2025-12-16

I move: Tuesday's business shall be: - Motion re Referral to Joint Committee of Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No. 2) Regulations 2025 (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Motion re Appointment of Members of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Motion re Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Motion re Restoration of Private Members’ Bill to the Order Paper (without debate) - Motion re Report of the Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform on Rota for Leaders’ Questions pursuant to Standing Order 38 (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Appropriation Bill 2025 (Second Stage) (to conclude within 3 hours and 34 minutes and any division claimed deferred to immediately before Committee Stage on Wednesday) Tuesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Blister Packs, selected by Sinn Féin. Wednesday's business shall be: - Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill 2025 (Second Stage) (to adjourn after 90 minutes) - Statements on Fisheries (not to exceed 3 hours and 32 minutes) - Appropriation Bill 2025 (Committee and remaining Stages) (to be taken no earlier than 7 p.m. and to conclude within 90 minutes) - Credit Review Bill 2024 (Report and Final Stages) (to conclude within 30 minutes) - Proceeds of Crime and Related Matters Bill 2025 (Report and Final Stages) (to conclude within 30 minutes) - Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) Regulations 2025* - Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No. 2) Regulations 2025* - Motion re Presentation and Circulation of Revised Estimates 2026 (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately) *Back from Committee; to be debated together and brought to a conclusion within 60 minutes, with questions to be put on each motion separately; any division claimed to be taken immediately Wednesday's private members' business shall be the Second Stage of the Animal Health and Welfare (Ban on Fox Hunting) Bill 2025, selected by the Independent and Parties Technical Group. Thursday's business shall be: - Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) (Amendment) Bill 2025 (Second Stage) (if not previously concluded, to adjourn after 3 hours and 24 minutes) Thursday evening business shall be the Motion re Report entitled "Report on Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) (Amendment) Bill", sponsored by the Committee on Health. Proposed Arrangements for this week’s business: In relation to Tuesday’s business, it is proposed that: 1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the following extent: (a) the time allocated to Government business shall be extended in accordance with the arrangements for that business and the Dáil may sit later than 10.48 p.m.; and (b) private members’ business may be taken later than 6.12 p.m. and shall in any event be taken on the conclusion of the Second Stage of the Appropriation Bill 2025, with consequential effect on the commencement times for the items following in the ordinary routine of business, namely, Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Defence and topical issues; 2. the proceedings on the Motion re Referral to Joint Committee of Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No. 2) Regulations 2025 shall be taken without debate and any division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately; 3. the proceedings on the Motion re Appointment of Members of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission shall be taken without debate and any division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately; 4. the proceedings on the Motion re Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions shall be taken without debate and any division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately; 5. the proceedings on the Motion re Restoration of Private Members’ Bill to the Order Paper shall be taken without debate; 6. the proceedings on the Motion re Report of the Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform on Rota for Leaders’ Questions pursuant to Standing Order 38 shall be taken without debate and any division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately; and 7. the proceedings on the Second Stage of the Appropriation Bill 2025 shall be brought to a conclusion after 3 hours and 34 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply: (a) the arrangements for the first speaking round shall be in accordance with those contained in the table immediately below (to be read across, not down); (b) on the conclusion of the first speaking round or where speeches conclude before the 3 hours and 24 minutes have elapsed and no other member is offering, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes, whereupon proceedings shall be brought to a conclusion; Provided that any division claimed on the Second Stage proceedings shall be taken immediately prior to Committee Stage on Wednesday; and (c) members may share time. In relation to Wednesday's business, it is proposed that: 1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the following extent: (a) the time allotted for Government Business shall be extended in accordance with the arrangements for that business and the Dáil may sit later than 9.30 p.m.; (b) in the event that the Statements on Fisheries conclude before 7 p.m., the sitting shall stand suspended until 7 p.m. when the order of business shall resume with the