The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding the Sectoral Employment Order (Construction Sector) 2023, referral to committee, to be taken on conclusion of the Order of Business, without debate; No. 2, the Finance Bill 2023 - Second Stage, to be taken at 2.45 p.m. and to conclude at 4.45 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the opening contribution of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, those of group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes and of all other Senators not to exceed five minutes, time can be shared, and the Minister to be given no less than ten minutes to reply to the debate; and No. 3, statements on the report of the independent review group on dignity and equality issues in the Defence Forces, to be taken at 5 p.m. and to conclude at 6.30 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the opening contribution of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, those of group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes and of all other Senators not to exceed five minutes, time can be shared, and the Minister to be given no less than ten minutes to reply to the debate.
An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach. On behalf of the Fianna Fáil group in the Seanad, I send our best wishes to all those in the Defence Forces who are involved in the evacuation of Irish citizens from Sudan.
Our hearts and minds are with the people in Sudan. We hope for an early resolution to the unrest and the troubles there and most importantly we hope for a safe return of our Irish citizens. We commend the Defence Forces who are working with other European forces, led by the French, in this exercise. They will travel to Djibouti and Sudan and we wish them a safe journey and a safe return. It reminds us all of the importance of our EU membership and of being partners in security agreements. It is important that all those who need to be rescued are rescued. We thank those who will do the rescuing.
It has been reported that the Cabinet today considered a report by barrister Marie O'Shea on the review of the 2018 abortion legislation. We call for that abortion legislation review to be published as soon as possible and to be referred to the Joint Committee on Health in order that the findings of the report can be given appropriate and due consideration and any recommendations can be brought forward by the Joint Committee on Health.
We hope that the Government will have given approval at the Cabinet meeting this morning for further measures under Housing for All to increase the affordability and supply of housing. Housing for All is already the most ambitious and comprehensive housing plan in the history of the State. Some €20 billion has been assigned to it to massively increase the delivery of social and affordable homes. The enhancements to the existing programmes under Housing for All we hope will have been approved today, will further fund the delivery of affordable homes. The fastest and most sustainable way of increasing our housing supply is to reuse existing vacant and derelict properties. I hope the Cabinet will this morning have approved an increase in the grant that has been already welcomed by people who want to turn vacant and derelict properties into their homes. The increase will help to cover the increase in construction costs. We all know construction inflation is running at in excess of 30% over the past two years. The waving of levies and costs that are in the control of the Government and the State is to be welcomed and supported, especially in order to trigger the construction of new homes. A subvention to cover those costs and make those homes affordable and affordable cost-rental homes available, especially in urban areas, is welcome.
My thoughts too are with the Defence Forces personnel. It is a pity only 12 of them have gone to Sudan. It is a humanitarian mission. The triple lock does not apply. We should have many more people there. The need for heavy-lift aircraft has once again been exposed.
On 18 May 1988, 02789H, prison officer Sean O'Brien was on duty in Portlaoise Prison. I have been given permission to use his name today. Members will recall that this was at the height of the Troubles. I have been informed that during an escape attempt by Mr. Paddy McVeigh of the Provisional IRA, the deputy governor of the prison, gave O'Brien an order to pursue the prisoner. Senators might remember that a large crowd was outside Portlaoise Prison at that time waiting for McVeigh to be released because he was to be rearrested when he came out. Allegedly, the deputy governor pushed O'Brien in the direction of the escaping prisoner and told him to "go and get him" while remaining under cover himself. Events resulted in some shots being fired beside and over the head of O'Brien. On 14 June 1988, O'Brien was called to the Department of Justice for a meeting. I am informed that at that meeting he was congratulated for his bravery and informed he would receive a medal and possibly a promotion. Immediately after the event, however, the prison management set in train a process which O'Brien and others say attempted to cover up what had actually occurred on the day. I am informed that statements were prescribed and prison officers were asked to sign them.
O'Brien refused to sign. O'Brien says he was illegally dismissed insofar as the Prison Service procedures for dismissal were not complied with. I understand that O'Brien has never been provided with an official dismissal notice, despite multiple requests for same. O'Brien has worked tirelessly to get full records of what happened on the day. This would include the shooting incident and the promise of a medal. All requests for information have been refused with the replies stating that they fell outside freedom of information legislation. Much of what O'Brien says has been corroborated, which is the reason I bring it to the House, by none other than Martin Ferris, the former Sinn Féin Deputy for Kerry.
I am sorry, Senator, but I have to caution you about mentioning somebody who is not a Member of the House and is not here to defend themselves.
That is fine; no problem.
I had to make that point.
I find it strange that no evidence can be found in national archives, military archives or in the Department of Justice of this escape attempt in Portlaise Prison. O'Brien has been diagnosed with a severe form of post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD. Has the State got a duty of care to this man? Is he entitled to be looked after? I ask the Deputy Leader to perhaps put that question to the Department of Justice, because nobody else can get an answer.
