Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 8 Oct 2024

The Minister of State and I are here again. A number of colleagues from Cork North Central and I raised a joint Topical Issue two weeks ago on a very similar issue. I wish to put on record that I appreciate the Minister of State being here again. She has been a great advocate for reintroducing the pilot scheme and trying to get therapists back into schools.

We were here two weeks ago and I do not expect that the answer the Minister of State will give me tonight will be remarkably different from the one she gave me that evening but I draw her attention to three things that have changed from my perspective and that of the parents of St. Killian's Special School in Cork. Six weeks into this pilot programme where four Cork schools were chosen, there has been no intervention in terms of therapies delivered to students in any of the four schools. I texted two of the principals about an hour ago before I came in here to clarify that this is still the case and it is the case. Bar a letter from the head of Cork-Kerry disability teams, one follow-up call and one call from the CDNT manager, no therapies have been delivered in the special schools in Cork.

Does the HSE actually want this to succeed? It is bitterly disappointing that we are here once again and are failing families abysmally in CHO 4. It is either on board with the pilot or it is not and I would like to hear from the Minister of State about how she thinks it is going to progress.

The second point concerns an email that was obtained via FOI and provided to me by one of the parents in a different constituency. That email was dated 8 February 2024 and was issued on behalf of Bernard O'Regan, head of disability services. Bearing in mind that this predates the inception of the pilot, Mr. O'Regan said that he wanted to clarify that if additional therapy capacity was available from other organisations in the area, these could be commissioned to provide supports to children and families under the governance of the CNDT. He said that this could include the provision of therapy supports to children in special schools and that the goal in approving this approach was to improve access to services where this was possible while ensuring that the service continued under the governance of the CDNT until staffing levels improve. We were given the impression here a couple of weeks ago that schools basically had to be in the pilot project to avail of this private therapy access. This clearly is not the case. As I said, Bernard O'Regan outlined on 8 February that there was a possibility that other sources of therapies could be provided. I just read that in the provision. I would like to know why the HSE has not engaged that private route or support. The Minister of State referenced in the past that there are schools around, including one in Wexford we are aware of that, that have availed of private therapy support so could she tell me what is so different about Cork and the inability or lack of willingness to avail of that private therapy route?

I feel that this is a never-ending saga. The Deputy asked me to reference Cork. I think it all focuses on Cork but I will stay on point for a moment on this. The frustrations of families of children with additional needs who attend special schools is acknowledged, as is the urgent need for therapy provision within special schools. The Deputy asked whether the HSE wants this to succeed. The answer is "Yes". I met with Bernard Gloster in the past three to four weeks to discuss this and he told me he has given a clear direction to all the regional executive officers in the country. In particular, he has given very clear direction to the regional executive officers in the areas where the special schools have been selected to co-operate. This is a partnership approach. Sometimes we get given out to in Government for not having a collective piece. This is the collective of the Department, the Department of Education, the HSE and the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, working together to put children at the centre. Bernard Gloster is very clear and has given the direction for that co-operation and leadership for it to succeed.

On 9 August, I welcomed the Government decision to support a special schools pilot that would provide delivery of in-school therapy supports to children in selected special schools. The programme will be provided by the HSE's CDNTs in 16 special schools, four of which are in Cork. The others will be chosen. The Department of Education identified and suggested schools for inclusion in phase one of the pilot based on educational need and detailed engagement undertaken by the Department over recent years.

