Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 25 Jun 2024

I move:

Tuesday's business shall be:

- Motion re Referral to Select Committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of Ireland’s participation in two PESCO Projects and two European Defence Agency Projects and the report regarding service by the Defence Forces with the UN in 2023 (without debate)

- Motion re Referral to Select Committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income) (Jersey) Order 2024 and the Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income) (Sultanate of Oman) Order 2024 (without debate)

- Motion re Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998*

- Motion re Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009*

* Two separate motions to be debated together and brought to a conclusion after 2 hrs 27 mins

- Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Regulations and a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on international protection, asylum and migration (resumed)

Tuesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Affordable Electricity, selected by Sinn Féin.

Wednesday's business shall be

- Motion to Instruct Committee on the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 (without debate, and any division claimed to be taken immediately prior to Report Stage of the Bill

- Statements pre European Council meeting of 27th-28th June, 2024, pursuant to Standing Order 124 (not to exceed 1 hr 52 mins)

- Digital Services (Levy) Bill 2024 (Committee and remaining Stages) (to commence no earlier than 4.12 p.m. and if not previously concluded, to adjourn after 60 minutes)

- Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2024 (Committee and remaining Stages) (if not previously concluded, to adjourn after 90 minutes)

- Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 (Report and Final Stages) (if not previously concluded, to adjourn after 90 minutes)

- Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 (Report and Final Stages) (if not previously concluded, to adjourn either at 10.39 p.m. or after 2 hrs, whichever is the later)

Wednesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Primary School Funding, selected by the Independent Group

Thursday's business shall be Statements on Statutory Home Care (to conclude within 2 hr 27 mins).

Thursday evening business shall be the Motion re Report entitled “Examination of the Commission on Taxation and Welfare Report”.

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) the Dáil may sit later than 10.32 p.m.

(ii) the time allotted to Government business shall be extended in accordance with the arrangements for that business; and

(iii) private members’ business may be taken later than 6.12 p.m., with consequential effect on the commencement time for Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and topical issues;

2. the proceedings on the Motion re Referral to Select Committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of Ireland’s participation in two PESCO Projects and two European Defence Agency Projects and the report regarding service by the Defence Forces with the UN in 2023, shall be taken without debate;

3. the proceedings on the Motion re Referral Select Committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income) (Jersey) Order 2024 and the Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income) (Sultanate of Oman) Order 2024 shall be taken without debate;

4. the proceedings on the Motion re Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 and the Motion re Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009 shall be brought to a conclusion after 2 hours and 27 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 arrangements for the speeches, not including the Ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the arrangements agreed by Order of the Dáil of 30th July, 2020, for 2 hours and 15 minutes, and the Resolution of the Dáil of 20th September, 2023, providing for two minutes for non-aligned members;

(iii) following the speeches, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and

(iv) members may share time; and

5. the following arrangements shall apply in relation to the resumed proceedings on the Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Regulations and a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on international protection, asylum and migration:

(i) contributions by members shall not exceed 5 minutes in each case and all members may share time; and

(ii) where no further members are offering, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes.

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.;

(ii) Statements pre European Council meeting of 27th-28th June, 2024, pursuant to Standing Order 124, shall be taken on the conclusion of Parliamentary Questions to the Taoiseach pursuant to Standing Order 46(1): Provided that the only Taoiseach’s oral questions to be taken pursuant to Standing Order 46(1) shall be those within the remit of a Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach;

(iii) the SOS pursuant to Standing Order 25(1) shall be taken on the conclusion of the statements and if the time at which the Dáil suspends is earlier than 3.12 p.m., the House shall stand suspended until 4.12 p.m.; and

(iv) the time allotted to 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 to Instruct the Committee on the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 shall be taken without debate and any division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately prior to Report Stage of the Bill;

3. the Statements pre European Council meeting of 27th-28th June, 2024, pursuant to Standing Order 124, shall not exceed 1 hour and 52 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply thereto:

