Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 25 Jan 2024

The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council was established after the last time the Tánaiste served in government, when his party wrecked the economy and brought the IMF to our shores. Yesterday, the council, which is the State's budget watchdog, wrote to the Minister for Finance following the Government's plan to cut the pay rate of the chair of the council. Professor Michael McMahon, the council's acting chairperson, criticised the proposal in this regard and warned that it could diminish the role of the budget watchdog. He also said such a move could risk damaging the fiscal credibility of the State. The Tánaiste will be aware, as many of us are, that this comes a month after the council criticised the Government for its fiscal gimmickry in the recent budget. It criticised the levels of underfunding of public services, particularly in health. Some economists have commented that it is hard to see what the Government is doing as anything other than an attempt to stifle criticism of the Government.

Why was this decision made? What is the Government's response to the acting chairperson of the budget watchdog? Is this an attempt by Fianna Fáil to undermine the position of a body that was established as a consequence of the party's disastrous economic policy on the previous occasion it served in government?

That is an outrageous assertion. We established the council back then. I believe passionately in the idea of an independent fiscal advisory council. I respect the outcomes of the council's deliberations. That is democracy. Any suggestion that there is an attempt to undermine the council is outrageous, ill-founded and wrong.

I looked at Sinn Féin's budget proposals. I recall that its response to the energy crisis last year was the Liz Truss response. We saw what that did to the British economy.

Last night was a missed opportunity in the context of the votes on the atrocities in Gaza and the proceedings before the International Court of Justice, ICJ. Our national Parliament had the chance to achieve unanimity in standing up for international law and against war, death and destruction. It is unfortunate that the House divided. I was particularly disappointed that the Government voted against the amendments from Labour and other Opposition parties to the Government motion. The amendments restated calls for a ceasefire and committed to intervening in the ICJ case in support of South Africa after provisional measures have been sought by that court. The Tánaiste will know that over the past week I have engaged in seeking support for a cross-party motion on Gaza and the ICJ proceedings. The motion in question was drafted by Sadaka. Now that the votes have happened, what steps will be taken to fulfil the Government's obligation under the Genocide Convention to conduct an assessment of whether there is a serious risk of genocide in Gaza. Those were the steps set out in the motion drafted by Sadaka, which we, as a House, should have been able to unite on.

There was no missed opportunity last night. I have to say that no country has joined the ICJ case by South Africa because it has only asked for preliminary provisional measures. Typically, countries intervene after the country that has asked for preliminary measures submits a substantive case. As a legal person, the Deputy knows in her heart that no opportunity was missed last night. Can we have a degree of honesty? If she really wants a cross-party approach, we need honesty on this, not political rhetoric and play-acting.

People talk about a cross-party approach. A week ago, all of those opposite got together with People Before Profit, which even this morning could not condemn the Hamas attack on October 7. Labour wants a cross-party approach yet it attacked us a week ago and called us cowardly, notwithstanding the fact that we are before the ICJ. The bona fides all around in the context of working on a cross-party basis are a bit thin on the basis of the approach taken up to now. I have to say that. I will put my cards on the table. I have no issue with endeavouring to-----

One of the first things I tabled in this Dáil was a motion drafted by the Social Democrats for the eradication of consistent poverty among children. Unfortunately, the Government rejected it. We have not seen the reduction or eradication of consistent poverty among children that we need. The State of the Nation's Children report for 2023 was published earlier today. Instead of a reduction, there has been an increase in the numbers of children at risk of poverty and in those experiencing consistent poverty. We now have 191,000 children at risk of poverty and 94,000 in consistent poverty. Despite the Taoiseach giving a firm commitment that he would stamp this out, unfortunately the figures continue to rise. What is the Government going do to give children a better start in life and eradicate once and for all consistent poverty among children?

That is where Ireland is positioned globally. There has been a consistent reduction over the past number of years in child poverty. Covid created challenges but we put huge investment into social protection. We targeted that investment at children at risk and will continue to do so in the context of social welfare payments, which will be doubled in the forthcoming payment next week as part of our cost-of-living package.

