I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Joe O'Brien, to the House. Senators Ruane and Black have two minutes each.
Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters
Middle East Issues
Go raibh maith agat a Chathaoirligh. The Minister of State is very welcome to the House. I am sure he is well aware that the freedom flotilla is an international fleet of civilian ships attempting to break the illegal siege and blockade of Gaza by Israel. The flotilla is organised by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and had brought together participants from more than 20 countries, including Ireland.
The flotilla is the first humanitarian mission to carry aid sufficient to meaningfully alleviate the food and medical supply shortage and the intensification of the genocide of the Palestinian people by Israel, which has been imposed on Gaza since last October. The flotilla first set sail in April, with more than 5,000 tonnes of aid and around 1,000 medics, lawyers, politicians and human rights observers on board. Unfortunately, the progress of the flotilla has been halted as its flags have been confiscated by the Guinea-Bissau international ships registry under pressure from the Israeli authorities. Lawyers acting for the coalition have advised that this confiscation is without basis, without requisite notice and is in violation of maritime and international humanitarian law, including the San Remo principles, UN Convention of the Law of the Sea, UNCLOS, UN Security Council resolution 27 and 28 and the International Court of Justice orders on interim measures, which the flotilla is meaningfully attempting to execute through its mission. Without its flags, the flotilla is unable to continue its mission to deliver critical humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza to relieve some of the suffering being imposed by and through the illegal Israeli blockade and occupation. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and United Nations Office at Geneva have both called for the immediate release and safe passage of the flotilla, yet the Israeli Government - supported by its allies - flouts its international obligations, preventing the flotilla from reaching Gaza and delivering critical humanitarian aid and support. A request has been made by the coalition - supported by a petition, which includes more than 18,000 signatories - for Ireland to grant permission for one of the humanitarian vessels to use its flag.
Today, we ask the Minister of State to speak specifically on the consideration the Department has given to the request and when a decision can be anticipated. In response to a written question raised by Deputy Cronin regarding the flotilla, the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, set out the general procedures on providing the flags for the vessels. This is information we already know. We do not need the Minister of State to set out again the process of registration, inspection or surveying of vessels in the general sense. We ask him instead to speak specifically about the vessels attached to the freedom flotilla. A number of the vessels are currently harboured in Turkey. We ask that the Minister of State clarify, in his response, whether and how registration, inspection and surveying could be facilitated with this in mind. It is our understanding that section 21 of the Mercantile Marine Act 1955 provides that the Minister may, in his absolute discretion, consent to the registry of a ship under the law of another country, while section 25 provides that if the rules for the measurement of the tonnage and build of ships in another country are similar to the tonnage regulations in Ireland, the Minister may recognise certificates of measurement and build issued by that country. We hope the Minister of State will speak on how these sections of the Act interact in the case of the flotilla specifically. We can be proud of the leadership Ireland has shown to date on Palestine but we need to take swift, material and tangible action to take the steps within our power to bring the blockade, occupation and genocide to an end. That is not just what is required of us morally, but is also our obligations under international and humanitarian law. The flotilla is currently the only party meaningfully acting to execute the orders of the ICJ, the UN Security Council and international maritime and human rights law. By granting permission for the use of our flag, we can take meaningful and tangible steps of our own. I thank the Minister of State.
Míle buíochas. I thank Senators Black and Ruane. Iarraim ar an Aire Stáit, an Teachta O'Brien. Tá ceithre nóiméad aige.
I thank the Cathaoirleach and Senators Ruane and Black for their question. I welcome the opportunity to discuss this important topic with Members of the House today on behalf of the Minister for Transport. I tried to get myself up to speed on this issue before the Senators' question. I do not know all the ins and outs of the Act in question or what level of information the Senators have already. We will have to supply some material that I suspect the Senators may have received already.
The important point to start with is that no application has been received by the Marine Survey Office of the Department of Transport or the registration or operation of any vessels regarding the freedom flotilla under the Irish flag. I would like to set out some background information on the operation of ships on the Irish flag. The overall framework is set by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. This requires that every state shall effectively exercise its jurisdiction and control in administrative, technical and social matters over ships flying its state flag. In particular, each state shall maintain a register of its ships and assume jurisdiction over its internal law on-board ships flying its flag.