(i) the arrangements for the statements, not including the Ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the arrangements agreed by Order of the Dáil of 30th July, 2020, for 1 hour and 40 minutes, and the Resolution of the Dáil of 20th September, 2023, providing for two minutes for non-aligned members;

(ii) following the statements, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and

(iii) members may share time;

4. the proceedings on Committee and Remaining Stages of the Digital Services (Levy) Bill 2024 shall commence no earlier than 4.12 p.m. and shall, if not previously concluded, be interrupted and stand adjourned after 1 hour, and shall not be resumed on Wednesday;

5. the proceedings on Committee and remaining Stages of the Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2024 shall, if not previously concluded, be interrupted and stand adjourned after 90 minutes, and shall not be resumed on Wednesday;

6. the proceedings on Report and Final Stages of the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 shall, if not previously concluded, be interrupted and stand adjourned after 90 minutes, and shall not be resumed on Wednesday; and

7. the proceedings on Report and Final Stages of the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 shall, if not previously concluded, be interrupted and stand adjourned either at 10.39 p.m. or after 2 hours, whichever is the later, and shall not be resumed on Wednesday.

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) the time for which the Dáil stands suspended pursuant to Standing Order 25(1) shall be 60 minutes; and

(ii) topical issues may be taken earlier than 7.24 p.m. and shall in any event be taken on the conclusion of Government business, with consequential effect on the commencement time for the Motion re Report entitled “Examination of the Commission on Taxation and Welfare Report”, and on the time for the adjournment of the Dáil; and

2. the Statements on Statutory Home Care shall not exceed 2 hours and 27 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply thereto:

(i) the arrangements for the statements, not including the Ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the arrangements agreed by Order of the Dáil of 30th July, 2020, for 2 hours and 15 minutes, and the Resolution of the Dáil of 20th September, 2023, providing for two minutes for non-aligned members;

(ii) following the statements, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and

(iii) members may share time.

First, on behalf of the Labour Party, I want to express my deep sympathies to the family of Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh and just to say what a truly iconic voice he had and how much of a contribution he made in so many ways, in the GAA and sports commentary but also to the Irish language and active retirement. He will be sorely missed.

I also want to wish Deputies Michael McGrath and Jack Chambers well in their new roles and, of course, to express my solidarity with Natasha O'Brien. I was privileged to speak with Natasha. Indeed, I think all of us want to express solidarity with Natasha. I was in attendance on Saturday at the demonstration called at short notice in Dublin where we saw so many people, particularly women, including young women, coming out on the streets to express their deep frustration and anger at the epidemic of violence against women that we have seen and at the sort of second victimisation or re-victimisation that occurs in so many cases through the court process. I welcome the Taoiseach's comments on what will be done in terms of the Defence Forces and his comments on what has been done to tackle gender-based violence, but I ask that we would see a review put in place of the practice of suspending sentences. I am mindful of the separation of powers and of the independence of the Director of Public Prosecutions but the practice of suspending sentences needs to be reviewed.

We are seeking a debate as a matter of urgency on the issues that have flowed from the "RTÉ Investigates: Horses - Making a Killing" programme. A significant abuse occurred in Shannonside Foods, which is the only equine abattoir in the country and has been temporarily closed down. The abuse that was featured has rightly caused outrage. Horses have been removed from the site. The owner has removed them to his County Clare lands. There is much concern about the welfare of those horses and what oversight there is. There are also traceability issues emerging. There are horse passports and no corresponding horses. The RTÉ report has also triggered Europe-wide food safety investigations. We are talking about a multibillion euro food sector that would be compromised and there would be reputational damage. We are seeking that there should be a debate in this House where the Minister will come and answer questions because there are increasing questions coming up as a consequence that have flowed from that "RTÉ Investigates" report.

