population increases, we need to look at all our assets regarding international travel. It would be hugely beneficial to have a fuller debate on this issue.

I acknowledge the ministerial engagement over recent days and weeks on capacity in Dublin Airport but it is not good enough to have people queueing on the street. Thankfully the weather was good but, on the law of averages, we will have a wet day soon and it will be even less pleasant than it is now. I cannot imagine bringing my mother to the airport and expecting her to queue outside for an hour before getting inside to continue queueing. There needs to be a thorough shake-up of the DAA and its actions and inaction regarding Dublin Airport. I look forward to a debate in the near future.

I welcome the ambassador of Sweden on behalf of the Fianna Fáil group. Sweden is a most beautiful country. I have managed to complete the Stockholm marathon twice-----

No boasting now, Senator.

I have also taken part in a unique Swedish political event, Almedalen Week, which takes place every summer and brings all the political parties in Sweden together to try to reach consensus around political issues. Some of the debate in Sweden around foreign policy and human rights is something useful that we could share. In this House, we have talked about how we should work more closely with non-aligned countries who are members of the European Union. I look forward to the reopening of the embassy.

With regard to our partnership in the European Union, I welcome the decision of the EU Council last night to impose further sanctions, particularly a ban on all seaborne oil from Russia. However, I am concerned by the continued approach of Hungary and Viktor Orbán. His actions are facilitating the ongoing war in Ukraine and his relationship with Vladimir Putin should be of serious concern. The EU must be based around values and there has to be responsibility on the part of EU leaders.

When those leaders do not exercise responsibility to defend EU values, we need to take action.

This is blockchain awareness week. Blockchain is a technology that could transform public administration in many ways. For example, an Irish company, AID:Tech, is transforming how we look at the development of overseas development aid and ensuring that it is done in a very efficient way. I call again for a debate about how technology is changing our lives and how we all need to upskill and reskill for those challenges. We are going to see the introduction of a digital euro within a few years. We are going to see blockchain underpinning a lot more of the technologies that we use. It is important that we debate those issues in this House.

Yesterday at Wexford County Council, the Minister of State, Deputy Mary Butler, launched Wexford's second age-friendly strategy. It is a comprehensive strategy to ensure that as we get older, we live in age-friendly communities. Some 22% of our population will be over the age of 65 within the next decade. We have to ensure that our communities are as age-friendly as possible. I pay tribute to the team in Wexford County Council, Ann Marie Laffan, Ger Mackey and also the volunteers led by Kevin Molloy, who brought about the production of this age-friendly strategy. I wish them well in the implementation of the strategy.

Before I call on the next speaker, I welcome to the Gallery Councillor Gilroy from County Meath. He is most welcome and I thank him for being with us in the Chamber today.

I welcome the ambassador on behalf of the Independent non-aligned group and wish him a wonderful day.

Greater love hath no one than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. On this day 23 years ago at 5.30 a.m., the 85th Infantry Battalion came under fire at post 642. Private Billy Kedian was awoken by the sound of mortars going off. In order that the people who were on duty could take care of the urgent work that needed to be done, Kedian ran from place to place waking colleagues to get them to go under cover to protect their lives. In the end, Billy Kedian was subjected to a mortar blast some 6 ft. away from him. As Billy lay dying, Lieutenant Morgan, Sergeant Spellman, Private Carr and Private Clarke went to his aid. Clarke himself was injured. Billy lost his life. The five names I have mentioned of Billy Kedian, Morgan, Spellman, Carr and Clarke have all been cited for military medals for gallantry and damn me to hell but we still have not got medals. We talk here about Jadotville. We talk about the saving of Sergeant Major John "Twenty" O'Connor. We talk about Billy Kedian. Not one bloody medal has been issued.

Every chance there is for a photo opportunity, our Minister and our Taoiseach head off and talk about the great service of our men in the Lebanon. This is not good enough. It goes back to the Congo, as the Cathaoirleach knows. Our men and women leave this country to keep people safe in peacekeeping. Many of them have lost their lives. Many UN peacekeepers, including from the ambassador's country have lost their lives in an effort to bring peace to the world. A lot of people wonder what the hell a medal means and think it is just a bit of tin. It is the only bit of recognition we have for a brave soldier. We give every Chief of Staff a distinguished service medal for doing his job. Not one of the soldiers of Jadotville, 34 of them, received a medal. Not one of the guys who saved "Twenty" O'Connor, four of them, received a medal. Indeed one of them was a Swede who saved "Twenty" O'Connor. Not one of the five I mentioned today has received a medal.