The Deputy referenced an email from last February. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then when Bernard O'Regan issued that email. At that point, we did not have a special Cabinet subcommittee headed up by the Taoiseach where all Departments are around the table. I go back to the fact that it was agreed at Cabinet that the pilot programme would be addressed. From February to June 2024, Bernard O'Regan was talking about it. We spoke about the Wexford model about whether private capacity could be capitalised upon. He gave direct instruction to his heads of disability to go and capture capacity if it is there to support families and ensure that children got the services and supports they required. To be fair, in some CHOs, we saw positive interventions while things were not so good in others. One has to ask about what is wrong in Cork and why is it working elsewhere. Maybe it is the fact that the HSE does not have a CDNT on the ground. Maybe it is too far removed from the delivery of services. Maybe it is because it is easier to blame everybody else than to be actively involved in finding a solution. I am frustrated to hear the Deputy say there has been a lack of engagement, uptake and delivery of services to the four schools that have been clearly identified and are queuing up for this. To think that we are not delivering is highly frustrating. I will ensure that this step change is a positive one where the NCSE, the HSE and the two Departments are working collaboratively. Whoever is deciding not to co-operate will be found out.

As I said at the outset, I appreciate the Minister of State's genuine interest in this and it is appreciated by us all in CHO 4. One thing I need to reiterate is that six schools were identified, four of which are in Cork, and to my knowledge, and I have spoken with two principals today, not one of them has received a single therapy in the six weeks during which the scheme has been live. I believe the only reason the HSE touched base with those schools at that times was that we highlighted it here and that the HSE had not engaged initially with the schools. Reading the Minister of State's speech again, it is similar to the last answer I got here. Regarding the reference to engagement between the Department, the Department of Education, the HSE and the NCSE, for me, it is a recipe for disaster when there are so many Departments criss-crossing like that.

Ultimately, the Department of Education identifies the suggested schools but then the HSE has to provide the therapists. I am disappointed it has not started. I am very dubious about the success of this pilot scheme at this stage. That is not what the parents at home who are listening in tonight want to hear but I need to say it as it is. I am very dubious about the potential success of this pilot.

Will the Minister of State clarify the dates of the next intake of schools? She has said here previously that at the end of October the next ten schools will be identified and I believe there will be a roll out subsequently. Will she clarify that date?

I have heard there may be issues with the unions relating to CDNT employees and their desire to take part in this pilot. I believe the union in question has recommended that they do not partake in this scheme. Has she heard this or is she aware of it? Will she comment on it?

I said at the start that I know the Minister of State’s heart is in the right place on this. We are all trying to push in the right direction and get therapies delivered to kids but I am very dubious about the success of this project.

The Deputy asked a very clear question as to what is the next phase. October is the next phase for the intake of the additional ten schools to be rolled out in 2024-25.

I might disagree with the Deputy when he says there are too many Departments and agencies involved. It was the lack of Departments and the lack of engagement between various agencies that siloed us and got us to the stage we are in. It is about co-operation among Departments and agencies and putting the child and the family at the centre to ensure that there is that joined-up thinking approach. We must think of a parent who has a child with additional needs in special schools and bringing the therapies into the schools and ensuring that they have that support within the schools so that the parent may want to continue to work or the educators who are supporting the child has first-hand knowledge of how to deliver that support and how they can work to support the family to continue that support at home. That is joined-up thinking and the way it should work in that utopia that others might not see the value of. The Government sees the value of it. That is why in 2021 and 2022 we allocated enough funding to support the recruitment of 221 therapists to do this. We have had success in some of the schools where therapists have gone back in. They might not be in it but allying to it, there is delivery. In the Minister’s constituency, right beside me in Carmona, we have had great success on this. I must query why we feel in Cork that we cannot follow the rules. Why can we not feel like we cannot do what is laid out by the HSE or the NCSE? I will convene a meaningful meeting as soon as possible on the Topical Issue matter. It is not the political system that is lacking will here; it is outside that.

I thank the Minister of State for taking this Topical Issue. It is refreshing to have the Minister of State responsible take an issue when it arises. She has dealt with this issue all throughout the process and I thank her for that.

I first raised the issue of the Brandon report in a Topical Issue in the convention centre in July 2021. At that time, the Ceann Comhairle said on the conclusion of the debate: "Any members of the public watching these proceedings will wonder if they live in a democracy or an autocracy when a State agency can deliberately and protractedly frustrate the efforts of a Minister of State to get information about a fundamentally serious matter."

