Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 5 Nov 2024

I move:

Tuesday's business shall be:

- Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Data Protection Act 2018 (Section 51(3)) (Defence Forces Tribunal of Inquiry) Regulations 2024 (without debate)

- Motion re Referral to Joint Committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Sectoral Employment Order (Construction Sector) 2024 (without debate and any division claimed shall be taken immediately)

- Finance Bill 2024 (Committee and remaining Stages) (to conclude within 4 hours)

- Family Courts Bill 2022 [Seanad] (Committee and remaining Stages) (to conclude within 90 minutes)

- Companies (Corporate Governance, Enforcement and Regulatory Provisions) Bill 2024 (Report and Final Stages) (to conclude within 45 minutes)

- Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2024 (Report and Final Stages) (to conclude within 60 minutes)

Wednesday's business shall be:

- Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Acceptance by Ireland of two Amendments to the Agreement establishing the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) (without debate)

- Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Sixteenth General Review of Quotas and Amendment of the New Arrangements to Borrow Decision at the International Monetary Fund (without debate)

- Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters between Ireland and the United Arab Emirates*

- Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Treaty on Extradition between Ireland and the United Arab Emirates*

*Two separate motions to be debated together and brought to a conclusion after 57 mins

- Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2024 (Second Stage) (to conclude within 1 hr and 57 mins and any division claimed to be taken immediately prior to Committee Stage)

- Supplementary Estimates for Public Services [Votes 4 to 6, 9, 11 to 14, 17 to 19, 28, 30, 31, 33, 42 and 45] (back from Committee) (to be taken no earlier than 3.45 p.m. and to be moved together and decided by one question and any division claimed to be taken immediately)

- Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2024 (Committee and remaining Stages) (to be taken no earlier than 3.45 p.m. and to conclude within 60 minutes)

- Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Sectoral Employment Order (Construction Sector) 2024 (back from Committee, without debate)

- Appropriation Bill 2024 (Second and remaining Stages) (Second Stage to conclude within 1 hr 57 mins and any division claimed to be taken immediately; Committee and remaining Stages to conclude within 60 mins)

Wednesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Abolition of Carer's Allowance Means Test, selected by Sinn Féin.

Thursday's business shall be Second Stage of the Credit Review Bill 2024 (if not previously concluded, to adjourn at 5.30 p.m.).

Thursday private members' business shall be the Motion re Genocide in Gaza, selected by the Social Democrats.

Proposed Arrangements for this week’s business:

In relation to Tuesday’s business, it is proposed that:

1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the following extent:

(i) Parliamentary Questions to the Taoiseach pursuant to Standing Order 46(1) shall not be taken and Government business shall commence at the time when Parliamentary Questions to the Taoiseach would normally be taken;

(ii) the time allotted for Government business shall be extended in accordance with the arrangements for that business, with consequential effect on the time for the adjournment of the Dáil;

(iii) private members’ business pursuant to Standing Order 159(1) and Standing Order 169 shall not be taken;

(iv) Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Education pursuant to Standing Order 47(2) shall not be taken;

(v) topical issues pursuant to Standing Order 37 shall not be taken; and

(vi) the Dáil shall adjourn on the conclusion of the Report and Final Stages of the Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2024;

2. the proceedings on the Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Data Protection Act 2018 (Section 51(3)) (Defence Forces Tribunal of Inquiry) Regulations 2024 shall be decided without debate;

3. the proceedings on the Motion re Referral to Joint Committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Sectoral Employment Order (Construction Sector) 2024 shall be decided without debate and any division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately;

4. the Order of referral of the Finance Bill 2024 to the Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach, is hereby discharged, the Bill shall be taken in Committee of the whole Dáil and the proceedings on Committee and remaining Stages of the Bill shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 4 hours by one question which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Finance;

5. the proceedings on Committee and remaining Stages of the Family Courts Bill 2022 [Seanad] 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 Justice;

6. the proceedings on Report and Final Stages of the Companies (Corporate Governance, Enforcement and Regulatory Provisions) Bill 2024 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 45 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 Enterprise, Trade and Employment; and

7. the proceedings on Report and Final Stages of the Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2024 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 60 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 Health.

