Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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There are many commitments in the programme for Government around implementing A Vision for Change. One of these commitments is to build capacity in child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS. A Programme for a Partnership Government says that the Government will "Provide more residential places for people with enduring mental health issues". There still are, however, very serious deficiencies in the provision of public health care in the State for those suffering with eating disorders. There are only three specialist beds in the State for people with adulthood eating disorders and there are no dedicated or inpatient CAMHS facilities for those in need of treatment for conditions such as anorexia and other eating disorders. The HSE estimates that up to 200,000 people in Ireland may be affected by eating disorders. There are 400 people newly diagnosed each year.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Does the Deputy have a question?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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With regard to the implementation of the commitment in the programme for Government, will the Taoiseach outline when the State and the Government will be able to increase the number of beds available for patients with eating disorders to receive much needed inpatient treatment?

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I apologise. I do not have an up-to-date answer on that. I will ask the Minister for Health to correspond with Deputy Micheál Martin's office.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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As we speak, there are approximately 20,000 households without water, 50,000 with a reduced flow of water and more than 1 million in Dublin with a restricted supply. The programme for Government contains a commitment to protect plans set out by Irish water to upgrade our water infrastructure. The events of recent days highlight the fact that the capital investment plan, published by the previous Government of which the Taoiseach was a member, is not sufficient to address the challenges posed. Domestic water charges have been overwhelmingly rejected. Lest the Taoiseach feels tempted to make the link between that matter and the difficulties in the here and now, he should bear in mind that Irish Water has exactly the same amount of capital funding as it would have done had domestic water charges gone ahead. Is he prepared to make a commitment for additional capital funding for 2019 to start getting to grips with this?

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for her question. Let us not make a political issue out of the very serious difficulties people across the country are facing as a result of Storm Emma-----

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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I agree.

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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-----and the incredible work being done by Irish Water and its crews, day in and day out, to get water restored to hospitals, to schools and to people with very difficult illnesses who require care at home. Irish Water is doing tremendous work. It is good to see Deputies supporting Irish Water. There is significant investment in Irish Water to allow it to upgrade infrastructure, to build new treatment plants and new wastewater treatment plants. This commitment was extended to 2027 in the national development plan. The funding is there. Significant funding is in place and plans are under way to protect our water infrastructure and to improve our water system.

It is important to note that where one does not have to pay for a utility, one does not respect that utility and one will waste that utility. This is as true for water as it would be for electricity. In difficult times, such as those we are experiencing at the moment, there is more demand on a service and its costs more to fix that service. There is a link between the two.

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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Then introduce fairer taxes.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Minister's time is up.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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People do pay, just as they pay the Minister's wages.

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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People do not pay directly for this utility in the same way they pay for electricity.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Minister's time is up.

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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If people did not have to pay directly for electricity, does Deputy McDonald believe people would keep the lights on or off?

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Tomorrow is International Women's Day. Lots of nice words will be spoken but there are also concrete actions we could take. Ireland has a gender pay gap of 13.9%. In its legislative programme, the Government is committed to a gender pay gap wage transparency Bill. It is nearly one year to the day since the Labour Party published legislation in this area. This is legislation that the Taoiseach committed to support in his leader's speech to the Fine Gael national conference in the autumn. It has passed Second Stage and is on Committee Stage in the Seanad. It is ready to move to Report Stage. There is no reason the Government cannot make any amendment it wishes on Report Stage in the Seanad in order to ensure the Bill passes quickly into law, rather than waiting for its own legislation. Will this happen?

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I expect to be in a position to report progress on these amendments. I firmly intend to have that legislation enacted at the earliest opportunity. We will have progress as soon as the Dáil reconvenes after St. Patrick's Day.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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There is no Order of Business, which is unfortunate, but I again wish to raise the matter of the referendum to repeal the eighth amendment. It is still completely unclear as to when the debate on the relevant Bill will commence. This is one of the most anticipated and eagerly awaited Bills for years. Winning the referendum will be one thing but the least the Government could do is ensure that it is held at the right time.