Since that time, she has tried to get the HSE in Donegal, and, I contend, nationally, to be accountable for the failings to service users in Donegal at Ard na Gréine and, indeed, to Brandon himself as well.

Families, unfortunately, have been kept waiting too. The whole way the families have been treated has been terrible and it leaves a stain on all of us. Whether we can ever achieve answers for them is debatable at this stage. The HSE has prevented the closure of Ard na Gréine and the decongregation of the setting as the solution to end the problem. However, how much decongregation has actually happened in Ard na Gréine? Perhaps the Minister of State can address that in her response as well. My information is that nothing has happened there and that is shocking. It calls into question the HSE commitment to making things right even at this stage. Sadly, I do not believe there has ever been an acceptance by the HSE that what happened was wrong and it would make sure that it would not happen again. The fact that decongregation has not happened proves that.

The Minister of State has worked on the issue and has tried to get the system, that is, the HSE, to deal with the issue and treat the families with the respect that they deserve. It seems it comes down once again to saving money on behalf of the HSE and the most important people, who are the service users, are being left behind. Unfortunately, it is over a year since the Minister of State said she would be in a position to publish a review of the system in CHO 1, which she hoped would make possible learning from the mistakes of the past possible by looking at what works and what does not work in the system and whether the system is now robust. Recently, some people have offered a chance to participate at this late stage and maybe give feedback to the reviewer. I know they have not been contacted or spoken to during the process, which is not good enough.

While the purpose of this process might be to look at what is currently in place, surely we need to know about the failings of the system as well. In order to see what works, surely it is necessary to understand what did not work. There is also the issue of the HSE nationally, which is not addressing this process at all. There is no doubt that Brandon and service users were failed by the HSE locally in Donegal but I believe we were all failed by the HSE nationally. It participated in a cover up and only looked to protect itself as an organisation. It is only by all of us admitting where things were done wrong before that we can aim to correct mistakes in the future. The least that victims like Brandon and their families can hope is that this will not happen to another family. Sadly, I am not sure that will be the case the way that things have gone.

I would like to thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I agree with him. For context, we are discussing this since May 2021. I am advised that the then chief officer of HSE community healthcare Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan, Sligo established an independently chaired strategic working group, SWG, in line with objective 5 of the HSE corporate plan 2021-2024, which is to "work to reimagine disability services, to be the most responsive, person-centred model achievable with greater flexibility and choice for the service user."

The SWG was also tasked with the implementation of service reviews including those in the national independent review panel's Brandon report, which included two recommendations. Recommendation one was the establishment of a strategic working group tasked with developing a new vision for disability services in this area in line with national policy and this working group should be charged with re-designing disability services in this area and developing a road map for achieving this new vision. Recommendation two was that this strategic working group should design services based on a social and human rights-based model of service provision for people with disability.

Nationally, HSE community operations established a safety risk management oversight team, SRMT, to oversee the work of this group. The national SRMT was chaired by the then HSE's chief operations officer. The independent chair of the SWG reported to the chief officer for the CHO, who, in turn, reported to the national SRMT. The SWG progressed two key strands of work, namely service improvement and service redesign. The new vision for disability services was reflected in the service redesign strand for disability services in the CHO. The vision is in line with national policy, based on a social and human rights model of service provision for people with a disability.

A range of key service improvements and service redesign actions have been undertaken over the period May 2021 to October 2024. Due to the progress made on the actions set out under the service improvement and service redesign strands, the national HSE SRMT decided that it had completed its work in September 2023.

In addition, it was assured that the CHO's disability services self advocacy strategy and sustainability plan would continue to ensure the implementation of the vision for disability services. As such, the governance and oversight responsibility for disability services in the CHO was transferred to the chief officer. It was decided that the independently chaired SWG would continue to operate with a review to take place in quarter 4 of 2024 to coincide with the roll out of the new HSE health region and integrated health area structures under Sláintecare.

