Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Order of Business is No. 17a, motion re membership of committee; No. 45, the Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014 [Seanad] - Order for Report, Report and Final Stages; No. 9, the Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015 - Second Stage (resumed); No. 42, the Roads Bill 2014 - Order for Report, Report and Final Stages; and No. 43, the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015 - Second Stage (resumed).

It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that (1) in the event of the resumed Second Stage of the Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015 not concluding by 4.42 p.m. today, the Dáil shall sit later than 5.30 p.m., and shall adjourn on the conclusion of Topical Issues, which shall take place on the conclusion of proceedings on the Second Stage of the Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015; and (2) No. 17ashall be decided without debate.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Is the proposal for dealing with the late sitting agreed to? Agreed. Is the proposal for dealing with No. 17a, motion re membership of committee, without debate, agreed to? Agreed.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Yesterday in the Dáil the Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar, stated:

We need additional resources for the fair deal scheme, home care packages and home help provision.

As the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, and Mr. Tony O'Brien have outlined, there are three options for achieving these objectives. We could opt to reprioritise spending within the health Vote or we could bring forward a spending plan later in the year. The third option, pretending the problem will somehow go away in the summer, is not really an option. That is a total nonsense and fewer and fewer people believe it.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Is there legislation promised?

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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He also stated:

When it comes to a decision on the three options, it is not one I can make on my own; it must be done in conjunction with the Cabinet committee on health and the Economic Management Council. All members of the Cabinet committee and the EMC are fully apprised of the situation and have been since November.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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As the Deputy knows, the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, got a historic level of additional resources in the budget, and we are only a couple of months into the financial year.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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It will get worse though.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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He got very significant additional resources for last year and very significant additional resources for this year. The Minister has welcomed that. He also had additional resources, as the Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, has had, of €25 million in regard to the fair deal scheme.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Her plan was to charge the patients.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I am sure the Minister for Health and the HSE will sit down with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to go through the options for departmental efficiencies, particularly on the significant cost of drugs, so as to provide the best possible delivery of services to the people the Deputy talked about.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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I wish to raise two items. First, can the Tánaiste advise us when we might see the water services (amendment) Bill?

Second, I am increasingly concerned about the way in which the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, is handling the new social inclusion community activation programme, SICAP. The entire process has been flawed from the start and there is a major concern over the impact on jobs and community services. Organisations have essentially been pitted against each other to bid for funding in the most appalling manner. Workers have been excluded from the entire process and there has been no negotiation or bargaining with them. They gathered last week outside the Minister, Deputy Kelly's Department to ask him to engage with them.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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A question please, Deputy.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Estimates of funding cuts range from 7% to 38%. They will be utterly devastating in my own constituency area. In light of this, will the Tánaiste support an urgent Dáil debate on this matter? The Minister, Deputy Kelly, should discuss and rationalise, if he can, the flawed nature of the social inclusion community activation programme. The process is deeply unfair to workers and will have negative consequences for the communities involved.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I understand that the water services (amendment) (no. 2) Bill is to come before Government shortly.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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When?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Second, regarding the issues the Deputy raised concerning SICAP, the Minister inherited a situation where there was a tender process in place.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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It looks like they are gone.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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As I understand it, that tender process is still under way and is due to conclude in the near future. As the Deputy will understand, it would not be advisable to comment on any detail of that tender process while it is under way. However, when the tender process has concluded, it will be a matter for the Whips if they want to arrange a debate. The best mechanism is for the Deputy or her party Whip to take that up with the other Whips.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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There has been no consultation with the workers in the sector. She just brushed that off. It is astonishing for the Labour Party.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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I wish to raise two issues with the Tánaiste. Earlier this month, the parents of children with Down's syndrome met the Minister for Education and Skills on the need to fast-track learning supports to end what they describe as educational discrimination for children who have been officially diagnosed with mild Down's syndrome. It will cost about €1 million to put these supports in place. Can the Tánaiste assure the House that they will be put in place by September? I will tell the Tánaiste where the money can be obtained.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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We cannot have a debate on that now, Deputy.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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It is on promised legislation. At the moment, the Department of Education and Skills is spending €1.5 million on issuing payslips to teachers. It would be far better to put that money into supporting children within our education system rather than spending it on issuing payslips. In that context, does the Government intend to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities before the end of this Government's lifetime?

My second question for the Tánaiste is on an issue I raised with the Taoiseach a few weeks ago, but I am still waiting for a reply. It concerns planning regulations for wind turbines. The revised regulations were to be published last September, but we still have not got them. Last week, Coillte had to remove its equipment from Sliabh Ban in County Roscommon where that semi-State company had contravened the planning conditions laid down in a wind farm development. When are we going to see those regulations?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I will deal first with the question about children with an assessment of mild Down's syndrome. Clearly, this has been a major concern for the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan. She has had detailed discussions on the various reports on the allocation of resources. I know she is satisfied that the issues raised by the parents involved can be addressed. In addition to having a number of pilot projects over a period of time, the Minister is looking specifically at some of the proposals contained in the relevant reports.