In relation to Wednesday's business, it is proposed that:

1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the following extent:

(i) the Dáil may sit later than 9.30 p.m. and shall adjourn on the conclusion of the weekly division time;

(ii) Parliamentary Questions to the Taoiseach pursuant to Standing Order 46(1) shall not be taken and Government business shall commence at the time when Parliamentary Questions to the Taoiseach would normally be taken;

(iii) the SOS pursuant to Standing Order 25(1) shall be taken on the conclusion of the Committee and remaining Stages of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2024; and

(iv) the time allotted for Government Business shall be extended in accordance with the arrangements for that business, with consequential effect on the commencement time for the weekly division time;

2. the proceedings on the Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Acceptance by Ireland of two Amendments to the Agreement establishing the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) shall be decided without debate;

3. the proceedings on the Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Sixteenth General Review of Quotas and Amendment of the New Arrangements to Borrow Decision at the International Monetary Fund shall be decided without debate;

4. the proceedings on the Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters between Ireland and the United Arab Emirates and the Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Treaty on Extradition between Ireland and the United Arab Emirates, if not previously concluded, shall be brought to a conclusion after 57 minutes, and the following arrangements shall apply thereto:

(i) the two motions shall be debated together, with separate questions put on all proceedings thereon;

(ii) the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows:-

- opening speech by a Minister or Minister of State – 10 minutes;

- speech by representative of Sinn Féin – 10 minutes;

- speeches by representatives of the Labour Party, Social Democrats, People-Before-Profit-Solidarity, the Regional Group, the Rural Independent Group and the Independent Group – 5 minutes per party or group;

- speeches by non-aligned members – 2 minutes; and

- a speech in response by the Minister – 5 minutes; and

(iii) members may share time;

5. in relation to proceedings on Second Stage of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2024, the following arrangements shall apply:

(i) the first speaking round shall be in accordance with the arrangements agreed by

(a) the Order of the Dáil of 30th July, 2020, for Second Stage, save that the times shall be halved in each case, and

(b) the Resolution of the Dáil of 20th September, 2023, in relation to 2 minutes for non-aligned members; and

(ii) on the conclusion of the first speaking round, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply, which shall not exceed 10 minutes, whereupon proceedings shall be brought to a conclusion: Provided that any division claimed on the Second Stage proceedings shall be taken immediately prior to Committee Stage of the Bill;

6. notwithstanding anything in the ordinary routine of business, the following arrangements shall apply to the Motions for Supplementary Estimates for Public Services [Votes 4 to 6, 9, 11 to 14, 17 to 19, 28, 30, 31, 33, 42 and 45]:

(i) the motions shall be moved and decided together by one question which shall be put from the Chair immediately prior to Committee Stage of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2024, or immediately prior to any division claimed on the Second Stage proceedings on that Bill, as appropriate, but in any event, no earlier than 3.45 p.m.;

(ii) the proceedings thereon shall be decided without debate; and

(iii) any divisions claimed thereon shall be taken immediately;

7. the proceedings on Committee and remaining Stages of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2024 shall be taken no earlier than 3.45 p.m. and shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 60 minutes by one question which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform;

8. notwithstanding anything in the ordinary routine of business, the proceedings on the Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Sectoral Employment Order (Construction Sector) 2024 shall be decided without debate, on the resumption of the sitting following the SOS;

9. in relation to the Appropriation Bill 2024, the following arrangements shall apply:

(i) on the proceedings on Second Stage, the first speaking round shall be in accordance with the arrangements agreed by

(a) the Order of the Dáil of 30th July, 2020, for the first round on Second Stage, save that the times shall be halved in each case, and

(b) the Resolution of the Dáil of 20th September, 2023, in relation to 2 minutes for non-aligned members;

(ii) on the conclusion of the first speaking round, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply, which shall not exceed 10 minutes, whereupon proceedings on Second Stage shall be brought to a conclusion: Provided that any division claimed on the Second Stage proceedings shall be taken immediately; and

(iii) the proceedings on Committee and remaining Stages shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 60 minutes by one question which shall be put from the Chair and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform.

In relation to Thursday's business, it is proposed that:

1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the following extent:

(i) Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and the Minister for Finance pursuant to Standing Order 47(2) shall not be taken;

(ii) topical issues pursuant to Standing Order 37 may be taken for 96 minutes on Thursday, for not more than 48 minutes at the commencement of the sitting, and for not more than 48 minutes as the last item of business, and more than four topical issues may be taken: Provided that any topical issues for Thursday morning shall be submitted by 1 p.m. on Wednesday;

(iii) private members' business pursuant to Standing Order 159(1) and Standing Order 169 shall be taken for 2 hours and 2 minutes as the second item of business, and on the conclusion thereof the sitting shall stand suspended until midday; and

(iv) no motion for a Committee report pursuant to Standing Order 102 or private member's Bill pursuant to Standing Order 160 shall be taken, with consequential effect on the time for the adjournment of the Dáil; and

2. the proceedings on Second Stage of the Credit Review Bill 2024 shall, if not previously concluded, be interrupted and stand adjourned at 5.30 p.m., and shall not be resumed on Thursday.

It is not agreed. The Dáil passed the occupied territories Bill in 2019. That is more than five years ago and the Government has blocked it ever since. In 2022, the Government supported the renewal of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, giving Israel, a State in continuous violation of international law, the most preferential trading relationship possible with Europe. The Government has not introduced a single meaningful sanction against Israel in response to countless war crimes and an ongoing genocide in Gaza.

