I join the Deputy in thanking all of those who work on the Leinster House campus to make this place work efficiently and effectively on behalf of the people of Ireland. I thank all the people who the people watching at home may see on their screens and the many hundreds who work in the background to make sure we have effective democracy. To everyone in this place, regardless of political perspective, I believe that all politicians, on all sides of the House, work bloody hard in the interests of their constituents. We will be back doing this hammer and tongs again soon but, in the meantime, despite sitting beside a Meath woman, I wish Donegal well in the final after the team's victory at the weekend. The Deputy is right to highlight the issue of prices that people are experiencing. The tourism function has been moved to the Department of enterprise. This creates real synergy in terms of policies. There is an opportunity for the Minister, Deputy Peter Burke, and the Minister of State, Deputy Alan Dillon, to consider what can be done. Clearly, there are examples of price gouging and the like. There is a role for the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and the Minister and the Minister of State intend to engage with the CCPC on this matter.
Sentiment score: 0.40
I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue. I had a very constructive meeting with the US ambassador to Ireland this week. We discussed a variety of issues and I welcomed the opportunity to talk to him about the Irish people's very strong, almost guttural, view of the horror of what is happening in Gaza. I thank him for that respectful engagement. It is always important to have respectful engagement. Some of the language used by others, which the Deputy referenced, does not help the debate or discussion on policy in any way. The Government's position on the occupied territories Bill is as I have stated it on many occasions. I thank the foreign affairs committee for the good scrutiny it has done on it. It is important that the committee hears all views. It is important that any decisions the Oireachtas takes are done with our eyes wide open and having scrutinised and considered all aspects of the Bill. A variety of people have appeared before the committee, some I absolutely agree with and some I do not. The Deputy can probably guess who those are. It is important to have had that engagement. I expect to get advice from the Attorney General over the course of the summer recess, receive the report from the committee and then advise Government on the next steps. I am happy to work constructively with the Opposition once I have received both of those.
Sentiment score: 0.34
I remember the day Deputy Cairns raised the issue and I remember that the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, was here at the time. On the issues in Cork-Kerry, my understanding was that there were recruitment challenges for funded posts. Let me refresh my memory on that and come back to the Deputy directly. The Deputy is correct that there is a nationwide challenge with access to therapy services that goes beyond any particular geographic challenges. I do not dispute that at all. We are taking a number of steps to try to get on top of this. One is the establishment of a national education therapy service, led by the Minister, Deputy McEntee. This will apply to parents who have a child in a special school, in the first instance, and then spread out to special classes and mainstream school over time. Therapy services will be provided in the schools. This will start with speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy. We are also looking at how we can use private capacity for assessments of need. We have seen a very significant increase in the number of people accessing assessments of need this year compared with last year. We are also increasing the number of college places, with the Minister, Deputy Lawless, to train more people. I accept that this is a very challenging area but we are taking a number of measures to try to get to a better place on it.
Sentiment score: 0.21
I did not, but I am very happy to receive the details from the Deputy. It is probably likely that our consular services and embassy are aware of the case. I am very happy to receive any information from the Deputy on the matter and to follow up on it. As I would be expected to say, the migration policies of any country are a matter for that country. However, we would always expect Irish citizens to be treated with dignity and respect and consular services should be provided for any Irish citizen abroad.
Sentiment score: 0.42
I welcome the Deputy's guests. I hope they have a pleasant visit. I thank the Deputy for highlighting this issue, which is something everyone is trying to get on top of, but getting on top of it correctly, as the Deputy highlights, is very important. I will ask the Minister for communications to engage with the relevant authorities and ComReg and come back to the Deputy directly.
Sentiment score: 0.56
I thank Deputy McGrath. He is entirely right. The postmasters have, quite rightly, been vigorously engaging with us. This is an issue of concern for them and I assure the House and the postmasters that the Government is committed to a sustainable An Post and a sustainable post office network. We see it as a key component of economic and social infrastructure throughout the country. The programme for Government we have agreed states the Government will continue to provide the nationwide network of post offices with funding to ensure their sustainability and enhance the value they bring to local communities. My understanding is that an amount of approximately €10 million per annum is being provided by the Government over a three-year fixed term to An Post, which then disperses the funding across the post office network. We will continue to work and engage to make sure we can deliver on the commitment to have a sustainable post office network and to support our postmasters.