Appropriation Bill 2025; (c) any motions to be taken without debate shall be taken on the conclusion of the Motions re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) Regulations 2025; and (d) the weekly division time shall be taken on the conclusion of proceedings on any motions without debate, and the Dáil shall adjourn on the conclusion of the weekly division time; 2. notwithstanding anything in Standing Order 177(2), the proceedings on Second Stage of the Animal Health and Welfare (Ban on Fox Hunting) Bill 2025 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 2 hours; 3. in relation to the proceedings on the Second Stage of the Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill 2025, the following arrangements shall apply: (a) the proceedings shall be interrupted and stand adjourned either after 1 hour and 30 minutes or where no further member is offering, and the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows: (i) the arrangements for the first speaking round shall be in accordance with those contained in the table immediately below (to be read across, not down); and (ii) members may share time; and (b) the proceedings shall not be resumed on Wednesday; 4. the Statements on Fisheries shall not exceed 3 hours and 32 minutes and the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows: (a) the arrangements for the statements, not including the Ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the arrangements contained in the table immediately below (to be read across, not down); (b) following the statements, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and (c) members may share time; 5. the proceedings on Committee and remaining Stages of the Appropriation Bill 2025 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 90 minutes by one question which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation; 6. the proceedings on Report and Final Stages of the Credit Review Bill 2024 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 30 minutes by one question which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Finance; 7. the proceedings on Report and Final Stages of the Proceeds of Crime and Related Matters Bill 2025 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 30 minutes by one question which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration; 8. the proceedings on the Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) Regulations 2025 and the Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No. 2) Regulations 2025 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 60 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply thereto: (a) the two motions shall be debated together, with separate questions put on all proceedings thereon; (b) the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows:- opening speech by a Minister or Minister of State – 10 minutes; speeches by representatives of Sinn Féin, the Labour Party, Social Democrats, Independent and Parties Technical Group, and Independent Technical Group – 7.5 minutes per party or group; speeches by Other Members – 7.5 minutes in total; and a speech in response by the Minister – 5 minutes; (c) members may share time; and (d) any divisions demanded shall be taken immediately; and 9. the proceedings on the Motion re Presentation and Circulation of Revised Estimates 2026 shall be taken without debate and any division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately. In relation to Thursday's business, it is proposed that: 1. (a) the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the following extent: (i) pursuant to an Order of the Dáil of 3rd December, 2025, Parliamentary Questions to the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance pursuant to Standing Order 47(1) shall be taken for 96.5 minutes immediately following the SOS; (ii) topical issues may be taken earlier than 7.24 p.m. and shall in any event be taken on the adjournment of the Second Stage of the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) (Amendment) Bill 2025, with consequential effect on the commencement time for the Motion re Report entitled “Report on Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) (Amendment) Bill”: Provided that where the Second Stage of the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) (Amendment) Bill 2025 concludes within the available time, topical issues shall be taken on its conclusion; and (iii) the Dáil shall adjourn on conclusion of the Motion re Report entitled “Report on Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) (Amendment) Bill”; and (b) the Dáil on its rising shall adjourn until 2 p.m. on Tuesday, 13th January, 2026; and 2. in relation to the proceedings on the Second Stage of the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) (Amendment) Bill 2025, the following arrangements shall apply: (a) subject to subparagraph (ii), the proceedings shall, if not previously concluded, be interrupted and stand adjourned after 3 hours and 24 minutes and the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows: (i) the arrangements for the first speaking round shall be in accordance with those contained in the table immediately below (to be read across, not down); (ii) where speeches conclude before the 3 hours and 24 minutes have elapsed and no other member is offering, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and (iii) members may share time; and (b) the proceedings shall not be resumed on Thursday.