It has used every excuse under the sun to block the occupied territories Bill and now it says it will pass it, but only after the election. The Taoiseach cannot be trusted on this matter, neither he, Fine Gael nor Fianna Fáil can. I want the game playing to stop. This Bill should go to Committee Stage this afternoon. It should come to the floor of the Dáil this week to complete all Stages and when we go to the people for the election, it should be on the Statute Book. We have offered the Government time. Other Opposition parties have done likewise. The Government has our full co-operation. We all agree this needs to happen. The situation cannot persist where Israel acts with absolute impunity-----

-----in the face of such ongoing slaughter.

We do not agree to the Order of Business on this basis. It is disgraceful that, having conceded the need for this legislation and as people are slaughtered, the Government delays, dithers and prevaricates on this most serious of matters.

Similarly, I call on the Taoiseach and the Government Whip to amend the Order of Business so we can see the passage of the occupied territories Bill this week. We have agreement across the Opposition that we will facilitate it in every way we can. We have all offered Private Members' time and our co-operation to ensure it can now pass through Committee and Remaining Stages. We understand there have been Government amendments and that Senator Black has been working constructively with the Government on this. With the co-operation of the House, we can see this Bill passed into law this week. As the slaughter continues in Gaza and Lebanon, it is vital that we in this House and country can enact meaningful sanctions on Israel to try to stop the slaughter and send a powerful signal to the world that Israel cannot continue to kill civilians with impunity.

On the same issue, we have just about 48 hours until this Dáil is dissolved and we should make those hours count. With only a few days left in office, the Government has finally said we can enact the occupied territories Bill, but claims it has run out of time. Not only does it underestimate the strength of feeling on the need to enact this Bill, it also underestimates the public's understanding that the Taoiseach decides whether we have run out of time by virtue of when he calls the election, not to mention that the Social Democrats and other Opposition parties have offered time. We offered two hours on Thursday to help to enact the Bill. We are still willing to offer this time.

Inaction in the face of genocide is complicity and constantly comparing Ireland's strong language to a bar that is very low does not fly with the general public any more. They want concrete action on this, not promises before an election. Even at this late stage, the Government can do the right thing. Will the Taoiseach please reconsider and use the Opposition time offered to enact this Bill?

Will the Taoiseach also provide clarity on the concerning information published by The Ditch this morning, that the US ambassador contacted the Government about there being consequences if the Bill were to be enacted? Is that true? Did she offer to speak to the Attorney General? Did that happen? Is this the reason the Government is refusing to enact the occupied territories Bill?

The Government - Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael - has blocked the occupied territories Bill since 2018 by putting a money message in its way, allowing Israel impunity for the crimes it has been committing for years against the Palestinians. After a year of genocide, the Government is still finding legal excuses to say it cannot do anything about the occupied territories Bill until after the election. Now we have the revelation of the real explanation by The Ditch, that the US ambassador contacted Micheál Martin 90 minutes before he announced that there would only be a review of the occupied territories Bill, rather than its passage-----

I oppose the proposal to approve without debate the additional borrowing facility at the International Monetary Fund. Countries most vulnerable to climate change face not only devastating floods and other disasters but also crippling debt. These financial burdens are nearly impossible to escape, leaving little room to address the pressing needs of their populations. Without significant debt relief, these countries will struggle to provide basic services, let alone tackle climate change. Targeted support from nations like Ireland through institutions such as the IMF could make a profound impact. Thoughtfully designed assistance could ensure climate mitigation and adaptation are prioritised in global aid efforts. For example, a debt-for-climate swap, where debt is reduced in exchange for commitments to environmental action offers a pathway to address both economic and ecological crises, giving vulnerable countries a fair chance to adapt to the changing world. We need to have a debate on that in the House.

I too support the calls for the occupied territories Bill to be passed. If necessary, we can sit on Friday, if the Government does not otherwise have the time. When to call the election is in the Taoiseach's hands. He has dithered about it for long enough.

I also call for a debate on the scandalous situation throughout Tipperary regarding the lack of Garda numbers. It was never worse. The gardaí we have are suffering from burnout. They do their very best. The numbers are just frightening. The issues that arise are being compounded daily. The exodus from the Garda is alarming, as is the lack of recruitment. We do not have Garda members on the ground to react to people when they need them. Members of the public always support the Garda but they need the Garda to support them also. The numbers do not allow Garda members to give the support to the people that they want to give. All the officers want to do their job and serve the people. Members of the Garda are often brought up to Dublin when there are demonstrations here and the country is left without them. It was never as bad in south Tipperary, in Clonmel, Carrick-on-Suir, Cashel, Tipperary town and the outlying areas. It is just not fair to people. They expect a service from the Garda, which gardaí want to give, but they cannot, as they do not have the numbers.

