{"head":{"counts":{"debateCount":2,"resultCount":2}},"results":[{"debateRecord":{"house":{"showAs":"34th D\u00e1il","committeeCode":"","houseCode":"dail","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/house\/dail\/34","chamberType":"house","houseNo":"34"},"chamber":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/def\/house\/dail","showAs":"D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann"},"lastUpdated":"2026-10-15T16:10:33+00:00","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/main","formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/main.xml"},"pdf":null},"date":"2026-10-15","counts":{"contributorCount":38,"divisionCount":0,"debateSectionCount":33,"questionCount":31,"billCount":0},"debateType":"debate","debateSections":[{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_2","debateType":"questions","bill":null,"showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":false,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_2","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_3","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Sol\u00e1thar Tith\u00edochta","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_2","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_2","showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_3","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_3.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh Baineann an cheist seo leis an gcaint at\u00e1 ann faoin r\u00e1iteas plean\u00e1la n\u00e1isi\u00fanta. C\u00e9 nach mbaineann s\u00e9 seo go d\u00edreach le Roinn an Aire, t\u00e1 baint aici leis toisc go bhfuil cosaint na Gaeltachta i gceist. Ar phl\u00e9igh an Roinn tith\u00edochta an staid\u00e9ar cuimsitheach teangeola\u00edoch agus na himpleachta\u00ed a bheadh ag aon r\u00e1iteas plean\u00e1la muna dt\u00f3gfa\u00ed an coinn\u00edoll 67% san \u00e1ireamh maidir leo si\u00fad a bheadh ag \u00fas\u00e1id Gaeilge in aon phlean amach anseo?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (Deputy Dara Calleary) Gabhaim bu\u00edochas leis an Teachta \u00d3 Snodaigh as an gceist seo a ard\u00fa agus as a chuid oibre ar an \u00e1bhar seo. Is fi\u00fa n\u00f3t\u00e1il gurb \u00ed an Roinn Tith\u00edochta, Rialtais \u00c1iti\u00fail agus Oidhreachta, faoin Acht Plean\u00e1la agus Forbartha, 2000, at\u00e1 freagrach go pr\u00edomha as plean\u00e1il agus tith\u00edocht i gceantair Ghaeltachta. Mar sin f\u00e9in, is cinnte go raibh pl\u00e9 lean\u00fanach agus comhoibri\u00fa idir mo Roinn f\u00e9in agus an Roinn sin agus an dr\u00e9achtr\u00e1iteas n\u00e1isi\u00fanta plean\u00e1la \u00e1 chur i dtoll a ch\u00e9ile. Is as an bpl\u00e9 agus as an gcomhoibri\u00fa sin a d'eascair na molta\u00ed at\u00e1 sa dr\u00e9achtr\u00e1iteas n\u00e1isi\u00fanta plean\u00e1la. Baineadh \u00fas\u00e1id as an taith\u00ed agus as an saineolas cuimsitheach at\u00e1 ag oifigigh sa d\u00e1 Roinn agus an obair seo ar bun. Pl\u00e9adh agus c\u00edoradh an m\u00e9id at\u00e1 sa r\u00e1iteas i ngr\u00fapa oibre a bh\u00ed ag feidhmi\u00fa ar feadh roinnt blianta chun na molta\u00ed a fhorbairt. Bh\u00ed teagmh\u00e1il rialta ag mo Roinn le p\u00e1irtithe leasmhara agus iad i mbun oibre ar an togra seo freisin, \u00dadar\u00e1s na Gaeltachta agus na h\u00fadar\u00e1is \u00e1iti\u00fala \u00e1bhartha ina measc. Mar a bhaineann s\u00e9 leis an staid\u00e9ar cuimsitheach teangeola\u00edoch a foils\u00edodh in 2007, n\u00ed dhearna na Ranna tagairt sonrach d\u00f3 mar go bhfuil athraithe d\u00e9imeagrafacha tarlaithe sa t\u00edr ar fad \u00f3 shin. Glacadh an cinneadh dul le figi\u00fair\u00ed \u00f3n daon\u00e1ireamh m\u00f3ide 10% chun a chinnti\u00fa go bhfuil cur chuige comhsheasmhach i bhfeidhm a dh\u00e9anann freastal ar staid na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta mar at\u00e1 anois agus a shoil\u00e9ir\u00edonn an pr\u00f3iseas do na h\u00fadar\u00e1is \u00e1iti\u00fala agus na forbr\u00f3ir\u00ed tith\u00edochta araon. Is \u00e9 an aidhm at\u00e1 leis na molta\u00ed at\u00e1 sa dr\u00e9achtr\u00e1iteas n\u00e1 cinnteacht a thabhairt do phlean\u00e1laithe agus do dhaoine ar mhian leo fanacht ina gc\u00f3na\u00ed ina bpobail tuaithe n\u00f3 filleadh orthu. Chuige sin, beidh gach \u00fadar\u00e1s \u00e1iti\u00fail ag baint \u00fas\u00e1id as na crit\u00e9ir c\u00e9anna agus iarratais phlean\u00e1la \u00e1 meas acu, rud a chiall\u00f3idh go mbeidh an c\u00f3ras plean\u00e1la i bhfad n\u00edos soil\u00e9ire d\u00f3ibh si\u00fad at\u00e1 i mbun tith\u00edocht a th\u00f3g\u00e1il. Dar nd\u00f3igh, is fi\u00fa a n\u00f3t\u00e1il gur dr\u00e9achtr\u00e1iteas at\u00e1 ann go f\u00f3ill agus go mbeidh deis ann leasaithe oiri\u00fanacha a dh\u00e9anamh ar an m\u00e9id at\u00e1 ann. Tuigim go bhfuil report le teacht \u00f3n chomhchoiste Oireachtais, agus t\u00e1 m\u00e9 s\u00e1sta oibri\u00fa leis an Teachta ar aon mholta\u00ed at\u00e1 aige."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh Gabhaim bu\u00edochas leis an Aire as an m\u00e9id at\u00e1 r\u00e1ite aige maidir le bheith oscailte do thuairim\u00ed. D\u00e9anfaidh muid iarracht iallach a chur ar an Aire tith\u00edochta, an Teachta Browne, \u00e9isteacht a thabhairt d\u00fainn ina leith seo, go h\u00e1irithe maidir leis an m\u00e9id at\u00e1 sa staid\u00e9ar cuimsitheach teangeola\u00edoch ar \u00fas\u00e1id na Gaeilge. Sa staid\u00e9ar sin, deir s\u00e9: Is g\u00e1 leibh\u00e9al \u00fas\u00e1ide na Gaeilge a choinne\u00e1il ard os cionn 67% de chainteoir\u00ed laeth\u00fala m\u00e1 t\u00e1 s\u00ed le bheith ina teanga pobail i gceantar ... \u00e9ir\u00edonn br\u00fa an aistrithe teanga r\u00f3thr\u00e9an do phobal nuair a shleamhna\u00edonn leibh\u00e9al \u00fas\u00e1ide na teanga faoi bhun 67% den phobal. T\u00e1 s\u00e9 seo dains\u00e9arach. Muna nd\u00e9anann muid c\u00faram de seo, beidh muid ag ligint ceantar Gaeltachta ar leith chun b\u00e1is. Caithfidh muid d\u00e9anamh cinnte de nach \u00e9 sin an toradh a thiocfaidh amach as an gcaint seo. Is \u00e9 sin an f\u00e1th a bhfuil s\u00e9 go maith go bhfuil dr\u00e9acht ann agus go bhfuil daoine ag cur molta\u00ed chun cinn. Is \u00ed an cheist dh\u00edreach at\u00e1 agam n\u00e1 seo: c\u00e9ard \u00e9 an bun\u00fas teangeola\u00edochta leis an moladh at\u00e1 ann faoi l\u00e1thair? An bhfuil aon tuairim ag an Aire ina leith sin?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dara Calleary T\u00e1 muid ag iarraidh go mbeidh cinneadh anseo in gach cuid den Ghaeltacht faoi ch\u00farsa\u00ed plean\u00e1la agus t\u00f3g\u00e1il tithe. N\u00edl an cinneadh sin r\u00e9idh againn ag an bpointe seo. T\u00e1 rialacha difri\u00fala ag na h\u00fadar\u00e1is difri\u00fala sa r\u00e9imse seo. N\u00edl m\u00e9 ag iarraidh aon rud a dh\u00e9anamh leis na treoirl\u00ednte a dh\u00e9anfaidh ruda\u00ed n\u00edos measa sa Ghaeltacht, go h\u00e1irithe sna Gaeltachta\u00ed ina bhfuil figi\u00fair\u00ed m\u00f3ra. T\u00e1 muid ag oibri\u00fa air seo. Gabhaim bu\u00edochas leis an Aire, an Teachta Browne, agus le hoifigigh a Roinne. T\u00e1 suim acu oibri\u00fa linn ar na treoirl\u00ednte seo agus t\u00e1 muid ag iarraidh \u00e9 sin a dh\u00e9anamh. Bh\u00ed s\u00e9 suimi\u00fail go raibh tuairim\u00ed difri\u00fala ag finn\u00e9ithe na n-\u00fadar\u00e1s \u00e1iti\u00fala a bh\u00ed os comhair an choiste an tseachtain seo chaite, go h\u00e1irithe maidir le daoine a bheith in ann teacht go dt\u00ed an Ghaeltacht chun tithe a th\u00f3g\u00e1il, br\u00fa an airgeadais agus ruda\u00ed mar sin. T\u00e1 m\u00e9 d\u00e1ir\u00edre nach bhfuil m\u00e9 ag iarraidh go mbeidh ruda\u00ed n\u00edos measa. T\u00e1 m\u00e9 ag iarraidh an consistency sin. Maidir leis na h\u00fadar\u00e1is \u00e1iti\u00fala ina bhfuil Gaeltachta\u00ed l\u00e1idre, n\u00edl m\u00e9 ag iarraidh go mbeidh ruda\u00ed n\u00edos measa n\u00e1 mar at\u00e1 siad ag an bpointe seo."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh F\u00e1ilt\u00edm roimh an r\u00e1iteas lom sin nach bhfuil muid ag iarraidh go mbeidh ruda\u00ed n\u00edos measa. N\u00edl aon duine \u00e1 iarraidh sin, agus caithfidh muid d\u00e9anamh cinnte de nach dtarla\u00edonn s\u00e9 sin in aon reachta\u00edocht n\u00f3 r\u00e1iteas a chuirtear i bhfeidhm. M\u00e1 \u00e9ir\u00edonn c\u00farsa\u00ed n\u00edos measa, \u00e9ir\u00edonn an cheist i bhfad \u00c9ireann n\u00edos casta. T\u00e1 s\u00e9 go maith go bhfuil soil\u00e9iri\u00fa ann mar is \u00e9 sin an rud a bh\u00ed \u00e1 lorg an na comhairl\u00ed contae an tseachtain seo chaite, n\u00f3 fi\u00fa c\u00fapla bliain \u00f3 sh\u00edn. T\u00e1 s\u00e9 an-dains\u00e9arach m\u00e1 th\u00e9ann muid \u00f3 choinn\u00edoll 80%, mar at\u00e1 i gCois Fharraige, s\u00edos go dt\u00ed coinn\u00edoll 58%, mar at\u00e1 sna figi\u00fair\u00ed sa r\u00e1iteas faoi l\u00e1thair. I mBaile Ghib, titfidh an coinn\u00edoll sin go 20%. T\u00e1 an dains\u00e9ar sin ann. T\u00e1 impleachta\u00ed i gceist leis seo. Tuigim go bhfuil an sp\u00e1s againn anois aighneachta\u00ed a chur isteach. D\u00e9anfaidh m\u00e9 agus an choiste \u00e9 sin, agus t\u00e1 s\u00fail agam go mbeidh an Roinn ag tabhairt taca\u00edocht don staid\u00e9ar cuimsitheach teangeola\u00edochta sin. Leagann s\u00e9 amach, bunaithe ar thaighde timpeall an domhain, an leibh\u00e9al ar a bhfuil dains\u00e9ar don teanga \u00e1iti\u00fail."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dara Calleary Bh\u00ed m\u00e9 ag caint le Cathaoirleach an choiste, an Teachta Shane Moynihan, agus bh\u00ed s\u00e9 ag r\u00e1 go mbeidh tuarasc\u00e1il ann. T\u00e1 suim agam \u00ed a fheice\u00e1il chomh maith leis na figi\u00fair\u00ed a bheidh istigh inti a phl\u00e9. T\u00e1 an tsuim c\u00e9anna againn faoi na c\u00farsa\u00ed seo. T\u00e1 muid ag iarraidh cuidi\u00fa leis an Ghaeltacht agus leis an nGaeilge sa Ghaeltacht. Is mian linn beirt an Ghaeilge a chosaint sa Ghaeltacht agus bealach \u00e9asca a chruth\u00fa do dhaoine le Gaeilge bogadh ar ais go dt\u00ed an Ghaeltacht chun tithe a th\u00f3g\u00e1il. T\u00e1 na suimeanna c\u00e9anna againn ina leith sin. T\u00e1 s\u00fail agam go mbeidh muid in ann oibri\u00fa le ch\u00e9ile air seo go tapa sna seachtain\u00ed at\u00e1 romhainn. N\u00edl m\u00e9 ag caint faoi mh\u00ed ag an bpointe seo; t\u00e1 m\u00e9 ag caint faoi sheachtain\u00ed. Mar a d\u00fairt m\u00e9, t\u00e1 m\u00e9 ag s\u00fail le bheith ag obair air seo le ch\u00e9ile."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 2 taken with Written Answers."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Sol\u00e1thar Tith\u00edochta"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_4","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Policies","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_2","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_2","showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_4","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_4.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh T\u00e1im ag cur na ceiste seo thar ceann an Teachta McGuinness. It is to ask the Minister when he expects the next iteration of Our Rural Future to be launched and the way in which the Government intends to ensure that rural development commitments are supported by adequate resources, measurable actions and clear delivery timetables, in consideration of the budget that was announced only last week."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dara Calleary Since its launch in 2021, Our Rural Future has delivered vital investment and supports, strengthened local economies and improved the quality of life across rural Ireland. Significant achievements include improvements in digital connectivity through the delivery of the national broadband plan, the development of a national network of over 400 remote working hubs, improvements in essential services and a sustained expansion in our investment across all schemes included in my Department's rural development investment programme. The next iteration of Our Rural Future for the period to 2031 will be published by the Government in the coming weeks. It will be built on the considerable progress and investment I have referenced to date, but it will also provide a new framework for the next phase of rural development. The development of the new policy is being informed by an extensive public and stakeholder consultation process, which took place throughout 2025 and gathered the views of well over 2,000 participants. Informed by the results of the consultation, but also by an independent OECD rural policy review, the new policy will be based around five interconnected policy pillars focusing on rural places, rural services, rural communities, the rural economy and the rural environment. In addition to setting out key priorities in each pillar, a series of ambitious, clear and practical actions will be outlined in an accompanying action plan covering the initial period until the end of 2028. Each action will have a designated lead delivery body and a clearly defined reporting timeline. Importantly, the ambition of Our Rural Future will continue to be backed by substantial Government investment. I am happy, along with the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, to confirm a total allocation of \u20ac628 million for our Department in budget 2027. This allocation will help to ensure that our Department continues to deliver projects of real impact across communities in Ireland and, in particular, rural communities. The policy will continue the whole-of-government approach and the investments through our Department will be complemented by an array of funding streams across Government."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh The draft sustainable rural and Gaeltacht housing national planning statement, which we spoke about earlier, still leaves many young people locked out of building on family land. While we expect movement in the document, there is no mention of affordable housing. If the new document does not include and deal with affordable housing, one of the biggest single obstacles to securing a rural future will remain. The last document lacked any concrete timetables and goals on infrastructural deficits in rural Ireland. The Minister has set out that the new document will have those, which we welcome. Hopefully, there will be achievable goals and the funding will match each individual goal because there is no point in having a goal if the funding has not been provided. We also need to consider how we encourage or help those who are working from home, especially in rural Ireland."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dara Calleary I can assure the Deputy that we work very closely with the Minister, Deputy Browne, on the rural planning guidelines. I welcome them. They have brought consistency and stability to rural planning and, as we discussed earlier, we have some work to do on the Gaeltacht piece, which we will do in the coming weeks. The success of the cro\u00ed c\u00f3naithe grants, introduced by the then Minister for housing, Deputy O'Brien, and of the vacant house grants, introduced by the current Minister, Deputy Browne, means I am seeing houses being opened up across the country that I genuinely have not seen open for generations. As I said, 400 working hubs are now connected and give people a chance to work from high-quality locations in rural areas right across the country. Many of those hubs are in community ownership and are run by community organisations. We are assessing applications under the RRDF, the community centre investment fund, the town and village renewal scheme and the outdoor recreation and infrastructure scheme. These schemes are making a capital difference right across rural Ireland. The OECD, in its work for us analysing Our Rural Future, has pointed to the successes of the strategy. It has also pointed to the need to use rural intelligence and rural data and highlighted the fact that we can integrate more closely with the CSO classification for rural areas, which we will be doing in the new process."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh Yesterday we saw a strike by 300,000 public sector workers throughout the country, many of whom are living in rural Ireland. A lot of them travel to work in the cities and we see the traffic jams that sometimes come as a consequence. It is imperative that there is a greater concentration in the strategy on the 400 hubs the Minister mentioned, specifically to allow people not just to work from home but to work from their home village or home town, so that the concentration is there rather than encouraging people to isolate themselves in their own homes. Is that strategy going to be rolled out at pace? That is the key issue, rather than whether it is mentioned in a strategy document. What is the document going to do to ensure that the physical infrastructure is there so that the homes the Minister is talking about can be developed at pace?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dara Calleary The national broadband plan is running ahead of schedule and is on budget. It will ensure that many rural areas have the highest quality connectivity. Indeed, in some areas it is higher than some of our urban centres. The 400 remote working hubs are dispersed right across the country and some of those include the gteics being rolled out by \u00dadar\u00e1s, which give high-quality space for people to come together with secure technology in a very professional space rather than working in an isolated fashion. It has been pointed out that has been hugely successful and I would encourage all employers to engage with their employees to give them the opportunity to work on that. Since 2020, we have invested more than \u20ac1 billion under the rural development investment programme in many high-scale infrastructure projects in rural areas, making them safer and better places to work in. The success of previous decentralisation programmes is evident in my other Department, the Department of Social Protection. The spine of our operation is in places such as Longford, Buncrana, and Letterkenny. In my own home town of Ballina, we have the RSA and the Department of housing, giving people the chance to stay at home, work at home, build their families and more importantly, build communities."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Policies"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_5","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Funding","counts":{"speechCount":5,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_2","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_2","showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_5","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_5.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (Deputy Jerry Buttimer) I thank Deputy \u00d3 Snodaigh for taking this question on behalf of his colleague Deputy McGuinness. I want to offer my sympathies to the people of Waterford on the very tragic deaths that took place this week. I offer Deputy McGuinness our sympathies and assure the House that the Department has been in contact with Bu\u00edon Phort Lairge, which is working to provide support. Again, I thank Deputy \u00d3 Snodaigh for taking the question this morning. The social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP, is our primary social inclusion programme. Its core aim is to reduce poverty and promote social inclusion and equality. The Minister and I secured almost \u20ac74 million for SICAP, and other social inclusion supports in budget 2027. Just less than \u20ac65 million of that allocation is for SICAP, providing greater long-term funding stability for the programme and enabling the continuation of important work across the country. The final estimated allocation for each area will be confirmed in the Revised Estimates volume, which will be published in December and considered by the relevant roghchoist\u00ed. A particularly welcome development is the provision of long-term funding certainty, which we have secured in this budget, with previously temporary funding for new arrivals made a permanent part of the core SICAP allocation. This represents an important step towards ensuring that community integration supports can be delivered on a more sustainable basis. As with all public expenditure, the Department has a responsibility to ensure that SICAP resources are used effectively and deliver maximum benefits. This will involve improving processes and maximising the impacts of available resources while maintaining effective services and supports for individuals and communities. In this Department, the Minister and I remain committed to supporting SICAP and engaging with programme implementers to identify emerging needs and understand ongoing and continuing pressures affecting service delivery at a local level. We meet with people every day of the week. For the Department and for us as Minister and Minister of State, it is essential that the work continues to make a meaningful difference to those experiencing poverty, social exclusion and other forms of disadvantage throughout the country."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh The SICAP programme has been a godsend to many communities around the country. They were also concerned when the Minister said in the past that a number of efficiencies would be driven under the SICAP head or the broad area. The concern was that that would equate to a cut whereas sometimes efficiencies do not as the money is better spent. Will the Minister of State assure those who have a commitment from the Department that there will not be a cut in their funding allocations? I turn to the long-term funding of community integration. There is a huge challenge for us. The more money that can be spent in local communities to help them overcome social exclusion, the better it will be for us. The main issue is to ensure that within the \u20ac74 million pool, the money goes to those communities."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jerry Buttimer I assure the Deputy of a number of things. First, the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and I have been clear that this budget was about providing certainty for SICAP, which we have secured. Second, we will work with those who implement the programme to plan the services they deliver. We have given stability and that core funding guarantee. Third, I assure the Deputy that the Minister, the Department and I remain 100% committed to working to secure incremental and sustainable funding increases for SICAP in the future in keeping with our programme for Government commitments. The Deputy made it clear in his remarks that it is a godsend, and he is right. In a complex world, the Department, the Minister and I are conscious of the pressures in terms of costs and staff retention and recruitment. We will engage with the community development companies across the country. This budget has given certainty to the overall SICAP programme. We look forward to delivering for people who are f\u00e9 bhr\u00fa in communities across the country."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh Similar to areas I have asked about in the past, some of these individual programmes and groups have costs, like insurance. If there was a co-ordinated approach, those types of overheads could be better shared and reduced. If all the SICAP projects could avail of a centralised insurance pot, it might lower the costs they have. If required purchasing was centralised, more would be bought for the whole country. These may be some of the efficiencies, without affecting the projects themselves. We can and should continue to support it. I welcome the long-term funding approach because security is required in these instances."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jerry Buttimer The point Deputy \u00d3 Snodaigh made, and the Minister, Deputy Calleary, mentioned, on collective insurance is one we might talk to the Deputy about again. We are acutely aware. Both of us are hands-on Ministers. We understand the pressures and the costs. In the budget just gone, we got \u20ac2 million for current expenditure but that is more for community groups rather than SICAP. We are aware of and the Deputy is correct to articulate that rising delivery cost, in particular the staff retention and staff recruitment piece. That last point about the collective insurance is one we might have a conversation about because we want to engage. We want to ensure the continuing viability and long-term sustainability of SICAP, which is yielding results. We see it every week. When you go out across the country, you see the benefit. You see people's lives being enriched, communities being empowered, poverty being reduced and communities enhanced by this scheme. We have a lot of great work being done. I am conscious there are some who are critical of it who think we should not be investing at all, but I say to those people that if they had come out the day we did the launch of SICAP with the Minister, Deputy Chambers, they would have seen the hands-on, the lifelong learning, the access, the opening of new types of careers that were never possible and the opportunities for people. We might have a further conversation again about that."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Funding"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_6","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Regeneration Projects","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_2","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_2","showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_6","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Carrigy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Carrigy.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Carrigy.S.2020-03-30","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_6.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Carrigy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Carrigy.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Carrigy.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Miche\u00e1l Carrigy I have a question in relation to the rural regeneration and development fund, the timelines on its announcement and whether consideration would be given to a project, the Newtownforbes Community Hub in County Longford, which is an area known to both the Minister and the Minister of State, which is a building of significant historical and community importance. We want to ensure that vital community services can be delivered and expanded for the benefit of the local population. Research showed that groups were forced to seek alternative meeting venues and that a lot of groups were disbanded due to the absence of a central meeting hub within the village. We want to develop this in conjunction with Longford County Council and Newtownforbes."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dara Calleary I thank Deputy Carrigy for asking this. The rural regeneration and development fund, RRDF, is the major capital investment programme in the Department. It seeks to support large-scale, ambitious projects that can achieve sustainable economic and social development in rural areas. The focus of the RRDF is on rural towns and villages with a population of less than 10,000 people. To date, the RRDF has allocated over \u20ac611 million for 271 projects across Ireland, including over \u20ac13.2 million which has been awarded to six projects located in County Longford. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I opened an RRDF call for category 1 proposals in February of this year. This sought applications for strategically important, large-scale capital projects that have full planning and all other consents in place that are ready to commence. The key focus of this call is to support projects to revitalise rural towns and villages, providing the necessary facilities and infrastructure in settlements to assist in attracting people to live, work and invest in rural areas while aiming to ensure that rural towns, villages and communities can prosper in the years ahead. The assessment process for RRDF applications received under this call is currently ongoing. Following the assessment of applications, the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I hope to announce the successful projects before the end of this calendar year. We are committed to ensuring that the RRDF will continue to support high-quality and transformational projects across rural Ireland. This is a competitive process and the quality of the application is essential. We will continue to work with Deputies in relation to RRDF projects."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Carrigy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Carrigy.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Carrigy.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Miche\u00e1l Carrigy The Minister used the word \"ambitious\" and this is certainly an ambitious project. This parish hall has remained derelict for a long number of years. A local community group came together and met with me and the local authority with a plan to transform this hall into a community hub. It is something that is much-needed and would create a central space for everybody in the community. Longford County Council has granted planning permission for a main hall with capacity for 100 people for meetings, events and gatherings, meeting rooms for local groups, organisations and people who are working remotely, and a high-spec industrial kitchen to cater for catering needs, with full disability access to all areas. It is proposed that the property will be professionally managed to facilitate the proper running of the hub. As I said, to make this project a reality, the hub committee conducted research in the local community and provided supporting documentation. It identified the groups, including new groups, such as youth clubs and scouts, that will form and base themselves in this new facility. I urge the Minister to support the project."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dara Calleary I have noted that. As I said, the fund is exceptionally competitive. Applications are assessed under the oversight of our project advisory board. The proposals are assessed in accordance with the published appraisal scheme, and we go through each application. As the Deputy can imagine, for projects under RRDF, each community has the same level of ambition as Newtown Forbes. We are going through them at the moment, and we will be making final decisions before the end of this calendar year. It is important that we are then in a position to move these projects on. I have made it very clear to my Department that local authorities and our lead partners cannot sit on this funding. I am not speaking specifically about Longford but other local authorities as well. The days of them sitting on funding and not moving on projects are over. We may have to make difficult political decisions in relation to the RRDF, including decommitting funding because it has not moved. If funding is not used, then we cannot invest it in new projects such as the project we are speaking about today. We are engaging with local authorities across the country in relation to the RRDF and the necessity to move this on. We will very much take on board the Deputy\u2019s comments on the assessment process for Newtown Forbes."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Carrigy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Carrigy.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Carrigy.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Miche\u00e1l Carrigy I thank the Minister. I can guarantee, as the TD representing Longford, that any money allocated to Longford will be spent. A fantastic regeneration team has been set up in our local authority. As a local authority, we took a decision to raise the local property tax before the local elections of 2019. Ours was the first local authority in the country to do so. That allowed us to ring-fence funding to provide matched funding for these types of projects across the three electoral districts. That is what we have done. As I said, we took a brave step, which is now being followed by the vast majority of other local authorities. This project\u2019s development is dependent on the funding being put in place. It is an opportunity to provide a much-needed facility in Newtown Forbes and its surrounds for many generations to come. As the TD representing Longford, I urgently request that we look favourably on this application. It is an excellent application, full of supporting documents, and the planning permission is in place. A community group has come together to make this a reality. I want to work with that community group to see this developed and open in the not-too-distant future."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dara Calleary I can assure the Deputy that every other Deputy and Senator has the same ambition for their community, and they would all have the same quality of application. We will keep it in mind. I would like to put on record my best wishes to Paddy Mahon, the former chief executive, who retired over the summer. I wish his successor well. Paddy is returning home to Mayo, where I am sure Castlebar Mitchels will make use of him. Paddy has left a fantastic mark on local government across the country, most notably in Longford, but also in Mayo before that. I can assure the Deputy that we have taken his comments on board, and Senator Flaherty has also contacted me about this project. However, this is an intensely competitive process and the quality of the applications is superb. The challenge is to transform those applications into delivery on the ground."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Regeneration Projects"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_7","debateType":"questions","bill":null,"showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":false,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_7","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_8","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Budget 2027","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_7","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_7","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_8","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul McAuliffe","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-McAuliffe.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Paul-McAuliffe.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_8.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul McAuliffe","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-McAuliffe.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Paul-McAuliffe.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul McAuliffe I ask the Minister to outline the ways in which the Government is investing in disadvantaged communities. It appears the reply to Question No. 13 answers the question that I posed in Question No. 6. I ask the Minister to also outline the funding put in place for the S\u00cdOL programme in the current budget."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dara Calleary I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 13 together. I thank Deputy McAuliffe for the question. I assure him that the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I had a particular focus on the community section of our Department for budget 2027. We secured funding of \u20ac628 million for the Department as a whole, \u20ac260 million of which will be available for community development. As the Deputy knows, we joined him in Ballymun on 8 July to launch the S\u00cdOL programme in line with a programme for Government commitment to deliver funding for projects and initiatives in urban areas that have the highest concentration of disadvantage. The programme targets small areas of disadvantage in our towns and cities. It provides funding for infrastructure to improve the areas and the lives of the communities. Priority has been given to those small areas with the highest population of extreme disadvantage. The scheme is designed to provide supports to these areas similar to what is given to rural areas through schemes such as CL\u00c1R. The scheme is focused initially on 15 areas that have been designated as S\u00cdOL. The programme takes into consideration the areas in Ireland already covered by CL\u00c1R to ensure geographical complementarity. The S\u00cdOL programme will be reviewed again by my Department with a view to potentially adding areas but also learning the lessons of this first call for funding. We will be making announcements on successful 2026 S\u00cdOL projects in the coming weeks. In addition to S\u00cdOL, my Department has a number of other funding programmes that provide support to disadvantaged urban communities, including SICAP, the empowering communities programme and the community services programme. SICAP is supporting disadvantaged individuals and community groups in both urban and rural areas through locally tailored initiatives including community development, capacity building, education and employment supports. The Minister of State and I are delighted to provide just over \u20ac65 million in budget 2027 for SICAP. The key aim of this funding is to provide greater long-term funding stability for the SICAP program across the country and it should be noted that the final estimated allocations for each area will be confirmed in the Revised Estimates volume, which will be published in December. Both the Minister of State and I were particularly focused on ensuring provision for long-term funding to SICAP, which previously had temporary funding for new arrivals, and to make that funding a permanent part. This has been achieved and it represents an important step towards ensuring that community integration supports can be delivered on a more secure and sustainable basis. The funding in 2027, secured by me and the Minister of State, will ensure that communities in rural and urban areas continue to benefit from a suite of funding programmes. In addition to S\u00cdOL and SICAP, we also administer new projects under the community centre investment fund. The community services programme will be expanded throughout 2027. The Minister of State and I were particularly anxious to secure a small fund to assist groups such as those the Deputy has brought to my attention with current account funding, particularly with the current cost-of-business and cost-of-living challenge."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul McAuliffe","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-McAuliffe.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Paul-McAuliffe.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul McAuliffe The Minister has outlined a significant range of funding in place in his Department. Funding is only good if Ministers are willing to apply it in the right places. Both the Minister and the Minister of State have a strong feeling for tackling disadvantage. I know that from speaking to both of them and I pay credit to them. That is why I was so delighted to see the S\u00cdOL programme come forward. Some of my colleagues in Dublin would have been envious of programmes that are in place elsewhere. Tackling disadvantage should be a systematic issue. We have the Pobal deprivation index. We know the electoral districts or the small areas that fall into disadvantage. There should be an automatic trigger, not just by the Minister's Department but by other Departments too, whereby if an area falls into disadvantage, certain supports are automatically put in place. That also matches the strategic goal in the child poverty initiative in this Department."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dara Calleary I agree about the systematic approach. This is what we have tried to do with S\u00cdOL, to align it with the CL\u00c1R programme in rural areas so that there is consistency to it. We will be making funding announcements. They are small, but Deputies McAuliffe and \u00d3 Snodaigh will see the relevance and the support of S\u00cdOL on the ground in their areas. This programme was set up quite quickly during 2026. We are going to stand back from it in the coming weeks ahead of 2027 and learn the lessons from it. It is not going the way I want it to go with some of the projects that have been submitted by local authorities. I am certainly happy to take suggestions from all sides of the House about it over the next few weeks. We will make changes to it for 2027 so that communities are more involved in the roll-out of it as opposed to, dare I say, pet projects from local authorities being stashed in under it. That is not what it is about. The decision on SICAP funding is really important. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and the Minister, Deputy Jack Chambers, launched the SICAP annual report recently. That was very helpful to the Department for securing the funding and most importantly the permanency of the funding for the new arrivals programme."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul McAuliffe","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-McAuliffe.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Paul-McAuliffe.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul McAuliffe It was great to have both the Minister and Minister of State there when we launched the SICAP programme in Ballymun. When you have these funds, you sometimes have to allow communities make mistakes and allow them to be innovative. We will learn a lot from the first round. I ask the Minister to support the eight projects that have been submitted by Ballymun. They are not all local authority pet projects but ones that are from the ground. The Minister will see that himself. I also look at the DEIS and DEIS plus programmes we have had in the Department of education. Where is the DEIS plus programme in health? Where is the DEIS plus programme in all of the other areas? We should have a DEIS filter, S\u00cdOL filter or whatever you want to call it on these great communities because when we have built local authority housing in the past, we have concentrated on people with low incomes and different challenges in their lives. That has resulted in areas of disadvantage and it did not happen by accident. A State response that is cross-Department and across a number of units, led by what the Minister is doing in his Department, will tackle long-term disadvantage in and of itself. What the Minister is doing is really important and it is about trying to have alignment with all of these programmes. The local community development committee, LCDC, was meant to do some of this as well, along with the community safety partnerships, because sometimes the other stakeholders are not at the table and the only ones that are is the Minister's Department."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dara Calleary I do not disagree with the Deputy. One of the biggest things that fries my head is the siloing in Government that means people get lost. It means communities get lost and people who need support get lost because it is always some other Department's problem. Having a DEIS or S\u00cdOL filter is a good idea. In fairness to the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, and the Ministers of State, Deputy Murnane O'Connor, Deputy Butler and the team in the Department of Health generally, they do a very strong job on that. Across Government, we need a far greater focus on communities. It cannot be the role of the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I and our Department to support communities as it cannot be the role of the Department of Social Protection to do all of the heavy lifting on poverty. A better focus on building communities and the structures that communities need but most importantly building communities from the ground up and with people within the communities rather than people who think they know what the community wants makes for a better community. Community owned development is what we are interested in as opposed to community imposed development. Stronger structures give a better community. That is why we were lucky this week to announce the new strategy for volunteering and communities for the next five years. That will be crucial for building stronger communities that are owned from within the community."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 7 taken with Written Answers."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Budget 2027"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_9","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Men's Sheds","counts":{"speechCount":5,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_7","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_7","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_9","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig O'Sullivan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-O'Sullivan.D.2019-11-29","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-O'Sullivan.D.2019-11-29","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_9.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jerry Buttimer I thank the Deputy. Before Deputy McAuliffe leaves, I thank him because he brought many issues to myself and the Minister, Deputy Calleary, in the budget talks which were very beneficial. I thank Deputy O'Sullivan for his advocacy and support for men's sheds. As he knows, the Minister, myself and our Department are very supportive of men\u2019s sheds and recognise their valuable contribution across communities, in Cork city in particular, which both the Deputy and I represent. They provide safe, inclusive spaces for men of all ages and get men talking, moving and doing things. Our Department provides funding to men's sheds under a variety of funding supports, including the local enhancement programme, LEP, SICAP and the LEADER programme. Since 2018, over \u20ac2.7 million has been allocated to men's sheds through the LEP for building upgrades and equipment. Our Department has also provided funding directly to the Irish Men's Shed Association under the scheme to support national organisations, SSNO. The current iteration of this scheme commenced in July of this year with total funding of \u20ac297,766 being provided to the Irish Men's Shed Association for the period of the current scheme, which will run until the end of 2029. Since 2022, our Department has provided over \u20ac2.3 million in direct funding. As announced last week, we have secured funding to continue support for both men's sheds and women's sheds in the budget. The Minister, Deputy Calleary, and I have met and held positive, productive discussions with the Irish Men's Shed Association in September. Our officials have met numerous times since then to discuss proposals on the next iteration of the scheme. I assure the Deputy that we are, as Ministers, committed to the work of the Irish men's sheds. We value them and recognise there are challenges in the current distribution model that have been identified. We are working to find a solution to them."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig O'Sullivan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-O'Sullivan.D.2019-11-29","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-O'Sullivan.D.2019-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy P\u00e1draig O'Sullivan I have met the Minister of State at countless events during the past seven years since I was elected a TD where men's sheds were at the centre, such as a ceremony, for example, at Mayfield Men's Shed, which is probably one of the more active ones not only in the county of Cork but in the country. They and their counterparts in the Glanmire, Churchfield and Glounthaune men's sheds - the list is endless - do great work. I know both the Minister and the Minister of State recognise that and the serious health benefits and the fact they keep older people, in particular, active. There is the work they do to help communities, Tidy Towns, etc. We do not need to reiterate that this morning. The Minister of State mentioned the distribution model and that attempts are being made to overhaul that. Over the past few months much would have been said, publicly and privately, about the difficulties that were there. Will the Minster of State give some reassurance that distribution model will be worked on, hopefully by the time Christmas comes round, so people receive certainty that funding will be allocated before Christmas?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jerry Buttimer The Deputy is right that the men's sheds are an exemplary model. I will make one fundamental point. The Minister, Deputy Calleary, and I are very committed to working with the Irish Men's Sheds Association, which has identified a number of issues around distribution being cumbersome and burdensome. What we are committed to doing is to make it more streamlined and effective to work with them. That is why the Minister and I met representatives of the Irish Men's Sheds Association in September. We had a very good, positive meeting. As a consequences of that, our officials and the Irish Men's Sheds Association met on three separate occasions. We are all committed to working together, le ch\u00e9ile, to ensure we have a model of delivery that does not just recognise but provides certainty and values, which we do, the work of the Irish Men's Sheds Association on the ground locally. The Deputy is right, there are a myriad of attributes men's sheds bring to communities we could list. The bottom line is that we are fundamentally 100% committed to working with the Irish Men's Sheds Association."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig O'Sullivan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-O'Sullivan.D.2019-11-29","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-O'Sullivan.D.2019-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy P\u00e1draig O'Sullivan The Minister of State has recognised that funding will be provided. What men's sheds members who are listening out there this morning would like to know is whether that will happen this side of Christmas or into the new year. Can the Minister of State give any clarity as to how long they will be waiting? I welcome the fact that the Minister of State and the Minister, Deputy Calleary, have personally met them. That is very important. Do they envisage they will have to meet them again or do they think the outstanding issues that were there regarding the redistribution of money have been largely resolved? Is there likely to be some recompense for the gap period between funding, where funding might have fallen short during that period?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jerry Buttimer I will make another point. I met with Carrigaline and Togher men's sheds this week and last week. We understand that what we must do is have an approach that is fair and is based upon a future mechanism of funding which must be balanced by reducing that administrative burden on the Irish Men's Sheds, particularly at local level. We have to have a fair, transparent and accountable model of public funding. We will meet with the Irish Men's Sheds Association again. We had a very positive meeting with them. The engagement was very good. There has been a lot of work done since. I am confident we will have a mechanism in place. In the context of the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and I there is an open door policy. We are not in an ivory tower or silo with an adversarial mentality. We have made huge progress. What we want to do is to continue to support and work with the Irish Men's Sheds Association nationally and with the groups locally. The Deputy mentioned the groups in his constituency. I have some in Cork and met with two of them recently, as I said. We look forward to working to ensure their sustainability, certainty and stability in the funding model going forward."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Men's Sheds"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_10","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Rural Schemes","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_7","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_7","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_10","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_10.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh This question relates to the assurances that are required regarding the future of the LEADER programme in respect of funding levels, allocation timelines and long-term security, rather than things being announced every single year. It is similar to the SICAP project. I ask for a multi-annual funding approach."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dara Calleary I thank Deputy \u00d3 Snodaigh, who is playing a super-sub role today in terms of all the questions. The LEADER programme is funded as an intervention under CAP. Therefore, the development of EU regulations relating to the post-2027 CAP and the new national and regional partnership plan is of significant importance to my Department. To facilitate the ongoing negotiation process for the post-2027 period, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine established a CAP consultative committee, which includes representation from my Department and other rural stakeholders. My Department has provided input into these draft EU regulations to ensure the continued prioritisation of LEADER in Ireland. We have consistently emphasised the importance of a ring-fenced allocation for LEADER to ensure the post-2027 programme can continue its vital role. I acknowledge that the proposed consolidation of the main EU funding programmes within a single national and regional partnership plan for each member state, financed through one overarching fund, is leading to uncertainty. However, it is important to note that the draft regulations include the continuation of the LEADER programme as a mandatory measure. Furthermore, the draft regulations, as currently phrased, propose a 10% rural target in recognition of the valuable support provided to rural communities. I will continue to work to ensure that this provision can serve to provide adequate funding for LEADER in the next programming period. The next EU budgetary cycle is due to commence on 1 January 2028. Many details remain to be finalised as part of the ongoing EU-wide negotiation process. The Deputy will be aware that the Irish Presidency recently published the negotiation box for the multi-annual financial framework from 2028 to 2034. This represents a major milestone for our EU Presidency. Detailed discussions will continue, beginning today at the EU Council, and during our term holding the Presidency. This will include discussions regarding LEADER. I thank the Taoiseach, the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, and the Minster, Deputy Heydon, for their work on this to date. I remain committed to ensuring that LEADER continues to play a central role in the next programming period and into the future."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh The EU Council will take its decision and it is to be hoped it is a positive one in respect of the LEADER project. In terms of the funding of such projects into the future, and given that Ireland holds the Presidency, we hope for a more favourable outcome in this area. There is an understanding of how vital rural communities are, as we know from organisations such as Irish Rural Link and the Local Development Companies Network. They need to be certain of where funding is coming from and cannot live precariously year to year, especially if they are planning to roll out other projects. They need to invest and consider future plans, and cannot do that if each year they are not sure whether the funding is coming. How long will the next programme last?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dara Calleary LEADER has been a game-changer for rural communities since it was introduced. I visited a number of LEADER companies this summer who marked 35 years. The approach was championed by former Commissioner Ray MacSharry and has driven a bottom-up and locally led approach. I reiterate what I said to the Deputy. The Government and I, as Minister, along with the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, are very committed to the negotiation process and wider multi-annual financial framework process. We have engaged strongly at EU level. I met Irish MEPs in Strasbourg to brief them and engage with them around LEADER. We have engaged with the CAP negotiators through the EPP and Renew Europe group, which includes former Deputy Barry Cowen. I have engaged with the Taoiseach and the Minister, Deputy Heydon, on LEADER funding going forward. The Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, and I met the local development network in late spring to discuss the importance of the programme. We will host a major Presidency rural development conference in Galway in early November and I will use that to platform and showcase the value of LEADER for EU colleagues. We have certainly made a very strong effort in the context of the negotiating box we tabled last weekend to protect rural areas going forward. We will continue to fight for that position."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Aengus-\u00d3-Snodaigh.D.2002-06-06","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh It is important the opportunity is availed of, as the Minister said, to showcase LEADER, especially some of the major projects that have played a huge role in helping ensure rural communities are not as isolated. However, there is a need, as I said, to look at the multi-annual funding to ensure it stays in touch with and takes into account inflation and the like. Similar to what we talked about earlier, there is also a requirement to look at reforms to reduce bureaucracy and simplify matters to ensure the communities and projects that are part of this are not tied up in bureaucracy and red tape and can get on with the work they are set up to do."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dara Calleary The Deputy touches on a very important point. The level of paperwork and bureaucracy around LEADER is intimidating for many community organisations. That is something we need to look at in the context of EU regulations and our own regulations. I thank the LEADER companies the length and breadth of the country that do extraordinary work through the programme and in bridging the gap with community groups by bringing them through the LEADER process, which is very intimidating. There are LEADER people who are hugely experienced all over the country who I really thank. In budget 2027, we provided an increase of \u20ac11 million in LEADER funding for 2027. That gives a sense that activity is beginning to ramp up again within the current programme and right across the country there will be extra drawdowns of LEADER funding throughout 2027. People on the ground will see the impact of LEADER funding and the difference it is making in their community. There is also the work of our Department. As I said, we will spend over \u20ac600 million next year. Our Department was not there in 1991 and now it is and is driving on the work with LEADER. LEADER has to be a very important part of our country, going forward."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Rural Schemes"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_11","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Community Development Projects","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_7","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_7","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_11","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Fionnt\u00e1n \u00d3 S\u00failleabh\u00e1in","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Fionnt\u00e1n-\u00d3-S\u00failleabh\u00e1in.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Fionnt\u00e1n-\u00d3-S\u00failleabh\u00e1in.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_11.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Fionnt\u00e1n \u00d3 S\u00failleabh\u00e1in","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Fionnt\u00e1n-\u00d3-S\u00failleabh\u00e1in.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Fionnt\u00e1n-\u00d3-S\u00failleabh\u00e1in.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Fionnt\u00e1n \u00d3 S\u00failleabh\u00e1in As the Minister knows, our society is held together by an army of volunteers. Tens of thousands of people give up their time in the areas of sport, recreation, community heritage, the environment, active retirement, etc. What measures is the Department taking to support the thousands of volunteers who do this throughout rural Ireland, especially given all the complications with administration, governance and insurance? These are really tripping people up and it should not be like that. It is very unfair and they need supports."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jerry Buttimer I thank the Deputy for the question. I agree completely that our country is bound by the sheer strength of the volunteering. I met the community centres network last week. I will give the Deputy a figure; 6,707 community volunteers are on call. There were 29,008 hours logged by community volunteers last year. The Minister and I are very committed, as I have said. This week we launched Ar Sc\u00e1th a Ch\u00e9ile, the Government's new five-year strategy to support the community and voluntary sector. I thank the Minister as well as the Minister of State, Deputy Harkin, and the team in our Department led by Kieran Moylan for the launch of this document, which is a strategy based on consultation. The strategy has a clear vision and a mission for the 2026 to 2030 period that supports inclusive and cohesive communities and reaffirms our Government's commitment to the sector as a fundamental part of the fabric of our communities, be they urban or rural. Our Department recognises the vital role volunteers play. Our national volunteering strategy was published in 2020. A new strategy is almost complete and we are about to launch it. In the budget for this year our Department received an allocation \u20ac260 million, which will support community development initiatives. That is an amount of money the Minister and I fought for and secured as part of our \u20ac628 million budget. As Deputy \u00d3 S\u00failleabh\u00e1in knows, under the local enhancement programme we provide small grants for community organisations. The LEP grant will increase by \u20ac2 million for next year to assist community groups with what the Deputy spoke about - insurance, energy and other operating costs. That is on top of the \u20ac74 million we have secured for SICAP, which we spoke about earlier. As a Government we are committed to the SSNO scheme, which supports 92 national community and voluntary organisations to the end of 2029. We are working to assist our urban and rural communities, recognising there are challenges. Our budget allocation, our advocacy and our support illustrate our commitment in terms of money and strategy, which I know the Deputy will support."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Fionnt\u00e1n \u00d3 S\u00failleabh\u00e1in","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Fionnt\u00e1n-\u00d3-S\u00failleabh\u00e1in.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Fionnt\u00e1n-\u00d3-S\u00failleabh\u00e1in.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Fionnt\u00e1n \u00d3 S\u00failleabh\u00e1in Groups are getting strangled by bureaucracy and red tape. I would not blame them for throwing in the towel when they are organising a St. Patrick's Day parade or any event, putting up Christmas lights or organising children's discos or sports clubs. All over Wicklow and Wexford, groups are dropping out because they say they give up their time but obstacles are put in their way to trip them up. They are strangled by bureaucracy, governance, over-regulation and administration. It is very unfair. Then there are insurance costs. The insurance cartel really needs to be taken on because it is a huge obstacle for groups. Say you are organising a St. Patrick's Day parade; the insurance requirements and red tape tied up with it are such that people ask why they would bother. Something needs to be done about the insurance cartel in this country. It needs to be taken on and reined in. Eventually, the fabric of Irish society will fall apart. This army of tens of thousands of volunteers is holding the country together, basically. Many people will say, \"Why bother? Every obstacle is being put in my way.\" Something really needs to be done about that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jerry Buttimer The Deputy makes a fair point. We spoke earlier about the burden the Irish Men's Sheds Association bears in terms of distribution of money. We are committed to making it easier. The Minister spoke about the LEADER programme with Deputy \u00d3 Snodaigh and the cumbersome burden involved. We must balance the need for distribution of Exchequer funding with accountability and transparency, but the Deputy is right. I share his view because I am involved in my own communities. We must make it easier for people to apply for grants and to do their work. I see in schools, GAA clubs and community associations that there is a concern about insurance - not just the cost of insurance but the cost of litigation as well. People who are doing voluntary work can fall. We even see it in our political parties. They put up posters and they might fall off a ladder. It does happen. We must make sure we do not lose the volunteer. I am very conscious of that, as is the Minister. That is why I met with the community and voluntary sector and why we launched the strategy last week. If you speak to people in volunteer centres, they will tell you it is about giving people an opportunity and that people will then come. The points the Deputy makes are valid and I look forward to working with him on addressing some of those issues."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Fionnt\u00e1n \u00d3 S\u00failleabh\u00e1in","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Fionnt\u00e1n-\u00d3-S\u00failleabh\u00e1in.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Fionnt\u00e1n-\u00d3-S\u00failleabh\u00e1in.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Fionnt\u00e1n \u00d3 S\u00failleabh\u00e1in I welcome that but just as we are talking about simplification in the area of farming, it has to be the same for community groups. Simplification is crucial. The Minister of State made a point on litigation. Something needs to be done about the culture of litigation in this country. Say you are organising a St. Patrick's Day parade in a village or any other event. There are a huge number of vintage events in Wexford and Wicklow. People are giving up their time freely, jumping through hoops and putting together vast documents - safety statements, event plans, etc. - but they should not have to do that. Someone should not be able to just come along. It does not happen in every country. We take it as normal that you can just go up and sue somebody for anything in this country. What happens then is people just say they cannot take the risk. We need to do something about that. The culture of litigation needs to be wiped out."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jerry Buttimer The most important point is we must always support and work with our community and voluntary sector, whether it is the vintage rally, the Christmas markets that will be coming up soon, the bazaar or the sporting event. Without volunteers, these events will not happen. We are committed to ensuring we do not overburden the organising group or committee. Obviously, there is a need for health and safety and we cannot abandon that, but the Deputy is right about the overall thrust of litigation. I am very conscious of costs. In the budget the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and I secured an extra \u20ac2 million to ensure community organisations get support for energy around insurance. If we look at the budget allocation for the Department, it builds not only on the Government's commitment but on the Minister's commitment, and mine, to support our community and voluntary sector. We want to see the sector secure. We also want to see people enriched by participation in communities. As Deputy \u00d3 S\u00failleabh\u00e1in and I know, our communities are better because of the community and voluntary sector. I look forward to working with all Members of the House to ensure we continue to have this on a sustainable footing, whereby that sector will be creative and we will have the Christmas lights, the St. Patrick's Day parades, the vintage rallies, the bazaars and whatever else. Without them our communities are poorer."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 11 taken with Written Answers."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Community Development Projects"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_12","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Derelict Sites","counts":{"speechCount":8,"speakerCount":3},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_7","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_7","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_12","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor D. McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Paul O'Shea","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Paul-O'Shea.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Paul-O'Shea.D.2024-11-29","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_12.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor D. McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Conor D. McGuinness I am taking Question No. 12 on behalf of my colleague Deputy Gould. It is on the role of the Department in tackling vacancy and dereliction in towns and villages. As the Sinn F\u00e9in spokesperson on local government, Deputy Gould has highlighted this issue time and again, particularly with regard to vacancy and its impact on the housing crisis. He has raised it frequently with the Minister for housing. This is something that concerns rural communities as well, regarding the use of the rural regeneration and development fund, RRDF, and the town and village renewal scheme. This is why we think it is very important in the context of the next Our Rural Future policy, to be published imminently, that the Minister give us his opinion on it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dara Calleary I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 50 together. I thank both Deputies for raising this issue. I wish to say to Deputy McGuinness that earlier we expressed our sympathies to him and the community in Waterford on the appalling tragedy that happened on Tuesday. I assure him and all our colleagues of the support of the Department for the community afterwards. To answer the questions asked by Deputies Gould, McGuinness and O'Shea, tackling vacancy and dereliction is a key priority for the Government. We are very clear that the reuse of vacant and derelict properties will provide a catalyst for revitalising communities. Our Department's policy framework and many of the support schemes available under the rural development investment programme reflect this. For example, the town centre first policy is a is a joint initiative between my Department and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The aim of the policy is to regenerate and enhance the social and economic revival of towns and villages and to address the challenges of vacancy and dereliction Deputy McGuinness has outlined. The policy has seen town regeneration officers, who are funded by my Department, work closely across multidisciplinary teams in local authorities which are collectively responsible for town regeneration, with a focus on combating vacancy and dereliction. This includes, for example, the dedicated capital delivery teams. It also includes broadband officers and vacant homes officers. Importantly, a range of capital funding streams is available to support delivery of town centre first objectives. The town and village renewal scheme and the RRDF have provided growing levels of investment to rural communities in recent years. The RRDF seeks to support large-scale and ambitious projects to achieve sustainable economic and social development in our rural towns. Since 2020, almost \u20ac446 million has been allocated for 163 projects across Ireland. The assessment process for the applications received in response to the latest call for proposals under the fund is ongoing and the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I hope to announce the successful projects before the end of the year. The town and village renewal scheme is designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. It supports projects to bring derelict and vacant buildings and sites back into use as multi-purpose community spaces. Over \u20ac217 million has been allocated to almost 2,000 projects since the launch of the scheme. The 2026 call for proposals under the scheme was launched in September. There are two funding streams available, which are the main scheme and the project development measure. The closing date for applications is 22 January 2027. The town centre first approach complements other national policies, including the national housing strategy, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, as well as the national planning framework, all of which have the aim of tackling vacancy and dereliction, achieving balanced regional development and building supporting local communities. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has a suite of housing supports under the vacant property refurbishment grant under the cro\u00ed c\u00f3naithe initiative, as well as the town centre first heritage renewal scheme, THRIVE. Our Department is working closely with colleagues across the Government. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I work closely with the Minister, Deputy Browne, and the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, to deliver on the goal of revitalising rural towns and villages, with a focus on addressing dereliction and vacancy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor D. McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Conor D. McGuinness Gabhaim bu\u00edochas leis an Aire as an bhfreagra sin. Tiocfaidh m\u00e9 ar ais chuig an m\u00e9id at\u00e1 r\u00e1ite aige mar gheall ar Phort L\u00e1irge. Regarding this question, I have seen at first hand some of the good work being carried out, for example, by Waterford City and County Council. I am sure there are plenty of positive examples from other local authorities. It seems, though, that sometimes the pace is very slow. We are looking at villages and towns where there is considerable dereliction and vacancy in town centres, and this poses a risk to the viability of those towns and villages. This issue is something that needs to be reflected in the next iteration of Our Rural Future already under way in the Minister's Department. Villages and towns can very quickly lose critical mass in respect of liveability, commercial space and viability. This is why we need to see additional supports for local authorities, and also more funding, to allow them to make quicker decisions, bankroll them more effectively and allow them to tackle dereliction and vacancy at a quicker pace."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Paul O'Shea","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Paul-O'Shea.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Paul-O'Shea.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy John Paul O'Shea I thank the Minister for his reply. Dereliction is one of the most visible problems in Ireland today. Every Deputy here can name a street in their constituency where a once-thriving shopfront is boarded up or a family home has stood empty for decades. In Cork North-West, it is the first thing people raise with me on the doorsteps. The cost of this problem is real. Dereliction drags down the look and feel of a place. It discourages investment and drives away footfall. It also wastes homes at a time when thousands of families are desperate for one. I do welcome the supports the Minister has outlined, including the town and village renewal scheme, the rural regeneration and development fund and the town centre first policy. These are all making a visible difference in our towns and villages. The town regeneration officers, who are also in local authorities, are key contacts. They give communities the level of contact and support they need. I would, though, welcome some cross-departmental work with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, including on the vacant property refurbishment grants and activation in relation to the derelict sites register."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dara Calleary I thank both Deputies for their remarks. We had a very good visit, along with the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, earlier in Lismore and Cappoquin. It is possible to see the difference our schemes are making. Equally, there is also evidence of what the Deputy has just said in respect of dereliction being able to take a whole town down. It was the same in respect of what Deputy O'Shea said. We do fund the town regeneration officers in local authorities. That funding comes from my Department. We have driven the establishment of capital delivery teams. I spoke earlier, when we were discussing the RRDF, about my frustration that this funding is being allocated but not being drawn down quickly enough. I share the frustration of both Deputies in relation to this issue. Where we have capital delivery teams working, they are drawing down funding and making sure that the funding is being delivered and is addressing dereliction and vacancy, as well as regeneration. We have the schemes there and they are working well. There is variance in terms of the performance but, as the Deputy will know, when it comes to property and ownership in this regard, it can be difficult, particularly in towns. There can be a myriad of reasons why a property is left vacant and allowed to go into dereliction. We are moving in respect of the derelict sites register and the derelict sites tax, and local authorities are being given more power to do that. I refer to the RRDF and the town and village renewal scheme. The town and village renewal scheme, in particular, has a measure within it that does not get a lot of coverage: the building and land acquisition measure. This allows a council to acquire a property in a town to act as a catalyst for regeneration. This might involve opening a new space in a town or revitalising a derelict property as a community space. As well as the public realm projects we see under the town and village renewal scheme, we can do building and land acquisition to revitalise a town or village."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor D. McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Conor D. McGuinness We are speaking in common purpose in this regard. Additional capital would be useful for those local authorities that are performing. Perhaps the Minister and his colleagues in government can discuss ways to fast-track some of those legal processes, without in any way impinging on the rights of people in order to ensure those properties identified that are sometimes caught up in legal processes and seem to go on for years can be fast-tracked."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Paul O'Shea","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Paul-O'Shea.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Paul-O'Shea.