The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding the arrangements for the sitting of the House on Thursday, 8 December 2022, to be taken without debate on the conclusion of the Order of Business; No. 2, motion regarding the arrangements for the ceremonial sitting on Monday, 12 December to commemorate the centenary of the first sitting Seanad Éireann and the arrangement for the sittings of the House on Tuesday and Wednesday, 13 and 14 December, to be taken without debate on the conclusion of No. 1; No. 3, motion regarding the proposed approval by Seanad Éireann of the Sustainable Energy Act 2002 (section 8(2)) (Conferral of Additional Functions — Energy Efficiency) Order 2022, back from committee, to be taken without debate on the conclusion of No. 2; No. 4, motion regarding the terms of reference of the Seanad Select Committee on Scrutiny of Draft EU-related Statutory Instruments, to be taken without debate on the conclusion of No. 3; expressions of sympathy on the death of former Senator Terry Brennan shall be taken at 12.45 p.m.; No. 5, Finance Bill 2022 - Committee Stage, to be taken at 2.30 p.m., and the proceedings thereon shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion by 6 p.m. by the putting of one question from the Chair which shall, in relation to recommendations, include only those set down or accepted by Government; No. 6, Social Welfare Bill 2022 – Second Stage, to be taken at 6.15 p.m. and to conclude at 8 p.m. if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, the contributions of group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes, those of all other Senators not to exceed four minutes, and the Minister to be given not less than ten minutes to reply to the debate; and No. 127, motion 6, Private Members’ business, motion regarding childcare, to be taken at 8 p.m. or on the conclusion of No. 6, whichever is the later, with the time allocated to this debate not to exceed two hours.
An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
I support the Order of Business as outlined by the Deputy Leader. I am glad to see that the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill has progressed significantly. I welcome a particular aspect in it, where the Minister said that the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, BAI, should be given €2.5 million to support services provided by independent radio stations. Local independent radio stations are very important in terms of the work that they do for the community. The BAI also has to issue a report within three months in relation to the challenges faced by these radio stations. The local radio stations do a lot of important work, but particularly in the area of public service broadcasting, news, current affairs and covering local politics. Speaking on my own local radio, Kfm, it is an invaluable service and brings so many issues right into the heart of so many homes. However, it would appear that this public service broadcasting, news and current affairs is possibly precluded from the €2.5 million funding. I want to make a call today that funding should absolutely go to the core of what local independent radio stations do. I would appreciate it if that were brought to the Minister.
I also wish to raise the area of community neurorehabilitation. It is a vital support for people living with neurological conditions, helping to support recovery and, indeed, prevent disability. However, only 15% of people have access to the community teams. A commitment had been made that a team would be delivered for every community healthcare organisation, CHO, area. I understand only two out of the nine have been delivered. My own area, CHO 7, does not have access to such a team. I appreciate that the premises – the location – has been found, and that will be in Peamount. I understand recruitment will happen soon. This is just so important, especially for people living with acquired conditions such as stroke and brain injury. Having these things enables people to come home and be able to recuperate in their own home. I would ask that this be made an absolute priority for CHO 7.
I have also made a call in the House and at the education committee for trainee educational psychologists. I am pleased that, yesterday, the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, approved a bursary scheme to support trainee educational psychologists currently in their third year of professional training. By accepting bursary awards, which will be around €30,000 each, a bursary recipient will have to agree to apply for the next National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, recruitment competition and accept a position for at least three years. That is only right and it is important. It is something we need to acknowledge.
I am glad to see a new timetable coming into operation. From this Sunday, there will be 12 new commuter routes from Newbridge into Dublin. It is very important. I am looking forward, of course, to having the short hop zone extended and having that decision made. Having 12 new services is very important also.
I call upon the Government to provide greater resources to the Garda to stop the illegal catalytic converters and scrap metal trade. Technology advances, along with the uptake of crime in this area, means our current approach is no longer fit for purpose. Catalytic converters are valuable because the precious metals they are made of, such as rhodium, platinum and palladium, have increased in value in recent years. During certain periods, some of these metals can have a higher value than gold. Apart from the risk of funding criminals, the illegal dismantling of vehicles, in particular, end-of-life vehicles, can cause serious environmental damage. Earlier this year in February, an investigation by Fingal County Council resulted in four individuals pleading guilty to the illegal transportation of catalytic converters. The council said it hoped the guilty parties’ sentence would serve a strong deterrent. County councils’ waste enforcement sections are looking to improve traceability within the waste metal sector and are looking to strengthen compliance in metal recycling facilities. However, they need more assistance. In Kilkenny, there have been a few reports of catalytic converter thefts from cars within November alone. I know it is something that is very prevalent within my own county as well. A Garda source told The Irish Times that the theft of catalytic converters from cars has gone mad.