On behalf of the Independent Group, I echo the calls by the other groups on the occupied territories Bill. In order to facilitate a debate on Committee Stage I put forward a procedural motion for it to be taken after the Order of Business, which would allow Committee Stage of the Bill to go ahead. The Taoiseach should do the right thing and allow the Bill to proceed through Committee Stage in the next few days and make sure it is passed before the election because I know, unfortunately - as does the Taoiseach if he would only admit it - that if we wait until the next Government it will be five years down the line and we will still be waiting for it. That is the reality of the situation. The Government should do it now when the whole Dáil is in favour of it. It should put it through committee and we can pass it before tomorrow night.

First, I wish to inform the House that today, the Government appointed the first ever ambassador from Palestine to Ireland. That is an important moment. Deputy Pringle should not tut-tut about that. It is something that is seen as very important by the Palestinian Authority. If Deputy Pringle wants to tut-tut about that, that is on him. The ambassador is very pleased at being appointed, as are the President, Prime Minister and Government of Palestine. That is the first point to make.

The second point is that it is my understanding that this matter will be discussed at the Oireachtas foreign affairs committee today. I understand the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs is attending the committee. It is also my understanding that agreement has been reached with the Chair and the sponsor of the Bill on how to proceed. I acknowledge the huge leadership and highly constructive engagement shown by Senator Black. She has engaged intensively with the Tánaiste on this. I thank her for that. It is further my understanding that the Senator, the Tánaiste and his officials, including the legal adviser to his Department, will present to the committee this evening on the legislation. That is quite important.

Deputy Pringle is right on this. While I do not speak for the entire Dáil, I get the sense that there is now a consensus across the Government and the Opposition that we would like to see legislation passed in this regard, but we would also like to see legislation passed that is not going to fall at the first hurdle or in the European courts.

There is so much muttering going on it is hard to speak. We have to get this legislation correct and I think the appropriate way to proceed is for the foreign affairs committee, where the Bill will be at, to consider this issue this evening, to be briefed by the line Minister and the sponsor of the Bill, to receive presentations from both, and then for that committee to advise us on how to proceed.

In relation to Deputy Naughten, I can certainly-----

I can only account to this House what I have been informed. I have been informed what I have relayed to this House by the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs. That is my information. That is all I can relay to this House.

In relation to Deputy Naughten, I can discuss that with the Minister but we are not proposing to make time available, to tell the truth, because we have a lot of legislation that we want to get through in the remaining days of this Dáil. I will ask that the Minister engages with the Deputy on the matter and I note his views as well regarding the issue of Garda numbers. In response to Deputy McGrath, I appreciate that Garda numbers is an important issue. That is why we reopened Templemore and why we see Templemore full and at capacity. It is also why we see more Garda recruits coming out in his own county from the Garda College, every 12 weeks.

I am proud to stand here and call Ballaghaderreen my home town. I was proud to stand with people of Ballaghaderreen at a well-organised and well-attended vigil in the town on Sunday night. Ballaghaderreen is a good town with good people.

The sole purpose of the vigil was to send a clear message to this Government and to the Garda Commissioner that we need gardaí and we need to see. The falling number of gardaí is an issue I have raised repeatedly in this House and with the Garda Commissioner, although with him to no avail with him. Officially statistics tell us that there are four gardaí and one sergeant in Ballaghaderreen. If that, of course, was the reality I would not be raising this issue today. Like many rural areas, we do not see gardaí. That is not the fault of the gardaí themselves. They are under pressure and are stretched. I am asking for the Taoiseach's support for my ask to the Garda Commissioner for a rural Garda plan to ensure an adequate allocation of gardaí, not just being officially listed as being at a station but actually out on the ground and visible. There is fear in many of our rural communities but in towns like Ballaghaderreen there is also defiance and unity. We want positive action and we want to see gardaí out on the beat for our communities.

I thank Deputy Kerrane for raising this important issue and for the constructive way in which she has done that. I know of the strength of feeling in the community of Ballaghaderreen which she is bringing to the floor of the Dáil here. I want to assure the Deputy that we take the safety of people living and working in rural Ireland very seriously. Preventing crime does not just mean putting gardaí on the beat although that is important. It also means supporting the work of the National Rural Safety Forum. A lot has been achieved during the lifetime of that plan but it requires that multiagency and multisectoral whole-of-government response also. I will convey to the Garda Commissioner and to the Minister for Justice her views on the policing needs of Ballaghaderreen and I will ask the Minister to come back to the Deputy directly.