I am aware we are running out of time in this Dáil term but, given the seriousness of what has happened in the context of violence against women and the outcome of Natasha's case, we have to find time to debate this issue. Tomorrow, we have six and a half hours dedicated in the afternoon to various Bills. Tomorrow also, luckily for him more than luckily for us, the judge in the case will be retired, so the restraint to which the Taoiseach referred earlier should be lifted from him.

It is very frustrating not to be able to deal with issues and outcomes in the courts as serious as this one in the House. They are extraordinarily serious. It is not the first time that this justice was involved in a similar-----

The Rural Independent Group wants to be associated with the remarks and call for a debate on the situation regarding Natasha O'Brien, which is horrific.

We are objecting to today's Order of Business because of the flippant and laissez-faire way the Government has handled the migration pact. It has been back and forth. It should have been debated in several different segments, as it was in the European Parliament. We should have had more scrutiny, discussion, debate, and questions and answers in the Chamber, which we did not have. The Government handled it in a very flippant way. We are totally opposed to that.

On behalf of the Regional Group, I give my condolences to the family and friends of Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh. I have known Mícheál a long, long time. I spoke to him many a time. His son, Eamonn, lives in Dundalk. I also welcome Natasha O'Brien. We are all behind her. It is a pity she is here under these circumstances.

I will ask the Ceann Comhairle one simple question. Every Tuesday, the Chamber turns into a Punch and Judy show. Why do we have Business Committee meetings on Thursdays, when we talk about the details for the whole week? I get phones calls every Monday and Tuesday from members of the Opposition looking for me to pair with them. A funeral is on today. Many people want to go to these funerals. I thought the reason the Business Committee was put together was to make sure of the Order of Business. Will the Ceann Comhairle please explain to me, as he is the boss in the Chamber at the moment, why we have a Business Committee? In fairness, it is the same people - I will not call them puppets - who stand up here every Tuesday just to get a bit of attention. I ask the Ceann Comhairle to please sort out the Order of Business.

On behalf of the Independent Group, I support the various calls for debates to take place in the House. As a member of the Business Committee, I will say that the Business Committee basically has no powers. The business it does has to come to the Dáil to be voted on. That is why we have this fiasco every Tuesday. If the Business Committee had real powers, maybe that would be avoided. That is why we have this situation. Members need to know that. The impression is put out all the time that the Business Committee decides on the business of the House when it does not really.

I will say very quickly in response that since its establishment in 2016, the Business Committee has tried, where possible, to get consensus. For my own part, I appeal to Members, if they have agreed the business each Thursday, not to come here the following Tuesday and disagree with what they agreed with the previous Thursday. However, I am afraid it-----

If it is any consolation, I often feel the Business Committee seems to be one of the most important things around here.

I thank the Members who have raised a number of issues. I thank Deputy Bacik for raising the very serious issue of gender-based violence. I fully understand and comprehend that women are exhausted, fed up, angry and frustrated. Her suggestion regarding the issue of suspended sentencing has real merit. Trying to find a vehicle to consider how best to explore that is likely to be the role of the Judicial Council and sentencing guidelines, but perhaps the Minister and I will reflect and engage with the Deputy on that.

I, too, was horrified by the "Prime Time Investigates" programme on horses. I have no difficulty with a debate being scheduled. I do not think it was flagged at the Business Committee this week.

I am happy to try to arrange that.

I need to be very careful in responding to Deputy Bríd Smith. The point I was making in relation to legal processes was not in respect of any individual judge; it was in relation to a section I quoted from the legislation which talks about the role of the DPP and the time period that elapses. That constraint is certainly not in any way, shape or form linked to a judge's retirement or otherwise.

On the migration pact, I am not sure Deputy Mattie McGrath will ever be satisfied with how we decide to take this forward but we did decide last week to give more time to it this week. As a Government, we committed to providing every Member of the Dáil who wished to speak on the migration pact an opportunity to do so and that there would not be a guillotine. We provided additional time, and that debate is to happen today. We hope to bring the matter to a vote in the Dáil tomorrow.