Many makes of cars are targets but some, including early models of the Toyota Prius and the Toyota Yaris, as well as Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans, are more favoured for their higher-quality metals. Most of these thefts take place around the Dublin commuter areas.
Several years ago the United Kingdom put in place strict regulations on the scrap metal trade. In England and Wales it is illegal for anyone to buy scrap metal using cash. Instead dealers can pay using a crossed cheque, a prepaid card system or an electronic transfer of funds. Scrap metal dealers must also verify the identity of all sellers. Could Ireland look at what is being done in other EU countries in order that we can clampdown on illegal trade? In recent years more transactions have been made in cryptocurrency and the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau is also already struggling to deal with its caseloads. The way the cryptocurrencies are stored and used has caused greater difficulties for it. I will conclude by asking whether the Government is prepared to increase funding to the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau, the special criminal task force and other branches of An Garda Síochána, to deal with this issue. Will the Government help waste management sections in city and county councils to improve their waste traceability standards and is the Government prepared to collaborate with politicians in Northern Ireland to devise an all-Ireland approach to this? I am aware that many illegal sales of catalytic converters take place between the North and South, particularly in the Border counties of Meath, Cavan and Louth. That is a serious issue which needs to be looked at.
I will talk briefly about two different things. I am not aware if Members saw in the news that a Dublin play therapy programme will be extended in the Ballymun area. This is to help children to deal with the impacts of homelessness. It is very important that this is happening and that it is for children who are struggling at school due to their situation. I will give some context here as to how it works. The students are identified, communication is made with the child’s parents and a play therapist is then brought in to help that student.
This is a very damning insight as to where we are as a country that we have to bring play therapists into schools to help children process the negative emotions and impact which being homeless is having on such children. While I applaud that this programme is being brought in; where are we at to have arrived at the situation where children are struggling at school or reverting into themselves or acting out? One of the teachers described how the children are becoming emotionally numb or there is a sense of emptiness, almost like a paralysis, where children are hunched over, with slow movements and eyes cast downwards and where they are very much struggling. That is really awful and I am not even sure where I want to go with this contribution or whether I even want to call for a debate on homelessness, as I do not know what we have to do. It is important, however, to put on record the impact homelessness is having. This is particularly the case in Ballymun, the area in which I am based, where 250 children have been identified who are being directly or indirectly affected by homelessness and where 300 children have been identified as needing play therapy. That is a very poor insight into the state of play we have in Ireland. As I have said, I am unsure exactly what it is or what I am calling for but it is important for me to put this on the record.
Briefly, my second issue, which I will mention briefly, is, of course, my favourite student nurses and midwives issue. The McHugh report, which was accepted by the Minister for Health last year, was supposed to be in place by September. It is now mid-December, it has not been implemented and those student nurses have been without the supports which were promised to them. We have had many debates, discussions, motions and legislation in both Houses discussing student nurses and midwives and the support which should be made available to them and I cannot understand how, when we have a Minister for Health who has agreed and accepted the recommendations from the McHugh report and has promised that they would be in place by September, that they are not there. We wonder then about the figures which are coming out from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, on the number of student nurses who are planning to emigrate and not staying here. I wish to put that on the record. Perhaps Members could write from this House to the Minister for Health and ask when the McHugh report will be implemented and when will those student nurses and midwives get the support they so desperately need and have been promised.
Before I call the next Senator, from County Meath, the Mornington Vocal Academy are most welcome here as are St Mary's CBS, Portlaoise. I thank both groups for coming to Seanad Éireann today. I am delighted they are here and I hope they enjoy their day visiting the Houses of their Parliament.
As we come to the end of the decade of centenaries, which started in 2012, we have celebrated the major facts of history such as Home Rule, the Land Acts, the 1913 Lockout, the 1916 Rising, the struggle for Independence, the Civil War and the foundation of the State, which have all been part of that decade of commemoration.
This afternoon, I wish to raise the story of Seán Hales, a west Cork Deputy who, on his way to Dáil Éireann on this day 100 years ago, unfortunately, was assassinated. He was one of only three Deputies or Members of Parliament who ever lost their lives in such a way. It is right and proper that we should acknowledge that poor man and the struggle that he had all of the way through. He was involved in the Civil War, in particular, was a brigadier-general in the Army and was, effectively, Michael Collins's number two all of the way through the struggles themselves. On his way to Dáil Éireann to, ironically, watch the counting of the votes for the first Seanad at just before 3 o’clock, he lost his life. Next Sunday afternoon, at 2 o’clock, there will be a commemoration happening at the bridge and monument in Bandon where we are expecting a significant crowd. A great deal of work has been done by the committee and by the people of Bandon in acknowledging a true patriot in so many ways. He was a native of Ballinadee and is buried in Innishannon with his mother and father, as he was not married, but Bandon was the nearest big town. A significant monument was built to him at the bridge in the 1930s and the bridge is also known as the Seán Hales bridge. The people say that the monument looks over the bridge and that Seán Hales protects it.
