Micheál Martin

The scheme has been very effective. The targets were refined this year by the Ministers for housing and public expenditure with a view to making sure resources are targeted at those who are in immediate danger of homelessness. We do not want local authorities only doing acquisitions as part of their social housing programmes. We want local authorities building new social houses and to do more of t…

I will talk to the Minister. The abolition of town councils was a big mistake. I said that at the time, although I was in opposition. I think it was introduced by Brendan Howlin but he subsequently said it was a mistake. I am a great believer in restoring councils or creating new councils in line with the programme for Government. I will have a look at who is on the task force because there are al…

In my honest opinion, Dublin City Council could be performing better with regard to housebuilding and could have performed better over the last-----

I am just saying it. There are too many coming into the House asking for more and more. To be very frank about it, I have watched O'Devaney Gardens and Oscar Traynor Road over the years and it should not take a decade to get agreement on what we do to build houses on a massive site.

There are grants available for derelict buildings and derelict houses.

They are worth up to €70,000.

The grants are available. Is there any proactivity there? I am serious. There is no questioning of anything. Members just come into the House. That is what happens in politics these days.

We want a solutions-based approach.

Any initiative on housing just gets criticised and opposed.

Alcohol is a contributory factor to cancer. The more fundamental issue is to reduce the levels of consumption of alcohol in the country. The significant story is that, from 2000 to now, there has been a very substantial and significant reduction in the consumption of alcohol-----

-----which is a very positive development that the Deputy should acknowledge. The previous Government also introduced minimum pricing for alcohol to target young people in particular in endeavouring to reduce the consumption of alcohol. We have some of the highest prices for alcohol in Europe, which has impacted-----

The regulations have been signed. The Government considers all of these matters. An issue has been raised in the context of the trade and tariffs issue.

I just gave an answer. The Deputy does not like it. On dementia services, I will talk to the HSE and the Minister in respect of what is happening at the Royal Hospital Donnybrook. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, did exceptional work on dementia during the term of the previous Government and improved resources significantly. More generally, we will focus on dementia provision in the budget. …

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 13, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on children and education oversees the implementation of programme for Government commitments in the area of children and education. It receives detailed reports on identified policy areas such as child poverty and well-being and education. The membership of the Cabinet committee on children and education compris…

So, counselling does not fall under it.

There is quite a substantial number of questions there. Deputy Bacik raised the establishment of the commission of inquiry.

I pay tribute to Mark and David Ryan for what they did in providing a catalyst for the establishment of this inquiry and the scoping inquiry before it. It would be unprecedented to have a redress scheme in advance of a commission of inquiry.

That is difficult as well. One has to make an assessment of what is happening. That said, the Department is working on this. Fundamentally, those who have committed the crimes and those responsible for them should pay. That is the religious orders, in particular. A significant degree of work is under way in the Department to identify various scenarios. In previous times, the State went first and g…

I will have to look into the background of that and come back to the Deputy with an answer from the Minister. On Deputy McDonald's question about special needs assistants, the numbers are growing exponentially.

I do not know what is happening with individual schools' allocations but the numbers are growing exponentially. We are close to 23,000 SNAs now. It has been a story of increases and increases. I acknowledge the numbers of children who have been identified with a disability has increased as well. It was quite high in the most recent census, much higher than the previous census. Demand is rising but…

I do not have the specifics of those schools and the Deputy has identified them-----

----but maybe the Minister can respond to the specifics of that. On Deputy McGuinness' question, as he knows there had been a previous industrial relations issue about secretaries' salaries. That was settled with Fórsa trade union. The term used at the time was full and final settlement. I acknowledge pensions is a separate issue. First of all, school secretaries are an extremely important part o…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 to 27, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on infrastructure last met on Monday, 28 April and is due to meet again on Thursday, 17 July. The committee oversees programme for Government commitments in relation to infrastructure delivery and its work reflects the importance this Government is placing on the issue. The delivery of growth enhancing infrastru…

I thank all the Deputies for the contributions. Deputy Bacik raised the greater Dublin drainage project. As she said herself, it was quashed by the High Court, for some technical reason or whatever. The Government is not responsible for that. I do not know what the issues were that led to-----

I know but the Deputy asked a very interesting question: what will be done at the highest level? Is she saying we should interfere with An Bord Pleanála? I am not being facetious.