I thank Deputy Mac Lochlainn for raising a logical and fair question. We hope to have the vote tomorrow. We will work out the time with the Deputy but it will probably be after lunch. Deputy Bernard Allen was a former colleague of many in this House. He served my party, the people of Cork and the people of Ireland with great distinction for 30 years. He has passed away and a number of people, including me, will wish to attend that funeral tomorrow. I hope we can have the vote later in the afternoon.

The Taoiseach has not commented on whether he agrees to a debate on the Natasha O'Brien outcome and all of its implications relating to against women in this country. It is imperative that we have such a debate before the summer. Whatever rules might be imposed as to what we can or cannot say about judges, we need that debate.

I am happy to be helpful. I said what I said not because I do not care, but because I do. We cannot have a debate in this House on an individual case where legal proceedings may not yet have concluded. It is a different matter if the House would like to have a broader debate on gender-based violence, a zero-tolerance strategy and the likes. That could be raised at a meeting of the Business Committee and the Government would respond positively.

We are just hearing the very sad news that Tommie Gorman of RTÉ has died. It is very shocking. We extend our initial sympathies to Ceara and his family. I certainly I did not see that coming. He was a tremendous man, and I am sure we will have an opportunity again to reflect on him.

This week, Dublin City Council has announced the price of so-called affordable homes on Oscar Traynor Road in Coolock. When Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil were pushing Dublin City Council to sell this site to a developer we warned them that this would lead to unaffordable homes. We urged them not to sell the site and to ensure Dublin City Council would develop the site. We told Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil that this would be the only way to ensure that homes could be delivered at prices that working families could actually afford but they refused to listen. We now know that the full price of one of these three-bed homes - affordable, mar dhea - is €500,000. The lowest entry price will be €400,000. In other words, someone would need a gross income of €106,000 to buy one of these homes. Does the Taoiseach believe that home costing €400,000 is affordable for working people?

I join Deputy McDonald in expressing sympathy on the sad and shocking news of Tommie Gorman's passing. As she rightly said, there will be time to pay more wholesome tributes in due course. I met Tommie in recent weeks at Sligo Rovers, his beloved football club, and at the European Movement Ireland event that the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, was at. Tommie made an incredible contribution not only to broadcasting but also to peace on this island. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis. I know everybody is in a state of shock at hearing that news this afternoon.

Dublin City Council has launched new affordable purchase homes for sale at Oscar Traynor Woods at prices which are at least 15% lower than market prices by using the shared equity scheme and with support from the affordable housing fund. The council is now able to make these homes available to new households at upfront prices that are up to €100,000 lower than the market price, namely €264,000, €356,000 and €399,000. Affordability always depends on the type of home and income that you have. What the Government is determined to do is to provide a mix. These are homes that are up to €100,000 lower than the market price.

I also express my deepest sympathy to Ceara and the family of Tommie Gorman, the former RTÉ correspondent, on the sad and shocking news of his death, which has just emerged as we have been in this Chamber in the past hour. I hope we will have the opportunity to pay tribute. He was a tremendous journalist and correspondent for RTÉ for so long.

I welcome the news that both IALPA and Aer Lingus management were before the Labour Court, although separately, to discuss the state of play regarding the ongoing pay dispute. We all want to see more meaningful engagement with a view to achieving a resolution. We are also very aware of the enormously severe impact that even the threat of the dispute has had on so many individuals and families and, indeed, the knock-on effect within the economy. What has been unhelpful has been the media tit-for-tat in recent weeks. How does the Government propose to ensure that there will be meaningful engagement and that any further severe impact will be minimised? Does it have contingency plans should a resolution not be reached over the coming days?

I join Deputy Bacik in offering my condolences on the death of Tommie Gorman. I only met him last Monday night. I cannot believe this news. I hope we will have an opportunity to say more at a more appropriate point.