It would be appropriate, today of all days, 100 years later, that we should acknowledge this centenary in this House of the Oireachtas. It is important that I put on the record that as this is the decade of centenaries, that we have dealt with this event in a true an appropriate way. Seán Hales was a west Cork man, the first Member of the Oireachtas to lose his life in such a way, and is a person for whom I have a deep understanding as to how hard he worked for the State. He lost his life for it and we sit in these Houses today because of him. This Oireachtas itself, and its buildings, are there because of what so many people did before. I wish to have that acknowledged and put on the record. Anyone who is available and has the opportunity to come to the commemoration at 2 o’clock next Sunday will be more than welcome. We are expecting a significant crowd. The Army will be there, the "Sliabh na mBan" will be on display and the Minister for Defence will give an oration for this great patriot of Ireland. I thank the Chair.
I thank the Senator for remembering the life and sacrifice of Deputy Hales on this, the 100th anniversary of his death, as Senator Lombard has said, on his way to this Parliament. I now call on Senator Buttimer to speak now, please.
I thank the Cathaoirleach. I join with Senator Lombard in paying tribute and in remembering the late Seán Hales. I commend Senator Lombard and the committee which has produced a wonderful booklet for next Sunday. It is fitting, as we celebrate and remember yesterday and today, that in the words of John L. O'Sullivan, Seán Hales was "a truly great man". He had no wish to annihilate anybody. He was a man of peace and was doing the job that he was asked to and wanted to do, with the least loss of life on both sides. That sums up the man and I commend Senator Lombard on the work he has done and is doing in this very fitting commemoration. As we said yesterday we are in a decade of centenaries and it is important that we bring all sides together and that we remember that we are a nation that owes our debt of gratitude to the men and women on all sides, because our democracy has held for a century. This is a democracy which we now take as being normal but in other countries of the world, it is not.
I ask that the Minister for Education comes to the House in the context of the shortage of teachers, especially in light of the memorandum to Government yesterday on the issue of career breaks and their proposed suspension.
I ask the Minister to especially discuss with the House the issue of the supplementary panel at primary level. I am of the belief that the supplementary panel is a barrier to the retention and recruitment of teachers and to the movement and flow of teachers. There is a different element and flow to it in each diocese, which is something we should consider. There is also the issue of the posts. If a permanent teacher resigns or is recruited elsewhere, that post is a temporary post for the remainder of the year, which is again a barrier to people being recruited.
Finally, I ask the Minister for Defence to come to the House to discuss the annual general meeting of the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers, RACO, last week in which we heard from its general secretary that there is an "existential crisis" in the Defence Forces. We could perhaps have a debate on the Defence Forces in due course. It is important that we have that debate as a matter of urgency.
I wish to raise two issues, one of which is to welcome the €6.8 million funding Shannon Airport received yesterday from the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, for which I thank her. I wish to pay compliment to the CEO of Shannon Airport, Ms Mary Considine, and the staff and team for their wonderful work on promoting Shannon as a regional airport. The Minister of State visited many times and certainly saw what Shannon could contribute. I thank her and Government for that funding.
I ask the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health to come in for a debate at an appropriate time in terms of children on waiting lists for child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS. While the numbers on waiting lists have come down, it is still a huge issue. Perhaps the Deputy Leader could arrange for that debate to happen at some stage. This is something that affects all regions of the country.
I wish to use my time under the Order of Business this morning to celebrate progress and success in Dublin's north inner city. I am very proud to come from Dublin Central. I am very proud of what the communities and people of Dublin Central are achieving, particularly in the north inner city.
I have before me a copy of the north-east inner city communities' annual report, which was launched this week by our Taoiseach, Micheál Martin. I thank the Taoiseach for coming to the north inner city and supporting the communities there. I believe the north inner city is the jewel in the crown of our country, although it attracts far too much negative media coverage. This document shows what is being achieved and the reality on the ground, however, and the efforts that are being made by local people and schools that participate including O'Connell Secondary School, which is one of the most famous and oldest schools in our country, Larkin Community College, Rosmini Community School, Mount Carmel Secondary School and St. Joseph's in Marino. We have many activities taking place in terms of culture and sports. We have everything going on in the north inner city from cricket, soccer, rugby, water sports and athletics to yoga, wellness and well-being activities and cultural events. We have a gospel choir, and the gospel festival was hosted in Mountjoy Square this summer. There is integration of communities and diversity is being celebrated in all its forms in the north inner city.