Finally, the Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, is due to split into two organisations at the end of the month. We have an urgent request for that not to happen because many issues have to be resolved. I ask that the Minister for Transport to be contacted and asked to postpone this.
It is most appropriate the Seanad has set aside time later to discuss the crucially important report of the independent review group on dignity and equality issues in the Defence Forces. I thank the Women of Honour for speaking out about their experience in the Defence Forces. Their courage and bravery in sharing their stories has brought to light the urgent need for change within our military culture. It is because of their voices this report was commissioned and because of their voices we can, I hope, take steps towards creating a more inclusive and respectful Defence Forces. The report describes a culture rife with harassment and other grave, reprehensible behaviour.
I welcome the Government's speedy and full acceptance of the recommendations of the review. The report calls for the establishment of an independent complaints mechanism, as well as the development of a comprehensive training programme to educate personnel about dignity and equality issues. These recommendations need to be taken seriously and must be implemented as soon as possible. We cannot allow a culture of fear, intimidation, or reprisal to exist in our armed forces. The report reiterates many recommendations made last year by the Commission on the Defence Forces, including the need for equity across defence healthcare services, the critical need for HIQA to be given the statutory authority to independently oversee defence healthcare services, the need to reduce barriers to the entry to the management ranks of the organisation, the need for family-friendly working conditions and the need for significant cultural and organisational reform.
The Defence Forces are a proud institution and today we are thanking them for their role in safely evacuating citizens from Sudan, with the assistance of other members of our European family such as France and Spain. They are an essential pillar of our State and our democracy and its members are part of the fabric of our communities up and down the country. As we can see right now in the Horn of Africa, they have a vital role to play in protecting our people at home and around the world. This report can be an important step towards creating a more inclusive and respectful culture within the Defence Forces, but only if implemented effectively resourced adequately, supported with external expertise and scrutinised rigorously by the Houses of the Oireachtas. On a day when we thank the Defence Forces, it is appropriate to set aside time for a stand-alone discussion and I commend the Leader on scheduling this.
Last Friday, I attended the launch of a legal and academic report on making a case for Irish unity in the EU.
I commend Professor Colin Harvey and Mark Bassett on their outstanding work on this important report and other reports. As we all know, in 2017 the Irish Government asked the European Council to acknowledge two matters: that the Good Friday Agreement provides the mechanism through which a united Ireland will be brought about through peaceful and democratic means and, significantly, that in accordance with international law the entire territory of a new united Ireland will become part of the European Union. First and foremost, the responsibility of planning and preparing for Irish unity rests with the Irish Government. Constitutional change and Irish reunification is the defining issue of our generation. Such things as the cost of unity, the future of our health service, governance, taxation, public services and pensions, and the all-important place of unionists in a new Ireland should be discussed by a citizens' assembly.
There is also work that can and should be undertaken in Brussels. The European Parliament could explicitly endorse the European Council decision made in 2017. It could also consider the level of representation that a united Ireland would have in the European Parliament, how we could ensure voting rights and indeed movement for British citizens here in Ireland, and what transitional arrangements would be needed in the event of a united Ireland. Work on those questions can start now because the return of the North to the European Union remains underexplored. If Irish unity offers the only pathway back to EU membership for people in the North of Ireland, which would include all of the rights attaching to EU citizenship and indeed the North once again making a full contribution to the democracy of the EU and contributing to and receiving European funds, I wonder whether there is a role that the Seanad can play in supporting our colleagues in the European Parliament. I suggest that we develop that conversation in this Chamber.
I wish to use my time to remind families about the 28 April deadline for parents to apply for school transport for the first time. This Friday, 28 April, is an important date. This applies to pupils who will be attending junior infants in a primary school or indeed first year in a post-primary school for the first time in the academic year 2023-24. It also applies to pupils who changed their home address or are attending a new school in that year. I commend my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Foley, who secured vital funding to ensure that school transport costs are reduced dramatically for the incoming year. The fee is capped at €50 per applicant at primary level and €75 at post-primary level. No family will pay more than €125 for the coming year. That will result in some families saving as much as €500 in one year. That is most welcome because people are currently under financial difficulty. I welcome that cost-of-living measure. However, the key message is that the closing date is this Friday, 28 April for all new applicants applying for school transport for 2023-24. I advise parents to get onto the portal and register.
I wish to bring to the attention of the House the fact that Macra na Feirme will launch a major campaign about the representation of young farmers. It will leave from the area of Duke Street or Emily Square in Athy, which is a particularly nice town where Macra na Feirme was founded in the 1940s. This is just one of many groups within the agricultural sector that are frustrated and disillusioned by the political lack of priorities, as they see them, in regard to agriculture, particularly in regard to young farmers and young farming communities. Sometimes it seems that people outside Dublin do not realise we have farming communities in Fingal, in the Dublin Mountains in south Dublin and out along the hinterland of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.