To deal with the substantive and important issue the Deputy raised, the State is intervening through the labour relations institutions that it has at its disposal. Engagement took place through the Labour Court yesterday. Contingency plans are a matter for Aer Lingus and its owner, IAG. They are also a matter for those who are threatening strike action. Both sides need to realise the scale of harm that could be done to our economy. We are an open economy, and tourism matters so much. Harm has already happened, not to mention the stress that many are facing at the moment as they worry if they can travel for holiday or business reasons.

I also express my sympathy on the death of Tommie Gorman. It is really shocking.

Last February, I submitted a question to the Minister for Transport about the transport requirements for Dublin specifically for next weekend. We know that many events will be happening. It is Pride weekend. A number of concerts will be taking place and there will be two double-headers at Croke Park. The response that came to me from the National Transport Authority in February was that it was aware of the events and that it would engage with key transport stakeholders as part of the planning process. Today, we are told by the Taxis for Ireland coalition that up to 600,000 people will be in the city and that there will be a shortage of taxis. Has there been advance planning in respect of the weekend? Will there extra public transport be available? We do not want visitors to have their weekend spoiled in the context of something that should have been identified and planned for well in advance.

Dublin is the city of gigs at the moment. I compliment our local authorities, the National Transport Authority and Dublin Bus for the work that is happening. I was in Marlay Park last Saturday night. I saw the organisation engaged in by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to facilitate people to get in and out of Marlay Park. This coming weekend, Marlay Park will be busy again. Croke Park will be busy too. While I know that a few people are always discommoded or unable to travel in the way they want, I am confident that our public transport organisers will have put together a really good plan that will assist gig-goers and match-goers in being able to avail of all our city and country have to offer at the weekend.

On behalf of People Before Profit, I would like to express our condolences to the families of both Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh and Tommie Gorman. They both had a significant impact on public life over decades in different ways.

Has the Taoiseach reflected on the High Court's decision on Friday last to the effect that the Standards in Public Office Commission, SIPO, did not provide adequate reasoning for its failure to start a preliminary investigation into my complaint against Deputy Varadkar. This complaint, which I presume the Taoiseach remembers, relates to Deputy Varadkar's leaking of the confidential GP contract to the head of the rival National Association of General Practitioners, NAGP. At the time, the Taoiseach, as the rest of the Government did, backed Deputy Varadkar. We know that the SIPO decision was the first contested one in its history. The result was three votes to two, with the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Ombudsman disagreeing with the decision to refuse a preliminary inquiry. We know from a freedom of information request that at the time the Ombudsman stated: "A court order to reconsider rejection of a complaint would be appalling, and would compromise the credibility of any subsequent decision we made." Has the Taoiseach any reflection on the capacity of SIPO to investigate those in the highest of high offices and to hold them to account under our ethics legislation?

I note the High Court judgment. SIPO is an independent body established by the Standards in Public Office Act 2001. How it proceeds in respect of any individual matter is a matter for the commission. It is important that the commission is independent of Government and the Oireachtas. It will need to respond to the findings of the High Court in the context of how it wishes to proceed. More broadly, there is a commitment in the 2020 programme for Government to reform and consolidate the ethics in public office legislation. The Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform is preparing a draft scheme for legislative reform in consultation with relevant Ministers.

In light of the comments made in the Chamber and outside earlier, I have three brief questions. The first is for context and I say it with full respect. Does the Taoiseach know how many members of his party have criminal records? If he does not, does he think he should know? I agree entirely with the Taoiseach's views about the court liaison officer. I was one myself. It is archaic and needs to be changed, but the Defence Forces cannot change the law. Only politicians can change the law. The Defence Forces have been screaming for changes to their regulations. They are looking for powers of suspension and powers of dismissal for gross misconduct, but there has been radio silence from successive Governments. When will we get changes to the Defence Forces regulations? The military can only obey the orders it gets from the Government of the day. Being the constructive person that I am, my final point is that the solution here is simple. Deputy Carroll MacNeill is an able politician and a barrister. She was appointed as a Minister of State in the Department of Defence. There are 20 Ministers of State, but the only Minister of State who has had no powers delegated to her is Deputy Carroll MacNeill. She is the ideal person to delegate defence powers to. Review the Defence Forces' regulations and we will solve this problem.