Regarding the revised planning regulations for wind turbines, we can take that up with the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. I do not actually have a date for their publication.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to follow up on the last point about wind energy regulations because I have been raising this issue for a number of weeks. Both the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach have said they are unaware or unsure and that they will take it up with the Minister who will inform us. However, we are none the wiser. More importantly, the communities that will be affected by the erection of these wind turbines are none the wiser either. These regulations have been promised for a number of months, so I appeal to the Tánaiste to live up to the commitment she gave here today. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government should provide a definitive timeframe as to when these regulations will be announced.

In an earlier reply, the Tánaiste complimented herself on getting an A grade from the Children's Rights Alliance for the construction of the schools buildings programme.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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A question please, Deputy.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I am coming to it, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, if you would allow me to speak. However, the Tánaiste did not allude to the fact that the same report gave the Government an F grade on child poverty. As Mr. Fergus Finlay said, an F grade was allocated based on a total and utter failure concerning child poverty. This comes at a time when the Tánaiste is espousing economic recovery. CSO figures have confirmed that the number of children in constant poverty has doubled in recent years.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy should raise that by way of a question, please.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Four or five weeks ago I asked the Tánaiste to make time available to discuss the CSO report. In light of the fact that the Children's Rights Alliance report confirms the devastating situation of child poverty, can the Tánaiste live up to her commitment to provide time for a debate on this serious matter?

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I call the Tánaiste to reply briefly because we are way behind with time.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Mr. Fergus Finlay welcomed the €5 monthly increase in child benefit, which has been of significant assistance to families with children. As the Deputy is probably aware, on his party's own watch, the country lost 330,000 jobs. That is the reason so many children have been affected by-----

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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This refers to last year, 2014, when, at a time of economic recovery, children are going to bed hungry and cold.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The Tánaiste has the floor, please.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Deputy should have a detailed look at the report to see what measures were indicated there. He will find that the issues set out related to heating, an inability to have people over for a meal once a month, or to go out once a month, as being the key, critical-----

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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There is constant deprivation with children going to bed hungry in a cold house. In addition, houses are being repossessed. That is what they are looking at, Tánaiste, so let us get real. I am seeking such a debate on the floor of the Dáil.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Troy, please. Other Members want to get in.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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If the Deputy wants to get real, I suggest that he should read the report.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I have.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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He would then see that the effect of transfers in terms of maintaining core social protection rates has had the greatest outcome in all of Europe in reducing the risk of poverty by over 50%. That is down to-----

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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It has doubled since the Tánaiste came into Government. I am asking for a debate.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy should ring the Minister.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I do not have to ring anyone. I do not know who rings Deputy Durkan for advice.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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We will have to move on, Tánaiste. I am calling Deputy Brian Walsh.

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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They bankrupt the country and then they will not listen. No wonder we are in the state we are with Fianna Fáil.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I ask for brevity please - questions and answers.

Brian Walsh (Galway West, Independent)
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When can we expect publication of the health transport support Bill? Quite a considerable amount of time has passed since the motorised transport grant and the mobility allowance scheme were discontinued. I know some payments continue to be paid under the latter, but some certainty is needed here.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I understand that is expected later this year.

Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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The Government strategy to tackle the housing crisis, announced by the Minister, Deputy Kelly, at Christmas, is clearly failing. New families are reporting to homeless services every day. People are still sleeping rough and there is still no sign of a major house building programme. The Government promised to end homelessness by 2016 which is now an absolute pipedream. In the forthcoming housing Bill, will the Government include a range of measures and put some urgency on the matter? Will there even be a debate on this in the Dáil now or in the near future? What is happening is an absolute calamity.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy.

Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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People come to my clinics every day reporting problems, in particular for families. Single individuals are being looked after to some degree, but the problem has reached epidemic proportions for families.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I understand the legislation may be later this year. The protocol I mentioned in response to earlier questions from the Sinn Féin deputy leader is working very well and has now been extended throughout the country.

Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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It is not working.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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As the Deputy knows, we have committed €4 billion, probably the largest amount of funding in the history of the State, to a social house building programme. That will be critical in addressing the kind of housing need about which the Deputy is speaking.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Will the Tánaiste be more specific on the water services Bill in light of the confusion that abounds as usual on this issue? For example, landlords and tenants are in the dark as to the rights of tenants regarding utility bills such as water services.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I will ask the Tánaiste that. We cannot go-----

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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It is important that this legislation deals with the issue of non-compliance and non-payment.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I do not know if the Tánaiste has any more information on that Bill.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Will the Tánaiste indicate to the House exactly when this Bill will be before it?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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As I said before, I understand that Bill will come before the Government in the next few weeks.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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I also ask about the promised water services Bill. I heard the Tánaiste say it would be in the next few weeks; I hope so. Will we see an end to the weekly business we have seen? There is a plethora of senior Irish Water officials in the audiovisual room today. It is very difficult to get it now.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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That is a different issue.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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I know it is. They will not meet us on the ground where there are sewerage problems and everything else.

On the public transport Bill, during Leaders Questions the Tánaiste referred to route 7. At a public meeting in Castlecomer a senior Bus Éireann official gave a commitment that the route 7 service would continue until the end of this academic year. Will that extend south of Castlecomer on to Waterford, Clonmel, Ballyporeen and Carrick-on-Suir, which is another part of that route?

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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We cannot go into all the detail now.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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We need clarification on that.

I also ask about the heritage (amendment) Bill. Will the farmers, who are literally barred from farming due to the hen harrier, be compensated? They are losing huge-----

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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The Deputies may laugh, but it is a serious issue.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I call the Tánaiste.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Will they be compensated because they cannot use their land?

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The heritage (amendment) Bill.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I understand the heritage (amendment) Bill will be later this year. The Deputy asked a detailed question about points around the country. I suggest he take that up directly with the Minister. I can answer on a few points, but I cannot answer for every location in the country.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I call Deputy Stanley. I ask for brevity. Six speakers are offering and I want to get everybody in.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I notice the hen harrier never came.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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When is the nag dispute Bill coming in for Bernard?

Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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I ask about the guidelines and regulations for wind turbines. The Tánaiste answered a question from another Deputy on the matter. Will there be a regulation? It has been suggested that there would be a regulation specifying a 500 m set-back distance. The setback distance should be set pro ratato the height of the turbine.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy is getting very technical.

Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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Some of them are up to 200 m in height. When will we see the guidelines? Will a regulation on setback distances be incorporated?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I understand the concerns expressed in the Deputy's area.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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It is a huge concern.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I do not have those details available to me now.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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When will we see the guidelines?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Bill will come before the Dáil in the next period of time. I do not have an exact date.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Will it be this term?

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Given the ongoing need for an adequate supply of apprentices, when is that Bill expected before the House?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I was very happy to attend a ceremony in the ESB for the launch of its programme to train 300 apprentices and to meet some of the young people involved in taking on the apprenticeships. It is a great sign of recovery in the economy to see the ESB taking on 300 apprentices. I understand the Minister of State, Deputy English, is awaiting submissions on the apprenticeship council and he will respond in due course to that.

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Has there been any progress on the Aarhus Convention Bill to put the provisions of that convention and other EU directives on a statutory footing? With the shift away from the use of fossil fuels, we will require this urgently.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I do not have a date for publication on the Aarhus Convention Bill.

Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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I also raise the shortage of apprentices, which is very important from an educational and economic point of view. It is important to bring the apprenticeship Bill before the House for debate.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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As the Deputy is aware, SOLAS is seeking proposals on new areas of apprenticeships. In Ireland we have a very confined number of traditional apprenticeships whereas other countries have a much wider range of apprenticeships. With the establishment of the apprenticeship council, SOLAS and the apprenticeship council are entering discussions and receiving submissions regarding broadening it out. I do not have a date for when that process will be concluded.

Derek Keating (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Tánaiste for taking these issues. What is the status of the reformed and consolidated domestic violence Bill, the purpose of which is to give additional support to people who might be subject to domestic violence?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I do not have a date for that as yet.

Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Independent)
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Touching on the taxation and certain other matters (international mutual assistance) Bill, I was disappointed and depressed when I read on the front page of one of today's newspapers that the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, has more or less shown he is siding with the strong and, insensitively, is abandoning the weak.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy knows that is not in order on the Order of Business.

Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Independent)
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It is important.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Is there legislation?

Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Independent)
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There are many millions of people in Greece who are barely surviving and many are dying. To say that Greece should not seek a debt write-down is out of order and repugnant to me as a citizen of Europe. He should apologise for saying that.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Okay.

Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Independent)
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How dare he say that to another country. They never said it to us. On Sunday a very noble worthy group of people in Ballyhea will complete their fourth year of protest against unjustly placing losses of about €30 billion of a private bank on the Irish people.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy.

Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Independent)
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They are correct and I will be there, as should many others. We should show solidarity against what is rapacious financial hegemony of Europe and the world.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy should raise that in some other way.