This is not a political matter; this is a matter for the Defence Forces. The Garda Commissioner has taken it upon himself to engage in a period of restorative justice to issue Scott medals for bravery going back decades. It is time that we stopped hiding behind regulations and charades. It is time to start to honour the men and women of our country who have given their lives and those who have risked their lives.

I am asking all Members to ask the Minister and to make contact with the Chief of Staff on this matter. It is a decision for the Chief of Staff, not for anybody else. We must ask him to take action.

There are rules and regulations in this House, so it is probably inappropriate to ask for a minute's silence at the end of the Order of Business, but Billy Kedian, a Mayo man, has been forgotten. If we can have a minute's silence for him, it would mean so much to my former colleagues in Galway. They have assembled for mass this morning. I have been contacted by many of them and I cannot begin to express how distressing I find this situation. I will leave it at that.

We will have a minute of silence as it is important that we acknowledge the sacrifice of our UN peacekeepers. This morning, I discussed with the ambassador the importance of peacekeepers and that there can never be enough peacekeepers in the world. We will have that minute of silence.

As regards the issue of the medals, am I correct in understanding that they were awarded the medals and were supposed to receive them but have not physically received them?

No. My apologies. The citations have been written up but a medals board has not sat.

It may be a subject suitable for a Commencement matter. If the Senator tables a request in that regard, I will pick it to be dealt with tomorrow. I thank him for raising that important matter. We think of Billy Kedian and his family on this occasion of his anniversary.

I warmly welcome the Swedish ambassador on behalf of the Sinn Féin group.

Two years ago, the Seanad passed a Sinn Féin motion relating to Shannon Airport and the need to rebalance air transport in this country. At the end of 2020, the all-party Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport and Communications Networks clearly called on the Government to bring about "the re-establishment of a State Airports Authority, encompassing Dublin, Shannon and Cork airports, to lead the recovery in a balanced way that will benefit [the entire country]". The difficulty with all the chaos we saw at the weekend is that the Government clearly has a responsibility for it. Some 18 months after that all-party recommendation and almost two years after the Sinn Féin motion, there has been absolutely no action from either the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, or the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan. I can categorically state that neither Minister is interested in a regional rebalance and they are not listening.

The evidence for that comes from a Commencement matter tabled this morning. In fairness, my Limerick colleague, Senator Maria Byrne, tabled a Commencement matter in respect of regional balance and the development of air traffic routes. The scripted answer she received does not have one word in respect of the need to rebalance. Having challenged the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, and the Minister, Deputy Ryan, in this Chamber, I know they both have a policy of ignoring the question.

This issue is of importance to the Deputy Leader in the context of Ireland West Airport, Knock, and to colleagues from Cork in the context of Cork Airport. There is a fundamental problem, which is that 90% of aeroplanes that leave this country do so from Dublin Airport. That is why a rapid recovery in airport traffic leads to chaos such as ensued at the weekend. It could have been avoided if these Ministers had taken the time to listen to any member of the transport committee in the past 18 months but, of course, they did not do so. They ignored the questions and now we see the chaos that has ensued. I am asking for a debate on the matter because I think Members on the Government side need to recognise that their Ministers are not listening and are not interested. The evidence for that is clear from the Commencement matter dealt with earlier.

In the few seconds I have left, I raise the fact that last week the Passport Office turned down the passport application of a man with throat cancer.

It turned down the application after a week of lobbying, because it was not satisfied that the letter we produced as evidence that the poor man was extremely sick was recent enough. Having gone back and forth for five days, I cannot begin to tell the Deputy Leader how exasperated I am. There is something fundamentally wrong in the Passport Office. This Government continues to frustrate. Where is the accountability for this? We all know it has been failing. People are hurting. They are not getting their passports and they are not able to travel. I found the experience completely deflating last week because there is a human being at the back of that, as there is for all of us. We all know it is not good enough. I ask for a debate on the matter.

I also welcome the ambassador to the House. I hope he is enjoying the experience.

