Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies. On the addiction sector and services raised by Deputy Gould, I am very familiar with these as well. I have often visited the Coolmine Therapeutic Community which is based in Blanchardstown but now has facilities in other parts of the country as well. I am very aware of the work it does. It is work that can really turn people's lives around. I have had interest in the area for a long time, going back to my time as a practising doctor. Responsibility for it does not fall under my remit; nor does the citizens' assembly. I might ask the Minister of State at the Department for Health, Deputy Naughton, to write to the Deputy to get some more information on what is being done in terms of increasing funding and capacity within the sector.

Deputy Boyd Barrett raised the issue of concealed or secret payments in RTÉ. It is important once again to put on record that as far as we know so far anyway, this only applies to one person. There is not yet any evidence of any other secret payments to any other contractor of RTÉ. It is important we say that so that people do not all get tarred with the one brush. It is also important to say that it was picked up by an external audit. RTÉ’s own auditors, Grant Thornton, picked it up, which shows why it is important we have internal and external audit functions.

The film industry receives its support in different ways, including through the tax system by tax incentives and also through Screen Ireland when it comes to grants and other aid. I do not know exactly what the conditionality is around that but I expect that where a tax incentive is being applied for or a grant is being sought from a body such as Screen Ireland, that the minimum statutory standards would be upheld when it comes to health and safety, employment rights etc.

See this speech in context