I want to raise the serious issue with the Taoiseach concerning the rights of a murder victim's family. Two young women, Elizabeth Plunkett and Mary Duffy, were murdered in 1976 by John Shaw and Geoffrey Evans acting together. Evans later died in prison. Shaw is serving a life sentence and is before the Parole Board for review. Shaw was never convicted of Elizabeth's murder. He was convicted of Mary Duffy's murder, but Elizabeth Plunkett's family are not legally regarded as victims within the Parole Board process. The family only learned of this heartbreaking news several months into the process, much to their distress. This anomaly must be addressed to protect the rights of victims' families. To compound the shocking injustice to the Plunkett family, it transpires further that an inquest was never held into their sister's death nor was a death certificate issued. Elizabeth's family, constituents of mine, have asked me now to make public their plight today for the first time since the murder of their sister nearly 50 years ago. They have asked me to make a specific request of the Taoiseach that the Government would commit to providing sufficient resources to enable the coroner in Wexford, where Elizabeth's body was found, to carry out the long-overdue inquest without delay. Gabhaim buíochas.

I thank Deputy Bacik for raising this important and sensitive issue. I can only imagine the pain that the Plunkett must feel as they still look for answers and information all these years on. I take seriously the point she makes about that anomaly and the importance of the rights of victims' families and I will raise that directly with the Minister for Justice. I want to be careful to committing on the floor of the Dáil to things I am not certain are directly within my control but I will raise directly with the Minister for Justice the issue regarding the coroner in Wexford and the fact that an inquest was never held. I will ask that the Department of Justice comes back to Deputy Bacik directly.

On behalf of the Social Democrats I want to acknowledge the passing of David Davin-Power. Our thoughts are with his colleagues, his family and his friends at this time.

The Cabinet finally agreed to increase the housing targets. The housing Minister was supposed to do this back in 2023. Two years late and 48 hours out from the election, he finally gets around to doing it. People can make up their own minds about the cynical way this Government is doing business. I want to know how many of these homes in these revised targets will be affordable. Will the Government be clear about that because it has missed its inadequate social and affordable housing targets every single year. Meanwhile, house prices are in the stratosphere. Since this Government took office, the price of an average home has increased by €85,000. That is more than €20,000 per year.

Is it any wonder that more than half a million adults are living in their childhood bedrooms or that home ownership rates have collapsed to a record low? Can the Taoiseach tell us therefore what portion of the overall housing targets announced today will be affordable homes and homes that people on average incomes can actually buy?

I thank Deputy Cairns very much for raising the question. The Government set the parameters for the housing targets for the next number of years out to 2030 today. That was a sensible thing to do because it does anchor the debate and discussion we will have no doubt in this country in the coming weeks. We also did that alongside the national planning framework because without a draft national planning framework, it is simply not possible to be able to deliver the increased scale of homes which are required in terms of zoned land. On the breakdown of those targets in social, affordable, cost rental and private, that will be a matter for all parties to put forward their views on what they wish to do in the course of the election. I certainly have mine and I look forward to putting them to the people and I am sure that Deputy Cairns will have her views also.

Taoiseach, I want to raise an extremely tragic case. On Tuesday, 24 September, Mihai Marandici died of sepsis in Temple Street Children’s University Hospital after being transferred by ambulance from Tallaght University Hospital. He was seven months old. His devastated parents, Nicolae and Olesea are looking for answers. Their solicitor contacted me this morning on their behalf.

At 6 o’clock on the Sunday, they brought their baby into Tallaght Hospital with a high fever and six hours later they were told he was fine so they took him home. By 3 o’clock on Monday they were back with a GP’s letter saying he needed to be treated urgently. More tests were performed but no medication other than Calpol or Nurofen were given until around midnight, nine hours later, when he was finally given antibiotics. Mihai then began to develop red spots on his body. His parents repeatedly rang for assistance but nobody came. At 5 a.m. on Tuesday he was transferred to Temple Street hospital where he died a few hours later. The family were told he had meningitis.

His Dad said:

He was so awesome. He was a bright and beautiful boy. What happened to him? We need to know. Could he have been saved?

The family needs to know and we need to know. Would the Taoiseach agree that there needs to be an independent investigation into this?

I absolutely would. I join with the Deputy in offering my sincere condolences to the family of baby Mihai on their tragic loss. Children Health Ireland, CHI, have advised the Department that a review has been commissioned in relation to Mihai's care which is normal process under the HSE's incident management framework. It also says that it will engage with the family on the terms of reference and to discuss the level of involvement that the family wishes to have in the review. It will also engage with the family to offer supports in what is an extraordinarily difficult time. It is not appropriate for me to comment further on Mihai's case while that review is underway and a coroner's inquest is still pending but I do obviously want to offer my deepest sympathies to the family. I do believe that the family needs to be involved in that independent review and in what that looks like.