I wish to point out to the Senator that posters are not supposed to be displayed.

Pretend you did not see it for a minute.

I ask the Senator to speak and then she can take down the poster.

My poster highlights accountability for Traveller mental health. I will put it down now.

I thank the Senator.

I am very grateful that the Taoiseach nominated me because of all the work I have done in the past as an activist, a person on the ground and, most importantly, as somebody from the Traveller community. I will have been in the House two years on 27 June. For the two years I have been here, I have called numerous times for action on Traveller mental health. The National Traveller Mental Health Network has also been calling for action on Traveller mental health. I will have to go through these figures again. I ask the Deputy Leader to bear in mind that they are not just statistics. These are people within our Irish Travelling community. One in 11 deaths in the Travelling community is caused by suicide. It is 7% higher for Traveller men and 6% higher for Traveller women than people in the general population. In the two years I have been here, numerous people within my community have died by suicide.

With regard to the levels of internalised and externalised oppression that come with being a member of the Travelling community, we are treated worse than second-class citizens within Irish society. Over the past two years, I have called on the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, to meet with the National Traveller Mental Health Network. I have also tabled a Commencement matter very recently on it. Unfortunately, I have no straight answers from the Minister of State, Deputy Butler. We are looking for a stand-alone national Traveller mental health strategy to deal with the Traveller mental health crisis in our community.

Every Senator in this House has a role to play in protecting the Travelling community from dying by suicide. The starting point to that is the Government, the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health and the Minister for Health coming together, meeting us half way and doing what they said they would do nearly three years ago, which was to implement a national Traveller mental health strategy. That is nowhere to be seen. I feel I have been a broken record for the past two years. Unfortunately, I will keep carrying one message because that is what I was appointed to do and my community wants me to keep delivering this message.

Will Senators stand with me, collectively, to write a letter to the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, and ask that the Taoiseach replies to the community, as he did the last day? The community, however, was not very fond of the answer it got. I ask that we are replied to in a respectful manner and that we see action after today's protest. If there is any way we can come together to make some kind of action happen for our community, we would very much appreciate it.

I suggest that the Senator submits that matter for a Commencement debate and asks that the Minister be present for the response, if that would be of assistance. I know the Senator is looking for a wider debate but tabling a Commencement matter would be a step, if she wished to do so.

I have been there and it did not work. I suggest another way.

I know the Senator is persistent. I am sure it will knock on the door.

I support the previous speaker's comments on Traveller mental health. There is a very interesting public discourse taking place on Molesworth Street. I have experience of this issue from my time in local government and I fully support it. By the way, I did not see any poster.

I raise with the Leader the leaving and junior certificate examinations because we are now in the exam season. I hope the plans made by the State Examinations Commission, SEC, will bear fruit because regardless of how much of the evaluation process is done in-school, a major part of the examinations will always be a written test to be evaluated by external examiners. In recent years, the problem that has arisen, one which the pandemic covered over, has been a consistent shortage of qualified teachers taking up offers of employment as examination markers or correctors, whatever the term is. It is easy to see why. This is extremely difficult work. I speak from experience. Markers have to put in very long hours at the height of the summer holidays when they should be with their family. In my time the remuneration was appalling but I am glad it has improved significantly, in some cases by 30% or 40%, although it is, of course, taxed.

I am making an appeal today because there is intrinsic value to both schools and teachers in having teachers involved in the marking system. It brings a wisdom and an understanding, which is of huge advantage to the teacher in his or her work and the pupils who will get an extra or inside sense of what it is about. Many students do not give a good account of themselves in written examinations for many reasons. Teachers who have gone through the system and have marked papers can bring back to their schools that extra sense that can give their pupils an edge. I am calling for teachers and schools to take up the challenge. Marking examination papers may not be hugely satisfying financially but it is a very rewarding experience overall.

The situation at Dublin Airport last Sunday was totally unacceptable. Everyone was shocked and horrified that 1,000 people missed their flights from the airport last Sunday. I echo the calls for an immediate recalibration of flights to have them moved from Dublin Airport to Cork Airport and, in particular, Shannon Airport, which has a state-of-the-art security system far ahead of that in place in Dublin Airport and can cope with volume. They can also be moved to Irish West Airport at Knock, where appropriate. We need that immediately. The last thing this country needs is to have this happen again. It is doing serious damage from a product perspective and from the perspective of Ireland being welcoming. People talk. More than 1,000 people have been discommoded and whether they get their money back is not the point. Some of them could not get hotel rooms in Dublin because of the shortage of hotel rooms. This issue needs to be sorted. Dublin Airport Authority need not expect the Minister to go out and solve the queues for it. It is the State agency that has delegated responsibility to resolve this and it needs to do so urgently.