In this regard, every state shall ensure the safety of the ship with regard to construction, equipment and seaworthiness, the manning of the ship, labour conditions and the training of its crews. Each state shall therefore survey each ship operating under its flag and at appropriate intervals thereafter to safeguard the ship’s safety and ensure that it is complying with accepted international safety regulations, procedures and practices.
In Ireland, the registration of vessels is regulated under the Mercantile Marine Act 1955 and the Merchant Shipping and Sea Pollution Acts, 1894 to 2022. Nationality requirements apply to prospective registered owners and this currently includes Irish, EU and UK citizens and bodies corporate. Applicants, being the owner of a vessel or their legal representative, must contact a registrar of shipping at their chosen port of registry in relation to satisfying the registration requirements. The application process also requires a tonnage measurement survey, which is carried out by the Department of Transport.
For an existing ship to operate under the Irish flag, it must also be surveyed by the Department to ensure the safety of the vessel and the crew. These technical surveys include a full desktop review of the ship, including its previous operation under other flags and the outcomes of inspections under port state control regimes, to determine the safety status of the ship. The ship will be surveyed for compliance with the relevant international maritime conventions, EU legislation and domestic Irish legislation. The overall process can take several months and depends on the quality of the vessel presented for survey. The survey and assessment also includes an assessment of the crew and their qualifications. The crew must hold certificates of competency that are recognised by Ireland.
The operation of a ship is regulated regarding its use, intended trading areas, as well as matters related to compliance with the procedures of the conventions, including requirements regarding maritime security. This includes setting the security levels on Irish-flagged ships and directing ships in relation to their operations. Ships operating under the Irish flag are subject to compliance with a wider set of Irish legislation than maritime safety alone, including compliance with other applicable Irish civil and criminal law.
Ireland maintains a comprehensive oversight of ships on the Irish flag to ensure that the highest safety standards are maintained, and Ireland is currently among the top performing flag states in the world in respect of vessel safety, as determined by the Paris memorandum of understanding organisation.
In short, no application has been received yet. My understanding is that no decision can be made until a formal application is made. I do not know whether the information I have shared has been in the public domain already, but these are things an applicant will need to be aware of if putting an application forward. Therefore, perhaps in that respect, it is useful; I do not know. I can perhaps give a little more information in the follow-up.
That is extremely important because we are under the impression that an application has been made through Deputy Chambers’s office. We have been in communication with people on the flotilla, including regarding their legal advice, and they have the steering committee there as well. The people on board the flotilla are also under the impression that the requesting application has been made as per what was requested from them to the Department. That is an extremely important piece of information. People on board and people involved in the steering committee feel they are in a position where they are awaiting the response and the decision based on an application. I do not know whether the Minister of State can provide more information on that now. Are there clear steps he can describe now with regard to whether something has been missed? Was the Department of Transport aware that communication had been made and information sought? Has that not been passed on yet to the Department? There is some confusion that we would like clarity on so that we can best inform the human rights activists but also the legal representatives on board the flotilla who feel they made the request to Ireland for the flags.
Will the Minister of State be able to follow up on this? I am aware he is also passionate about this issue. It would be great if he could follow up on this issue and come back to us on it. It would be awful to think the application went in and just nobody has bothered with it. My concern is that nobody has bothered with it. That is worrying.
Absolutely, I will follow up on it. My understanding through a conversation less than an hour ago is that no formal application has been received.
I wish to take the opportunity as well to reaffirm the Government’s commitment to the International Criminal Court. I welcome the decision by the chief prosecutor to pursue arrest warrants. We also hold steadfast in our commitment to recognise the Palestinian state and we are currently co-ordinating with our partners on the most appropriate and impactful date in which that will happen.
I also wish to take the opportunity to bring attention to the fact that the EU Commission still needs to respond to the request of former Taoiseach, Deputy Varadkar, and the Spanish Prime Minister that the EU-Israel association agreement is reviewed in light of the severe, widespread and ongoing human rights concerns in Gaza.
We believe in Europe and its institutions but the institutions are, frankly, only as responsive as their leaders. President von der Leyen is doing a disservice to the EU, in my view, by failing to respond and to recognise the human rights clause in the EU-Israel association agreement.