No member of my parliamentary party has a conviction for domestic, sexual or gender-based violence. If they did, they would not be in it. The Defence Forces need to adopt the same approach. I am so proud of the men and women who serve in our Defence Forces. We need to have the zero-tolerance culture embedded in everything we do. We to set up a tribunal of inquiry to investigate the serious cultural issues there.

I take the point the Deputy makes about the regulations and I will liaise with the Tánaiste, who is also Minister for Defence, in respect of this matter. The Minister of State, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, has an important and positive role to play on this issue, working in close concert with the Tánaiste. I am grateful to the Tánaiste for the excellent work he is doing in this space. I know the Chief of Staff is committed to working in this area too. We have to use the events of the past few days as a serious wake-up call to make sure that zero tolerance is embedded in every area, including the Defence Forces.

We expect the highest standards of the men and women who wear our uniform.

Since 28 January, I have been asking about the situation regarding Hearn’s Hotel in Clonmel and the team at the Department of integration. Finally, yesterday evening at 4 p.m., we received a notice that 87 IPAS individuals and families are going in there. It is in the centre of our town. Hundreds of people are protesting outside Dundrum House Hotel because that has been changed from a Ukrainian centre to IPAS as well. Where is this going to stop? There is absolutely no engagement with anybody in Clonmel - elected, unelected, or anybody else - about this, but here we are. I was told last night that this will be happening in the coming week. It is just not good enough that people are being dealt with this way and are being left. This is one of the landmark buildings in Clonmel, where the famous Bianconi journey started. There were rumours there all the time and people were engaging and asking, but we as elected representatives could not get any information. The way the elected representatives and the public are being treated is shocking. All across County Tipperary, from Clonmel, Dundrum and Thurles right up to Borrisokane, which is a model, places are being turned upside down. This is also happening in Rathcabbin and elsewhere. Now there are talks about Killusty, which is a small hamlet and not even a village in County Tipperary. We cannot get information.

The Irish fishing industry has been decimated under the watch of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael since we joined the EU and particularly over the last two decades. Things only continue to deteriorate. Last week, a new trilateral mackerel deal was agreed between the UK, Norway and the Faroe Islands. These are countries that have a history of overfishing and we have previously seen them overfish by up to 44% per annum. Industry associations have accused the three countries of artificially inflating their quotas through this trilateral deal, which gives them a massive share of total allowable catch of mackerel. They have warned that this will lead to overfishing of Irish stocks. The Irish seafood sector is heavily reliant on mackerel and blue whiting fisheries. We cannot continue to allow other countries to overfish our waters while Irish fishing communities suffer and people’s livelihoods are lost. My question is this: will the Government speak out against this deal, or will it continue to allow unsustainable overfishing of our stocks by other countries?

The Health Research Board has advertised that cocaine addiction among Irish women has risen by almost 400% in six years. Last year, 1,300 women sought treatment. What is the Government doing to address this? What measures are being taken to stop large shipments of drugs? What additional supports are being given to our gardaí and service agencies?

I very much remember from my time in the Departments of Health and Justice the excellent work that is done to seize these issues. We are continuing to beef up the resources to An Garda Síochána. As we grow garda recruitment, that will enable the Garda Commissioner to allocate more resources to those areas. I take very seriously the point the Deputy makes in terms of health, well-being and the dangers this presents to our population. I will certainly ask the Ministers for Justice and Health to send the Deputy the latest update on the work that is ongoing.