I agree with Senator O’Sullivan's analysis regarding the leaving certificate. One issue with the leaving certificate needs to be addressed urgently, namely, the lack of access to examination papers for people with print disabilities and vision impairments. I welcome Eithne Walsh from Féach, the organisation that represents parents of visually impaired children and young people who are going through school. It is not acceptable that the papers for the leaving certificate are not available in a digital form in order that people can use modern technology to access them. We are an outlier in Europe on this matter.

We need a date for when the leaving certificate results will be issued. At a minimum, we need a date on which a date will be announced.

It is totally unfair.

The Senator is looking for a date to announce the date for the leaving certificate.

I am told it will be the day the leaving certificate starts. It is unfair on the young people, their parents and the third level institutions that are preparing for next year. Let us get the date or at least tell us when we will be told.

I do not think I would recommend that as a Commencement matter.

I am not sure what was funnier, Senator Conway or the Cathaoirleach on Tinder.

No need to bring this House into disrepute.

I am sure no one here wants to hear the word “passport” again, express or otherwise. However, I would like to raise the issue of the Government cost of documents. At a time of a cost-of-living crisis, we should be looking at any and all areas where we can ease a financial burden where people may be experiencing it.

The one fact that stands out when it comes to the cost of Government documents is that they are not discretionary expenditure. When it comes to groceries, people might be able to choose a different brand. When it comes to energy, perhaps a few euros can be shaved off a bill by switching provider. However, there is only place to buy a passport and a driving licence. It is €20 a pop plus €1.50 postage for a birth certificate, marriage certificate or a death certificate. It sounds like a threat of a loan shark: “You get married, pay me. You have a kid, pay me. You die, pay me.” Learning to drive is a real kicker too. The theory test is €45 and the provisional licence is €35. Government-mandated 12 lessons are €545. The driving test is €85 and a driving licence is €55. It is €765 before spending a cent on insurance, petrol or, indeed, the car itself. It is €75 for a passport and €100 if you want the card too, and an extra €5 for postage if you prefer not to do it online.

The bottom line is there are many expenses the Government cannot affect, yet there are also expenses that only the Government can affect. Often, these are the ones that people have no choice but to pay. Perhaps we could look at those prices and see if the Exchequer could allow the people some breathing room when it comes to these mandatory expenses.

I thank Councillor Vincent Jackson for bringing this issue to my attention. I was happy to raise it here today in the Seanad for him.

Senator Kyne called for a debate on regional airports. As the Leader knows, I tabled a Commencement matter about it previously, so I second his call for having a debate sooner rather than later and having the Minister in.

Yesterday was a very sad day. Former councillor and former Member of this House, Mary Jackman of Limerick, passed away. She served two terms in the Seanad. She was the first female cathaoirleach of Limerick County Council back in 1999. Certainly, many people who would have served with her would have known what a live wire she was and how committed and dedicated she was to the people who elected her. I pay sympathy to her husband, Nick, her daughter, Nicola, and her sister, Ursula, as well as the extended Furlong and Jackman families. Certainly, she touched the lives of so many people.

There have been reduced services at University Hospital Limerick, UHL, yet again, in terms of procedures and admissions. It is not just at UHL. It is also in St. John’s and Nenagh. Somebody in the hospital put out a notice apologising to people for the fact their procedures had to be cancelled due to the high numbers on trolleys. I understand there are close to 90 people on trolleys in the hospital at present. I wrote to the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, asking when the independent review will take place and when we will know about it.

I have had no response to date.

It just beggars belief at this stage what is going on at University Hospital Limerick. It is the only hospital in Ireland with such high numbers. There is something wrong there. This affects the safety of staff and patients. People are now afraid to go to the hospital, which is really not acceptable. Will the Deputy Leader check with the Minister's office to see if she can get an answer to our questions? At this stage I just do not know where to go any more for an answer. This is totally unacceptable.