I particularly commend the Hill Street Family Resource Centre, which hosted the launch earlier this week and did a great job, as always. It is down to organisations like this, the city council, the gardaí, local residents, local businesses and schools. It is every community group. It is the people who go out on a Saturday and Sunday and pick up rubbish and take pride in our area.
I commend the people of the north inner city. I thank the Government for the €7.2 million it invested this year alone in the north inner city. I want to celebrate the fact that not only do we have a vibrant, live, engaged and diverse community in the north inner city, but that we are also getting the investment now in terms of the infrastructure. Fitzgibbon Street Garda station is the first community-focused Garda station in the whole country. It has been renovated and reopened to the highest standard. The Magdalen laundry on Seán McDermott Street, which was for so many people a symbol of such a dark past, is becoming a beacon for the future. We have so much to celebrate. We have much more to do. In life, however, we all get to choose whether we exploit difficult situations for other reasons or whether we actually put our shoulders to the wheel and work together to make success for ourselves and our communities. That is what the people in the north inner city are doing. I want to celebrate them. I want this House to celebrate them. I thank Members for giving me time to do so.
I compliment the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, on finding a solution for the crib at Saint Stephen's Green. I have no doubt at all that thousands of people will visit the crib in the Phoenix Park, which is an ideal location for it. It will be much more accessible to the public and people who will visit Dublin to shop. It is a real sign of Christmas when the crib is on display. I congratulate the Minister of State and everybody involved in finding a solution to that problem.
I formally object to the Order of Business and in particular to the sitting arrangements for Thursday. That is in respect of the-----
That is tomorrow.
Yes, it is tomorrow but the motion is being taken today. I formally object to the inclusion in the Order of Business of the motion in respect of the sitting arrangements for Thursday. I will object to the motion on the sitting arrangements in due course. This is in the context of the Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022, which is being pushed and rushed through. It comes after the very bad practice we saw last July going into the summer recess. I am very worried that has now become an effective modus operandi in respect of planning legislation. We saw an appalling rush of legislation without proper scrutiny in the summer and now we are seeing it again.
It is very disappointing that the Seanad has not been communicated with properly on this. Even the letter to leaders of the Seanad suggested that the committee had discussed this and was happy with pre-legislative scrutiny not being concluded. Committee members subsequently came forward and said they were extremely disappointed at the attempt to start scheduling this before pre-legislative scrutiny had been concluded. Now, we also have the situation whereby the Minister has been quite clear on his intention to bring massive and substantial amendments to this Bill, which is already being pushed through without proper scrutiny. This was only published last week. Committee and Remaining Stages are being proposed for tomorrow. The Minister indicated that he would table very substantial amendments, which will directly affect local development plans and local authority members. I would suggest that those amendments being brought to the Dáil without proper scrutiny will erode the confidence of the public in local authorities through the making of local development plans and in their own participation in the democratic process.
Given that so many Members of this House have very direct connections with local authority members right across this country and have an insight into their experiences, it is appalling that they are effectively trying to short-circuit this House's scrutiny, not just of the Bill by putting it to Committee and Remaining Stages but of these amendments that are directly related to local authorities, which the Minister is bringing to the Dáil and which will then only come back for a Report Stage debate. We will not have a proper Committee Stage or Report Stage debate in this House.
I am signalling to the Deputy Leader that I must oppose what I believe is damaging to the planning process and to the democratic process in terms of public confidence in both. Whether the Deputy Leader can accept my amendment to the Order of Business, I urge that we ensure that when it does come back to the Seanad from the Dáil at Report Stage, adequate time is allocated to ensure we can scrutinise these last-minute amendments.
The Connecting Ireland rural mobility plan is literally about how we connect our towns all across Ireland. I ran a campaign on this last year to encourage submissions to the Department of Transport around the plan.
One of the options being considered related to a route from Castlerea, through Mountbellew, to Ballinasloe, and I am delighted to welcome that route. We encouraged submissions from people living in all those areas because it was crucial we connected our hospitals, universities and university campuses. The route follows the River Suck, from Castlerea, through Williamstown, Glenamaddy, Mountbellew and Ahascragh to Ballinasloe. It goes from the Suck Valley Way through each of those areas to the River Suck in Ballinasloe. In Castlerea, for example, as I mentioned, there is great tourism potential, such as through Clonalis House and the Night and Day festival that was run last summer. Now, people will have the option to travel on three bus routes every day. It is crucial also because it is travelling through Mountbellew, the site of the brand new Atlantic Technological University campus and where the agricultural college is based. Moreover, for many families and people living in the area, it is also about connecting to the train station in Ballinasloe and to Portiuncula University Hospital. Many of these people, earlier during Covid and throughout the lockdowns, had no way, apart from private taxis, of getting to medical appointments in the hospital.