Waterways Issues
I thank the Minister of State for taking the time to come to the Chamber today for what is a very important Commencement matter for many constituents on the Barrow blueway and the surrounding area. I acknowledge the Government's commitment to delivering for our rural communities. As a native of Rathangan, a lovely rural village in south Kildare, I know only too well how important it is to support the long-term viability of small villages and towns if we want to see them grow and prosper into the future. We can certainly do that through tourism, which is a vital aspect of the rural economy in south Kildare. We have some wonderful amenities, from the Japanese Gardens to the Lullymore Heritage and Discovery Park and many others.
One key element of the development of the tourism industry is the development of blueway and greenway infrastructure. As the Minister of State knows, the Barrow blueway will stretch some 46 km, from Lowtown in the Robertstown area through to Athy. It goes through Ballyteague, Rathangan, Monasterevin and Vicarstown. It is really a beautiful part of the county and has tremendous potential for south Kildare. There is no doubt that a fully finished and maintained blueway will open up our area to new markets and opportunities. At the moment, people are using it for recreational sport, cycling, walking, jogging and so on. Fáilte Ireland did some research recently which showed that domestic trips were mainly focused on the outdoors. We want to capitalise on that and attract people to the blueway in Kildare. In a survey of local businesses, as part of a Kildare Leader research paper, two thirds of local businesses surveyed had an element of tourism in their businesses. However, only 20% could sustain this year round. There is a real opportunity here for us. I was very pleased that some weeks ago, under a recent rural regeneration and development fund, RRDF, call, the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, allocated almost €4 million in funding towards the cost of completing the Barrow blueway project. This will include a pedestrian bridge in Rathangan. I have been liaising with the Minister since the funding shortfall was identified and I am pleased that this funding was extended. The Minister of State can clearly see the benefits of the blueway to the local, national and international economy. The investment from the Government has been significant so we have a duty to protect this asset and investment.
Unfortunately, in recent weeks we have seen disgraceful behaviour on the blueway, especially around lock 20 in Ballyteague. There have been issues of antisocial behaviour over the years but it has now reached a breaking point for residents. I have seen some of the videos related to this. In addition to the general antisocial behaviour, we have seen young people going around the roads and the blueway on quads, scramblers and modified bikes, without tax, insurance or protection. I acknowledge that the law changed yesterday. We hope that it is adhered to. Residents have also complained about tractors being brought on to the lock as well as young people doing burnouts, rallying and having sulkies on the blueway. This is leading to intimidation of residents and is negatively impacting their quality of life. These are long-term residents living along the canal. They deserve to be able to enjoy their area fully and without intimidation.
Outside of that, this area and the wider blueway project has received millions of euro in Government funding and has been worked on by many stakeholders. We have a responsibility to protect that. I ask the Minister of State what can be done to tackle this issue
I thank Senator O'Loughlin for raising matter and giving me the opportunity, on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, to update the House in relation to the Ballyteague blueway.
Waterways Ireland is a North-South implementation body established under the British-Irish agreement of 10 April 1998. It is funded by the Department of Housing, Heritage and Local Government and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. Waterways Ireland owns and manages the Grand Canal Barrow line, which is a 46 km still-water canal between Lowtown, which is a junction on the Grand Canal, and the Barrow navigation at Athy, County Kildare. Most of the route is in County Kildare, with a section of towpath and canal in County Laois.
Waterways Ireland is currently developing the infrastructure for the Barrow blueway by resurfacing the existing towpath to create a 2.5 m wide accessible, multi-use route. Together with their project partners, Kildare and Laois County Councils, Waterways Ireland is providing pedestrian crossings where the route crosses roads. A number of lowered jetties are being put in place to enable easy access and egress for paddle sports.
While the project has been welcomed by communities and received strong support during this construction phase, there have unfortunately been some incidents of anti-social behaviour witnessed at Ballyteague. Waterways Ireland, Kildare County Council and An Garda Síochána are actively working together to put measures in place to manage the situation effectively and have committed to continued, proactive collaboration between the three bodies in order to deliver a safe and enjoyable experience for all users. A meeting between the three organisations is planned in the coming days to develop a shared approach that ensures the blueway remains accessible and welcoming for all users.
Funding for the programme of works to create the 46 km blueway was secured via a successful joint application by Waterways Ireland, Kildare County Council and Laois County Council to the rural regeneration and development fund, RRDF, and through funding from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to progress the Barrow blueway project from Lowtown and Robertstown through Rathangan, Monasterevin and Vicarstown to Athy. The project is led via a partnership approach, which also includes the private, community and voluntary sectors thereby ensuring that it will be developed, promoted and maintained for the benefit of the region as a whole.