I thank the Senator for remembering former Senator Jackman. We will have expressions of sympathy tomorrow for her. We think of her family at this difficult time and her extraordinary commitment to public service, which should and will be acknowledged by this House. That will happen after tomorrow's Order of Business. I thank the Senator for raising the matter this afternoon.

Today I want to discuss a very important matter, which is traffic safety outside schools and primary schools in particular. I attended a public meeting last night in Bellurgan in County Louth attended by over 40 parents of children attending Bellurgan National School. Some people may say this is too much of a parochial issue to bring up in the Seanad but I do so specifically because after more than ten years, people in the Bellurgan community cannot get a basic necessity like traffic calming measures outside the primary school.

Parents are not allowing their children to walk to school and they must drive their kids there because the building is on a regional road with such a high volume of traffic going past every day. It is the only school on the entire Cooley Peninsula that does not have any form of traffic calming measures outside it. I raise this in the Seanad today because after more than ten years of this matter being raised, we are still in the crux because Louth County Council is refusing to put in anything of real substance that would reduce the speed on the regional road. It has put in traffic measures like signage etc. but we need a physical deterrent in the form of ramps or something like that.

I raise this today because there should be some sort of policy originating from the Department of Education providing guidance to schools and local authorities on the type of traffic calming measures which can be put in place outside schools. It should not be an à la carte option whereby some schools in communities have traffic calming measures while others do not. The important aspect of Bellurgan National School is it has an autism spectrum disorder unit as well, which means there are vulnerable children in the school who may not have spatial awareness or awareness of danger posed to them right outside their front door.

I would really appreciate a debate in this House around traffic safety in particular outside our schools in rural communities like Bellurgan in County Louth. It is a debate that has been overlooked in recent times because there is a different approach in different local authorities. There is also a different approach in different communities or areas. We need a wide-scale approach right across the country for traffic calming measures outside primary schools, and that is a debate I would really welcome with the Minister at some stage.

I will speak briefly in support of Senator Flynn. I attended the Traveller protest outside with many of our colleagues and it is time we stop fobbing off members of the Traveller community with committees and reports. I served on the committee examining key issues affecting the Traveller community in a previous parliamentary term but we must get the party leaders around the table to start delivering for Travellers in this country.

The tourism industry seems to be in chaos between hotel prices and the lack of taxis in this city, along with delays at Dublin Airport and the Passport Office. Many of these matters could have been foreseen by the Government and with foresight and planning could have been avoided. This city in particular does not seem to be functioning properly. There are streams of people walking out of town on foot trying to hail taxis to get home at weekends and in most cases there are empty seats in cabs passing by, which is another ridiculous element.

The report of the night-time economy task force called for the extension of eight new bus routes with 24-hour operation in Dublin. There are currently three routes that function for 24 hours per day in addition to Nitelink. Most people are probably not aware of them.

There is a need for a step change in policy regarding the night-time economy when it comes to transport if we want people to change their habits and view the bus as an option after a night out. In the presentations made to, and submissions received by, the night-time economy task force, the importance of more extensive late-night public transport as an essential support for workers and for patrons was consistently raised. Ultimately, and although we all know this, I am reluctant to say it, I cannot imagine the city is a good place to visit now. It is extremely expensive for visitors and for residents. Equally, in many cases, the reward is dysfunction. It does not represent good value for money. Some elements of the industry, certainly, seem to be on the make. We should rightly ask if the reduced VAT rate of 9% is being passed on to consumers. In many cases, I do not think it is.

I am sure this sentiment has been expressed already, but people were rightly outraged by the scenes we saw occurring in Dublin Airport over the weekend and, indeed, earlier this year. The outrage stems from people having lost out on their holidays and missed flights. These could have been events they had planned for a long time. We must address the staffing issue at Dublin Airport. A terrible attempt has been made to place the blame for these issues over the weekend on staff absences. I saw reports stating there were 17 absences and that this led to the problems experienced in the airport. I do not buy that explanation.