I want to raise the power up grant for small business which was part of budget 2025 for the retail and hospitality sector. Some €170 million was made available with €4,000 per business. I and other members of the Regional Group are finding that certain businesses are unable to avail of this grant for the simple reason that they did not qualify for the increased cost of business support grant that was there previously. Therefore, some businesses are being treated one way and others are being treated in another way. There is no equality in this. The deadline for applications is this Friday. As one gesture to small business, the Taoiseach might extend the deadline and he might ensure that the instruction goes out to every local authority to allow people who have not previously got a grant to apply for the grant now. We are talking about small business and about people who thought that this was great news but when one goes into detail, one finds that some people do not qualify. In view of the fact that the Government has not reduced the VAT rate for small businesses, this was the Government's answer. Please ensure that this grant gets to everybody. I thank the Taoiseach.

I thank Deputy Canney for raising this matter. We had an update from the Minister, Deputy Burke, at the Cabinet today. I do not have the figures in front of me but from looking through the table, local authority by local authority, it looks to me that around 60% of those eligible so far have applied for the grant. We will certainly keep under review the deadline for that grant. I think it is some 60%-odd of people who are eligible.

The first point the Deputy is making is the bigger point that there are some businesses which did not qualify and were perhaps not able, for a variety of reasons, to get the increased cost of business grant, and he asks that scheme be expanded to include them. That is something that the Minister is giving active consideration to. It has been raised and discussed amongst Government parties. I will raise it directly with the Minister, Deputy Burke, now that Deputy Canney has brought it to my attention and I will ask that he comes back to the Deputy on it.

I welcome Councillor Richie Molloy, a manager of Family Carers Ireland in south Tipperary, and the group from Clonmel to the Gallery.

My office has been inundated with calls about ophthalmology services in Clonmel in south Tipperary. I pay tribute, first, to Dr. Hillery who has retired. My office has received numerous complaints. We are informed that Dr. Hillery gave her notice of retirement in July and retired on 5 October. She has not been replaced and I also understand that the position has not been advertised.

It is unbelievable the HSE can operate in this manner. I understand the service was experiencing a two-year wait for appointments. This was before Dr. Hillery retired. How could this not be anticipated? A professional person who gave great service wished to retire and gave adequate notice, but the position was not even advertised. That is not fair to the people in Clonmel waiting for eye treatment. It is totally unfair. It beggars belief the HSE can operate in that fashion.

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue and wish Dr. Hillery all the best with her retirement. I take the point he made about the gap in service provision and the anxiety that is causing for people who need ophthalmology services. I will raise it directly with the Minister and the chief executive of the HSE and ask them to come back to the Deputy urgently.

For well over two years I have been putting this question to a number of Ministers and nothing fundamental has changed. This is the last opportunity I will have to raise this issue. There is a critical lack of public health nurses in Dublin 12 and Dublin 8. There are in many cases no development checks happening for children. These are vital checks, as the Taoiseach knows. I have mother after mother coming in to me or contacting me about their children not being offered appointments. I have met mothers who were told their children could be as old as four before it is hoped they can be seen. I met two families yesterday out canvassing who were told it would possibly be two years before their four-month-old children are seen. An gentlemen came into yesterday about his elderly neighbour who has gone home from St. James's Hospital twice this year and had no public health nurses to back her up. This is a critical issue for young families in the area and I have seen no progress on it. On 18 April, the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, said it is not a funding issue or a moratorium issue, but it is due to a lack of public health nurses. Brian Kearney, head of primary care, responded to a parliamentary question by saying there has been "an ongoing challenge in relation to the recruitment of these key posts and the service currently does not have approval to recruit". There is a contradiction here somewhere and I need to get an answer because families and elderly people in the Dublin 12 and Dublin 8 area need to be looked after.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, which I acknowledge she has raised on a number of occasions. I can only tell her what my understanding is. My understanding is this was not a funding issue and that there was a challenge in identifying people, but I take the point the Deputy has a piece of paper from the HSE that does not fully align with that. I personally undertake to raise the matter with the chief executive of the HSE and the Minister for Health. I am aware of the importance of public health nurses, especially for that developmental check. My understanding was difficulty was being had with recruiting people into the service. Let me establish in the first instance if that is the case and come back to the Deputy directly.

Does the Taoiseach agree every major town should have a swimming pool? It is a basic facility. Bandon is biggest town in my constituency of Cork South-West. It has a population in excess of 8,000 but it does not have this basic facility that every family and every child should be able to access. There is a swimming pool in Dunmanway. It is a public pool but it is oversubscribed. It is fully booked and people cannot get swimming lessons or a swimming lane. Swimming is a basic life skill. It saves lives and trains up our future lifeguards. A town like Bandon, because of its size, where it is and the population, should have a pool. I ask that Government starts a process of perhaps setting up a strategic group involving Cork County Council, the local business association and local groups to try find out if we can establish a swimming pool in Bandon.