There are farming communities throughout this country. Macra na Feirme clearly said it is frustrated. It will be leading a walk, for many groups throughout the country, to the gates of Leinster House tomorrow at 1 p.m. I hope as many people as possible can get out there to meet and engage with them and listen to them on issues such as inheritance, taxation, agricultural training and apprenticeships, insurance and, of course, rural housing.
For the past two and a half years, we have heard from various Ministers, in parliamentary questions in the Dáil and in Commencement matters in this House, about rural housing guidelines. Many will be familiar with the Flemish Decree and the findings with regard to the Government and breaches of the decree. I call for a debate in this House on rural housing guidelines in order that we can support families - farmers' and landowners' sons and daughters who live in rural parts of this country - to stay, support and sustain their parents, families and communities and we can get on with building much-needed houses in the rural parts of this country. I ask we have a debate on that issue in the near future.
I concur with what Senator Boyhan has just talked about with regard to one-off planning. I raised the same issue last week in the House. It would be quite worthwhile having a debate about it. Some of the legislation that was being brought in recently had unintended consequences and is causing problems for people that should be entitled to planning heretofore.
The issue I will raise today has been brought to my attention by a number of constituents, that is, the dealing Vodafone and its call centres have with their clients. Some of the stories I have heard recently are shocking, to say the least. The contempt and disregard in the way Vodafone has dealt and is dealing with many of its customers beggars belief. I could not believe some of the stories, but for many of these people having facts and times to back up what they had told me. We have spent so much money on the roll-out of the national broadband plan and the biggest beneficiary of this in the country will probably be Vodafone. It will be able to just roll on to the money and all the infrastructure we have provided for it and likewise for other providers, but Vodafone will certainly be one of the biggest beneficiaries. I have serious concerns about how it is dealing with customers through its call centres, chatbots and whatever else. They seem to be very unfriendly to use. I witnessed somebody ringing Vodafone the other day. It was the third or fourth time the person made the same call and agreement, only for it not to be carried out reciprocally by Vodafone. I have serious concerns. This issue has been well documented. I think Vodafone has one of the worst records on customer care. When Vodafone is benefiting so much from the State and the roll-out of the infrastructure we are providing, it needs to be called to heel.
I am not really sure what we can do. All I can do is bring the issue to the attention of the Minister and ask him to query it. I know there are not direct beneficial lines between the State and Vodafone, but there certainly are a hell of a lot of indirect benefits to Vodafone as a result of what State infrastructure development is doing. I will raise it with the Minister and see what kind of response I get back.
I am just curious, because we have an Oireachtas point of contact for many other entities.
The Deputy Leader, without interruption.
We will find some mechanism to see if we can call the issue out.
It might be beneficial.
Customer care has to be king for most of these leading companies. What the Senator has described today does not really meet the standards we expect. Senator Davitt also supported Senator Boyhan's request for a debate on rural housing with regard to the guidelines that have been changed recently and especially the impacts they are having on our rural families, up and down the length and breadth of the country.
Senator Boyhan also brought to our attention this morning the Macra na Feirme campaign and I suppose I have to give a shout-out to Shane Dolphin, my own pal, who was on radio this morning to highlight that campaign.
He will, with all of his colleagues from around the country, be marching to the Oireachtas tomorrow. I would encourage anybody and everybody who is available to go down and talk to them. They have some genuine concerns. Sometimes we dismiss young people as not having enough experience in life to really understand the difficulties of changing things. However, some of these people have far more experience than some of the people making decisions affecting them.
We know it. We know.
With that said, I want to support the calls to support Macra na Feirme's campaign tomorrow.
Senator Gallagher brought to our attention the deadline of 28 April, which is this Friday. We will not even feel it. We remind all of our constituents that those first-time applications for school transport have to be in by Friday. I know the scheme was oversubscribed last year, but good tweaks have been made this year to ensure that people accessing the scheme who really need it are not pushed out by people who are just accessing the scheme because they could use it for one or two days a week. I thank Senator Gallagher for that.
Senator Warfield brought to our attention the academic report launched on Friday with regard to a united Ireland, the impact it would have and the fact that it should be dealt with within the European Union. He is seeking a citizens' assembly, and probably more immediately, a debate in the Seanad on Ireland's preparations for Irish unity. It would give us an opportunity to talk about the valuable work that the Tánaiste's shared island unit is doing.
Senator Martin brought up this evening's debate on the Defence Forces report and the Women of Honour. He is calling for all the recommendations to be made immediately.
Senator Craughwell brought to our attention what I can only describe as a very disturbing case regarding a gentleman called Sean O'Brien. Obviously, I am not aware of the details. However, I will certainly bring them to the attention of the Minister for Justice, Deputy Harris, and the Secretary General of the Department of Justice to see if we can get some answers for the Senator, but more importantly, some care, duty of care and attention for Mr. O'Brien.
Senator Fitzpatrick opened today by congratulating, as did others, our Defence Forces with regard to the repatriation of Irish citizens from what is, at the moment, a very dangerous situation in Sudan. Senator Fitzpatrick also asked for the Marie O'Shea review on abortion to be published and referred to the Oireachtas committee immediately.