In 2019, approximately 33 million passengers went through Dublin Airport without major incidents or delays. Fast forward to 2022, and the numbers of passengers using the airport are at approximately 95% of the 2019 figures, yet these massive backlogs are being experienced. The DAA, in its wisdom, introduced a redundancy package in 2020 that saw 300 experienced members of the airport security unit leave. It is because of that loss that we are now dealing with these issues. Those being recruited to posts are being taken on at a pay rate of €14.14 an hour, yet they are expected to take on enormous responsibility for the security of the airport. These newly recruited staff are also expected to come in under a variety of contracts. This includes the flexi contract, under which people are expected to come in at different hours and to different parts of the airport.

We must, therefore, ask serious questions of the DAA and, equally, of the Government. It is not good enough for the Government to blame the DAA or pass the buck on to someone else. The Government appointed the members of the authority to effectively run the airport. The DAA has failed to provide an adequate service. To be frank, as we are coming into one of the biggest weekends of travel in the year, it is unclear how these issues are going to be resolved any time soon. We must see better pay for the staff concerned and more comprehensive and better contracts. Ultimately, we must investigate how we lost those experienced officers in 2020 and whether some of them could be brought back into these roles.

While we are all talking about travelling and the situation at Dublin Airport, it is important to say as well that we have a major staffing crisis in the health sector. This is the silent recruitment and staffing crisis. All of us in this Chamber have our stories of people being allocated home support hours and then finding they cannot be fulfilled. As well as that, people are waiting three years and longer for a diagnosis from the new children's disability network teams. I would like, therefore, a debate on the issue of recruitment in the health sector with the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, because this is the hidden crisis. Images of the scenes in Dublin Airport have been on our screens and we have also heard about the problems on the radio and read about them in the newspapers. It is the hidden recruitment crisis in the HSE and the wider health service that I do not believe is getting sufficient attention. We are all engaging with those people who talk to us about this in our own areas and, therefore, I would like the Minister for Health to come to the House to give a detailed explanation of what it is he is doing to address this staff recruitment crisis.

We were at a meeting last night with Galway Rural Development. There were more than 400 people in the Raheen Woods Hotel in Athenry for a meeting to assess the rural social scheme, RSS, and the Tús scheme. Many points were raised, one of which was that it is becoming more difficult and challenging for people to get onto the schemes. This is something that has to be raised. We have been talking about it with the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and with the Department of Social Protection, but we have to look at how these programmes are attractive for people who are unemployed.

We need to look at things like the time it takes for people to become eligible to be on these programmes. It is not enough that there is such a long waiting time before people can go onto these programmes. We heard many examples last night of people who have done these programmes, be they Tús or RSS, who have then gone back to education to do a degree, a certificate or a diploma. These programmes are very good at re-engaging people who may have been out of the workforce for a while, or giving them the confidence to get back in, perhaps take on a new career or do something different.

One of the examples we heard last night was of someone working with the Brothers of Charity, which is a phenomenal charity based in the west, but in particular we have many residential units in Ballinasloe. The person started working there, was doing administrative work but started then to think about developing a social caring role. This person was able to develop a new career out of this.

There are many positive benefits but we need to look at the challenges. There are so many people going back to work and we have a higher percentage and number of people coming back to work than we had pre-Covid-19. We still have people on our live register and we need to look at how to make it attractive for those people to start doing programmes like RSS and Tús. RSS is linked to farm assist and affords farmers an alternative form of income.

I thank all the Members who contributed this afternoon. Senator Kyne kicked off by speaking about the scenes we all witnessed in Dublin Airport, the very significant queues and those who missed their flights. Other Members raised similar issues around the airport, namely, Senators Gavan, Sherlock, Conway and Maria Byrne. I am happy to report that the Leader of the House boarded a plane this morning from Terminal 1 and, in her own tweet, said that she arrived at the airport at 4.20 a.m. and was through to the gate at 5.45 a.m. for her 6.50 a.m. flight. It seems things have improved today and it is good to acknowledge that. I can imagine that, for staff morale, it was difficult to watch one’s workplace receiving such negativity, even though it is understandable that people were annoyed.

It is also worth acknowledging that other international airports such as Heathrow and Schiphol in Amsterdam are experiencing similar problems, so we are not alone in that regard. This is also to acknowledge that we can do a great deal better and it is welcome that Dublin Airport is refunding passengers and acknowledging that it has to compensate people for loss. That does not compensate for the stress involved, particularly if you were there with an elderly person or with young children and were not able to get through to your flight.