Sonya Cashman and her family live in Blackpool in Cork city. Their household has been plagued with dirty, discoloured water for 18 months. John Mulcahy lives in Ballyvolane with his family, which includes two-year-old twins. Their household has been plagued with dirty, discoloured water for three years. Sonya and John will be speaking at a public community meeting tonight organised for all households directly affected by this issue. Last night, Uisce Éireann told the press that it would not accept the invitation it received to speak at the meeting because it does not have anyone available. It had seven people available to address a Cork City Council committee meeting last week but no one to address the people directly affected. Does the Tánaiste think it is acceptable that a taxpayer-funded entity can avoid engagement with people affected in this way? Does he think it is acceptable that 18 months after this crisis first emerged on a mass scale in Cork city, Uisce Éireann has yet to engage directly with those affected at any public forum?

It depends on the nature of the public forum. There should always be engagement between State agencies and the public in structured ways that can lead to the provision of information, questions being answered and issues dealt with.

It is unacceptable that there should be discoloured water in the two houses to which the Deputy referred because overall, drinking water quality from public supplies in Ireland, as confirmed by the Environmental Protection Agency, is high in Ireland. It states that water quality from public supplies remains high, consumers can be confident it is safe to drink, and compliance rates are consistently high year to year with over 99.7% of samples complying with bacterial and chemical limits in 2022. I will ask the Minister concerned if he will speak to Uisce Éireann with a view to engaging with the residents concerned in Ballyvolane and Blackpool.

I have spoken numerous times to the Tánaiste in his role as the Minister for Defence about soldiers being forced to be discharged from the Army when they reach the age of 50. I met an NCO chef who is coming up to 50 in January 2025. He is a very fit soldier who passes the fitness test and medical every year. He is currently running the kitchen in the local barracks where I come from-----

----and as the Tánaiste knows there is a big shortage of chefs and numbers of soldiers are at an all-time low. This chef has over 24 years' experience. He has a family with three children who will go to college and still has a 15-year mortgage to go. He would love to stay in his job but at the moment he feels as though he is being forced out and unsurprisingly is looking for a job. I have raised this with the Tánaiste many a time and he gave me a commitment. "Commitment" may be a wee bit strong but he gave me a commitment that this would be sorted out. We are losing good people from the Defence Forces and a 50-year-old man is a young person. Over the last number of months the age limit for joining the Garda has been raised to over 50.

There is active work under way in respect of raising the retirement ages in our Defence Forces and in other uniformed forces as well. It takes a cross-departmental approach. We had meetings prior to Christmas on this. I anticipate that measures will be decided upon shortly that should inform the gentleman spoken about-----

The Tánaiste may have read over Christmas about the wonderful achievements of Shaun Fogarty from Cahir over the new year. In 2013, this 19-year-old student was left paralysed followed a devastating car accident. His family was told he would never move, eat, drink, or speak again. In the ten years since his accident, Shaun has overcome massive challenges with the support of his parents Gretta and Kevin Fogarty, his family, and wonderful carers. He showed great determination and strength and after three years in hospital he moved home to be cared for by his family. Since then, Shaun has shown great resilience and has gone on to complete a masters. Despite showing such determination and resilience, and overcoming so many obstacles, Shaun is now essentially restricted from taking up work or earning over €375 per week. That limit is a very unfair discrimination. Shaun is an inspiration to us all, shows what it takes and what passion and resilience he has but this anomaly means if he gets work he will lose his medical card and assistance and no employer can pay that.

The Deputy makes a very fair point and I pay tribute to Shaun for his resilience and his family for their care and nurturing. We provide supports for disabilities within third level education and that helps but we must do everything possible for people with disabilities to enable employment. I am 100% in agreement with him. We have increased the thresholds for the medical card significantly now. I am not sure of the specifics of the case but the Deputy could follow up with the Minister for Health regarding the new situation and eligibility thresholds. He would certainly be entitled to the GP card.

It is over five years now since the Government made a very good decision to ban trawlers over 18 m from fishing within the 6 mile limit. That is over five years ago. It is over ten months since the Court of Appeal held that policy at nought on a very narrow ground. The Government's decision was very good. It was unsustainable. Unfortunately, that unsustainability has continued and the figures for sprat alone over the past five years - excuse the bad pun - have gone off the deep end. We have, on average, 12,400 tonnes a year of sprat being caught when the recommended amount is 2,800 tonnes. I do not know how many times I have raised this issue in English and in Irish. It was a wonderful policy and I fully support the Government on it but I refer to the delay in the action. The last reply I got was that we were waiting for more scientific research. In the meantime, this unsustainable situation continues.

