Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Deputy O'Rourke raised the issue of femicide and the broader issue of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. A great deal of progress has been made on that matter under the Cabinet social affairs committee and the work of the Ministers for Justice and Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputies McEntee and O'Gorman, respectively. Various reports on this issue are coming, and a broad range of issues are covered under the strategy, including the independent reviews. I will come back to the Deputy with the detail of that.

Deputy Ó Murchú raised the issue of the citizens' assembly on drugs. I hope we will be able to start that early in the new year because I think the Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity Loss is coming to the end of its work, although it has asked for a bit more time. I understand that the Dublin Citizens' Assembly has sent in its report. A citizens' assembly on education is next. The Deputy referred to the island of Ireland. The shared island dialogue is the way to go in that regard. We now have 2,500 people involved in the dialogue on a range of different issues. The research we are doing under the shared island unit is the most comprehensive of its kind and the most systematic ever undertaken. It is very valuable research. Productivity is the most recent issue that has emerged through the Economic and Social Research Institute. I refer to the school completion services sector north and south and the healthcare and primary care systems. That is very good research which points to pragmatic issues we have to deal with and in respect of which both our jurisdictions can learn as to where some issues are strong in one jurisdiction as opposed to the other.

There is also general investment on projects such as that relating to the Narrow Water bridge, which I visited with the Deputy. That project is a good example of how the shared island initiative is working. On the Ulster Canal, the Government again approved more funding . That is the way to go in the context of mutual understanding and building reconciliation.

Deputy Paul Murphy referred to Frank Mulcahy and raised certain matters. That is a long-running issue which predated my arrival into the relevant Department. I am not prepared to affirm or confirm what the Deputy said out of the blue. There is a long-running issue in that regard. I have dealt with these matters in the past.

Deputy Boyd Barrett referred to the housing crisis and those with dire medical conditions. Again, there are provisions for local authorities to deal with people with very severe medical conditions in terms of access to housing. People do benefit from allocation of houses in such situations.

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