Certainly there are questions to be asked, as Senator Sherlock said, around why we are struggling to attract staff. We had two years where, effectively, we had no air travel. The airports completely closed operations to a certain extent, they have to build back up and it has not been that easy. There is a longer lead-in time to vet staff because of the place in which they are working and the additional responsibilities which staff working in that space have to protect that gateway to the country, as referred to by Senator Sherlock.

I also take on board what the other Senators have said, such as Senators Gavan, Conway and Maria Byrne around rebalancing and the fact we have other international airports like Knock, Cork and Shannon that could be doing a great deal more through the scheduling of flights out of those airports to try to rebalance across the regions. There is a commitment from Government to do that and I know that my own local Ireland West Airport Knock is back thriving again and is a very significant resource to the region. Many people use this airport not just for holidays but for getting out to work every week. People fly out and fly back in again. It is important to support the regional airports.

Senator Malcolm Byrne spoke this about twice completing the Stockholm marathon - well done on that. I would not even attempt one, never mind two.

This is hardly matter for the Order of Business, Deputy Leader.

We could discuss Tinder, a Chathaoirligh.

(Interruptions).

I am looking forward to seeing the record of this and reading this later.

Senator Byrne spoke about the very welcome ban by the European Union, which brought the leaders of all of the European countries together to agree this.

Two thirds of imports of Russian oil are being banned. Senator Malcolm Byrne is right that it is shipped oil and not piped oil. We have not gone the full way there yet but this acknowledges that some countries in the EU are more affected than others by this. As always in the EU it is about consensus and bringing everyone along the same pathway. I acknowledge the Senator's comments on Viktor Orbán. Hungary has been disgraceful but there is nothing new on that front. Senator Malcolm Byrne also spoke about blockchain and the significance of this week.

It is blockchain awareness week.

I must learn a bit more about it. He has requested at debate around technology and the digital euro which is coming down the line. It is unlikely we will get a chance to have this debate before recess with the amount of legislation coming through the House. Certainly when we get into the autumn session it would be a good debate to schedule. We will make this request.

I commend Wexford County Council for launching its second age-friendly strategy with the Minister of State, Deputy Butler. It is very welcome to see.

Senator Craughwell spoke very passionately about the five soldiers in the 85th Infantry Battalion who are still waiting for their medals. Private Billy Kedian, Lieutenant Morgan, Sergeant Spellman and Privates Carr and Clarke. I concur with all of the Senator's remarks and I thank him for putting it on the record of the House. We hope to see this matter resolved without further delay.

Senator Paul Gavan spoke about Shannon Airport and rebalancing. I have dealt with this. He also spoke about the Passport Office. Almost every Member of the House has spoken about the passport service in recent times. It is a disaster zone for certain passports, mainly first-time passports for children. I do not know what to say about the man who has throat cancer. It is an appalling story. I hope he gets sorted with the document he is entitled to get.

He missed his holiday. It is done now.

It is not doing people a favour to give them a passport. It is very unfortunate this has happened. All public representatives are trying our best to assist people. The Passport Office has increased its staffing by 50% but it is still not enough. The blockage seems to be where paperwork is involved. It is not digital applications. If people are sending post in any form, for example, for children's first passports, there is a significant blockage. We have requested the Department and the Passport Office to try to improve the service for people. It is taking a very long time. Families and individuals are missing out on holidays. It is not a good service we are giving at the moment.

Senator Flynn spoke very passionately, as she always does, about the Traveller community. She spoke about those who have lost their lives to suicide and the much awaited national Traveller mental health strategy. Many of us walked past the demonstration outside the gates of Leinster House on Kildare Street. I wish them well. It is a very colourful and positive demonstration. I encourage Members to get out. Senator Flynn has rejoined the demonstration. She let me know she would be leaving for it.

Senator O'Sullivan spoke about the leaving certificate and junior certificate exams. He encouraged as many teachers as possible to come on board to assist in marking exams because of the added benefits that they know their students and their capabilities.

Senator Conway spoke about the airports in Dublin, Shannon and Cork and the need to rebalance. Once again he raised the very important issue of moving towards digital leaving certificate papers to facilitate those students who might have additional needs. It seems we are a bit behind the curve on that front. The Senator continues to raise the issue.