Are the arrangements agreed to? They are not agreed.

We have deep concerns about the response to the flu outbreak. Accidents and emergency departments are under pressure. We have run out of nasal flu vaccines for infants. We would like to get a response from the Government before we go into the Christmas break, which we expect to be peak flu season.

Last June, parties across this House welcomed the show of support for freedom of expression by hundreds of thousands of Hungarians when they marched in the Budapest Pride parade, which that country's government had tried to ban. Now we see the Hungarian Government initiating prosecutions against the Green mayor of Budapest and the Pride organisers in another Hungarian city. Could the Government find time this week for statements on this matter and could the Minister for foreign affairs raise it with her counterpart in Hungary?

I am calling on Deputies in the order they raise their hands.

I ask for time this week to debate child homelessness. This Christmas we will have a record number of homeless children in emergency accommodation - 5,274. I ask for time to be put aside this week to debate the issue and to discuss emergency measures that could be brought in to stop the number of families and children being evicted into homelessness.

Could we have statements this week on Mercosur? It is of very serious concern. We saw what happened with fisheries last Friday. We cannot have that happen with agriculture. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael MEPs are more or less making statements saying they are going to support it, and we want the rest of Europe to go our way. We need statements on that.

I call Deputy Mac Lochlainn. I thank Deputy Collins.

I have also called for statements on Uisce Éireann. It is very hard to get it here.

I support the request by Deputy Collins, which has been made at the Business Committee as well for a number of weeks. It is extraordinary that there is no time to debate Mercosur. It is a massive issue and decision time is coming up. We do not know the Government's position. Perhaps the Taoiseach could clarify that, or at least pass a message to the Chief Whip to do so.

There I was thinking the spirit of Christmas might have landed on the very last day-----

Bah humbug.

-----and that the Order of Business might be agreed. I contacted all the Whips last Saturday to let them know that, following a request from Deputy Collins, and after speaking to the Minister, Deputy Heydon, and the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, the Ministers would like to facilitate statements on fisheries. That is being facilitated tomorrow afternoon. It will be a full round, so that limits the amount of other time that is available. I remind all Whips from the Opposition parties that they can use their time on Leaders' Questions, Private Members' business, Topical Issues and Questions on Policy or Legislation to raise the myriad of important issues outlined. I wish everyone a very happy Christmas. The Order of Business stands.

Are the proposed arrangements for this week's business agreed to?

Christmas is here.

We move now to Questions on Policy or Legislation.

The Taoiseach's very cruel decision to withdraw funding for blister pack services has caused huge anger and worry. The Government's penny-pinching means that very vulnerable people will face charges of perhaps up to €50 a month for this service, a charge that many older people simply cannot afford, and may be forced to go without their blister packs, putting their health and welfare at risk. It is particularly distressing for elderly people with dementia, Alzheimer's, or other serious conditions requiring multiple medications. For them, tablet blister packs are a lifeline to help them remember the right medication to take at the right time and the right dosage. The stress that this has caused should not be underestimated. I have been inundated with messages from older people and their families, who are very worried, angry and hurt. The Taoiseach needs to tell them today that he will reverse permanently this cruel decision and continue to fund the blister pack service. He needs to tell them they will not be charged-----

The Deputy is way over time. The Taoiseach to respond.

-----not in January, not in March, not ever.

The Government did not withdraw anything. There is a need for proper debate on these matters. Everything gets weaponised and simplified and to hell with the consequences or to heal with the truth behind the issue and so on. I refer to the Irish Pharmacy Union, IPU, statement of last week. This is a bit more complex now than has been articulated by the Deputy's good self and others in the past week up to now. The Minister has engaged with the representative bodies and there will be further discussions but nothing has been withdrawn by the Government. Some pharmacies provided this free for a long time. Some charged minor amounts and others charged the State. Those who charged the State apparently did it under a different heading. All that needs to be worked out. It is not as simple as the Deputy presents it.

If it is simple do not do what you are doing with blister packs. What is complicated about it?

Politically it is, of course, because that is what the Deputy is fundamentally about.

Time is up, Taoiseach.

There is an obligation on public representatives of all parties-----

There is an obligation on everyone to stay within one minute.

-----to get to the truth of these issues and deal with them in a straightforward way.

Is that a "Yes" or a "No"?

I wish to raise with the Taoiseach conditions at Curragh Community College, which is based on Department of Defence lands on the Curragh, County Kildare. The school is crumbling around staff and students, presenting immediate and serious safety concerns. Classroom conditions are dire. Radiators are not working and children are learning in extremely cold environments where there are even broken windows. There is no safe pedestrian crossing for children and there was a recent accident involving a car and a child. Staff facilities are wholly inadequate and present ongoing physical hazards under workplace safety regulations. We all know a new school has been promised for Magee Barracks in Kildare town, which will replace this school, but that is a number of years away. Can the Taoiseach say if officials from the Department of Defence, who are responsible for the site, and the Department of Education and Youth can immediately call to the school to address the serious issues that are ongoing at the school?