Phase 1 of the 46 km blueway development is nearing completion, with both bound and unbound surface on the entire route practically complete. Installation of access control gates and road crossing infrastructure is also nearing completion. Recent funding from the RRDF will enable the construction of a pedestrian bridge, installation of new access jetties along the route as well as interpretative features such as signage and activation infrastructure.
I will not miss this opportunity to clarify that the RRDF comes from the Department of Rural and Community Development, which is my own Department.
I thank the Minister of State and I look forward to welcoming him to Kildare when the blueway is open to see the tremendous progress and the great asset that it is. I am glad to hear the three organisations are meeting in the coming days. Last week, in this House, I asked for a taskforce to be put in place. I have been in touch with Waterways Ireland separately as well as with An Garda Síochána and Kildare County Council. The Minister of State is right; a shared approach that ensures the blueway remains accessible and welcoming for all users is really important. We have to ensure the blueway is developed, promoted and maintained for the benefit of the region as a whole, which absolutely includes the neighbours.
The Minister of State mentioned the newly constructed gateways. They were intended to restrict the access of quad and scrambler bikes but they are not fit for purpose; quads and scramblers are able to get in. That absolutely needs to be looked at. We also need better access management plans to ensure these motorised vehicles cannot damage the blueway or cause a problem for the nearby residents. I would appreciate if the Department would keep in contact and update me on the meeting with the three agencies.
I thank Senator O'Loughlin for her contribution. The Ballyteague blueway initiative is designed to promote well-being through opportunities for walking, cycling and enjoying the water on paddle boards and powered craft. That needs to be available and accessible to everyone. Apart from increasing people's well-being, a greater level of use of the waterway and its towpath by visitors to the area is intended to improve the local economy and support local services. My colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, is disappointed by the anti-social behaviour that has been seen in recent weeks but he is confident this will be addressed effectively by the relevant parties and that the blueway project will be hugely transformational and beneficial to the area. I will pass on the Senator's request to be kept up to date on developments.
I thank the Minister of State for his time in the Seanad this morning. We know he is busy and we appreciate it. We wait now for Minister of State at the Department of Health and at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy Anne Rabbitte, for our next two Commencement matters.
Health Services
I thank the Minister of State for taking the time to come to the House to deal with this in person.
I am working with a family who are incredibly caring and supportive of their 29-year-old son and brother who is a ward of court and has been in the care of the State for some years, since he left school. He was undergoing treatment under the auspices of the HSE in Dublin. At times, that treatment was satisfactory but at other times it was not meeting his needs. A decision was taken by the HSE 18 months ago to transfer him to St. Andrew's Healthcare in the UK. He was first diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome and then with autism. Now, St. Andrew's Healthcare has advanced a diagnosis of autism and an intellectual disability. It is only in the last year that this diagnosis has been made.
The difficulty is that no one is liaising with this family and giving them feedback. There appears to be no care plan. The family goes over to England on a regular basis to visit him. They say the experience is like going to a prison, given the number of stages they have to go through before they get to visit their son and brother. He is very interested in sports but has no access to sport or to watching it on television. The progression markers are exceptionally low but when they ask questions, neither the HSE nor St. Andrew's Healthcare is responding to the family. This young man is in the process of coming out of the ward of court system and into the assisted decision-making system but that has proven to be a very complicated process. We have a 29-year-old man who believes that he is coming home soon. He was told by the HSE that we was going to the UK for two years. That two-year deadline is coming up shortly and he is obsessed with the idea that he is coming home then but nobody knows anything about it. He is not in a position to engage with the progress of his care or to know what exactly is happening and he is not getting any feedback. There is no point of contact for the family. They have no idea of the set-up and from a mental health perspective, their view is that he has deteriorated in that time.