Senator Keogan spoke about the cost of documents. She made a valid point that it is quite costly, particularly to get a driver licence. There is a long way to go to get to that point. The Government is looking at cost-of-living measures. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Michael McGrath, spoke at the weekend about the work happening in that Department. All Departments are looking at anywhere a payment or cost is prescribed by the Government to reduce them across the board. This is being looked at. I am sure the Senator is aware the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, has announced that leaving certificate fees for this year are to be waived. The Government is doing everything it can to try to reduce the cost burden on families and individuals.

Senator Maria Byrne spoke about the sad passing of former councillor and Senator, Mary Jackman, from Limerick. She was the first female mayor of Limerick. We send our condolences to the Jackman and Furlong families on the passing of Mary.

As she has often done, Senator Maria Byrne also raised the issue of University Hospital Limerick. I am sorry I do not have any further information. We know there will be an independent review but I cannot answer as to why the hospital appears to be an outlier. There are consistent problems with patients on trolleys and overcrowding. I cannot imagine how difficult it is for staff and patients. There is clearly a very big problem in the hospital because other hospitals have issues but not on the scale we see in Limerick. There is clearly a very specific issue in that hospital.

Senator Warfield spoke in support of the comments on the Traveller community made by Senator Flynn. He spoke about the tourism industry. He also spoke about the difficulty in getting taxis in the city, which is something that I can attest to. I think that we all have had trouble getting a taxi in the last while. There seem to be no taxis at certain times of the day and night. Taxi drivers do not seem to use apps or perhaps turned off their link to apps because it seems to be easier to hail a taxi and pay by cash. Recently I heard a conversation on radio with a journalist on the difficulties in getting taxis and her name escapes me. I know that she is an Australian woman who works as a fact checker for The Journal. She made a point about women's safety in that if a woman cannot get a taxi home then she will think twice about going out at night because getting home is a real problem. We definitely need to look at this issue. Again, because of the last couple of years where there was a very limited night-time economy a lot of taxi people may have left the service. In addition, the country is only really open since February, even though it feels like we have been open for a lot longer, and we are still building back up these services.

I acknowledge that the cost of hotels is extortionate in the capital city. I urge hoteliers to reflect on the prices they charge people because not only will they put people off travelling from somewhere in the country to the capital and deter tourists from coming here but people will remember the extortionate prices charged by some but not all hoteliers, in particular in the capital city.

I understand that the industry has experienced a difficult couple of years but hotels and many other hospitality businesses were heavily subsidised by the Government with direct payments to staff, which kept open the doors of these businesses. There must be a two-way street and people must acknowledge that significant supports were provided during these difficult years.

A sum of €7.8 billion.

That is a huge amount of money. Most people in the industry would acknowledge how good that funding was and it is the reason they could keep staff on the payroll and open their doors as quickly as they could. However, that is not reflected in some of the prices that some establishments are charging.

Senator Sherlock spoke about Dublin Airport and staff shortages in the HSE. The latter is an ongoing problem. We have found it very difficult to recruit staff at all levels of the health service and recruitment takes an inordinate amount of time. Many posts have been provided for by the Government and there is funding to pay staff yet we struggle to entice staff to work in the health service. Clearly, the problem is not just due to salaries and we must work on conditions such as long hours. Recently junior doctors have spoken out about their difficulties in working 24 and 36 hours straight without a break. Therefore, we must do a lot of work on the conditions of work but the solution is like a chicken and egg scenario. One must recruit staff to make conditions better for all staff and provide more cover yet without recruiting staff it is very hard to address that issue.

Senator Dolan spoke about the rural social scheme and Tús schemes. These are hugely important schemes for towns and villages across the country. I agree with her that we should make it much easier to get people into those schemes because a limit has been placed on when one can join and how long one can remain on the schemes. We can address these issues because many people would love to work on these schemes and they are valuable to local communities. Numerous little jobs around towns and villages would never get done only for these schemes. The Senator is right that these schemes can be a really good way of re-activating people and getting them back into the workplace or education. These schemes are a good way to get people back out and about, which should be our priority. The Government is working hard on getting people back into work. Again, we are close to full employment. There will always be an element of people on the live register for other reasons because they are unable to work, which is completely understandable. For anyone who can and would like to get back into the workplace or education these schemes could be one of the avenues to do so.

Order of Business agreed to.
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