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy John Paul O'Shea I thank the Minister for his reply. I concur with him and agree that the measures currently in place are working well. We have one example in Cork North-West where the land acquisition measure from the town and village renewal scheme was successful. In my constituency, Cork County Council, in conjunction with the community, bought a vacant site in the village of Ballinagree to provide a community building into the future. It is worthwhile and a success for the constituency. I ask the Minister to work with the Department of housing in this regard. Cork County Council has gone to the low-hanging fruit and delivered. There are complex cases of dereliction in our towns and villages. A lot of these sites have ownership and title issues, and other issues in dispute. Support is needed so that the council can work with the Department of housing for compulsory purchase orders. My county has not been very proactive in compulsory purchase orders, unfortunately, unlike other counties. County Limerick, my neighbouring county, is one example. We need to work with local authorities to try to push that method to make sure we tackle dereliction in future."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dara Calleary Deputy O'Shea hit the nub of this issue regarding the difficulties of complex cases. Some local authorities have been good. We see this as we go around the country. These local authorities have ripped off the plaster and done it, and it has made such a difference. The Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, who has responsibility in this space, and the Minister for housing, Deputy Browne, are committed to this. Returning to the building and land acquisition measure, we have confirmed funding of \u20ac7.2 million for this year. That will fund 38 projects around the country and will assist in opening up properties. As I said, the town and village renewal scheme is open for applications through the main scheme and through the project development avenue. I appeal to local authorities to think outside the box. We get a lot of fancy public realm applications. It is lovely to have town and civic spaces but there is no point in having those lovely, accessible public spaces if the buildings around them are derelict. If local authorities use the powers available to them, and the funding available to them from my Department and the Department of housing, as well as using the resources of the town regeneration officers and their skills, we can use the existing capital money to make bigger and more transformative changes. We can look to those local authorities that have dealt with those complex cases, and some come to mind that have gone into the depths of dealing with such complex cases. It has made a massive different in towns and villages. The work under way in County Waterford, both in Cappoquin and the super project in Lismore within the existing town centre, showcases the success of the schemes. Similarly, we have had good discussion with councillors in Cork recently around the schemes and their impact, as well as the need for bigger counties to do something a bit more different. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I have taken all of that on board."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 13 taken with Question No. 6."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 14 taken with Written Answers."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Derelict Sites"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_13","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Community Development Projects","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_7","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_7","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_13","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Martin Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Martin-Daly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Martin-Daly.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_13.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Martin Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Martin-Daly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Martin-Daly.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Martin Daly I pay tribute to the Minister's work for rural and community development and the Gaeltacht. Certainly, in my part of the world in Roscommon and Galway, there is a sense among the public that the Minister from the west of Ireland understands rural affairs extremely well and the importance of strengthening rural communities, especially where there is a dearth of infrastructure, including community and sporting infrastructure, to keep communities viable. I would appreciate if the Minister would make a statement on the \u20ac208 million for rural development announced in the budget."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dara Calleary I propose to take Questions Nos. 15, 22 and 57 together. I thank Deputy Daly for his remarks. We were delighted to announce a departmental budget package of \u20ac628 million for 2027, including a total of \u20ac208 million for the rural development programme. Budget 2027 demonstrates the Government\u2019s ongoing commitment to support communities across the country, including Gaeltacht and island communities. Communities will benefit from a wide range of supports, which are bringing positive changes to towns and villages across the country, including those in Roscommon, east Galway, Wexford and Wicklow. The budget builds on the sustained investment of recent years and ensures the continued delivery of schemes specifically targeted at delivering community infrastructure and town and village regeneration, as we have just discussed. Some of the main elements from budget 2027 include the \u20ac60 million for the rural regeneration and development fund, RRDF, to support large-scale, ambitious capital projects that can achieve sustainable economic and social development in rural areas. The focus of RRDF is on rural towns and villages with populations of fewer than 10,000 people. To date, it has allocated over \u20ac611 million to 271 projects located across the country. Having issued a call for proposals for applications in February 2026, the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I will confirm funding for successful projects before the end of this year. However, I reiterate the need for local authorities to deliver on these projects. There is no point in us allocating funding unless it is spent. Allocated funding going unspent is unfair on those local authorities that want to drive on. The town and village renewal scheme has received funding of \u20ac23 million for 2027. It is one of a number of measures that will rejuvenate rural towns and villages across Ireland. It places particular emphasis on projects to support sustainable employment creation, town centre regeneration, enhanced streetscapes and, as we have just discussed, bringing derelict and vacant buildings back into use as multi-purpose spaces. Since the launch of the scheme, over \u20ac217 million has been allocated to almost 2,000 projects across the country. A call for proposals is currently open with a closing date of 22 January 2027. I emphasise, however, that this is the closing date for submission to the Department. Local authorities have different closing dates and people should familiarise themselves with those in their areas. The LEADER programme, which we also discussed, is cofunded by the EU and is marking 35 years of operation in the delivery of tangible benefits to rural communities. Funding of \u20ac43 million will be made available for the LEADER programme in 2027. The community centre investment fund is a relatively new fund to support the development and refurbishment of high-quality community facilities. It is available to community groups in both urban and rural communities. To date, some \u20ac112 million has been allocated for the enhancement and refurbishment of existing community centres and the construction of new centres, where such a need has been identified. The outdoor recreation and infrastructure scheme, ORIS, has been allocated \u20ac17 million. It provides funding under several measures for the development of new outdoor recreational infrastructure and for the necessary repair, enhancement or promotion of existing outdoor recreation infrastructure in country areas across Ireland. This includes walking trails, cycleways, mountain access routes and facilities at river and lakes, such as those I visited with Deputy Daly in Ballymoe during the summer. This year, we have announced the 2026 CL\u00c1R programme with a record budget. We have already approved \u20ac2.5 million for 44 vehicles and we will be making further announcements totalling almost \u20ac12 million under the remaining CL\u00c1R measures over the coming months. The local improvement scheme, LIS, funds the upgrade of non-public rural roads and laneways that are not usually maintained by local authorities. Since 2017, over \u20ac201 million has been allocated to local authorities, resulting in the improvement of over 5,500 local roads. The delivery of these capital funds comes under the umbrella of my Department's policy, Our Rural Future. It is also supported by the town centre first policy, which is a joint initiative between my Department and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The core aim of the town centre first policy is to support place-based regeneration and the provision of community infrastructure that enhances the social and economic revival of towns and villages and addresses the challenges of vacancy and dereliction. My Department funds town regeneration officers, who work closely across multidisciplinary teams in local authorities. We also work closely with capital delivery teams, broadband officers and vacant home officers across the country. I thank local authorities across the country which are essential partners in delivery on the ground but, most importantly, I acknowledge and thank communities and volunteers who make all of this happen in their local space."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Martin Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Martin-Daly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Martin-Daly.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Martin Daly I thank the Minister for his comprehensive reply. I will pick out an example of the work that has been done and the funding for projects in rural areas. Mo Chairde in Keadue, County Roscommon, has received grant funding for a new meals on wheels van. It delivers meals to elderly people throughout a dispersed rural population in north Roscommon. It serves 200 people and delivered nearly 1,400 meals in September alone. That is an example of the type of funding that has improved the lives of people in rural areas and enabled rural communities to support their own people. I also pay tribute to those behind the introduction of sc\u00e9im infheist\u00edochta ag obair le ch\u00e9ile, S\u00cdOL, and the inclusion of Ballinasloe, which, as we know, has significant community deprivation and intergenerational unemployment issues. I note the Minister's comments about the projects that have been submitted and I hope that the fund is not simply a slush fund for local authorities. It should be for groups that have no other pathways for funding, especially in the social enterprise area."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dara Calleary The CL\u00c1R transport programme to which the Deputy referred, which the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I announced a few weeks ago, makes such an enormous difference through meals on wheels programmes across the country, not just in terms of the delivery of food but because, for some, it may be the only human contact they have on a given day. The Department of Social Protection also works through community employment. This year, the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I have been very focused on groups such as meals on wheels groups that are facing particular challenges with costs, including inputs and fuel costs. We have a small fund of \u20ac2 million for 2027 to assist affected groups with their current account funding. We had a good discussion on S\u00cdOL earlier. We will be making announcements around S\u00cdOL in the coming weeks. The Deputy has been a passionate advocate for Ballinasloe and its regeneration since before being elected. The projects for the Ballinasloe area being provided by Galway County Council will make a difference. That said, the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I want to revisit S\u00cdOL to make sure it is making an impact on the ground for communities as opposed to local authorities."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Martin Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Martin-Daly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Martin-Daly.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Martin Daly I thank the Minister for that reaffirmation of the aims and targets for the S\u00cdOL programme. I am reassured. I know that CL\u00c1R is coming to a point of decision in relation to bigger projects. My community in Ballygar, County Galway, has developed a \u20ac2.4 million sports park for the GAA but also for the general community, and is in the process of developing a sensory garden for neurodiverse people and for people who need that type of recreational space. Ballygar has become an autism-friendly town, and that is going to be launched in the next week or two. The community has applied for funding from CL\u00c1R to develop the sensory garden and I hope the Minister will take note of that. In addition, there are tremendous projects in places like Termonbarry and Castlerea, at the swimming pool, which the Minister knows well, and, of course, Ballinasloe Rugby Football Club, which has also submitted very worthy projects. I hope they are given due consideration."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dara Calleary I thank the Deputy for that tour of the constituency. We want to acknowledge the strength of all of those applications. I know that the Ballygar community has put in extraordinary efforts in respect of the sensory park application and the autism-friendly town. CL\u00c1R is making an enormous difference right around the country. It is a great pleasure to be able to visit projects and see the impact the programme is having. What I see with CL\u00c1R projects is that they are community owned. Ultimately, I want S\u00cdOL to be community owned and community driven. We will be making CL\u00c1R announcements before the end of the year and have taken on board the representations the Deputy has made."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Community Development Projects"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_14","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Rural Schemes","counts":{"speechCount":5,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_7","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_7","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_14","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_14.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dara Calleary Gabhaim bu\u00edochas leis an Teachta \u00d3 Murch\u00fa as an gceist seo faoi Chontae L\u00fa. The TVRS is one of a number of measures designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages across Ireland. Since 2016, over \u20ac217 million has been allocated to 2,000 projects across the country, with over \u20ac6.6 million allocated to 71 projects in Louth. The 2026 TVRS building and land acquisition measure invited local authorities to apply for funding of up to \u20ac500,000 to purchase up to three vacant or derelict buildings or sites for the future development of community assets. Funding of \u20ac7.2 million was awarded for 38 successful projects in July. For reasons of commercial sensitivity, details of successful applications remain confidential until conveyancing is complete. A further TVRS call for proposals was issued to local authorities on 16 September last. There are two funding streams available under this call: the main scheme and the project development measure. Under the main scheme, local authorities can submit applications for one project up to a value of \u20ac500,000 and three further projects with a maximum value of \u20ac300,000 each. Local authorities can submit two applications under the project development measure, which provides up to \u20ac50,000 per application to undertake the required planning and development work to underpin the development of successful projects. The closing date for the submission of applications to our Department is 22 January 2027. I am not sure what the closing date in Louth is. I would encourage the Deputy to check that. I look forward to receiving high-quality applications from Louth and we will be in a position to make announcements in 2027. All of the applications are competitively assessed against the criteria and objectives. We consider suitability, geographical spread, the quality of the projects and their ability to impact on the regeneration of a town or village. This scheme is always heavily subscribed. It is very intensely contested, and I am conscious that demand for funding regularly exceeds the budget available. However, we work very hard in the Department to ensure that we can provide funding to make the maximum impact in communities across County Louth."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa We have all seen where these projects have made a genuine difference. We all welcome the fact that the living city initiative has been introduced to major towns in County Louth. We have all seen the flight of shops and other things from our towns. It is about putting a process and a framework in place so that we can deliver living towns, villages and cities, as the people of Drogheda would often say. That sort of commentary probably would not do the Minister much good in Dundalk. It is just about ensuring, particularly for some of the projects that involve significant sums that could possibly go above the amount allowed for grant aid, we consider scenarios whereby there would be a facility to ensure they actually happen and do not stop on the basis of money. While we all accept that we have to look after the State coffers, it is just about ensuring that no project is held back on the basis of a slight shortfall in money."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dara Calleary We have had a pretty good discussion all morning in relation to this. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I are very focused on it. There is no point in us allocating grant funding to any local authority under any project unless it makes a difference on the ground and is delivered. The assessment process seeks to capture that, in that we look at the local authority's capacity to deliver, its delivery of previous projects for which funding has been allocated from within our Department, and what it has done to involve the community in the roll-out and design of the projects. We have made some changes to the TVRS this year so that villages that have traditionally been within the footprint of a city, and which previously were not funded, will be brought into a pilot scheme for villages within cities to protect their identity as the city grows out. It will not take away from the rural emphasis of the TVRS but it will also seek to support those communities within existing cities. Finally, I have introduced a third project development measure in 2026 for those towns that have had a flood relief scheme to make proposals for the rejuvenation of the town after the completion of the relief scheme."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa I welcome the Minister's comments in relation to flood relief schemes. County Louth, and particularly Dundalk, is utterly susceptible to flooding. In the near future, as that piece of work is done, I would like to think we could have projects that will facilitate the betterment of the region and of people's lives. The issue, first and foremost, is actually delivering on those schemes which are all behind where we would like to them to be. We have seen the huge work that has been done with departmental funding for Bridge Street and the area around the St. Nicholas quarter. It is about ensuring we see follow through on these projects. What was good about that was the fact that we started and, over multiple funding streams, the project was followed through on. The fear is that sometimes we do a bit of a project and do not see it through."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dara Calleary I had the privilege of being in Dundalk in May and was really taken aback, in a good way, by how vibrant it is. A lot of the difficulties that face other towns in terms of dereliction and vacancy seem to have been addressed within the town. There is a very vibrant town centre, with investment from Louth County Council, the Government and, more importantly, local enterprise and local entrepreneurs. Town regeneration officers are doing huge work throughout the length and breadth of the country. We fund them and work closely with the Department of housing in relation to town teams and the town centre first policy. We had a good discussion earlier with Deputy Conor McGuinness and Deputy O'Shea about the challenges of those more complex projects, in terms of identifying properties that have become derelict but where ownership issues are contested. It can be very difficult and that is where we need to give assistance to local authorities. They also need to learn from each other in the management of those complex cases."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Rural Schemes"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_15","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Community Development Projects","counts":{"speechCount":3,"speakerCount":3},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_7","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_7","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_15","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor D. McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"David Maxwell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/David-Maxwell.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"David-Maxwell.D.2024-11-29","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_15.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor D. McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Conor D. McGuinness We all know the value of community centres. That has never been in more stark relief than this week in Waterford in the wake of the horrific criminal incident that unfolded on Monday morning. We think of the victims of that horrible, murderous attack on a family home and we think of the two children who are still in hospital fighting for their lives. We have seen the response of the community. Myself, my colleague, Deputy Cullinane, and others were in that community on Monday and Tuesday and we saw the value of the response in the community centre. I want to pay tribute to those involved, including Ms Amy Maguire, who manages the centre, and her team. I also pay tribute to Bu\u00edon Phort L\u00e1irge, Barnardos, Brill FRC, and the Jigsaw service in Waterford, the local authority, and local councillors who have all been pulling together. It is really important to note the comments of the Taoiseach and the Minister's comments earlier today that supports will be made available but that needs to be followed up on in the weeks and months ahead as this community rallies."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dara Calleary As I said earlier, we join with Deputies McGuinness and Cullinane and the community in expressing our condolences. Our thoughts and sympathies are with the families but also with the wider community. We made supports available through the Departments of Social Protection and of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht. I also thank all of the groups the Deputy mentioned. The leadership team at the community centre were out front and those supports continue to be available. I acknowledge those staff in my Department who were working yesterday. They worked to provide support to communities yesterday. A derogation was given by the unions and I want to acknowledge that and thank all involved. Our thoughts are with the community and as they work to rebuild, we will walk with them."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"David Maxwell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/David-Maxwell.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"David-Maxwell.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy David Maxwell) On behalf of the people of the Border counties, I also want to say that our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Waterford and their elected representatives following the tragic events of this week."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Community Development Projects"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_16","debateType":"questions","bill":null,"showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":false,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_16","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_17","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Ambulance Service","counts":{"speechCount":5,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_16","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_16","showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_17","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"David Cullinane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","memberCode":"David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_17.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"David Cullinane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","memberCode":"David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy David Cullinane Since I tabled this question, we had an unimaginable tragedy in Waterford. Four people were murdered; Kim, Philip, Callum, and Jayden. There are two children, Nadia and Elliot, in hospital at the moment and they were transported by the National Ambulance Service. I want to take this opportunity to commend everybody in the National Ambulance Service, particularly those who arrived at the scene, those in hospitals in Dublin and Waterford, and healthcare workers generally. I know the Minister was in contact with the hospital and the staff there were grateful for that. It shows the value of paramedics in the National Ambulance Service. There are other issues that could be raised in the context of this question but not given the circumstances. I spoke to paramedics on the ground about what they have to respond to, the tragedies they come upon and the scenes they have to deal with, which are unimaginable for any of us. That is their work and they do it all of the time. I want to commend them and I know that the people of Waterford are really grateful to them. We talk about heroes. The people who were on the scene dealing with unimaginable grief and trauma and children in unthinkable levels of pain were heroes. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank paramedics, staff, firefighters, An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na and all first responders, but particularly those ambulance paramedics who arrived on the scene."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health (Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill) I propose to take Questions Nos. 86 and 90 together. I thank Deputy Cullinane. He has put that so beautifully on behalf of his community, the hospital and the paramedics in his area. I too acknowledge the scale of the tragedy that occurred in Waterford, the deaths, the violence and the unimaginable trauma for the children, their neighbours, families nearby and the people who arrived on the scene first in most exceptional, traumatic circumstances. I want to acknowledge the work of the ambulance service, the paramedics and all of the first responders who come upon such scenes, on behalf of all of us, to provide emergency care in unimaginably difficult circumstances. As the Deputy said, they do that every day. This was a particularly acute tragedy in particularly difficult circumstances. I want to pay tribute to Ben O'Sullivan and all of the team at University Hospital Waterford who have done an exceptional job, both in caring for everybody but also in stabilising the two children so that they were able to travel to Crumlin. I also pay tribute to those who transported them to Crumlin in those circumstances and the team at CHI in Crumlin who have provided the very best of care possible to those children. I thank all of them for the very difficult work they have been doing and continue to do. Deputy Cullinane is right to highlight this work. As we speak about the ambulance service, we are so aware as public representatives that the NAS ambulance teams are turning up in every circumstance, including the most difficult, and doing that every day. They had a derogation yesterday from the strike activity and continued to provide emergency care up and down the country. It is also true that there are other issues we must address and do so properly in this forum and other forums. I can update the House on this occasion or another occasion on the steps being taken to improve the cultural issues that exist in parts of the ambulance service. These do need to be addressed but that never takes away from the scale, quality of care and commitment that paramedics up and down this country provide and the events in Waterford are the most acute example of that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"David Cullinane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","memberCode":"David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy David Cullinane Of course, I would have raised different issues and we would have had a different conversation but I want to stick with the theme of the importance of the National Ambulance Service today, if that is okay with the Minister. I deal with paramedics, as does the Minister and every other Member of this House, all of the time. We know that there is always frustration when paramedics cannot get to a scene on time but that is not the fault of paramedics. We know that we need more of them and the Minister has said that she is committed to training and hiring more paramedics. We also know of the cultural issues that are being investigated at the moment and we will deal with those in the next number of weeks and months. Given what I have had to deal with, what the people of Waterford are dealing with and particularly what those paramedics have dealt with, I need to reinforce the point that they go above and beyond the call of duty. I spoke to a lot of paramedics, as did Deputy Conor McGuinness, at the picket outside the hospital yesterday. They were traumatised for their colleagues and said this is the most difficult part of their job, particularly when there are children involved. I finish where I started by commending them on the work they do and thanking them on behalf of the people of Waterford for being there quickly and dealing with what was an unimaginable situation."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I agree with every word. One of the things we want to make sure to follow up on, as we do in every case but particularly here, is to make sure those teams get all of the appropriate support they may or may not need over the next period. Of course, this is part of their job and they know this is what they may meet at a tragedy of this kind or at other incidents that happen, such as car accidents. However, this is an acute tragedy and I will be following up to make sure the appropriate supports are available for them, their team and the teams in the two hospitals that have provided care."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"David Cullinane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","memberCode":"David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy David Cullinane I thank the Minister."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Ambulance Service"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_18","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Hospital Services","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_16","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_16","showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_18","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig Rice","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-Rice.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-Rice.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_18.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig Rice","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-Rice.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-Rice.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy P\u00e1draig Rice I too express my sympathies to the people of Waterford arising from the events of recent days. I ask about the DOMINO scheme. It is considered the gold standard in maternity care. It is a community-led midwife service that offers continuity of care to women at no cost to the patient. As Sarah Thatt-Foley wrote in the Irish Examiner earlier this month, the DOMINO scheme is a good news story. It is one of the most sought after maternity services available to Cork women. Why then would the Minister allow it to be cut to the bone at CUMH, and fundamentally alter the model of care? The reason given is staff shortages. According to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, there are 80 nursing and midwifery vacancies in CUMH. The DOMINO scheme aligns with the national maternity strategy and Sl\u00e1intecare but has become the latest casualty of staffing shortages in the south-west region. I want to get the Minister's response."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I have spoken with the chief nursing officer about this directly. I am afraid that what the Deputy has presented is not in fact correct. I am happy to say the scheme continues to operate and is open to women attending at Cork University Maternity Hospital. The commitment is reflected in significant investment. Overall staffing has increased by 16% since December 2023. Even this year, staffing has increased by 6%. There have been 49 additional posts funded since the national maternity strategy was introduced. Crucially, the staffing uplift has been 16% since 2023 and 5.3% since December 2025. Some staff have been redeployed. Several senior midwives are currently on maternity leave. As part of an ongoing effort to ensure continued and safe delivery of intrapartum maternity services, a small number of experienced DOMINO midwives have been temporarily redeployed to support staff in its skill mix requirements within the labour ward. That considered reorganisation of midwifery resources is a sensible and safe approach to managing the workforce generally and to ensuring the continued delivery of all services. This has resulted in some changes to how postnatal care is delivered directly by the DOMINO team. However, women and babies continue to receive postnatal care through the early transfer home midwifery service, which is important. The early transfer home team services serve the same catchment area and the HSE has confirmed that no woman will be refused postnatal care through those arrangements. The measures I referred to are temporary and the intention is to reverse this temporary redeployment from quarter 1 of 2027. However, the Deputy can see that staff numbers have increased over the past two and a half years. They have increased this year. A number of senior midwives are on maternity leave and staffing has been reorganised to make sure that all of the services are as safe as possible and that no woman's postnatal care will be impacted."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig Rice","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-Rice.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-Rice.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy P\u00e1draig Rice There is nothing short of serious anger among women in Cork about these changes. People really value the DOMINO scheme. They see a midwife in their community clinic, the same midwife supports them at delivery and then, when they get early transfer home, the same midwife supports them at home. The changes we are seeing fundamentally alter the DOMINO scheme. We have been told the antenatal clinic will now operate with one DOMINO midwife and two outpatient midwives while DOMINO midwifes are redeployed. The DOMINO support during labour will depend on operational feasibility. Postnatal home visits will be transferred to the early transfer home team. The dedicated 24-hour telephone service will now redirect to an emergency line, and the dedicated DOMINO antenatal classes have just been removed. This fundamentally alters a scheme that provides continuity of care. We should be expanding continuity of care for women, not restricting it. This is a serious issue. The Minister said this has to do with staff shortages. There are newly qualified midwives in the audiovisual room this morning who do not have jobs, would want to be part of these services and need to be employed in the health service. I encourage the Minister to change tack."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill There are currently 52 women registered with the scheme in Cork and a total of 114 women registered through the scheme in 2026. It is highly valued and will continue to operate. The staff uplift has been important and considerable. It is a 5.3% uplift this year on the back of a 16% uplift over the past number of years. Because of a particular group being on maternity leave at the same time, staff have been redeployed and services reorganised. I am sure the Deputy is not suggesting there is anything wrong with the early transfer home midwifery team or the support it provides to women. These are all qualified midwives working in different ways. I am sure that is not what the Deputy is suggesting. I know the Deputy would like me to continue to ensure there is recruitment into the south west. As I have said to him several times, that region has recruited more than twice its allocation for this year. There are significant budgetary impacts from that. I am sure we will discuss those separately in the Oireachtas health committee. We have opportunities for nurses and midwives all over the country. We want to recruit them, they should be recruited and it is possible to recruit them, but that must be done in a strategic way and they must be deployed to where they are needed."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig Rice","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-Rice.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-Rice.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy P\u00e1draig Rice I have no doubt good care will be provided. What we are talking about is ending continuity of care provided to women through the DOMINO scheme in Cork. That is why there is such anger among my constituents. We need to restore the continuity of care and invest in the services. When there are vacancies they should be filled. When somebody is out on maternity leave those posts should be filled so these services can continue. The concerns are not just coming from me. Cork City Council unanimously passed a motion on Monday night urging the Minister to intervene to fix this. The Minister's Fine Gael colleagues supported that motion, proposed by Councillor Niamh O'Connor, to ensure this service is not curtailed. We know, more broadly, that 1,000 patients were treated on trolleys in Cork University Hospital in the past month. There was a 12% increase in presentations to the emergency department. The CT scanner is now operating at 50% capacity in the hospital. Some 21 beds due to open December are delayed and other beds opened without staff. There are serious pressures on CUH and CUMH, and we are seeing it in the context of the services delivered to people. What is crucially important is that women in Cork want this service to continue. They want it restored and they want the Minister to resource it. That is fundamentally important."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I have stated the level of investment that has happened, not just this year but over the past two and a half years. Those posts are in place. Again, CUH is a hospital that has recruited 233 people this year. Let us compare it with Beaumont Hospital, which has recruited considerably less, at between 50 and 80 people. I cannot recall the exact figure. It has the same level of increased presentations and does not have the same trolley pressures because it has reorganised the way in which it works. Let us compare it to the Mater Hospital which has had a similar uplift in staff, either 50 or 80, whereas CUH has had an uplift of 233. No hospital in Ireland has recruited more people than CUH in 2026. The closest is Limerick, which has recruited approximately 130 people. No hospital in Ireland has recruited more than CUH, yet it is one of the seven hospitals with persistent trolley issues. Hospitals that have recruited considerably fewer staff do not have trolley issues. No area has opened beds in the way that area has opened them. An example is all of the staff who have gone into Mallow hospital. All of that is a resource for CUH and a resource for the area. All of it must be used."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Hospital Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_19","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Health Strategies","counts":{"speechCount":14,"speakerCount":3},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_16","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_16","showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_19","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"David Cullinane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","memberCode":"David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_19.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"David Cullinane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","memberCode":"David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy David Cullinane We have had a number of discussions about endometriosis. I know a new framework has been put in place. However, I have met hundreds of women who have spoken about their experience. The Minister may have seen the \"Prime Time\" investigates programme that talked about women waiting an average of 14 years for diagnosis and treatment. Much more needs to be done. I ask the Minister to set out what that will look like, what resources have been put in place and what advancements have been made in relation to diagnosis and treatment."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I thank the Deputy. I acknowledge the amount of work he has done on this issue, the range of people he has met and the advocacy he and others have advanced on behalf of women with endometriosis. It is not an area I understood when I took over as Minister for Health. I am glad to have had the opportunity to learn so much more about it. I hope that in the past 12 to 13 months we have taken steps to provide a real step change in the type of care that will be provided, not only now but, more importantly, building for the future, because things like surgical fellowships take longer to bed in. In the immediate term, I was trying to make sure there was a scheme that would fund upfront surgeries internationally. It is not perfect, but it has enabled 74 women to have surgeries in the past 12 months. That would not have happened otherwise or the surgeries would have been more difficult to fund. As I said, it is not a perfect system but it is one that was trying to address a real and immediate need. For the longer term, we are creating different types of surgical training pathways through fellowships, with partnerships with different institutes abroad, for example in Bordeaux, Germany and the UK, to try to provide longer term training schemes so that we are able to provide the best possible surgery here rather than sending women abroad to get the type of complex surgery they have needed. There are people already on these fellowships. One of the most important things we have done is not only enable and fund the menstrual information specialising in endometriosis, MISE, scheme but actually make it the HSE education scheme. I have recently given an additional very significant \u20ac300,000 to the MISE scheme to allow it to expand its work to provide training on endometriosis in workplaces and schools all around the country so that we can drive better awareness of endometriosis at the earliest stage. We provided an additional \u20ac500,000 to increase surgical activity in quarter 4 of 2025, resulting in an additional 142 domestic surgeries. Although some of the recruitment is slower than I would like, we have also continued to recruit specialist positions in endometriosis for the super-regional centres."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Thanks, Minister."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill We are trying to attract specialists and that is more difficult."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"David Cullinane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","memberCode":"David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy David Cullinane Women have told me time and again that they were not believed, were not listened to and were left in pain for years. A family member of mine is one of those women and she was waiting a long time for access to the clinic in Cork. She was in a lot of pain and had to take a long time off work and I was taken aback when she told me the full extent of what she was going through. I have met hundreds of women and have heard those stories. When you know someone who is affected, you know we need to do so much more. We have to find a process, first, to allow women to tell their stories because there is a lot of pain there among people who have not been diagnosed, who have been misdiagnosed or who did not get the treatment that they need. That is part of it and we have to listen to those stories. We have to face up to the fact that they were failed, but we also have to put the resources in place. That means the regional centres have to be properly resourced with the full teams, all the necessary staff and all the different options open to women. As we saw in that \"RT\u00c9 Investigates\" programme, even a doctor had to travel abroad to have surgery. That is the extent of it. The Government has a long, long way to go."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I am very aware of that. Indeed, I met a doctor who travelled abroad for surgery. I was personally offended that a doctor in our hospital system would have to use her HSE salary to fund her surgery abroad. I really do accept what the Deputy is saying. I accept that women have not been heard. That is why I brought them not once but twice into the Department of Health to tell their stories to the CEO of the HSE, the Chief Medical Officer and the chief nursing officer. Perhaps the Oireachtas committee will convene an opportunity to do that in the Oireachtas as well. The Deputy is correct about women not having been believed. That is why we changed it to a presumptive diagnosis approach given that women are - it was a endometriosis advocate who used this line - the best narrators of their own experience and the best narrators of their own pain. We have so much more to do on pain management as well. We have not got that right yet. There is activity, though. For example, I visited the super-regional centre in Tallaght in July for the launch of the women's health action plan. Surgeries there increased by 19% between quarter 2 of 2025 and quarter 2 of 2026."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Thank you, Minister."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill Referrals increased by 60% in the same period."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"David Cullinane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","memberCode":"David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy David Cullinane What we need is a fully funded strategy and service. We need to make sure that when a woman has endometriosis, there is a proper diagnosis in the first instance. Obviously, there has to be the highest level of awareness in primary care and GPs have a responsibility, but when they make referrals, these cannot be into nowhere with women waiting for years. Those referrals have to be into the specialist centres. In reality, what women say to me is that we need processes to hear all of the failures but really what they want is to be believed in the first instance, to have an early diagnosis as quickly as possible and then rapid access to treatment. We expect that in every other area of healthcare. The Minister more than anybody will be aware of all of the failures in women's healthcare. There are a lot of failures and this is just one of many. I hope the newfound awareness in society generally, it has to be said, in the medical fraternity, in the political world and elsewhere will lead to more advances and better and faster diagnoses, but also treatment options for women."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I agree. To update the House, the HSE is supporting and encouraging services to get international accreditation with the British Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy. That is a first. That is new and better. I have directed that \u20ac2 million go into health research, including for endometriosis. That is the first time Irish research funding has gone directly and specifically to women's health. As part of the EU Presidency, we will have an EU endometriosis conference on 3 December 2026 - the Deputy is very welcome to come to it - to try to raise awareness at European level and to use the Irish Presidency to put a focus on endometriosis insofar as we can. Two permanent two-year endometriosis fellowships have been established across Cork and Tallaght. They will be recruited on a recurring basis so that we will have a pipeline of expertise into HSE public endometriosis services. On medical awareness, the Deputy is so right. We wrote to all GPs about this I thank the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, whose annual conference on 6 March focused on endometriosis. All of these are different, better, newer in the past period-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Thank you, Minister."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill -----within this D\u00e1il because of the Deputy's work, because of his party's work and because of my work. All of us together, I hope, are making some difference but I acknowledge that if a women is in pain today-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Thank you, Minister."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill -----that has not changed for her."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Health Strategies"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_20","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Hospital Services","counts":{"speechCount":19,"speakerCount":4},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_16","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_16","showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_20","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Marie Sherlock","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Marie-Sherlock.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Marie-Sherlock.S.2020-03-30","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruth Coppinger","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","memberCode":"Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_20.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Marie Sherlock","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Marie-Sherlock.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Marie-Sherlock.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Marie Sherlock The deficit recorded by the HSE this year is likely to be the second highest on record. We have a fundamental problem in how the Department of Health and the Department of public expenditure and reform budget for the health services. We are continually hearing that recruitment is the problem and, in the Minister's view, that the service is overstaffed, but I believe other factors are at play, in particular the failure to forecast demand and the rising complexity of demand in the health services. I have asked the Minister specific questions with regard to the gap between the forecast demand for emergency department, ED, attendances, rapid access cancer clinics and endoscopies in the tier 3 escalation areas and what has actually proved to be the case this year."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I thank the Deputy. I do not think the service is overstaffed, by the way. I have never said that. I am actually advocating more staff, including in this year's budget and last year's budget. In 2025, we came in on the money recruiting. In 2026, we were recruiting and not coming in on the money. Therefore, it is a pattern of behaviour as opposed to any sort of perceptions about the level of the staffing. I am advocating for more staff, just in a strategic way and within budget. There are genuine demand pressures in all of the areas the Deputy has raised. We presumed for demographic growth of 2.1% but activity growth, which is different, has varied considerably across different services. It is important to distinguish between increased demand and increased costs. Approximately 80% of acute hospital costs relate to inpatient and day case activity. That is what costs the most to deliver, not emergency department activity,. Emergency department admissions have increased - there is no question about it - but inpatient activity has grown much more slowly, as only a proportion of patients attending the emergency department require admission or treatment. Inpatient cases, which are what cost 80% of everything, increased by 2.3% to date in 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, broadly in line with the demographic growth assumptions underpinning budget 2026. In the four regions currently subject to enhanced financial control, inpatient activity ranged from a decrease of 1.2% to an increase of 2.6%. By comparison, emergency Department admissions increased by 5.3% nationally, with growth in the four regions ranging from 4.5% to 6.9%. Cancer incidence rates are also increasing annually and are projected to continue to do so, but this does not indicate a uniform increase in demand. Nationally, to the end of August 2026, urgent symptomatic breast referrals increased by 5.4% year on year, lung rapid access clinic activity increased by 1.7% and prostate diagnosis activity decreased by 7%. Therefore, it is not consistent at all. The financial position of the regions reflects a combination of factors, which I will come back to."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Marie Sherlock","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Marie-Sherlock.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Marie-Sherlock.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Marie Sherlock I asked the Minister a specific question about forecast demand and actual demand. She provided no answer to that. She has given me the difference in activity between last year and this year. This is the critical and fundamental issue. We have had former and current chairs of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council, IFAC. saying that the Department is not properly budgeting. I have figures from the HSE stating that the demand for breast cancer clinics is 19.5% off this year. It is 19.5% greater than what the Department of Health and the Department of public expenditure and reform forecast. With regard to lung clinics, there is 23.4% greater demand than what was forecast for this year. We need to get a handle on what the Minister is forecasting and what the demand is. When we put in questions about mental health services demand for 2027, as we did two weeks ago, the HSE, via the Department, told us that it cannot give us those forecasts because they have yet to be worked out. How does it arrive at its budget if it does not even know what the forecast demand is for next year?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill What I said is that the forecast is based on demographic growth of 2.1% but everything within that is going to be different. The emergency department presentations and the inpatient case activity are all different. They are at different levels."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Marie Sherlock","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Marie-Sherlock.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Marie-Sherlock.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Marie Sherlock The Minister has not given me the figures."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I do not know how else to say it. The assumption is that it is 2.1%. This is very important. There is no correlation between increased demand and the amount of money. Let me give two examples. The mid-west recorded a 9.6% increase in emergency department admissions, higher than the national average and the highest increase nationally, yet it reported a pay deficit of 1.4% growth at the end of August, the lowest deficit nationally. By contrast, Dublin and the midlands recorded lower emergency department growth of 6.9% but it has a pay deficit of 5.6%, the highest of all regions. What I am saying is that the overspend is not coming from the number of people presenting. If it were, there would be a correlation in the mid-west of the same order. It is not that. It is how it is being used. It is much more nuanced."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Marie Sherlock","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Marie-Sherlock.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Marie-Sherlock.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Marie Sherlock Let me be crystal clear. It is not what we are spending; it is how it is being spent. I support all efforts to improve productivity. However, the reality is that the Minister set a target of \u20ac633 million for savings last year and \u20ac181 million for this year. That has gone up in smoke because of the failure to properly plan and forecast demand. The reality is that the Minister is ignoring the specific question that I put to her about what the difference is. For as long as we have this charade, where a figure is being set by the Department of Health and the Department of public expenditure, and the health service is told to fit in with that, then we are going to have a deficit. We have had a deficit every year for how many years? We have this farce where some of the biggest hospitals in the State are only agreeing their service level agreements in September or October of this year. They are asked to take a cut of close to \u20ac20 million at the start of the year but are also asked to do more. Surely, any understanding of our health service would suggest that we ask them to do more but not to take a cut of \u20ac20 million at the start of the year. We would expect no private sector organisation to set its budget for the year in the third quarter of the year. I do not understand why we do that in health."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I do not know how else to say this. The demand is forecast, essentially. We look at demographic growth but the presentations and how that works are very different. For example, there was a particular presentation of over-75s in the first three months of this year, and that arose more quickly than expected. We base it on demographic growth but the presentations are very different. There is a different presentation for breast cancer than for prostate cancer, for example. The basis of the Deputy\u2019s argument is in relation to demand and spend but they are two very different things. I know the Deputy accepts it is about reorganisation and how the money is spent but that applies across the board. I am happy to go through each piece but it is not about the amount of money versus demand. They are different. How is it that Limerick has the highest increase in demand yet is not over its pay budget? The previous conversation related to the south west. How is it that it is so very much over its resourcing, the number of people to be recruited and its budget, and it has not organised services in a way that reflects that? It is so much about organisation. As the Deputy pointed out, non-pay savings are part of that."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 90 taken with Question No. 86."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Question No. 90 was grouped with Question No. 86. We will move on to the other questions on health. I call Deputy Brabazon."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruth Coppinger","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","memberCode":"Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruth Coppinger Was my question taken already?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Leas-Cheann Comhairle It was grouped with Question No. 86."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruth Coppinger","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","memberCode":"Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruth Coppinger I did not know priority questions were grouped."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Questions Nos. 86 and 90 were grouped."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruth Coppinger","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","memberCode":"Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruth Coppinger Can I just ask the question? I did not know priority questions were grouped like that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Leas-Cheann Comhairle They are, so it has been taken already. To accommodate the Deputy, she can ask the question, the Minister may respond, and we can leave it at that. I am just trying to accommodate the Deputy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruth Coppinger","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","memberCode":"Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruth Coppinger I wish to raise the issue of the serious sexual assault and rape of a woman by an ambulance personnel member. I know the Minister has set up an inquiry into misogyny and the culture within the National Ambulance Service. I have serious questions as to whether what she has established is sufficient, in particular, the scope of the culture initiative and whether a six-month process based on surveys, workshops, interviews and site visits is sufficient on its own. I also want to raise questions about the chair of the commission due to her previous role in the Defence Forces."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill Deputy Cullinane and I were paying tribute to the ambulance service and its response in Waterford over the last number of days. We both acknowledged that we would come back to this question on the basis that it was also an issue that had to be addressed. That is what happened earlier. I want to state at the outset my complete support for Major General Maureen O'Brien and the work she has done and will do in addressing cultural concerns within the National Ambulance Service, which do exist. I am informed that the first meeting of the programme board overseeing this process took place on 1 October, at which the objectives for the first six months were agreed. They include, but are not limited to: conducting a formal independent assessment of the current culture and staff experience, which will involve all NAS staff being given the opportunity to share their perspectives; analysing the key findings; developing a set of practical recommendations for culture improvement; and the development and mobilisation of a culture action plan to implement those recommendations. That is the logical approach that any such group would take. The Deputy has more to say, so I do not wish to cut across her."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruth Coppinger","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","memberCode":"Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruth Coppinger There are questions. It is nothing personal about this individual. It has to do with questions that have been raised with me by Army personnel when they saw the appointment. Given that somebody occupied very high levels of leadership in one organisation where serious systemic cultural issues emerged in relation to women, it is open to question whether that person was an appropriate choice to independently examine similar complaints in another organisation, considering she played no role, it seems, in challenging that culture. In 2004, after issues were raised by now-Senator Clonan, the major general said that the Defence Forces have an incredible structure for tackling sensitive issues, to use her words. Twenty more years of bullying, harassment and abuse emerged. There is no evidence that this person ever played any role in challenging hierarchy or misogyny in the Army, and I do not see how she can just do it in the ambulance service."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I do not necessarily accept that but I will reflect on what the Deputy has said, of course, as I always would. From my engagement with her, I find her to be extremely strong and capable. She has the experience of a hierarchical uniformed organisation. As I said, I have great confidence in her ability to do it, and do it appropriately. I thank the Deputy for raising that."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Hospital Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_21","debateType":"questions","bill":null,"showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":false,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_21","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_22","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Healthcare Infrastructure Provision","counts":{"speechCount":8,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_21","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_21","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_22","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Tom Brabazon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Tom-Brabazon.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Tom-Brabazon.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_22.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Tom Brabazon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Tom-Brabazon.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Tom-Brabazon.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Tom Brabazon Beaumont Hospital is a vital facility that serves the constituents of Dublin Bay North but also constituencies right across the northside of Dublin and beyond. I regularly have constituents getting in touch with me to describe their experiences in the emergency department. The staff in the emergency department at Beaumont Hospital are doing their utmost to provide care in extremely challenging circumstances. However, the ongoing pressure on the existing emergency department is evident. I have had cause to be in the department on a number of occasions with family members, and to describe it as a war zone would not be an exaggeration. Nobody wants to have to go to the accident and emergency department but when they do, the least they deserve is to have some sort of comfort and access to timely care."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill It is important to acknowledge the enormous progress that has happened in the past 12 months in the emergency department at Beaumont. It is very significant. It has reduced the number of people on trolleys by an impressive 33% compared with 2024, despite having an increase in presentations. That is down to the different way the staff are working. I pay tribute to them for it. An additional CT machine was put in Beaumont, as the Deputy is aware. I visited the hospital one Saturday morning to find that the CT was not working, the lights were off and there was nobody there. That has since been staffed to make sure that patients in the emergency department have quick access to that CT scanner, as well as everything else. It is another positive step forward in 2026 in Beaumont. Beaumont has planned a number of significant capital developments and, as with every hospital, those developments have to be carefully sequenced to protect clinical activity. Basically, this means that not everything can be done on a hospital campus at the same time because the hospital could not continue to be a hospital in that case. In every hospital, whether it is Galway or Beaumont, this has to be done in a sequential and logical way because it disrupts patient care when people have to move somewhere else. Beaumont has prioritised clearly. The first priority is an extension to the radiation oncology centre. Enabling works are well under way and the main construction will commence in 2027. Beaumont prioritises the new inpatient bed block, which will increase bed capacity and help reduce pressure generally on the hospital. A proposed new emergency department will follow the bed block. That is the sequence of importance that Beaumont identifies. I acknowledge how much Beaumont has improved with respect to the number of people waiting on trolleys. The hospital has increased its weekend discharges. Its patient experience time is too high. The hospital knows that and will work on it. I have had a commitment from the chair and I know the new CEO will have a serious focus on that. Beaumont has reduced the use of trolleys and has the CT scanner working for the benefit of patients. Those things are very important."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Tom Brabazon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Tom-Brabazon.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Tom-Brabazon.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Tom Brabazon I thank the Minister for the update. I am aware that \u20ac24 million has been set aside for improvements to the emergency department, which is welcome. Unfortunately, I am not seeing dates, deadlines or an indication of when delivery will happen. All I am hearing, unfortunately, is obfuscation as regards the priorities the Minister indicated."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I do not know how it is obfuscation. Let me give the Deputy a one, two, three instead. Number one is the radiation oncology centre, number two is the inpatient bed block and number three is the emergency department. That order is identified as a priority by Beaumont, not me. The hospital chose that order of priority. The Deputy will be aware that planning approval was granted in 2026 for the refurbishment of the existing emergency department. That will provide short-term additional capacity for the emergency department, which is an interim measure. The order of priority is radiation oncology, followed by the inpatient bed block and then the proposed new emergency departments, with additional emergency capacity to be provided in a modular way in the meantime. I hope that provides clarity for the Deputy. I reiterate that these are the priorities identified by the hospital."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Tom Brabazon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Tom-Brabazon.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Tom-Brabazon.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Tom Brabazon Anyone who goes into the emergency department will see people crammed into it, with medical staff trying to work around them, in particular elderly, vulnerable people who are approaching the end of their lives in fear. They need space, comfort and dignity. I urge the Minister to impose on the hospital prioritisation of the emergency department above the other two priorities indicated by the hospital."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill This is the order the hospital has identified as being important to it for patient flow. Would the Deputy like me to override the hospital's priorities and its analysis of what it needs?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Tom Brabazon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Tom-Brabazon.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Tom-Brabazon.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Tom Brabazon Yes."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill The emergency department performance has improved considerably over the last 18 months. When I was there on a Saturday morning, I saw 60 to 70 people who needed care. Six or seven of those would have been able to be let go with a CT scan. A decision could have been made to do so but the scanner was not working. The hospital now has it working. The performance in the emergency department has improved, although patient experience times are too long. I anticipate that the hospital will be able to make further progress. The hospital knows what it needs. It has worked with the region and with us. It identifies its priorities, as every other hospital does. An interim measure is being provided for the emergency department but none of that matters unless the hospital changes the way it works and changes how things are tried. The hospital has made good progress on that in the last 18 months. It is one of the hospitals that does not have trolley problems, unlike CUH, which was referred to earlier. Beaumont has been consistently good. There might be a day or two where it is bad for a particular reason, but the hospital always recovers well. Its patient experience times are still too long."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Healthcare Infrastructure Provision"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_23","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Hospital Staff","counts":{"speechCount":7,"speakerCount":3},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_21","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_21","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_23","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n Kyne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louis O'Hara","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louis-O'Hara.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Louis-O'Hara.D.2024-11-29","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_23.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n Kyne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Se\u00e1n Kyne I am inquiring about the number of vacant midwifery posts in University Hospital Galway. Recently recruited staff who have completed their qualifications are seeking positions and have been told there are no posts available. This is an important issue for the safety of patients in University Hospital Galway."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill The HSE knows how many nurses and midwives are due to graduate each year. It is completely known, and it must plan its recruitment accordingly. Retaining these new qualified graduates is essential to the future of the health service and continues to be a priority. To be clear, there is no recruitment embargo in the HSE. Recruitment has not been stopped. There are strengthened recruitment controls, including in the west and north west, to ensure that appointments are affordable and directed to the areas where patient need is greatest. As part of that strategic approach, the HSE has to prioritise direct recruitment where vacancies are being filled with sustained agency use, and the scale of the opportunity is clear. In the west and north west, for example, agency expenditure was \u20ac87.2 million in the eight months to the end of August, which was 11.5% above budget. That really constrains what the west and north west can do in other ways. Recruiting graduates directly into those roles currently being filled by agency staff would help because it would help to retain the newly qualified professionals in the public service. It builds a more stable, permanent workforce. It supports safe care and delivers better value on the overall pay budget. HSE West and North West has advised me that there are currently seven permanent staff midwife vacancies in maternity services at UHG. There are 19 newly qualified midwifery graduates from the University of Galway. All 19 have been interviewed and placed on a recruitment panel from which appointments can be made as vacancies arise. Seven have been offered posts in the region. Six have accepted to date. I expect that work will continue, with graduates matched to available posts across the region based on clinical needs and workforce priorities. I was concerned to hear of reports that some newly qualified nurses in Galway were offered positions which were subsequently not approved. That is not okay. A more strategic and compassionate approach than that must be taken. We need to treat our graduates better than that. As I said, the HSE knows that nurses and midwives are graduating. It must make offers based on the right locations with the necessary approvals in place. I have been advised by the HSE that of 307 graduate nurses and midwives in the west and north west, 224 have been offered posts and 186 have accepted. That means 73% of graduates in the region have received employment offers."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n Kyne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Se\u00e1n Kyne I thank the Minister for the response. The midwives who have graduated are advised that there are 23 vacancies in the region. The Minister says there are seven. There may be different classifications for full midwifery posts or others. That is what I have been informed. I welcome that of 19 newly qualified graduates, seven have been offered posts and six have accepted, but a large number of graduates still have no positions in the area in which they have studied and trained. Many of these have been advised within the system to seek agency work as healthcare assistants. This is important work but not what they are qualified for. They are qualified as midwives and the expectation would be that they would get positions in the area. I am not sure if this is a particular challenge in the west and north west, and I appreciate there are budgetary issues, but there needs to be better planning for the training of midwives and the subsequent offering of positions."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louis O'Hara","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louis-O'Hara.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Louis-O'Hara.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Louis O'Hara I have been inundated with calls from students, midwives and nurses from Galway who were promised contracts but have not been offered them. Some of them are in the audiovisual room today, where they spoke about how disrespected they feel after years of working really hard and the sacrifices that they have made to qualify. These are highly qualified young professionals. Many of them have been left unemployed and without a permanent contract in the health service. The Minister mentioned midwives. We have been given a figure of 23 vacant posts. Of a class of 80 nurses, only nine have received contracts. Some of those are only temporary contracts of just several weeks, with some ending in November and December. When I raised this with officials in the Department, they assured me that this would be resolved within days. Weeks later, we still do not have a resolution to this and we still have multiple student midwives and nurses without positions. Can the Minister give a commitment today that this issue will be resolved?