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. His idea is a sensible one. I will certainly ask the Minister for sport and suggest she and the Minister of State, Deputy Thomas Byrne, ask Swim Ireland to assist with that. I know from my constituency that can be helpful in mapping this out. We have seen an improvement in the availability of swimming pools and public pools. We need to see more and a town like Bandon has a compelling case.

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment administers some very good grants, of which the power up grant is one. I support Deputy Canney who spoke about anomalies in the system. There is one in particular where if the business is a tenant and pays the rates to the landlord to pass on to the local authority, nobody can qualify for the grant. In addition, if people had already registered under the increased cost-of-business grant and made a mistake, they cannot rectify that. The algorithms will not allow it to happen. The same thing applies with solar panels. If it is a tenant and landlord relationship, an application cannot be made. There are a number of anomalies. The Minister, Deputy Burke, is working hard to correct them, but it would be great if that could be done sooner rather than later. The deadline is very tight.

I thank the Deputy for raising the anomalies or the need to maybe tweak the power up grant and grants and funding around solar panels. This is something I will speak directly to the Minister about, but he is aware of it. In years gone by, we allocated a lot of funding to support small businesses. Sometimes it has even been hard to get all that funding drawn down because of the rigidity of schemes. We do not want that to happen with this so I will certainly ask the Minister to take a look at both the points the Deputy raised.

Like all candidates, we are knocking on doors across County Donegal and the Taoiseach should trust me when I say there are huge numbers of families who cannot avail of the defective blocks scheme. They just cannot afford it. They are tens of thousands of euro and, in some cases, over €100,000 short. That is the reality of the scheme. I appeal to the Taoiseach in this election campaign to have a look at the position of his party. Fianna Fáil will speak for itself. We need to have a scheme similar to what Dublin and north Leinster got for pyrite. There people got 100% redress and were able to get on with their lives. I ask the Taoiseach to please trust me when I tell him most families who are eligible for the scheme in Donegal cannot avail of it because they cannot afford to. I am asking him to urgently review this and take an approach that means no matter where people live, if they are victims, they get 100% redress.

I thank the Deputy very much for raising the issue and I accept the sincerity with which he does so. We have obviously seen a number of very considerable enhancements for eligible homeowners, including 100% grants subject to that overall maximum grant of €462,000 per dwelling, which we increased only last month from the original figure of €420,000 and also keeping the grant rates in line with the advice from the SCSI. I am quite sure this is an issue as we run into a general election, as the Deputy rightly said, that all parties will consider how to respond to it with respect to the needs of people in his constituency.

The council is conducting farm-by-farm inspections in the Castletown-Kinneigh and Coppeen area. Farmers who are well familiar with Department of agriculture, Bord Bia and a myriad of different inspections are finding these county council inspections are far more intense and are being conducted on every farm, even though the expectation was only 5% would be inspected. Even a one-cow farm is being inspected. The inspections are being driven by water quality. Where pollution is identified and noncompliance, there are penalties and immediate action is expected to be taken. It is reasonable enough that immediate action would be taken if there is pollution, but further along the very same riverbank, Dunmanway wastewater treatment plant is polluting the same water body. "Prime Time" conducted a programme on this recently and it is very frustrating for farmers who find they are not being treated equally. Why are all farms in the area being inspected one after the other and are all polluters, including Irish Water, going to be expected to take immediate action and upgrade?

There is a water action plan, which I launched a number of months ago, and it is anticipated there will be more inspections as well as funding to increase the number of inspectors at local authority level. This is about retention of the nitrates derogation. It is critically important to this country and we all can agree on that here. It is also about improving our water quality and we have a significant challenge. The farmers out there might note there is Waters of LIFE, which is a really good European innovation partnership we want farmers to participate in. I am not sure about the inspection of very small holdings, but that is something we can look into. I again encourage farmers to be involved in schemes that are out there to improve water quality. We all want to achieve good water quality and certainly it is in all our interest and the interest of farmers to retain the nitrates derogation.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Ceann Comhairle. Last week, there was an historic day for the people of County Kerry with the signing by President Higgins of the posthumous pardon in respect of Sylvester Poff and James Barrett, who were hanged for a murder they did not commit back in 1883. Their bodies were buried in Ballymullen Barracks in Tralee, which is still in the ownership of our Defence Forces, and there is nothing to mark the graves of these men whose innocence has now been recognised by the State. I ask on behalf of the families whether a monument, plaque or something could be erected to mark the resting place of these men who were buried there in 1883.