This is the first I have heard of us sending people to the UK on a long-term basis. The treatment purchase scheme is fantastic but I was not aware that we were using it to this extent. I will hustle the ward of court people on his behalf but in terms of the health aspect, how is there no oversight, feedback or care plan? It seems that because he is 29, a decision has been made that his family does not merit any information. That seems a most extraordinary situation, especially as his diagnosis has changed. Perhaps that is to be applauded because there may have been an undiagnosed condition over his life to date. Maybe that is an indication of progress but nevertheless, his family members are taking the time and bearing the expense of going to the UK to visit him on a very regular basis but nobody feels any obligation to tell them anything about their son and brother. In that context, I am wondering about the structures within the HSE that would allow such a lack of oversight. It seems a most extraordinary situation.
I thank the Senator for raising this matter and for being so open in telling me of the diagnosis. Regrettably, before coming here today I did not know the diagnosis and did not know what treatment was being made available.
I only learned of it myself this morning.
I thank the Senator for raising this issue today. If the family are watching now or will watch the recording later, I acknowledge their involvement in their son's and brother's care. I have to apologise for the lack of engagement, communication and consultation with the family. I will take more details from the Senator when we finish. If there is a timeline, as has been put on it, and this young man wants to return home, as is his will and preference, that is what the decision support service is all about. That is the role of the DSS. I will work with the Senator on that. Timelines are important.
To get to the crux of the matter, while the HSE endeavours to provide services as close to home as possible, this can be challenging in residential placements. Demographic challenges associated with the increase in the number of people living with a disability, the increase in age and life expectancy and the changing needs of people with a disability have all led to the need for increased residential facilities. Residential services make up the largest part of specialist community-based disability services funding. As of March 2024, the HSE funds a total of 8,472 residential placements. I will get the information for the Senator on how many are in this jurisdiction, in Northern Ireland and in the UK. The HSE funds and works in partnership with organisations including section 38 and 39 organisations and out-of-State agencies to ensure the best level of service possible is provided to people with a disability and their families within the available resources. Regardless of the type of organisation or its location, mechanisms, safeguards and procedures are in place to provide assurances to the HSE and to support accountability processes for public expenditure on health and personal social services. As part of a HSE-wide requirement to ensure that appropriate governance arrangements underpin the release of the funding of agencies, a governance framework for funded agencies has been developed which ensures a consistent approach in this regard. The framework was introduced to implement the legislative provisions of the Health Act 2004 and to reflect requirements for public accountability where the HSE is legally obliged to account for all public expenditure on health and personal social services.
The framework seeks to provide a level of governance which links funding provided to a quantum of service and provides for these services to be linked to quality standards, with continuous monitoring to ensure equity, efficiency and effective use of available resources. The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority, RQIA, is the independent body responsible for monitoring and inspecting the availability and quality of health and social care services in Northern Ireland and encouraging improvements in the quality of those services. Through its inspections, reviews and audits, the RQIA provides assurance about the quality of care, challenges poor practice, promotes improvement and safeguards the rights of service users. In the UK, the Care Quality Commission regulates all health and social care services in England. The commission ensures the quality and safety of care in hospitals, dentists, ambulances and care homes and the care given in people's own homes.
To be honest, I hear a lot about the framework but I do not hear about where the engagement takes place between the various bodies and families. That is the crux of the Senator's question and what we will have to seek the answers to - where the level of engagement, communication and consultation take place. While we have the frameworks, in practice, I do not feel or hear it in responses.
Before I bring Senator Seery Kearney back in, I welcome sixth class from Ballinalee National School in County Longford. They had a great win last night in the minors. I offer them huge congratulations. I particularly welcome Brendan Carrigy, the son of our colleague and friend, Senator Micheál Carrigy. Brendan is in sixth class. I hope they have a wonderful trip to Leinster House and that they find it informative. You will now hear Senator Seery Kearney posing a supplementary question to the Minister of State for disabilities.
I welcome the pupils and congratulate them. Senator Carrigy is a great colleague. I also say hello to Fintan. I know when the Minister of State makes a commitment, she always rises to the challenge of what is presented before her.
She began by talking about the will and preference of this man being at the heart of this case, and I completely agree with that. However, a family needs to be prepared. The fact is that this man does not have a home to go to unless he is at home with his mother, father and brothers. The family needs to be supported. It may be that the determination of the HSE in sending him to St. Andrew's is that he needs to be kept on an extreme ward - the words used to me were that it was a very secure ward - but his preference is to be at home in his own house with his family. That may not be possible. The HSE needs to engage with the family.