This is a fantastic new transport service that we are going to see in the Roscommon-Galway area and it is really smart thinking, but I would love to see a few more route options. The frequency is currently three services a day but options are limited in the evenings. It is welcome and I urge everyone living in the areas to support our bus services.
Yesterday, there was a briefing across the road from Leinster House with the education and training boards, ETBs, and it was attended by many colleagues. It was interesting to engage not just with Limerick and Clare ETB but other ETBs such as those in Galway and Cavan and to hear about the various challenges they face. Clearly, the cost of living is having an effect on their day-to-day services. We need to see an increase in funding for ETBs to take account of the various challenges they face, whether that relates to providing school meals or extracurricular activities and so on.
Furthermore, we need to take a common-sense approach to procurement. If an ETB needs to hire a bus to allow a school to attend a football match, it has to go through a centralised structure to hire that bus, even though there could be a young fella in the school whose father or mother owns a bus company, meaning it would work out cheaper. Centralised procurement is good in most cases, but there are certain situations where it is not. Similarly, if an ETB wants to take out an advert, it has to go through a centralised advertisement process to get one into the local newspaper instead of being able to contact the local newspaper or radio station directly, book the advert and pay for it. Of course, there could be guidelines such that if an ETB were taking out an advert, depending on circulation, it could cost only within a certain price range.
We could put a structure in place whereby there would be oversight, accountability and so on, but we need a little common sense when it comes to our local schools retaining local services provided by people in the community for young people living in the community. A local bus service might wish to take out an advert in a school musical, whereas if it is done centrally, there could be an outcome such as that in Galway where a bus will have to travel from the city to take students from, say, Clifden to a match 15 km up the road before returning to the city. From every perspective, including environmental, we need to take another look at that structure.
I express my deep sorrow and sympathies to the family of Matthew McCallan in Fintona, County Tyrone, who tragically died. As it happens, his grandfather is a cousin of my late father's, which just shows how close all these losses are. It is important we mark this tragic loss in this House and put it on record. There was also the loss of Stella-Lily McCorkindale, aged five, in Belfast, who also died from a strep A infection. These are two tragic losses of young lives in recent days and the families will have to cope with that grief. I hope both the families get answers they are seeking from the PSNI and the hospitals.
The national principals’ forum survey was released a couple of days ago. A total of 921 primary school principals expressed their concern about children who require additional educational needs and indicated they feel wholly unsupported when advocating for pupils with additional educational needs. I spoke earlier in the House about how the lack of therapists will have influenced that survey and has affected the experience of principals, who do not have enough special needs assistants, SNAs, in the classroom or enough special education teachers. When it comes to SNAs, we cannot look at their role just in the context of care needs. It needs to extend beyond that.
Nevertheless, 11% of the principals stated they have declined a request for special classes. We can see how a principal’s experiences in mainstream classes will have affected his or her decision about whether to open a special class, but I would say to them that their experiences are not reflected in the provision of resources. Having spoken to principals who have opened special classes, I know they automatically get the resources, space, classroom and sensory requirements they need. It just shows how important it is to look at the full picture. We absolutely need those principals to go ahead with opening special classes.
I again rise to discuss a number of matters relating to Inland Fisheries Ireland. I am reminded of the famous question asked of Thomas Becket by an English king, who asked, "Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?" What is one to do if one needs to get rid of the chair of a State board? What would be a good way of doing that? One way would be to target his or her family. That would be a good way of doing it because people are loyal to their family, and if a member or members of person's family have been targeted, such as a brother or nephew, that is a good way of leading that person to decide to pack in their course of action.
That is exactly what is happening in the case of Inland Fisheries Ireland. I previously outlined some of the issues we have had, but that is what has happened. An entire family are being victimised by people within Inland Fisheries Ireland-----
I acknowledge the Senator is aware of Standing Orders, but he should be careful of making people identifiable.
I know the family very well. Multiple anonymous letters have been received from former employees of Inland Fisheries Ireland, and one of the employees was suspended after 37 years of service. When that was done, they then targeted the then chair’s nephew, who is also an employee of Inland Fisheries Ireland. Clearly, people within the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Inland Fisheries Ireland were not happy with the way the board was acting, because it was trying to save the western lakes and to take some of the steps that were necessary. It was not necessarily doing the bidding of the CEO, and that goes to the heart of the matters at issue. One of the anonymous letters, referring to that family, stated, "Two down, one to go. Gotcha, you bastard.”