I certainly will. It is unacceptable. There is no call for broken windows. We have minor works grants and various schemes that can deal with issues of maintenance. In particular, if glass is broken or whatever, you fix the window, for God's sake. I will talk to the Minister and ask her to engage with the Minister for Defence, although it would seem to me that it is primarily an education matter on the capital side. I will certainly follow that up.

Some 300,000 people are in arrears on their electricity bill with 187,000 of them in long-term arrears. In October, the Taoiseach spoke about price-gouging by energy companies and since then, all we have seen is price hike after price hike. Staff of the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU, was on "Morning Ireland" today and advised people to shop around for their bills or to put their electricity on at cheaper times of the day. That is completely tone deaf when we are in a situation where people do not have enough money to turn their heating on to keep their house warm. Will the Taoiseach direct the regulator to conduct an investigation on price-gouging? It is long past time that retail companies were held to account for the extortionate prices they are charging people. We are going into another winter where people are really struggling to pay these bills. Will the Taoiseach do that?

Energy efficiency is always something that should be focused on. It should not be just dismissed as the Deputy potentially did there. I recall what supermarkets did during the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the terrible crisis we had at the time. They put doors on their fridges, a simple thing that saved massive amounts of energy and was money well spent. Prior to the crisis, it was whatever. What I mean by that is we do have to continue to fund retrofitting and energy efficiency. On the CRU, the regulatory model is what we are examining right now. That is not a simple thing. It does need to be changed and the consumer is bearing the brunt of a lot of the investment. Again, it is the CRU, and the Minister has established an energy affordability task force. It has already published its first report. Some of that manifested in the budget decisions we took and we will be dealing with the overall framework, which is important.

Tomorrow, there will be a first ever Dáil vote on banning fox-hunting in this country, a drawn-out killing for sport of foxes, one of our native species. It has been outlawed in the UK and most of Europe. This practice has been opposed in successive polls across every demographic, region, province and age, yet the three big parties seem to support it so they are out of sync with the general population. Will the Taoiseach allow Fianna Fáil TDs, 16 or 17 of whom I believe want to vote for my Bill, to do so? I have spoken to Fine Gael and Sinn Féin TDs who want to vote for my Bill. I ask the Taoiseach to give a lead. Given the date that is in it, let us learn that it is not a great idea to tell your TDs what to do against their will. The Taoiseach should learn from the presidential election where whips did not work very well and allow a free vote. It is not about the budget, the programme for Government or an economic issue. It is about a conscience issue - a cruelty issue. Will the Taoiseach allow a free vote?

It is a matter for each political party to decide when the whip applies and when it does not. If we changed all our processes, the Deputy would love for us to divide and fragment. That would suit her fine but there is a reason for political parties too. I would argue that we have had a democracy for 100 years because we have had strong cohesive political parties that were stable and able to deliver policies in times of crisis and in good times. That is a comment I would make generally and not in the context of the specific issue raised by the Deputy. The parties will decide individually on that issue and the whip will apply.

Section 39 workers are some of the hardest workers in our society. Their work in the health and social care system involves providing round the clock care and support to people with complex medical needs, protects the most vulnerable and gives them complete dignity yet they are treated as second-class workers. They are doing the same work as HSE colleagues but are often lower paid, have weaker conditions and are outside the pay restoration grants to public servants. As a result, predictably, there is a high turnover and a revolving door when it comes to people working in nursing homes and those type of settings. Let us be honest;: those who stay do so out of dedication and professionalism and not because the system treats them fairly. My question is quite simple. Would the Taoiseach work for such pay and conditions and if not, why does his Government continue to allow this? Will he commit to a clear timeline for pay parity and fair treatment of section 39 workers to provide the services that are so dearly needed in this country?

We have made good progress on these issues over the past number of years in respect of section 39 in terms of the application and subsequent negotiation in the context of the public pay agreements. Some organisations have been moved out of section 39, particularly hospices, to achieve the pay parity mentioned by the Deputy. It is a very big area with many organisations, some big, some small, so it is complex enough. It is not simple. We have a process in terms of pay determination for section 39 that is much better than what was there in previous years.