I ask the Taoiseach to provide funding for the Killarney bypass. People are stalled, parked on the roads in and out of Killarney morning, noon and night. I also ask him to provide funding for the bridges on the Ring of Kerry road and Listry bridge.

The road from Blackwater Bridge to Sneem has been totally and absolutely neglected. It is part of the Ring of Kerry route. It has to be funded properly. It has been neglected for 20 years.

The Taoiseach will be aware that there is a great deal of ambition and appetite for improved public transport in Cork but confidence in the system is unfortunately being seriously undermined. Our office is inundated with constant reports of buses not turning up or turning up an hour and 15 minutes late on services that are supposed to run every 20 minutes. Even with the timetable being reduced because the bus company could not meet what the NTA had set out, we have still seen buses running late and people being isolated over the last two weekends. Bus Éireann is short dozens of drivers. It is a serious problem. If public transport in Cork is to reach the next level, as it should, we need a very significant number of drivers to be recruited. What will the Taoiseach and Minister do to address the serious crisis in public transport in Cork?

It has been just over a year since Storm Babet visited severe flooding on communities in east Cork and west Waterford. If we had not been reminded of this by its anniversary, the flooding in Spain will certainly have reminded us in a very visceral way. Replies to freedom of information requests show that detailed information is being shared with local authorities ahead of heavy rainfall events but this is not being shared with the general public. Does the Taoiseach agree that, if this information is available, it is long past time that it was shared? Does he agree that an early warning system for flooding events should be rolled out as a matter of urgency?

It is an open secret that the accident and emergency services provided at University Hospital Limerick are grossly inadequate to meet the needs of the population the hospital is supposed to serve. More than six months has elapsed since HIQA was tasked with finding out if these services were adequate, although we all know they are not, and with making recommendations as to improvements that should be made. It took another three months to give that HIQA group terms of reference and we are now told that the first report from HIQA on this matter will be available some time next summer. Does the Taoiseach agree that this does not show the matter being treated with the seriousness it deserves? Can the process be shortened so that we can get on with protecting the lives and well-being of the people we are sent up here to represent?

Yesterday, I had a visit from a lady who had been diagnosed with cancer. She was particularly stressed because, having applied for and received a medical card, she then had to apply for the fuel allowance, an application that has been turned down. Today, that lady phoned me to say that she has received a secondary cancer diagnosis. She is particularly stressed. Not being able to heat her home is a big issue. If cancer patients are eligible to receive a medical card, they should be automatically entitled to the fuel allowance. We need to support people at this most vulnerable stage in life. I ask the Taoiseach to seriously consider that on behalf of the sick.

I will ask the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, to take the two questions on transport if that is okay. I will respond very briefly on the other matters. I thank Deputy Griffin very much for raising the issue of the posthumous pardon for Sylvester Poff and James Barrett and for his role in that campaign. His suggestion as regards Ballymullen Barracks is appropriate and I will certainly follow it up. I will liaise with him directly on that but it is a sensible and important thing the State could do to acknowledge this issue.

To respond to Deputy O'Dea's questions on UHL, I inquired into the matter only a couple of days ago. My understanding is that HIQA will now provide an interim report at the start of next year and a final report by next May. I know this is a matter of great worry and concern in the Deputy's region. We continue to keep in touch with it.

Deputy Verona Murphy's suggestion is sensible. I will certainly raise it with the Minister. She asked if we can look at fuel allowance eligibility for people who have cancer and who qualify for the medical card. That is a sensible suggestion made in good faith. I will raise it with the Minister.

Regarding Deputy Ó Cathasaigh's comments on Storm Babet, we need much better sharing of information, alerting of the public and early warning systems. Some of the freedom of information responses and the good work done by Carlow Weather and others in recent days have brought this to my attention. I will raise those issues directly with the Department of housing.

To respond to Deputy Danny Healy-Rae, our Department will be looking at the roads allocation for both national and regional roads now. It will have to be agreed with Transport Infrastructure Ireland. That will be developed and agreed with TII before the end of the year. I absolutely agree that we need to maintain maintenance funding for roads because, once a road falls below a certain standard, it costs a lot more to bring it back. I agree on the likes of the roads on the Ring of Kerry and bridges on such roads. It is very important that they get first priority in our spending allocations.

I absolutely agree with Deputy Ó Laoghaire. There is a significant issue with public transport in the city of Cork. I attended a meeting with Cork City Council recently at which we agreed that we need more drivers and mechanics. Bus Éireann is engaged in that process but that will not deliver a reliable timetable on its own. We agreed with the council on ten ways to ease some of the congestion that is crippling the city and in which buses are getting stuck. The councillors agreed that they would look at these provisions and that they would give buses better priority so the timetable is put back on a proper footing.