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill It is important to say that staffing in the region has increased by 478 to date this year. Of that, nursing and midwifery has been the largest contributor to that growth. There are 226 new nurses and midwives to date this year. Galway has recorded significant growth, with an additional 132 people hired, of whom 93 are nurses and midwives. What the Deputy is saying is completely correct. Every single year, nurses and midwives graduate and they do it at the same time. It is completely foreseeable, recurring, predictable and should absolutely be managed in the same way. We know we have invested significantly in a brilliant, expert workforce that wants to work in our State in our healthcare system. I have had this conversation with the HSE as far back as September of last year and it is essential that graduates are offered a position in advance so they know they have a job and know where it will be. That said, that job needs to be where the health service needs it and it will not necessarily be directly in Galway. It could be in the region where the health service needs it to make sure all of our hospitals are supported. I completely agree and this is the way it should be done."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n Kyne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Se\u00e1n Kyne I thank the Minister for the response. I will give a sense of the words of some of the nurses themselves. They say the whole situation is so disheartening. They said that after being offered a full-time, permanent contract last week on St. Joseph's Ward, they were meant to have orientation on Monday, 5 October, and start the post on Monday, 12 October. On Tuesday, they got an email from HR to say the posts were being taken back. Another nurse said: We were given assurances as far back as this time last year that permanent positions would be available to newly qualified nurses. We have worked hard throughout our degrees, gained experience within the hospital and committed ourselves to providing care to patients in Galway. Yet now, after qualifying, many of us cannot secure a permanent nursing position in our own hospital. This is despite the nurses being told they would be offered these positions. Clearly, there is an issue. I am not sure if it is related solely to the genuine overspend issues in the west and north west. I appreciate that is an important issue. However, these individuals worked hard and graduated and did so on the understanding they would be offered positions."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill Is that not the most reasonable and professional expectation they should have? Deputy Kyne is completely right. They should know they have a position within the region and what that will be. As I said, it might not be directly in Galway but it will be within the region where they are needed. On 1 January of every year, each region knows it has a certain number of people it can recruit. It also knows it has a certain number of nurses, midwives, healthcare professionals and doctors graduating in that region. It is completely foreseeable and you should plan the year with the expectation that you will hire those people at that time of the year and plan your budget. Twelve months is not that long a period to be able to plan these things. These are known factors. The Deputy is right; it is not just about the overspend. It was about the failure to recruit strategically throughout the rest of the year that led us to be in a position where there is an overspend that now places pressure on the budget and uncertainty that should not be acceptable. On 1 January, everybody knows how many people will graduate, when they will graduate and what the overall budget is. If you were running a business, you would hire strategically like that and you would not let it happen essentially by chance at the end of the year. It has to be better."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Hospital Staff"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_24","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Health Services","counts":{"speechCount":9,"speakerCount":3},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_21","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_21","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_24","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sorca Clarke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_24.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sorca Clarke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sorca Clarke The adult diabetes service day centre in Regional Hospital Mullingar has been suspended since the beginning of October because of unfilled specialist nursing and dietician posts. Patients have lost access to that specialist support, education and insulin pump training. The staffing crisis was known about well before the beginning of the October, before the service was forced to close, because the dietician actually left in March. When will this service reopen and when can those patients have access to it?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I thank the Deputy. I have met some of the team of the adult diabetes multidisciplinary service at Regional Hospital Mullingar, who provide excellent care in both scheduled and unscheduled access to specialist diabetes nursing and multidisciplinary support for patients with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The Deputy is of course correct that the hospital had to temporarily suspend the adult day diabetes service with effect from 1 October 2026. There are currently four vacancies within the diabetes day service team. The team should comprise four full-time nursing staff and one full-time dietician. Recruitment is under way within the HSE to fill the posts. It is hoped these appointments will be confirmed and the service restored as soon as possible. I cannot give the Deputy a timeline on that because until the positions are confirmed, I do not want to say something that I do not know to be correct. Recruitment is under way and we hope those positions will be confirmed and the service restored as soon as possible. In the meantime, measures have been put in place to try to ensure the best continuity of care for patients. Existing patients will continue to be managed through consultant diabetes outpatient clinics, with those requiring more intensive support prioritised for earlier or more frequent consultant-led follow-up, where required. For the consultant-led diabetes outpatient service, referrals that have already been accepted to that service will continue to be managed and existing referral pathways to the community diabetes service will remain available. Our priority is to recruit for those positions and have them in place as soon as possible."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sorca Clarke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sorca Clarke That will be very cold comfort to the service users who are there at the moment. I do not know if the Minister saw the Westmeath Examiner this week but it makes for really difficult reading. A member of the Westmeath branch of Diabetes Ireland is quoted as stating: I was just sickened when I heard, and thought about the work we put in as a committee, the money we pumped in doing fundraisers over the years ... If I keep going, I'll draw tears ... I am told 600 people use this service and 200 people are waiting on pump training in that service alone. The T\u00e1naiste told this House last week that the suspension must be kept as brief as possible and that alternatives, including redeployment, should be considered. Has any redeployment been considered in this case specifically? It is not the first time a diabetes service in Regional Hospital Mullingar has been forced to close or been threatened with closure. When the patients and service users hear \"temporary\", what they feel in their bones is that it will be indefinite."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I understand those concerns. I understand also the level of fundraising and community support that has gone into the service and I acknowledge that too. I do not know the answer to the redeployment question but I will check with the regional executive office and come back to the Deputy on that. Redeployment would be better in the region given that it has an overspend. Mullingar, in particular, has a very high agency profile. It is not just about cost; it is not good for the stability of the workforce or for the best patient care. The region and Mullingar have made better efforts this year than in any other to convert agency staff and make more permanent. That is what we want to do. There is a very significant opportunity there, both for redeployment and for offering permanent positions - I hate the word \"conversion\" - to people who were working on an agency basis . Let me check that and I will come back to the Deputy, but it is our priority that this service be re-established as quickly as possible."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sorca Clarke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sorca Clarke The Minister indicated that consultant outpatient appointments will continue and that is obviously to be welcomed. However, that is not a replacement for that specialist, nurse-led service that was provided already through the clinic that is there. The HSE has also confirmed those clinics cannot accept new consultant-led diabetes referrals during the suspensions. That is actually quite frightening for services that are there. Ultimately, this is a slap in the face for the service users who are there and particularly those who are struggling to come to terms with a new diagnosis and learning to live as a diabetic. The other side of it is that it was over 20 years ago that the Mullingar branch of Diabetes Ireland met with a Minister for Health - at the time, it was Mary O'Rourke - to have this service established in Mullingar. It is not an unreasonable expectation for a committee such as that, having gone through the fight and battle to have a service established, that the service will continue to provide care in the community."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I thank the Deputy. The whole point of this service is to provide holistic management for patients with diabetes. As the Deputy says, that includes people being trained or waiting on insulin pumps and the dose adjustment for normal eating education programmes. These are the impacts and this is a good service that really supports people in an holistic way. We really want to make sure it is re-established. The vacancies are there, we are trying to recruit and I will discuss it and get a correct answer. I do not know the answer to the redeployment question and I need to speak to the REO about that. I recognise and completely acknowledge the concern among patients and families, along with the very active and successful group in the community that have wanted to support them for such a long time. I really accept and agree with what the Deputy is saying. We need to find a solution to it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sorca Clarke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sorca Clarke Quickly."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I agree. With recruitment for specialist posts, if somebody is in a position in a different place and there are notice periods, it can be more difficult than recruiting a nurse who is not in a specialist position, but we still need to have it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Before calling on Deputy Barry Ward, I welcome the group in the Public Gallery from Killanny near Carrickmacross. They are here in the company of Deputy Maxwell, who chaired the earlier session in the D\u00e1il, questions to the Minister. I hope they enjoy their day in Leinster House. They are in good hands with Deputy Maxwell."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Health Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_25","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Hospital Services","counts":{"speechCount":7,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_21","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_21","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_25","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Barry Ward","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Barry-Ward.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Barry-Ward.S.2020-03-30","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_25.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Barry Ward","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Barry-Ward.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Barry-Ward.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Barry Ward The principle of not along private healthcare to piggyback on or profit from public healthcare infrastructure provided by the taxpayer is a totally sound and important principle. I admire the work the Minister for Health has done in furthering that principle but in relation to maternity care where there is no private option available to women now, what assurances can we give to women who want to choose private maternity care but cannot in the absence of such being available?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I thank the Deputy for his question and for acknowledging that there is no area of care where there is more public subvention into private care than maternity care, realistically. I can go through the costs in great detail but that is the reality of it. However, I do recognise this is a change and change causes concern. Change in respect of maternity care causes particular concern because there is nothing that motivates people more strongly than the care of their own children. I recognise the change does cause concern for some private patients but the reform supports equitable access for everybody based on their need. All women deserve the best clinical care based on the need with which they present. All women with complex pregnancies will continue to receive the appropriate consultant-led care. Maternity care in Ireland is provided in line with the national maternity strategy. That model provides three pathways, depending on three different clinical needs. There is the supported care pathway which is for women with normal-risk pregnancies. It is midwife led, with care provided by a multidisciplinary team. The assisted care pathway provides obstetric-led care for women with medium-risk pregnancies. There is a specialised care pathway which supports women assessed as having high-risk pregnancies. Care for women with high risk pregnancies is led by a named consultant within the multidisciplinary team. It is a single consultant within the multidisciplinary team. The really important thing there is that it is a team because as women who have already been using private maternity care recognise, that individual is not always available for the birth. Particularly where there is complex care, it is really important that it is managed by a team so that everybody understands what the different issues are and can step in as necessary, already fully briefed. Women are supported through each pathway according to their need. Patient safety is the overriding priority. Indeed, the whole emphasis behind the national maternity strategy is improving patient safety and the experience of women. Multidisciplinary team-based care and one-to-one support throughout labour are prioritised. Our objective is safe, high-quality maternity care for every woman in Ireland."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Barry Ward","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Barry-Ward.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Barry-Ward.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Barry Ward I acknowledge what the Minister said and the importance of the need-based approach. Anybody would acknowledge that women who are having children must get the care they need and that is appropriate for them. However, there is a value to being able to choose private maternity care. Some of the benefits that come with that, for example, are: having the same consultant throughout the process, through the antenatal process and into postnatal care; being on a first-name basis with that person; and knowing them personally and that they know your case. Of course, there can be a team that knows your case as well but some women want to choose to have the person they have had all of the way through. There are also things like waiting times for scans and other antenatal treatments. The difficulty for women who are working or who are self-employed is that they cannot spend many hours or even a whole day waiting for services and I believe that happens. I have been told that people in the public system sometimes have to wait for a long time even though they have an appointment time. Choosing private care allows them to get around that. There is a choice issue here that is not a judgment on the public system but it is the opportunity for some women to choose that private option. They cannot if we remove it from them."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill The Deputy ran on an election manifesto that supports Sl\u00e1intecare and this is a key part of that which predates the Deputy's entry into the D\u00e1il. I know he is very much an advocate for Sl\u00e1intecare and for an equitable system within which all women can access the same quality care, as I know he is an advocate for not enabling private work to, as he said, piggyback on the public system. The reality is there is no barrier to private maternity care except that it is not profitable. There is no way in which the private system can fund it because the scale of the State subvention, most particularly through the clinical indemnity scheme with which the Deputy will be familiar with as a barrister, is such that it is not possible to provide it privately. Indeed, as the Deputy will be aware, maternity care was provided privately in Mount Carmel, but it cannot afford to do so. This is also the case in respect of transplants and neurological surgery. It cannot happen privately, profitably. It can happen as there is no barrier to it but it cannot be the case that the public system continues to subvent private consultants operating in public hospitals with the benefit of all of the public infrastructure, critical care, neonatal intensive care, all of the nursing midwifery staff and the underpinning of the clinical indemnity scheme, and to do so at the exclusion of all of the other women. What is better is a safe system for every woman."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Barry Ward","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Barry-Ward.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Barry-Ward.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Barry Ward I do not disagree with the Minister. I see that. However, as the Minister pointed out, maternity is different in that regard because the private option is not available. If somebody wants to get their hip done, there are multiple private and public options available to do that. Is there not room for a derogation in relation to maternity? I met with the Our Maternity Choice campaign. They have a petition signed by nearly 8,000 women, many of whom chose the public option but because they are at high risk or had complications or trauma, want to choose the private option. Everything the Minister said is correct and it is not a statement of confidence in the service, because the low mortality rates in this country are testament to the quality of midwives and of maternity care. There are additional services that are available through private care that women should be allowed to choose and there are women who want to make that choice. In circumstances where the principle is sound but its application removes the choice from people, should we not be making a pathway for them to actually make the choice they want to make? They should be allowed to make that choice for the various reasons I have outlined, as well as for their simple comfort and confidence."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill How would the Deputy fund that? What would the additional cost of that be to every taxpayer and patient in Ireland? How is that equitably distributed? I was in the Women's Health Hub in Tralee, a new place dedicated to women's health, speaking to women who have received continuity of care through midwife-led care and who have escalated and de-escalated through the clinical pathways based on changing need. For example, a woman who was committed to having a home birth had the same midwife and continuity all the way through and when her needs escalated she moved into a consultant-led pathway with her midwife right beside her. She had that continuity of experience. I respect that the Deputy and I represent a constituency where more people opt for private care than any other, so I totally acknowledge his entitlement to reflect that on behalf of his constituents. For all of the women in Ireland, it is important we have a safe and equitable system and for all of the patients of Ireland we have to make sure there is a public system that is funded by the taxpayer and delivers for all of them. Again I will ask: how much is the amount of money the Deputy thinks is appropriate to invest in private consultant obstetricians at the exclusion of delivering broad, safer care for all of the women of Ireland?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Barry Ward","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Barry-Ward.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Barry-Ward.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Barry Ward I would like to respond to the question that was asked. It is important to note the service was already being provided and I understand the Minister has a job to do in balancing finances in her Department more than most but there is an issue of choice here that it is not being made available to women. Rather than putting it back on me to come up with the figures for how it is provided, we need to provide the choice to women and the Minister knows this. I am sure she is getting the same emails I do."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Hospital Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_26","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Cancer Services","counts":{"speechCount":5,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_21","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_21","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_26","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Tom Brabazon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Tom-Brabazon.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Tom-Brabazon.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_26.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Tom Brabazon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Tom-Brabazon.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Tom-Brabazon.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Tom Brabazon The national cancer strategy sets a target of ten working days for urgent referrals to symptomatic breast disease clinics. The target exists for a very important reason. When somebody discovers concerning symptoms they need to be assessed as soon as possible. I am informed that last year, 3,388 women had to wait for longer than the ten working day target. I acknowledge the tremendous work being done by the doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals working in our breast clinics. However, when urgent referrals exceed the ten working day target we need to understand why. Why are we seeing cases exceed this target and what is being done to bring the waiting times back to within the target?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I thank the Deputy. The target for symptomatic breast disease clinics is that 95% of urgent referrals are offered an appointment within ten working days. In 2025, the national performance was 61.3%. The national year to date performance in 2026 now stands at 78%, and while this represents improvement, I recognise, and the Deputy is correct to articulate it, that this falls short of the standard patients should expect. Performance varies across hospitals and regions. Clinics based in St. James's, St. Vincent's, Waterford and Limerick have consistently exceeded the target and stand between 97% to almost 100% for 2026 year to date, which is good. On the other hand, other clinics based in Letterkenny, Cork, the Mater, Beaumont and UH Galway are below target in 2026. However, both Cork and Beaumont, in particular, have made considerable, consistent improvements within recent months, with Beaumont reaching 100% for August, which is the latest figure available, so it does vary both in regions, hospitals and over time. The HSE advises that principal pressures giving rise to underperformance against key performance indicators, KPIs, in different areas are diagnostic access and, in some locations, limitations in infrastructure and clinic capacity and staffing deployment. Those clinics generally operate at full capacity, so any interruption or increase in demand or even a temporary staff shortfall that is then being filled can create a backlog that takes time to clear. Patients continue to be prioritised according to their clinical need. Hospitals experiencing delays can implement local improvement plans, provide additional clinics, outsource diagnostic activity where appropriate, and review patient pathways to improve efficiency. The HSE's national cancer control programme monitors performance against all of the different sites and we engage with it. I recently met the new chair to discuss this specific point and try to make sure that every area is working at the same pace and with the same measure of service to its patients."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Tom Brabazon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Tom-Brabazon.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Tom-Brabazon.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Tom Brabazon The target needs to be ten working days. Patients should be able to rely on the service. Early assessment matters enormously, both for identifying cancers promptly and providing psychological reassurance to patients whose symptoms turn out not to be cancer-related. Can the Minister advise the House on how additional funding provided under budget 2027 will help to reduce the waiting time for symptomatic breast disease clinics?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I thank the Deputy. I completely agree with him. I am pleased to see the improvement in Cork and Beaumont and the consistently good work in the other clinics. There cannot be a postcode lottery. It cannot be the case that people have different expectations. As I said, while there has been progress from 61% in 2025 to 78% in 2026, we have additional funding into next year. It is a priority for the cancer control programme and the different regions to make sure they reach this important ten-day target. That is what we must do next year."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Tom Brabazon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Tom-Brabazon.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Tom-Brabazon.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Tom Brabazon I thank the Minister for the reply."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Cancer Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_27","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Nursing Homes","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_21","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_21","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_27","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pat Buckley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pat-Buckley.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Pat-Buckley.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Kieran O'Donnell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_27.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pat Buckley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pat-Buckley.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Pat-Buckley.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Pat Buckley The HSE claimed that Sarsfield Court dementia clinic in Glanmire in Cork is closing due to a non-compliance notification, despite the fact that the notification was issued following its receipt by family members. Why is the HSE adamant about closing the dementia unit in Glanmire, County Cork?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Kieran O'Donnell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Kieran O'Donnell) I thank Deputy Buckley who is taking this question on behalf of Deputy Gould. Deputy Gould has raised this matter with me on a previous occasion. Unit 1 in St. Stephen's Hospital in Glanmire, County Cork is a designated centre for older people and is registered by HIQA. There are currently eight residents in the dementia specific unit. It is the only older persons unit on the grounds of St. Stephen's campus. All other units on the site deliver services under the registration of the Mental Health Commission. HSE South West has taken the decision to deregister unit 1 as an older person's facility, with a view to re-registering the unit with the Mental Health Commission to better co-ordinate the mental health services on site. I appreciate this is a very difficult time for the residents and their families. The HSE advises that all eight residents in unit 1 will be transferred to residential care facilities which meet their particular care needs and preferences in a phased and planned manner. The HSE advises it is currently engaged in a comprehensive process of engagement, consultation and planning with residents, families and staff. The Department of Health, the HSE and I are committed to ensuring that the care needs and preferences of the eight residents are fully respected and that transfers to new residential facilities happen in a phased, safe and considered manner with the full consent of all residents and their families. I have taken a very deep personal interest in this matter. I have been in very regular contact with the HSE South West and the integrated healthcare area, IHA, manager to ensure engagement takes place with the residents and their families. I have spoken to any of the families who have contacted me. The most important people here are the residents and their families. Intensive engagement is underway. The HSE is meeting the eight families and residents about alternative locations. That will be based on assessments of their needs and preferences. The residents will be located in the Cork city and east Cork area. This is about the residents. I want to allow the process to take place and ensure the HSE will continue to meet with residents."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pat Buckley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pat-Buckley.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Pat-Buckley.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Pat Buckley I thank the Minister of State for his reply. From previous experience with the patients in the Owenacurra care centre, when there was so-called consultation, that did not happen with families. It was take it or leave it syndrome. I do not want to see that happen again. I want to acknowledge that the Minister of State is coming to Midleton tomorrow to open another section of a unit in Midleton Community Hospital. I also want to flag that while it is great to have extra beds, the hospital has not taken on an extra staff member. The Minister of State is heading into a crisis tomorrow when he comes to Midleton because there are no additional staff to service the ten additional beds. I have received reams of complaints. The Minister of State is being told in the replies we get to questions that there will be consultation with family members. I fear that process will not be done properly and it will be a case of take it or leave it. People will be told that their family members are going here or there, like it or leave it. I wanted to flag that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Kieran O'Donnell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Kieran O'Donnell That will not be the case under my watch. I have spoken to the HSE about this in depth. This is about the older people and residents and no one else, from my perspective. I am very much looking forward to going to Midleton tomorrow. We are opening a new 50-bed community nursing unit. There are 37 residents and we want to build on that. There is engagement between the HSE South West, unions and staff, and I want that to continue. Tomorrow, the new state-of-the-art centre will open and I look forward to that. I hope engagement will take place in the normal way between the HSE South West, unions and staff to resolve any issues and that we get to a point where we have a new state-of-the-art nursing home for the people of Midleton, east Cork and the wider area. I very much look forward to seeing the new unit open."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pat Buckley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pat-Buckley.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Pat-Buckley.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Pat Buckley I thank the Minister of State. As I said, I have already written to the HSE and am awaiting a response. I have raised my concerns. We do not want to be constantly negative. People get involved in politics to be genuine and try to help people. I take on board what the Minister of State said. On behalf of the families and following what the Minister of State said, I want to state that it sometimes does not suit people when things are changed. If we treat people with dignity and respect and build trust, people feel their loved ones are getting care in an alternative location if they cannot get it in Sarsfield Court. People's main concern is that things are done right because there were issues with the HSE when it blamed the changes on the fact that it was a mental health unit. One patient was pitted against another and the HSE said it could not look after patients with mental health difficulties because there would be too much stress on dementia patients. That is not true. That is not the fault of the Minister of State; some of the management in the HSE made up a bad excuse and patients suffered."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Kieran O'Donnell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Kieran O'Donnell I can provide further reassurance that engagement with residents is ongoing. The residents and their families will be accommodated as many times as they wish in meeting the HSE. They will be properly assessed and will go to places of their preference. I want to ensure that the engagement continues. I want to allow the engagement between the HSE and residents to continue. It is something on which I will keep a very close eye. If I need to do further work, I will. I want the process to happen. The St. Stephen's site is predominantly a mental health facility. As unit 1 is an older person's dementia facility, it has taken a clinical decision and that is something I have to take on board. Fundamentally, I want the residents and their families to be satisfied. That is something I will continue to work on. I will keep a very close eye on the matter. The normal engagement between the HSE, unions and staff should continue. We have a great new 50-bed facility which will open tomorrow."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Nursing Homes"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_28","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Hospital Services","counts":{"speechCount":8,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_21","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_21","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_28","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sorca Clarke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_28.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sorca Clarke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sorca Clarke I am taking this question on behalf of Deputy Gould. I ask the Minister to report on the potential closure of the DOMINO scheme in CUMH. I am conscious she gave quite a detailed reply to Deputy Rice earlier."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I appreciate that. There is no closure of the scheme. Some senior midwives are on maternity leave and the service has been reorganised to make sure the right people are in the right place according to clinical need. Some midwives have moved to the labour ward. It is very much a temporary solution. Women will continue to be supported through the early transfer home midwifery team, which is very important. We are fully committed to maintaining and improving the women's health services in the south west. It is one of the regions that had pilot postnatal hopes which operate in Ballincollig, Clonakilty, Mallow, and Carrigtwohill. I recently launched the hub in Tralee, which is another example of an excellent midwifery service being delivered to women in the community. Staffing has increased very considerably. In the maternity hospital in Cork, overall staffing increased by 16% since December 2023. Just this year it increased by 5.3%. It is a highly valued scheme. It continues to operate today. It will continue to operate. They have temporarily redeployed some of the senior staff arising from other maternity leave but it is very much a temporary piece and women continue to be supported."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sorca Clarke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sorca Clarke There is something peculiar going on here. I do not live in Cork so I do not have first hand experience of that scheme. I am a big fan of community midwife care, but I know because I have told that midwives who want to work on that scheme have contacted Deputy Gould. They applied but were told the roles were not being filled. There is a peculiarity going on here. It sounds like an administrative issue that needs to be resolved as a priority but it is incredibly unfair on the mums to be out there because they are hearing this service is curtailed, reduced or there is something going on there. I am thinking of a pregnant woman going through what can be quite a difficult time hearing these things in the media, the press, the shopping centre or wherever. This needs to be put to bed and there need to be questions asked about whether midwives are applying for jobs only to be told those roles are not to be filled."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill Neither the Deputy nor I live in that region but obviously I have had the benefit of studying the recruitment growth in the region for some time and the south-west region has recruited more than any other. It has recruited more than Deputy Clarke's region, Deputy Dolan's region or those of Deputies Byrne and Neville. It recruited nearly 800 people in the first part of the year so the idea there are vacancies or services not being delivered when it recruited twice as many people as the region next door or any other region is very challenging. There have been a series of media reports about vacancies or difficulties that are not consistent with the level of recruitment that has happened in the region. Certainly on a comparative basis I would struggle to be in a hospital in another part of the country or a different region recognising how much more the Cork region has recruited, yet services cannot be delivered there. That is a more general point because the Deputy is right that all those stories are frightening. Deputy Clarke raised the diabetes issue which is a very particular, discrete and nuanced issue that arises from very specific vacancies. I spoke with the chief nursing officer about the domino scheme. She said she had spoken with the regional midwife. Services have been reorganised appropriately on a temporary basis for patient safety. The scheme continues and continues to support women."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sorca Clarke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sorca Clarke The Minister spoke about recruitment into the wider region and the more professionals we have in our health service the better for delivery of services. However, the question that immediately comes to my mind is whether they are being recruited into this service because that does not seem to be the experience of mums there. There is a lady in Cork who is on her third pregnancy. Her first two were through the domino scheme. She had nothing but positive experiences and speaks overwhelmingly positively about the treatment, care and support she got there. She is now saying she is frustrated, concerned and appalled the service will not be the same when she needs it this time around. There have definitely been changes that are impacting on the woman's experience of receiving the service. Regarding the women who have reached out to Deputy Gould's office, there is something there I ask the Minister to look into more closely because I do not believe for a moment they are inventing experiences. They are venting because of their experiences but that comes from somewhere. I ask the Minister to go back and have a look."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill There is no difficulty. I acknowledge the scheme has changed on a temporary basis but women continue to be supported through the early transfer home midwifery team. The scheme has changed on a temporary basis arising from redeployment within the model in the maternity hospital generally, arising from specific maternity absences. However, that hospital has had an increase in staff this year of 5.3% on the back of a 16% increase so there has been recruitment all the time over the last two and a half years into that hospital."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sorca Clarke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sorca Clarke Was it into that service?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill Yes, but there are 56 women in that service at the moment. They continue to be supported by the early transfer home midwifery team. As I said to Deputy Ward, any change of midwifery would give me cause for concern because you want to know you are going to have the same standard of care and the same experience and you do not want changes. I understand that. This is very much a temporary measure arising from those specific maternity vacancies and it will restart fully in the same way in early 2027. As I said, those women are being supported through the early transfer midwifery team."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Hospital Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_29","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Dental Services","counts":{"speechCount":5,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_21","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_21","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_29","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Joe Neville","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Joe-Neville.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Joe-Neville.D.2024-11-29","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_29.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I thank the Deputy. I am indeed aware of the challenge not just in Kildare but around the country with public dental services. In particular, for school-aged children routine screening has been delayed, meaning some children do not receive an assessment until they have entered secondary school, which is simply unacceptable. While the HSE will follow up to ensure those children are seen, it is not good enough because they need to be seen earlier. Improving access requires a multifaceted approach with short-term interventions and meaningful strategic reform. My Department and I have finalised a very focused two-year action plan to deliver real improvements on the ground. We will be publishing that within the coming weeks. That plan is in response to the many concerns Deputies have raised about dental services for school-aged children, children with disabilities, including intellectual disabilities, and children who need sedation for surgery. This is an effort to try to respond to that in a focused way over two years. The plan will focus on a number of clear priorities: tackling waiting lists in the school dental programme and for orthodontics; improvement and expansion of the access programme to oral healthcare for people who have additional needs including those with disabilities; commencing a review of the dental treatment services scheme; supporting recruitment, education and training; and supporting innovation and new ways of delivering care, which is really very possible. Over the next two years the aim is to stabilise services, reduce waiting times and make access measurably better for patients while laying the groundwork for longer term reform. It will be driven by a dedicated governance group with progress monitored closely by the Department and aligned to wider Department and HSE priorities. This is a real priority for the Government and for me. To that end, I have ensured we have \u20ac18 million in new investment in budget 2027 to implement this two-year oral health action plan. The immediate focus will be to address backlogs in the school screening programme for all areas, including Kildare."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Joe Neville","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Joe-Neville.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Joe-Neville.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Joe Neville Gabhaim bu\u00edochas leis an Aire. It is great she and her team and the HSE are so conscious of this. We hear from people that pupils in second class are not getting the screening even though they should. In fourth class they struggle to get it and it is the same in sixth class. So often they have passed first year and are at a point where they have to get the work done before they are 16. Often, by the time they are assessed and checked, they are almost too late and they feel they have to do it privately at the ages of 13 or 14. I am suggesting we bring the sixth class screening back to fifth class. The argument might be made that mouths are not fully developed but we need to have a situation where we can monitor at what stage people are checked. I love the plan as the Minister laid it out but I would like to see a breakdown by region so we can see, in the case of my constituency of Kildare North, where people are getting seen and what the throughput is in those locations."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I have no difficultly getting the Deputy that kind of data and I will clarify with him what exactly is the most helpful. In the longer term plan, I will certainly raise the question about the point at which the service is delivered. My current priority is ensuring the children whose dental examinations have been carried over and not delivered get those examinations. Some 51,000 sixth-class children's dental examinations have been carried over in that way and they are the priority. The two-year oral health action plan is designed to deliver tangible improvements to ensure this does not happen again but most important is supporting the children who have been waiting the longest, especially those who have been waiting for orthodontic treatment that has not happened. There has not been the correct priority for surgical theatres for dentistry, including community dentistry, in particular for children with disabilities who need certain orthodontic care, which is extremely important."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Joe Neville","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Joe-Neville.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Joe-Neville.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Joe Neville I am glad we discussed it because dental care is probably not something that gets the headlines it deserves but it can be a good indicator of a lot of other issues. It is important children get to see the benefits of it. It also allows parents to catch issues at an early age that might lead to problems down the line. It is incumbent on us all to deliver simple steps we want to set out for our public. I reiterate that because children are not getting the screenings in time issues are not captured and there is a risk of their having to go private. All of us here know dental costs can be significant. If we could defray those costs for members of the public, we should do so. Any measures the Minister's team is working on to do that should be welcomed. We should focus then on the results."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill The Deputy is right. We want children to get whatever they need as soon as they can. The HSE provides free orthodontic treatment at the point of care to those with the greatest level of need who have been assessed and referred before their 16th birthday. They have to have the appropriate assessments at the earliest stage. That is not to say nothing has happened. In 2025, over 155,000 assessments were carried out in the public dental service, of which 107,000 were in targeted programmes in schools. There is activity. It is just not necessarily enough and there are people who are not getting access. Another 48,000 attended for emergencies and nearly 68,000 new oral health patients in target groups had attended for scheduled assessment as of July 2026. That was a 16.3% increase on last year. The number of people getting assessments is growing. My concern is there is also a growing backlog. That is not okay and it is time-sensitive. Particularly in orthodontic care for children with disabilities, we cannot allow that. That is the purpose of the two-year plan."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Dental Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_30","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Health Services Staff","counts":{"speechCount":5,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_21","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_21","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_30","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Albert Dolan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_30.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill As I said to Deputy Kyne earlier, the number of nurses and midwives graduating every year is completely visible, known, factual and available in every region. On 1 January every year, as every region plans its recruitment for the year, it should know that and anticipate that that workforce will be available, that we have trained them, that they are excellent and that we want them to work in the public health service. Contingent on their graduation, they should have offers well in advance of graduation. That is not necessarily in a given hospital; it might be across the region. It has to be where the health service needs people, as opposed to being always a graduate's first preference. That is very clear. It is my priority and I have had that discussion with the HSE going back to last September. I will update the Deputy on the region. I was concerned by reports that a number of newly qualified nurses in Galway were offered positions that were subsequently not approved. People need to be treated better than that. This is predictable, foreseeable and on an every-year basis. I have been advised by the HSE that of the 307 graduate nurses and midwives in the west and north west, 224 have been offered posts and 186 have accepted those posts. That means about 73% of graduates in the region have employment offers. Work is ongoing to offer posts to the remaining graduates and to confirm start dates. There is no recruitment embargo. Recruitment has not been stopped. There has been control because, for example, HSE West and North West is 11.5% above budget on agency expenditure. You cannot spend money on agency and then have money to recruit permanent staff. That is why the organisation of resources is so important. Spending on agency means the money is not there to recruit permanent nurses and midwives, which is what I want, namely, a stable, safe, permanent workforce that is not dependent on agency. It is important that management do this. This has to be resolved this year, and it must be done correctly next year."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Albert Dolan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Albert Dolan I appreciate that clarity because I do not think the Minister could be any clearer. The north-west region appears to be over budget on the basis it has so many agency staff. That provides no solace to our young graduates who worked for the past four years to get qualified. I met them this morning in the audiovisual room and there were tears and upset. There is huge desire among young nurses to get into the workforce and contribute. They are not looking for anything for nothing. They want to work, start their careers and drive on. I know the Minister accepts that. I appreciate the Minister's response that there is work ongoing to offer these young graduates contracts but the offers went out in March and they still have not got contracts. Will the Minister give an assurance today that they will get contracts? Will that happen in the next month? Will it happen before the year is out? We need to get these graduates in there. They need to know it is coming and that they will have this chance."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I totally agree. They deserve to be treated with respect. The west and north west is, of the four regions in escalation, the least bad and is capable of coming down from about 2.4%. If it gets under 2%, it can come out of the escalated control. It is not in as bad a situation as some of the other regions. That said, it needs to continue to make progress on getting within budget. This has an impact on people's lives. It shows the importance of planning recruitment and of treating graduates with respect. These are wonderful professionals. This State has invested in university degrees for them to be the kind of excellent professionals we want working in the health service. We want to treat them with respect and give them the predictability of knowing they will have a contract and where it will be. It cannot be the case that because of in-year management or incorrect management of a budget, they then are in that situation. It is not good enough. It is not predictable and is not the way things should be run. They deserve to be treated better."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Albert Dolan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Albert Dolan There is no disagreement here on the importance of how we treat our nurses, especially new people who want to enter the system. It is worrying that this is their first engagement with the HSE bar their training and placements and that their relationship with their employer has started in this vein. I understand the Minister cannot engage in micromanagement but it is important she continues to engage with the north-west division and the west, particularly University Hospital Galway but there are issues in Portiuncula hospital as well, to make sure these young people know the HSE wants to employ them and to recognise the four years of hard training they did and that we want to retain this talent and see them have a life here in Ireland. If the Minister could confirm whether that will happen, I would appreciate it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill This House, representing the people, has spent considerable money on the training of those nurses and midwives. They have trained in our universities and hospitals and we want to retain them. We value them and their expertise and we want them to be in the Irish health service. I am informed there are currently seven permanent midwife vacancies in maternity services in University Hospital Galway. There have also been 19 newly qualified midwifery graduates from Galway. All 19 have been interviewed and placed on a recruitment panel, from which appointments can be made as approved vacancies arise. Seven have been offered posts, of whom six have accepted. I expect that work to continue but I cannot go any further than that in the House today. The Deputy can clearly hear our intent about the professionalisation of recruitment in the system."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Questions Nos. 100 to 103, inclusive, taken with Written Answers."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Health Services Staff"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_31","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Primary Care Centres","counts":{"speechCount":4,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_21","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_21","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_31","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Malcolm Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Malcolm-Byrne.D.2019-11-29","memberCode":"Malcolm-Byrne.D.2019-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_31.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Malcolm Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Malcolm-Byrne.D.2019-11-29","memberCode":"Malcolm-Byrne.D.2019-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Malcolm Byrne I ask the Minister for an update on the planned primary care centre for Gorey, County Wexford. Since tabling this question, there has been progress and we are about to hear the announcement, so I thank the Minister for her work on this."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill As the Deputy and I have discussed before, the primary care centre in Gorey had been identified and a tender process was undertaken. This concluded unsuccessfully, which was extremely disappointing and resulted in the centre being delayed. A new tender process had to be commenced. Following advertisement on the e-tenders procurement platform, I am pleased to confirm that the HSE has advised the tender process has now completed stage 2, which is a priced offer. The tenders received have been evaluated and HSE board approval for a preferred developer was given on 25 September 2026, with letters issued to all developers in relation to the outcome of the process. Following that approval, there is a two-week standstill period after which the HSE can formally engage with the preferred developer. Thereafter, a definitive projected timeline for construction and opening of the primary care centre in Gorey will become available. When it is completed, the centre will accommodate a range of services, including a GP practice, nursing services, dental, disability, CAMHS and other primary care therapies. I assure the Deputy, as I have before, that my Department and I will continue to actively engage with the HSE in relation to the development and completion of the Gorey primary care centre."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Malcolm Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Malcolm-Byrne.D.2019-11-29","memberCode":"Malcolm-Byrne.D.2019-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Malcolm Byrne I thank the Minister. It was fortunate I got to meet with the HSE on Friday after tabling this question and it confirmed the position. I am grateful for the Minister's work on the matter. It is critical that construction starts as soon as possible after the tender is awarded. We look forward to inviting the Minister to Gorey to cut the ribbon in the not too distant future."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I look forward to it greatly."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Is f\u00e9idir teacht ar Cheisteanna Scr\u00edofa ar www.oireachtas.ie."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Written Answers are published on the Oireachtas website."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":""},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Primary Care Centres"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_32","debateType":"questions","bill":null,"showAs":"Ceisteanna \u00f3 Cheannair\u00ed - Leaders' Questions","counts":{"speechCount":37,"speakerCount":9},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_32","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"David Cullinane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","memberCode":"David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":" Deputies","uri":null,"memberCode":null,"role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ged Nash","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Gerald-Nash.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Gerald-Nash.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brian Stanley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ken O'Flynn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"David Cullinane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","memberCode":"David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy David Cullinane Philip and Kim, and their children Callum and Jayden, should be alive today. They were murdered in a deliberate attack on their home. Nadia and Elliott, two children, are fighting for their lives in hospital as we speak. I knew this family and I am devastated for them, as are people from Waterford and across the island. We all know the suffering of this family and the grief is unimaginable. I commend all of the first responders, and I acknowledge the neighbours, emergency services and medical teams who came to their aid, and the teams in Crumlin who are working hard to save the lives of the two children there. All of these first responders and medics are heroes. This murderous attack showed utter contempt for human life. Anyone who planned, ordered or carried out this attack must face the full force of the law. The Garda must establish the facts but we know, as I am sure the Minister does, that drug-related intimidation must also be confronted head-on. Other families are looking out their front doors and wondering could their children be next. No family should have to put their children to bed wondering whether someone will set fire to their home before morning yet drug gangs and organised criminals are inflicting precisely this terror on families. They threaten children, they assault people, they burn homes, they murder people and they pursue parents, friends and even neighbours for money. I want to be very clear about this point because there has been a lot of media coverage over the past 48 hours. This is not debt collection; it is violent criminality and we need to call it what it is. Vulnerable families and innocent people need to be protected and kept safe. Every community has the right to live free from the violence and harassment of organised crime; to let children play outside as we all do, and I have two children; to report crime without fear of retaliation; for children to sleep safely in their beds and for parents not having to worry about attacks on their home. The State has a responsibility to uphold these rights in every community. Yesterday The Irish Times reported 113 arson attacks on council properties were recorded by just 14 local authorities over five years, with 50 last year alone. These figures exclude privately rented and owner occupied homes. Last week garda\u00ed were investigating another petrol bomb attack at a home in Drimnagh. The danger is clear and evident, and it has been widespread and known for years. There are also reports that the English family endured earlier threats and attacks and sought help because they feared for their safety. This also demands answers. Today I am asking for four commitments. Will the Government ensure that Waterford has the Garda resources needed for this investigation, including the support of the organised crime unit and the Criminal Assets Bureau? Will the Government ensure that families reporting threats have all the supports they need, including an urgent risk assessment, a named contact and a co-ordinated protection plan with access to safe emergency accommodation when needed? Will the Government commit to a review of how threats and requests for help are managed and how families are supported? Will the Minister for justice report to this House next week on the wider response to drug-related intimidation? The response to these murders cannot be outrage today and forgotten tomorrow. The people of Waterford will not wear this and the people of this island will not wear it. We have to face down these criminal gangs. These are cowards and what happened in Waterford has people's hearts broken. It should never, ever have happened."},{"speaker":{"showAs":" Deputies","uri":null,"memberCode":null,"role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputies Hear, hear."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Deputy Helen McEntee) I thank Deputy Cullinane for raising this issue today. I join him and many colleagues, and the entire country, in offering my condolences to the family of Philip, Kim, Jayden and Callum, and to acknowledge there are two children fighting for their lives in hospital after what was an absolutely appalling, vicious attack on a family who should still be with us today and that we should not be talking about in the Chamber, quite simply. I fully agree with Deputy Cullinane that this is not debt collection or anything other than violent criminality. Drug debt collection is an absolute scourge on our society and community. We all need to commit again today to collectively working together to try to stamp it out. There is not a single person in the House who is not appalled by what has happened. I also commend those who came to their aid - I have read the newspaper articles like a lot of people, and I can only imagine - those first responders did everything in their power to try to save them. To their community and neighbours who are reeling from all of this we offer our full support. The Garda Commissioner and the Minister for justice have spoken very clearly and given a commitment already on any resource required or needed by An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, whether the crime unit, CAB or anyone else in the local area, to ensure those who are responsible for this appalling act and crime are held accountable. Deputy Cullinane has given this commitment already from the Commissioner and from the Minister before today. What this has highlighted is that this is not an isolated incident and it is not something that has happened to just one family. It is something many families are going through. I listened to Siobh\u00e1n Maher from DRIVE this morning, who outlined the supports and resources that are there and available for people. The DRIVE programme brings together law enforcement, health services, social services and community organisations specifically to try to address drug-related intimidation through a co-ordinated and, importantly, a victim-centred approach. These are victims we are talking about. Importantly, she also outlined that for those who do not feel they can go to the Garda there are other routes. Part of the problem for people is that they do not feel they can go to the Garda but we do need to encourage people to go directly to the Garda. In An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na we have a dedicated unit and a dedicated anti-drugs strategy through Operation Tara that looks at and deals with quite a number of things. The Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau leads on tackling all forms of drug trafficking and the supply of illicit drugs. A clear focus and priority of this work is to tackle drug-related intimidation. This is a priority for An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na and it is really important that where people find themselves in this situation that they come forward to the Garda so it can respond in the most appropriate way. It is important, as Deputy Cullinane has outlined, that we continue to resource and support the Garda in its work. This is exactly why in this year's budget the overall budget for An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na increased by over \u20ac150 million. It is why there is further funding to make sure we can provide spaces for 1,000 additional Garda in Templemore, make sure we have the specific teams and specialised teams that can assist families when they find themselves in these difficult circumstances and, most importantly, that the people who are responsible for these appalling crimes are identified and held accountable. This is what we need to ensure happens here. On Deputy Cullinane's questions on a review, I will engage with the Minister for justice and pass on the question regarding whether there is more that we need to do. Unfortunately, any type of an incident, attack or murder like this has to raise questions as to whether there is more we can do or more that could have been done, and whether there are actions we can take arising from this that would save somebody else's life and how we then move quickly to implement them. I will take Deputy Cullinane's requests directly to the Minister and ask him to respond directly to him on it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"David Cullinane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","memberCode":"David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy David Cullinane There is a real sense of sadness and trauma in Waterford. Deputy McGuinness and I stood on a street yesterday and the day before and we spoke to residents. We met family members of those murdered at a vigil yesterday. Hearts are broken beyond belief but there is also anger. People are looking for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. We are talking about the people involved in the attack on the home but also the people who gave the orders and the people behind them. These thugs depend on fear and silence. The Minister is right that people can be fearful. There can be no silence in this Chamber from anybody. We have to stand up for those communities. The State has to be there for families when they are under threat. It is evident that more needs to be done. There are broken hearts but there is also resilience and a determination from the community in Waterford that we are not going to let these lost lives be forgotten about. We want to see change in this area. We owe this to the four people who were murdered and those two poor children who are still fighting for their lives in hospital today."},{"speaker":{"showAs":" Deputies","uri":null,"memberCode":null,"role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputies Hear, hear."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee I thank the Deputy. Those people are in all of our hearts today. We send our deepest condolences to their family and, as the Deputy said, to the community which is suffering. I agree fully with the Deputy's point that it is essential that it is not just those who carried out the act directly but also those they work for and who directed these types of actions. Last week we recognised that it is 30 years since the Criminal Assets Bureau, CAB, was established. It was established for the very reason that those who responsible for ordering actions to take place were never held accountable. They were able to conduct and carry out their work immune from any type of prosecution. We must make sure that the structures there for the State can be applied not just in this case but in any case where there are these types of appalling, despicable behaviours and actions being carried out on a community and family that should have nothing to do with this. Those responsible for carrying out this act should also be held accountable. The Minister and the Garda Commissioner have been clear that any resources required by the local garda\u00ed or national organisations and agencies that will help to deal with this crime will be made available to make sure those responsible are held accountable."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ged Nash","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Gerald-Nash.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Gerald-Nash.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ged Nash On behalf of the Labour Party, I join the Minister and Deputy Cullinane in extending our sincere sympathies to the wider English family and to the people of Waterford who are going through a desperate situation at the moment. As the Minister will know, I have been dealing in my community with the scourge of drug debt intimidation for far too long. We know it takes lives and destroys the lives of those who are left behind and in the middle of it. We need to say \"No\" to drug debt intimidation and have a zero-tolerance response. The Minister knows that for the first time in a generation, 300,000 workers across the public service were on strike yesterday. There was an overwhelming mandate for another day of strike action next week. Plans are already being made for additional rolling actions over the next few weeks and months. The Government has a maximum of 24 hours to avert next Wednesday's planned action. The ball is firmly in the Government's court. The Minister will not have visited picket lines at hospitals, council yards, schools, primary care centres and Intreo offices yesterday but my Labour colleagues and I did. Let me tell the Minister what the hundreds of striking workers I met yesterday told me. They are hurting because of a pattern of gaslighting and disrespect expressed time and again since this Government took office. They are hurting because PAYE workers were thrown under the bus in budget 2026 in favour of chicken chains. They are hurting because they saw the Government write a cheque for those who brought the country to a standstill last April while they and their unions, people who played by the rules, were told that when their pay deal expired in June, their lives and work just did not matter as much. They were spoofed by the T\u00e1naiste, who told them to expect a workers' budget. They know that what landed was anything but that. They are in no mood to be told that basic indexation for wage rises is a tax cut. Last week's budget was one final opportunity ahead of the first national public sector strike in a generation to change the mood music and it failed miserably. They also know that in last week's budget nothing was done to shift the dial on class sizes or health waiting lists. They know too that this is a fight for every worker and for everyone's living standards. As one striker rightly asked me yesterday, how can we trust a Government that does not even believe that workers are entitled to a living wage? They were right. This is the situation the Government has contrived to bring about for itself. We have had two months of deliberate inertia and inaction on a new public sector pay deal. The Government has sleepwalked into a crisis. We note the perceptible change in tone from the Minister, Deputy Chambers, last night but he has an awful lot of work to do to restore trust and confidence. This afternoon, the Labour Party will present a motion to the D\u00e1il on public sector pay and a new public sector agreement. The motion calls for three things. Will the Taoiseach make a substantive and substantial proposal to unions today to allow the beginning of the end of this dispute to come into view? Will the Government formally drop its arbitrary preconditions on how and when the question of pay will be settled? Will it commit to the principle of keeping public sector incomes ahead of inflation in any putative new agreement?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee I thank the Deputy. At the outset, I acknowledge and recognise the invaluable and significant contribution that our public sector workers make to this country and the impact they have on all our lives, whether it is those who work in our health services, not just in our hospitals but across our communities, the teachers and those in our schools who teach our children, the officials I work with in my Department on a daily basis, or the many thousands of people who provide services to each and every one of us every day. The work they do is valued by this Government. We are now in a position where we want to be around the table so we can provide an increase in wages and get to a point where we are in substantive talks and discussions to discuss not just pay but also working conditions and the many other elements and chapters of a public sector pay agreement. I did speak to people on the picket line yesterday. Naturally, I have spoken to many people over the last while. We are talking about sisters, brothers, cousins and other family members, so we have all discussed and spoken about this. The very clear message I got is that people want to be around the table. They want the Government and the unions to be talking about pay and conditions, the fact that services and the demand on services have increased, that we have a growing population and that there is more that we need to do. They also want us, as a Government, as I believe we have, to recognise the pressure that people are under. That is why this year's budget - I will disagree with the Deputy here - was specifically focused on how we can support people with the cost of living, and not just those in our public sector but all workers, recognising that there has been an increase in fuel costs, an increase in energy prices, an increase in grocery prices, and an increase in all of our daily costs. This has happened because of an increase in inflation and because of so many conflicts and other issues happening around us. That is why we had significant changes to our tax bands, why we introduced specific supports to try to reduce the cost of childcare and why there was an increase in the overall budget of the Department of Health. As I said, it is why we have had an increase in funding for the Garda, the Defence Forces and for all our public services. Importantly, this was a budget that made sure that those working, whether on the lowest wage, where we increased the overall wage rate, or in the middle-income bracket, could take back a little bit more of their money. Turning to the point the Deputy made about the public pay agreement, \u20ac1.2 billion was specifically set aside for us to be able to start these talks. That is not the complete picture. We know from previous public sector pay agreements, the last two in fact, that the final agreement was well above and beyond what the inflation rate was at the time. That is the point we want to get to. It requires the Government and the unions sitting down together. I believe that is what the unions want. I believe the goodwill is there on both sides. We all want the Government and the unions to sit down now, so we can get into substantive talks, and, importantly, reach an agreement that will mean public sector workers see their increases as quickly as possible, as well as addressing other elements that we will naturally be talking about."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ged Nash","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Gerald-Nash.