I want to raise the serious gap in primary care services in the midlands. There is no primary care occupational therapist in counties Offaly or Laois. As a result, children with mild to moderate developmental or sensory needs have no access to occupational therapists locally. Families are being told that unless their children's difficulties worsen to the point where they meet the criteria for disability services, no support is available. That means children are being left without care until their needs escalate when early intervention could have prevented that outcome. I have raised the issue repeatedly through parliamentary questions but responses continue to refer to general recruitment challenges rather than address the reality on the ground. Will the Taoiseach help with providing these services in the midlands? This issue requires immediate attention and action.

I will certainly pursue this matter in terms of additionality and services in primary care. Recruitment has been challenging. I might take the opportunity to engage with the Deputy and the Minister in terms of what we can do to add services, support recruitment and retention and have a better impact into the future.

I raise the pending closure of the Merck facility in Arklow, whose foreign investment we formally welcome. Merck is a huge multinational global company with a turnover of over £2.2 billion in the last quarter of this year. It has also been supported warmly by IDA Ireland, but the initial redundancy package put to the workers is simply an insult to over 100 employees. We now have to go down the WRC route, which is hugely stressful for the workforce. This workforce is highly skilled and some have given decades of service. All they simply want is fairness with a fair redundancy package and fair pensions. Sometimes large companies take over and close down units like this, and treat site workers simply as stats, but these are genuine people. They are people who have applied for mortgages, who are in their elder years and may not get employment again. I ask that everything be done to help these workers in their fight for fairness.

I thank the Deputy very much indeed for raising this issue. As he said, Merck made the decision last month to wind down operations at its Arklow facility by the end of 2028 following a strategic portfolio product review. Other operations in Ireland are unaffected. The IDA has activated internal processes for responding to the potential and actual job loss situation with the client company. That involves proactive engagement with the site leadership of the company and its parent company. A consultation process is under way between the company and its employee representatives; that normally happens following any announcement. The IDA leads the co-ordinated response by other relevant Departments and agencies. We tend to focus on trying to get alternative work through local enterprise offices and others and on whether there are potential new start-ups, which happens at times when companies close. We have out-placement employment support services and potential training opportunities may be provided, as well as provision of detailed skills profiles for the employees and other recruitment opportunities with other employers. We will work fully to try to help the workers.

I revisit the issue of catchment flood risk assessment management, CFRAM, and flooding, which I brought up earlier. I would be delighted if the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, could take the question. We have had significant flooding in County Louth. Many people will have seen the footage of Blackrock. We also had flooding at the quays in Dundalk and Drogheda and other areas, such as Fair Green. Dundalk is very much exposed. That is why big CFRAM projects are promised. I am very worried about the delivery time. It will be quarter 4 of 2027 for a planning permission application for south Blackrock and Dundalk. This is all much later than anticipated. I ask the Minister of State to make a visit. When we talk about the likes of Blackrock, in particular, we could be looking at interim solutions. I request the Minister of State does all he can.

I thank the Deputy for the question. I have seen the footage on social media and a lot of people sent pictures to me of what happened in that area last week. He is right that there are interim solutions we brought forward, along with the changes to the minor works scheme. I say to every Deputy in the House that I need local authorities to work with me and my Department, and not come to the House to blame the OPW, although I am not saying the Deputy is doing that. The OPW feeds local authorities with the funding. The minor works scheme is there. It has increased from €750,000 to €2 million. That allows the places the Deputy talked about to come in. We will support them, but the local authority has to lead first. My Department has met with the local authority in Louth and spoken to officials, and another meeting will take place. I have to go to Portrane very shortly and maybe we will take in that visit on the way back.