Last week, I raised the lack of investment in League of Ireland football. I recently attended the League of Ireland academy’s briefing in the audiovisual room. It was clear to all who attended, right across the political divide, that there is a long-term sustainable football industry to be created in this country. It will benefit the economy, it will benefit society in general and, most importantly, it will benefit young Irish footballers. The ongoing European Championships show how international football can provide a great sense of national pride and galvanise the mood in a country. If we want to be able to qualify for and regularly compete at major championships, we need to act now before we fall further behind our European counterparts. Is the Government willing to support the development of our football academies? How will it do that?

Deputy Andrews makes a very fair point. As he has said, investment in football creates a football industry and has a wider benefit for young people. I am very proud of some of the decisions we have made around serious investment in sports facilities. We will have the largest ever sports capital grants, €250 million, in September or October. There is also some large-scale capital funding coming. I am very happy to take from Deputy Andrews the information that was given at that briefing. I can ask the Minister of State with responsibility for sport to come back directly to the Deputy.

We have had seven months of uncertainty and disquiet for staff, service users and family members of service users at St. Christopher’s Services in Longford. Figures have been bandied over and back with the HSE. We have been assured that a new funding structure is to be put in place. At the moment, they are running the service with a shortfall of at least €140,000 per month. Staff are due to vote again on a pay agreement that will only take their increments up to 2021, which is far from satisfactory. I understand that funding for the service will run out again in August or September. Can I have an assurance from the House that funding will be put in place to safeguard St. Christopher’s Services?

I thank the Deputy very much for raising this issue. The HSE has assisted St. Christopher’s Services to deal with its financial challenges through a cash acceleration process. It is continuing to work with the organisation to sustain its future as an important provider of disability services in the midlands. The HSE continues to link directly with the management team in St. Christopher’s Services to ensure that sufficient cash is available to meet payroll, liability and other essential payments. The HSE is in the process of placing a lien on properties owned by St. Christopher’s Services CLG to cover considerable cash advances in 2022 and 2023. The HSE is exploring options for additional support for St. Christopher’s Services to enhance the governance and oversight process and will employ mechanisms for further audit and financial systems in governance.

I want to be associated with the remarks that have already been made on the passing of Tommie Gorman and Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh and recognise the huge contributions they both made in their respective fields to this country’s society, politics, public life and sport in general. While I do that, I might also mention our own colleague, former Deputy Bernard Allen, who similarly made a great contribution to society.

I want to briefly comment on the sad events that should not have happened in Limerick in the past week, as well as their aftermath and consequences. I want to point out that there is an awful lot of law in this country. We have laws that control everything and nothing. Time after time we have seen situations where people ask, “Why did that happen?” and say we must change the law. When we reflect on it, however, we find the law was already in place but for various reasons the law was ignored. I want to ask if it would be possible to carry out an audit of the legal system, the Judiciary, the system of law in this country and the administration of law in this country-----

I thank Deputy Durkan for raising this important matter. The best way forward on this is through the Judicial Council, which has now been established and provides a structure for issues such as sentencing guidelines. Some analysis and research will be carried out. The Deputy is quite right that the administration of justice in Ireland will greatly benefit from it.

In 2021, the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, set up a review of the Derelict Sites Act. In my view, the Act is being brought into disrepute on a daily basis. It is a charter for rogue property owners to evade their social responsibilities. Three years on, we are still waiting for the Minister, Deputy O’Brien’s, review to be published. While we wait for that report, the cancer of dereliction - that is what it is - is destroying places like Drogheda.

It is an insidious thing occurring all around the town. Pro-property owner laws and laissez-faire enforcement are destroying our towns. As the Taoiseach is aware, councils want to acquire properties through compulsory acquisition orders. Louth County Council has been provided with €7 million in total to compulsorily acquire properties and to work on those processes this year. That is not enough, given the scale of the problem. At my request, the Taoiseach will meet the business community in Drogheda over the next few weeks. I add that he must meet local authority members as well. Will he say on the record when the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, will publish the review of the Derelict Sites Act?