I was 100% supportive of assisted decision-making, but there cannot be the complete exclusion of a family. It defies any logic and progress for the individual. Surely the two could be done in tandem to try to rise to the objective and outcome that the individual wants, while also preparing a family to support him. Bank accounts have been frozen. There are many issues. The man's mother saved money from her wages every week for all of his life. She cannot access that bank account to buy him a TV. What is happening appears to be peculiar to the fact that the man is a ward of court.
This is an extremely important issue.
There are peculiarities that, as I said, are lacking in any accountability. I accept that the Minister of State acknowledges that.
I thank the Senator. I take on board everything she has said. I would welcome working with her and assisting the family because this is an extreme case. When a person has to access residential care, that is extreme at any time. It is ten times more extreme when a person has to leave their jurisdiction in order to access care. It is my prerogative and that of the Government to ensure we provide residential care as close to home as possible so that people can continue their relationships. That is our priority.
While I understand the extremities of the case, it is important that the young man concerned is supported as close to home as possible. Consultation and communication needs to happen. Why would a mum not want to buy her son a TV or be able to have regular access to him? Why would a mum not want to see her son participate in sport? That is what we want for all of our children. I look forward to working with the Senator on this issue.
Healthcare Infrastructure Provision
Before our guests in the Gallery leave, I forgot a very important issue. One of the few powers the Cathaoirleach to the Seanad has is to decree that the children have no homework for the rest of the week.
As a former teacher, I am sure the teacher is probably not best pleased with that. The students are probably happy.
I thank the Minister of State for taking this Commencement matter. Like the Minister of State, I am extremely passionate about the need for a new purpose-built multidisciplinary early intervention and respite care centre for children with complex additional needs on the grounds of St. Otteran's Hospital in Waterford city. In February 2021, our colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Mary Butler, responded to my Commencement matter on this very topic and confirmed that the project was in the capital plan. That was fantastic news to receive at the time. The Minister of State went on to communicate the timelines she was given by the HSE. She said the design team would be procured by the end of that year, 2021, and it was expected that the project would go out to tender in late 2022 with construction due to commence in 2023. Construction was estimated to last for a period of between 18 and 24 months. Of course, the usual caveats of the project being a dynamic process and subject to approval at various stages were stated.
I understand, as spokesperson on housing, that projects can be delayed when they go to the detailed design stage and further reworking of plans can cause delays. However, to be standing here in 2024 without the project having progressed to a construction tender is simply not good enough from the HSE estates.
I want to know what is going on with this much-needed project for children with complex needs in Waterford city and the surrounding areas.
When I spoke in 2021, I described the inadequate nature of the existing Sacred Heart Centre and the associated disability services which operate from Johnstown industrial estate. I spoke about the narrow corridors, the poor ventilation, the inadequate parking and set-down areas, the lack of a sensory room, the health and safety risks, the lack of soundproofing and the lack of storage space for SLT and PT equipment. To be honest, these are the same today as they were three years ago. The Sacred Heart Centre was built over 44 years ago and the industrial unit in Johnstown is just that - an industrial unit that was leased back in 2003. Despite the amazing staff and the amazing parents who do Trojan work and provide an excellent service, the buildings they are operating from are simply not fit for purpose. That is why the failure of the HSE to meet its own timelines that it gave to the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, is very disappointing. I hope there will be some light at the end of the tunnel and that the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, will be able to shed further light on this project. The most recent census figures for Waterford show that the number of children aged under 19 with a disability of great extent stood at 1,301. Therefore, the need for an integrated multidisciplinary centre to deliver for that young population and their families cannot be underestimated.
I have to highlight the fantastic committee, Touching Hearts, whose members have been fundraising for this project since 2017. They have committed €1 million to the project and raised over half of that total. When I was mayor in 2016 and 2017, I had the pleasure of making it one of the beneficiaries of my mayor’s ball. I compliment the committee, the staff, the parents and everyone associated with this. They are absolutely determined and committed to the delivery of this project, which will be transformational for this and future generations. However, they cannot wait any longer as they have waited too long already. This project has gone on for too long and it has to be fast-tracked from here. If it is the case that other services are trying to piggyback on this project to make it what it was not, and that is what is delaying it, this needs to be called out. People need to be told that this is a project that is for this purpose and we are driving on with it.