I raise an issue that is causing huge concern to families across County Laois, that is, the urgent need for ASD classes at post-primary level. Last year, the then Minister for Education and Youth, Deputy McEntee, successfully spearheaded a campaign to open more ASD classes at primary school level. We need the same level of urgency at post-primary level. We know that a significant number of children with ASD will move from primary to post-primary in coming years. Their parents are already worried about the availability of suitable places. They want their children with ASD educated, with their siblings and peers, in their local schools and communities. These families deserve assurances that their children will not be left without appropriate educational facilities. Schools and parents in towns such as Abbeyleix, Mountmellick, Mountrath, Portarlington and Portlaoise need to know what engagement is happening and what planning is under way to secure places for September 2026. I am asking the Taoiseach to liaise with the Minister for education to ensure that the new ASD classes are open to meet this growing demand in County Laois. I ask for a clear timeline for delivery of these units at post-primary level.

We are acutely aware of the challenges in post-primary education. Primary education, by and large, has stepped up to the plate. We are acutely aware of the challenges right across the country, not just in Laois. The Minister, Deputy Naughton, and I are working closely to make sure we have places for children in 2026. However, we are acutely aware of the challenges across County Laois and across the country at post-primary level. I welcome the engagement of the patrons and other bodies with the Department and the NCSE to ensure we have places in second level education.

In Kildare, Sensational Kids is a social enterprise that provides assessment of needs and a range of therapies for children. It is also operational in counties Monaghan, Mayo and Cork. Approximately two years ago, on foot of a commitment of €9.5 million from the Department of justice's IIP programme, complemented by local fundraising, Sensational Kids commenced construction of a national child development centre on a site it had bought in Kildare town. A year ago, having drawn down half of the IIP money, the Department of justice ceased the flow of funds, and the builder departed the site while still owed over €600,000. Today, a year later, the site stands idle with no commitment forthcoming for the release of the balance of the IIP funding or for any additional capital funding from the HSE or any other State source. I have a simple question. Will the Taoiseach refer this crisis situation for consideration to the disability unit established by him, in his Department, in order to find a resolution to this critical matter?

I will do that. This is extremely unsatisfactory. Is the Deputy saying that the building is half up?

Yes.

Heads need to come together from different Departments to make sure something can be done. I will talk to the Minister for Justice, the Minister of State with responsibility for special education and the Minister for Health. I will ask officials in my Department to bring a report to me as quickly as possible. This is not good enough.

The Taoiseach did not answer the earlier questions about the Fisheries Council outcome. It is a disastrous outcome. The Taoiseach must know about the big five, the massive Dutch corporations that have bought up fish quotas across the European Union. They have 240 vessels. Approximately one in six of the fish caught under all the countries of Europe are under these corporations. They clearly have more power than our country. How can it be that for our State and our waters, which have suffered so much, the Hague preferences - in place since 1976 and the final veneer of fairness in the Common Fisheries Policy for Ireland - can just be stripped away? I am asking the Taoiseach if he will take legal action. Will he call for an investigation into these major corporations based in the Netherlands that are plundering and taking fish all across the European Union under the Common Fisheries Policy? Deputy Michael Collins called it corrupt. I think it is a corrupt policy at this stage and the Taoiseach needs to speak out and defend Irish interests on this matter.

The Government will use very lever at its disposal to support the Irish fishing industry. It seems to me that the most effective one we have right now is what we can do nationally to support the industry because of the research outcomes. It is the research outcomes that have the most devastating impact. Let us be clear about that. What is happening with the Hague preferences is wrong and we have pursued that in any way we can. However, we are looking at over 100 million, the vast bulk of which is made up of a 70% reduction in pelagic, 41% in another category and right along. It is devastating because of overfishing by countries outside of the European Union-----

Backed by these corporations.

Stop, please.

-----with which the EU has an agreement. There is also the issue of what has transpired. The Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, has apprised me of this in terms of how the industry has changed in the Netherlands where it is now conglomerates essentially running the industry. They are clearly winning a lot of influence to get the outcome they got last week.

The Taoiseach and others have rightly condemned the horrific attacks in Sydney where 15 people were killed and more were injured. Given the atrocity, there is always a risk that abuse to our own Jewish community may increase and there may be copycat incidents. In that context, has the Taoiseach had discussions with the Garda Commissioner or anyone on the security side to see what can be done to reassure our own Jewish community in light of these attacks? Whatever our views are on the Israeli state's treatment of Palestinians, our Jewish citizens have a right to live in peace and not be tormented by anyone. They will be feeling fear now and need reassurance.