-----and we received the final judgment in that court case a few months ago. My team and I have been working on this and doing all the preparatory work that is necessary to start this again. The Deputy will understand, given our previous experience relating to the court challenge, which ultimately knocked it down, that we have to be very careful and judicious in each step of that. This is something I want to step forward as quickly as possible. I am very concerned about what is going on with larger vessels, particularly regarding sprat in the inshore inside the 12-mile zone. I want to take this forward and can assure the Deputy we are doing all we can to take it forward as quickly as we can to get to the stage where we get the successful outcome we want to see here. I thank the Deputy for raising this issue.

The Tánaiste will be aware that last year the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, announced over €50 million for communities across Ireland who opened their village or town to so many people from Ukraine fleeing war and aggression from Russia and the Putin regime. The funding has been allocated across all local authorities based on the number of new arrivals located there. Many communities still have the same concerns about the influx of people. They often highlight the lack of community facilities such as playgrounds, sports facilities and community centres. This is an opportunity to address those concerns and I ask that consideration be given for a second round of this well-received funding by Government.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and it is something to which I am very committed. As Taoiseach, I was anxious to promote the idea that there would be a recognition and an acknowledgement of the role that many communities the length and breadth of the country have played in welcoming Ukrainians who were fleeing from a most vicious war perpetrated by Russia and Putin. There was a €50 million community recognition fund that was administered by the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and her Department. We will be introducing further supports for communities and we may provide this more directly to the communities. It was done via local authorities the last time and it was okay. Approximately 30% of projects are complete and we hope to get them all completed by the end of the year. However, I would like a more direct approach - modh díreach - on this.

For the first few years in this Government's term in office, we saw numerous capital road projects progressed across the country including the Baile Bhuirne to Macroom bypass the opening of which the Tánaiste officiated at last year and I think he is due next month to cut the ribbon on the Dunkettle interchange, which is most welcome. I understand an announcement is due shortly from the Department of Transport on the progression of further roads projects. As the Tánaiste knows, last year, the Mallow relief road and the northern distributor road on the north side of Cork city were both left short relatively small sums of money to progress through the various stages of design and planning. I ask the Tánaiste to give the people of both those areas, namely Mallow and the north side of the city, assurance that those two projects will progress this year and will not be left behind.

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I know this is an issue for which he has advocated for quite some time. Some funding was provided last year to facilitate the progression of those projects. There are huge pressures on the capital budgets because of the inflationary cycle we have experienced. Most road projects now are turning out, after tender, at significantly higher cost than the original estimates of such projects so we have to take that on board. However, I understand the critical need for the Mallow relief road and also the northern distributor road.

Last May, the CEO of Louth County Council disallowed a motion put forward by councillors around rescinding the freedom of Drogheda from Br. Edmund Garvey, a man who devised the legal strategy designed to frustrate the efforts of child sex abuse victims in achieving justice. "The Michael Reade Show" on LMFM radio submitted several freedom of information requests and appeals seeking information on the situation and was furnished with just five documents.

After a ruling by the Information Commissioner, a new search discovered 892 emails, the existence of which had been initially denied. Victims have concerns that the chief executive has breached the Local Government Act-----

Let me rephrase it so, a Cheann Comhairle. If there were concerns that there were any breaches of the FOI Act or the Local Government Act, would the Tánaiste have serious concerns about those breaches, and what would the Government actually do? Would it look at reforming the FOI Act, or indeed what safeguards exist when local authorities breach them? Is that a matter he takes seriously and what would he do about it?

The freedom of information legislative framework is a very comprehensive one. It allows for appeals in respect of decisions to refuse information. We have always supported the fullest co-operation at all levels of Government with requests for information. Government does not intervene in local authorities all of the time because, if it did, the Deputy and others would be the very first people to say we were interfering in the work of local authorities.