The CHO disability services self-advocacy strategy, which has an accompanying implementation plan, was launched in December 2023.

The self-advocacy strategy considers the barriers that individuals face when advocating for themselves and sets out the future direction for enabling the participation of adults with disabilities using the service through effective self-advocacy. Self-advocacy groups and networks are increasingly being established throughout all areas of disability services. Earlier this year I requested that Colm Lehane, independent chair of the strategic working group tasked with the development of a new vision for disability services in the community healthcare area for Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan and Sligo, prepare a high-level report for me on disability services in the area. The primary objective of this report is to provide an independent and objective assessment of safeguarding structures and processes in place in the CHO. In the context of the Brandon report, this report will address whether the recommendations outlined in the report and associated reports - of which there are a lot - have been implemented by the HSE in CHO 1. I expect the final report in due course.

There is a lot of high-level gobbledegook in that response - SRMTs reporting to chief officers and stuff like that - but the reality is that while the outcome of the Brandon report was supposed to be the decongregation of the facility where Brandon lived, it has not been. I have been dealing with this since about 2016. That it has not been decongregated yet is down to HSE management not doing its job and not doing what it is supposed to do. Many people believe decongregation will resolve the issues in relation to Brandon. I have spoken to some people involved and working in this, and they believe that too. I really do not know and, unfortunately, there is nothing in the response to give me encouragement it will happen.

A service was closed in the north of County Donegal on foot of a High Court report and it was not explained to family members what was happening. The service users who were resident there are severely disabled and I do not know whether they would fully understand but it was not explained to family members. They have been moved out due to a damning HIQA report on the building. It related to the facilities rather than any safeguarding issues, as I understand it. I want to make that clear but it is symbolic of the fact things are not changing. People are not being talked to, as far as I can see. The decongregation has not happened because the HSE is not working at it. That is a problem. Will the Minister of State's report say that when it comes out? This report was supposed to be published well over a year ago and it still has not come out. That is a problem. This is ongoing and we will see repeats of this as well.

I know. I will give the Deputy the commitment tonight that I will talk to Mr. Lehane to see exactly how close we are to completion of it. I certainly would like to bring it to complete closure before this Dáil finishes up. I see it as one of the pieces in relation to safeguarding. I and the Minister of State beside me, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, talk a lot about safeguarding. There is a culture piece I want to see addressed. I want to see advocacy addressed and the voices of the individuals heard. I want to see that management chains have changed and that the investment that has gone in has led to a clear understanding of safeguarding and protocols. We do not need more legislation or rules; we want a clear understanding that the culture of those tasked day to day with looking after the most vulnerable is understood and delivered upon and that the families are respected and are part and parcel of whatever progress is made.

I give the commitment I will talk to Mr. Lehane tomorrow. I know it is independent; I am stepping outside that independence and will ask how close we are to completion so I can lay that report before the Dáil. I am conscious the national independent review panel, NIRP, report was never published. Many other reports were started but not finished. Let me bring the one I looked for before the House. Whatever flaws are in it, let it be published. I think people have a right to know.

I raise the ongoing boil water notice impacting on people in the Macroom, Carrigadrohid and Canovee area. It has been in place since last August. There was a short reprieve and, bang, it was down again within five days. That is putting pressure on local residents, who have to boil or buy water, for a prolonged period.

Last night I met Siobhán, who outlined her fear at not being able to trust the water and not being able to wash a head of lettuce or brush her teeth. She cannot depend on the quality of the water; she has to boil it. Others have to buy bottled water and there is a cost associated with that. This goes on and on.

This is not a recent development. It is a situation we saw each winter in recent years. Last winter, the boil water notice lasted about seven weeks. The winter before that, it was closer to ten weeks. There was a boil water notice before that as well. That is an ongoing cost, stress and hassle for residents. They are asking reasonable questions about what Irish Water is doing to deal with this and what the solution is. Will this go on forever?