Historically, our Jewish community has made a very significant contribution to the formation of the Irish State during the War of Independence and afterwards for many decades. We have to protect our Jewish community from any violent acts or increase in antisemitism. An Garda Síochána and the Garda Commissioner are very aware of this, as is the Minister for justice. Across the board, we review all security in respect of all issues. Be in no doubt that this is a matter the gardaí are giving significant attention to.

Traffic congestion on the Whitegate to Midleton road has been like nothing on earth for months now. I know this well because I travel the road several times a week for a school trip. It is beyond frustrating for commuters to be left stewing in traffic as they are trying to get to work, school or crèche day-in, day-out. The road is at over capacity but the recent installation of traffic lights near the Lake View roundabout is the most recent factor in disrupting traffic flow. This is because the lights are operating on fixed intervals rather than responding to actual traffic flow. Cork County Council has installed fiber connections to facilitate more fluent traffic flow but these cannot be turned on until the road is resurfaced. The council has been prevented from resurfacing the road because Uisce Éireann has yet to complete a water connection to an estate near the Lake View roundabout. Uisce Éireann is not engaging reasonably with Cork County Council on this matter. This is just another example of Uisce Éireann operating as a dysfunctional and unresponsive law unto itself. I urge the Taoiseach to take Government intervention on this.

Again, this is an issue that has to be resolved at the correct level, between the county council and Uisce Éireann. They should resolve it but we will see what we can do to prod it along. These are basic issues on the ground that should be dealt with by the council and Uisce Éireann.

It is not getting a response.

Policing and Community Safety Authority Ireland reported on performance levels in An Garda Síochána today and has said that unfortunately, it is failing in 11 of the 18 areas the authority made recommendations in. Recruitment and retention, which we have spoken about often here, is a major issue. However, the authority complimented and pointed out how high visibility policing is working in the capital but it is not working in Roscrea and many other towns in Ireland. How is that we have a situation where we have a Minister from Dublin and high visibility in Dublin? If you walk out of here, you will see them all over the place, which is great. However, you will not find them in Roscrea. Why is there high visibility of gardaí across Dublin this Christmas but there is not in Roscrea? Why is rural Ireland being discriminated against compared to Dublin when it comes to high visibility policing?

I was in Templemore recently with Deputy O'Meara, who raised the issue of the need for more gardaí in Tipperary more generally. There is good recruitment now. The largest class came in recently and it is really buoyant in Templemore in respect of the investment there and the gardaí coming through. The next stage will be-----

I hope there will not be a second college.

Please, Deputy.

We will try to increase and expand and do what we can with Templemore.

Okay good. I am delighted.

The point is we will get there. I am afraid to say it to the Deputy but there was a big allocation to Cork recently. We are going to do it in stages and Roscrea and Tipperary will get a good allocation.

We only got one in the last allocation for the whole county.

Please, Deputy Kelly.

It is wrong to say it is discrimination. Instead of giving dribs and drabs all over the country, what is happening in terms of-----

Go to Roscrea and look at it. You cannot find a garda.

The Taoiseach's time is up. I call Deputy Murphy.

-----Dublin is correct. It has worked and is demonstrable. It will be repeated across the country.

There are no gardaí there.

It has been three years since the completion of the Shannon report into sexual abuse of children at St. John Ambulance. It is a harrowing report which concluded that the organisation had failed to act against the perpetrator for years, despite, "a significant degree of organisational awareness of the risk that he posed to children". One of the central recommendations of that report was that the national safeguarding officer be independent, specifically to counter what was described as a cultural deference within St. John Ambulance. However, departmental funding for that role has now been ended and the same officer is being retained directly by the organisation itself, which at the very least raises a question mark over the independence of the role. I understand that survivors have been attempting to engage with, and discuss this with, the Minister for children but there has been no engagement whatsoever. In replies to parliamentary questions, the Minister details engagement with boards, with audits and with governance structures but does not seem to be engaging with the survivors. I ask the Taoiseach to discuss this with the Minister to ensure she engages and meets with the survivors.

I will follow up with the Minister for children and endeavour to ascertain what the current state of play is in that situation and the background to it. I will revert to the Deputy on it.