I thank Deputy Nash for raising this important issue. We have tried to put a focus on dereliction and vacancy through a range of grants to help local authorities and individuals to put properties back into use. I will seek an urgent update from the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, on the timeline for the Derelict Sites Act review. I look forward to having that meeting with Deputy Nash shortly on Drogheda.

In reply to a question I submitted recently regarding the lack of suitable accommodation for people with disabilities in LDA cost-rental developments, the Department of housing stated that the tenant is responsible for the financial cost of adaptation and recommended the housing adaptation grant for people with a disability. As one must earn below €66,000 but above the social housing threshold, and the rent must not exceed 35% of one's net income, those who qualify for cost rental would only be entitled to a maximum of 50% of the grant. As LDA cost-rental developments are new builds, that means this grant is further reduced by another 51.7%, meaning that in LDA cost-rental tenancies, people with disabilities are only entitled to 24% of the grant. Does the Government recognise that LDA cost-rental developments are not affordable or accessible for many people living with disabilities? What will the Taoiseach do about it?

The Deputy raised an important point. I will ask the Minister about it and speak directly to the LDA about it. We have developed a new model from scratch in relation to cost-rental and a new structure from scratch in relation to the LDA. Like Deputy Rabbitte, as the Minister of State with responsibility for disabilities, I am eager that all these schemes are inclusive in a real and meaningful way.

I wish to return briefly to the situation in Limerick, which has already been adverted to. I know the Taoiseach has already dealt with it but I have three specific questions. Is the Government contemplating any legislative change in light of what happened? When can we expect the updated sentencing guidelines from the Judicial Council? We have been waiting for years. Does the Taoiseach agree that it is utterly inappropriate that a person capable of such actions should continue as a serving member of the Irish Defence Forces?

Let me say, without commenting on any specific case for a variety of reasons, that anybody with a criminal conviction should not be a member of the Defence Forces, plain and simple. Its own rules refer to the fact that the dismissal process should begin for anyone who has been given a custodial sentence or a suspended sentence. The question I want answered is if that loop has been closed. How many people still in the Defence Forces today are concerned by that issue? We need that answer. The Tánaiste and I are progressing that.

The Minister for Justice is seeking an urgent update from the Judicial Council on sentencing guidelines. My understanding, from memory, is that the first area on which the Judicial Council is working on sentencing guidelines is domestic violence. On legislative change, we rule nothing out but we have not made any decisions either.

More than 40,000 calls have been made to Women's Aid and nearly 60,000 domestic abuse calls have been registered in the Garda PULSE system. These are indefensibly high numbers and are getting higher year on year. Many victims who experience domestic, sexual and gender-based violence have nowhere to go except back to their abuser. We often hear that it can take up to eight attempts to leave. The Council of Europe 2021 guidelines mandate a refuge place for every 10,000 people, which equals 510 for the country. In the same year, we only had 163 in the entire Irish State. Cuan's promise to double our capacity will leave Ireland woefully behind our international obligations. It will see no additional capacity for County Clare. I am dealing with a lady called Sharon who has two children aged four and two. She has spent 22 days in the Clare Haven Services refuge, which I would like to commend. As it points out, for every woman in a refuge, there is another waiting to come in. I also engaged with the homeless action team. It is aware of the case and is doing everything it can but it is in crisis when it comes to capacity.

We have a lot of work to do when it comes to getting to where we need to be in relation to refuge spaces and safe houses. The Minister has, as the Deputy said, established Cuan, the new statutory agency. It will, which is quite important, publish regular - I think monthly - progress reports in terms of how we get from where we are now to where we need to be. In relation to the specific issue the Deputy raised and the geographic issue, I will ask the Minister to come back to her directly.