The communications with Irish Water are poor enough. I give it credit for the text system that is now set up so that residents are made aware when a boil water notice comes in. Yippee, you know when you are being hit. The answers we want from Irish Water concern the pathway out of this, what it is doing to resolve it, what steps are being taken and when people can depend on the water quality in the Canovee, Carrigadrohid and Macroom area.

We are aware of steps taken in previous years. Last winter, a UV filter was installed to give them greater faith in their water-testing capability. Despite that, a boil water notice came on this August. Typically, the notices we have unfortunately been seeing were later in the year. Now there is one as early as August as they face a winter, possibly into January, without faith in the water and having to buy or boil it and the cost and hassle that goes with that.

People in Macroom, Carrigadrohid and Canovee deserve some answers from Irish Water. What is it doing to ensure quality, safe water? What is its plan? When can people have faith in the water in the tap? When will they be in a position not to have to buy or boil water? They are reasonable questions and Irish Water should be able to communicate on that. If there is any update from Irish Water, we would be keen to hear it.

It is a most reasonable request and I am sorry the Deputy has to raise it persistently on behalf of his constituents. I note what he has said about communication with Irish Water-Uisce Éireann, whose services continue to improve yet have room for further improvement.

As the Deputy is aware, the operation of Macroom public water supply is a matter for Uisce Éireann, which has statutory responsibility for all water services planning, delivery and operation.

In turn, the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, is responsible for setting quality standards and enforcing compliance with EU directives on the provision of drinking water.

As the Deputy stated, the boil water notice in place for the Macroom public water supply was issued on 27 August last following consultation with the HSE. As the public health authority, it is the HSE's decision to issue boil water or do not consume notices. The notice in question was lifted on 25 September. Unfortunately, as the Deputy pointed out, following the adverse weather experienced in County Cork the weekend before last, a further boil water notice had to be issued on 30 September. That notice is still in place. It was issued because of the supply shortage in the raw water source and the difficulties with the clarity and cleanliness of the water. I believe "increased turbidity" is the phrase used in that world.

The notice was issued to protect the health of approximately 4,194 customers served by the Macroom public water supply. The Deputy is aware that customers can check if their properties are included by visiting www.water.ie. Uisce Éireann has indicated that it understands the impact a boil water notice can have on a local community. I understand that its crews are working to lift the notice as quickly and as safely as possible. This is being done in consultation with the HSE. With continued high demand on the supply, the reservoir is only now refilling. It is necessary to fully replenish the reservoir to ensure stable operating conditions can be restored at the water treatment plant, which would allow the lifting of the boil water notice.

The priority of the Government is to ensure that people’s health is protected and that adequate water is available for all consumers. Everybody wants to see the notice lifted without undue delay, but this can only happen when the HSE and EPA have confirmed that the water supply is safe.

The Deputy correctly asked about what can be done in the longer term. Investment in Uisce Éireann has reached a record level of more than €2.7 billion to allow it meet the cost of delivering water services in 2025. However, as the Deputy will be aware, that has to translate to delivery on the ground. I am sure that is his priority on behalf of his constituents.

I thank the Minister of State for the reply and the various details supplied. She indicated that crews are out working to facilitate the lifting of the boil water notice. It would be very reasonable for people locally to know what it is the crews are doing. What is Irish Water doing? What action is being taken? What did Irish Water do have the original boil water notice lifted on 25 September? Surely it should be able to provide some indication of what action, if any, it took in that regard.