I am not clear how a CEO can disallow a councillor's motion. That is how the Deputy has presented it. I do not know if that is the full story. I would find it difficult to comprehend where a democratically elected representative proposed a motion, unless it is ultra vires, contravenes the law or whatever. I do not know on what basis or grounds a motion was disallowed.

I can say that in my early time as a councillor, I was refused an FOI for two years with regard to a dump that I wanted closed. I eventually got the information and I then realised why I did not get it two years earlier. Now it is an amenity park, and a wonderful amenity park for the area. FOI has its role, and we want to see it adhered to.

I ask the Tánaiste about the need for the appointment of a design consultant on the Castlemartyr-Killeagh scheme on the N25. The Tánaiste and the Government will be very well aware of how important this project is to me, to the constituents I represent, to our area, and indeed to those living in County Waterford and the Minister of State, Deputy Butler's constituency. We want to see a design consultant appointed because we need to see routes being proposed and we need to see progression of this project. Will the Tánaiste commit to this being looked at by Government as a matter of urgency? As he knows, roads funding will be decided on in the next couple of weeks.

The Deputy has clearly nailed his colours to the mast, although that is the wrong analogy with regard to this Castlemartyr bypass. I now note that he has enlisted the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, onto his team to increase pressure in respect of that project. It is very serious for the people of the area, and I hope that within the next number of weeks we can bring clarity to the whole roads programme, including the Castlemartyr bypass.

I share Deputy Munster's concerns regarding the FOI Act in County Louth. It is important we bring it to the attention of the Minister and the Information Commissioner to get a resolution.

I rise today specifically about the crisis in speech and language therapy in the Drogheda area. I am getting anxious parents who are concerned about children not being able to get appointments, particularly in view of the change in the boundary. There is a huge issue because we cannot get answers to parliamentary questions we put to the HSE because the trade union Fórsa is refusing to allow answers to come to us. I ask the Tánaiste that we try to resolve the Fórsa strike, which is what it is, a ban on information to elected representatives, which is unacceptable. Also, can we get the facts about the speech and language therapy waiting list and the additional resources that are needed there?

I do not condone it. I think it is wrong, and Fórsa should desist, in the interests of democracy. There is also the fact that, as I said earlier, €7.1 billion has been allocated to health since 2019. We can have arguments and debates about whether we need to do more, and I accept that, but we need a sense of perspective on these issues as well. That is my view on it. Above all, the right of the public to information is something that should not be undermined.

I again raise the matter of the parents of Salem Gharbia, who are in a camp in Gaza with no medication or access to food or clean water. In fact, their lives are in constant danger. This morning, I received a written response to a question I put to the Tánaiste on this issue where he told me that if an Irish citizen, for example, Salem himself, was in Gaza, his dependent parents could accompany him out of Gaza. It might take time but it is possible.

It seems to me the issue is not whether his parents could get safe passage out of Gaza but actually whether he is there to accompany them. The Tánaiste and I know that is not possible. While I recognise the real efforts made by the Tánaiste and his officials, I ask that he look again at this case and similar cases and investigate every possible avenue to get Salem's parents to safety. He will do whatever is necessary.

I appreciate Deputy Harkin raising the issue, and we certainly will. I will say again that we are doing everything we possibly can to get Irish citizens and their dependants out of Gaza. We have succeeded in getting quite a number out. Our ambassador, Sonya McGuinness, is working very hard. She is based in Tel Aviv. There are Members of the House who want us to expel ambassadors and pull our ambassador back. It is an interesting point because Deputy Boyd Barrett had a very sincere case this morning in respect of a number of people in Gaza as well, but at the same time he wants me to boycott Israel and have no representation there. We need a coming together of minds about the practical realities here. Israel controls a lot of what happens at the moment, wrongly, as to who gets out of Gaza. Those are the facts of the case, and the Egyptian authorities have been very helpful. We will work on that case and I appreciate the Deputy raising it.