I thank the Senator for raising this very important issue. As he said, he and the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, have at all times been championing this project. The Senator referred to Touching Hearts and I know Deputy Butler often talks about her niece, Amy, who attends its services.
I will be honest and give the Senator some information that will not be in my script. I really struggled to get a response for him today. The response I got is nothing more than a response of no progress, to be honest. It talks about my priorities. We all know my priorities, and capital is one of my them. Senator Cummins, the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, and I continuously champion projects that have been long-fingered for far too long. I take on board exactly what the Senator has asked for, which is the fast-tracking of this project. I again thank the Touching Hearts charity for its enormous fundraising of €1 million.
Before I came to the House today, the current position regarding the project was brought to my attention. The stage 1 report from the design team in quarter 3 of 2023 estimated that the cost of the project would be dealt with through a significant funding allocation. The HSE disability services and HSE capital and estates are arranging stakeholder engagement to review the project and to provide a revised scheme of works for funding approval. The revised scope of works is expected to be completed in the next few months.
This was a priority when the Senator raised it as a Commencement matter back in 2021.
It was prioritised within that capital plan to move it along. What the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, said on the floor of this Chamber has not been honoured. I will have to ask HSE estates why not. It is regrettable news for people listening in because St. Otteran's has been on the capital plan since 2014, ten years ago. At all times, I have tried to move St. Otteran's through the capital plan. There is communication from my office, over and back, where prioritisation has been given to St. Otteran's. The wonderful service it provides to the most vulnerable is critically needed. The staff that work there are amazing because they provide phenomenal support and services to the most vulnerable, but the conditions are not what we expect our staff to work in. Given the amount of equipment and storage required, they cannot deliver the interventions that are so needed.
The Senator is right that the ask in 2014 and the ask in 2024 are different. All the family, staff and board require is a fit-for-purpose building that any child who has to access it would be proud to enter. To meet basic needs, we need a far more welcoming, inclusive environment than the bricks and mortar that welcome those young people today. I will continue to work with the Senator and with the Minister of State, Deputy Butler. I will convene that task force as soon as I can.
I am disappointed with the response but I know the Minister of State gets under the hood of things and clearly, we need to get under the hood of what has been going on here. To go from procuring a design team in 2021 to only having stage 1 completed in quarter 3 of 2023, when construction was due to commence in 2023, does not tally.
Questions have to be asked of HSE estates. What has that office been doing over the past couple of years that it is unable to bring the project through to detailed design and tender? It is unacceptable. There are people in that office that clearly have not been doing their jobs. The Minister of State has to come in and answer questions from me because the stakeholders are asking me where is this project to provide much-needed services for their children. The Minister of State has their best interests at heart, as do I, but there are clearly people sitting in offices who are not thinking of the urgency of this project and have been long-fingering it for whatever reason.
I ask that the Minister of State convene all the bodies and have a meeting in the next couple of weeks on this, pulling in the people from estates and the stakeholders with the Minister of State to get to the bottom of what has gone on here. It is unacceptable a priority project for the HSE and for children with complex needs has not been fast-tracked. When we spoke in 2021, we said those timelines were not quick enough and now we find out they are further delayed.
I will work with the Senator and the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, to convene that meeting of all the relevant stakeholders. Accountability is where it is at. I hope CHO 5, under the new leadership of the RHA, prioritises disabilities. For far too long in regions of this country, HSE estates did not prioritise capital development for disabilities.
I welcome that I have my own budget of €23 million.
It has now come across to the Department. I will liaise with Bernard Gloster to ensure we have a point of contact for capital projects so that when they go on a capital plan they are followed through. It is the Senator's job and my job to advocate to get the funding to ensure that it actually meets the different stages throughout. The Senator and I cannot go out with a shovel and build it. However, there are people who are tasked and paid to ensure that delivery happens. Under my stewardship I can assure the Senator and assure the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, that I will be convening a meeting before the end of the month.
I say this as Chair and I am sure Senator Cummins will agree with me. It is refreshing for a Minister to come in and not stand over a reply that is clearly not what the Minister or the Senator finds desirable. It is always very refreshing when that happens.
She was not given much to respond on in any case.
I again thank the Minister of State for her time today.
Cuireadh an Seanad ar fionraí ar 1.56 p.m. agus cuireadh tús leis arís ar 2 p.m.
Sitting suspended at 1.56 p.m. and resumed at 2 p.m.