Sentiment score: 0.37
I thank Deputy Roche for raising this matter. I know he is a vocal advocate for carers and those being cared for. As he rightly said, the programme for Government includes a number of measures to support carers, including a commitment to phase out the means testing for the carer's allowance by increasing the income disregard in each budget, with a view to phasing out the means test during the lifetime of the Government. We are all determined to see meaningful progress on the means test through the lifetime of the Government and as part of the upcoming budget. I will not speculate on the upcoming budget as it would get me into all sorts of trouble, other than to say it is important that we show a roadmap for how we intend to get there and that we work together to achieve it. In the meantime, with effect from Thursday, 3 July, the income disregard did increase and this is important. All of these improvements mean that more carers can now avail of the carer's allowance payment. We are all very clear on what we want to do here. The means test for carers is mean and we want to abolish it in a way that is sustainable over the lifetime of the Government.
Sentiment score: 0.34
I thank Deputy Kenny for raising what is clearly a serious matter. Out of respect for the seriousness of it, I will speak directly with the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health, Deputy Butler, and see whether the meeting requested can be progressed. I will also apprise myself of the details because Deputy Kenny has raised it in the House previously.
Sentiment score: 0.35
I am very happy to follow up and come back to him on it.
Sentiment score: 0.61
Deputy Ward is entirely correct. This is a very important issue and we have to start taking national security very seriously in this country. We need to see a step change in our investment in the capability of our Defence Forces. I am very proud of the work done by all parts of Óglaigh na hÉireann but just because we are militarily neutral does not mean we do not invest in defence. In fact, in many ways it means we are more required to invest in defence. I think we are going to see a step change in investment in defence and security over the lifetime of the Government. We are really committed to looking at how we can transform the Defence Forces into a modern, fit-for-purpose organisation to meet the challenges of today and the future. The specific issue Deputy Ward has raised is correct. There is a recommendation in the report of the commission on the future of the Defence Forces on using the development of what it calls Defence Forces RPAS, or remotely piloted aircraft systems. We will be looking to progress this as quickly as possible, depending on national development plan outcomes and other funding matters.
Sentiment score: 0.23
The Taoiseach likes to think he takes care of the cheering for Cork but I very much look forward to attending the Cork and Tipperary game. I am looking at my Tipperary colleague, Deputy Murphy. I wish Cork and Tipperary very well at the weekend and I look forward to a very good final. I also wish Donegal and Kerry the best of luck on the following weekend. The issue Deputy O'Connor raised on driver tests is important. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, are working very hard on this. They are working with the Road Safety Authority. We need to look at how we reform the RSA. I do not say this to be critical of the RSA. It was set up to promote road safety. We all think of the late Gay Byrne, Lord rest him, and the very good work done. There is also an aspirational side that is quite separate and distinct. I know the Minister of State and the Minister are giving consideration to all of this. Specifically on the issue in Dungarvan, I will ask the Minister of State and the Minister to raise it with the RSA and come back to Deputy O'Connor directly.
Sentiment score: 0.28
I thank Deputy Quinlivan for raising this issue in respect of Limerick city, which he raises regularly. I am pleased to remind us all that Limerick was one of the first areas in the country to get bodycams as part of the pilot roll-out. We also saw the first conviction as a result of bodycams in Limerick. I have no doubt that measure is supporting gardaí in the work they are doing in Limerick. Of course, we all want to see more gardaí. That is why Templemore is working at full throttle again and why we are looking at options for a second Garda college. Where gardaí are allocated is a matter for the Garda Commissioner but I will certainly pass the Deputy's views regarding Limerick city and CCTV for the Garryowen area on to the Minister for justice.
Sentiment score: 0.26
I sincerely thank Deputy O'Gorman for raising this very important issue. We have an opportunity to effectively eliminate cervical cancers in our country. One of the ways we can achieve that goal is by increasing HPV vaccination rates for girls by age 15 to the WHO target of 90% by 2030. The Deputy is correct that there is also a need for catch-up programmes. The programme for Government contains a commitment to extend the Laura Brennan HPV catch-up vaccination programme to anyone under 25 who missed the initial vaccination. When I mention Laura Brennan, I always think of her and her family, whom I acknowledge today. As a first step towards fulfilling this commitment, the Minister for Health told me this morning that she has decided to introduce a schools-based HPV vaccine catch-up programme without delay. This will give an opportunity to students who have previously been offered a HPV vaccine another opportunity to receive that vaccine. It is estimated that approximately 75,000 students could benefit from this, which is not a small cohort at all. Those aged 16 and older do not require parental consent to receive the vaccine as part of the catch-up programme. The uptake of the vaccine will be closely monitored. In parallel, the Minister is exploring opportunities to identify a suitable delivery model for those aged under 25 who have left school. In the meantime, it is important to have as many children of schoolgoing age as possible vaccinated. We are fully committed to this programme. The Minister intends to start it in the way I have suggested. Some 75,000 students will benefit. The Minister will then come back on a suitable delivery model for those aged under 25.