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Gerald-Nash.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ged Nash I have heard a lot from Government representatives, especially over the past few weeks as yesterday's strike came into view, that they respect public servants and that many of them are, naturally enough, related to public servants but when does respect become real delivery? Over the past two weeks, we have seen the Taoiseach and the Minister for public expenditure essentially taunt public sector workers and question their democratic mandate to hold the day of action they had yesterday. We must remember there was an overwhelming mandate among public sector workers for the action we saw yesterday. We all need to understand why that action was taken. We have heard the Minister for public expenditure say in recent days that pay would not be prioritised in the context of any public sector pay talks. He then said that it would be prioritised along with other matters in a meaningless and pointless letter to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, ICTU, on Monday, in a last-minute effort to try to avert Wednesday's action. We note that his tone changed perceptibly on the \u201cSix One\u201d news yesterday. Will the Minister, Deputy McEntee, answer a basic, straightforward question? Will a substantial proposition be tabled by the Taoiseach today, because time is running out to avert next Wednesday\u2019s day of action, to at least bring into view the prospect of this dispute being resolved?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee I respect and will uphold every single day a person\u2019s right to protest. We live in a democracy, and thank God we do because it means people can protest and highlight issues of concern to them. Like all of us, I will protect a person\u2019s right to protest on any matter. That is the country we live in, thankfully. As the Minister and the Taoiseach have said very clearly, no preconditions have been set down for any talks. That is important here. There is no precondition that stops us or prevents the Minister from engaging directly on pay first. He wrote a letter again this week outlining the fact that if that were to be the first chapter, he would be open to that. There are no preconditions, in the same way that any previous pay discussion or engagement had no preconditions. What we know from the outcome of the previous pay negotiations was that the overall agreement reached was for an increase of over 9% when inflation at the time was over 6%. What the Government and previous Governments have shown is that we are committed to the public sector more broadly. It has increased by about 25% in size in the last number of years. Importantly, we are committed to and absolutely respect the role public sector workers play and have in our society. That means responding by ensuring there are high wages. We want to increase those wages, and that can only happen if people get around the table. Like Deputy Nash, I hope that will happen in the next few hours."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brian Stanley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Brian Stanley The Government\u2019s target for housing growth in Laois is 11,200 over a period of nine years. That is a population growth of 33,000, or 33%, in a nine-year period. That creates a demand on services. One of the most pressing issues is bed capacity in hospitals and nursing homes. Currently, we have capacity for a population of about 65,000 in those services. Portlaoise hospital has been provided with a new accident and emergency unit and other improvements. The Minister, Deputy MacNeill, visited earlier in the year to open some of those facilities. Those facilities are welcome because there is a chronic shortage of space in the hospital. The staff are doing their very best. When the Minister visited, she made the welcome announcement of approval for a new 48-bed wing, which is excellent news but it needs to be funded. Bed capacity in the EU stands at 516 beds per 100,000. In the case of Ireland, it is 289 beds. Portlaoise hospital\u2019s bed capacity stands at 171 beds. With a steep growth in population and an ageing population, this will not meet demand. Regarding public nursing homes, Mountmellick has capacity for 58 beds and a new wing is due to open soon at a cost of \u20ac31 million or \u20ac32 million. That will be a good day\u2019s work when it opens. The problem, however, is that it will not deliver extra capacity because the plan is to close two existing 25-bed wards and move residents out to the new wing. Therefore, there will still only be 58 beds. There is an opportunity to keep one of those wards open, namely, St. Anne\u2019s ward. It was refurbished in recent years and is HIQA approved. It should be kept open, which would provide Mountmellick with capacity for 83 beds in total. There is a huge demand for those beds. The case of Abbeyleix is simple. It has 22 beds at the moment, between respite and step-down beds. A total of six beds are currently taken up in the hospital because the day care centre is housed within it. The Government has an extra \u20ac1.9 billion earmarked for capital spending in health this year. We are not looking for three new hospitals but the planned new wing in Portlaoise hospital needs to be funded. The new modular day care unit for Abbeyleix and the retention of St. Anne\u2019s ward are critical for capacity. Will the Government commit to providing the relatively modest amount of money to deliver and cater for the massive population growth in the county in the form of the new wing for Portlaoise hospital and a small day care centre for Abbeyleix to free up bed space? Keeping St. Anne\u2019s ward open requires no capital funding. The Minister will see that when she visits again."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee At the outset, it is important to outline \u2013 this is connected to the previous question raised - that investment in our public services is increasing. It has increased over the years because our population is increasing, as is the demand. When it comes to our health service in particular, because of the investment in years gone by, including the specific resources and investment allocated to preventative and community care as opposed to responding directly in our emergency departments and otherwise, people are living longer, so there is a significant demand on resources more generally, including in Portlaoise hospital and other hospitals. That is why the budget for health in 2027 represented a \u20ac1.6 billion increase, or 6.2%, in current spending. On top of that, there is an increase of \u20ac160 million, or 10.3%, in capital spending. This gives us a record level of funding for health services to, first and foremost, benefit our patients, including those in the Deputy\u2019s county and constituency, and to benefit our workforce, who, as we have just outlined, do fantastic work in our hospitals and communities. Importantly, it will also enable us to invest, as the Deputy outlined, in future health infrastructure requirements that will be needed, particularly in areas of demand and growth. The Deputy attended the opening of an expansion of Portlaoise hospital recently. There has been significant investment there to date, recognising the demand and the need that is there. The hospital also saw an increase in the number of staff, with an increase in the region of 5.8%. That is a recognition, which the Minister for Health has reflected, of the demand and requirements that are there, as well as the demand and need for us to plan for the future beyond current capacity. That is why there is still a projected 48-bed wing being invested in, which we hope to open soon. There is a clear plan on the part of both the HSE and the Minister for Health to make sure that investment is put in where there are demands in certain hospitals and regions. In the budget I outlined, there is significant investment on both the current and the capital side, as well as plans to go even further and do even more. We have unbelievably dedicated healthcare professionals in this country and it is the job of the Minister of Health and the Government to make sure they have the resources to support the people in our communities and hospitals. They must also ensure we plan for the future and look beyond current requirements and needs. As I outlined, when it comes to Portlaoise hospital, that is exactly what the Minister is doing. More broadly and generally, there is a clear commitment to do even more, to expand further and to invest in what is required for the future."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brian Stanley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Brian Stanley I thank the Minister for her reply on behalf of the Taoiseach. Certainly, I will be one of the last people to argue about the overall budget for health. The more that goes into it, the better. However, what comes out the other end \u2013 the Minister for Health will be interested in this too - in terms of productivity and how the health service is run is important in order to get value for money. There is no doubt that there are committed staff. I see the commitment of staff in Abbeyleix, Mountmellick and Portlaoise and the great work they do on a weekly basis. They do excellent work. What I am asking for is a plan for that new 48-bed wing in Portlaoise. The Department of local government are saying the population has to increase by one third by 2034, but the population of Laois is after going from 60,000 just a short few years ago to nearly 100,000. The next census will show a population of 100,000 in Laois. That is the problem. The growth of another one third on top of that will put a huge burden on services. I can go on about schools and everything else but the critical thing at the moment is hospital care. Portlaoise hospital is under severe pressure. Patients are waiting to get into the accident and emergency department and the managers cannot do anything about it because they are trying to move patients out the other end as quickly as they can. The problem is sheer bed capacity. I am trying to urge the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and the Minister for Health, Deputy MacNeill, who is sitting beside her, to prioritise this. When the Minister is down-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Leas-Cheann Comhairle The Deputy should conclude."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brian Stanley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Brian Stanley -----she should visit St. Anne's ward and give the okay for the day care centre in Abbeyleix."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee I reassure the Deputy and reaffirm that there is funding and that work is under way for the 48 beds in Portlaoise, recognising the demand that is there. Over the last number of years, additional capacity has been provided across the whole health system. A total of 1,493 new acute inpatient beds have been opened since the end of 2020. Eighty-eight critical care beds and 396 community beds have also been opened. It is not just about adding more, however. We must ensure we get as much productivity out of the investment that is going in now. Emergency department attendances were up 7.2%, and by 9.8% among people aged over 75. Outpatient activity was also up 5.3%. Day cases and inpatient activity increased by 2.9% and 2.3%, respectively. The patients themselves are not looking at these figures but at the productivity, care and response they receive. What we know is that we have an excellent team of healthcare professionals who are considering not just what additional resources we can put in but also how we can create greater efficiencies, whether it is in rostering, expanding evening and weekend services, or utilising theatres, clinics and diagnostics in a different way. All of these are areas of focus and priority for us, and we need to continue that investment and focus."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ken O'Flynn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ken O'Flynn Others have found this issue only in the last fortnight but I have been asking about it since March. On 5 March, I asked the T\u00e1naiste for the date on which the Government approved the dismissal of Mr. John Barrett, executive director of human resources in An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na. That was seven months ago but I got no answer. I have written every month to various Ministers, including the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, the T\u00e1naiste and the Taoiseach, and also to former Ministers who held Cabinet positions during the time in question. One reply came back from a former Minister who confirmed to me that, to his knowledge, no memo ever went to Cabinet. The Department of the Taoiseach seems to agree. Under a freedom of information, FOI, request, I learned that all 19 documents received contained no memo to Cabinet. A second search confirmed in writing that no memo to Cabinet exists, and that there is no decision or date. However, what does exist is a briefing note from the private office of the Minister, Deputy McEntee. It records that she dismissed Mr. Barrett on the recommendation of Garda Commissioner Drew Harris \u2013 a Commissioner with no power to recommend it and a Minister with no constitutional power to do so. That is a breach of the Constitution. Whether the Government wishes to admit that or not, we are now in a state of constitutional crisis. As this House knows, this is not a one-off incident. The Minister has a precedent of overstepping her role and trampling upon this Constitution to protect others."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jerry Buttimer A Leas-Cheann Comhairle-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Order, please."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ken O'Flynn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ken O'Flynn When Detective Superintendent-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Leas-Cheann Comhairle The Deputy has the right to ask the question."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jerry Buttimer That was not a question."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ken O'Flynn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ken O'Flynn Could we stop the clock, please?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jerry Buttimer That was not a question. Come on, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Be fair now."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Deputy O'Flynn has the floor. I am being fair. If I am not, the Minister of State may make a complaint to the Ceann Comhairle. The Minister of State should allow Deputy O\u2019Flynn to complete his question-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jerry Buttimer That was not a question."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Leas-Cheann Comhairle -----and then the Minister can answer."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jerry Buttimer That was not a question."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Leas-Cheann Comhairle I will decide that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ken O'Flynn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ken O'Flynn I have now lost at least 15 seconds, so can we put it back on the clock, please?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Go ahead."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ken O'Flynn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ken O'Flynn Detective Superintendent Brian O'Reilly made a protected disclosure criticising the Garda Commissioner. The Minister sent it back to that same Commissioner and Mr. O'Reilly\u2019s identity with it. Is the Minister aware that breaching the confidentiality of a whistleblower's identity is a criminal offence under section 14A of the Protected Disclosures Act and carries with it a two-year prison sentence? As to the cover-up, and as the Government knows from the correspondence regarding Mr. Barrett, the disciplinary complaint made against Mr. Barrett never existed in the first place. Let that sink in in this House. The complaint never existed in the first place. That information was kept from the investigation and from the courts. On 17 September, the Minister told this House that she had adhered to the law and had followed the legislation. I ask her now to correct the record because, to my mind, she has not adhered to the legislation. Every Minister who has received a letter from me and decided to stay silent should note that this silence is entirely Government complicity. I wish to put just two simple questions to the Minister that require just a simple answer. Can she name the law under which she dismissed Mr. John Barrett, and will she give the House the date that the Government and Cabinet approved it?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee I thank the Deputy. He is referring to quite a number of different things in his question. I am not sure whether some of it was questions or accusations. He is well aware that there have been certain issues raised by certain individuals with certain Departments for many years now, well before I or many other people he referenced already in this House were ever in the Department. They have been subject to and have undergone many different processes and procedures and have been dealt with or responded to. The Deputy is very well aware of that, but he can stand up and make claims and accusations. The Deputy has also made another claim that has been repeated in this House. I want to clarify for the record of the House, as he has asked, particularly in relation to Mr. O'Reilly. I say this because this is a particular case where the individual has asked for clarity and for a response. I have also sought legal advice as to what I can or cannot say because I stand by my original remarks that I have adhered to the legislation, including the protected disclosures legislation, and that I have at all times responded to any protected disclosure that was provided to me as Minister for Justice, or indeed at any stage, with the focus of making sure that any person who makes a protected disclosure is protected but also that the integrity is upheld. I am not going to discuss any details but I am going to outline one or two key points that I think are important. On 20 September 2023, I received a protected disclosure from the solicitor representing Mr. O'Reilly, which the Deputy outlined. On the same day, the solicitor representing Mr. O'Reilly sent an even more detailed outline of the same protected disclosure directly to the Garda Commissioner. Just to be clear, any suggestion that I have exposed or that my actions have prejudiced the person in question is simply not correct because, on the same day that I received a lesser version or outline of the details of the protected disclosure, the solicitor representing the person in question sent the protected disclosure directly to the Garda Commissioner. What I then undertook was a process that I should have undertaken, and that was to send it directly to the Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner for consideration. The process ensued. Just to be clear on any other suggestions that have been made in this House, there was a very clear process that has to be adhered to when undertaking and responding to a protected disclosure. At all times, I have followed that procedure. At all times, I have followed the law and the process. Where any protected disclosure has been sent directly to An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, it has been sent directly to the head of the protected disclosures unit, where I would expect it, as any other person would, to be treated with the utmost confidentiality. To repeat and to be clear, the protected disclosure that was sent to me was sent directly to the Garda Commissioner from day one."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ken O'Flynn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ken O'Flynn I thank the Minister for her reply, but she did not answer the two straight questions I asked her, which were to name the law under which she dismissed Mr. John Barrett and to give this House the date of the approval by the Cabinet. The Minister cannot name that law because the law does not exist. There is none. I will give the Minister the Civil Service Regulation Act 1956, which refers to the powers of the Government in this area. Article 28 of the Constitution states the Government acts collectively. The key word in this is \"collectively\". There was no memo and no decision. The Minister breached both. Whether she did that deliberately or through ignorance, or for some other reason that this House has yet to discover, the results are the same: a whistleblower's life destroyed, John Barrett's life destroyed, a constitutional breach and an entire Government covering up what was behind it. After Maurice McCabe, this State promised again and again that this would never happen again but on the Minister's watch and through her hands, it has happened again and again. The Minister did not, or says she did not, need the Cabinet to end the career of a senior civil servant, but she does not need the Cabinet to end her own career. I seriously believe she should contemplate resigning as Minister and as a Member of this House."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill This is outrageous. He is factually wrong in everything he said. It is outrageous."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Allow the Minister to respond."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee I think I have answered the question. The Deputy is referring to quite a number of different cases, as he and others have over the last while, much of which came to the fore before I even entered the Departments in question. As the Deputy is well aware, there are many of these issues that have already been addressed and gone through fair and due process. They were responded to directly by the relevant Department at the time. The Deputy can make his accusations in here. I am being very clear and, in fact, I have clarified a point that he and others have insisted on making without any basis, without any fact, simply because he can. I am clarifying and have made very clear that, with every single protected disclosure that I have received, I have adhered to the legislation. I have responded to advice provided to me and, at all times, as we all should, I have acted and we have acted to make sure the person making the protected disclosure is protected, that the integrity of the process is protected and that those who are subject to it are protected, but also that, where we need to make changes, that can happen. I introduced significant reforms during my time as Minister for Justice. Later this year, there will be an opportunity for any person who wishes to involve themselves in the review and reform of the protected disclosures process. That review will take place later on this year."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Ceisteanna \u00f3 Cheannair\u00ed - Leaders' Questions"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_33","debateType":"questions","bill":null,"showAs":"Ceisteanna \u00f3 na Comhalta\u00ed Eile - Other Members\u2019 Questions","counts":{"speechCount":4,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_33","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Maeve O'Connell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Maeve-O'Connell.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Maeve-O'Connell.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Maeve O'Connell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Maeve-O'Connell.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Maeve-O'Connell.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Maeve O'Connell With respect, I would like to raise with the Minister the issue of traffic congestion in Dublin. I am honoured to represent Dublin Rathdown. It is a wonderful constituency with national amenities locally available. We have Explorium, Airfield and Dundrum Shopping Centre. I am sure there are many of the Minister's own constituents who regularly travel to Dublin Rathdown. For example, they might be students in UCD or they might be working or attending a meeting in Sandyford Business District. Like many of the Minister's constituents, many of mine in Dublin Rathdown cannot access many of these amenities except by car or by public transport. In addition, we also have people from neighbouring counties, from D\u00fan Laoghaire, Wicklow and Wexford, who regularly travel through Dublin-Rathdown in order to access services in Dublin city. Even though my constituency is a place where we live, work and play, it is also an area that is at the heart of the traffic congestion issues that we now face in Dublin. As we know, Dublin is the eleventh most congested city in the world and with our population expected to grow by another 20% by 2040, even if we maintain our level of traffic as it is now, that will actually be an achievement by 2040. We have quite a significant challenge around that. The programme for Government is committed to addressing congestion. It is also committed to addressing sustainable travel, which I fully support. I definitely want to see more buses in Kiltiernan, Stepaside and Dundrum but we must ensure, as we continue to roll out sustainable travel, that we do not make the existing congestion worse. In the last five years there have been numerous section 38 projects and other projects around Dublin-Rathdown and D\u00fan Laoghaire that have not taken into account, however well-meaning they have been, the impact they would have on traffic. It is simply not possible to remove roundabouts, remove filter lanes, take out turning lanes, change traffic light sequencing and close roads and expect that there will be no impact on traffic. My constituents live the reality of that every day. They are surrounded by blocked roads, stuck in buses that do not move and traffic is now being diverted into their neighbourhoods. We have increased rat running in a lot of areas and studies have shown that this has actually made it less safe to walk and cycle. Effectively, this is undermining our objective of achieving sustainable travel. I welcome the additional investments in the budget and look forward to more investment in sustainable travel but what are we going to do in the meantime about trying to address our congestion challenges in Dublin? I know the Department of Transport is looking at developing a congestion management plan for Dublin. Will that include recommendations that traffic assessments are undertaken before and after any project is implemented to determine its impact on traffic congestion?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. It is something about which she is passionate and that she has raised on many occasions in this House. She also engages regularly with her constituents in trying to find solutions. We can all diagnose and identify the problem but how do we find a solution to significant traffic congestion problems, particularly in the city centre, given the impact on our overall economy, our environment and, most importantly, the quality of life for people? We all want to be able to get about, those who live and work in the city, tourists and those who are visiting, in the easiest, most efficient and climate friendliest way. A study published by the Department of Transport estimated that the economic cost of congestion in the greater Dublin area in 2022 was around \u20ac336 million. There is a loss to our economy on top of everything else and if action is not taken, this will only get worse. Addressing congestion in Dublin requires a multifaceted approach across a wide range of stakeholders. As the Deputy said, in March the Minister for Transport convened a roundtable discussion with representatives from a number of organisations. The aim was to explore practical solutions to addressing congestion in the greater Dublin area, looking at how stakeholders could work together to identify various different actions that could be implemented in both the short and medium term to reduce congestion overall. The plan will include a wide range of measures specifically looking at buses, Luas, heavy rail measures, and the M50. I know myself from coming into town for the last number of years that there has been an increase in the number of cars on the road. So often now there are two parents driving to work, heading towards the M50, which adds to the congestion. The plan also addresses national road measures such as park and ride, park and share, freight measures, traffic management measures, regulatory measures and active travel measures. It is intended that the group and stakeholders will look at all possible options and that the plan itself will focus initially on the greater Dublin area. Obviously, if this is successful, we would like to see it replicated elsewhere in Dublin and in some of our other towns and cities. Many of the measures will help to alleviate congestion for school transport, with a focus on supporting third level students in accessing universities. It is important to note that the Minister's intention is that this would then build on other initiatives like the moving together strategy, which is specifically to improve the efficiency of our transport system, and the sustainability\/mobility policy action plan, which sets out how we can increase active travel, shared mobility and public transport. It is important to ensure that there is a synergy between any other strategies that we have and that we are taking the actions that are already underway, that have been invested in and that are working, and including them as part of this wider overview. Again, there is a real focus and priority there. I know that the Deputy has fed into this through her advocacy over the years and the intention and ambition now is to move on this as quickly as possible and focus on both short and longer term actions."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Maeve O'Connell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Maeve-O'Connell.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Maeve-O'Connell.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Maeve O'Connell I am delighted to hear the Minister, in her reply, talking about school traffic because we are all very aware that in two weeks time there will be a school break and the traffic volumes will just fall off a cliff. Other cities like Belfast, London, Lisbon, Ottawa and Rome all provide a dedicated school bus service. Would that be something we could look at? For many Dublin families, as the Minister said, driving is the only option to get their children to school and this creates extra journeys and extra traffic. Every dedicated school bus has the potential to take hundreds of thousands of car journeys off the road every year, reducing congestion, reducing hassle around school gates, improving air quality and making local neighbourhoods more attractive. I would also like to highlight the situation in UCD which is also in my constituency. It is estimated that 25% of the staff and students there are commuting more than 25 km. One of the initiatives that has been proposed to try to address that is an extension to the Luas green line but we do not even have planning or designs for that. Will the new congestion plan look at measures to address and help student commuters?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee The Deputy is right that any plan has to look at students, parents bringing students to school and also third-level students and staff who are travelling. I see myself when the schools are not open that the traffic heading into town is much less. Indeed, the traffic within the county is much less and that obviously applies in Dublin city centre too. Any plan will have to look at the students that are travelling, the routes that are being taken and the options that are available. Perhaps, to the Deputy's point, there could be specific school transport in the way that we have across the rest of the country. Obviously our school transport scheme was introduced to ensure that those who were in more rural areas were able to get to school but people still face the same problems when they are in the city centre, with parents having to choose particular routes that are blocked up or where there is huge congestion. For any plan to be efficient and effective we need to make sure that there is a focus on students from primary school or even earlier, right up to third level. In particular, are there specific measures that could be introduced to alleviate congestion as part of a wider plan?"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Ceisteanna \u00f3 na Comhalta\u00ed Eile - Other Members\u2019 Questions"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-15\/debate\/dbsect_34","debateType":"questions","bill":null,"showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Pholasa\u00ed n\u00f3 ar Reachta\u00edocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation","counts":{"speechCount":18,"speakerCount":9},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_34","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"David Cullinane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","memberCode":"David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ciar\u00e1n Ahern","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ciar\u00e1n-Ahern.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ciar\u00e1n-Ahern.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruth Coppinger","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","memberCode":"Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ken O'Flynn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Malcolm Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Malcolm-Byrne.D.2019-11-29","memberCode":"Malcolm-Byrne.D.2019-11-29","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"David Cullinane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","memberCode":"David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy David Cullinane This morning I hosted graduate nurses and midwives who have been left without permanent jobs because of the Government's budget decisions. These are fresh graduates, ready and eager to work, who have spent four years training for our public health service but on graduation they were told to apply for jobseeker's allowance. They told us of the difficulties of their situation this morning in Leinster House. They spoke about the sacrifices they made to qualify and the fact that many of them are considering emigrating. They said that they had to listen to the Taoiseach describe the budget as a great budget for workers when they are not being given permanent contracts. I watched yesterday as healthcare workers went on the picket line. We know that we have 1 million people on our hospital waiting lists. These graduates deserve permanent contracts. The INMO has been raising concerns about this over the last number of weeks and rightly so. It is standing behind those graduates. Can this be sorted out and can those graduates get the permanent contracts they deserve?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health (Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill) I thank the Deputy. There is a need to recruit strategically and the fact that graduates graduate every year is completely known within the health system and needs to be planned for every year. In relation to the north west, this was a particular issue when graduate nurses were offered positions and then those offers were withdrawn. A total of 307 nurses and midwives graduated this year, 224 of whom have been offered posts, with 186 having accepted those offers, which is about 73%. They deserve the respect of having a contract offered to them in a planned way and there is no reason that offers should be withdrawn because of poor planning. There are positions continuing to be recruited and I expect that to continue."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney Sally Rooney is one of our most prominent contemporary authors. Her books and the TV shows based on them are cherished the world over. However, UK audiences will no longer be able to pick up a copy of Normal People or Intermezzo in their local bookshop. Because of her support for Palestine Action, Ms Rooney's UK publisher, Faber, will no longer sell her books in the UK. Her publishers have explained that they can no longer pass on royalties to her because of her support for Palestine Action and the interpretation of UK anti-terrorism laws as they apply to that. She is not alone. Thousands, including older people, disabled people and even a vicar, have been arrested in the UK for merely holding up signs saying that they support Palestine Action. Her position, of course, is echoed by many other Irish artists like Beoga, Kneecap, Stephen Rea - the list goes on. At a moment when international law is being so grossly flouted by Israel and others, those who stand up against that, in this case at great personal cost, should be supported rather than punished. Is the Minister going to raise this case as a matter of urgency with the British Government? Is she concerned about the proscription of a group advocating for Palestine that engages in civil disobedience, not terrorism? Is she concerned at creeping censorship in the UK, and is she worried about the grave consequences for civil liberties in the UK from this authoritarian law?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Deputy Helen McEntee) I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. She will appreciate that while I cannot comment on another country's laws or legislation, I can say-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney Why not?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee -----I was shocked by what I read."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney The question was about whether the Minister was going to raise it with them."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Sorry, allow the Minister to answer."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee I know Sally Rooney. I like her work. We all watch it, and read it as well. I have spoken a number of times to the foreign minister, who has clearly set out his position in support of Palestine. I have worked and engaged with him on steps and measures they can take as a Government to show and reflect that support. In terms of this specific decision, I have no problem speaking directly to the minister but obviously any decision on their laws and how they are interpreted by the courts is a matter for their courts. I will speak directly to the minister."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ciar\u00e1n Ahern","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ciar\u00e1n-Ahern.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ciar\u00e1n-Ahern.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ciar\u00e1n Ahern As we are heading into the winter months, I raise the issue of flood preparedness. The Labour Party will not blame the Government for the rain, but we will blame it for how prepared or otherwise we are for it. In my constituency, families living in Grange Park and Woodside in Rathfarnham were devastated earlier this year by flooding. Huge and costly damage was done. A flood scheme is being built along the Whitechurch Road, but the residents of Grange Park are genuinely terrified that the flood works will not be completed before the next big rain event and that they will see a repeat of the flooding from January of this year. Households in that area have not been able to renew their flood insurance, so that only adds to their fears around flooding this winter. While the long-term flood alleviation schemes are being built in my constituency and across the country, will the Government ensure our local authorities and the OPW urgently prioritise contingency measures to physically protect at-risk homes? Will it update us on the progress made on flood insurance reform and on bringing in a scheme like the flood scheme in the UK?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee I can assure the Deputy that work across all Government Departments and agencies is happening specifically about being prepared. The document sent to every house across the country was to focus on a wide range of issues including flooding and incidents like Storm \u00c9owyn, where the impact on all of our communities was significant. A huge body of work is being done across the agencies to make sure that if another type of incident or flooding were to occur again, we can respond in the quickest and most effective way and other agencies can engage with each other in the most effective way. That we are prepared as opposed to responding is the most important thing here. Cabinet committees will be meeting shortly to make sure the Ministers and agencies they represent, including local authorities, are co-ordinating and focused on how we prepare for as opposed to respond to these types of incidents when they happen. The Deputy will also be aware that where flooding has happened, the Government has moved immediately to try to provide financial and other supports for houses, and we will not be found wanting. However, we need to try to prevent that from happening in the first instance and that is our priority."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruth Coppinger","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","memberCode":"Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruth Coppinger Yesterday more than 300,000 workers, from street cleaners and doctors to people in this building, had to go out on strike because this Government delivered the most patronising response. It has not been called out enough on it today in this Chamber. It is asking for productivity from nurses who cannot afford to put petrol into their cars. We have heard from student nurses who cannot afford to buy lunch. Teachers are pulling their kids out of sports clubs because they cannot pay the fees. For me, this goes deeper than a pay rise above inflation, which is extremely important. At the root of this is the housing crisis. Does the Minister feel a deep sense of shame that for the first time in the history of this country, a public servant, never mind two public servants, cannot afford to buy a house? So many young workers told all of us they are planning to go to Australia or Canada because they cannot see any future for themselves in this country. Should they be looking to Spain and France, where there are mass mobilisations on the issue of the housing crisis? Should they not be looking for their union to broaden this out beyond a percentage pay increase? Does the Minister feel a deep sense of shame at what happened yesterday?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee There are two issues. On public sector pay negotiations, the ambition of the Government is that it will sit down with the unions as quickly as possible so we can discuss an increase in pay that goes beyond inflation, as it has done in the previous negotiations. It is also so we can look at the other elements that are discussed as part of the public sector pay agreement, recognising the huge pressure and strain on our public service given the increase in population and the demand on services. The second point is on housing. There is more money being invested in housing than in the history of the State. Because of decisions taken by the Government, which were objected to by the Deputy and others, we are now starting to see an increase in the number of new builds and commencements, and importantly, an increase in the number of people able to afford to buy their new homes. Specifically in the budget, elements of which the Deputy pushed back on and opposed, we changed the tax band to make sure that where there are two public sector workers in a household, they can take home more of their hard-earned pay by not going into the higher tax bracket until a much later stage. Our focus and priority have been to get people around the table to make sure we can increase people's wages, and make sure during the budget that housing, public services and tax measures can be changed or introduced to support workers every day."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ken O'Flynn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ken O'Flynn How is it acceptable that for over a year a prison officer has sought in vain to have the Ministers for justice and Defence correct what he believes is a deeply misleading briefing concerning the 1988 shooting in Portlaoise prison? The prison officer, Mr. Sean O'Brien, was seriously injured when Defence Forces personnel fired live ammunition at him when he tried to prevent the escape of Patrick McVeigh, a man wanted at the time for extradition to the United Kingdom. The current briefing from a former civil servant claims no historical record exists besides a sanitised statement from the former governor Martin Reilly. However, there are a lot of contemporary witness statements, along with an affidavit from Martin Ferris and confirmation that Mr. O'Brien was in pursuit of Mr. McVeigh alone and under fire. There is also RT\u00c9 footage of that. Will the Minister open an investigation with the Department of Defence? If it is found that there are discretions, will we award Mr. Sean O'Brien a medal for extraordinary bravery and a pension he deserves?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee There are appropriate procedures and mechanisms for any claim or issue to be raised directly with either of the Departments that have been referenced."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Leas-Cheann Comhairle I welcome to the Distinguished Visitors Gallery a delegation from the British House of Commons environment audit committee. They are here meeting our colleagues. I know they have met with the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy and the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Artificial Intelligence. I welcome them and hope their visit and meetings are productive."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Malcolm Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Malcolm-Byrne.D.2019-11-29","memberCode":"Malcolm-Byrne.D.2019-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Malcolm Byrne I commend the Minister and the Government on the continued investment in the Defence Forces and a significant increase in the budget and in cybersecurity. We know about the threats we face, including from the Russian shadow fleet operating in Irish waters. Will the Minister give us an update on the naval defence capability development plan? Might the Government consider Harland and Wolff in Belfast, now owned by the Spanish company Navantia, as a location to build future naval vessels?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee Earlier this year we launched the maritime security strategy, the first of its kind, recognising that we are an island nation, that our maritime domain is seven times the size of our land domain and that there are new and emerging challenges we need to respond to."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Ceisteanna ar Pholasa\u00ed n\u00f3 ar Reachta\u00edocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation"}]}}]},"contextDate":"2026-10-15"},{"debateRecord":{"house":{"showAs":"34th D\u00e1il","committeeCode":"","houseCode":"dail","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/house\/dail\/34","chamberType":"house","houseNo":"34"},"chamber":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/def\/house\/dail","showAs":"D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann"},"lastUpdated":"2026-10-15T15:13:58+00:00","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-13\/debate\/main","formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-13\/debate\/mul@\/main.xml"},"pdf":null},"date":"2026-10-13","counts":{"contributorCount":165,"divisionCount":3,"debateSectionCount":9,"questionCount":0,"billCount":6},"debateType":"debate","debateSections":[{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-13\/debate\/dbsect_2","debateType":"questions","bill":null,"showAs":"Ceisteanna \u00f3 Cheannair\u00ed - Leaders' Questions","counts":{"speechCount":70,"speakerCount":12},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_2","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":" Deputies","uri":null,"memberCode":null,"role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cian O'Callaghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cian-O'Callaghan.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Cian-O'Callaghan.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ivana Bacik","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cathy Bennett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cathy-Bennett.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Cathy-Bennett.D.2024-11-29","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle I welcome those in the Gallery who are visiting."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Lou McDonald Today a family and a community in Waterford city are dealing with unimaginable grief and trauma. Two adults and two children have lost their lives in an arson attack and two more children fight for their lives. It is a scene of utter devastation and heartbreak in Waterford. Garda\u00ed are now carrying out a murder investigation. This community needs every support possible. We stand with it at this desperate time. We think of those lives that have been lost. Ar dheis D\u00e9 go raibh a n-anamacha. Beidh n\u00edos n\u00e1 300,000 oibrithe sa tseirbh\u00eds phoibl\u00ed ag dul ar stailc am\u00e1rach. T\u00e1 siad ag troid ar son comhr\u00e9itigh p\u00e1 r\u00e9as\u00fanta a thugann aghaidh ar an gcostas maireacht\u00e1la at\u00e1 tar \u00e9is ard\u00fa go g\u00e9ar. Is f\u00e9idir leis an Rialtas an stailc seo a sheachaint tr\u00edd aont\u00fa a dh\u00e9anamh d\u00e9ile\u00e1il le c\u00farsa\u00ed p\u00e1 mar thosa\u00edocht. We are facing into a strike action of more than 300,000 public sector workers for a pay deal to address the soaring cost of living. These are nurses, teachers, special needs assistants - public servants - forced to the picket lines, and Sinn F\u00e9in stands with them. These are the workers we depend on. They educate our children, take care of us when we are sick and deliver the services we depend on every single day. They literally keep the country running, yet they cannot afford to get by. They have been left with no option other than to strike because the Government has failed to do its job. That is what has brought us to this point. The previous public sector pay deal expired last June, so the Government has had nearly four months to listen to public sector workers, four months to engage in meaningful negotiation and conversation and four months to sort this out and avoid industrial action. In fact, the unions warned the Government last year of the challenges it would face in reaching a new pay deal. The Government chose to ignore, delay and drag things out. Where there should have been leadership, it has engaged in brinksmanship. The Taoiseach's remarks last week provoked real anger. He claimed people want industrial action irrespective of what happens, but that is not true. This is not a game for public sector workers; this is about having enough money to pay their bills, provide for their children and have a decent future. That is why pay must be at the core of these negotiations - pay first and foremost. The Government refuses to listen. It refuses to hear what public sector workers have been saying for a long time. It is more interested in shifting blame than in any serious effort to resolve this dispute. That disrespect has led to this strike. That is why we face school closures, the cancellation of hospital appointments and disruption to public services. Public sector workers do not want to be on strike; they want to be at work. They need a fair pay settlement so they can live decently. The way to resolve this dispute and avert this strike action is for the Government to agree to enter talks with pay as the priority and first item on the agenda. This is a crisis entirely of the Government's making. It now needs to intervene constructively and show public sector workers the respect they deserve. The phones should be lifted to the unions and it should be made clear that the Government will enter these talks with pay as the priority and the first item on the agenda."},{"speaker":{"showAs":" Deputies","uri":null,"memberCode":null,"role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputies Hear, hear."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach First of all, I would like to take a moment on the evolving situation in Waterford. I know that Deputies from across the House will have been united in shock, and indeed horror, as the news emerged this morning of the early morning fire at a house in Birchwood estate in Waterford. As Deputy McDonald said, two adults and two children have been killed in the fire, with another two children with very serious injuries being treated in hospital. The further news that An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na is treating the incident as a murder investigation adds to the sense of shock and incomprehension. The thoughts and prayers of everyone in this D\u00e1il and across government are with the family, the wider community in Waterford, the first responders, on whom we have to take a moment to reflect because the trauma that they encountered when they went to that house this morning cannot be comprehended and will leave an impact, and with the staff in the hospital in terms of the emergency situation they had to deal with. It puts the important role of public servants in our minds when we think of the first responders. All supports will be provided to the community. The Minister for education has ensured that the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, and counselling supports will be provided to children in the specific school and the neighbourhood. Regarding wider counselling and services, through the community network, the Minister, Deputy Calleary, will ensure that supports are made available also. In relation to the public service strike tomorrow, this Government is pro public service. The previous Government was pro public service. I come from a trade union background. I respect the trade union movement. I attended F\u00f3rsa's annual conference earlier this year. If we look at the expansion of the public service over the past number of years, there has been an increase of about 25% in the numbers of people working in our public service, to over 424,000. That has been a steady growth over five or six years. This is a Government that understands the need for an expansion of public services and public servants to do it. For example, the number of healthcare staff has grown by about 31,000 since 2019. There has been a 53% increase in hospital consultants. There are about 11,000 more nurses, midwives and so forth. Next year, we will have up to 28,000 special needs assistants in our schools. I have been involved with the expansion of SNA numbers all my political life. We are pro public service. I want to make that very clear. In terms of the Deputy's assertions, we approached the budget with a cost-of-living framework in our minds. That is why we did substantial measures in terms of an income tax package, which amounts to \u20ac1.3 billion and cuts taxes, particularly the point at which workers go into the higher rate of tax where the band expansion will be significant. We are also listening to congress. We took measures that will reduce the cost of childcare significantly. These give us a clear pathway to get that cost down to \u20ac200 over the next number of budgets. We then did work on disability. From the outset of the Government, childcare and disability and the costs around disability were clear Government priorities. This will help many working families. In addition, there is a whole range of other measures, such as the increase in the tax credit and the improvement in student supports, all of which are helping working families. The reduction in excise duties on petrol and diesel also benefits workers. We saw the budget-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Thank you, Taoiseach."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach -----as creating a platform, along with the \u20ac1.2 billion in provision, for negotiations."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Deputy McDonald can come back in."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach It is a good platform for negotiations to begin. We invite everybody in to discuss it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Lou McDonald The Taoiseach has known since June that a new pay deal had to be struck with public sector workers, and yet we find ourselves almost four months on here, at the eleventh hour, on the brink of this strike action tomorrow. The reason we are here is because of a failure of this Government to engage, to agree and to enter into those talks processes in good faith. It is glaringly obvious that the issue of pay for public sector workers has to be the first item on the agenda. The Taoiseach knows as well as I do that they, like other workers, are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis. Why on earth is the Government engaging in this brinkmanship? Why on earth is it playing a game of chicken with public sector workers at a time when what we need is leadership? This is just a matter of good order and entering into discussions in a rational and fair way. However, rather than do that, the Taoiseach has said things that have in fact inflamed the situation."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Time is up, Deputy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Lou McDonald I ask him now to be constructive, make it clear that pay will be the first matter, not the only matter-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle An Taoiseach to respond, please."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Lou McDonald -----but the first matter for negotiations, and try to avert this strike action."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach We have had ongoing contact and meetings with the trade union movement. The Labour Employer Economic Forum, LEEF, for example, is one such regular mechanism by which we engage with congress and trade union leaders. We circulated some ideas to the trade union movement. I offered an enhanced social dialogue earlier this year to the trade union movement, given the geopolitical uncertainty facing the world, the wars that have broken out and the impact that is having on economy. I made the point to the trade union leadership that we should move into an enhanced form of social dialogue so that we have a more united societal approach to really fundamental problems all over the world that are impacting on our society and our economy. That has not been taken up, but that was offered. Everybody knows that in any national pay agreement, pay is always the central issue. Let us call a spade a spade. That has not changed-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Lou McDonald So why are we facing into a strike?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach You are asking me? I think you might be asking the wrong person."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"(Interruptions)."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Deputy Cian O'Callaghan."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach What I would say is this. We are open for discussions. We have invited in the unions to talk-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Thank you, Taoiseach."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach -----and the Minister for public expenditure said every issue that they have raised is on the table."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cian O'Callaghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cian-O'Callaghan.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Cian-O'Callaghan.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Cian O'Callaghan On behalf of the Social Democrats, I extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the four people, including the two children, who were killed this morning in Waterford. Our thoughts are with the two children who are in hospital. It is really shocking and harrowing what is happened, and the wider community needs support. I also pay tribute to the first responders and the staff in the hospital who engaged in hugely important and traumatic work this morning. More than 300,000 public service workers are taking strike action tomorrow. Nurses, teachers, doctors, SNAs, and local authority workers will be among those joining the pickets. The Taoiseach's commentary on this about the industrial action has been deeply unhelpful. On the few occasions that he has interjected, his statements have been glib and incendiary. Last week, he said, \"People want industrial action almost now irrespective of what happens.\" He decided to rage-bait public sector workers and depict them as spoiling for a fight. Does he really think nurses want to be going on strike tomorrow? Does he think teachers want to be standing outside schools on picket lines? His comments are telling. They betray a condescending attitude from the Government to public service workers which has led to this strike. The Government made almost no attempt to engage with unions in advance of the pay deal expiring. There was a half-hearted effort of preliminary talks that was made only about two weeks before the previous deal expired. Comparing that with the negotiations which happened for the last two public sector deals, preliminary talks and then formal negotiations happened long before those deals expired. On this occasion, the Government opted to ignore the unions and treated them with contempt while expecting them to fall neatly into line. It got that badly wrong. The letter sent by Jack Chambers yesterday was no more than a desperate face-saving exercise, an attempt to disguise the Government's inept handling of the crisis, which has led to one of the country's biggest strikes. The responsibility for tomorrow's massive disruption can be laid squarely at the feet of the Government. The people striking tomorrow are the workers who keep this country running. The last thing they want to do is to take strike action but they have been left with no other choice by the Taoiseach's Government. It has adopted a strategy which is effectively a game of chicken, going right down to the wire in the mistaken belief that unions would blink first. Does the Taoiseach take any responsibility for his mishandling of the crisis? When will the Government make a credible pay offer so the negotiations can begin?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I do not think the Deputy was listening to what I just said. We had been engaged with the trade union movement. We did engage. The platform for negotiations clearly exists. The Deputy knows that too. Provision is made to increase public service pay next year and the year after. Those are the facts. We have cut taxes for workers, which was a key issue that was raised by the trade union movement. We have cut childcare costs, which was also an issue raised by the trade union movement, for workers and working families. We have also brought out the first ever cost-of-disability payment. We have enhanced thresholds for working families in terms of the working family payment. There are a whole range of other measures designed to try to reduce the pressure on working people, both public servants and private sector workers, in terms of the cost of living. If you combine what we did in the budget with the actual provision of \u20ac1.2 billion in the Estimates, by any objective yardstick that is a platform for negotiations. I would say something if we were dramatically changing the conditions of workers, which we are not doing, or if we were trying to cut pay, which we are not doing. We are doing the opposite. We have also expanded numbers exponentially over the past five years in the health service and in education, quite dramatically, despite what gets said. The last pay agreements were entered into in good faith, which resulted in pay rates and a pay deal that were higher than inflation. We are willing to engage with the unions again, and the Minister for public expenditure has made this very clear with the trade union movement, in terms of negotiating a new pay agreement. I genuinely believe that negotiation and dialogue are the only way to resolve this. The Government has said we are open for dialogue. We have invited in the trade union movement to avoid the level of disruption that will occur. I do not think that is necessary because we have taken measures in the budget, and if you add to that the continued expansion in the number of public servants plus the provision we have made in public service pay, there is a basis there for negotiations. Clearly, pay will be a central issue. We all, including the trade union movement, know that. The attempts the Deputy is making to try to stereotype are not fair because, in the totality of everything I have said in the past week, I have been very clear that we are open for talks and that we want to engage, and that remains our position. In fact, I said earlier - and it is true - that I offered the trade union movement an enhanced form of social dialogue to deal with the global issues we face, which have impacted for the past six years, if you think about it, including Covid, the war in Ukraine and the war in the Middle East. All are impacting on cost-of-living pressures, and sometimes in such moments of crisis internationally a broader social approach can be helpful."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cian O'Callaghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cian-O'Callaghan.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Cian-O'Callaghan.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Cian O'Callaghan Does the Taoiseach take any responsibility for the industrial action that will take place tomorrow? Why is it that when Deputy Martin is Taoiseach he cannot get into negotiations? Why were the previous Government's public sector pay deals concluded long before this, at a time when the country had more resources? Does the Taoiseach take any responsibility for this, or is it all somehow somebody else's responsibility and somebody else's fault? Deputy Martin is the Taoiseach of the country. We will have one of the largest strikes taking place tomorrow as a result of his Government's inability to get negotiations off the ground with the unions. What is the Taoiseach going to do specifically to get negotiations going? Is he going to change tack? What he has done so far has not worked and has not been effective. There will be a strike going on tomorrow, so what will he do to avert future industrial action?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach The Deputy has not put one idea before me. It is very simple: come in and talk. It is a very simple invitation to the unions: come in and talk about a new public service pay deal. We have made financial provision and we have taken significant measures to enhance the quality of life of workers. We still accept there are people who are under pressure - we know that from the cost-of-living crisis - but there is only one way to resolve this, and that is people getting around the table. The Deputy talked about the last two pay agreements and that is what actually happened. People came around the table, people engaged and we will engage. It is as simple as that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ivana Bacik","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ivana Bacik On behalf of the Labour Party, I extend my deepest sympathies on the family members who have lost their lives in the horrific house fire in Waterford. It is truly devastating news. Our thoughts are with all those affected, with the two adults and two children who have died, and with the two children who are now in hospital. Our thoughts are also all with the fire services, the Garda and the first responders on the scene, who will be dealing with the lifelong trauma of what has occurred. We are truly grateful to them for the vital work they do in protecting people, supporting communities through tragedy and keeping the country going. They are not alone in carrying out an essential role in Irish society. There are over 300,000 public sector workers who are the backbone of our public services. Sadly, tomorrow their unions have been forced to escalate the dispute over pay by taking nationwide strike action after the Taoiseach's Government recklessly allowed the last pay deal to run out in June. Public sector workers have my solidarity and that of the Labour Party in this industrial action. Indeed, they have the support of the public. The Government has treated them with contempt in refusing to engage meaningfully with unions and making derisive remarks about workers suggesting that they want to be in this situation. Nobody wants to be on strike but they were left with no choice. The Taoiseach's so-called \"workers' budget\" last week was anything but. The Government has cut taxes on the very wealthiest in Ireland and has narrowed the tax base making ordinary families even more vulnerable to future economic shocks. It announced a \u20ac1.2 billion package for pay negotiations but hidden in the fine print was that this sum was also intended to cover existing costs. In reality, the Government showed no understanding of the real struggles resulting from rising bills, poorly funded public services and creaking public infrastructure at a time when the cost-of-living crisis leaves so many households running just to stand still. Inflation is running at nearly 4% and rising. The country has never had more money it seems, yet one in five children is living in poverty while many of their parents who have what used to be known as good public sector jobs are finding that is no longer a guarantee of a good life or even a basic quality of life. Something has to give. Yesterday the Government reissued the invitation to meet workers' representatives but there was nothing new in that invitation. It seems the Government is not serious about breaking the stalemate. We would love the Taoiseach to prove us wrong. Negotiating in good faith means putting cards on the table. Pay talks must do what they say on the tin and that means prioritising pay from the word go, as the unions have asked. I have three questions for the Taoiseach. How much of that \u20ac1.2 billion announced last week is actually new money for a public sector pay deal? Is the Taoiseach seriously asking unions to negotiate on the basis that the best they can expect is a 2.5% increase? Will he confirm that future pay increases for public servants will, at a minimum, protect their wages against inflation?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I think the Deputy's assertions are wrong in terms of what we did in the budget. It was a substantial budget by any yardstick. The tax package was about \u20ac1.3 billion. Basically, we increased the entry point for the higher rate of income tax by \u20ac2,500. That is significant for many workers who are paying the higher rate of tax far too early in their incomes. We have increased the main tax credits by \u20ac125 and the home carer credit by \u20ac100. We have increased the ceiling for the second USC band, increased the maximum level of help-to-buy relief, which will help workers, and young workers in particular, in buying homes, and increased the rent tax credit again to \u20ac11.50, which will help many workers. Childcare fees will be reduced from \u20ac735 a month to \u20ac550 per month. That will help families significantly. The working family payment income thresholds will rise by \u20ac30 per week helping almost 60,000 working families. Then there is the \u20ac500 cost-of-disability payment. The Deputy cannot ignore all of that as she just glibly did in her presentation. In fact, if the Deputy read the ESRI reports, or any reports, the budget helped the lowest income people the best in that they benefited more from the budget than anybody else. It did not look after the wealthy as the Deputy just threw out as a cheap shot, which is not based on facts. The Deputy can keep on saying things, as a lot of people do here, that are not factual. The last two pay agreements exceeded inflation. The last agreement exceeded inflation by 3% or 4%."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ivana Bacik","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ivana Bacik It did not."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett Not true."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach That is true. That is true and, again, it is not our statistics. All of this can be mediated. It is new money. A total of \u20ac1.2 billion is being provided. That is new money. It is in the Estimate and is provided for in the budget. The Deputy, as leader of the Labour Party, knows full well that the basis exists for negotiations, given what happened in the budget, that \u20ac1.2 billion is provided and that we have increased the number of public servants by over 80,000 in the past five years. Then we have people here saying we are anti public servants and do not respect them. For God's sake, can we have a bit of reality in the debate? We want to invite people in to talk about a pay agreement. Of course pay will be central; it has to be. We understand that people are under pressure. In the public sector, and in the private sector also, there are a lot of pressures on people. I again repeat that our offer was not taken up. I offered an enhanced social dialogue and we circulated ideas to the union movement in respect of that. The offer was not taken up."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ivana Bacik","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ivana Bacik The Labour Party has a very proud record. Our record is with the trade union movement and we understand negotiation. That is why we find what has happened extraordinary. We are not alone in the Labour Party in finding it very hard to understand how the Government could let a pay agreement lapse in June and not take steps to ensure a new pay agreement would be negotiated to follow from it. That is the extraordinary thing. That is the reckless behaviour from the Government. The Labour Party has a motion before the House, which will be taken on Thursday, on public sector pay. I very much hope we will hear a more substantive response from the Government to our motion than the sorts of responses we are hearing from the Taoiseach today in the D\u00e1il, including the talk of \"enhanced social dialogue\". Where was that in June? Why did Government officials and Ministers not come to the table and engage meaningfully with trade unions to ensure there would not be industrial unrest and to avoid this cliff edge whereby the agreement was allowed to lapse? That is the reckless behaviour. Enhanced social dialogue means nothing if workers are not protected against rising inflation. That is the fundamental honesty the Labour Party is talking about."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach There are two things to say. I fully appreciate the role of the Deputy's party in the labour movement. I delivered a paper at the Irish Labour History Society last Saturday morning outlining Fianna F\u00e1il's relationship with labour since the formation of the party, which, by the way, has been a very constructive and proactive one. I invite Deputy Bacik to read the paper because it will give her a sense of where I have been coming from."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ivana Bacik","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ivana Bacik Maybe I will."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach As I said, I come from a very strong trade union background and have full respect for workers. I offered an enhanced social dialogue but it was not taken up. \"Not yet\" was the response. I think people were waiting for the budget. I think the unions wanted to see what was in the budget as well. There was engagement. The budget focused on the cost of living. That was the main issue as far as we were concerned. Through the tax cuts, childcare cost cuts and disability payments - there were measures in other areas as well but it was through those three areas mainly - plus the provision for public service pay of \u20ac1.2 billion, we honestly felt the basis existed for dialogue and negotiations to take place between the Government and the unions. The Deputy knows that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle The Taoiseach's time is up. Deputy T\u00f3ib\u00edn is on his feet."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach Normally, the scenario would be much different when a strike is called in the manner it has been called."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn I join other speakers in expressing my horror at the devastating news that is emerging from Waterford. It is deeply shocking. The fact the Garda has declared a murder investigation is chilling. It is the second such attack this year in which children have been killed. Everyone can remember the face of Tadhg Farrell, who was killed in Edenderry. This is a dark and disturbing development in Irish society. I want to speak about the record of the Government. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, is accused of breaking the law and damaging the protected disclosures system within the Garda. I put the Government on warning that if she does not answer the questions properly on this matter, Aont\u00fa will table a motion of no confidence in her. The Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, has blocked the promised scoliosis public investigation and has devastated families. The Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, threatened RT\u00c9 funding because of its fuel protests reporting and then proceeded to pull funding. The national children's hospital still has no opening date and the costs keep racking up. Meanwhile, the T\u00e1naiste, previously Minister for Health, has still evaded accountability. The Taoiseach stood idly be as we faced the possible breakdown of peace around Drumcree and then went on to welcome a decision by the Secretary of State that he refused to do anything to bring about. The Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, is presiding over the breakdown of the free legal system in the courts. The Minister, Deputy Browne, is telling the country we have turned a corner while 17,800 people are homeless. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, oversees the highest electricity price and the worst congestion in the EU. While there is a shortage of medical professionals in this country, the Minister, Deputy Lawless, allows for the majority of medical professional places in Irish universities to be taken by people from outside of the EU."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy James Lawless Incorrect."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn The Minister, Deputy Calleary, uses our money to pay for 100,000 free school meals that are dumped on a daily basis. In that same school system, the Minister, Deputy Naughton, oversees over 20% of students who are chronically absent every year."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dara Calleary I think we get the memo."