It is within Inland Fisheries Ireland that all this is taking place. I referred to it yesterday and I will keep referring to it until action on the matter is taken by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine-----
We have discussed this previously and the Senator is aware of the Standing Orders. He has to be cognisant of the Standing Orders relating to making people identifiable.
Absolutely. The Minister was happy to investigate the board but he does not seem to be willing, or is not being advised, to investigate Inland Fisheries Ireland itself, its senior management and the issues that have been brought to the management’s attention and that of the Department by me, Senator Burke and others over recent months.
We had a debate recently on nursing home care, to which I contributed. I would like us to continue that debate on the care of older people in nursing homes and home care settings early in the new year. Yesterday, the Oireachtas Life and Dignity Group welcomed Trinity College Dublin's Professor of Medical Gerontology, Desmond O'Neill. Many people will remember Professor O'Neill for his excellent work on the Leas Cross report and his continued advocacy for the need to respect the dignity of older persons, particularly and not exclusively in the context of nursing home care. He provided us with a very challenging and revealing overview of things yesterday, including the fact that we have gone from having 20% of nursing homes in the private sector in the 1980s to around 70% in 2017. While like others, Professor O'Neill does not have a problem with a mixed public-private system of nursing home care, he is rightly sceptical of the ability of regulation alone to guarantee the kind of standards that older persons deserve. He has warned of the minimum standard required becoming the maximum that is available. Yesterday, he noted that the national nursing home regulations have nothing to say about the need for proper linkage with secondary healthcare settings. There is a hands-off approach out there to nursing homes which is not acceptable, given the particular needs of many residents. There was supposed to be a review of the deaths of older persons in nursing homes during the Covid crisis. Where stands that review now? Many people died, and many died in an unacceptable way that left others traumatised. There have been calls for inquiries. There seems to be very little about it now.
There is no person with gerontological expertise in the National Treatment Purchase Fund, which is the commissioning body for nursing home services. The people at HIQA who regulate are not clinicians; they are administrators. I wish them good luck, but they are not clinical people. One striking point that Professor O'Neill made yesterday was on the absence of social and recreational spaces in many of our nursing homes. I am sure it is something that we have all noticed. When we contrast that with the kind of space and amenity that we expect from hotels, which we contract privately for services, we see how a lack of public expectation of quality in our nursing homes is perhaps part of the problem. Professor O'Neill warned against the kind of negative characterisation of being in a nursing home, and the thinking that we would hate to go there. Maybe that is leading to lower expectations and standards.
In conclusion, we need to look at clustered accommodation of perhaps between 12 and 15 residents, referred to as the greenhouse model. We should perhaps ask ourselves about nursing homes. In how many of them are people expected to share a room where they would otherwise like to be in a room of their own? In how many of our nursing home settings do residents have the space they need for their own furniture, for pictures, photographs and mementoes? Those are the kind of questions that I think could be used as indicators to us in respect of the ongoing issues of quality that we need to investigate.
Before I call on the next Senator, I wish to welcome to the Gallery, from Longford, Deputy Flaherty, Mr. Gerald Coyle and his son Liam, who is graduating from the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School today. I congratulate Liam and thank him for coming to Leinster House today. He is most welcome.
I call on Senator Boylan.
Today I would like to echo the expressions of solidarity for nine-year-old Alejandro Miszan, who was attacked by a pitbull and is still recovering in hospital. It is deeply concerning that according to newspaper reports there has been a spike in dog attacks, especially by pitbulls. Some of the commentary and calls from people in positions of power, including the Taoiseach, for a ban on breeds are knee-jerk reactions. Such a ban would require years to phase in unless the Taoiseach is calling for a mass cull of certain breeds of dog. The reality is that in Ireland we have quite good legislation on animal welfare and particularly when it comes to dogs, but we have woeful enforcement. Yesterday, in a Commencement matter, it was confirmed that there are only 50 full-time and 21 part-time dog wardens in the country. If we break that down on the basis of the number of dogs that have been licensed in the last year, and we know there are people out there who do not get their dogs licensed, it equates to one warden per 3,777 dogs. It is completely impractical to think that the dog wardens can enforce the current legislation. If we want the Control of Dogs Act 1986 to be enforced, we must resource the local authorities to have enough dog wardens to enforce the regulations. The dangerous dog regulations are in place. They do not excuse owners from being responsible, but the reality is that if the chances of offenders being caught are slim to none, then people will ignore the regulations. The local authorities must be properly resourced to enforce the Act. There must also be a public awareness campaign to ensure that people know that if they have one of these breeds they must have the dog muzzled. I am in favour of our dog breeding establishment guidelines being put on a legislative footing and cutting down on the industrial breeding of dogs. The dogs that are coming out of the puppy farms are coming out with severe behavioural problems because they are not properly socialised.