Sentiment score: 0.28
We have to start. Some 75,000 people will benefit from the catch-up programme.
Sentiment score: 0.23
I believe and certainly hope we are all united in calling out the far right. We have all had experiences in our constituencies and communities of people trying to sow division. For the Government to effectively deal with that, it must not leave a vacuum. It must put in place the policies required for a functioning rules-based migration system. Immigration is a good thing. All of us in government believe that. I think all of us in this House, or certainly most of us, believe that as well. Immigration is a good thing and we have benefited from people coming to our country but there must also be rules. We have to have an efficient courts system and a deportation system that works. We also have to ensure the costs we apply are the same as or similar to those in other European countries. It is about a balanced migration system that works. I am always calling out the far right. The Minister for justice is working with the full support of Government and I thank him for the work he is doing to make our migration system more efficient and more effective in advance of joining the EU asylum pact next year. Yesterday, I met with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and had an opportunity to brief him on the work this country is undertaking with regard to refugees and the work we do to support displaced people at an international level.
Sentiment score: 0.35
Does the Leas-Cheann Comhairle have an interest in this? Is the Deputy from Clonmel? I jest. I thank Deputy Murphy. He represents his community with pride and dedication. I thank him for raising this issue on behalf of the people of Clonmel. I have been delighted to be in Clonmel with him on many occasions recently to see all the work that is going on, the benefit of urban regeneration and development fund, URDF, funding, the plans for a college of further education, the regeneration of the old barracks site and the new Garda station. As he will know, there is a commitment in the programme for Government. We have established a local democracy task force. The purpose of this is to look at how to strengthen local government. The task force will look at issues in respect of structure, funding, functions, governance, accountability, local government and, importantly, the role of councillors. It will also consider how to further strengthen the framework and powers of municipal districts, including the Clonmel borough district. It will also consider the role of a small number of town-focused bodies that could be introduced again. I am proud to be a former town commissioner for Greystones so I know the benefits these commissions and councils can bring to a community. The Minister, Deputy Browne, and the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, will bring the recommendations of that task force to Cabinet in due course. I look forward to considering the matter at that time. I will keep in close contact with Deputy Murphy.
Sentiment score: 0.28
The Bulmers analogy is important. We should always be asking if there is any added benefit from a particular layer. If there is not, it should be got rid of. For example, the Minister, Deputy James Browne, brought a proposal to Cabinet recently that there were four gates to get through social housing. That is not the case now. We got rid of the fourth, third and second gates. There is now only one gate. These are the things Government has to be pretty ruthless on. If there is a reason for something being there, grand, but if there is not, we need to move it on. The Minister, Deputy Chambers, the Taoiseach, and the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, and I are having conversations around the issues the Deputy highlighted. We are going to see a significant increase in capital spending, but how do we then ensure that delivery is as swift as possible? There are two quick points I would make. Generally, on infrastructure delivery including water, the reforms that the Minister, Deputy Chambers, introduced in his Department included the establishment of the new infrastructure delivery unit. The people there are responsible not just for counting the money but also for asking where a particular project is at. Irish Water is involved in that. Second, particularly in some smaller towns and villages, including those the Deputy referenced, we have to look at allowing developers to get on with putting in place the necessary infrastructure to Irish Water's standards. If a developer is willing to build eight, ten or 12 houses and we are prepared to allow that developer to do the internal infrastructure, why not let them do the external infrastructure as well? There is openness on the part of Irish Water in this regard.
Sentiment score: 0.18
We spar in this Chamber on many occasions and do not always agree on things. On a purely personal level, I wish the Deputy well. It takes guts to put your name forward for any election.
Sentiment score: 0.11
Specifically on the infrastructure in Galway, the national development plan will be an opportunity to significantly increase investment. We will be considering many projects. We discussed some of the health projects for Galway earlier. On the Corrib Estuary issue, I will bring the Deputy's comments to the attention of Senator Noonan's successor, the Minister of State, Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan. I will ask the Minister of State to liaise directly with Deputy Connolly.
Sentiment score: 0.17