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn The Minister, Deputy Burke, facilitates more work visas than there are houses built in the country at the moment. The Minister, Deputy Foley, is the Minister for Tusla, where there is an omnicrisis leading to children's lives being lost. The Minister, Deputy Heydon, cuts budgets for farmers in their time of difficulty. At the start of this year, the country ground to a halt because of fuel strikes. Tomorrow, the country will grind to a halt again because of the public service strikes. The Minister, Deputy Chambers's inaction has led to the largest public sector strike in two decades and possibly a winter of discontent. The cost-of-living crisis, which in part the Government has created, has led to an actual fall of public service income. The essential workers the Government applauded and clapped during Covid are now getting poorer under this Government. The Taoiseach said he is not seeking to cut wages but, in real terms, those wages are being cut. The unions simply want to front-end negotiations. Will the Taoiseach put his intransigence aside and negotiate with those union leaders?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach First, I said I will negotiate with trade union leaders, or the Government will and-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn Front-end it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach ----- we have no issue with that. I have said that we are open for negotiations. We believe negotiations should take place. There is no issue there. I do take issue with everything else the Deputy said."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy James Lawless Hear, hear."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach We will go through some of those issues. In terms of health, we have a lot of pressures in our health service. We have expanded it hugely. The Deputy did not mention the fact we are up 53% in the number of consultants in our hospitals over the past five years. There are thousands of extra nurses. We have expanded the health service. The more important point about health service is our lifespan has increased dramatically as a country. If the Deputy goes back over two decades, there has been a transformation in the quality of life that people are living in this country health-wise, and in the lifespan, which is probably the most important metric. That came about through a national strategic approach on key issues like cardiovascular health, cancer, stroke and other areas. That is the approach we need to continue to take. Vaccines are included in that as well, by the way. They have been particularly important in terms of dealing with disease. On the national children's hospital, by the way, the Minister is not blocking any inquiry. That is a fairly low sort of way of describing things-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn Ask the parents of the children."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Please, Deputy. You asked the question. Let the Taoiseach answer, please."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach The Minister is not blocking anything. Remy Farrell independently came forward with a report. That is not the Minister blocking something-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn Who has the executive power?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Deputy, I will not tell you again. Allow the Taoiseach to deliver uninterrupted, please."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I did not interrupt the Deputy. Remy Farrell gave his best recommendation in terms of the form of inquiry he deemed to be optimal given the circumstances and the situation involved, particularly in relation to children. By the way, that is an ongoing debate in terms of inquiries - whether it is a public open inquiry under the 2021 Act or a commission of inquiry. These are legitimate issues. The Deputy should not be reducing them to simplistic derogatory soundbites. It does not do justice to the seriousness of the issue. Very often, you may reduce the number of people who participate in an inquiry if you go one route as opposed to another. We have had a challenging history with inquiries in the country in terms of the length of time and in terms of people getting satisfactory closure from inquiries. All those issues are legitimate issues for debate but not in the manner the Deputy has tried to do it, in a derogatory soundbite which does not do justice to the issues. No one stood idly by in Drumcree, by the way, but I did think of the future. I did look around the corner, unlike the Deputy-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jerry Buttimer Hear, hear."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach He just wanted to see how much space he could get to deal with Sinn F\u00e9in or others. A lot of cynicism went on there. We fully supported the right of the residents of Garvaghy Road not to have that parade."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cathy Bennett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cathy-Bennett.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Cathy-Bennett.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Cathy Bennett You did not show it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach We engaged in diplomacy. The Minister for foreign affairs, Deputy McEntee, in particular, engaged with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. We were very conscious of what comes after."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Thank you, Taoiseach."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach We are looking at future relationships on this island. We actually believe in unity but-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Thank you, Taoiseach, the time is up."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach ----- there are times when the Deputy's behaviour gives me the sense that he actually does not really believe in it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn It is interesting that the Taoiseach chose the health service because 1 million people are on hospital waiting lists at the moment. It is also interesting that one of the issues the Taoiseach chose to respond to was the promise that there would be a full public investigation into what happened in terms of scoliosis. Who has the executive power in relation to that decision? Remy Farrell does not have the executive power. He is not the individual responsible for fulfilling that particular promise to the families. The reason that the country is coming to standstill tomorrow is the cost-of-living crisis. Housing, electricity, gas and other fuels have increased in cost by 9.5% over the last 12 months. The Government is, in general, in large part responsible for the increases of all those issues over the last while; 45% of the cost of petrol, for example, is Government tax. It is incredibly frustrating for the Taoiseach to stand up in the D\u00e1il and give the pretence that he is standing, willing and waiting to negotiate with unions. He is not paid big money to stand willing and waiting to negotiate with unions."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle I thank the Deputy. The Taoiseach to respond."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn He is paid to roll up his sleeves, get in there and make sure that the sticking point here-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle The Taoiseach to respond now, Deputy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn -----which is the front-loading of income, is the issue that is addressed first."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle The Taoiseach, please."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach The Deputy went through a long list and I do not have enough time in three minutes. If we take education, we have the highest school completion rates in Europe. We have probably the highest participation rate in third level education, all because of expansion in numbers and investment in education at primary and secondary level and particularly in third level. The Deputy mentioned the Minister, Deputy Lawless. The INSPIRE programme, which was launched last year, does not get a mention in the House because the Deputy is not into long-term stuff. The INSPIRE programme is a massive investment in research that will guarantee enterprise, new ideas, new companies and new solutions for the future of this country. That will never get a mention by the Deputy, however, because it is long term and, as far as he is concerned, it is not into the meat of politics or electoral politics. In terms of infrastructure, disability and childcare but also investment in education and research, this Government has made significant, game-changing moves in the last two budgets alone in the research space. The Minister, Deputy Lawless, has the confidence of the entire third level sector because of the work he is doing in that regard."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle I thank the Taoiseach. Time is up."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach The Minister, Deputy Heydon, this morning brought before Cabinet measures in terms of fertiliser and fuel costs that will benefit farmers-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Time is up. That concludes Leaders' Questions."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach -----and the Minister for Transport has a transport support scheme in relation to fuel for hauliers."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Ceisteanna \u00f3 Cheannair\u00ed - Leaders' Questions"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-13\/debate\/dbsect_3","debateType":"orderofBusiness","bill":null,"showAs":"An tOrd Gn\u00f3 - Order of Business","counts":{"speechCount":33,"speakerCount":9},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_3","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Butler","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pa Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ivana Bacik","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Danny Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":" Deputies","uri":null,"memberCode":null,"role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle In accordance with Standing Order 35, I call on the Chief Whip, Deputy Butler, to move the arrangements for this week's business."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Butler","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Deputy Mary Butler) I move: Tuesday's business shall be: - Motion re Appointment of Ordinary Member of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Employment Equality and Institutional Burials (Amendment) Bill 2026 (Second Stage) (to conclude at the end of the first half speaking round; not to exceed 1 hour and 52 minutes and any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2026 (Report and Final Stages) (to conclude within 90 minutes) - Employment Equality and Institutional Burials (Amendment) Bill 2026 (Committee and remaining Stages) (to conclude within 90 minutes) Tuesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Home Heating Oil Costs, selected by Sinn F\u00e9in. Thursday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Public Sector Pay, selected by the Labour Party. Thursday evening business shall be the Second Stage of the Children\u2019s Health (Ospid\u00e9al N\u00e1isi\u00fanta Kathleen Lynn do Leana\u00ed) (Amendment) Bill 2025, sponsored by Deputy Aengus \u00d3 Snodaigh. Proposed Arrangements for this week\u2019s business: In relation to Tuesday\u2019s business, it is proposed that: 1. notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders: (a) the time allocated to Government business shall be extended in accordance with the arrangements for that business; (b) there shall be no Questions on Policy or Legislation pursuant to Standing Order 36; (c) Oral Parliamentary Questions to the Taoiseach shall not be taken; (d) private members\u2019 business shall be taken on the conclusion of proceedings on the Employment Equality and Institutional Burials (Amendment) Bill 2026; (e) Parliamentary Questions to a Minister pursuant to Standing Order 47(1) shall not be taken; (f) Topical issues shall not be taken and the D\u00e1il shall adjourn on the conclusion of private members\u2019 business; and (g) the D\u00e1il on its rising shall adjourn until 8.47 a.m. on Thursday, 15th October 2026; 2. the proceedings on the Motion re Appointment of Ordinary Member of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission shall be taken without debate and any division claimed thereon to be taken immediately; 3. the proceedings on the Second Stage of the Employment Equality and Institutional Burials (Amendment) shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at the end of the first half speaking round and the following arrangements shall apply: (a) the first half-round speeches shall be in accordance with the table below (to be read across); (b) on conclusion of the first half speaking round or where speeches conclude before 1 hour and 42 minutes has 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; (c) any division claimed on the Second Stage proceedings shall be taken immediately; and (d) members may share time; Gov SF SD Gov SF Mins 10 10 10 6 2 Lab Gov SF IPTG Gov Mins 10 6 2 10 6 SF ITG Gov SF OM Mins 2 10 6 2 10 Total: 1 hour 42 mins 4. the proceedings on Report and Final Stages of the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2026 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 Culture, Communications and Sport; and 5. the proceedings on Committee and Remaining Stages of the Employment Equality and Institutional Burials (Amendment) Bill 2026 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 Children, Disability and Equality. In relation to Thursday's business, it is proposed that: 1. notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders: (a) topical issues shall be taken immediately following the SOS; (b) private members\u2019 business pursuant to Standing Order 168(1) shall be taken for 2 hours on conclusion of topical issues; and (c) Second Stage of the Children's Health (Ospid\u00e9al N\u00e1isi\u00fanta Kathleen Lynn do Leana\u00ed) (Amendment) Bill 2025 shall be taken on the conclusion of private members\u2019 business and the D\u00e1il shall adjourn on the conclusion of Thursday evening business."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Are the proposed arrangements agreed to?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pa Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Pa Daly Not agreed."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett Not agreed."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pa Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Pa Daly Under Standing Order 35(3), I want to propose an amendment to the Order of Business. Some 3,600 households in Kilmoyley, Causeway and Ballyheigue have been subject to a \"do not consume\" water notice for the past week. People out there are confused about the risks to the population and the health of the people in the area. Having handed over control of water to Uisce \u00c9ireann, we need the Minister to make some time to come into the Chamber, give reassurance and give extra funding, if necessary. He should make some time so that we can ask the questions that need to be asked about this."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney Last week, three students from Gaza successfully appealed their visa refusals from this Government. However, they do not yet know if they are on the evacuation list for 26 October, whether the number of evacuees can be increased, how many evacuations are planned over the next month, on what dates, and whether their names have been notified to the Israeli Government for security clearance to be completed in time or how the Government will get them here in time for their academic deadlines. We need answers urgently for these students from the Minister for justice and if he cannot appear before the D\u00e1il, he might please provide them to my office."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ivana Bacik","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ivana Bacik We need urgent action on the students in Gaza who have been denied visas despite being granted scholarships in Irish universities. This is deeply shameful. It is really appalling to see students who are now waiting under the bombs having been granted full scholarships in Irish universities. Time is running out for them. The court case this week saw the State delaying matters and delaying the cases being heard. We are looking now for answers from the Minister for justice, in particular, on whether the cases can be settled to enable these students to take up their scholarships in Irish universities."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett We need an emergency debate on the fact that hundreds of thousands of public sector workers feel they have no choice but to take strike action - the people who work in these buildings and who look after us, health workers, teachers, people in further education, councils and so on - because even now, the Taoiseach has failed to acknowledge that the pay increases they have got over recent years have not kept pace with inflation and the cost of living. Even now, he is denying the fact that has led them out to take strike action tomorrow."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Collins I am raising a very serious issue that arose in the courts in the last few days. It affects every potato grower in the country. Tailte \u00c9ireann won a case meaning that it will now apply rates to sheds to store potatoes. Worryingly, that could apply to every food grower in Ireland, which would add major costs for the grower and the purchaser in the shops. Can we debate this issue in the D\u00e1il this week?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Danny Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Danny Healy-Rae A Cheann Comhairle-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle No, Deputy. I call the Chief Whip."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Danny Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Danny Healy-Rae I wish to raise something very important-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle The Deputy cannot raise anything. I call the Chief Whip."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Danny Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Danny Healy-Rae Why not?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle What is the point of order?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Danny Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Danny Healy-Rae The point of order is-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle There is none. Thank you. I call the Chief Whip."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Danny Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Danny Healy-Rae -----our roads are riddled with deer and people's lives are being endangered every day of the week, day and night."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle This is not the time or the place."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Danny Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Danny Healy-Rae We need to have a debate in here-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle This is not the time."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Danny Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Danny Healy-Rae -----on how this is going to be addressed, or if will it be addressed at all."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Will the Chief Whip please answer?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Collins Excuse me, a Cheann Comhairle. The Deputy is right."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle It is not the time. He does not have-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Collins There are people being killed on the roads."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle The Chief Whip, please."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Butler","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Butler I thank the Ceann Comhairle for convening a meeting of the Business Committee on Saturday last at 2 p.m., at which a D\u00e1il schedule was set out for Tuesday and Thursday of this week. When I attended that meeting, I got the impression that the majority of people were in agreement with the proposed schedule. Legislation was prioritised for today because it is time-sensitive. Both of the Opposition parties that will have Private Members' business this week were facilitated. All I can do is suggest that the Order of Business go ahead. I am not in a position to accept the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by Deputy Pa Daly."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle In answer to Deputy Danny Healy-Rae, he can contact the person who sits at Business Committee meetings on behalf of his group, Deputy Gillian Toole, to put his proposal forward, rather than disrupting proceedings."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Danny Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Danny Healy-Rae I did not disrupt anyone."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Are the proposed arrangements for the week's business agreed to and the proposed amendments negatived?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":" Deputies","uri":null,"memberCode":null,"role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputies Not agreed."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"An tOrd Gn\u00f3 - Order of Business"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-13\/debate\/dbsect_8","debateType":"motion","bill":null,"showAs":"Appointment of Ordinary Member of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission: Motion","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_8","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Norma Foley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Norma-Foley.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Norma-Foley.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Norma Foley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Norma-Foley.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Norma-Foley.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Deputy Norma Foley) I move: That D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann, in accordance with section 8(3)(a) of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Act 2003, as amended, appoints Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere to be an ordinary member of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission in place of Deputy Catherine Ardagh who has resigned her office in accordance with the aforementioned section 8."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question put and agreed to."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Appointment of Ordinary Member of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission: Motion"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-13\/debate\/dbsect_9","debateType":"debate","bill":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/bill\/2026\/95","event":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/bill\/2026\/95\/dail\/2","houseCode":"dail","stage":"2","isBillStage":true,"showAs":"Employment Equality and Institutional Burials (Amendment) Bill 2026: Second Stage (Resumed) (D\u00e1il)"}},"showAs":"Employment Equality and Institutional Burials (Amendment) Bill 2026: Second Stage","counts":{"speechCount":25,"speakerCount":21},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_9","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Norma Foley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Norma-Foley.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Norma-Foley.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Claire Kerrane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Claire-Kerrane.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Claire-Kerrane.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rose Conway-Walsh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Daniel Ennis","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Daniel-Ennis.D.2026-05-25","memberCode":"Daniel-Ennis.D.2026-05-25","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jen Cummins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jen-Cummins.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Jen-Cummins.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Liam Quaide","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n Canney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-Canney.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-Canney.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Currie","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Currie.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Emer-Currie.S.2020-06-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mark Wall","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Keira Keogh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Keira-Keogh.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Keira-Keogh.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aisling Dempsey","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aisling-Dempsey.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Aisling-Dempsey.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor D. McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Grace Boland","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Grace-Boland.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Grace-Boland.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Albert Dolan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Gould","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Nicholas Gogarty","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter Roche","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-Roche.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Peter-Roche.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Connolly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Connolly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Connolly.D.2024-11-29","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Norma Foley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Norma-Foley.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Norma-Foley.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Children, Disability and Equality (Deputy Norma Foley) I move: \"That the Bill be now read a Second Time.\" I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak on the Second Stage of this important legislation. At the outset, I would like to thank the House for facilitating the taking of all Stages of the Bill today. The Bill provides for two separate and important issues. First, the Bill includes amendments to the Employment Equality Act 1998. The proposed amendments and subsequent regulations to be made under the Bill will legally oblige employers in scope of the legislation to report their gender pay gap information via the gender pay gap portal. The Department of Children, Disability and Equality first introduced gender pay gap reporting in 2022 following the enactment of the Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021. Reporting was introduced on a phased basis. As of 2025 employers with over 50 employees must report on their gender pay gap by publishing it on their own website or making it otherwise publicly available. The Department has now developed a centralised database called the gender pay gap portal which launched on a voluntary basis last year. The amendments to the Employment Equality Act 1998 contained in this Bill, which are purely technical in nature, will make the use of this portal mandatory for all employers in scope of the legislation. I would like to emphasise that the use of the gender pay gap portal is not an additional burden on employers and SMEs. Employers with over 50 staff are already obliged to report on their gender pay gap and publish the report on their own website. Mandatory use of the portal will provide this information in a centralised manner allowing employees, researchers and the general public to view and compare gender pay gap information across year, employer and sector. I am pleased to say that throughout the development and voluntary launch of the gender pay gap portal our social partners have been incredibly supportive with IBEC a key partner in promoting the portal to its members. I also want to note that this legislation, while not directly transposing elements of the pay transparency directive, will assist with its transposition. I will be bringing further legislation to the Houses in the coming months to complete the transposition of the directive. Mandatory use of the portal and having this information available on a centralised database will help us to progress our efforts to close the gender pay gap by highlighting the difference to make a difference. The Bill also includes amendments to the Institutional Burials Act 2022 to include first cousins as eligible family members who can participate in an identification programme under the Act. The 2022 Act provides for the excavation, recovery, analysis, identification and reburial of remains which have been buried in a manifestly inappropriate manner on land associated with a former residential institution in which a public body had or has a relevant role. Part 4 of the Act provides for an identification programme. It allows for samples to be taken from eligible family members who wish to participate and for their DNA profiles to be compared with DNA profiles from recovered remains. The Act defines an eligible family member as a person who has reasonable grounds to believe that they are the child, parent, sibling, half-sibling, grandparent, grandchild, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, half-niece, half-nephew, grand-niece or grand-nephew of a person who is buried at an intervention site. The policy intention of this definition was to enable participation in as inclusive a way as possible by a range of relatives. It was drafted to reflect the technology that was available at that time and which could reliably establish a familial link. The inclusion of first cousins was raised during the passage of the legislation through the Houses. However, the scientific advice provided at that time highlighted challenges with the inclusion of first cousins due to greater variability of DNA which would make it notably more difficult to draw conclusions about a familial link than with the other third-order relatives. Earlier this year, Forensic Science Ireland informed me of new scientific developments which have emerged since the enactment of the legislation and can allow for DNA matching of sufficient quality to support the inclusion of first cousins in an identification programme. On foot of this updated advice in April, the Government approved my proposal to amend the Act to include first cousins. I was keen to move quickly because I know that there are first cousins who are interested in participating in the identification programme under way in Tuam. I am now deducing the amendments to the Houses at the earliest opportunity as the age profile of some of those who wish to take part in the Tuam identification programme means that time is of the essence to them. I will now outline the key Parts of the Bill as initiated. Part 1 of the Bill contains the Short Title and details of the Bill commencement, with Part 2 coming into operation following a commencement order and Part 3 coming into operation upon enactment. Section 2 of the Bill amends the Employment Equality Act 1998. subsections (A), (C), and 1 insert the requirement for employers to publish their gender pay gap information directly to me as Minister for Children, Disability, and Equality. Subsection (B) allows me to make regulations as to how, where and when employers should report this information to me. As previously mentioned, employers will report this information directly to me via the gender pay gap portal. Subsection (D) provides for the recording of information being reported to me in adherence with GDPR and data protection legislation. Subsections (F) and (G) provide for a number of measures related to the information to be reported to the Minister and its publication. Regulations made under this section, which are currently being drafted, will lay out the criteria the information must comply with. This includes ensuring the information is accurate and the employer\u2019s statement does not contain any personal data or offensive or discriminatory language. In addition, the regulations will allow comparisons to be made with the statistical information submitted. The new subsections will allow me to publish information that employers have already submitted during the voluntary reporting period since the portal's launch in November 2025. They will also allow the unpublication of information that may directly or indirectly identify a person. Part 3 of the Bill amends the Institutional Burials Act 2022 to provide for the inclusion of first cousins in an identification programme conducted under that Act. It also provides for transitional arrangements so that first cousins can participate in an identification that is already commenced under the Act, as is the case in Tuam. Section 3 expands the definition of \u201celigible family member\u201d to include first cousins. It includes the first cousin of a deceased person in the category of \u201celigible family member\u201d whose participation in an identification programme can be objected to by a child, parent, sibling or half sibling of the same person. It also adds a first cousin to the list of family members for the purpose of making final arrangements for recovered remains of a deceased relative. Section 4 contains a number of transitional provisions. Subsections (1) and (2) will allow first cousins who may have previously applied to participate in an identification programme to reapply following the legislative amendments in this Bill. This is particularly relevant in the context of the ongoing Tuam identification programme. Subsections (3), (4) and (5) provide for situations where a first cousin applies to participate in an identification programme and an eligible family member of the same deceased person has previously objected to another person's participation in that identification programme. In such circumstances the director will make reasonable efforts to contact the previous objector to ascertain if they also wish to object to the participation of the first cousin. Subsection (6) defines \"identification programme\" for the purposes of this section. I sincerely thank colleagues for their attention and I look forward to hearing their thoughts on these important amendments. I commend the Bill to the House."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Claire Kerrane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Claire-Kerrane.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Claire-Kerrane.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Claire Kerrane Before I begin, I want to put on the D\u00e1il record my welcome for the release of Robert Pether who is a resident of County Roscommon. He returned home from Iraq yesterday. I take the opportunity to acknowledge him, his wife and his family. I was there with them yesterday as he returned to Dublin Airport. It was a very special moment that will remain with me forever. I wish him and his family all the very best. I appreciate this legislation is timely, particularly in terms of Tuam and the extension to first cousins in terms of DNA. We are all aware that there is an age factor, with people getting older. People firmly believe loved ones' remains are in Tuam and they want the opportunity to have the remains of their loved ones identified and buried appropriately according to their wishes. I have no issue with the legislation before us. Similarly, I have no issue with centralising the gender pay gap portal, which has already been launched, and making reporting via that system mandatory. Listening to the Minister, I thought of those people in Tuam, and the fact that we are in a rush to get this through because we want DNA to be able to be collected from first cousins and put to use in the processing that is under way. That then reminds me of time and the time that survivors, who are locked out of the mother and baby institutions payment scheme, have. I do not understand the purpose of having a special advocate in place if, when she does her report and calls for the expansion of that payment scheme, she is ignored. What will the Minister do following the High Court judgment in February on Temple Hill and St. Joseph's? There are survivors for whom time is of the essence. They are locked out of the scheme over the silly issue of them having been in the institution for less than six months. As far as I am concerned, it is entirely unacceptable that any survivor is excluded from the scheme. Some of them will have had a similar experience to those in Tuam and yet they are excluded. I again call on the Minister to look at all survivors and at the report by the special advocate and not to ignore her request. Every year this payment scheme is returning money in the millions. There is no excuse for leaving out survivors. Temple Hill was one of the institutions that was cited and part of that High Court action and judgment back in February. What a shame that survivors are forced to go to the High Court to seek recognition and respect in terms of this payment scheme. Every year money is sent back unspent and yet so many survivors are excluded. They do not have time on their hands either. Temple Hill was where Michael Grant spent the first year of his life. I have referenced his case on the floor of the D\u00e1il and in committee with the Minister many times. I cannot sit in front of Michael Grant and tell him why he is excluded. He was in Temple Hill for his first year. He had no illness and no issues with his health. His mother paid for him to be there for the first year, yet we deem Temple Hill a hospital and say it will not be one of the institutions covered. It was not a hospital for Michael Grant. He will say time is of the essence and that he remains excluded. He is the same as any other survivor but he is being treated differently. I have to raise his case on the floor of the D\u00e1il again. Michael is one of many survivors being excluded. This legislation is important, particularly in relation to Tuam and the work under way there. I commend everybody involved in that work. It is difficult. I particularly commend the local community, who have given space in their family homes to allow the process of finding remains to continue. There have been repeated calls for a forensic examination of the site at Sean Ross Abbey in Roscrea, County Tipperary. Those calls have not gone away. When it comes to this issue we cannot ever do enough, given the hurt and pain the survivors live with to this day. More should be done in terms of Sean Ross Abbey. Anything that can be done should be done. The move in terms of Tuam and first cousins is welcome but I reiterate my point: the institutions payment scheme is failing too many survivors because of the institution they were in, or because they were boarded out or were there under six months. It is unacceptable. I say again it is unacceptable to return millions at the end of each year unspent in a scheme, where we have survivors who have suffered, live with the pain and are excluded, as if they have not suffered enough."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rose Conway-Walsh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh I acknowledge the contribution from my colleague, Deputy Kerrane, who addressed the provisions of the Bill related to institutional burials. I also acknowledge the work done by my colleague Kathleen Funchion, MEP, on the whole area of mother and baby homes. These are deeply important matters of dignity and justice for families seeking answers. It is important to mention the Bessborough mother and baby home and the denial of justice for the families of those buried there, who will not receive the same recognition as Tuam if building works go ahead on that site. We can never talk about this subject without acknowledging the wonderful work of Catherine Corless. We would not be here discussing this today if it were not for her. We owe her a debt of gratitude and will forever. I acknowledge the families as well. I know some of the families and some of the individuals who spent time in Tuam, and I acknowledge the trauma they have experienced from that time. It is appalling that those who were there for under six months are excluded. As Deputy Kerrane said, millions have been sent back. There is no rhyme or reason to this. It is cruelty upon cruelty to exclude people from this payment scheme. As enterprise, tourism and employment spokesperson for Sinn F\u00e9in, I will focus on the gender pay gap reporting provisions. Employers are already required to collect and publish gender pay gap information but the Bill introduces a mandatory requirement for that information to be reported directly to the Minister. I recognise the importance of having this information centrally available. However, I am also acutely conscious of the enormous administrative burden already facing small and medium enterprises. Businesses are dealing with increasing compliance requirements, rising costs and considerable pressures on their time and resources. We must ensure that additional reporting obligations, which I agree are necessary, are proportionate, straightforward and do not unnecessarily duplicate work already being undertaken. The bigger issue is what happens after the information is collected. Unless that information drives meaningful action, we risk creating another administrative exercise without delivering real change. We must remember who pays the price for that failure. It is overwhelmingly women who experience the consequences of the gender pay gap through lower earnings, reduced career opportunities and, ultimately, lower pensions. I wish to send solidarity to those who are in that category and the women who will be out tomorrow on strike who want to be in doing their jobs. I again call on the Minister and the Government to do something to stop that, let common sense prevail and let pay talks be pay talks."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle I ask the Deputy to stick to the content."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rose Conway-Walsh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh I want to see a clear commitment from the Government that the information that will be gathered here will be actively used to identify inequalities to hold employers accountable and to deliver measurable improvements."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Daniel Ennis","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Daniel-Ennis.D.2026-05-25","memberCode":"Daniel-Ennis.D.2026-05-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Daniel Ennis I welcome this Bill for both its updating of the Gender Pay Gap Information Act and its expansion of the identification programme to include first cousins. The measures of strength and transparency under the Employment Equality Act are also welcome, but Ireland's unadjusted gender pay gap is estimated at 8.3% in 2024. We know that for women with children, women of colour and women with disabilities this is even greater. However, closing the gender pay gap requires more than just collecting data. It requires fairer childcare systems, stronger maternity protections and proper recognition of the value of care work in our society. Turning to the Institutional Burials Act, extending eligibility to first cousins is an important step for families seeking answers about their loved ones. Mother and baby homes, Magdalen laundries and industrial schools are part of our country's darkest and most shameful history. It is a history of incarceration and cover-ups in which anyone who tried to speak out was shamed and a history in which the State was deeply implicated for which it must now answer. A piece I read recently really hit me and has stayed with me. It said, \"The children were never lost; if a baby goes missing, the police get called, social services become involved. The babies born at the mother and baby home ... [in] Tuam [were not lost they] ... were discarded.\" While the children of Tuam are finally receiving attention, the State's responsibility cannot end there. We cannot claim that its work is done until that justice has been served. How can justice be served when we do not know where over 800 children and 19 women are buried at Bessborough? How can justice be served when in Sean Ross Abbey an investigation revealed that at least 1,000 babies died there? This is something that we still do not know the extent of. How can we claim to have confronted this history when so much remains unanswered? Ministers cannot simply say that Bessborough or Sean Ross Abbey does not meet the criteria and consider the matter closed. When the Institutional Burials Act was initially brought forward, the committee's report emphasised that the legislation should be drafted so that as many sites as possible could be included. It warned that a large number of conditions and restrictions will prevent this from happening. Now, we have seen its warnings come true with families still fighting for answers. An Coimisi\u00fan Plean\u00e1la's decision to grant planning permission for apartments at Bessborough is a further slap in the face for survivors who have spent years advocating for justice. The Government must release the archaeological reports and burial records relating to Bessborough. How can planning permission be granted when the commission of investigation found it highly likely that unmarked burial grounds remain on that site? Where is the justice for those children? The Government must compulsory purchase order, CPO, the remaining land at Bessborough. The country owes an enormous debt to Catherine Corless. Her work forced Ireland to confront a history that so many refused to face. Despite being told repeatedly to stop searching, she persisted. Her determination has shown why we cannot accept silence or delay when families are still waiting for answers. Speaking recently about her work in Tuam, she said: I also must mention Bessborough. There are 900 babies missing there, nobody seems to care. They want to come in and build apartments over the plots, which is horrific. I don't know it got to that. But that must be stopped and those babies must be found as well. Catherine's words expose the failure of the State's response that leaves families at some sites still fighting for the recognition and investigation their loved ones deserve. The obligation to find these children cannot depend on whether a site fits criteria that the Government itself has set. Survivors and families should not have to spend their lives campaigning for the State to accept its responsibilities. They deserve answers and action while they are here to see it. These women and children were failed by the State, and we cannot continue to fail them."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jen Cummins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jen-Cummins.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Jen-Cummins.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jen Cummins I express support for both parts of this Bill, including the gender pay gap element of it. Currently, the gender pay gap in this country is at 10.8%. I welcome mechanisms to increase the reporting because when we have more data, we can see exactly what the difficulty is. I was trying to figure out how to explain the gender pay gap to somebody. If two people are working in the same company and they work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the man will get paid from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but with the current 10.8%, the woman will get paid until 4.08 p.m. and then will do it for free for the rest of the day. In 2026, that is a shocking situation to be in. Sometimes I am flabbergasted that we are in this situation, so I welcome any ability to change that. Regarding the second part of the Bill, I support the addition of first cousins to this element of the institutional burials Bill. To hear of the babies and children buried at Tuam is utterly heartbreaking. They are somebody's child and, as Deputy Ennis said, they were discarded there. No conversation about mother and baby homes can ever happen in this Chamber without thanking Catherine Corless for the work that she has done. I send my thoughts and thanks to those people who are doing the delicate work of trying to find those babies in Tuam. That must be a very difficult situation so I thank them. I would also caution that for every fight that had to happen for Tuam, and it was a fight every single step of the way - and there are still fights for it - that is the same situation that is going on for Bessborough. I would like to encourage the people who are every single day campaigning to make sure that apartments are not build on Bessborough to keep going because people like Catherine Corless kept going. People like Councillor Noelle Brown, a Social Democrats councillor, has for decades been talking about mother and baby homes, and she is still campaigning. I encourage those people to keep fighting. We are supporting them. We are really hoping that something can happen in Bessborough that prevents this building of apartments."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Liam Quaide","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Liam Quaide I welcome the provision in this Bill extending to first cousins the right to participate in efforts to identify the remains of people buried at former institutions. That is a sensible and necessary change. However, I wish to raise the case of the Bessborough mother and baby home in Cork, where the burial places of 859 children and 19 women remain unaccounted for, according to the commission of investigation. Think about that. There are 859 children and 19 mothers whose families still do not know where they are buried. What is the Government's position? It is that an intervention under the Institutional Burials Act cannot proceed because the burial locations have not been established. How can the Government use the fact that these children's burial places remain unknown as a reason not to investigate? Meanwhile, planning permission has been upheld for 106 apartments on part of the former Bessborough grounds, despite the unresolved questions about where these children are buried. The then Minister for children who oversaw the commission of investigation, Katherine Zappone, has questioned whether sufficient efforts were made to establish the locations of these burials. Why has the Government declined to pursue a comprehensive investigation of the site? Why are we contemplating further development before these fundamental questions have been answered? I acknowledge the extraordinary persistence of the survivors, their families and other campaigners who have fought for answers for years. We are legislating today to extend the rights of families to participate in identifying remains. That is welcome, but what use are those rights to the families of Bessborough if the State has no credible plan to establish where their loved ones are buried? The Government must now act on the entirely legitimate demands of survivors and campaigners to protect the site, investigate it properly and establish what happened to these children and mothers, including where they are buried."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney I too welcome the two elements of this Bill. Speaking first to the gender pay gap issues, the transparency of the central availability of this information will be a step forward. I would disagree slightly perhaps with the impact this potentially has on SMEs as overly bureaucratic because, of course, any companies under the 50 threshold will not be impacted by it. However, I emphasise the point that knowing about a gap and doing something about it are two very different things. Gender pay discrepancy persists in this society and we must do more than simply finding out the information. I appreciate that this phase of the work is about establishing that, but it is slow going. Until we have that complete picture we really cannot make meaningful change because what we cannot measure we cannot change. Unfortunately, as long as gender pay discrepancy exists in our society, then we are working for free, and that is at a time when women also provide the unpaid care of much of society, disproportionately to men. All of these elements compounded mean we face serious disadvantage. The separate piece of this legislation around access by cousins to the institutional burials scheme is really important. However, as others have raised, the arbitrary nature of different sites being excluded, and the ways and the justification the Government has brought forward for those sites being excluded, is hugely problematic. Arbitrary decisions and metrics that have applied to various schemes associated with mother and baby homes mean this is not taking a human rights-based approach and it is not trauma informed. Once again, victims of State wrongdoing are treated with suspicion and mistrust instead of the care and compassion this State should be showing them. I urge that every effort is made to make sure that those people who have relations associated with other sites, not just Tuam, get access to the schemes that are appropriate to them and finally find justice. I have dealt so much with this community of survivors. People spend their whole lives upskilling in human rights and getting master's qualifications in order that they can fight for their cause. We have heard about them today, including Catherine Corless, as an investigator, Noelle Brown, as a survivor, and others. They must get the justice they seek."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n Canney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-Canney.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-Canney.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Transport (Deputy Se\u00e1n Canney) A Cheann Comhairle, thank you for allowing me to speak. I very much welcome the amendment to this Bill reaching Second Stage. I want to speak to the fact that first cousins can now use their DNA for testing at the former mother and baby institution in Tuam. This is very welcome to a number of people who believe they may have family members buried there. Since this legislation was enacted, DNA testing has been limited to parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. This has been an issue of concern for some relatives who wish to participate in the programme, some of whom I have worked with closely. As time passes, the opportunities to identify those buried at the site becomes more challenging. In some families, those who will have been eligible to provide DNA may no longer be alive. Extending the programme to include first cousins is therefore a very important and practical step. It gives more families an opportunity to participate in the identification process and, hopefully, get answers to questions they have carried with them for many years. The identification programme is extremely important to people who believe they may have family members buried at the former mothers and babies institution in Tuam. As a local TD, I know too well how important it is. These are people at home and abroad who want to have a connection with their loved ones and bring some closure for their families. We must ensure that every reasonable opportunity is provided to families who wish to participate in this process. They have waited a long time for answers, and it is important that we continue to support them as this difficult and very sensitive work progresses. I compliment the director in Tuam, Daniel MacSweeney, and his team on carrying out the excavation in such a professional, diligent and humane manner. This is so important for those who are buried there and for their families. I also pay tribute to the local community in Tuam for what they have had to endure over a number of years, with the media coming from all over the world to invade their privacy and they not knowing what is going on. It was not an easy situation for them but they have dealt with it extremely admirably. I acknowledge that as well as their co-operation with the director. Ultimately, this work is about treating those who died with dignity and respect and giving their families the best possible opportunity to find the answers they deserve. I also thank the former Ministers, Katherine Zappone and Roderic O'Gorman, who progressed this, and now the Minister, Deputy Foley, for the great work they are doing. I acknowledge that and, indeed, the officials within the Department. It is not an easy task but they are doing a very good job in these circumstances."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Currie","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Currie.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Emer-Currie.S.2020-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Currie I also welcome this Bill. It requires employers to submit gender pay gap information to the central portal, making reports easier to find, compare and scrutinise. It also extends eligibility under the Institutional Burials Act to first cousins, an important compassionate change for families seeking answers. On the gender pay reporting, transparency matters, but what matters most is what we do with the information. Ireland's gender pay gap is reported to be at 8.3% and, according to the CSO, the number of women in employment has increased by 82% since 2000, so there has been progress, but being in employment does not necessarily mean having an equal opportunity to progress. I have spoken repeatedly in this House and in the Seanad about the motherhood penalty. Maynooth University research found a 27% fall in earnings immediately after childbirth among female graduates, and that is from 2023. Behind those figures and others are women reducing their hours, turning down promotions or leaving careers they have had to work hard to build because the struggle to juggle is still alive and well. Families are working harder than ever, juggling jobs, commuting, childcare, school collections and caring for relatives. Too often, making that work still falls to women. When it does not work, women are more likely to pick up the slack. Women have spent generations levelling up in education, employment and leadership, and men now need the opportunity and support to adjust their working lives and share care equally. That requires a change in culture. People need to know that taking parental leave or requesting flexibility will not damage their career or invite judgment. When I proposed amendments to the work-life balance Bill in the Seanad, I argued that flexible work should be available to all employees and I still very much believe that. If flexibility is treated as an exception for mothers we risk reinforcing the motherhood penalty. If it becomes normal working practice, care can be shared more equally. A review was promised, including consideration of extending the right to request flexible work to everyone. I am wondering where that review stands and when its findings will be published. We also need a clear timetable for full implementation of the EU pay and transparency directive following the deadline in June. Reporting reveals inequality. Our responsibility is to change the conditions producing it through accessible childcare, flexible working and supportive family leave. Women should be able to become mothers without sacrificing their careers. Men should be supported to share care. Families should be able to earn a living while still having time for each other, particularly when their children are young."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire I wish to address the part of the Bill that relates to institutional burials. I acknowledge that the legislation in a small way advances the ability of relatives of those who are survivors of the Tuam mother and baby home, and of those who were buried there, to access full truth and justice. There is a great deal more that needs to be done right across the State to ensure that survivors, their families and campaigners receive justice. I am thinking particularly of Bessborough in my own county and city. We still do not know where over 800 children and many mothers are buried. The decision of An Coimisi\u00fan Plean\u00e1la to grant planning at that location was received with profound grief, shock and anger, not only by survivors and their relatives, although most particularly by them, but also by the people of Cork and the people of Ireland. It was through their campaigning that the Taoiseach agreed that all options would be on the table. I am taking this opportunity to encourage that. I am not sure whether a mediator has been appointed yet. I believe that the State and the Government need to throw their weight behind ensuring that discussions between the city council and the property owner lead to the outcome we all want to see, which is a site of conscience, and to ensure there is no development on a place the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes said was very likely to have children buried. That cannot happen. One other key demand came up through those campaigners, the survivors and their relatives. They were shocked and angered in the past when legislation sealed the burial records of institutions such as the mother and baby home in Bessborough. The Minister has the opportunity in this legislation. This is appropriate legislation to amend to ensure that is reversed. I encourage the Minister to do that in the Seanad. I know it is too late on Second Stage today but I encourage her to do that. The technical report on the mother and baby home at Bessborough also needs to be released. The Minister has the power to do that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mark Wall","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mark Wall I welcome the Minister to the House today. I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Employment Equality and Institutional Burials (Amendment) Bill 2026. The Bill before the House today deals with two separate issues, both of which are very welcome steps. The first issue I will deal with is gender pay gap reporting. I welcome the Government's move towards establishing a more central reporting portal but we need to see more urgency on pay transparency. For example, the Government, disappointingly, missed the deadline to transpose the EU pay transparency directive, which should have been legislated for in June of this year. Even after this Bill is passed by the Oireachtas, a number of key provisions of that directive will not be transposed. Under the terms of the directive, employers must inform prospective employees of the pay or pay range for particular roles before any interviews and will not be permitted to ask interviewees about their salary history. Why is the Government dragging its heels on implementing this provision? It has had three years to get it done but has still managed to miss the deadline. A survey in September 2026 found that just 20% of employers always post salaries in job advertisements. It also found a rise in the number of employers opposed to the proposed reforms. The Government should be making a considered argument for why the directive is good for workers and for business. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions, ICTU, has shown that the Government's failure to transpose it on time will cost working women more than \u20ac570 million per year in lost wages. The directive's measures for tackling the gender pay gap are not limited to reporting. Where such gaps persistently exceed 5%, employers would be required to consult with unions or other employee representatives on the measures required to address the situation. The Government needs to spell out what policy responses will be put in place to give real teeth to the reporting requirements in the Bill. It is all well and good having a reporting portal but it will not address the problems on its own. The Government talks a good game on its European credentials but it cannot keep ignoring and delaying following through on European directives when it suits it to do so. The second issue addressed by the Bill is institutional burials. The provisions close a significant gap in the 2022 Act by allowing for first cousins to take part in identification programmes. It is a very welcome change. We are glad to see it will apply retrospectively to enable first cousins to apply to participate in an identification programme that is already under way. We all know about the horrors that went on behind the high walls of institutions in so many cities, towns and villages across the country during the previous century. The vital work of people like Catherine Corless laid that bare and made sure that we, as a society, could no longer turn away and ignore the wrongs that were done. The 2022 Act was the response we made as legislators. It was not perfect but it was important that we took the steps to legislate for the cases where we know inappropriate burials took place inside institutions, many of which had shockingly high mortality rates. One such institution was Bessborough Mother and Baby Home in Cork, which has been raised with me by people all over Ireland and raised by colleagues in this debate. While the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes estimated that 923 babies died at Bessborough, just 64 burial locations could be identified. Burial records for 859 children and 19 women were missing. According to the commission, it is highly likely that some of those babies are buried in unmarked graves on the grounds. That is why such deep dismay was caused when An Coimis\u00fain Plean\u00e1la granted planning permission earlier this year to build on that site. Bessborough should be a place of memorial and a site of conscience. We cannot cement over Ireland's dark history when there are so many questions left unanswered. Survivors have been let down many times previously by the State. The Bessborough site should be secured through compulsory purchase, if necessary, or by negotiating with the developer. I thank my party colleague Senator Harmon, who has been at the forefront of raising this issue in the Seanad. We should remember the images from International Women's Day in March. When teddy bears and candles were laid at the gates of Bessborough, it brought home the message that this place should never and must never be forgotten. It is welcome, therefore, that the Government is closing the gap in the 2022 Act through this Bill. However, if it is serious about doing right by survivors of institutions and their families, it must step in to ensure the Bessborough site is protected. We cannot and should never forget Bessborough. I look forward to working with the Minister to progress the Bill through the House. We have some amendments that we look forward to discussing with her."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Keira Keogh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Keira-Keogh.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Keira-Keogh.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Keira Keogh I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Employment Equality and Institutional Burials (Amendment) Bill 2026. While appearing technical in nature, it provides for two vital measures that will make a real difference in people's lives. The first concerns gender pay gap reporting. The Bill requires employers to report data directly to the Minister, thereby creating a centralised national system and comparison mechanism. We know that transparency is one of the most effective tools we have against inequality. We cannot fix what we cannot reliably measure. In Ireland right now, two graduates who leave university on the same day with the same qualifications and the same ambitions can go on to have very different earning experiences. The latest figures from the Central Statistics Office for 2025 show that women's median weekly earnings are almost \u20ac152 less than men's. That amounts to nearly \u20ac7,900 over the 52 weeks of the year. Behind those figures are real people, real careers and real financial consequences. Moving beyond individual company reports to accessible cross-sector data will empower employees and legislators with the confidence to ensure that equal work receives equal treatment. The second part of the Bill extends eligibility for the Institutional Burials Act identification programme to first cousins. This is particularly crucial for the ongoing work in Tuam. I acknowledge the sensitive, professional and compassionate work being led by Daniel MacSweeney and his team, which I witnessed at first-hand this summer during my visit to Tuam. Many immediate family members have unfortunately passed away. In these cases, the first cousins are the closest living relatives capable of assisting with identification. Extending participation to them is both practical and deeply humane. I urge the House to pass this legislation as quickly as possible. At the core of the Bill is transparency in the workplace and dignity for families seeking closure. I am pleased to support it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aisling Dempsey","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aisling-Dempsey.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Aisling-Dempsey.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Aisling Dempsey I welcome the employment equality provisions contained in this Bill and the clear commitment they represent to fairness, dignity and equal opportunity in our society. The Irish gender pay gap currently stands at 8.3%, below the EU average of 11.1%. It is also lower for newer entrants to the job market. That is welcome news but, even still, only one in ten CEOs are female. The gender pay gap portal is a centralised reporting database. It is an important element of employment equality. It creates transparency and fairness. It should, and will, I hope, highlight discrepancies quickly that will be swiftly and appropriately addressed. Employment is about far more than earning a living. It provides independence and security, which is particularly relevant to women. It is imperative that we know what the gender pay gap is. Even more crucial is that it continues to narrow and, ultimately, disappears. While the Employment Equality Act 1998 and subsequent legislation have helped advance the principle of equal pay and treatment, the gender pay gap has shown that legal equality alone is not enough. Progress has been made, but women remain under-represented in many of the highest employment positions, demonstrating that the work of achieving gender equality in the workplace must continue. I visited a school yesterday in my constituency of Meath West, St. Nicholas Primary School in Longwood. We talked about politics and the school's student council elections. Those children do not need gender quotas to ensure that enough women are elected. They see everyone as equal. Some time later in their lives, however, we are failing them somehow. Many are adopting gender inequality beliefs. The measures before us strengthen our commitment to ensuring that nobody is disadvantaged in employment simply because of their gender. Equality in the workplace cannot simply be an aspiration. We must continue to back it up by law."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor D. McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Conor D. McGuinness I support this Bill. It goes some way to helping people find truth, information and justice. Earlier this month, I had the chance to watch \"The Lost Children of Tuam\", the film telling the story of Catherine Corless and her determination to uncover the truth about 796 children who died at the mother and baby home in that town. The film, like Catherine Corless's important work, forces us to confront how our society treated women and children. Children were neglected, bullied, starved and oftentimes abused, put to work, trafficked and, in some cases, disappeared. Women were mistreated and had their babies taken from them. Their choices were taken away. Again, they were put to work and their spirits were often ground down. People were discarded, hidden away and forgotten. In the days since watching that film, I have had conversations with people whom I have known for years, who have told me things and shared things with me that I never knew about them and that they never told me before. Yesterday morning, in my constituency office, I sat down with a man in his 80s. He shared his experience with me. Decades later - an entire lifetime later - he is still living with the consequences of what happened to him as a small child. He told me about his life and childhood, the feeling of abandonment, neglect, pain and shame, and about an idea he has had for a long time that he feels would go some way towards healing him and, he believes, others. He spoke about a national day of learning and remembering, a day to ensure that what happened in mother and baby homes, industrial schools, reformatories, Magdalen laundries and other institutions is never forgotten, so that future generations know the truth of what happened and that we, as a society, never again allow people to be treated this way. This is not just something that happened in the past. The consequences are still being lived with today, and that hit home yesterday. Trauma and loss have followed this particular gentleman and many other people around every single day of their lives. People are still waiting for answers and carrying that pain. We owe them truth and justice and we owe it to the next generation of children and young people to make sure that we, as a society, never allow that to happen again."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Grace Boland","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Grace-Boland.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Grace-Boland.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Grace Boland A central system for gender pay gap reporting is a very sensible reform. It should make information easier to find, compare and track over time, giving policymakers, researchers, employees and the public a clearer picture of where progress is being made and where further action is needed. Transparency is not compatibility, however, and the key question is not whether information is published. The key question will be, what happens when it is not? Therefore, if an employer fails to report, reports late or provides incomplete information, who identifies that failure, who follows it up, what is the escalation process and, ultimately, what are the consequences for employers who do not comply? Existing legislation provides enforcement mechanisms, including powers for the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, IHREC, to seek a court order requiring compliance with pay gap reporting obligations. However, does anybody have a clear duty to proactively identify employers who do not report? If that compliance role is to sit with IHREC, it must be property resourced to carry out that function. That is why the regulations that will underpin the Bill are so important. If this legislation is to have any real impact, they need to set out a practical process for reporting, identifying issues, following them up and enforcing compliance, where necessary. Without that clarity, there is a risk that we improve reporting without strengthening accountability. We must also address the causes of the gender pay gap. We know the gap widens when children arrive and caring responsibilities fall unequally. Paternity leave in Ireland remains at just two weeks, and just over half of fathers claim paternity benefit. I welcome the fact that the T\u00e1naiste is taking paternity leave. That sends out a really important signal, but we need to create a system that makes it easy, affordable and culturally acceptable for both parents to take time away from work to care for their children. I have repeatedly raised the need for the State to do more to promote awareness of the leaves that are currently available, including paternity leave and parent's leave. We should also continue to make progress towards earnings-related leave for parents so that taking time to care for a child does not result in a financial penalty for families. If we want greater equality in the workplace, we also need greater equality in caring responsibilities in the home. As colleagues have noted, we need to see urgent progress being made on the transposition of the pay transparency directive. The success of this Bill will depend on whether employers are supported to understand what is required of them. We know from research that many of them do not understand their obligations and whether there is a clear and effective system for identifying, following up and enforcing non-compliance. I welcome the extension of the education programme under the Institutional Burials Act to first cousins. For families still seeking answers, that change will matter greatly."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Albert Dolan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Albert Dolan I welcome the Bill and the proposals the Minister is bringing forward to strengthen gender pay gap reporting. The gender pay gap has real consequences for women throughout their lives, in their earnings, opportunities for promotion and pensions. Requiring employers covered by the legislation to report through a central portal will make that information more accessible. It will help people compare employers, assess progress and see where further action may be needed. Publishing the figures has to lead to change, however. Employers need to examine what is driving the gap in their organisations and take practical steps to address it, including supporting women into senior positions and improving access to flexible working. I welcome the Minister's commitment to greater transparency and accountability. Turning to Tuam, I particularly welcome the provision to extend participation in the DNA identification programme to first cousins of children believed to be buried at the former institution. As a representative for Tuam, I know how important this is for families still searching for answers. So much time has passed. Some of the closest relatives of those children are, sadly, no longer alive. Parents, brothers and sisters may have passed away without ever knowing what happened to their loved one. That makes the connection through first cousins all the more important. It provides another opportunity to establish a family link and we must make every possible effort to support that. There are still many unanswered questions. Families deserve the opportunity to engage with this deeply difficult and sensitive matter at their own pace with clear information and compassionate support. I wish to pay tribute to Catherine Corless for her extraordinary persistence and determination to ensure that these children were remembered and the families' questions were heard. I also wish to pay tribute to the community in Tuam, particularly those who have supported families and helped preserve the memory of these children over many years. I sincerely thank Mr. Daniel MacSweeney and his team for the work they are doing and for the care, sensitivity and respect with which they are approaching it. Their ongoing engagement and briefings are really appreciated. Keeping families and public representatives informed matters enormously, especially when this work is so sensitive and the expectations are deeply personal. Our responsibility is to ensure the support continues throughout this process. Families have to be listened to, kept informed and supported through whatever lies ahead. Every opportunity to provide the families with the answers they require matters and extending this programme to first cousins is a very welcome and meaningful step."