Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I commend Deputy Marcella Corcoran-Kennedy for commenting in her concluding remarks on the positive role Fianna Fáil played in strongly advocating for a number of measures which are being implemented in budget 2018. My colleague, Deputy Frank O'Rourke, has referred to the National Treatment Purchase Fund, the increases in social welfare payments and the additional funding for other specific areas. I was glad when Deputy Marcella Corcoran-Kennedy referred to Glenisk. I had some involvement with the company a number of years ago when I was in a position to allocate an additional milk quota before it was decided to abolish quotas in 2008. I was glad to engage in discussions subsequently with its partners in the United States. It is a very strong major international corporation. Its pioneering role and that of so many other small companies in counties Offaly, Cavan and Meath, among others, is of huge importance to local economies. Before I had become familiar with Glenisk, I remember former Deputy Brian Cowen speaking to me in glowing terms about its potential. His comments swayed me to ensure some of the much sought after milk quota would be allocated to the company.

I am glad that the Minister of State, Deputy Damien English, is in the Chamber. He may recall that, on a number of occasions at Question Time, I have raised with him and the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the issue of income eligibility limits for social housing. I have highlighted the issue for him and the Ministers, Deputies Simon Coveney and Eoghan Murphy. The limits applicable in Cavan-Monaghan are no longer tenable. The Minister of State may recall that I highlighted the case of a young man who was an apprentice. His partner who had, unfortunately, lost her job was in receipt of a jobseeker's payment. They had a child and were above the income limit to qualify for social housing. I also highlighted the case of a young single mother who was rearing three children, two of whom were in primary school and one in second level education. She was working in a low paid job and in receipt of family income supplement, yet she was above the income limit to qualify for social housing. The fact that she was in receipt of family income supplement demonstrates that her income was not sustainable.

The Minister of State's Department cannot continue to insist on a payment such as family income supplement being factored in in the assessment of income when someone is applying for local authority housing. The people concerned have no hope of securing a mortgage from a mortgage provider, yet they do not qualify for social housing. They are in no man's land. On the day I raised this case the Minister, Deputy Simon Coveney, gave me a commitment that a review would be set in motion. The Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, then indicated to me - as I do not want to misrepresent him, I will paraphrase what he said - that a review had not taken place, or if it had, nothing had been done. I appeal to the Minister of State that it is essential that income eligibility limits to qualify for social housing be revised. I only know about the position my constituency, but they are much too low and need to be revised. If they are not revised, we will deny a whole generation the opportunity to be tenants in a local authority house when they have no chance whatsoever of getting a mortgage.

Deputy Marcella Corcoran-Kennedy also referred to Brexit. I have the privilege to represent two Southern Ulster counties. Here in the Oireachtas and also in our political work at home we are consumed by the issue of Brexit. I have highlighted the fact that the economies of counties north and south of the Border, including Cavan, Monaghan, Fermanagh, Tyrone and probably Armagh, are heavily dependent on three sectors - agrifood, construction products and engineering. They are the three sectors which are most heavily dependent on Northern Ireland and Britain for their export markets and they have already been hit because of the weakness of sterling. I appealed to the Tánaiste to ensure there would be sector-specific responses to prepare companies to meet the further adverse impacts of Brexit when we reached 2019. She said she would give the matter every possible consideration.

I have been appealing to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to prioritise meeting the infrastructure needs of the Border region. I mention this to the Minister of State because, by their nature, the products being exported from the area in the three sectors mentioned have to be transported by heavy goods vehicles. As a neightbour, the Minister of State will know that the road infrastructure in Cavan, Monaghan and some adjoining counties is not up to the standard we all wish to see. The Government has the competence to decide where resources should be allocated for infrastructural development. I speak to companies which export to Northern Ireland and Britain. Thankfully, many of them are large, but they started off as small indigenous enterprises. Some of them are now multinational corporations. They speak to me about the additional costs incurred because of the poor road infrastructure.

We know that, for historical reasons, there was no investment in the Border region. One of the key ingredients in ensuring there was no investment was the Troubles which were inflicted on the province of Ulster and adjoining areas for many decades. Thankfully, particularly since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, many local companies have become all-Ireland companies. They may have started in counties Cavan, Monaghan, Fermanagh and Tyrone, but, thankfully, they have become cross-Border enterprises. I think of food companies such as Lakeland Dairies and Lacpatrick. Lakeland Dairies has three processing sites in the South and two in the North. LacPatrick, formerly Town of Monaghan Co-op which had its headquarters in Monaghan town, has two processing plants north of the Border and one in County Monaghan. These companies have raw material and finished product travelling north and south and to ports and airports. They need local infrastructure to be upgraded if they are to have any chance of remaining competitive. We know that there is a big competitive world out there and of the particular pressures caused by the weakness in sterling. These sectors are very heavily dependant on the British market.

I am glad that the Minister for Justice and Equality will be in a position to increase recruitment to An Garda Síochána. Again, Brexit which is looming brings the concept of the Border back to us when we had thought it had gone from our psychology forever. The Cavan-Monaghan Garda division covers a very long land border with the neighbouring jurisdiction. There are very demanding policing requirements to be met in the Border area. I have appealed to the Minister for Justice and Equality to ensure, when the Garda Commissioner is allocating the additional Garda personnel throughout the country, the particular policing needs in the Cavan-Monaghan division will be given particular attention. Unfortunately, since 2010 the number of gardaí in Monaghan has been reduced by 28%. The number of gardaí in County Cavan has been reduced by 20%. We will need to increase these numbers again because of the extra demands which will arise from Brexit. Unfortunately, there has been a spate of crime in rural areas in both counties. I have appealed to the Minister to ensure, when the additional Garda personnel become available, the particular policing needs in the Border region will be given the utmost priority. We know that when criminals engage in misbehaviour in the Border region, they can get away very quickly into the neighbouring jurisdiction.

Unfortunately, the neighbouring areas north of the Border have historically been very lightly policed so I appeal for additional Garda numbers for the Cavan-Monaghan division.

In the area of health, there is a problem in the Cavan-Monaghan area in respect of the provision of services to children with disabilities. Not only are children not getting services, they are not even getting assessments prior to treatment. I have appealed to the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Finian McGrath, and the Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris, to ensure the particular needs of children with disabilities are prioritised within their allocation of resources for the HSE. It is not acceptable that children have to wait exceptionally long times just for an assessment in respect of occupational therapy.

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