I thank all Members for contributing to the Order of Business today. Senator O'Loughlin started off by welcoming the advancements in the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022. She welcomed, in particular, the €2.5 million in funding provided through BAI for local radio stations and highlighted the important work that they do. She raised concerns about the broadcasting of public information around local government, local sporting events and called for them to be included. She spoke about community neurorehabilitation services, and highlighted the limited access to these important services in many parts of the country. She also raised the issue of trainee educational psychologists. She welcomed the addition of 12 new routes between Newbridge and Dublin and said she looked forward to the extension of the short hop zone as well.
Senator Keogan raised an issue that I am not overly familiar with, if I am honest, namely, the increase in catalytic converter thefts and the scrap metal trade, particularly along the Border region. I take on board the Senator's comments. She made some interesting points on waste traceability, which appears to have been rolled out to a greater extent in the UK, and removing the ability to purchase scrap metal using cash to improve traceability. It is worthwhile exploring those options.
Senator Hoey spoke passionately about the impact of homelessness on children, and referred specifically to the availability of play therapy for some children in the Dublin area. I concur with her remarks that it is a sad indictment on our country and our State that we are having to roll out play therapy to assist young children with the impact that homelessness has on them emotionally. In a First World developed country, that should not be the case. The Government is working hard to increase housing supply. There has been a record level of investment in the area, but there are significant challenges. It is incumbent upon all of us in public life to work together to try to address the housing crisis. That includes not objecting to housing developments in our areas. Senator Hoey also spoke about student nurses and midwives, which she very often does. She asked for a progress update on the McHugh report, which was published in November 2021, and particularly on the implementation of its recommendations. I might ask the Senator to put down a Commencement matter, because it is quite a specific request. She can liaise with the Leader's office to try to get more information from the Minister as to when those recommendations will be implemented.
Senator Lombard spoke about former Deputy Seán Hales, who lost his life on this day 100 years ago. He wanted to place on the record of the House the Deputy's service to the State and note the centenary of his death. Senator Buttimer echoed Senator Lombard's sentiments in that regard.
Senator Buttimer also asked for a debate with the Minister for Education on the current teacher shortage and a specific issue around the supplementary panel which he believes is having a detrimental impact on recruiting teachers. We will request that debate. In all likelihood it will be in the new term, as the schedule for next week is quite full. I take on board the Senator's comments on teacher shortages. There is a particular issue around the lack of availability of permanent contracts for newly-qualified teachers. It is putting teachers in an impossible position. If they are coming out of college and cannot get a permanent contract, they cannot get a mortgage or start their lives. From what I have heard from the teachers' unions and even on the radio this morning, one of the big asks is for us to ensure more secure and permanent employment for newly-qualified teachers that might entice them to stay working in the country. The Minister for Education brought proposals to Cabinet earlier today and is doing everything she can to try to address the severe teacher shortage that we are currently experiencing. Senator Buttimer also requested a debate on defence in response to recent issues raised by RACO. We will request that debate in the new term.
Senator Maria Byrne rose to welcome the €6.8 million in funding for Shannon Airport.
I know other airports also received funding. Knock airport received €1.7 million. It is great to see regional airports being supported. I would have liked to see Knock airport get a little more. There is a disparity between the two airports but it is still welcome to see funding for the region. She also requested a debate on mental health, specifically waiting lists for CAMHS. We will request that debate in the new term with the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health, Deputy Butler.
Senator Fitzpatrick spoke on the positive progress being made in north inner-city Dublin and referenced the north east inner city progress report for 2022, showing the fantastic initiatives, particularly around education, taking place in the north inner city. She spoke of the need to talk about the progress being made in an area and not always to focus on the negatives. It is an important point.
Senator Burke commended the work of the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, on getting the live crib up and running in St. Stephen's Green. It is lovely to see that and it is very much part of Christmas. Good luck to them and well done to the Minister of State.
Senator Higgins raised concerns about tomorrow's sitting of the House. I take on board her comments. I have been assured by the Leader's office that when the amendments come back on 15 December, as much time as is needed will be given to scrutinise those amendments and that a briefing on them will be made available to Senators by Department officials in advance of the debate. Hopefully that will address the concerns she raised.