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Gould","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Gould I wish to raise the issue of Bessborough. The Minister will be well aware that mediators between Cork City Council and landlords and landowners have been appointed. This was confirmed in the media on 8 September. After a month, will the Minister update us on the progress of the mediation? I reached out to those involved in the campaign group today and they asked me to ask the Minister these questions. I hope the Minister will not dismiss them. Who has been appointed? How many meetings have happened? What progress, if any, has been achieved? Has this progressed beyond initial meetings? Most importantly, has the Government earmarked funding for the purchase of the Bessborough site, and if mediation leads to an agreement, is the Minister ready to step in, provide the necessary funding and not let this drag on any longer? This is urgent. The survivors and loved ones of those who did not survive Bessborough deserve answers and they are anxiously waiting on them. I will not allow them to be brushed under the carpet, as has been done to so many women and babies who perished and died in Bessborough over the decades. I will not allow their voices to be silent. They are currently living in limbo, with the potential that apartments will be built on their loved ones' graves. It is beyond belief. They need answers and certainty and I appeal to the Minister to hear the questions they have asked me to ask her. Will she ensure the money is there to buy Bessborough and preserve it?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle I thank the Deputy. I call Deputy Gogarty."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Nicholas Gogarty","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty I ask the Ceann Comhairle to bear with me for one second because I am up slightly earlier than I thought I would be. Is Deputy T\u00f3ib\u00edn coming?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle No, I cannot see him."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Nicholas Gogarty","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty I have got longer than I thought, which is good. I welcome the opportunity to speak a little longer on the Employment Equality and Institutional Burials (Amendment) Bill, which is a constructive piece of legislation. We need provisions relating to the gender pay gap reporting. It is always important to have transparency for policymakers, employers and workers in improving things but we obviously still have the existing inequalities. The creation of this central reporting mechanism is going to make information easier to access, analyse and compare notes on, so to speak. The Government itself stated that the purpose of the portal was to enable clear examination of pay disparities across sectors and to support responses aimed at reducing the gender pay gap, which, unfortunately, is still evident in many areas. With the technology we have had over the past couple of years, you would argue that gathering this data is not rocket science. I want to put a related point out there or ask a rhetorical question as to why it has taken so long to roll out. There have been comparable systems in the UK for quite a number of years, whereby the gender pay gap data are reported to the central government service that allows users to search and compare different organisations and sectors. It is a much bigger jurisdiction with bigger resources to match, but it should not have taken us so long. Internationally, this has been seen as best practice in many countries for a long time. In 2025, the Department stated that a centralised portal had been a long-held policy intention. It was \"long-held\" in the sense that during the period of Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021, it was announced that the portal was forthcoming. It took four to five years for it to be launched on a voluntary basis in November 2025 before becoming publicly accessible in June 2026. That was quite a long time. We have to ask ourselves why it took so long. It was mostly not during the period of the Covid-19 pandemic. Getting this information reporting on a statutory basis should have been a priority for the previous Government. Because this is an omnibus Bill, I want to add to the discussion of the provisions relating to the Institutional Burials Act 2022 which extend the participation in the identification programmes to first cousins. I have listened to a few of the speeches about the traumatic impact on many survivors and families. This amendment, following on from Forensic Science Ireland's confirmation that you can reliably get the DNA information from cousins, is going to help in some cases. It will, we hope, give more answers to extended family members who are seeking to identify remains at the site of the former mother and baby institution in Tuam, where forensic excavations began last year. On the wider picture, and this is a point that other Deputies have raised, we have to question the barriers being thrown in front of people. The forensic barrier might be lowered to some extent with this widening of the DNA identification process, but survivors, their relatives and legal advocates will tell you that our historical culture of State secrecy has stopped people from getting information. It has improved in recent years, but the institutional records and commission archives were sealed for 30 years. If closure for survivors includes finding out and identifying, but also getting proper information, we need to make it as easy as possible to access the archives. In the scope of this omnibus Bill, which is small but important, can we, as Deputy Currie and others have asked, accommodate further measures to access information on the pay gap side and especially in relation to survivors? If first cousins are now legally recognised as eligible family members for the purposes of physical identification, they should also have a right to access institutional administrative records that concern their families. We should consider whether amendments could be introduced on Report Stage to link the physical identification rights with meaningful access to information. We have been gradually pulling aside the squinty curtain in our society but many things are still hidden. If anything, we should be trying to get more information into the open and once and for all rid ourselves of that shameful period."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter Roche","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-Roche.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Peter-Roche.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peter Roche I welcome the provision in the Bill to address the gender pay gap. I also welcome the inclusion of first cousins to support DNA identification in the context of institutional burials. Exactly ten years ago, I was cathaoirleach of Galway County Council, which was a very privileged and honourable position to be in. Council officials from the housing, environment and libraries departments, myself and the law agents were invited to meet with the commission of investigation in Dublin regarding the Tuam mother and baby home. To say that it was very much like a courtroom setting would be an understatement. I listened a lot to the questions that were asked. Of course, those questions were very pertinent and relevant to what we were discovering on a daily and weekly basis with regard to the number of babies who were interred at Tuam. I came away with comfort knowing that in view of the line of questioning that was put to council officials and me, as cathaoirleach, no stone would be left unturned. That was ten years ago. For many people, that delay would have been painfully slow and arduous, but we have got there and have reached a point where the remains of 109 infants have been recovered. What pleases me most is that all of those 109 infants were coffined. They were placed in little timber coffins that were painted white, albeit some of them have disintegrated. That is what pleases me most. I genuinely and sincerely thank Daniel MacSweeney. He has been an outstanding individual in the context of the preparation to inform local authority members and, indeed, the town of Tuam, of which I am a native. I felt that there was a comfort in that because everyone was informed about the next steps. That was the process from the start, and it continues. I thank Mr. MacSweeney and his team for their ongoing engagement. I offer a special mention to the survivors, campaigners and families that have been affected. This matter has brought significant hardship, hurt and pain to many. I recall all too often meeting with the survivors and listening to their really heartfelt stories about what they wanted and how much of a hurry they were because of their age. We cannot change the past but we can certainly ensure that how we respond to it reflects the future of Ireland."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Connolly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Connolly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Connolly.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy John Connolly Gabhaim bu\u00edochas leis an Aire as a bheith linn agus as na leasuithe a chur os \u00e1r gcomhair don dh\u00e1 Acht seo at\u00e1 thar a bheith t\u00e1bhachtach. I welcome the opportunity to make a brief comment on the two amendments the Minister has brought before the House today regarding the Institutional Burials Act 2022 and the Employment Equality Act 1998. I compliment her on the amendment to the Employment Equality Act. It is a simple but important gesture that has to be made because there should not be any impediment to making sure that we get the data on pay equality. It should not be the case that we cannot get this data because there is no centralised reporting portal. When it is developed, this tool will have a crucial role to play in assisting with the gathering of data and making sure that we have such data across various sectors of employment. It should be there, it should be used and it should not be impeded. In the context of the existing legislation, should we look at the rule regarding organisations that have fewer than 50 employees and make sure that they report their data? Just because companies are smaller, would it not be better to ensure that there is no discrimination or inequality in the workplace across gender? Irrespective of the size of a company or industry or the number of employees in a company, should we not ensure that companies report pay data and that the information provided meets the standards that have been set in terms of gender equality? I very much welcome the fact that mandatory reporting will come into effect from 1 November and that the legislation before us will ensure that employers must use the portal to report pay data relating to their employees. I want to mention one matter that is relevant to the Minister's portfolio. We welcome the changes made in last week's budget to make childcare more affordable. We all know that one of the challenges in that sector is the recruitment of staff. We also know that another challenge in that regard relates to the fact that, unfortunately, lower paid workers work in the sector. It often amuses me that people in our financial institutions who mind our money are paid multiples of what we pay people to care for our children. This is something we should tackle over the coming years in order to ensure that we can increase the salaries of those working in childcare and preschool services. I know that is something to which the Minister is committed in terms of trying to reduce the cost of childcare and preschool services for parents."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Debate adjourned."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Employment Equality and Institutional Burials (Amendment) Bill 2026: Second Stage"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-13\/debate\/dbsect_10","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Message from Select Committee","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_10","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle The Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration has completed its consideration of the Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation Bill 2026 and has made no amendments thereto."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Message from Select Committee"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-13\/debate\/dbsect_11","debateType":"debate","bill":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/bill\/2026\/95","event":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/bill\/2026\/95\/dail\/2","houseCode":"dail","stage":"2","isBillStage":true,"showAs":"Employment Equality and Institutional Burials (Amendment) Bill 2026: Second Stage (Resumed) (D\u00e1il)"}},"showAs":"Employment Equality and Institutional Burials (Amendment) Bill 2026: Second Stage (Resumed)","counts":{"speechCount":2,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_11","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Danny Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Norma Foley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Norma-Foley.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Norma-Foley.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question again proposed: \"That the Bill be now read a second time.\""},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Danny Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Danny Healy-Rae I am glad to have the opportunity to talk about the two topics covered in this Bill. First of all, I cannot understand why the gender pay gap and allowing first cousins to be part of DNA testing with regard to institutional burials have been lumped in together. It is only right that everything possible is done to identify the remains of babies that have been identified heretofore. I have no problem with that and will be supporting it. Regarding that desperate time in our history, 180 days or six months was determined as the amount of time people needed to be in a home for. I met people in recent times who had been in homes for four months. I met someone else who was just two weeks short. This is very wrong. It is a travesty that these people, of whom there are many, are not being included because they are short a number of days. I am asking the Government to recognise that and to ensure it is addressed, because what is happening is not fair. If people were in one of these mother and baby homes at some time in their lives because they did not have a father or they did have a father or something happened to the mother, regardless of the amount of time involved, they should be included. In fairness, there is a lot of money going different ways, and these people should be included and helped at this time. Regarding the gender pay gap, there should be no gap. If a woman and a man are doing the same work in an equal fashion, they should, of course, be paid the same, but I do not think that is a problem at all. It is well recognised and addressed, but if the Government has to give something legal effect, that is fine. There are problems that have been created in recent times, however. Employers are telling me that they are facing insurmountable problems regardless of whether they employ men or women. Take last week's budget. The minimum wage has been increased. I have no problem with the people working and getting as much as they can, but increasing the minimum wage increases every wage. I am concerned about the employers because if we increase the minimum wage, all the wages up along the line as far as the maximum wage then increase. It is all loaded on the employers, whether they are businesspeople in Killarney, farmers around the country or contractors. It is the employer and not the Government that pays the extra in the minimum wage or all the wages up along. I am asking the Government to remember that. A number of adverse things have happened to employers in recent times, including auto-enrolment. Many employers are telling me that a number of things have hit them, such as auto-enrolment for pensions, which I mentioned, and the extra cost of rates. I met a man in Killarney yesterday evening who said his rates had gone up by 305%. He said he did not know if he could keep going or keep his doors open. That is tough. We have raised this issue here several times and I do not hear the Government coming back or anyone listening. I have raised it with the staff of Kerry County Council. The way rates have gone up is a serious problem. All these things are hitting employers at this time. I was told that this could be the straw that breaks the camel's back, and did it ever. If the Government thinks it can keep increasing wages when employers have to pay them, it could find that a lot of these fellows will not be able to keep going. Many doors have closed in shops and pubs around County Kerry in places like Cordal and Castleisland. The Government has to be aware of what is going on and affecting employers that are employing men and women. Everything is coming together and it is being directed by the Government. Employers are not getting the help and attention they need. I ask the Government to address it and ensure it is rectified because we could lose many of them. It takes a fair man or woman to open the door and keep a business going. They are telling me that it is becoming harder and harder to do that under the rules we have. The Government has to recognise that employers do not have an endless pot of money or a leprechaun's purse. They need assistance. Look at the costs. The cost of electricity and energy has gone up. Employers are all feeling the pinch. I ask the Minister to remember that and the fact that they need help. The Government should recognise that. I am pleased to see that we have a Minister from Kerry at the table. I ask her to ensure that when things like this are happening, something else has to happen to help employers that are feeling the pinch because they are struggling at the present time. We had a great summer in Kerry because of the weather and it helped a lot but the long winter is coming and wages and energy costs are going up. Everything is going up and it is affecting the employers. We want them to open again next year. I appeal to the Minister to listen to what I have said."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Norma Foley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Norma-Foley.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Norma-Foley.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Children, Disability and Equality (Deputy Norma Foley) I thank Deputies for their presence today and their continued engagement on these important matters. The Bill provides for two separate and important issues, notably amendments to the Employment Equality Act 1998 and amendments to the Institutional Burials Act 2022. I will speak directly to those as they are the issues at hand. I thank all employers who have made an account on a voluntary basis on the gender pay gap portal, as well as our social partners which have continually encouraged use of the portal. I am grateful to the House for facilitating consideration of the Bill so that legislation can be passed in time for mandatory reporting of the 2026 gender pay gap reporting cycle, which begins on 1 November. I also thank the House for facilitating the amendments to the Institutional Burials Act because of the age profile or health status of some of the first cousins who wish to participate in the Tuam identification programme to help with the identification of their relatives. As we move to the next Stage, I thank Deputy Wall in particular for his amendments to the Bill. I also thank him for his careful scrutiny and detailed engagement with the Bill. I am happy to accept some of his amendments and I will speak to the specific amendments on Committee Stage."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question put and agreed to."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Employment Equality and Institutional Burials (Amendment) Bill 2026: Second Stage (Resumed)"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-13\/debate\/dbsect_12","debateType":"billReport","bill":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/bill\/2026\/54","event":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/bill\/2026\/54\/dail\/4_sub","houseCode":"dail","stage":"4_sub","isBillStage":false,"showAs":"Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2026: Report and Final Stages (D\u00e1il)"}},"showAs":"Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2026: Report and Final Stages","counts":{"speechCount":56,"speakerCount":9},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_12","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Erin McGreehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Joanna Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Joanna-Byrne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Joanna-Byrne.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Carrigy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Carrigy.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Carrigy.S.2020-03-30","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charlie McConalogue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sh\u00f3nagh N\u00ed Raghallaigh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sh\u00f3nagh-N\u00ed-Raghallaigh.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sh\u00f3nagh-N\u00ed-Raghallaigh.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":" Deputies","uri":null,"memberCode":null,"role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Erin McGreehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Erin McGreehan) Amendments Nos. 1 and 13 are related and will be discussed together."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Joanna Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Joanna-Byrne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Joanna-Byrne.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Joanna Byrne I move amendment No. 1: In page 8, between lines 1 and 2, to insert the following: \u201c \u2018new audiovisual works\u2019 where it is referred to in section 159F(2) shall be interpreted to include but not be limited to feature films, animation, drama, and documentary programmes;\u201d. This amendment is based on a number of proposals put forward by Screen Producers Ireland, SPI, that we feel did not get sufficient discussion on Committee Stage but are still crucially important. We have engaged with the Minister on this on a number of occasions. SPI, which represents over 200 member companies across the independent productive production sector, is concerned that there is a substantial change in language regarding what sort of programmes are to be funded under this legislation. While the previous Sound and Vision fund of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, BAI, was established in line with section 154 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 to fund programmes, including feature films, animation and drama, these words are missing from the new sections in this Bill relating to its successor teams within Ciste na Me\u00e1n to be operated by Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n. News and current affairs are now included but these other forms of programming should not lose out. Funding provided to films, entertainment, drama and factual programming under the old BAI Sound and Vision fund should be maintained and enhanced, not written out of the law. We are proposing the inclusion of documentary programming as well as the old wording. We would welcome clarity from the Minister. I understand that he is not here today but we are seeking that clarity as to whether he will accept this proposal or insist on the inclusion of these genres of programming in future Ciste na Me\u00e1n funding and the potential impact of that in the sector in terms of employment and output foregone. The audiovisual sector is deeply concerned that Government is abandoning commitments and SPI put forward a number of other amendments in the hope that the Minister would demonstrate sufficient commitment. SPI is concerned at inaction in relation to the Future of Media Commission's recommendation that the percentage of RT\u00c9's public funding that should support independent production should be increased to 25%. It is concerned about the failure to deliver adequate, sustainable and predictable financial resources to public service broadcasters in line with Article 5.3 of the European Media Freedom Act, which has been compounded by budget 2027, has left TG4 facing real-time cuts to deal with inflation and has seen the restructuring commitments for RT\u00c9 torn up. All of this will harm the independent production sector, which relies on RT\u00c9 and TG4 for commissions. Budget 2027 failed to mention any regional uplift for the film tax relief. Sinn F\u00e9in has called for this to be developed in partnership with the sector. SPI also raised concerns about the administrative burden of new regulatory review and reporting requirements. We are looking to see if the Minister has considered how to ease that burden while ensuring prudence in public spending. Lastly, would the Minister ensure that the wording in the Bill is inclusive so that Ciste na Me\u00e1n does not exclude feature films, animation drama and documentaries?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Carrigy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Carrigy.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Carrigy.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Miche\u00e1l Carrigy I commend this Bill. There are a few things I wish to highlight. The first is the levies that have been charged by Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n, particularly over the past 12 months. We have seen a significant increase in the levy as a percentage of costs that it has put on original local radio stations throughout the country. These are significant costs in the region of 30% to 40% after those local stations would have put their budgets together for the year so I ask that consideration be given to this. It needs to be reduced to the previous level. I ask that Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n would make sure in its budget for 2026-27 that this is dealt with sufficiently to make sure that we support local radio stations in particular that provide trustworthy news and information to us throughout the country, as was particularly the case during Covid a number of years ago. It was there that we listened to get all that local news - as I said, trusted news - in all our local communities. They provide a fantastic service so there has been a difficulty with that increased cost and I ask that this be robustly changed to make sure that those increased costs are not carried on to the stations but are absorbed by Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney I will speak to amendment No. 13. In this Bill, the broadcasting fund or Ciste na Me\u00e1n is restricted to the private sector - the commercial, independent or - whatever words we want to use - creative sector. This has real potential consequences for RT\u00c9 and TG4. In particular, it has implications for TG4, which has a treasure trove of archived material that could be repackaged and repurposed for broadcast. This takes money so it needs to access funding to be able to do that. Given that we have seen no increase for TG4 in this year's budget in terms of funding, it seems that it would be prudent to give Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n the remit to potentially provide funding to TG4 in particular but also RT\u00c9 from that funding. That is what this amendment proposes."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charlie McConalogue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport (Deputy Charlie McConalogue) I will deal first with amendment No. 1, which aims to expressly provide that the types of programming that may be funded through the proceeds of the European works levy may include certain specified types of genre. The Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill is not intended to restrict funding to a particular type of genre whether in relation to public service content schemes funded through Ciste na Me\u00e1n or in terms of any European work scheme that may be funded by the European works levy. Instead, section 59 of the Bill includes provisions to align the terminology used as it relates to programming that may be funded under the European works scheme, with several of the categories set out in respect of public service content in section 5 of the Bill. These categories refer to various types of subject matter rather than genre. For example, a previous reference to Irish culture, language, history, heritage, society and sport is being replaced with a reference to the culture, language, history, heritage, society, music and sport of Ireland and of the people of the island of Ireland. This reflects that some people living on the island of Ireland do not consider themselves as Irish as recognised in the Good Friday Agreement. I understand that there is some concern that the inclusion of news, current affairs and international affairs in the category of programming that may be funded may imply, first, that it refers to the genre of news, current affairs and international affairs and, second, that it is the only genre that may be funded. I assure Deputies that the use of the term \"news, current affairs and international affairs\" in this context is intended to refer to the subject matter of news, current affairs and international affairs rather than a specific genre or programme format such as a documentary panel show or daily news broadcast. Given that the Bill refers to subject matter rather than genre, I do not think there is a need to refer to any specific type of genre and, accordingly, I do not accept the amendment. Amendment No. 13 would allow RT\u00c9 and TG4 to apply for public service content schemes funded through Ciste na Me\u00e1n. As the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, set out on Committee Stage, there is a clear rationale for excluding RT\u00c9 and TG4 from directly applying to Ciste na Me\u00e1n. Both providers have been assigned a clear public service remit under sections 114 and 118 of the Broadcasting Act 2009. This statutory remit includes the media services that RT\u00c9 and TG4 are required to provide to the public, including the maintenance of archives and libraries, the types of values that should underpin those services and specific programming obligations in respect of those services. RT\u00c9 and TG4 are provided with significant public funding to fulfil that statutory remit. If RT\u00c9 and TG4 were to continue to be allowed to apply directly for funding under Ciste na Me\u00e1n, this would amount to a type of dual funding. Unlike other media providers, they would receive funding directly from the State as public service media providers and then be permitted to compete with other media providers for funding under Ciste na Me\u00e1n. Accordingly, I cannot accept the Deputy's amendment. However, I want to assure the Deputy that independent producers that receive funding under Ciste na Me\u00e1n will still be able to partner with RT\u00c9 and TG4 to make funded content available to the public and to enter co-funding agreements with those independent producers. This is a particularly important consideration given that at least 25% of funding in any scheme must be for content in the Irish language. We would expect that those independent producers in receipt of that funding would continue to make content available primarily on TG4. Finally, I note Deputy Carrigy\u2019s contribution in that regard. I acknowledge the importance of trying to ensure that as much communication as possible is in place between Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n and local independent radio stations on the issue of the levy, how it is set and when decisions are made around that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney For the record, I also want to extend my best wishes to the Minister, Deputy O\u2019Donovan, for a speedy recovery today. In response to the Minister of State's comments on TG4, in particular, I appreciate that it can work with independent or commercial providers, as he outlined. Nonetheless, it is in a unique position, given the trove of extensive cultural material it has, and RT\u00c9 too, which is not going to be possible to do with independent partners. It could use that material for the purposes of fulfilling its public service broadcasting mandate. That is the issue for me. Bit by bit, we are chipping away at that public service broadcasting mandate in all the various ways the Government is choosing to transform broadcasting in this country. I do not think there is any issue with a State agency accessing dual sources of funding. I appreciate it is the case that they would be able to do it in both instances but I do not think there is any issue in terms of precedent. I do not think there is any governance issue with them being able to access two different sources of funding. It is not rationale enough to vote down the amendment. I urge the Minister to reconsider that and adjust the provision so that TG4 and RT\u00c9 can access that same pot of money."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charlie McConalogue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Charlie McConalogue I thank Deputy Gibney. I will certainly pass on her best wishes to the Minister, Deputy O\u2019Donovan. All of us in the House extend them to him today. I take the point and argument the Deputy is making in her amendment. The position from a Government point of view is that we are already funding both TG4 and RT\u00c9 in their public service remit. It is important that we also ensure that public service is provided to others outside of RT\u00c9 and TG4. That is the objective behind this fund. There is a mechanism for the Government and it will continue to be there. We would all agree on the absolute importance, particularly in the world we live in at the moment, of protecting and ensuring that we have strong public service broadcasters to carry out that work and make sure the public are getting accurate, independent information and programming. That will be done through the public service funding we provide. This fund is targeted outside of RT\u00c9 and TG4. That is the objective behind it."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Amendment put and declared lost."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Erin McGreehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Erin McGreehan) Amendment No. 2, in the names of Deputies \u00d3 Snodaigh and Byrne, arises out of committee proceedings."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Joanna Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Joanna-Byrne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Joanna-Byrne.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Joanna Byrne I move amendment No. 2: In page 12, between lines 5 and 6, to insert the following: \u201cand (b) by the insertion of the following after subsection (3)(i): \u201c(j) support the development of arts broadcasting and promotion, including by progressing the incorporation of regular arts bulletins akin to existing sports bulletins as part of the news service of public service media to inform the public of developments and achievements across all artforms of local and national significance, drawing attention to the launch and exhibition of new artistic, literary and musical works, upcoming performances, competitions or funding opportunities.\u201d.\u201d Deputy \u00d3 Snodaigh withdrew this amendment on Committee Stage on the basis that the Minister, Deputy O\u2019Donovan, promised to come back with a formula that allows this to be achieved. The Minister said there should be provision, particularly in the so-called flagship news bulletins, for arts and culture reports on a regular basis, as was set out in that amendment, and that he would return with an amendment on Report Stage or in the Seanad. As no such amendment has been brought forward on Report Stage by the Minister, is he accepting this amendment, which is based on the recommendations not only of the cross party pre-legislative scrutiny of this Bill but also on the committee's 2024 report entitled Future Business Model Plans and Long-term Vision for the Media Sector and the Report of the Future of Media Commission? If not, we need an update on what amendments will be tabled before the Bill goes to the Seanad, if possible. I appreciate that the Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, is only stepping in at the last minute. I thank him for being here."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charlie McConalogue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Charlie McConalogue I thank Deputy Byrne for the amendment. As the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, set out on Committee Stage, he agrees with the intention underpinning the amendment. He asked officials to examine the issue to formulate a legislative provision that would have the effect of promoting the coverage of the arts in broadcast media while respecting the editorial independence of broadcasters. Given the need to enact this Bill as soon as possible to assign the Comptroller and Auditor General as auditor of RT\u00c9, there will not be time to include a provision in this Bill. However, given the pace of change in the media sector and legislative developments at European level, there will be a need to bring forward successive media legislation in the coming period. There will be an opportunity to address the issue in that context. Taking on board the issues and suggested approach raised by Deputies Byrne and \u00d3 Snodaigh, the most effective mechanism may be to require Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n to prepare a media service code providing for standards and practices for the promotion of culture and the arts, including up-to-date news about culture and the arts. Such a code would cover not only RT\u00c9 and TG4 but all licensed broadcasters. This may strike the balance by respecting editorial independence while also setting out clear best practice. However, I am conscious that the Deputy may have another perspective on the best way forward on this. The Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, will continue to engage with her and other Deputies on this point in the context of forthcoming legislation."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Erin McGreehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Erin McGreehan) Deputy Gibney wishes to come in there."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney Deputy \u00d3 Snodaigh and I were the only two members who brought forward amendments on Committee Stage. Deputy \u00d3 Snodaigh withdrew a few different amendments on the basis that they would be addressed. I have to say, the whole tone of the session was very much that nothing was getting passed. Deputy \u00d3 Snodaigh withdrew amendments in good faith so that they could be worked out by the Government in that time. This was a few weeks ago. The fact is that this has not happened. I hope we do not see this pattern repeated for the rest of these amendments because that would be quite shocking. We are trying to make things work here. The Government is not allowing any amendments past just because they have been put forward by the Opposition, and then when we try to work with the Government, as Deputies \u00d3 Snodaigh and Deputy Byrne have done, by withdrawing them to go back to the drawing board and allowing it to help elsewhere, this is not happening. This is an absolutely vital amendment. We see a huge amount of sports promotion, for example, increasingly in broadcasting and we do not see the same matched for arts. That is what this amendment chooses to do. It is trying to inject back into that public service broadcasting remit the priority of arts announcements, arts information and arts news and current affairs. That is what it is trying to do. It is really regrettable that nothing has been done to address this."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Joanna Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Joanna-Byrne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Joanna-Byrne.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Joanna Byrne I echo everything Deputy Gibney said. A level of faith was provided to the Minister by my colleague Deputy \u00d3 Snodaigh. I am also a member of the Committee of Public Accounts, so I am aware that the delay in passing this legislation is causing problems for the Comptroller and Auditor General. I respect that there has to be some balance, but that that cannot be used as a catalyst to bypass genuine intent for the good of the arts sector, as set out in in a lot of these amendments. I will take the Minister of State's word that he agrees with the intention underpinning these amendments and that there is a commitment to work towards that objective in other upcoming legislation. If that does not happen, we will be back to the drawing board at any opportunity to ensure we revisit these amendments through whatever channels are open to Deputy \u00d3 Snodaigh and me."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charlie McConalogue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Charlie McConalogue As Deputies Gibney and Byrne have outlined, there was a meeting of minds on Committee Stage regarding the objective behind this amendment. I agree there is an urgency to this because we want the Comptroller and Auditor General to have the legal capacity to have RT\u00c9 and TG4 under his remit for the purposes of auditing their 2026 accounts. We are trying to get the Bill through both the D\u00e1il and the Seanad in as good a time as possible to facilitate that objective and outcome. In relation to the commitment given by the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, on Committee Stage and here today, he is open to, and will continue to engage across the House on, this proposal. One way forward might be, as suggested, to have Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n prepare a media service code, which could help to address the issue and would apply not just to TG4 and RT\u00c9 but to all licensed broadcasters. That can be discussed and examined to see whether it could be an effective way forward. In terms of drafting such a code and considering the detail as to how something like it might be transposed into legislation in a way that is effective and proportionate, there has not been sufficient time to tease that out in the context of this Bill. There will be other opportunities to do so. In advance of those opportunities, there will have to be discussion and engagement on how it might work. How it can best be achieved might be something that needs to be teased out at the Oireachtas committee in advance of legislation. Everyone is on the one page in terms of the objective behind the proposed amendment."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Amendment put and declared lost."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Joanna Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Joanna-Byrne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Joanna-Byrne.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Joanna Byrne I move amendment No. 3: In page 19, between lines 35 and 36, to insert the following: \"Insertion of new section 46MA into Principal Act 19. The Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 46M: \"Duty to the whole community of the island of Ireland 46MA. (1) RT\u00c9 and TG4, whose national television broadcasting services shall be made available, in so far as it is reasonably practicable, to the whole community on the island of Ireland, in accordance with section 114(1) (a) and section 118(1)(a) respectively, shall pro-actively make every reasonable effort to end the practice of geo-blocking and exclusion of audiences in that part of the island not currently under the jurisdiction of the State from their services, including programming content, audience competitions and visual cartographic depictions of the island and its population. (2) In the interests of fulfilling their duty in line with subsection (1) as national broadcasters for the whole nation, RT\u00c9 and TG4 shall pro-actively seek to resolve any competing claims to licencing rights across the island with the objective of ensuring equal access to programming content north and south across service providers, particularly where that content relates to their participation in events of importance to the nation, including in terms of news, current affairs, sport and culture, in line with the entitlement and birthright of every person born on the island of Ireland to be part of the Irish Nation under Article 2 of the Constitution. (3) The Commission shall, no later than six months after the enactment of this Act, prepare and publish a report setting out ways in which RT\u00c9 and TG4 could be facilitated, assisted and required to make available these services in full to the whole community of the island of Ireland, including how they could work to achieve a resolution and cooperation across rights holders in the case of competing claims across jurisdictions, and toward removing any obstacle or barrier, such as the geographical restriction of their broadcasting rights to one part of the island or the use of geo-blocking to enforce such a restriction, to their equal availability across the whole island. (4) The Minister shall engage with the British government, and with international organisations responsible for the licencing of rights for international events, with a view to establishing an all-Ireland market for television licencing rights, and to resolving any competing claims across jurisdictions, and shall lay a report outlining all such engagements made over the previous year on an annual basis starting from one year following the enactment of this Act. (5) The reports and engagement referred to in subsections (4) and (5) shall pay particular regard to the importance of supporting the fulfilment of commitments in the Good Friday Agreement relating to the widespread availability of services provided by TG4, and acknowledging the public service duty of RT\u00c9 to the whole community of the island of Ireland, to better facilitate equal access to programming content by the whole community of the island of Ireland. (6) The Commission shall pay due regard to the need for equal and widespread availability of services across the whole of the island of Ireland when agreeing licences for television broadcasting services.\".\". This amendment relates to the geoblocking of all users in the Six Counties, which Sinn F\u00e9in has been raising consistently for a number of years. There was widespread support across all parties on Committee Stage for tackling the issue, with agreement to engage with the sector on it. Deputy \u00d3 Snodaigh was happy to withdraw his amendment in light of the Minister's commitment to escalate the matter politically, including through engagement with the British Government. We have tabled the amendment again on Report Stage to put on the record that this issue still demands our attention and to give the Minister of State an opportunity to provide any updates he might have on efforts to engage with the Minister's counterpart in London or through the various regulators and broadcasters North and South. I thank him for those efforts, if there have been any, and ask that he pass those thanks on to the Minister. I presume there is no update at the moment. We were hopeful there would be because we plan to raise the issue at the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly this weekend."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charlie McConalogue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Charlie McConalogue I thank the Deputy for this amendment. l am conscious, as she outlined, that the amendment was discussed in some detail on Committee Stage and that there is no disagreement on the principle underpinning the amendment. As the Deputy who probably lives closest to the Border, it is something of which I am very much aware. I think I am closer even than the Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach to the Border."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Erin McGreehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Erin McGreehan) I think that is right."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Joanna Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Joanna-Byrne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Joanna-Byrne.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Joanna Byrne I will not argue the point."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charlie McConalogue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Charlie McConalogue I am very much aware of the impact and effect of this issue on a practical basis. That view was shared among all speakers, both Government and Opposition, in the discussion on Committee Stage. As the amendment recognises, as part of their statutory public service remit under sections 114(1)(a) and 118(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 2009, both RT\u00c9 and TG4 are required to operate free-to-air services and to make them available, insofar as is reasonably practicable, to the whole community on the island of Ireland. The qualifier \"in so far as it is reasonably practicable\" is there to recognise that international rights holders are invariably outside the jurisdiction of the State and, therefore, neither RT\u00c9 nor TG4 can control the pricing of rights or the geographical or territorial distribution decided by the rights holders. As recognised by the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, and by many Deputies on Committee Stage, this gives rise to practical difficulties in terms of audiences in the North being able to access certain types of programming. I agree completely that this is a source of ongoing and significant frustration, particularly in relation to sports events such as the Olympic Games, where Team Ireland includes athletes from across the island. I understand that RT\u00c9 has stated its preference to acquire all-island rights. Where possible, both RT\u00c9 and TG4 make broadcasts available on an all-island basis, in line with their existing statutory duty. However, as I have mentioned, there are cases where rights restrictions preclude them from broadcasting certain content outside the State. In some cases, a British broadcaster will have acquired exclusive rights to the content, which includes exclusive rights in the North. These are commercial and legal matters for the rights holders and broadcasters and we must recognise there is an extra-jurisdictional element to that. Before considering any legislative amendment to address this issue, it is necessary to fully understand and scope out the range of issues that impact various types of content and rights packages. As the Minister indicated previously, Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n has been engaging on this matter with counterparts in Ofcom Northern Ireland for some time. An coimisi\u00fan proposes to address the issue further at the next meeting of the Television Broadcasters of Ireland Group, to be held in Belfast in early November. That group consists of RT\u00c9, TG4, Virgin Media, BBC and UTV and is facilitated by Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n and Ofcom Northern Ireland. All of those parties recognise the complexity of this issue. The forum provides a useful way to identify the challenges and to propose possible solutions. The Minister recently discussed this matter with the British ambassador and will shortly be writing to the British Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Given the complex commercial and contractual limitations that we all acknowledge exist, continued engagement between officials in both jurisdictions to encourage practical solutions is the most effective way forward. Departmental officials will continue to engage with their UK counterparts on the matter. I do not think there is an immediate Irish legislative solution to this matter and, accordingly, I do not propose to accept this amendment today."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Carrigy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Carrigy.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Carrigy.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Miche\u00e1l Carrigy I support the amendment. There was cross-party support for the same proposal on Committee Stage. The Minister highlighted that work is ongoing on the issue, which should be acknowledged. The Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, has outlined the significant engagement there has been. At a later stage, when those discussions have taken place, the Minister might come back to the committee to outline where we are in terms of the possibility of addressing the issue and to discuss it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Joanna Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Joanna-Byrne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Joanna-Byrne.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Joanna Byrne I will take the Minister of State at his word on this matter. There is cross-party acknowledgement that it needs to be worked through and teased out a bit further. I sincerely hope the engagement does not stall at writing to the British Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. We need actions to follow up on that engagement. If that happens, the Minister of State will have the support of the Sinn F\u00e9in team to ensure we can overcome geoblocking for the sake of all our family members, friends and fellow citizens in the Six Counties. They are missing out on so much. The Minister of State mentioned the Olympic Games but we have had other monumental moments in sports alone, including from the Irish football team and Katie Taylor's historic night in Croke Park. I could go on all evening listing the events in respect of which people are being held back from cheering on their fellow countrymen and countrywomen. I look forward to working with the Minister on this issue. It is of particular interest and significance to both Deputy \u00d3 Snodaigh and me. We will pursue it with him, once he is back with us, over the coming weeks and months."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney I thank Deputies Byrne and \u00d3 Snodaigh for bringing forward this amendment, which is the same one they proposed on Committee Stage. Once again, I find it disappointing that in that time we have not seen the co-operation that we had hoped for come forward from the Department. Within that 90-minute session, I remember the words of the Minister that it had not been all bad when he discussed the geoblocking because he finally felt there was an issue that he could work with the Opposition on and bring it forward. As Deputy Byrne outlined, there are always, and there always have been, opportunities missed because of the geoblocking issue, and there are plenty more stacked into our calendar for the next 12 months. This legislative process is known to the Government. It knew that there were a few weeks between Committee and Report Stages where it had the opportunity to develop it. This was a piece of legislation that was available to the Government to address this. I appreciate there are lots of different ways to tackle it but it knew this was coming. It should have knuckled down, done the work and found a way to get it into this legislation because we cannot just say that fixing the C and AG issue is the reason this has to be rushed. The Government knew this was coming. We knew it was on the books and there was plenty of opportunity to do it. It is real shame that we have not seen greater co-operation and collaboration from the Government on the amendments Deputy \u00d3 Snodaigh withdrew in good faith that they would be worked on."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charlie McConalogue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Charlie McConalogue The Government's position is entirely reasonable in relation to the approach that it is taking here. We agree and share the view on the issue and the desire to try to improve it and change the situation whereby programmes can be accessible all across the island. As I said in my contribution at the start, there is already provision in legislation under the Broadcasting Act requiring RT\u00c9 to provide free-to-air services and make them available across the island as far as is reasonably practical. That is already in the legislation. We all have to recognise that there is not a straightforward legislative fix here. Were we to put a blunt requirement into legislation that RT\u00c9 shall only broadcast programming that is only available to all of the island and that there is no geoblocking, which is the objective we would like to see, the net effect would be that certain types of programmes would simply not be possible to broadcast on RT\u00c9 or TG4 because the rights had already been sold by international providers to, for example, BBC for Britain and Northern Ireland. If we say that RT\u00c9 can only broadcast something if it broadcasts it to the whole of the island, then it would not be able to broadcast it at all. That is the type of outcome we want. We want it to go to the whole island but the actual net effect would be that we would be blocking certain types of content from even being broadcast in the Twenty-six Counties. This just goes to prove the point that we do not have a legislative fix. By working with Ofcom in the North and broadcast providers internationally, we want to achieve the objective whereby content is available to the whole of the island as much as is practicable. That is certainly where all of our minds are at, and we are happy to continue to engage cross-party in relation to any steps we can take. As I said, the Minister has raised it with the British ambassador already and will be engaging with the relevant minister in Westminster to see how we can make progress here. We, along with our officials, are happy to work across Government and to engage on any suggestions and proposals around it so we can make progress here."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Amendment put and declared lost."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney I move amendment No.4: In page 20, to delete lines 21 to 24 and substitute the following: \u201c(iii) by the insertion of the following paragraphs after paragraph (b): \u201c(c) the broadcast in programmes broadcast on sound broadcasting services of a diversity of music composed or performed by persons with a connection with the island of Ireland; (d) the broadcast in programmes broadcast on sound broadcasting services of music in the Irish language.\u201d.\u201d. This is a fairly straightforward and short amendment to recognise and ensure the promotion of Irish composed and Irish performed music, as well as music in the Irish language, to make sure it is included in the remit for sound broadcasters. It is just a simple amendment that we believe is very important in making sure that those who are culturally keeping alive our Irish language and traditions are supported in doing so by their broadcaster."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charlie McConalogue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Charlie McConalogue I know the Deputy will be aware that the Future of Media Commission recommended a comprehensive review of the provision of Irish language services and content across the media system and that this is to be undertaken by Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n. Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n's Irish language action plan is now at an advanced stage. The plan will be informed by the comprehensive review, a feasibility study into a new radio service for young audiences and the other research commissioned and carried out by Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n. The Irish language action plan is currently open to targeted consultation. I understand the consultation will further inform the plan. The action plan is a thematic plan which will include a detailed implementation timeline, and I expect the final version to be published by the end of the year. I appreciate the intention of the Deputy's amendment. Regulatory provisions such as that proposed by the Deputy can make a difference, particularly when they includes requirements to measure types of content. At this point, however, it is prudent to wait on the measures that will be contained in the Irish language action plan and the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, will examine whether any further legislative measures are required on foot of that plan. Given the pace of media legislation and forthcoming European legislation, any required legislative change can be accommodated in a future Bill."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Amendment put and declared lost."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Erin McGreehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Erin McGreehan) Amendments Nos. 5 and 7 are related and will be discussed together."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Joanna Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Joanna-Byrne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Joanna-Byrne.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Joanna Byrne I move amendment No. 5: In page 25, line 19, after \u201cTG4\u201d to insert \u201c, and, in the case of at least 50 per cent of the members of the board of RT\u00c9, to the board of RT\u00c9,\u201d. Deputy N\u00ed Raghallaigh will speak on the amendment."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sh\u00f3nagh N\u00ed Raghallaigh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sh\u00f3nagh-N\u00ed-Raghallaigh.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sh\u00f3nagh-N\u00ed-Raghallaigh.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sh\u00f3nagh N\u00ed Raghallaigh Baineann leasuithe Uimh. 5 agus 7 \u00f3 Shinn F\u00e9in le hinni\u00falacht sa Ghaeilge a chinnti\u00fa do leath na ballra\u00edochta ar bhord RT\u00c9, craolt\u00f3ir at\u00e1 in ainm a bheith d\u00e1theangach, agus don bhallra\u00edocht ar fad ar chomhairle lucht f\u00e9achana TG4, at\u00e1 ina chraolt\u00f3ir n\u00e1isi\u00fanta don Ghaeilge. Faoi l\u00e1thair t\u00e1 an tAcht Craolach\u00e1in, 2009 soil\u00e9ir gur ch\u00f3ir go mbeadh inni\u00falacht sa Ghaeilge ag gach ball den chomhairle lucht f\u00e9achana. De r\u00e9ir alt 96(5) den Acht sin: In appointing the members of its audience council, TG4 shall endeavour to ensure that the members of the audience council are able to communicate proficiently in the Irish language. Bh\u00ed tuiscint ann i gc\u00f3na\u00ed gurb \u00e9 pr\u00edomhr\u00f3l TG4 n\u00e1 freastal ar lucht f\u00e9achana na Gaeilge. Ba TG4 agus Raidi\u00f3 na Gaeltachta ina dtortha\u00ed ar ghluaiseacht cearta sibhialta na Gaeltachta. Is f\u00e9idir leis na st\u00e1isi\u00fain seo tac\u00fa le foghlaimeoir\u00ed agus is f\u00e9idir le daoine gan m\u00f3r\u00e1n Gaeilge sult agus tairbhe a bhaint as \u00e1bhar orthu ach, chun tuiscint a bheith ag duine ar \u00e1bhar i nGaeilge, teasta\u00edonn inni\u00falacht sa Ghaeilge. De r\u00e9ir alt 96C, alt nua a mholtar sa Bhille, is f\u00e9idir leis an gcomhairle lucht f\u00e9achana comhairli\u00fach\u00e1n a lorg le dream ar leith sa phobal, mar shampla foghlaimeoir\u00ed, daoine \u00f3ga, dalta\u00ed scoile n\u00f3 daoine den phobal gur mhaith leo f\u00e9achaint ar sp\u00f3rt, ach caithfidh an chomhairle f\u00e9in a bheith in ann \u00e1bhar an chraolt\u00f3ra a thuiscint. De r\u00e9ir an dl\u00ed, t\u00e1 comhairle lucht f\u00e9achana TG4 ag feidhmi\u00fa go hioml\u00e1n tr\u00ed Ghaeilge faoi l\u00e1thair. Mar sin, c\u00e9n f\u00e1th a bhfuil an tAire ag iarraidh comhairle lucht f\u00e9achana TG4 a Bh\u00e9arl\u00fa? D\u00fairt an tAire go mbeadh s\u00e9 \"exclusionary\" d\u00e1 mbeadh ar gach ball de chomhairle lucht f\u00e9achana TG4 Gaeilge a bheith acu. An bhfuil comhairle lucht f\u00e9achana reatha TG4 \"exclusionary\"? Mar at\u00e1 r\u00e1ite cheana, beidh an chomhairle ag iomp\u00fa ar an mB\u00e9arla m\u00e1 t\u00e1 daoine gan Ghaeilge ann. Beidh costas sa bhreis ann \u00f3 thaobh ateangaireachta agus an t-airgead sin ag teacht as buis\u00e9ad TG4, at\u00e1 n\u00edos \u00edsle i mbliana de bharr boilscithe. In aighneacht ar an mBille seo mar chuid den phr\u00f3iseas grinnscr\u00fadaithe r\u00e9amhreachtaigh, d\u00fairt TG4, \"All of the members of the TG4 audience council must be competent in Irish.\" C\u00e9n f\u00e1th a bhfuil an tAire ag d\u00e9anamh neamhaird ar mholadh TG4? Luaigh an tAire go bhfreastala\u00edonn TG4 ar dhalta\u00ed scoile nach bhfuil inni\u00fail ar an nGaeilge. An bhfuil s\u00e9 ag r\u00e1 go mbeidh p\u00e1ist\u00ed scoile gan Ghaeilge ar chomhairle lucht f\u00e9achana TG4? An mbeidh s\u00e9 s\u00e1sta glacadh le p\u00e1ist\u00ed scoile gan Bh\u00e9arla ar chomhairle lucht f\u00e9achana RT\u00c9? An mbeidh s\u00e9 s\u00e1sta daoine gan Bh\u00e9arla a bheith ar chomhairle lucht f\u00e9achana n\u00f3 ar bhord RT\u00c9? N\u00ed bheadh an comhr\u00e1 seo againn faoin gcomhairle lucht f\u00e9achana n\u00f3 bord RT\u00c9. T\u00e1 s\u00e9 inghlactha go mbeadh B\u00e9arla acu mar phr\u00edomhtheanga \u00fas\u00e1ide na seirbh\u00edse. N\u00edl aon duine ag iarraidh a admh\u00e1il gurb \u00ed an Ghaeilge pr\u00edomhtheanga oifigi\u00fail RT\u00c9 de r\u00e9ir an Bhunreachta. T\u00e1 comhairle Raidi\u00f3 na Gaeltachta ag feidhmi\u00fa freisin tr\u00ed Ghaeilge in aitheantas go bhfuil an st\u00e1isi\u00fan ag freastal ar phobal teanga ar leith, bunaithe ar ghluaiseacht cearta sibhialta, c\u00e9 nach bhfuil st\u00e1das sa dl\u00ed aige. \u00d3 2022 go dt\u00ed 2025, n\u00ed raibh aon chomhairle ann. Mhol Sinn F\u00e9in leas\u00fa go mbeadh s\u00e9 sonraithe sa dl\u00ed go mbeadh comhairle lucht \u00e9isteachta ann f\u00e9in ag Raidi\u00f3 na Gaeltachta. D\u00fairt an tAire ar Ch\u00e9im an Choiste, \"It is not wise to create an audience council for a specific service provided by RT\u00c9\", c\u00e9 go bhfuil a leith\u00e9id i bhfeidhm cheana f\u00e9in. An bhfuil an fhor\u00e1il sin ag lorg f\u00e1il r\u00e9idh le comhairle Raidi\u00f3 na Gaeltachta n\u00f3 an rabhthas aineolach go bhfuil s\u00e9 ann? Ar a laghad, ba ch\u00f3ir go nglactar le ball le Gaeilge ar chomhairle lucht f\u00e9achana RT\u00c9, mar a mhol an Teachta Gibney i leas\u00fa Uimh. 6; le comhairle lucht f\u00e9achana l\u00e1n-Ghaeilge ag TG4, mar at\u00e1 ann faoi l\u00e1thair; agus le bord d\u00e1theangach ar RT\u00c9. V\u00f3t\u00e1il baill an choiste, idir bhaill Rialtais agus bhaill Freas\u00fara, i bhfabhar moladh sa ghrinnscr\u00fad\u00fa r\u00e9amhreachtach \"that a proportion of the Board of RT\u00c9 would also have proficiency of Irish at the level of B2\". C\u00e9n f\u00e1th a bhfuil Fine Gael agus Fianna F\u00e1il ag tarraingt siar \u00f3na moladh f\u00e9in anois? C\u00e9n f\u00e1th a bhfuil an Rialtas ag di\u00falt\u00fa leis na molta\u00ed go l\u00e9ir faoin nGaeilge?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney I commend amendment No. 5. I will speak to amendments Nos. 6 and 7. Amendment No. 6 essentially seeks to copper-fasten what already exists in the RT\u00c9 board, where at least three members should be competent in the Irish language. In some ways we can call it a quota but, as I said, there is a level of competence in the RT\u00c9 board at the moment. That competence is vital because the board needs to be able to oversee RT\u00c9's Irish language and general public service remit. Addressing the Irish language remit has been a weakness for RT\u00c9 in the past, so it is vital that the language is adequately supported. In reality, this number of board members are usually in place but that is not good enough and it is not enough to mean it will be maintained in future. What we need, copper-fastened in the legislation, is the requirement for three members of the board to be sufficiently competent in Irish to do their job. It is good governance. We see different requirements and quotas for different competences on all sorts of State boards. This one makes sense for the RT\u00c9 board to fulfil its mandate. RT\u00c9 is an organisation that has to serve the Irish speaking community and support the Irish language and the Gaeltachta\u00ed. Having struggled to do so in the past, this is what we need to see happen to make sure the position improves into the future. RT\u00c9's audience council already has around that number of people with Irish on it and, as I said, this amendment proposes to simply provide for it in legislation. There was a very heated discussion on amendment No. 7 on Committee Stage. It was quite surprising to see the Minister's reaction to it. As matters stand, all members of TG4's audience council speak Irish. What we are trying to do with our amendment is to make sure that remains the case. The Bill, as it stands, seeks to reduce the number of TG4 audience council members with Irish from all of them to at least ten out of 15. That would leave the TG4 audience council having to conduct its business as B\u00e9arla, with interpreters and translated documents as required, because there will not be the competence to continue to operate as Gaeilge. That is simply not good enough. We also heard the Minister confirm in the committee that this would come at the cost of TG4, which would have to pay for the translation services. It would mean a simple slowdown for TG4 as an organisation to have to facilitate that. The response of the Minister, that the proposal is \"exclusionary\" and does not speak to the diverse culture we now have in Ireland, is really insulting to those people who have come to this country, for example, and learned Irish. The idea that one should not be able to speak Irish to be on the TG4 audience council simply does not make sense. If we cannot have an audience council of our Irish language broadcaster conducting its business in Irish, it is a poor sign for the future of the language and the present ability to protect what little space there is for it in our institutions. That is a really important point - that we are trying to protect a very small level of compliance that preserves the Irish language. That is what we are trying to do. We should be bolstering the presence of Irish speakers and their experiences in our institutions, not rowing back. Taispe\u00e1nann an cinneadh seo d\u00edmheas ioml\u00e1n ar TG4 ar bharr an easpa measa do mhe\u00e1in na Gaeilge a l\u00e9ir\u00edodh sa mbuis\u00e9ad. Is \u00fadar d\u00edom\u00e1 \u00e9, go h\u00e1irithe \u00f3 iarAire St\u00e1it le freagracht as an nGaeltacht. This move shows complete disrespect for TG4 on top of the lack of respect for the Irish language media shown in the budget. To be clear, TG4 does not want this. The Irish language community does not want this. This audience council should be preserved to be able to conduct its business and work as Gaeilge. This legislation chooses to erode that - in fact, it will completely abolish it - so we must include this amendment."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charlie McConalogue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Charlie McConalogue I thank the Deputies for the amendments. I will go through them in the order that they were raised. Amendment No. 5 provides that 50% of the members of the RT\u00c9 board should be competent in the Irish language. As the Deputies are aware, there is currently no requirement for a minimum percentage of the RT\u00c9 board to be competent in the Irish language. Section 27 of the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill introduces a number of reforms to the criteria for membership of the board of RT\u00c9 and TG4, following on from the recommendations of the expert advisory committee on governance and culture in RT\u00c9, chaired by Professor Niamh Brennan. In accordance with those recommendations, board members of both RT\u00c9 and TG4 must now have experience and expertise relevant to the oversight of an organisation of the size, range of activities and level of complexity of RT\u00c9 or TG4, as the case may be, in one or more of a range of listed areas of expertise. There are a number of new key areas of expertise, such as corporate governance and risk management, which have been included on foot of the experience of the issues with RT\u00c9 governance. However, existing areas of expertise have been retained, including the development of the Irish language and Gaeltacht affairs. This necessarily means that a number of members of the RT\u00c9 board will need to be competent in the Irish language. As the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, set out on Committee Stage, given the criteria in place, there is no need for specific Irish language requirements for the RT\u00c9 board. The provision requiring all members of the TG4 board to be competent in the Irish language has been retained and has been updated in light of provisions of the \u00dadar\u00e1s na Gaeltachta (Amendment) Act 2026. This will ensure that the same level of competence required of the board of an t-\u00fadar\u00e1s will be required of the board of TG4, ensuring an alignment of approach to two of our largest Irish language bodies. Amendment Nos. 6 and 7 relate to the audience councils of RT\u00c9 and TG4, respectively. The reforms to the audience councils of TG4 and RT\u00c9 set out in the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill are based on a recommendation of the Future of Media Commission that there should be an enhanced role for audience councils, which, first, reflects the definition of \"the public\" adopted by the Future of Media Commission, and, second, supports diversity, inclusivity and democratic engagement with wider public sphere issues. Regarding the definition of \"the public\", the Future of Media Commission set out that it should mean \"the total population that is the intended recipient of media content\" and reflect the principles of universality, diversity and inclusivity. To implement this recommendation, section 38 of the Bill provides that Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n shall, following an open selection process, seek to appoint an audience council that ensures a diversity of membership, inclusion of a number of members who are actively engaged with Irish communities outside the island of Ireland and inclusion of members who are active in underserved audiences. Following a recommendation arising from pre-legislative scrutiny, a specific reference to underserved audiences identified by reference to disability has been included. In respect of the TG4 audience council, membership must include at least ten members who have the required level of competency in the Irish language and, following a recommendation arising from pre-legislative scrutiny, at least five members representative of Gaeltacht communities. The rationale for allowing up to five members who may not have the requisite level of competency in the Irish language rests in the statutory public service remit of TG4, which makes specific reference to its role in catering for \"the expectations of those of all age groups in the community whose preferred spoken language is Irish or who otherwise have an interest in Irish\". As we all know, and in line with its public service remit, TG4 plays an important role in promoting the Irish language through its programming. There are many viewers who watch TG4 for its high quality and standards of programming who would otherwise not be as exposed to the Irish language in their daily lives. The TG4 audience necessarily includes many who will not have the requisite level of competence in the Irish language. The Bill is an attempt to recognise that and, if a number of persons without the requisite level of competency apply and qualify for the audience council, to incorporate that perspective onto the audience council of TG4. I acknowledge the practical and other difficulties raised by Deputies and that what is being proposed is something of an experiment. The Department and Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n will work with TG4 to address any of these difficulties, should they materialise in the lead-up to and following the open selection process to ensure the work of the TG4 audience council continues to take place in the Irish language. Regarding the RT\u00c9 audience council, I recognise there is no minimum requirement for a number of members to be competent in the Irish language. There is a requirement inserted on foot of a recommendation arising from pre-legislative scrutiny that both the RT\u00c9 and TG4 audience councils have regard to the Irish language and the needs of Gaeltacht communities. There is also the requirement on Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n to ensure a diversity of membership in both audience councils. Given the specific role of the RT\u00c9 audience council, I trust that Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n will ensure an appropriate number of persons with competence in the Irish language."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney We are getting the same argument again that it is discriminatory to require language proficiency for the Irish language broadcaster, which is absolutely ridiculous. It erases the many people across Ireland who are from overseas, who have learned the language and who are now fluent. They are able to provide a learners' perspective, if that is what is wanted here. That is what we are talking about. TG4 has a mandate to promote the Irish language. Nobody is suggesting preserving its ability to do its business as Gaeilge compromises those who are not Irish language speakers from watching what it is putting out there. This year during the by-election, I had the privilege of travelling around the Gaeltacht in the west of Ireland. I now work with a native Irish speaker and I have worked with native Irish speakers in the past. I can tell you that TG4 wants and needs to do its business in Irish. That is absolutely clear, right through to the audience council, but it will not be able to do that if this legislation passes. Nothing of what the Minister of State has said deals with the challenges arising here. We might not see anybody come through who does not have the right level of proficiency in this first round but dropping it from 15 to ten might ultimately bring it to that point. Government will have these council meetings, operations and interactions run with the need for the facilitation of translation and interpretation of documents, meetings and everything it is doing for its business. The Minister of State's suggestion that maintaining the operations being run in Irish is exclusionary is ridiculous. I am not an Irish language speaker and I watch TG4. I consume Irish language media. None of that is compromised by the organisation maintaining its ability to do its business in Irish. That is what is quite shocking here. I want to correct something. I mentioned the board of RT\u00c9 in relation to amendment No. 6 but I was, of course, speaking about the council. I apologise for any confusion there. Going back to TG4 and amendment No. 7, it is absolutely shocking that this legislation proposes to do this. We know it is not what TG4 and the Irish language community want, and it is very sad that we are rowing back on that facility to protect and preserve our language in this legislation rather than continuing to bolster it further into our public institutions and law."