People do not have faith in what is happening. Again and again they have been put on boil water notices and told little or nothing else. They are told to boil water, buy water and stay out of Irish Water’s way. That is not good enough. People need to know they can depend on the quality of the water supplied. They also need to know from the supplier what action is going to be taken and what is the long-term plan. Those are very reasonable expectations. It has been so frustrating for locals in Canovee, Carrigadrohid and Macroom town and its hinterland. They are enduring the necessity of boiling and buying water. They do not know how long they will need to do so. Previous boil water notices have been in place for two to three months. They have always been in place in winter. We have been subject to one since August and it is possible that we will face more in the winter ahead. That is not fair to locals. Irish Water needs to be upfront and tell people what it is it is doing, how it is going to solve this problem in the long term and how it will bring about that solution as quickly as possible. The ongoing situation is just not good enough. People in Macroom, Carrigadrohid and Canovee deserve better from Irish Water.

I could not agree more. It appears that the issues which give rise to the necessity for boil water notices can be easily understood and communicated. They can sometimes be persistent. I have an issue in my area whereby after very heavy rainfall, people are aware that there will some difficulties for a very particular reason and that there is a longer term strategy to remedy the problem. While it is inconvenient, that at least provides some understanding as to the background issues.

Given the persistence of these issues, I would have thought that Irish Water would have communicated with the Deputy in the first instance and that it should not be necessary for him to be here at 9.55 p.m. on a Tuesday evening to get answers on behalf of his constituents. Uisce Éireann should have been more proactive in communicating very clearly to the Deputy precisely what it is doing, why it is doing it, what the science behind it is, what the medium-term plan is and what the longer term plan is. Uisce Éireann has a responsibility to engage with Deputies on a case-by-case basis, especially where there are persistent difficulties. This is by no means the first Topical Issue or Commencement matter relating to Uisce Éireann that I have dealt with. It seems perfectly obvious that it could dramatically improve its communications with the Deputy, as a public representative, and with Members of this House in general before they have to come here and ask questions. Deputies are asking questions on behalf of their constituents, and there should be a much better system in place. There may be perfectly reasonable answers that could be given and understood in order that people could monitor what is happening over time. The latter is very difficult, however, if Uisce Éireann does not provide the relevant information to the Deputy, as a local representative.

I bring to the attention of the Minister of State six blocks of flats in the Togher area. They are all of the same type, and I will come to that in a while. These flats at Cherry Tree Road, Hazel Road, Sycamore Place, Maple Place, Togher Road and Clashduv Road were built in the 1970s by what was then Cork Corporation. The flats are part of a very strong community in the Togher area, but on several occasions in recent years I have had discussions with residents and my colleagues, former councillors Orla O’Leary and Eolan Ryng, have spoken to them as well. The flats have gone beyond their lifespan. The conditions in them are not good enough.

I will detail some of the issues. The layout of the blocks is such that there is a balcony and stairwell between the ground floor and the first floor. There have been issues with rats in some of the blocks. In several, there are serious issues with cold and damp. There are also issues with subsidence in some of the blocks. There are issues with uneven floors caused by, I suppose, the decay of the fabric of buildings. There have been issues with loose masonry as well, but the primary issues are cold and damp, along with deterioration of the general fabric of the buildings. The iron bars surrounding the balconies have rusted, become jagged and are dangerous to children because of the condition they are in.

As stated. the flats are all of the same type. They were built under the instruction of architect Eamon O'Byrne, who was employed by Cork Corporation. They are the same as the apartments at the complexes on Noonan’s Road that have been pencilled in for demolition and regeneration. The report of the Commission on Housing that calls on the Government to formulate a plan to retrofit high-density housing in flat complexes in Dublin and Cork. The flats to which I refer are very likely some of the examples the commission was thinking of.

I have spoken to the residents. They are really frustrated at the slow pace of things. Reports have been compiled by the council in respect of this matter. Part of the issue seems to be that funding for large-scale regeneration is difficult to access. While there have been some works done in three of the blocks, these were relatively minor in nature and were really an exercise in kicking the can down the road. Such works are welcomed by the residents when it comes to fixing windows and things of that nature, but they do not tackle the fact these buildings are no longer fit for purpose.