Today, a call was made for sick patients to go to GPs and other pathways to try to avoid emergency departments. Unfortunately, in Tyrrelstown in my constituency, the GP clinic will close in February and, as we know, there is overwhelming evidence that people are dying in emergency departments. Let me give an example. The Tánaiste talked about primary care, early diagnosis and access to services. There is a crisis in the endoscopy unit at Connolly Hospital. There are currently just four scopes being performed daily. There are delayed procedures and therefore delayed diagnoses. Will the Tánaiste commit to the opening of the endoscopy unit and increasing bed capacity to avoid the shutting down of day services? I am also told the hospital management has postponed the successful bowel screening programme. Again, as was said, pathways, early diagnosis and access to treatment are really important.

This lunchtime, a number of Kerry agribusiness milk lorry drivers continued their picket at the Kerry Group HQ in Tralee. These drivers have served the company very well, some for more than 40 years. The shortest serving was for 29 years. In fact, I never remember a time passing that man's house where I did not see the milk lorry parked outside his house in the evenings. These workers were made redundant just before Christmas.

I am asking, and I know the Tánaiste is limited in what he can do, if the industrial relations mechanisms of the State could get involved here to establish dialogue between these workers, who have collectively given in excess of 150 years' service to the company, and the company, which, as I understand it, is not engaging with these workers at the moment. It seems a terribly harsh situation for these people who are now going to replaced by agency workers to do the same jobs they were doing. I ask if the Tánaiste's office could help in any way.

I thank Deputy Griffin for raising this issue. The Minister, Deputy Foley, was in touch with me as well. I take the Deputy's point. Yes, the industrial relations processes should be used. I will talk to the Minister for enterprise in respect of that. Kerry Group is one of Ireland's most successful global multinational companies, starting with very humble beginnings in Kerry and Tralee. I ask that the company would engage and have a fair outcome to the situation.

Earlier this week, the Health Research Board, HRB, published a report on the future of the medical cannabis access programme, MCAP. It is an extensive report of over 220 pages. While it addresses the limitations around medical cannabis, it endorses expanding the programme, particularly for people with nerve pain and neuropathic pain. Thus far, the MCAP has been extremely restrictive, with only 50 people prescribed medical cannabis since the scheme was set up in 2019. The majority of people who want to access the programme cannot access it. Does the Tánaiste agree the programme is very restrictive? Will he endorse its expansion to include other conditions?

In 2019, I worked from the Opposition benches with the then Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, on the setting up of a scheme for medical cannabis use. That scheme now operates through licences issued by the Minister. I favour anything that has an evidence basis to it, including when it comes to expanding the medical cannabis access programme. However, it needs careful consideration and good evaluation. The Deputy indicated that nerve pain and pain generally is the area people are suggesting for expansion. It certainly is an area that could lend itself to the use of medical cannabis. At the moment, the drug is used for severe, refractory epilepsy, spasticity as a result of multiple sclerosis and nausea as a result of chemotherapy. We need a stronger evidence basis for its clinical efficacy. Now we have had 50 cases, we need to bring the perspectives of the medical community into the equation a bit more.

I want to bring to focus the role of young family carers. A recently published ESRI report highlighted the challenges faced by young people who are overburdened in their role as carers for parents, siblings or close relatives. The story of a 17-year-old student from the west of Ireland who helps her six-year-old non-verbal autistic brother was highlighted in the report. The young girl highlighted the difficulties she faces in progressing her studies while also assisting her brother. Young carers have been identified as a group who are at risk of social exclusion, additional health problems, including mental health issues, and curtailed opportunities as a result of their extra responsibilities.

It is crucial that our State agencies, including Tusla and educational institutions, understand and recognise this largely invisible group, the members of which are often difficult to reach. Will consideration be given to broadening the scope of suitable programmes, such as the school completion programme, to encompass this young carer group? Can home-school community liaison co-ordinators be allocated to assist in providing the necessary academic, social and emotional supports?

Deputy Kenny has left the Chamber but I put on the record that a clinical review group is being established to follow up on the HRB report.

I thank Deputy Dillon for raising what is a very important report. I am a passionate believer in school completion and have been all my life. We have very high rates of school completion in Ireland but the school completion rate of the cohort referenced in the report, that is, young carers, is affected by their caring duties, as are their school performance and their progression to third level. I will talk to the Minister for Education and others to see what we can do to assist young carers to optimise their performance in education generally and ensure they are not negatively impacted by their caring role.