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charlie McConalogue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Charlie McConalogue I see the argument Deputy Gibney is making but there is a fair point in the alternative in terms of the way it is presented in the Bill at present. For example, if we were to follow the Deputy's approach, it would mean somebody who is not proficient in the Irish language would not be able to be a member of the audience council. As I said, there are many people who watch TG4 as it stands."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sh\u00f3nagh N\u00ed Raghallaigh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sh\u00f3nagh-N\u00ed-Raghallaigh.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sh\u00f3nagh-N\u00ed-Raghallaigh.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sh\u00f3nagh N\u00ed Raghallaigh They can still watch it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney They can continue to watch TG4."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charlie McConalogue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Charlie McConalogue Of course, they can continue to watch TG4-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney That is not what the audience council is. It does not need to be representative-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charlie McConalogue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Charlie McConalogue -----and we want them to but were we to accept the amendment, they would not be able to take part in the audience council. They would be legislatively prohibited from taking part in it. I do not think that is appropriate either."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney It has been appropriate until now."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charlie McConalogue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Charlie McConalogue The legislation does not prohibit all 15 being proficient in Irish but it requires that at least ten must be."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney It fundamentally changes the way it does its business."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charlie McConalogue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Charlie McConalogue It provides the opportunity for somebody who is not yet proficient. Somebody, for example, who is on the journey of learning Irish but is not yet proficient, who is keen and who feels they have a contribution to make to the TG4 audience council; people whom TG4 is assisting on their journey in becoming proficient in the language. The Deputy's amendment would prohibit them from being able to contribute to the audience council, even if they really wished to do so and had exceptional ideas to bring to the audience council. That would be the effect of the Deputy's amendment. I take her other point, and we fully expect nothing other than TG4 conducting its business in Irish. However, we think it is fair to provide this. Looking back at my previous constituency colleague, Joe McHugh, for example, who was appointed Minister of State with responsibility for the Gaeltacht, to much criticism at the time. However, his particular journey became one of the best examples of how one could learn Irish and how this learning can be accessible. He also went on to publish a book on his experience. We should ensure the audience council is open and accessible to everyone of all perspectives. If somebody has something of value they can contribute to that audience council, but they have not yet become proficient in Gaeilge, we should not be prohibiting them from making that contribution and being a part of it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Erin McGreehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Erin McGreehan) Did Deputy Gibney want to come back in?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney No."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Erin McGreehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Erin McGreehan) Apologies, I thought because it was grouped that we could bring the Deputy back in."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney I move amendment No. 6: In page 34, line 11, to delete \u201cinclusion of members\u201d and substitute \u201cinclusion of at least 3 members in the case of the audience council of RT\u00c9\u201d."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Amendment put and declared lost."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Joanna Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Joanna-Byrne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Joanna-Byrne.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Joanna Byrne I move amendment No. 7: In page 34, line 12, to delete \u201cat least 10 members\u201d and substitute \u201call members\u201d."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Amendment put and declared lost."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Joanna Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Joanna-Byrne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Joanna-Byrne.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Joanna Byrne I move amendment No. 8: In page 38, between lines 1 and 2, to insert the following: \u201cInsertion of new section 105A into Principal Act 41 . The Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 105: \u201cDuties of a Corporation to ensure revenue supports sustainable employment 105A . A corporation shall support sustainable employment where its revenue is used to fund productions, performances and commissions, including by ensuring\u2014 (a) that no revenue is used to fund the production of content by artificial intelligence; (b) full compliance with the Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000 and the Directive (EU) 2019\/790 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019; (c) performers, writers, composers, artists or other workers are not required to sign away their rights to future residual payments for their work, or to agree to a so-called \u2018buy-out\u2019 contract, as a precondition of work; (d) that the principle of equal pay for equal work is upheld; (e) the publication of and adherence to objective criteria for determining employment status and for using contracts of service, which abide by both the judgement of the Supreme Court in the case of the Revenue Commissioners and Karshan (Midlands) Ltd t\/a Dominos\u2019 Pizza on 20th October 2023 and the Code of Practice on Determining Employment Status.\u201d.\u201d. This amendment relates to the rights of creative workers and attempts to enshrine in law the principle that additional criteria and safeguards should be included with any money that goes towards production. On Committee Stage, the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, outlined that he agreed with all that was being proposed but said that he could not agree to the amendment as he believed it replicated existing legal requirements. The truth is that the existing requirements have been ignored or not enforced. Whether in relation to buy-out contracts for copyright, bogus self-employment or equal pay for equal work, they have been ignored. That is why the amendment was proposed. With the additional focus on workers' rights and conditions this week, it is a shame the Government still has its head buried in the sand. The Minister also objected to prohibiting the use of RT\u00c9 funding for the production of content through the use of artificial intelligence - a measure he seemed to agree with - on the basis that the amendment could be interpreted as including the use of AI as a research tool. The wording regarding the production of content by AI was very clear but we were open to changing the wording if the Minister had a better suggestion that would make the intent clearer. With artists gathering in Leinster House this evening to speak about this issue and in light of the D\u00e1il's unanimous vote in July that no public money should be spent on AI-generated content that undermines artistic content, it would be better for us to work together on a workable wording for this Bill rather than simply dismissing the amendment. I urge the Ministers to reconsider and to use the Seanad debates as another opportunity to address this issue."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett I strongly support this amendment. It relates to a later amendment of my own, which proposes the deletion of the section requiring 40% of all revenues that go to RT\u00c9 to be spent on production outsourced to the independent sector. The amendment requires that employment rights and workers' rights be properly upheld, that the use of buy-out contracts for actors and performers be avoided, and that public money not be used for that. I do not know what assurances the Government is giving but I do not credit them. I will tell the Minister of State why. I have just come from a meeting of the Committee on Budgetary Oversight where representatives of Irish Equity, SIPTU and film crew were pointing out what happens if you try to assert your rights in the Irish film sector, as they have been doing for about a decade. We are now going to insist that 40% of revenue that goes to RT\u00c9 be spent on productions outsourced to this sector. The Bill explicitly mentions section 481. Companies that are in receipt of what is now \u20ac177 million in tax relief are now also going to get 40% of RT\u00c9's revenues. The people who work in that sector, which is funded by section 481 tax relief, are in this building as we speak and they are saying that their rights are being trampled on. They have been saying that for a decade. This Bill is about the governance of RT\u00c9. We have heard about excessive salaries and all of that stuff. That is true. We want the Comptroller and Auditor General to look at that. However, does the Minister of State know what nobody is scrutinising? It is the private companies RT\u00c9's money is now going to go to. This Bill requires that 40% of all the money that goes to RT\u00c9 be given to private companies that are subject to no scrutiny at all. This well thought-out amendment proposed by Sinn F\u00e9in proposes that we at least put some conditions on that. My own amendment goes further and says that we should not be doing this. This is essentially a mandatory requirement to hollow out RT\u00c9 and to outsource productions to the private sector, over which there is no scrutiny. In responding to the governance scandals and excessive salaries in RT\u00c9 and saying that we need more oversight, why would we insist that most production be outsourced to a sector where there is no oversight? It is bonkers. They can do what they like. What the actors and performers were saying in the Houses again today is that, in this sector, you are blacklisted if you do not accept a buy-out contract. Under EU law, you have a right to royalties from the future exploitation of your work in film or whatever. If you do not accept a contract that buys you out of those entitlements and rights, you do not get the job, you are blacklisted and you will not work again. It is similar for film crew who insist that their service to the industry be recognised. For example, you might say that you have been working as film crew for the same producer, a producer who is getting all of this public money, for 20 years and insist that your service to the industry be recognised. However, these producers refuse to recognise that service. They hide behind the DACs set up in respect of all of these independent productions. That allows them to say that you were employed by one DAC, which does not exist any more, and that neither they nor any new DAC has any responsibility to you whatsoever. They will say they do not have an employment relationship with you and that, if you dare assert your rights, you will not work again. Some of the people who were here today said that, since they first came to these Houses and brought these issues to the attention of an Oireachtas committee, they have not worked. These are people who worked in the industry for 20, 30 or 40 years. Blacklisting is rampant in this sector, which this Bill insists will get 40% of all RT\u00c9's revenues. That is absolutely unacceptable. This amendment at least tries to put some conditions on it. It says that there can be no use of buy-out contracts. Every single contract given to actors and performers in this country requires them to give away their rights to future revenues. Most of the revenue that is generated from these productions comes from downstream revenues. A film or drama does not make revenue while it is being produced. It makes revenue down the line. However, the people who are in the film are being asked to sign away that entitlement and the Government is doing nothing. In fact, it is now going to give carte blanche to those companies to have even more public money but not guarantee the rights of actors not to have to work under these contracts. That is in sharp contrast with every other jurisdiction. In Britain, they do not have to sign buy-out contracts. Even in the United States, they do not have to sign buy-out contracts. In many of the countries in Europe, they do not have to sign buy-out contracts. The situation is similar for crew, or the below-the-line workers, as they rather insultingly call them. Their service is recognised. In the Irish film industry, however, your service is not recognised. I am against that. The Sinn F\u00e9in amendment is at least trying to say that there should be some conditionality on this money going to this sector, but in reality, we should not be insisting on what is essentially the backdoor privatisation of RT\u00c9 to the benefit of producers who will then trample on the rights of actors, performers and film crew."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charlie McConalogue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Charlie McConalogue I thank the Deputies. I will reiterate what the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, said on Committee Stage about our clear expectation that State bodies comply fully with all applicable law, whether it be employment, copyright, social protection, tax law or any relevant case law. This includes the principle of equal pay for equal work as set out in the employment equality Acts and the protections for rights holders set out in the Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000. We also expect State bodies to comply with all relevant guidance, including the code of practice on determining employment status published by the Revenue Commissioners, the Department of Social Protection and the Workplace Relations Commission; the code of practice for the governance of State bodies; and any other guidelines issued by regulatory bodies, such as Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n, and, likewise, for every other independent body and company as well, which are equally subject to the law in the same way. In the context of the Deputies' amendment, it is important to note that the most recent iteration of the code of practice on determining employment status contains a five-step framework included in the Karshan judgment, which provides a decision-making model to determine the employment status of workers. I am conscious that artificial intelligence is a new area presenting both challenges and opportunities for the media and creative sectors. In this context, I acknowledge the work done by Deputies \u00d3 Snodaigh and Joanna Byrne in highlighting the massive challenge AI can present to our creative sectors. From an AI transparency perspective, we have introduced regulation at EU level, which I would expect RT\u00c9 and TG4 to fully comply with. Article 50 of the AI Act, which came into force in August of this year, sets clear transparency requirements, including a requirement on a provider such as RT\u00c9 or TG4 to disclose if an AI system has been used to generate or manipulate text that is published with the purpose of informing the public on matters of public interest. The supervisory responsibilities in this area as they relate to the media sector have been assigned to Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n as the independent regulator. The Deputies have proposed that no revenue should be used by RT\u00c9 or TG4 to fund the production of content using artificial intelligence. I recognise that this builds on the D\u00e1il motion on the impact of AI on creative workers, proposed by Deputy \u00d3 Snodaigh, which was passed this summer. This would be quite a wide-ranging provision to include in Irish law at this stage of the development and deployment of AI, particularly in the absence of accompanying guidance and consideration of the degree to which AI could be used to assist in creative or journalistic work funded or undertaken by RT\u00c9 and TG4. Given where we are in terms of policy development on artificial intelligence, it would be premature to introduce a measure of this nature, though I understand the intention and the concern the Deputies have for the rights and position of creative artists in this context. As the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, set out on Committee Stage, ultimately this amendment cannot be accepted, not only for the uncertainty regarding AI but also because it replicates many of the legal requirements that apply to RT\u00c9, TG4 and other public bodies."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett The companies are not complying with the law. They are not complying with the EU copyright directive, which relates to buy-out contracts. They are not complying with the law when it comes to the fixed-term workers legislation. Not a single worker in the Irish film industry has a contract of indefinite duration. That is after approximately \u20ac5 billion has gone into the industry. Do I trust them with AI? If they are not vindicating those rights, I absolutely do not."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Amendment put and declared lost."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Amendments Nos. 9 to 12, inclusive, are related and may be discussed together."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett I move amendment No. 9: In page 48, to delete lines 28 to 38, in page 49 to delete lines 1 to 41, and in page 50, to delete lines 1 to 38. This amendment follows directly from the previous point. I will elaborate. This amendment deletes the section. The Broadcasting Act contains a figure for the amount of revenue that has to go to the independent account. I think the relevant figure is \u20ac40 million. That amount would go up to 40%, as far as I understand. We are hardwiring that into the public funding for RT\u00c9. In fact, it is not 40%. Some 25% must go to the independent sector. One quarter of all the money that goes to RT\u00c9 does not actually go to RT\u00c9 but to the independent sector for outsourcing to private companies. The Government's amending legislation also refers to section 481. I will repeat that it is \u20ac177 million and rising. It went from \u20ac122 million in 2024 to \u20ac177 million last year. It is rising all the time. Do not get me wrong, I am for funding the Irish film industry, but it is conditional on quality employment and training. There is no quality employment and training. The actors and performers are having their royalties, which used to be known as residuals, effectively stolen from them. There is no other way to describe it. They are forced to sign contracts whereby they sign away their rights to future residuals for ten years. Actors and performers would normally get a small cheque every time a production they were in aired again. They do not get them any longer because they have to sign them away. If they do not sign them away, they will not be in the movie. That is the way it works. Our committee heard testimony recently, for the umpteenth time, saying that is the case. Similarly, we have film crew who have worked for the same producer companies to which the Minister of State now wants to give an even higher percentage of our RT\u00c9 money. Those companies refuse to acknowledge an employment relationship with people they have employed again and again over periods of 20, 30 and 40 years. The clock goes back to zero for people who have worked. Imagine every single day the workers came in here and were told they were only employed for a day, and that if they were to say anything, they would not be employed the next day. That is how it is in the film industry. We would not accept that anywhere else. Why do we accept it in the film industry? We are insisting on that 40% of RT\u00c9 money. What we are doing is replacing proper jobs in RT\u00c9 with no jobs and giving the money to film producers who deny their relationship with the employees, and who rob the actors and performers of their future rights to residuals. I do not believe we should do that. No oversight mechanisms are included anywhere in this legislation to prevent that from happening. There has been no serious enforcement despite the Committee on Budgetary Oversight producing a report on section 481 recommending a whole series of actions. Representatives of the trade unions came in to say that all the bits that suit the producers have been activated and that all the bits that would help the workers have not. That is what is happening. Workers, as usual, lose out. Public money is subsidising an abuse of workers' rights. I do not think that public money should be used in that way."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney I will speak to amendments Nos. 10 to 12, inclusive, which are grouped alongside this amendment. We have taken a slightly different approach. We recognise that promises have been made to the independent sector, the commercial sector, regarding the 25% level of funding but we would like to see Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n having the discretion to go above or below that. We have introduced that in amendment No. 10. It would allow the commission to meaningfully react to the financial situation and public service remit of RT\u00c9 when deciding to alter the percentage in the independent productions account. We have seen such uncertainty in RT\u00c9 funding. We need to ensure that if circumstances outside its control mean that RT\u00c9 cannot meet its financial obligations or execute its strategy that the media regulator can assess those situations with regard to ring-fencing one quarter of its budget. With amendments Nos. 11 and 12, we are trying to include reporting on staff wages and collective bargaining for workers' rights in the reporting of independent commissions from RT\u00c9. As Deputy Boyd Barrett has just noted, with this shift away from State-provided employment in this sector, we are seeing all of this being pushed towards the commercial sector, which is how it should be described as opposed to the independent sector. We are seeing an erosion of workers' rights as a result of that. RT\u00c9 has assured me it follows through the public service mandate in the commissioning process, but we know the same does not happen with workers' rights. That is a reality. Broadcasting is already a precarious sector in which many people have incredibly precarious working conditions and very little access to the workers' rights they would have in other public or State-funded bodies. This is essentially what amendments Nos. 10 to 12, inclusive, seek to achieve, while still recognising that the 25% commissioning level has been worked through, that Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n should be able to put that in place, if necessary, and should also be able to react to the financial circumstances of our State broadcaster, if required."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charlie McConalogue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Charlie-McConalogue.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Charlie McConalogue Amendment No. 9 proposed by Deputy Boyd Barrett would remove all of the proposed changes to the RT\u00c9 independent programmes account set out in the Bill. In addition, it would remove the proposed requirement on TG4 to publish an annual report on its commissioning of productions from the independent sector. As the Deputy will be aware, section 116 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 currently provides that RT\u00c9 shall pay a fixed index-linked sum into the independent programmes account. For 2026, this sum was \u20ac49.1 million. The independent programmes account was first introduced through the Broadcasting Authority (Amendment) Act 1993."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle As the time has for the debate has elapsed, I am now obliged to put the question, \"That Fourth Stage is hereby agreed and the Bill is hereby passed.\" Is that agreed?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":" Deputies","uri":null,"memberCode":null,"role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputies Not agreed."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2026: Report and Final Stages"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-13\/debate\/dbsect_21","debateType":"debate","bill":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/bill\/2026\/95","event":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/bill\/2026\/95\/dail\/3","houseCode":"dail","stage":"3","isBillStage":true,"showAs":"Employment Equality and Institutional Burials (Amendment) Bill 2026: Committee and Remaining Stages (D\u00e1il)"}},"showAs":"Employment Equality and Institutional Burials (Amendment) Bill 2026: Committee and Remaining Stages","counts":{"speechCount":18,"speakerCount":3},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_21","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mark Wall","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Norma Foley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Norma-Foley.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Norma-Foley.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"SECTION 1"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mark Wall","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mark Wall I move amendment No. 1: In page 3, between lines 22 and 23, to insert the following: \"(3) The Institutional Burials Act 2022 and Part 3 may be cited together as the Institutional Burials Acts 2022 and 2026 and shall be construed together as one Act.\". Section 1 does not provide a collective construction for the Institutional Burials Act 2022 in Part 3 of this Bill. This matters because section 4 of this Bill does not consist of insertions into or amendments to the 2022 Act. It is a stand-alone provision yet it uses terms from the 2022 Act without defining them. We are raising this because providing a collective citation and construction means that terms such as \"director\", \"eligible family member\" and \"objection\" have the meaning provided for in the 2022 Act."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Norma Foley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Norma-Foley.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Norma-Foley.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Children, Disability and Equality (Deputy Norma Foley) I thank Deputy Wall for this amendment. While I appreciate the intention behind the amendment, I am not in a position to accept it. The amendments to the 2022 Act contained in section 3 of this Bill are textual amendments to the existing Institutional Burials Act 2022 and, therefore, those amendments are automatically construed with that Act. If the amendments are enacted, they will form part of the 2022 Act, rather than provisions establishing a new stand-alone Act. The transitional provision set out in section 4 will only have temporary application for first cousins who have already made an application to the identification programme currently under way in Tuam. This section does not rely on any term defined in the 2022 Act, except the definition of \"Identification Programme\", which is also defined in this legislation. Accordingly, the amendment is not necessary."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Does the Deputy wish to press the amendment?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mark Wall","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mark Wall No."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Amendment, by leave, withdrawn."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Section 1 agreed to."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"SECTION 2"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mark Wall","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mark Wall I move amendment No. 2: In page 6, between lines 8 and 9, to insert the following: \u201c(9F) Where the Minister - (a) ceases to publish information or a relevant statement under subsection (9B)(b), (b) ceases to continue to publish relevant information and applicable statements under subsection (9D)(b), or (c) ceases to make available relevant information under subsection (9E)(b), the Minister shall as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter lay a statement before each House of the Oireachtas setting out his or her reasons for so doing.\u201d,\u201d. Under subsection (9E)(b) the Minister can stop publishing certain information with no criteria and with no reason. The amendment simply requires the stated reasons and that notice should be laid before the House."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Norma Foley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Norma-Foley.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Norma-Foley.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Norma Foley I thank the Deputy for the amendment. Regrettably, however, I will not be accepting the amendment. The reason being that a report that would be removed from the public side of the portal would be where a person has been directly or indirectly identified by the publication of the report. In such circumstances, it would not be appropriate for me to lay a statement before the Houses of the Oireachtas as this has the potential to bring further attention to the person or to their personal data that this Part of the Bill seeks to protect. While I understand the principle of transparency the Deputy is trying to highlight with this amendment, the unintended consequences would not be in the best interests of the persons whose personal data or identity had been inadvertently published."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Does the Deputy wish to respond?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mark Wall","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mark Wall No. I am happy with that."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Amendment, by leave, withdrawn."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mark Wall","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mark Wall I move amendment No. 3: In page 6, line 21, to delete \u201cinformation referred to paragraphs (a) and (b)\u201d and substitute \u201cinformation referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b)\u201d. This is a technical amendment and I just ask the Minister to respond."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Norma Foley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Norma-Foley.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Norma-Foley.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Norma Foley I agree to it."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Amendment agreed to."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Section 2, as amended, agreed to."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"NEW SECTION"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mark Wall","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mark Wall I move amendment No. 4: In page 6, between lines 28 and 29, to insert the following: \u201c Interpretation (Part 3) 3 . In this Part, \u201cAct of 2022\u201d means the Institutional Burials Act 2022.\u201d."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Amendments Nos. 4 and 7, which are related, will be discussed together."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Norma Foley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Norma-Foley.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Norma-Foley.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Norma Foley I thank the Deputy for bringing forward the amendments. I am happy to accept the amendments, which are technical in nature and improve the drafting clarity of the Bill. As the Bill was restructured into separate Parts and sections during drafting, an interpretation provision that was intended to apply more broadly came to apply only to section 4. These amendments insert a new interpretation provision at the start of Part 3 from the defining Act, the Institutional Burials Act 2022. For the purposes of that Part, these amendments also amend section 4(6) to remove a reference to the definition of the Act of 2022. This will ensure consistency and clarity in the operation of Part 3 and I am happy and to support the amendments."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Amendment agreed to."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Section 3 agreed to."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"SECTION 4"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mark Wall","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mark Wall I move amendment No. 5: In page 7, to delete lines 12 to 14 and substitute the following: \u201c(ii) an appeal was made against that determination and that determination was confirmed on appeal, or (iii) an appeal was made against that determination and was withdrawn before a decision was made.\u201d. Section 4 is a transitional provision dealing with the status of family members of a deceased person who have made applications before the law is changed by this Bill but the section does not cover all scenarios. In particular, section 4(1)(c) deals with cases where a family member has applied and has not either appealed against a refusal or has appealed and lost. It does not cover the case of someone who simply withdrew the appeal knowing that the law as it then stood was against them. The amendment inserts a provision to cover this."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Norma Foley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Norma-Foley.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Norma-Foley.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Norma Foley I thank the Deputy for bringing forward the amendment and I am happy to accept the amendment, which is technical in nature and improves the clarity of the Bill . The amendment provides for an additional circumstance that may have occurred in relation to a determination and appeal to be included as part of the transitional arrangements. In this regard, it explicitly ensures that if a first cousin has appealed a determination by the director but withdrew that appeal before the determination was confirmed they could also reapply. This approach reflects the policy intention that first cousins who withdrew an appeal before it was determined should not be precluded from participating in an identification programme. I am happy to support the amendment. I thank the Deputy."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Amendment agreed to."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mark Wall","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mark Wall I move amendment No. 6: In page 7, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following: \u201c(3) Where, on the coming into operation of section 3 - (a) an application has been made under section 48 of the Act of 2022 by a person referred to in subsection (1)(a) in respect of which a determination has not been made, or (b) an appeal has been made under section 81 of that Act by such a person in respect of which a decision has not been made, the application or appeal (as the case may be) shall be determined or decided in accordance with the Act of 2022 as amended by section 3.\u201d . This amendment covers another scenario under transitional provisions cases in hand. It clarifies that where an application was made but not determined, or an appeal was made but not decided, then the case should be dealt with under the law as amended."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Norma Foley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Norma-Foley.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Norma-Foley.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Norma Foley I thank the Deputy for tabling the amendment. While I appreciate the intent behind it, I am not in a position to accept the amendment. If this legislation is enacted the amended provisions will apply to any applications or appeals, including those that may have been received but have yet to be determined. The amendment is, therefore, not necessary but I thank the Deputy for his consideration of the provisions."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Amendment, by leave, withdrawn."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mark Wall","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mark Wall I move amendment No. 7: In page 8, to delete lines 1 to 3 and substitute the following: \u201c(6) In this section, \u201cIdentification Programme\u201d has the same meaning as it has in the Act of 2022.\u201d."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Amendment agreed to."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Section 4, as amended, agreed to."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Title agreed to."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Bill reported with amendment, received for final consideration and passed."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Cuireadh an D\u00e1il ar fionra\u00ed ar 6.17 p.m. agus cuireadh t\u00fas leis ar\u00eds ar 6.26 p.m."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Sitting suspended at 6.17 p.m. and resumed at 6.26 p.m."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Employment Equality and Institutional Burials (Amendment) Bill 2026: Committee and Remaining Stages"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-10-13\/debate\/dbsect_22","debateType":"motion","bill":null,"showAs":"Home Heating Oil Costs: Motion [Private Members]","counts":{"speechCount":40,"speakerCount":32},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_22","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pearse Doherty","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pearse-Doherty.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Pearse-Doherty.S.2007-07-23","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mair\u00e9ad Farrell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mair\u00e9ad-Farrell.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Mair\u00e9ad-Farrell.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Gould","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louis O'Hara","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louis-O'Hara.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Louis-O'Hara.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rose Conway-Walsh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Martin Kenny","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Martin-Kenny.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Martin-Kenny.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louise O'Reilly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Robert Troy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Robert-Troy.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Robert-Troy.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Matt Carthy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darren O'Rourke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sh\u00f3nagh N\u00ed Raghallaigh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sh\u00f3nagh-N\u00ed-Raghallaigh.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sh\u00f3nagh-N\u00ed-Raghallaigh.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Johnny Guirke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Johnny-Guirke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Johnny-Guirke.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Eoin Hayes","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Eoin-Hayes.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Eoin-Hayes.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Barry Heneghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rory Hearne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Paul O'Shea","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Paul-O'Shea.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Paul-O'Shea.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ged Nash","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Gerald-Nash.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Gerald-Nash.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brian Stanley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Seamus Healy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Seamus-Healy.D.2000-06-22","memberCode":"Seamus-Healy.D.2000-06-22","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Roderic O'Gorman","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard O'Donoghue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Nicholas Gogarty","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Fitzmaurice","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Fitzmaurice.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Michael-Fitzmaurice.D.2014-10-10","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Cahill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Cahill.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Michael-Cahill.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cathal Crowe","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cathal-Crowe.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Cathal-Crowe.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ann Graves","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ann-Graves.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ann-Graves.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dessie Ellis","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dessie-Ellis.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Dessie-Ellis.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pearse Doherty","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pearse-Doherty.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Pearse-Doherty.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Pearse Doherty I move: That D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann: notes that: \u2014 approximately 700,000 households across the State depend on home heating oil to keep their homes warm, with many families facing unprecedented financial pressure as winter approaches; and \u2014 the cost of filling a home heating oil tank has increased by more than \u20ac700 since the beginning of 2026; further notes that: \u2014 in the hours after the Budget was announced, wholesale home heating oil prices increased by \u20ac100 for a fill, with a further increase projected; \u2014 households now face bills of over \u20ac1,600 on a 1,000-litre fill of home heating oil; \u2014 despite these extraordinary increases, Budget 2027 delivered a reduction of just \u20ac43 on a 1,000-litre fill of home heating oil; \u2014 increases over recent days demonstrate how quickly the Government's inadequate \u20ac43 reduction has been wiped out; \u2014 Sinn F\u00e9in has consistently called for the removal of carbon tax from home heating oil, including through legislation brought before the D\u00e1il, to deliver immediate and meaningful reductions in household heating costs; \u2014 Budget 2027 also failed to introduce any further reduction in petrol and diesel prices, leaving workers and families facing continued high transport costs, and changes in the fuel allowance have actually left recipients worse off; and \u2014 despite the strength of the State's finances, the Government has failed to deliver sufficient immediate relief to households struggling to afford the basic necessity of heating their homes; and calls on the Government to immediately remove all carbon tax from home heating oil, delivering a meaningful reduction in costs for the approximately 700,000 households dependent on it. As winter approaches, workers and families will be forced to pay more now to keep their homes warm. This Government's response in the budget to rising prices is a token gesture and bears no relation to the bills landing on kitchen tables. The Government is out of touch with what the people are saying. It is not listening. These are people who are paying these bills and the Government is removed from the reality of their everyday lives. It defends a tax on home heating oil that is ripping people off and then it expects people to be grateful to it because it delivered a pathetic reduction of \u20ac43. So many people are working every hour they can. They are cutting back wherever they can and they still find that the money simply does not stretch far enough. They are telling the Government plainly that they cannot cope but it is not listening. Before Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael vote against cutting their bills once again, they should listen to what people are actually saying to them. A person from west Limerick contacted me to say that they work full time. They take on extra shifts and work the weekends also. They cannot afford to turn on the oil to heat their water. They describe taking cold showers and then getting into a cold bed. They are working all week, including the weekends, and are still unable to afford the basic comforts in their own home. What is the Minister of State's answer to that person? It is not just him. Another person told me about the previous winter, when they and their partner ran out of home heating oil. Between them, they had just \u20ac8 per day to live on. Refilling the tank was out of the question. They huddled together on the couch and in bed, wearing layers of clothing to keep warm. They used an electric heater for half an hour before bed and they could not afford to leave it on any longer than that. They now live with their partner's parents. They are trying to save enough money to move out - that is another challenge - but the cost of living keeps on pushing them further away. They are unable to afford warmth in the home they had or to save for the home they want. One woman told me that last October, she got 500 litres of kerosene and it cost her \u20ac505. Today, the suppliers in her area are charging her \u20ac800 for the same amount. She has half a tank left, she tells me, and she will not be refilling it for the foreseeable future. Another person who came to me told me they are buying oil 100 litres at a time. They are carrying the drums from the station down to their home and filling the tank themselves because they cannot afford it any other way. Another reported paying \u20ac1,600 for 1,000 litres just recently. Behind every one of those bills in those households are real people who are trying to make money stretch across food, rent, the mortgage, going to work and keeping the lights on. That is a challenge that so many people have and now, it is the fear of the oil running out. These people need meaningful relief from this Government. A pathetic \u20ac43 reduction on 1,000 litres of home heating oil comes nowhere near meeting the pressure they are under. The Government keeps pointing to global events but they do not absolve the Minister of State and his Cabinet colleagues of their responsibility. The Government cannot control every movement in international oil prices - we get that - but it can control the tax it charges the people of Ireland to heat their homes. That is on the Government. That is the Government's decision, so it should own it. Irish workers and families deserve better than this. For many families, filling the tank is one of the biggest expenses they will have this winter. People are saving for months. They are cutting back on all their spending, dipping into savings and borrowing money. They do whatever they can. More than 700,000 households rely on home heating oil and they do not need Government lectures. What they need is no more Government excuses. They need lower prices and that is why Sinn F\u00e9in is once again calling on the Government to completely remove the carbon tax from home heating oil. That is why we are bringing this motion again before the D\u00e1il and why every TD in this House should support it. This is the ninth occasion that Sinn F\u00e9in has brought forward this proposal to cut the cost of home heating oil - nine opportunities to help households, nine opportunities to reduce their bills and nine opportunities to stand up for workers and families. Every TD has a choice tonight. They can stand over a policy that has already been overtaken by rising prices or they can support meaningful action. They can support more Government spin or support workers and their families struggling to heat their homes. They cannot blame international crises on the vote they cast in this Chamber. I am calling on all TDs from all parties to send a clear message. When the Irish people who elect them to this House need them to step up, they have a duty to act. When people are struggling, TDs have a duty to do what is right, which is backing Sinn F\u00e9in's motion. Scrap the carbon tax from home heating oil and put workers and families first."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mair\u00e9ad Farrell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mair\u00e9ad-Farrell.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Mair\u00e9ad-Farrell.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mair\u00e9ad Farrell Last week was really hard for people. People had been holding out on getting oil since the spring, expecting that something would happen in the budget that would allow them to get a fill of oil, to be able to put the heating back on and to live a good quality of life in their homes. Not being able to put on the heating is not conducive to a good quality of life. Straight after the budget was announced, I got loads of messages asking what was happening with the home heating oil and the carbon tax. The Government had bigged it up so much that people were expecting something that would actually make a difference in their lives but the reality was that there was nothing, tada, faic. That was the message from the Government last week. That was the message to people across the west of Ireland who have been relying on home heating oil and who have not been able to get a fill of a tank. These are people who have no oil left and have no ability to heat their homes. When we saw the prices increase, we got another swathe of messages. One man contacted me saying, \"I was waiting too. Then, I looked and it is the same price or higher everywhere. Might hold off another week or two and see.\" That man should not have to hold off another week or two. He should be able to heat his home. He should be able to put a fill of oil into his tank and heat his home. It should not be the case that he cannot afford to do that because the Government has decided to keep a tax on the oil he is trying to buy to heat his home. The Minister of State has the opportunity today to change that by backing this motion to cut the carbon tax fully on home heating oil and to make people's lives easier by enabling them to put oil in their tanks and heat their homes."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Gould","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Gould A man contacted me today. It cost him \u20ac1,400 to put 800 litres of oil into his tank. That is not even a full fill but that is all he could manage. This is an ordinary person who, as members of the Government say, gets up early in the morning to go to work. He cannot even afford to fill his tank with oil because of the carbon tax. If that carbon tax was removed, as Pearse Doherty suggested, he could have filled his tank. That would have made a real difference to him. This man is angry like so many other people who are doing everything they can and who are working every hour God sends and yet this Government is taxing them out of existence. These people are looking for help but the budget last week did not deliver that. Pearse Doherty is trying to deliver help. We cannot sort everything out but for those 750,000 people who rely on home heating oil and who are looking for support, this would make a real difference to their lives. I think of pensioners in their homes. I know pensioners living alone and widows getting their sons or daughters to dip their tanks to see if they can fill it or half fill it. Is the Government so out of touch with ordinary people that it will not support them? Why will the Government not support ordinary workers, families, pensioners and people with disabilities? Who is pulling the strings behind the scenes? Ordinary people and families need help and the Government is not delivering for them. There will be protests this winter because as prices go up, people will get more angry and frustrated and they are looking at this Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael Government and saying that it has broken every promise to them. Where are the energy credits? Where is the tax on the profits of the big energy companies? Where are the cuts to the carbon tax that it should have delivered but did not deliver? Once again, this Government forgets about ordinary, hard-working people who get up early."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louis O'Hara","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louis-O'Hara.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Louis-O'Hara.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Louis O'Hara Last week's budget was a Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael one designed with the interests of the elites and wealthy in mind. It was anti-worker, anti-rural and anti-young people. It will do nothing to bring costs down and protect households from the cost-of-living crisis. It will do nothing to alleviate the burden on households that do not have alternatives but yet have been punished by successive carbon tax increases from successive Governments. These are the people in rural Ireland who have to use their cars to go to work, to pick up their kids from school and go about their daily lives and who have to rely on home heating oil to keep their home warm through the winter months. Families have seen the cost of oil skyrocket by hundreds of euro and all year we have been telling the Government that it needed to intervene. We brought forward nine separate proposals to the D\u00e1il to remove the carbon tax from home heating oil but the Government did nothing. It sat on its hands while people struggled. Days before the budget, Simon Harris said that help was on its way, and what did people get? A measly \u20ac43, even though prices have gone up by \u20ac700 this year alone and now by another \u20ac150 since the budget. It is gone before you even get it. Today with this motion, the Government has an opportunity to do the right thing and stand up for households who are being fleeced left, right and centre and to offer them real support, to remove the carbon tax completely from home heating oil and to deliver the maximum possible reduction to households at a time of soaring prices. It is the right thing to do because these prices affect all 700,000 households that rely on home heating oil but they are felt the most by the most vulnerable in society. One woman described to me how she is dreading this winter because of the high cost of home heating oil. Another old-age pensioner told me that she simply will not be able to keep her house warm because of the current prices this winter and that is the reality people are living right now. Being able to heat your home is one of the most basic of essentials that everybody needs, yet this Government has only offered up half measures and that is because of the political choices it has made. It prioritises the big energy companies, vulture funds, developers and landlords over vulnerable people who need to heat their homes. Nobody should be going cold in a country that has billions of euro of surplus and in a wealthy country such as ours. Do the right thing, support this motion and remove the carbon tax."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rose Conway-Walsh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh It should not be news to the Minister of State that families across the State are struggling to keep their heads above water. On his watch, record numbers of households have fallen into arrears on their electricity bills. Now, the winter is here and pensioners and families are terrified of the cost of heating their homes. The most common question in rural Ireland these days is, \"Have you dipped your tank and how long more is it going to last?\" People waited and waited for this budget and they did not get what should have been done in the budget. The Government has turned its back on the people and people in rural Ireland certainly know that. Since January, the cost 1,000 litres of home heating oil has soared by over \u20ac700 but the Government has given back a measly \u20ac43. Nobody can afford to fill their tank in the first place, so it is even less than that. It is an absolute insult to the households already at breaking point and totally wiped out by further price increases since budget day. In rural counties like Mayo, home heating oil is not a luxury. Families have no alternative. People cannot simply switch to another source of heat this winter. Instead of backing Sinn F\u00e9in's motion this evening, the Government amendment delivers another slap in the face. The Government tells people it will keep the situation under review and protect those most vulnerable. The Government is not protecting the most vulnerable because the people I meet every day are extremely vulnerable. If people cannot heat their home, they are, due for that mere reason, vulnerable. The time for reviews is long gone. Shall I forward the Minister for Finance the emails and calls my office is receiving from pensioners afraid to turn on their heating and from families facing the prospect of freezing in their own homes? The budget was the Government's opportunity to act. On this side of the House, we are often accused of not coming up with solutions. We have gone to the Government eight times to give it the solution as to what needs to be done here. This is the ninth time. It is never too late to do the right thing. This is the ninth time and the Government needs to act."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Martin Kenny","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Martin-Kenny.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Martin-Kenny.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Martin Kenny I was on my way home the week before last when I pulled into a filling station and there was a couple there with five-gallon drums in the boot of their car that the were about to fill with heating oil. I was chatting to one of them and he said he hoped after the budget they could fill the tank properly and they would be getting a bit of relief. There is no relief; that is the reality. What was taken away in the budget was already gone before they got it. That is the reality for the vast majority of people. This goes across every aspect of heating, fuel for the car and electricity. All the measures that the Government had an opportunity to something about, it did nothing on. Home heating oil is a particularly sore one for people who live in rural areas in poorer houses and who have no option other than to heat their home using home heating oil. That is the only option they have and yet the Government chose to do little or nothing about it, suggesting that leaving the carbon tax on home heating oil means they will be able to get a grant to insulate their home. They cannot afford to get a grant to insulate their home because they cannot afford to pay a mortgage or pay to get their children through college and everything else that is going through the roof as well. There is a total disconnect with the Government when it comes to all these issues. While it can point to Putin, Trump and the wars as causing all of this, suggesting it is international factors and all that, the reality is that the Government has an opportunity to do something about it here in this country and it does not do it. Instead, it turns its back on people and points to somewhere else. That is no good to the people out there who have five-gallon drums in their boot of the car to fill with home heating oil. It is no good talking to them about Trump and Putin; that will not solve the problem for them. The Government had the opportunity to solve it by taking away the carbon tax. It is already making bumper profits on the VAT, excise and other duties on home heating oil, other fuel, electricity and everything else. The ordinary people out there who have to go with five-gallon drums in the boot of their car are not data centres and cannot get cheap energy. That is the difference. The Government looks after one sector of society and it lets down the others, the ordinary people out there who go and vote for Government Members and put them in here. Nobody in data centres is putting them in here, but yet they are the ones they look after. What is wrong? Where is the disconnect? What is the ideology that means the Government looks after people who do not actually elect it? What is happening here? Why do we have this society where people trust democracy and democracy fails them? It is not just in Ireland but in many countries across Europe that there is this neoliberal style of economics where the well-connected are looked after and the ordinary people are told to suck it up. That is basically what is happening and it is wrong. That is why we brought this motion. The Government needs to take away the carbon tax and do something to help the ordinary people. This is one opportunity to do it but there are many others that should be taken as well."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louise O'Reilly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Louise O'Reilly A few days before the budget, the finance Minister was asked about the crippling cost of energy and he said that help was on the way. Why anyone would want to listen to him is a mystery to me, but there you go; some people do. Following that message, people waited because they thought the Government would be as good as its word, that help was on the way. People waited, not to fill their tanks because they do not do that any more, but for the half-fill they thought they could afford. They waited for the help that they thought was coming from the budget and they got crumbs. What they got will be quickly swallowed up, as the Minister of State knows. Everybody is calling the budget the gone-before-you-get-it budget and this is a very good example of that. We in Sinn F\u00e9in have offered solutions. This is the ninth time the Government will get a chance to help families struggling to keep their homes warm. Will it ignore this one as well? Its amendment tells me that it will, and shamefully so. People who use home heating oil to heat their homes know that winter is coming and they are panicked. I want to be very clear with the Minister of State. We have talked this evening about the people bringing drums to fill them in the garage. Their neighbours see that and they know what that means. Does the Minister of State have any idea of the crippling shame of people making an announcement to their community that they cannot afford to heat their home? It not their fault. It is not because they are not working hard. Jesus Christ, they are getting up early. It is not because they are not paying tax; they are paying plenty of tax. It is not because they are not doing the right thing. They are doing the right thing but they have a government that is against them at every single turn. The people in my constituency have a very clear message for the Government and they were not shy in telling me about it. They need help to heat their homes. They need the carbon tax taken off home heating oil so that they have a chance to be warm in their homes this winter. That should not be an aspiration. This is Ireland in 2026. People should be able to heat their homes."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Robert Troy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Robert-Troy.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Robert-Troy.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Finance (Deputy Robert Troy) I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after \"D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann\" and substitute the following: \"recognises: \u2014 that the Government remains deeply concerned about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and Gulf, and recognises that de-escalation will have the single greatest impact on reducing prices on home heating oil and other oil-based fuel products; \u2014 that the Government continues to monitor increased energy prices that are felt across Europe and the globe; \u2014 that the Government fully understands the pressures on households that have arisen due to rising home heating costs, and has continuously acted to allay these pressures; \u2014 successive Budgets have provided targeted support to help households with cost-of-living pressures, and re-affirms that energy affordability is a priority for the Government; \u2014 that the Government remains committed to decarbonising our society, increasing investment in renewable energy sources and recycling carbon tax revenues to protect those most vulnerable to fuel poverty through targeted welfare interventions; \u2014 Ireland's obligations in respect of European Union (EU) legislation pertaining to fossil fuel taxation, and that abolition of the carbon tax may result in Ireland losing a derogation under European law; \u2014 that the Government continues to use the funding from carbon tax to help farmers, businesses and households with increased energy prices; \u2014 that the Government continues to monitor the economic impacts carefully, having already taken actions to mitigate energy increases, and provide certainty for families and businesses against the backdrop of global instability; and \u2014 that the Government continues to invest in retrofitting, boiler scrappage, wind energy and many other measures to help alleviate costs in the medium-term; notes that: \u2014 the Government has delivered one of the largest support packages in the EU per head capita, amounting to over \u20ac1.7 billion in supports from March 2026 to June 2027, to assist households and businesses; \u2014 excise reductions have been extended until February 2027, retaining a 30 cent reduction in diesel and 25 cent reduction in petrol; \u2014 Budget 2026 and 2027 have expanded fuel allowance payments to 50,000 more households, and increased the weekly payment; \u2014 the trajectory of the carbon tax has been altered to ease pressure on households, with the rate on home heating oil and gas reduced and paused for the lifetime of the Government; and \u2014 a series of new schemes have been developed to help people make the transition away from fossil fuels; and confirms that the Government will continue to: \u2014 keep the situation under review in the time ahead; and \u2014 respond in a way that protects those most vulnerable to fuel poverty.\". Like many of my colleagues across this Chamber and in government, I hold weekly clinics in my constituency. I engage with family, friends and supporters. Every week we sit down with people from across communities. We listen to their concerns, the challenges they face and the issues impacting their daily lives. Like my colleagues across government, I do everything I can to help them. Any insinuation otherwise is completely false. One of my colleagues opposite gave an example of people working overtime. Because of budgetary changes introduced last week, people doing overtime will now earn more before going into the higher tax bracket. That was a change made last week, one that put more money back into individuals' pockets. I do not know who pulls strings in the party opposite us in terms of running that party, but there is no one pulling strings in terms of who is running the Government, which was democratically elected by the will of the people a number of years ago. I acknowledge that the cost of living is the number one issue affecting people across the country. I and my colleagues hear it and we understand the pressures families are facing. These pressures are being driven by circumstances far beyond the Government's control, with households across Europe and beyond facing similar challenges. That is something that was not really acknowledged in the last 20 minutes, or at most maybe once or twice. The most effective way to bring about an end to current pressures on fuel prices is through a de-escalation of the conflict in the Middle East. The disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 20% of the world's oil supply normally passes, has profound consequences for international energy markets. Ireland continues to use its diplomatic influence wherever possible but we must recognise our influence alone cannot resolve this crisis. However, that does not mean the Government cannot or will not respond. We have responded and we will continue to do so. As I have said before, the Government will respond to those most in need when they need it most. We have a strong record of doing so during Brexit, the Covid pandemic, inflationary prices following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the challenges we face today. Supporting people does not mean that we can afford to be reckless. We have a responsibility not only to those who need help today, but also to those who may need help tomorrow. That is why the balance we sought to strike in budget 2027 responded to the challenges of today while protecting our ability to respond to the crisis of tomorrow. It is because of the prudent management of our economy over the last number of years that we have full employment, we are running budget surpluses and we were in a position to announce a number of interventions last week. Let us consider where some other European countries stand at the moment. In France the government is proposing tax increases. In Spain the government fell because of its inability to introduce the taxation measures it needed to introduce. Because of the prudent management of our economy, we have been able to make interventions. Budget 2027 introduced targeted measures to provide relief to households and businesses facing rising costs. They included increasing the fuel allowance by 13% to \u20ac43 per week and expanding eligibility criteria to approximately 50,000 additional households, bringing the total coverage to more than 465,000 households nationwide. A total of 465,000 households are getting over \u20ac1,200 a year towards their fuel costs. We are extending the 9% VAT rate on gas and electricity until 2030, continuing temporary reductions in fuel excise duties with the overall cost of these interventions expected to exceed \u20ac1 billion, enhancing social protection supports and extending the \u20ac400 income tax disregard for households involved in microgeneration until the end of 2028. These measures will not eliminate every pressure households face and we have never suggested otherwise but they will provide some relief, particularly to those in most need. Importantly, they have been designed to provide that support in a sustainable way, ensuring we retain the capacity to intervene again if necessary. Of course, the Opposition will argue that we should have spent more, done more and taxed more but the decisions we make today have a direct impact on our ability to respond tomorrow and, as a Government, we do not have the luxury of ignoring that. We must consider both. What confuses me about Sinn F\u00e9in's position is its fundamental contradiction. Sinn F\u00e9in supports many of the measures funded by carbon tax. It regularly raises concerns about waiting lists for schemes supported by that revenue yet it opposes the very tax that helps fund them. The reality is that these schemes are popular because they provide meaningful long-term supports to households to help families reduce their energy bills, improve the energy efficiency of their homes and become less dependent on volatile international energy markets. Every cent of carbon tax revenue is allocated towards measures supporting households, communities and our transition to a more sustainable economy. These include the fuel allowance, SEAI retrofitting grants, agriculture environmental schemes, such as ACRES, peatland rehabilitation, greenways, electric vehicle supports and the just transition fund for the midlands. Between 2020 and 2026, \u20ac4.2 billion in carbon tax revenue was made available for these purposes. In 2026 alone, \u20ac566 million was made available for retrofitting, just transition and climate measures; \u20ac350 million was made available for targeted social protection supports, including the fuel allowance; \u20ac173 million was made available for sustainable agriculture, principally schemes such as ACRES; and \u20ac20 million was made available for transport measures, including greenways and electric vehicle infrastructure. As of October 2026, 287,000 households have qualified for home energy improvements since 2019. Of the most vulnerable, such as people who are dependent on the fuel allowance, 39,500 households were fully funded for deep retrofit grants. These are households that have had their windows replaced, have had their walls pumped with insulation and have had new energy-efficient heating grades installed. These households will not be left to the volatility of the energy markets in terms of keeping their energy costs at a sustainable level in the future. This is making a permanent difference to the households that benefit and we want to do more in that regard. We want to continue to support families to make the change and make the improvements. It is fully funded for people in receipt of fuel allowance. Quite frequently in parliamentary questions, for example, Sinn F\u00e9in asks when people can access these schemes but today it is talking about taking away part of the funding that would help fund these schemes, which would mean a longer waiting list for people to access these schemes. Research using the ESRI switch model has demonstrated that low-income households particularly benefit from social protection measures funded by carbon tax. These are not simply one-off interventions. They are investments that help address the underlying causes of high energy costs, so I put a simple question to Sinn F\u00e9in. How does it propose to continue funding these measures if it abolishes the very tax that helps pay for them? It cannot support the expenditure while ignoring the revenue that makes it possible. Sinn F\u00e9in cannot have it both ways. We must be honest about what is possible both in providing immediate relief and in protecting households over the longer term. Any changes must be carefully calibrated. That is precisely what this Government has sought to do. We have listened and we have responded. The carbon tax on home heating oil has been reduced to 2023 levels, delivering savings to households. Furthermore, by maintaining this reduced rate for the lifetime of this Government, those savings will continue into the longer term. No government can fully shield every household from the consequences of international crises but this Government has consistently demonstrated its willingness to intervene, provide supports and protect those who need it the most. We will continue to do so while ensuring that the decisions we make today do not compromise our ability to respond tomorrow. The Government proposes to adopt the countermotion that we have tabled."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Matt Carthy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Matt Carthy I really wish the people who voted for Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael got to hear the Minister of State's speech in full because they would see a Government that is out of touch and completely detached from the realities people are going through. Without an ounce of shame, the Minister of State talks about France and talks about everything apart from the issues that are being discussed around kitchen tables across Ireland tonight, namely, how are we going to make ends meet? When Sinn F\u00e9in brought forward motion after motion and proposal after proposal that would give workers and families a break, people heard Simon Harris tell them that help was on the way. What help actually came for people relying on home heating oil? We got a \u20ac43 reduction that does not even match the increase that we have seen since the budget announcement itself. The Minister tried to defend that and to point to people in my constituency and, to his shame, in his constituency who have no option but to use home heating oil to keep their house warm and heat their water. They have no other option and yet the Government has sat by and watched their costs soar with zero support or empathy for them. What is the Government's answer? It is that carbon tax funds other things. For most people with whom I speak, the carbon tax is simply a mechanism that makes their lives more difficult because they do not get any of the support the Minister of State outlined that could be funded through other mechanisms just as easily. They could be funded through the Government actually the banks or taking away the sweetheart deals it has given to developers but instead it expects people in rural communities to pay more and more carbon tax to fund retrofitting for somebody else and to fund somebody else's purchase of a brand new electric vehicle. It is unfair. I really hope the Minister of State's speech circulates far and wide because if it does, I think people will realise Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael no longer have their backs. They are not even in touch with the realities of the Irish people."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darren O'Rourke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Darren O'Rourke I want the Minister of State to hear directly from my constituents in Meath East. A number of them have been in contact with me. One pensioner said, \"It's so expensive that you have to spare the oil and just put up with the cold, which the elderly shouldn't have to do. We paid taxes all our lives and at the later years of our lives, we should at least be able to afford food and heat.\" Another said, \"I went to work at 16 years of age until I was in my 60s always paying my taxes but now I have cancer so I'm unable to work. I get \u20ac250 a week to pay for food, heating, rent and all other bills and ESB. Where does the Government think I can live on that? Let one Minister live for on that money for a week.