There is a need for complete regeneration of these complexes. The residents are living in conditions that are not good enough. They are taking care of the buildings to the best extent they can, but these flats are similar to the ones on Noonan’s Road, which the council has accepted should be the subject of a full regeneration. The buildings at both locations are of the same type. There is a need for a root-and-branch approach in respect of this matter. We need full regeneration of the buildings and better accommodation for the families and individuals who live there.

I hope the Minister of State will consider what I have said. I appreciate that she is not based in the Department of housing, but I am conscious of the fact that it could be some time before this matter is dealt with.

It is important, therefore, that it be placed on the agenda. I hope the Minister of State will speak to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, on this issue because it is a quality of life issue for the residents of those six blocks.

This matter is a very important one for the Department of housing and I thank the Deputy for raising it. It is very important that local authority tenants who are occupying social housing properties and paying weekly rents are living in homes that provide good comfort levels for their occupants.

The Deputy will be aware that in accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act 1966, local authorities are legally responsible for the management and maintenance of their housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs. Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure that all their tenanted properties are compliant with the provisions of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019.

Notwithstanding the legal obligation on local authorities to manage and maintain their own stock, the Department of housing provides annual funding support to local authorities for management and maintenance under a number of grant programmes such as the planned maintenance-voids programme, the energy efficiency retrofit programme, the disabled person grants programme and regeneration, with the selection of homes and the nature and priority of works for inclusion in the programmes a matter for the relevant local authority. Since the Government has taken office, Exchequer funding of over €558 million has been provided to support local authorities work in this area.

Cork City Council has informed officials from the Department of housing of a targeted approach in the form of additional resources, which were concentrated on addressing internal work in the flat complexes at Clashduv Road, Togher Road and Sycamore Place. Work identified included heating and plumbing issues, window servicing, electrical repairs, mould growth and fireplaces. The full list identified as part of this strategy was addressed along with a number of additional requests of a similar nature.

As is the case across all of the housing stock, Cork City Council continues to receive and address repair requests for these areas in the standard manner. The Department of housing will continue to support local authorities in their work generally in this area. Of particular note is a new asset management ICT system for social housing surveys to support this work. This is being rolled out to all local authorities this year with the hope it will further streamline that process and the supports available.

-----in terms of the internal work. We informed residents about this. However, this is tinkering around the edges until the fundamental issue is grasped, and I urge Cork City Council to grasp it. I also believe, however, that one of the obstacles to this is the lack of a clear funding stream for the regeneration of flat complexes. Obviously, general funding is available for maintenance and so on and the council has its own resources but these are expensive jobs. Windows can be replaced, plumbing can be fixed and so on but the buildings are not fit for purpose as they have gone beyond their useful lifespan. They need to be fundamentally regenerated and that is where the council, working with the Department of housing, needs to focus its energy. The windows can be fixed and it will improve things for a time, which is welcome, but these flats have gone beyond their best days.

I will continue to raise this matter and I hope the Minister of State will raise it with the Minister, including the description I have given. I am conscious it is a slightly different make so is maybe in different category. There are issues with the Desmond Square apartments as well, which I have raised in the past. I hope the Minister of State will bring this to the Minister. There are mothers who are worried about their children catching their hands on the railings because they are jagged and rusted.

That will not be fixed as an "as and when" issue. There are still issues with cold, damp and water. I hope the Minister of State will bring this matter to the Minister. I will certainly continue to raise it because the tenants of these flats deserve a lot better than what they are getting at this time.

The Deputy is correct. I recall a number of examples of complete regeneration projects in Dublin, including right in the heart of the north inner city and in Dolphin's Barn where flats were beyond their lifespan in the way described by the Deputy. A completely different regenerative approach was necessary but it was largely driven by Dublin City Council in the first instance and supported by the Department of housing. I recall that from memory but it seems to be in the space described by the Deputy in terms of what is necessary for these buildings. As regards value for money, we have to question investment in tinkering at the edges and what can be done overall. I understand what the Deputy is saying and thank him for raising this matter.