Senator Dolan welcomed the new bus route, part of the Connecting Ireland rural network plan, between Castlerea, Mountbellew and Ballinasloe. She referred to the importance of connecting those towns and spoke of the submission she and others in the area made to try to get that route up and running.
Senator Conway spoke on the ETB briefing he received yesterday, how interesting that was and the great work done by ETBs across the country.
I think we all join with Senator Currie in expressing our deep sympathy and condolences to the families of Matthew McCallan and Stella Lily McCorkindale, both whose young lives have been lost. It is very sad and our hearts go out to the families and communities of those children at this difficult time. The Senator also spoke about a recent survey on additional educational needs, SNAs and the view of principals. That is an ongoing concern. I suggest we could get a debate on that in the new year with the Minister of State with responsibility for special education to get an update on services.
Senator Kyne spoke, as he did last week or the previous week, on Inland Fisheries Ireland. I commend his ongoing work to try to root out issues in that agency and highlight the lack of engagement in some quarters in getting to the root of the problem. There is a reason we have privilege in this House. It is because in the public interest, we at times need to raise matters which we might not be able to raise outside of the Chamber for fear of certain consequences. That is an important part of being a public representative. While we are privileged to sit in this and the other House, that is part of our role. It is incumbent on all of us to support colleagues in doing that important work.
Senator Mullen spoke about nursing home and home and care settings. I agree completely with him. We have ongoing challenges in the home care sector. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, has done fantastic work to support the sector, get additional funding and address staff issues. The Senator spoke on private nursing home care and I am aware of many issues in HSE facilities as well where the standard of care falls far below what any person should expect in this State, whether private or public care. The expectation is pretty low. I agree with the Senator on that. There are people who fear going into nursing home settings, which should never be the case. I would question how many people are facilitated in having space for their pictures, mementoes and other things that remind them of home.
I have concerns around the excessive use of sedatives in nursing home settings. They are at times used to maybe ease the burden where there are staff shortages and to make it easier to care for somebody. I have direct experience of a couple of cases. There are serious questions to be asked and the Senator is right to point out that the people at HIQA do an important job but they are not clinicians. Maybe at times things get missed. There is much work to do in the home care setting because we have an ageing population. We will all hopefully have the privilege of getting to old age, will require care in our later years and it may not always be possible to stay in one's home. I like the idea of the greenhouse model and clustered settings. We have some small villages in parts of the country. In my town of Castlebar we have a setting of one- and two-bedroom houses with a community centre in the centre where older people can live independently but are checked on regularly and there is space for care to be provided. That model should be available for those who want it.
Senator Boylan raised the pitbull attack on Alejandro Miszan. It was a really serious attack. I take a different view from the Senator. Some breeds of dog are more dangerous than others. If it takes us ten years to get rid of them, I would support a long-term plan. I do not think we could suggest culling all dogs of one breed overnight but there are challenges with certain breeds which are more prone to aggression than others.
I take the Senator's point that dog wardens could not possibly police what is going on. There is not enough of them. It is a difficult area to police because if the dog is not caught in the act, it can be difficult to bring a prosecution against its owner. There is an education piece and a responsibility on dog owners. When you take on an animal, it is your responsibility to ensure its welfare and that it is cared for, as well as that it does not pose a safety risk to others. For that poor child and others in similar instances, it is really regrettable and could have been avoided. I take on board the Senator's comments on the need to resource wardens properly but I am not sure we will ever get to a stage where we can police every element of it. Looking at breeds is one aspect of our response and of preventing these types of issues from happening again, if we can achieve that.
Tá
- Blaney, Niall.
- Burke, Paddy.
- Buttimer, Jerry.
- Byrne, Maria.
- Carrigy, Micheál.
- Cassells, Shane.
- Chambers, Lisa.
- Conway, Martin.
- Craughwell, Gerard P.
- Crowe, Ollie.
- Cummins, John.
- Currie, Emer.
- Daly, Paul.
- Davitt, Aidan.
- Doherty, Regina.
- Dolan, Aisling.
- Dooley, Timmy.
- Fitzpatrick, Mary.
- Gallagher, Robbie.
- Kyne, Seán.
- Lombard, Tim.
- Martin, Vincent P.
- McGahon, John.
- Mullen, Rónán.
- Murphy, Eugene.
- O'Reilly, Joe.
- O'Sullivan, Ned.
- Seery Kearney, Mary.
- Wilson, Diarmuid.
Níl
- Black, Frances.
- Boylan, Lynn.
- Flynn, Eileen.
- Higgins, Alice-Mary.
- Ó Donnghaile, Niall.
- Wall, Mark.
- Warfield, Fintan.