\" Another said, \"The poor haulage companies need help. Look at the haulage company closing in Cork. We all need help with diesel to get to work. It is just so much pressure. We're avoiding filling up the oil tank and switching on the heating. We both work.\" Another said, \"We need the energy credits brought back please\" while another said \"Home heating oil is more expensive today than it was the day of the budget - \u20ac43 off a fill gone before you get it. They need to scrap the carbon tax on home heating oil.\" Another said, \"For 500 litres, \u20ac809\" while the last one said, \"Kerosene has gone up so much since the day of the budget. We buy by the can. I'm on invalidity pension and going on old age pension. I'm excluded from the disability payment.\" The Minister of State needs to listen to these people and support the Sinn F\u00e9in motion."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sh\u00f3nagh N\u00ed Raghallaigh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sh\u00f3nagh-N\u00ed-Raghallaigh.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sh\u00f3nagh-N\u00ed-Raghallaigh.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sh\u00f3nagh N\u00ed Raghallaigh T\u00e1 daoine ar fud Chill Dara Theas ag braith ar Kerosene, agus t\u00e1 siad ag breathn\u00fa chun cinn le himn\u00ed agus \u00e9ad\u00f3chas agus geimhreadh fuar, crua amach rompu. N\u00ed dhearna beartas an Rialtais maidir le kerosene aon difr\u00edocht do na teaghlaigh mar t\u00e1 na praghsanna tar \u00e9is ard\u00fa \u00f3 f\u00f3gra\u00edodh \u00e9 ar l\u00e1 na c\u00e1inaisn\u00e9ise. I mo Dh\u00e1ilcheantar f\u00e9in, t\u00e1 an praghas ar l\u00edne ola m\u00e9adaithe 80% \u00f3 mh\u00ed Dheireadh F\u00f3mhair na bliana seo caite. Teasta\u00edonn \u00f3n Rialtas beart a dh\u00e9anamh de r\u00e9ir briathair agus gach c\u00e1in a bhaint de kerosene go dt\u00ed go bhfeicimid athr\u00fa suntasach ar an staid geopholaiti\u00fail. Government failed to deliver meaningful relief for families dependent on home heating oil in this year's budget. The meagre \u20ac43 reduction delivered on the price of 1,000 litres of oil was completely wiped out following its announcement as wholesale prices increased by \u20ac150 in the days after the budget. So much for the T\u00e1naiste\u2019s promise that help is on the way. This means that families across my constituency of Kildare South, along with another 700,000 households nationwide continue to struggle. The average price of 1,000 litres of oil in Kildare has increased by 80% since this time last year, with families now paying \u20ac1,641 for a fill. That is shocking. A warm home should not be a luxury, yet that increasingly seems to be the situation this Government is presiding over. Older people, disabled people and people in rural areas are being disproportionately affected by the Government's frugality. If people are to be able to heat their homes, prices have to come down. It is as simple as that. It is within the Government's gift to make that happen by temporarily removing all tax from kerosene. This is the right thing to do to support families who are increasingly feeling abandoned and hopeless heading into winter."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Johnny Guirke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Johnny-Guirke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Johnny-Guirke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Johnny Guirke The Minister of State talks about prudent management. One would not think Fianna F\u00e1il was the party that brought this country to its knees and broke the country. It is very hard to listen to the Minister of State. There are real and serious pressures facing households across County Meath and, indeed, the State as we approach winter. Many people in County Meath and across rural Ireland are hit with higher costs than normal. People are fed up with increased fuel costs every time they go to the pump or get a fill of oil. Oil is how many families heat their homes, older people keep warm during the winter months, and parents ensure their children are living in a warm and comfortable environment. Many people in rural communities have little choice but to depend on home-heating oil. They cannot simply change their heating system overnight, nor can they avoid the ever-increasing costs when their tank runs dry. The Minister of State will have heard the term \"heat or eat\" used in this Chamber when discussing families struggling with mortgage repayments, rent, food costs, electricity bills and childcare costs. When the price of a fill of home-heating oil rises by hundreds of euro, that money must be taken from somewhere else in the household budget, with a fill of oil now at \u20ac1,685 in County Meath. So many families are forced to make very hard decisions that no one should have to make. They are forced to choose carefully if they should heat their home or put food on the table. This is a result of the Government's political choices. The elderly, the sick, and people with disabilities need heat all year round, not just in the winter months. Sinn F\u00e9in's proposal would help thousands of struggling families. People are being pushed further into debt and poverty. Budget 2027 has gone down like a lead balloon. We all know that this was not a budget for workers. If the Minister of State asks the workers, they will tell him that themselves tomorrow when they are on the picket lines. His party colleagues and councillors throughout the country are saying in council chambers that this was not a budget for people who get up early in the morning."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa I do not think any of us doubt the Minister of State engages with constituents, the same as the rest of us, but there has to be some level of embarrassment in relation to Simon Harris saying help is on the way. There is a \u20ac43 reduction on a 1,000-litre fill. What are we talking about? In County Louth, the average cost of 1,000 litres of oil is \u20ac1,653.05, while the lowest is \u20ac1,610 and the highest is \u20ac1,680. I accept this has been caused by geopolitical circumstances and by the madness of Donald Trump and genocidal Israel. I have no doubt the Government will do what it can in relation to playing its part and hoping that sense is brought to that part of the world. There are limits to what can be done there but there are definite limits to what the Government has done to help people who have absolutely no choice but to use home-heating oil. Who needs heat more? We are talking about older people and those with disabilities who feel really let down. For those who can avail of the cost-of-disability payment, it is going to work out at less than a tenner a week. I accept the Government cannot do everything but it could have done a hell of a lot more for people who are under severe pressure. We deal with people who are suffering as a result of the housing crisis. We are talking about those impacted by the failures in health. Regarding the cost-of-living crisis, the Government has failed miserably. The Minister of State talked about taxation. For those on lower incomes, what are we talking about? They may be \u20ac5 a week better off. The Government did not look at any of our proposals, like reducing the USC on the first \u20ac40,000, putting real money into the pockets of people who are under severe pressure. I ask that the Minister of State go back to his Government partners and have a bit of sense. This is the ninth time we have put it to the Government, namely, to cut all carbon taxes and excise on home-heating oil so we can give people a small break which they deserve. These are people who work every day of the week and who are under severe pressure. None of this is good enough."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Eoin Hayes","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Eoin-Hayes.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Eoin-Hayes.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Eoin Hayes As I rise, we have an enormous set of interconnected problems in Ireland. Our country is an island, and is almost entirely reliant on foreign energy in order to function. The vast majority of that energy is still in the form of fossil fuels. So many households are still dependent on fossil fuels, and there is no better example of that than home-heating oil. As a result of this reliance on imports, we are in a position of extreme energy insecurity, which puts us at the mercy of international oil market pricing. The surge in oil prices arising from geopolitical events has been drastic and catastrophic for many families, households and businesses. An energy crisis has now contributed to what is a major cost-of-living crisis. PwC recently estimated that home-heating oil costs have surged a stunning 175% since August of 2020, one of the largest percentage increases in an essential item cost in Ireland in the past six years. Given that more than 40% of households are reliant on home-heating oil, the cost pressure is particularly acute and felt widely across society. We have a full-blown energy crisis and an accelerating cost-of-living crisis and all of that is happening against the backdrop of climate breakdown brought about by the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from the combustion of fossil fuels. Extreme weather patterns, the collapse of ecosystems, rising sea levels, a degradation of our air, water and soil can all be traced back to a fossil fuel and petroleum dependence in our global economy, which has only grown since the 19th century. In the context of these three interconnected crises, it is incumbent upon us as the people's representatives to understand these problems and put forward clear and compelling solutions. In that context, the Social Democrats are clear: we must initiate a strong and just climate transition that relieves the financial pressures on people and households, charts a secure renewable energy future for our country, which simultaneously secures us more energy security, and do so in a way that protects our environment. This is not an easy thing to do. It requires thoughtfulness and vision - a politics that does not ignore the problems facing households and or succumb to the anger and ignorance which climate denialism breeds but charts a bold vision for the future. Over the past number of months, we have put forward several solutions. We appreciate tax increases and fuel excises should be temporarily suspended, and we have voted to support that. However, it is worth noting that, despite tax cuts brought in by the Government last week, home-heating oil is still more expensive now than it was then. The measures we in the Social Democrats have proposed have sought to materially support households struggling the most with the costs imposed by the energy crisis, with a targeted \u20ac400 energy credit for households earning less than \u20ac70,000 per year. Dealing with a tripartite crisis like this requires more than just one intervention, and so we wanted to go further. Responding to a crisis like this requires targeted supports on social protection payments, or extensions to home benefits packages, and proper increases to social protection payments to support our most vulnerable, like the elderly living alone or those with disabilities and their family. It also requires urgent and important infrastructural work and expanding access to solar energy, like our Solar for All plan. It requires applying the brakes to rampant profiteering through restoring temporary extra taxation measures on energy companies. It requires using the full power of the State, through its investment arms, to properly expand renewable energy, including offshore wind, without delay. It requires actively promoting active travel and public transport, not increasing public transport fares as the Government has. Most importantly, it requires us to choose those who are struggling over investors who want to boost their own coffers. In short, responding to a crisis like this one requires leadership, and today we see very little of that on the Government benches. It is a Government at sea in a world of chaos, with no clear plan on how to weather the storm other than by giving people flimsy umbrellas. I do not have confidence today that the current Government can navigate these crises. It will continue to do what it has always done: make minor adjustments, spin on the airwaves and retreat into its privilege. However, one day someone will have to pick up the pieces of this ineptitude. We will decry the day we had a chance to act boldly, yet there was no courage on the benches opposite."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Barry Heneghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Barry Heneghan) Sula mbogfaimid ar aghaidh, I welcome the Clontarf senior team to the Gallery. Glaoim ar an Teachta Hearne."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rory Hearne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Rory Hearne I thank Sinn F\u00e9in for bringing forward the motion and keeping the focus on this because the Government completely failed to address the cost-of-living crisis in the recent budget. It has fundamentally failed to address it because it does not change the situation whereby Bord G\u00e1is customers have seen a \u20ac177 annual increase in their electricity bills, a \u20ac140 annual increase to their gas bills and 322,000 households in arrears. The cost of home heating oil is up 60% in the past year. For so many people who are really struggling, this budget simply did not come near addressing the scale of the cost-of-living crisis. What the budget said to me was that this is a Government that is utterly out of touch with what ordinary people are going through in this country. Anyone going to the shops to buy food has seen the massive increase in prices in recent years, particularly children, older people, lone parents and disabled people. These groups are really struggling, and the budget took no serious account of the fact that prices have increased year after year, with no fundamental addressing of this situation whereby people are choosing between eating and heating. I raise again what the Minister, Deputy Calleary, said earlier this year when we brought forward the motion on the cost-of-disability payment. He said people were using emotive language and criticised organisations and representatives of disabled groups for saying that people were choosing between eating and heating when, in fact, they could just go down to the social welfare office to see whether they could get some support from people. It was completely out of touch with the reality that people are facing. What this Government has not addressed are fundamental issues like why houses are cold, why they are damp and why the heating is not covering the costs. It is, of course, because the Government has failed to deliver on matters such as retrofitting. Fundamentally, when we look at local authorities, the area for which the Government is responsible, only 2,671 local authority homes were retrofitted in 2025, an increase of just 37 houses on 2024. The Local Authority Performance Indicator Report 2025 unsurprisingly found that the Government's target of retrofitting 36,500 homes by 2030 is unlikely to be met. The very thing the Government could and should be doing, that is, investing in retrofitting homes, it is not doing. We have put forward, as my colleagues said, numerous solutions in our alternative budget. We laid out very clearly what the Government could have done, such as providing an energy credit of \u20ac400 to households with an income below \u20ac70,000, postponing all fuel excise increases until March 2027, incorporating easy-install heat pumps into the existing heat pump system grant scheme, increasing the weekly fuel allowance, increasing household benefits and ring-fencing funding to increase the number of social homes being retrofitted, but it is not doing it. Fundamentally, it is not changing things and it is not addressing why electricity prices are so high. The fundamental thing it has failed to do is put a windfall tax on energy companies. Again, something it has not answered is why it will not put a windfall tax on energy companies. Why is it refusing to do that? Tomorrow we will see public sector workers in the biggest strike we have seen in many decades. Public sector workers are absolutely right to go on strike because the Government has ignored them. It has completely failed ordinary workers. In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, nurses, teachers, SNAs, and civil and public servants cannot afford to pay for the basics. Most fundamentally, there are nurses and teachers who cannot afford to buy a home. Today's figure for the median price of a home is \u20ac400,000, ten times the salary of a civil or public sector worker on \u20ac40,000. They cannot afford the rent. Thousands of public sector workers are going home after a day's work or a night shift to their childhood box room because they cannot afford the most basic thing, buying or renting a home of their own. Thousands more are struggling with the basic costs of groceries or energy, but the Government does not take them seriously. It has completely failed to value the essential work that public sector workers do. We in the Social Democrats completely back these workers. They should have decent pay and conditions so that they can buy or rent a home affordably and cover the cost of living. We believe in decent public services being delivered by decently paid public sector workers, and that is why we will be on the pickets tomorrow. It is important that this strike is going ahead because it is sending a message very clearly to the Government that public sector workers will not be taken for fools. They will not just be ignored, failed and not listened to by this Government. They are taking this action because the reality is people are choosing between eating and heating, between paying the rent and putting food on the table, and 200,000 children in this country are living in poverty. However, Ministers and the Government have made commitment after commitment to address the issue of child poverty, but it just one more broken promise. It can be added to the list of affordable childcare, affordable housing and actually addressing these issues properly. The Government completely fails to do it, despite having billions in a budget surplus and having the potential to raise significant amounts from a windfall tax and from wealth taxes. It could actually invest in fundamentally changing this country so that we would not have the poverty we have and so that older people would not be going to sleep at night pulling the blankets up. I was contacted by one of my constituents in Beaumont just this morning. A man in his late 80s-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Paul O'Shea","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Paul-O'Shea.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Paul-O'Shea.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy John Paul O'Shea) Thanks, Deputy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rory Hearne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Rory Hearne -----said he was quoted more than \u20ac1,000 for 600 litres of home heating oil. He is afraid to turn on the heating as we approach the winter months. This is a man in his 80s afraid to turn on the heating. Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael talk about their great achievements in the economy, but here we have-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Paul O'Shea","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Paul-O'Shea.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Paul-O'Shea.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy John Paul O'Shea) Thanks, Deputy. We are moving on."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rory Hearne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Rory Hearne -----someone in his 80s who cannot afford to turn on the heat."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Paul O'Shea","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Paul-O'Shea.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Paul-O'Shea.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy John Paul O'Shea) The next speaker is Deputy Nash."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ged Nash","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Gerald-Nash.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Gerald-Nash.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ged Nash On the elevated cost of home heating oil, as my colleague Deputy \u00d3 Murch\u00fa mentioned earlier, in Louth this week, the average cost of filling an oil tank is just over \u20ac1,600, and it is rising. This is leading to enormous anxiety, not just across rural parts of my constituency. My constituency, as the Minister of State will know, also has Ireland's two largest towns, Drogheda and Dundalk. The reliance on kerosene to heat homes is not merely a rural phenomenon; it is also the experience of many thousands of homes in places like Drogheda and Dundalk, notwithstanding the availability of natural gas and potentially other sources of heat as well. It has been the case that large urban areas have also been depending on oil. We need to ask ourselves those questions. Why do working families feel excluded from many of the schemes the Government will rightly promote as the solution to decarbonisation and excessive reliance on fossil fuels? We need to ask ourselves why large-scale retrofits and the technology we need to apply to every home are simply out of reach of people who would regard themselves as having decent, secure jobs, despite the supports that are available from the SEAI. I have said here and elsewhere that retrofitting is often a middle-class pursuit and beyond the reach of many people I represent. We have not tackled that challenge because there is not the energy or ambition to do so. We have had everything from back-boiler replacement grants to small contributions to the introduction of solar and other initiatives. However, we do not have the vision and ambition that is needed at scale to finally grapple with this problem and withdraw from carbon-producing energy generation. As we have said time and again, the answer to less carbon tax is less reliance on carbon. It is that simple. It would cost money. We have resources now to be able to tackle the problems we could not tackle in the past, but what we have in money we lack in vision. This is the problem. Some 700,000 homes are still dependent on home heating oil. We all want to see a transition to alternatives, but there are families and businesses that simply need their bills to be paid this autumn and winter to heat their homes and premises. I was looking at figures earlier and the cost of filling a home heating oil tank has increased by \u20ac700 since the beginning of the year. I have encountered, on many occasions recently, constituents who shared stories with me about placing an order, often for a half-fill of oil because they are so concerned about their ability to find the \u20ac1,600 they need to fill the tank, and said that by the time they ordered and the oil was delivered the price had moved and it only moves up. We heard earlier across the Chamber that the T\u00e1naiste promised during Leaders' Questions two weeks ago, before the budget, that help was on the way. Help to fill a tank with oil amounted to a paltry \u20ac43 reduction on 1,000 litres. We have said time and again that the Government needs to seriously scrutinise the VAT rate on home heating oil and align it with the 9% VAT rate for gas. That would be the fair thing to do. The Government is being selective about its alleged inability to reduce that rate to 9%. It conveniently reduced, on a selective basis, the VAT rate for its friends with large-scale hospitality chains, but it cannot seem to address the issue of a lower VAT rate for households that rely on kerosene. It was mentioned by colleagues beside me that what we require - we have routinely called for this over many years - is a targeted energy credit for 1.2 million households with a cumulative income below \u20ac80,000. It would be a \u20ac400 energy credit to assist families with rising energy and electricity costs. With the increase in wholesale gas prices in recent times, if we think electricity prices are elevated now, after Christmas and coming into January, \"We ain't seen nothing yet\" because there is a lag. We are far too reliant on imported gas to generate electricity and we have not met the moonshot moment famously described by then Deputy Leo Varadkar a few years ago. That moonshot moment was supposed to be the development of large-scale offshore wind generation to provide us with the energy security we need and clean energy that would ultimately see Ireland become a net exporter of energy. Again, the vision simply does not seem to be there. The need to move to solar energy and democratise access to renewable energy, for example, by introducing plug-in solar technology, has been mentioned. It is technology that is suitable for all kinds of households. It has been done elsewhere. It is taken for granted. It is de rigueur in continental Europe. These opportunities are there and, as I said, we have to turbocharge retrofitting. We need a retrofitting revolution. Like other colleagues, we understand we have to move on reducing the burden on all households this year. One way of doing that is to relax the carbon charge applied. I mentioned that the Labour Party also favours a reduction in the VAT rate on kerosene, but the best way - the very best way - to reduce carbon tax in the longer term is to reduce our reliance on carbon. It is as simple as that. We need to focus on permanent reductions to energy costs. It will not be the first time the Minister of State has heard me say this but it is beyond me why, with all the rich data we have available, we cannot develop a targeted energy credit system. We managed to introduce and turn around a sophisticated wage subsidy scheme overnight at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic to save and protect jobs and businesses. That was a credit to the public service. We have the capacity in the public service to do this. We know who is earning what and, through the social protection system, who needs additional supports. Revenue has incredible datasets that would allow us to target supports. We have the meter point reference number, MPRN, information and a certain amount of building energy rating, BER, information. The energy affordability task force the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, convened still has not issued its updated report. A response I received from him in recent days suggests to me that the report made available to people involved in that task force has been out since August. They are due to come back to the Minister and he will publish it shortly. We were told it would inform the initiatives taken in the budget. I am also told there may be propositions in the report about the targeting of energy credits, but it may not be possible for it to happen until next year. Why is that the case? It is extraordinary when we are four years on from Putin's invasion of Ukraine where we saw the introduction of universal energy credits, which was not necessarily warranted. It was in many cases a waste of public funds. We know the composition of the families who need support. Why can we not get resources to them when they need it? It baffles me. It is important we do. People made their minds up about the budget quickly. It was trailered as a workers' budget, but when the Government decided to pull the rabbit out of the hat of cutting capital gains tax and inheritance tax, and tried in a half-hearted way to make up for the two fingers given to PAYE workers last year by indexing bands this year and adding a little more on, people will make their minds up about it. Can we stop the nonsense of describing what happened in the PAYE system of moving the tax bands as anything other than indexation? It is not a tax cut. It is indexation, something that is simply taken for granted in other, well-off sophisticated European Union states. Many countries do it as a matter of routine. They index social welfare rates as well. That did not happen this year or last year. We favoured other economic sectors over PAYE workers and, in many ways, the anxieties people are experiencing now can be traced back to those mistakes made by Fine Gael and Fianna F\u00e1il in that budget, which have made working people less able to absorb the rising energy and grocery prices they are experiencing at the moment. People have made up their minds about this budget already and this winter will be all about energy and the absence of any meaningful assistance for people, most notably the absence of energy credits, which people will really feel this year. Ahead of the publication of the finance Bill in a couple of weeks' time and the social welfare Bill around the same time, it is important the Government reflects on that and reviews its position on targeted energy credits."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brian Stanley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Brian Stanley Middle- and low-income households are under pressure like never before. General inflation, according to the most recent ESRI figures, has jumped even higher than we realised over the past month. It is at an all-time high. Overall inflation does not show the full picture, of course, because the items going up are disproportionately hitting middle- and low-income households the hardest. This is due to the sharp rise in outgoings on essentials for those households. Rents in Laois have gone up between 11% and 13% in one year. Across the State, mortgages are up 10%, diesel is up over 22%, gas and electricity are up 15% to 16% and home heating oil, on which 13,500 households in Laois depend, is up in excess of 60%. Households are under serious pressure. They are all essential items. People are expressing feelings to me of being overwhelmed and stressed and unable to keep up. Unfortunately, the budget did little for these workers and households. Analysis by Social Justice Ireland and others showed that those on the highest incomes who have the most wealth did the best again. Workers on \u20ac40,000 gained just \u20ac3.34 when all other factors are taken into consideration. Workers, be they single or couples, on \u20ac30,000 are actually worse off when all the adjustments are taken into consideration, according to Social Justice Ireland and others. The gap between the wealthiest and ordinary working households and workers continues to widen. The ESRI report published today underlines this. The top 10% of the wealthiest own as much as the other 90% of us. One in ten owns more than the other nine. That is how it is working now in this country. That gap continues to widen. It is little wonder we are having strikes and protests. I will support the workers in their claim. Any percentage increase needs to be highest for those on middle and low incomes in the public sector. If it is a flat percentage across the board, it will not benefit the low-paid and middle-income workers in the public sector as much. Those workers need to get the highest lift. In relation to energy, while we have to transition and there are SEAI grants available, if you are on the lowest income and on the fuel allowance, it is free but there is a two-year waiting list for that. For the grant assistance for other upgrades, people need to have substantial amounts of money if they want to carry out a retrofit to their home. There is a cohort of people on middle and low incomes in the middle who do not qualify for the fuel allowance or the free scheme and do not have and cannot raise the money to pay for retrofits. These working-class people need a just transition. In the case of counties Laois and Offaly, a huge number of households, higher than across the State, depend on solid fuel because of the presence of the peat industry in our two counties. There needs to be a special energy upgrade grant for those households. We should have a special energy upgrade grant for solar panels to reduce dependency on fossil fuels. There are also needs to be a \u20ac400 winter credit - the Government ignored this in the budget - for households with a gross income below \u20ac75,000. It must be a targeted payment, not untargeted. It should be for households with incomes below \u20ac75,000 gross. The carbon tax take should be reduced to ease pressure on households, including the 13,500 households in Laois, that depend on home heating oil. The Government failed in the budget; it is essential now that it take measures to ease the burden on those households."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Seamus Healy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Seamus-Healy.D.2000-06-22","memberCode":"Seamus-Healy.D.2000-06-22","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Seamus Healy Some 700,000 houses depend on home heating oil to heat their homes for their families. The cost of a fill of home heating oil has increased by \u20ac700 since January. In September, home heating oil prices had increased by 58.6% compared with the same month last year. They are astronomical increases, particularly at time when families are devastated by a cost-of-living crisis. Budget 2027 last week, in the teeth of those increases, gave relief of only \u20ac43 on 1,000 litres of oil, a remarkable slap in the face for 700,000 households. The carbon tax is another unfair tax heaped on families already reeling from the cost-of-living crisis. It should be abolished on home heating oil, together with a reduction in VAT to give real relief to families. This is all the more necessary against the backdrop of soaring electricity, gas, diesel and petrol prices. There was no relief on any of them in last week's budget, meaning we will continue to pay the highest electricity prices in Europe with no energy credits and we will face increased petrol and diesel prices from February 2027. There is also the lack of public services. I raise again the fact that there has been no public eye care ophthalmic service in south Tipperary going into a third year. This is beyond shameful. Clonmel and Cashel have no consultant-led ophthalmology clinic, optometry clinic or nurse-led clinic. The Government and the Health Service Executive are failing the people of south Tipperary. The Government has no excuse. A vacant consultant post was a planned retirement known for years by the Health Service Executive. As a result of this failure, there is now a huge and growing waiting list stretching for up to five years for many patients. There are 2,300 children waiting, of whom 1,783 are awaiting treatment, with 541 relating to public health nurse referrals awaiting triage. Hundreds of adults, including patients with conditions like glaucoma, are also on the waiting list. This is not good enough. South Tipperary eye patients are entitled to the same quality of service as people elsewhere. It is time for the Minister to roll up her sleeves and get this service up and running immediately. There is also huge dissatisfaction across south Tipperary in relation to Irish Water. Some 11,000 customers on the Ardfinnan regional water supply scheme were thrown into confusion - despair even - last Friday evening when a \"Do not consume\" notice was issued because of high levels of aluminium. Boiling will not make this water suitable to drink. This was on top of a boil water notice in place on the scheme since 7 June. A further 5,000 customers on the Tipperary town scheme have been on a boil water notice since 11 February. There is no end to the incompetence of this organisation. It can give no indication of when these problems will be solved. Irish Water is an unaccountable quango. It has no respect for public representatives and no public offices. There must be a full debate in this Chamber on the future of Irish Water, its incompetence and its arrogance. It must be abolished. Water services must be handed back to county councils."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brian Stanley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Brian Stanley Hear, hear."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Roderic O'Gorman","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Roderic O'Gorman On Tuesday evening last week, the D\u00e1il voted to cut the carbon tax on home heating oil from \u20ac63.50 to \u20ac48.50 per tonne of CO2. It was argued then that the move would save roughly \u20ac25 to \u20ac40 on a standard fill. I voted against that resolution because I believe that using climate action as a scapegoat when it is fossil fuels that are hurting families is wrong. It misleads the public as to why fuel prices are increasing and, in a cruel irony, it makes households more vulnerable to the next crisis. The D\u00e1il passed that resolution on Tuesday. By Saturday, the cost of home heating oil had already risen by more than the cut in carbon tax. The \u20ac40 saving on a 500-litre fill was wiped out in four days by the volatility of oil prices and demand for the product. Tonight's motion would give approximately an \u20ac80 reduction on a 500-litre fill. How long will that really last? Will it last until the Houthis hit the next oil tanker in the Red Sea, until the next drone strike on a Russian oilfield in Siberia or until President Trump has his next tantrum in the White House? It is not a question of \"if\" with fossil fuels; it is a question of \"when\". We have a huge energy affordability problem in this country. The problem is not the carbon tax; it is the oil. It is dirty, expensive and comes from a long way away. The motion before us does nothing to resolve the problem for the hundreds of thousands of households who will still pay far too much for a dirty fuel even if the carbon tax is abolished completely. Where are the long-term solutions for these families? They will not find them in anything Sinn F\u00e9in is bringing forward tonight. What about the Government? When we have hundreds of thousands of families who still depend on expensive home heating oil, it is so frustrating to see that the Government has only grown the budget for home retrofit by 2%. That is a mere \u20ac15 million increase in budget 2027. The Minister, Deputy O\u2019Brien, is out announcing all these extra grants. The SEAI has told us already that there has been a doubling in the number of people seeking retrofits between 2025 and 2026. Yet, all these new grants have to be paid to all these new applicants from a pot of money that has only expanded by 2%. There are going be a lot of very disappointed households across this country in 2027 when they realise the SEAI does not have the money to help them with their retrofit. Too many families are suffering right now from energy costs that are too high. They need real short-term support to make it through this winter and they need a long-term plan to make sure they are not in this situation again. In my view, cutting the carbon tax does neither. It is a populist move that will make the next crisis worse because we will have fewer homes insulated and fewer oil central heating systems replaced. The Green Party proposed a targeted energy credit this winter to support families through this crisis. It is what we did the last time this happened and it is the right thing to do now. The targeted energy credits we propose would more than cover the cut in carbon tax that has been called for this evening and, crucially, it would not undermine the funding base for these solutions that will safeguard our communities from the next spike in the price of kerosene. That spike in the cost of home heating oil will come irrespective of whatever this House decides to do on carbon tax."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Paul O'Shea","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Paul-O'Shea.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Paul-O'Shea.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy John Paul O'Shea) We will move to the Independent Technical Group now. The first speaker is Deputy O'Donoghue."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard O'Donoghue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard O'Donoghue This country celebrated 100 years of people who fought for it which created the people who sit in this Chamber. They were supposed to be representing this country and were once known as the worker's party and the farmer's party. In April, we saw the hard-working people of Ireland go out and protest because they could see no future in the hard work they were doing and they could not survive. Tomorrow, our colleagues in Leinster House and across the country will be out protesting as well. Their ancestors fought for the freedom of this country and to protect the hard-working people of Ireland. I see what has happened in the last couple of months since April. The hard-working people of Ireland could see no future for themselves or their children and the Government failed to listen to them. The public sector will be out tomorrow on the very same thing. Some 300,000 people will be out protesting tomorrow because this Government does not listen. This is what is wrong today. The Government has forgotten about its colleagues. It has forgotten about the hard-working people of Ireland. There is no reward for them. All the Government can do is take them to the rates commission and the courts. Now, it wants to tax the food producers of Ireland. We are already in a crisis and now it wants to tax the food producers because a judgment was made that it is a process. When spuds are taken from the ground and put into a shed for storage, it thinks it is a process. When milk is taken from the cow and put into a tank, is that a process? When the silage is taken from the field and brought in for the cows to have, is that a process? This is what the Government represents. It no longer represents the workers of Ireland."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Collins This is a crisis situation for many people. I have said in this Chamber over the last number of weeks, especially since the budget, how 350,000 are in ESB arrears and a large number of families are in mortgage arrears. The Government did not grab that moment last week because it needed a bold budget that stood with the people. It is afraid to stand with the people. It ran along with the same bland old budget. It is the same old give a euro, take a euro, rob Peter to pay Paul scenario. That is the type of budget it ran with. Independent Ireland was the only party and the only group sitting in this Chamber that gave a very strong and fair proposal to take carbon off production and delivery and put it on aviation. We were not saying give this, that and the other thing free. We put forward a very sensible proposal. We put that proposal forward too in the negotiations for Government and each time it was rejected because the Government seems to think that the best cash cow is the hard-working mother and father out there - beat them down, knock them out, do everything it can to take a euro out of their pocket, but do not reward the hard-working people. The Government needed a bold budget last week. It was afraid to do that. Now, we are in a crisis situation. It has this crisis situation tomorrow where the public sector is going out, with over 300,000 people out on the streets. Who does the Government blame this time? The last time it was the farmers and the hauliers. Is it going to get the Army after people this time? Is it going to chase them off the streets because they are in a desperate situation? The last time it was the farmers and the hauliers. The Government did not listen to the ordinary mothers and fathers. It did not listen that time. They went out on the street. What is going to happen next year? The Government is so out of touch. It does not understand the pain people are going through and it is absolutely forcing people to strike tomorrow. I heard astonishing carry-on from the Green Party today saying we should be fairer and this is what it would have done. It was a number of years in government and it did not deliver for anybody."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn According to Eurostat, Ireland is now the most expensive country in the whole of the EU for a range of different issues, including housing, electricity, health services and fuel. Ireland is the most expensive and that is not by accident. The Government is an engine of inflation. The actions the Government is taking are actually putting up the prices of goods in this country. What that means in real terms is that people's real income is falling. People see that their income is evaporating in front of their eyes because of this Government's insistence on putting up the prices of so many products. Carbon tax is in many ways a ghost from the Green Party that existed in the previous Government. The Minister of State will remember well what happened to the Green Party. It was eviscerated in the most recent election because it refused to listen to the people in relation to carbon tax. The Government said that the objective of carbon tax is to push fuel up to a price so people move over to alternatives, but what happens if they cannot afford an alternative? What happens if they cannot take the boiler out of their home and put in another source of heating? What happens if they cannot get a bus? I am the chair of the Meath on Track campaign, which has been seeking to get a railroad into County Meath for the last 15 years. Most people in Meath would give their right arm not to have to drive petrol or diesel cars to Dublin on a daily basis but instead get into a train to do so. The fact of the matter is that most people cannot get out of carbon taxes. The idea that this winter there will be elderly people - pensioners - who will have no alternative but home heating oil to put into their house, and the Government is going to inflict a carbon tax on them at this moment in time, is absolutely wrong. I want to draw the dots for the Minister of State in terms of what is happening on the streets of Dublin and the rest of the country tomorrow. We had the country brought to a standstill in April by protestors with no other choice but to block roads, streets, ports and the oil refineries in this country because their money and income are evaporating. Now, 300,000 public servants will find that they have no alternative but to protest. The thing about it is that the Government showed a shocking arrogance to the protestors back in April in refusing to negotiate with them. Here we have d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu . The Government is showing a shocking arrogance again by not properly negotiating with the unions. What is happening? It is plunging this country into chaos again tomorrow with no light at the end of the tunnel in terms of what is going to happen the following week and the week afterwards. I appeal to the Government. The price of fuel has already reached a price on the international markets so that anybody who could get out of diesel, petrol or home heating oil would be out as fast as they could only they do not have an alternative. We do not need carbon tax to nudge or push people towards an alternative when there is no alternative there. I want the Minister of State to think long and hard about the pensioners who this winter will be rationing the heat in their own homes because of the carbon tax the Government is inflicting on them."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Nicholas Gogarty","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty I do not care if it is a carbon tax cut or a rebate but we have to help people who are suffering and who cannot afford the current short-term increases in fuel. However, some people come out in a rash if you mention the words \"carbon tax\". It is the great populist stick to hit people with. Everything is: blame the carbon tax or blame my former Green Party colleagues. The carbon tax, when it is working properly, is supposed to encourage people to change their modes, work towards cleaner and greener methods of energy and raise the money to fund other things. Unfortunately, that has not happened enough. The people who are stuck with kerosene cannot afford to heat their homes. People in social housing are not getting the retrofits they need. The money has to come from somewhere for that and I have pointed that out before. We need to give the short-term help but we also need to look at the bigger picture. I referenced that in my budget speech. I want to focus on another element. COM(2026)502 is a European Parliament proposal for the regulation of measures strengthening Europe's cloud and artificial intelligence, AI, ecosystem, the Cloud and AI Development Act, CADA. That basically says that Europe wants to invest more in its own cloud storage, which means a lot more data centres in Europe. It means that even though we are under pressure and people's consumer prices are impacted without corresponding measures because of a reliance on data centres in this country, Europe is going to be looking for more. In my budget contribution, I said we need to spend \u20ac20 billion on grid, \u20ac10 billion on hydrogen and another \u20ac20 billion on other things. Why do we not get the European Union to fund our grid upgrade? Then we can have as many data centres as we want and we will also have affordable electricity while exporting like the Arabs are with fossil fuels at the moment."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Fitzmaurice","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Fitzmaurice.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Michael-Fitzmaurice.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice I welcome the opportunity to speak on the motion. What politicians always need to do is nip something in the bud before it gets out of hand. In the line of home-heating oil, there was so much speculation before the budget. People had built their hopes up that 16 cent or 18 cent were going to come off it. Unfortunately, what has happened now is that a lot of people can only afford 200 litres. When you are buying 200 litres, you will probably pay 15 cent more per litre because the lorry that goes out has to be covered. That is a fact. Lorries do not travel around for nothing. Those people who are basically struggling will end up paying maybe \u20ac1.75 or \u20ac1.80 per litre because the lorry has to be covered, and they can only afford 200 litres. If you can buy 1,000 litres, you will buy it for a bit less but with the price of it at the moment, a lot of people do not have the money to buy 1,000 litres. That is why that decision should have been made early. We hear from oil companies that there is no word on the rebate they were going to get on the 5 cent on oil. Some bit of clearance is needed there or someone needs to talk to someone. What is worrying is that a 94-year-old woman rang me today. She said, \"Michael, things are tough enough, so I will try to keep a drop of oil.\" She said the price of oil was cruel. She said that on top of that she got a phone call today to say that her carers would not be in tomorrow because they are going on strike. I am not blaming the carers. This is what I am saying about nipping things in the bud. The strike tomorrow should have been averted because talks should have happened and calls should have been made at the right time. No more than when things started going out of control in the line of the fuel, etc., you must nip things in the bud. It is like housing. You can give all the pay rises you want over the next few years but, at the end of the day, there is one common denominator, and that is the price of a house. Until we bring that down or make it affordable, people will constantly need more and more in pay rises."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Cahill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Cahill.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Michael-Cahill.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Cahill I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion on home-heating oil this evening. It is an issue that matters enormously to people in my constituency of Kerry and right across rural Ireland. As I stated previously, when we talk about energy prices in this House, we have to remember that behind every statistic is a family or an individual trying to heat their home, a person trying to get to work or a small business trying to keep its doors open and that is extremely difficult and challenging today. In Kerry, many households are particularly exposed to the cost of home-heating oil. For those families, filling an oil tank can mean a very significant once-off expense. It is very different from receiving a monthly electricity bill and, for many people, it can create a very serious cash flow challenge. I was speaking with a constituent today. They told me that it cost them \u20ac1,700 for 1,000 litres. It is robbery, to be fair. We all know that energy bill arrears remain at historically high levels. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU, reported earlier this year that 316,000 domestic electricity customers and 179,000 domestic gas customers were in arrears, with average debts of \u20ac492 and \u20ac207, respectively. There is no question that affordability remains a very serious issue. We also need to be honest about what the Government can and cannot control. Energy prices are heavily influenced by international wholesale markets and geopolitical developments. We all know the State cannot determine the international price of oil or gas. What the Government can do, however, is decide how best to protect households from these pressures. There are already very significant responses in place. We have strengthened supports for people on lower incomes, including through the fuel allowance. We have invested substantially in energy efficiency and retrofitting. These measures are very important because we should not simply be dealing with high energy bills year on year. We also need to reduce the amount of energy households need to purchase in the first place. There are also measures taking effect in the electricity market from October. The public service obligation, PSO, level is being reduced by 66% while the CRU has reviewed network charges to limit the impact on customers. These are very practical interventions and they can make a difference to household bills. The Government has already introduced a package of measures around taxation, energy costs, income supports and the cost-of-living crisis. Government has also looked at the evidence by insuring that whatever measures are introduced are targeted towards those experiencing the greatest pressures. For people in County Kerry who are dependent on home-heating oil, I would certainly be looking at what more measures the Government can introduce to address these pressures. We should continue to invest in retrofitting and energy efficiency because making a home warmer and more efficient provides a longer-term benefit to a family than simply responding to a price spike. The CRU has also highlighted that suppliers have obligations to work with customers experiencing payment difficulties, including affordable repayment arrangements and protections against disconnection where customers are engaging with their supplier. There is a very big role for Government to play, a role for the regulator and one for the energy industry. Ultimately, our objectives should be very straightforward - keeping energy affordable, protecting households from the worst effects of international price shocks and reducing our exposure to those shocks over the longer term. That is particularly important for all rural communities such as the one I represent. I welcome the debate this evening. I look forward to seeing further measures being brought forward by Government. It must also be pointed out that home-heating oil is subject to a reduced VAT rate of 13.5% and, under European Union VAT directives, it is not eligible for the lower 9% rate as is applied to electricity or natural gas, or like the 9% for the hospitality sector. Ireland is only permitted to maintain its long-standing 13.5% rate under the historic exemption and EU rules do not allow the Government to lower it further. It is black and white and that needs to be driven home because the general public still does not understand that. They are not being told the full truth, I suppose. That is the point. Ireland, as an island nation, is completely isolated when it comes to oil, gas and electricity, so we do need to get our act together and to act quickly. We need to start investing significant funds in offshore wind farms. The ESB is one of the biggest investors off the coast of Scotland, supplying energy to hundreds of thousands of houses. Our people can do this. We need to engage with them and start working sooner rather than later."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cathal Crowe","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cathal-Crowe.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Cathal-Crowe.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Cathal Crowe I am glad to have the opportunity to speak in this debate. When we talk about the cost of home heating oil, we are talking about a fundamental issue of security and comfortable in people's lives. I see this anxiety first-hand when I go around County Clare each week holding advice clinics. Of course, granny's hip operation comes up and people talk about their long-standing application for social housing, but time and again, they talk about the cost of running their household. It is very sad when I call into older people's houses in places like Tuamgraney, Corofin and Kilkee and find they are colder than the street I have come in from. These people have pensions. There could be money in the bank, but they do not want to have the heating on because they are worried about the bill that will come. When people go into a supermarket they pay the bill and will know what the costs are generally. However, energy bills come with a sting for people because they arrive two months later. People fear what is ahead and whether they will be able to pay the bill. These worries are very real and they deserve a constructive, honest response from this House. The reality that we all face is that the drivers of these oil costs are global, volatile and deeply tied to international commodity markets and the uncertainty that continues in the Middle East. As a small open economy, Ireland cannot fully insulate households from these global shifts. As we cannot control the international markets, our focus as a Government must be on what we can control, providing meaningful, targeted and sustainable relief to those people who need it most. Budget 2027 and our broader response represent a massive \u20ac1.7 billion package designed to do exactly that. We have intervened directly on the carbon tax trajectory for home heating oil by pausing the tax and locking it at 2025 rates. We have delivered a direct saving of roughly \u20ac64 on a 1,000-litre fill today. By May of next year, that saving will rise to around \u20ac80. By 2030, the rate will be halved. This measure is extremely costly but pausing the tax makes a direct intervention and a difference in people's pockets. We are heavily focusing on the most vulnerable. There was some confusion around the fuel allowance winter heating period. To clarify for anyone worried at home, the winter heating period has not been shortened. What happened earlier this year was a temporary once-off four-week extension to help with a specific spike in costs. The core heating period remains fully intact, and we have expanded the scheme to include some 50,000 more households while increasing the weekly support. We have also extended the excise reductions on petrol and diesel until February to ease the broader pressure felt by families who have to travel to work, school and elsewhere. Members of the public are not looking for political point-scoring or arguments in this Chamber. They want to know what the Government can do, that the Government is listening, that expenses they cannot avoid are being kept down and that there is a long-term plan, for example, retrofitting schemes. Earlier this evening, Deputy Cahill and I were in a briefing with our colleague, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, at which he outlined the extensive plans, all funded by carbon tax, for home heating systems, retrofitting, windows, doors and insulation. These are incredible schemes that so many people are availing of. Some of the schemes were oversubscribed last year. That tells us how successful they have been. We must remain flexible because global markets remain uncertain. We must also be responsible with public funds to ensure we can weather any future economic storms. This Government's approach is about balancing immediate practical relief for families in Clare and throughout Ireland with the long-term stability that our country needs. While all of these interventions have been well intentioned and well received in many quarters, recently a number of taxi drivers have told me they are locked out of the diesel rebate scheme. When someone gets into a taxi - I am sure the Members present will have taken taxi rides recently - there is a technology charge because people usually book taxis nowadays through an app. The minute a passenger opens that door, there is \u20ac7 or \u20ac8 on the meter to begin with. Then there is the cost of diesel or petrol in the car and the journey. Taxi journeys have become very difficult and expensive for people. Meanwhile, the Government is doing the right thing in increasing public transport. It is a very tough time for those who drive a taxi or own a taxi business. The taxi sector needs to be brought into the scheme. The budget brought in measures to ease costs on families. It also included measures for schools, as Deputy Cahill mentioned. It is important that school capitation rates were increased. As with homes, I have walked into schools around my county where on chilly days the heat is not on. They, too, fear the energy bill. School buildings are difficult and costly to heat. The increase in capitation has been good. The education committee made a number of recommendations earlier this year, many of which have been acted, including as regards school meals. One cost that has never made sense to me is the charge for water use in schools. We give schoolchildren free lunches, books are free and there are allowances for uniforms and shoes, but schools pay for the water. That just does not make sense. It is one Department that it is paying. I know of one school that has gone into arrears of tens of thousands of euro. I do not imagine anyone is going to shut off the water to the school, realistically. To do so would be outrageous. I do not imagine a court is going to send a board of management chairperson or the principal off to prison for not paying these arrears. Who is going to collect this debt? I am not suggesting that anyone should. I am suggesting that it be written off and schools be made exempt from water charges."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (Deputy Alan Dillon) I fully appreciate all the Deputies' contributions and the concerns they raised. We are living through a period of exceptional uncertainty and exceptional measures have been taken, not only by this Government but by governments across the world, in response to heightened fuel prices. As a Government, we do not control the wholesale price of oil or home heating oil, but we have acted in a very significant way to assist households with the real impacts of the current energy crisis. The Sinn F\u00e9in Private Members' motion does not fully reflect the considerable supports which have been implemented by this Government. As the Opposition is well aware, the Government has delivered one of the largest support packages in the European Union per capita, with supports and tax measures costing over \u20ac1.7 billion from March 2026 to June 2027. We have also delivered a budget that will put money back into people's pockets. We have delivered a \u20ac1.3 billion income tax package, reduced the carbon tax on home heating fuels to 2023 levels and increased the fuel allowance by 30% over the past two years and expanded the eligibility criteria, providing critical support for those who need it most. The Government has not just looked at the here and now. We have also invested in Ireland's energy security into the future. We want as many households as possible to reduce their energy bills and make their homes more comfortable to live in. The best way of insulating our economy and society from fuel price shocks is to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels. Capital expenditure of over \u20ac2 billion has delivered over 287,000 home energy updates from 2019 to the end of August this year. This includes over 39,500 fully funded upgrades for households at risk of energy poverty under the warmer homes scheme. In January this year, we expanded the reformed retrofitting scheme to ensure more households receive grants. This new measure included increased attic and wall insulation supports, an increased grant for heat pump installation and new grants for windows and doors. Almost 89,000 applications have been processed to the end of August 2026, an increase of 116% on the same period last year. In September this year, we announced another package of enhanced renewable energy and retrofit grants. This is designed to help households and businesses reduce energy costs, lower dependence on fossil fuels and strengthen Ireland's energy security. A particular focus of the package of measures announced in September this year is ensuring that households most exposed to high energy costs benefit from the energy transition. These enhanced supports for households at risk of energy poverty, medically vulnerable customers, low-income householders and renters will help to ensure that those who need support most can access the benefits of lower energy bills. Key measures announced last September included that solar PV and batteries will be offered as standard under the fully funded warmer homes scheme. There will be more generous grants for solar, attic and cavity insulation for certain social welfare recipients and households in receipt of the housing assistance payment, the rental accommodation scheme and the rental accommodation scheme pilot tenancies. There will be more favourable eligibility for solar PV and solar thermal. There will be fossil fuel boiler scrappage supports of over \u20ac2,000, effective immediately for energy applicants, while an enhanced support for businesses will save thousands of euro in energy costs. The revenues raised by carbon tax also help to fund actions today that will bring benefits long after tomorrow. It is also worth noting that the carbon tax element of home heating oil will comprise around 7 cent of the total cost on current average prices, while the non-carbon component of excise duty on home heating oil is already set to zero. The Sinn F\u00e9in motion would have us believe that carbon tax is driving energy prices and that abolishing it is the panacea for the increased cost of home heating oil. We need to be realistic and honest with the people who are here in the House but also watching from afar. Ours is an island nation and we are dependent on imported fossil fuels. Of course, we need to reduce our dependency and continue to invest in energy security measures funded by carbon tax to achieve this. Sinn F\u00e9in's motion also disregards our obligations under the European emissions trading scheme, ETS2, legislation and the conditions of Ireland's derogation, which the Government has negotiated with the European Commission. I will be interested to listen to Deputy Doherty's response later in regard to the derogation and Sinn F\u00e9in's theory on it. Losing the derogation could result in Ireland having to join the European carbon pricing system for buildings, road transport and other sectors. It would reduce the funding available for our national programmes of home energy upgrades and retrofitting, investing in the electricity grid and the development of indigenous renewable energy at the required scale. As we have done since the outset of this crisis, we will continue to keep the situation under review in the time ahead. We will continue to respond in a way that protects those most vulnerable to fuel poverty. For the reasons I have stated, I again press the Government's amendment."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ann Graves","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ann-Graves.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ann-Graves.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ann Graves Sinn F\u00e9in is calling on TDs from all political parties to stand up for ordinary people, put workers and families first, and support our proposal to deliver a real and meaningful cut in the price of home heating oil. The Government's \u20ac43 reduction on 1,000 litres was wiped out by a price hike of \u20ac150 within days of the budget. The average cost of 1,000 litres of home heating oil in Dublin is now \u20ac1,631. This is a massive jump from last year's \u20ac936. This price hike is coming straight out of the pockets of workers already struggling to make ends meet. A record number of people cannot pay their energy bills. Some 320,000 people cannot afford electricity, while one in four cannot afford to pay their gas bill. In my constituency of Dublin Fingal East, people are really struggling. An elderly man in Malahide, who unfortunately does not qualify for a fuel allowance because he has a small private pension, has not been able to afford to fill his tank in months. As we face into winter, he has no chance of heating his house properly because of the increased cost of home heating oil. He goes to bed at 6 o'clock every evening covered in blankets and with hot water bottles. It is absolutely shocking. Yesterday, despite Sinn F\u00e9in councillors' best efforts to reduce local property tax by the maximum 15% in Fingal, he is expected to pay more tax on his home because it is worth a lot more than when he bought it 65 years ago. He is asset rich, but money poor and struggling. Sinn F\u00e9in's proposal to remove carbon tax on home heating oil would reduce the cost of a 1,000 litre refill by \u20ac183. I appeal to TDs of all parties and none to stand with ordinary workers and families and to support the Sinn F\u00e9in motion and make home heating oil more affordable for those who are struggling. I want to end by expressing solidarity with civil and public servants, who are forced onto the streets tomorrow for fair pay."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dessie Ellis","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dessie-Ellis.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Dessie-Ellis.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dessie Ellis The rising cost of home heating oil is a significant concern for households across Ireland. Heating oil is not a luxury, and when heating costs rise, low-income families, older people, those with disabilities and families with young children must decide how to divide their limited household income between heating, food, electricity, transport, cr\u00e8che facilities, mortgage or rent payments, and other essential expenses. The average cost of 1,000 litres of home heating oil in September 2025 was \u20ac909. In September 2026, it was \u20ac1,444, an increase of approximately 59% in one year. This is according to RT\u00c9's report on the national average prices. These increases are especially difficult for households that need to purchase a large quantity of oil before winter. Living in a cold home can be particularly concerning for older people, young children and people with existing health vulnerabilities. No household should have to choose between keeping warm and meeting other basic needs. The escalating costs are also having a disproportionate effect on rural communities where alternative heating options are not available. The minimum relief offered by the Government in the most recent budget has already been wiped out. Sinn F\u00e9in is proposing to give immediate relief to households by removing carbon tax on home heating oil. If this happens, households will see a significant reduction in their heating costs, as they could potentially save as much as \u20ac183 on a 1,000 litre refill. This would be especially helpful during the winter months, when heating demands are at their highest. This is a way of offering direct financial relief to households, leaving families with more money for essentials such as groceries, electricity, mortgage or rent payments, and other household expenses, and would help reduce the risk of fuel poverty."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire When I talked to constituents about the budget, there were two particular things they found inexplicable. Looking at it myself, there are many more things I found inexplicable. If people knew half of what kind of favourable treatment some of the higher earners, vulture funds and landlords get from the budget, it would make their heads spin, but two particular items stood out to most constituents I spoke to. The first was the energy credits. They could not understand how the Government had not learned its lesson. It had been warned by the Opposition right across the board, by every single party, and by the energy regulator that if it got rid of energy credits, people would end up in arrears. Lo and behold, record numbers of people are in arrears with their bills, and we are now facing into another winter with potentially record-breaking, absolutely back-breaking energy bills for homes, and the Government has not reintroduced energy credits. The other one was about home heating oil. The Government did nothing on this last year and this year it is talking about \u20ac47, while people have seen increases of about \u20ac700 in some instances over the course of the last year. The change the Government has made has been completely swallowed up and then some, by the \u20ac150 increase. People feel short-changed. Many people who rely on home heating oil are among the most vulnerable and are on low incomes, with very few alternatives. The Government has delivered them very little relief. The budget follows a pattern from last year. During the last election, Fine Gael promised to get rid of third level fees and the means test for carers and promised a limit of \u20ac200 per month for childcare. None of those things is anywhere close to being delivered. People feel short-changed and they are right to do so."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pearse Doherty","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pearse-Doherty.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Pearse-Doherty.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Pearse Doherty Gabhaim bu\u00edochas le achan duine a labhair ar son an r\u00fain seo inniu. Mar a d\u00fairt daoine, is \u00e9 seo an nao\u00fa huair a bhfuil r\u00fan mar seo tugtha \u00f3s comhair na D\u00e1la ag Sinn F\u00e9in. D\u00fairt muid le go leor leor daoine amuigh ansin go mbeadh muid ansin gualainn le gualainn leo agus ag iarraidh ar an Rialtas an br\u00fa ollmh\u00f3r a thuiscint at\u00e1 ar teaghlaigh agus ar oibrithe fud fad na t\u00edre seo, go h\u00e1irithe agus iad ag iarraidh a gcuid tithe a choinne\u00e1il te agus muid ag d\u00edri\u00fa isteach ar an ngeimhreadh. D\u00fairt an tAire Airgeadais go dtuigeann s\u00e9. D\u00fairt s\u00e9 go mbeadh an cuidi\u00fa ansin. Ach t\u00e1 a fhios againn, seachtain i ndiaidh na c\u00e1inaisn\u00e9ise, go bhfuil costais ola le tithe a th\u00e9abh n\u00edos daoire inniu n\u00e1 mar a bh\u00ed siad seachtain \u00f3 sin. Is iad sin na f\u00edric\u00ed. I thank everybody who supported our motion. As has been said, this is the ninth time we have brought forward this proposal to the D\u00e1il. Nine times, and we are not going to give up. We will not give up because we have made pledges to too many people right across the State. I have told the Minister of State their stories. I have told him the challenges that they have faced. I have told him what it means to them when they cannot put oil in their tank, how they have to stretch or what they have to go without because of the price of home-heating oil. Some 700,000 families right across the State have seen the cost of that fuel increase dramatically. It has increased by over \u20ac700. Nine times we have brought proposals before the D\u00e1il and finally the Minister for Finance said he got it. He promised the Irish people that he would act. He promised the Irish people that he understood it and what did the Government come forward with? A pathetic \u20ac43 cut. What an insult to people the length and breadth of this State who are struggling with keeping their heat on and struggling with the cost of home-heating oil. In the days after the budget announcement, the price of a fill of home-heating oil went up by \u20ac150. This Government is living on a different planet. Ministers are sitting around the Cabinet table, all well healed and all well paid. They do not understand the pressures that people are under. They have had to rise before. They did it in April when the Government did not listen and again, they are pleading with it to do the right thing. I have heard Government TDs saying that they understand the challenges that people face. Tonight is the time for them to put their money where their mouth is. Tonight is the time for them to stand up for the people who elected them to this position because we have a duty to protect those people who sent us here. Tonight, I am being their voice. I am telling the Government very clearly that it needs to act. Government needs to protect them and it should have their back. The way to do that is to do the right thing and remove carbon tax completely from home-heating oil. It needs to give people a real reduction in the cost of fuel and, by God, it can afford it. Those people have worked hard, they have built this economy and they have ensured that the taxes are there to support them now. However, time and again, Government Members show us who they really are. When it comes down to the crunch, do they support the individuals trying to heat their home? By God, they do not. When it comes to it, there are always money, always support and always tax breaks for those at the very top. Tonight should be different. Tonight, every single TD will have to stand up and be counted. Here on these benches, those of us in Sinn F\u00e9in will have the ordinary Irish people's backs. We will never give up until they get what they deserve. What they deserve is the right thing. The Government needs to remove carbon tax from home-heating oil, give them the break they deserve and reduce the cost of home-heating oil for once and for all."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Amendment put."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Paul O'Shea","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Paul-O'Shea.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Paul-O'Shea.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy John Paul O'Shea) In accordance with Standing Order 85(2), the division is deferred until next week's division time."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Cuireadh an D\u00e1il ar athl\u00f3 ar 8.23 p.m. go dt\u00ed 8.47 a.m., D\u00e9ardaoin, an 15 Deireadh F\u00f3mhair 2026."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"The D\u00e1il adjourned at 8.23 p.m. until 8.47 a.m. on Thursday, 15 October 2026."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Home Heating Oil Costs: Motion [Private Members]"}]}}]},"contextDate":"2026-10-13"}]}