The necessity of waiting for the outcome of the Supreme Court ruling was arguable, but that is fine. While the right to vote on this issue is awaited eagerly by an entire generation there is, unfortunately, a small cohort in this Dáil who will do everything to delay that democratic right. This is people's fear: that this cohort will delay the Bill and that little time will be left to debate it. I would argue that to bring the referendum back on course for May 25, the debate on the Bill should commence in the Dáil tomorrow. There is absolutely no reason why that should not happen.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I thank the Deputy. Time is up.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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It is not clear that this is the case.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Time is up. I thank the Deputy and invite the Taoiseach to respond.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I think the-----

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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We should have had an Order of Business to report on this issue.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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No, we should not.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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People need time. If the Dáil is to sit on Friday, then people should-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I am sorry. We decided on these matters yesterday.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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It is up to the Business Committee.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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It has not been decided whether the Dáil will sit tomorrow and Friday to deal with this matter.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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It is up to the Business Committee.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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It is not-----

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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One day at a time-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy Coppinger must speak to her own representative on the Business Committee.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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It is not yet known whether the House will be sitting on Friday. I am asking whether it will be.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy will resume her seat.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I gave a comprehensive answer on this matter to Deputy McDonald earlier. I can only add that, as has been the case for almost two years, the Government does not control this House. The ordering of business will be determined by the Business Committee, which is to meet after the Cabinet meeting tomorrow.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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The Business Committee is meeting tomorrow. My point is that Members do not know on what days they will be here.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Will the Deputies let the Taoiseach answer?

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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In response to Deputy McDonald's question, I explained why that was the case so I do not wish to waste any time by repeating myself, but it is the case that if the Government had a majority in the House, we would get things done much more quickly.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I call Deputy Mattie McGrath.

A Deputy:

Never mind whether or not it is right.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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The Government should just pass enabling legislation to give itself a majority.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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It should abolish the Dáil. Things would get done much more quickly.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Please.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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Ar an gcéad dul síos-----

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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The Taoiseach is like his predecessors.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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May we please have order?

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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Ar an gcéad dul síos, I reject any assessment that as rural Independents or any other group, we are anti-democratic. We are not. We are elected by the people, democratic and entitled to do what we want to do.

The programme for Government commits to a review of the Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Act 1962 and the preparation of amendments to it. Where is this legislation? I understand from replies to parliamentary questions that Fine Gael-led Governments from 2011 to 2016 spent €606 million on free legal aid. Where will this bonanza for lawyers stop? I mean no disrespect to any lawyers in the House. We saw recently that a person who had appeared before the courts 102 times got free legal aid. This is a farce and must be regulated. Where is this Bill? When will we stop this gravy train and farce for the unfortunate victims of crime? They get no say and their taxes pay for free legal aid.

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I will say for Deputy McGrath's benefit that the provision of legal aid, be it civil legal aid or criminal legal aid, is a fundamental right-----

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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Of course.

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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-----for people in this country who are not in a position-----

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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What about "three strikes and you are out"?

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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-----to afford legal representation in the private sector.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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A hundred times.

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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Regarding the recent publication of the annual report on civil legal aid, we have managed in spite of some financial difficulties to ensure that waiting lists have been reduced in the past year or more, and this will continue. As far as criminal legal aid is concerned, which I understand is the point that concerns Deputy Mattie McGrath, I assure the House that a review is ongoing in order to ensure that those who need legal aid are granted it-----

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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How often?

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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-----with a corresponding proviso that those who can afford to pay for their legal representation do so. I expect to bring proposals to the House next term.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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Where is the Bill?

Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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I refer to the criminal procedure Bill. When the Taoiseach was recently in the constituency of my colleague, Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan, I think he told community leaders he was tough on crime and on the causes of crime, which has always been my own policy, even before the Blairites coined the phrase. However, given a recent series of horrendous events during the storm and ongoing serious civil disturbances in my constituency, is it not the case that the Taoiseach is denying An Garda Síochána the level of resources it needs, and is it not therefore the reality that for many communities in this city the Taoiseach is actually soft on crime?

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I have just come from the Seanad, where I have engaged with Senators on a debate on precisely this issue, and I would be happy to do so with Deputy Broughan if he were to raise the matter by way of Topical Issue. In the meantime-----

Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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I have raised a Topical Issue on the matter.

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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-----I assure Deputy Broughan that the increased resources available to the Garda Síochána now ensure we have in excess of 150 more gardaí on the streets of Dublin than we had two years ago, and this will continue. Next week we will see a further 200 new gardaí come out of the Garda College in Templemore, which was closed for quite some time but which has now been reopened and resourced. I expect many of these new gardaí will be stationed throughout the city of Dublin. I keep in regular contact with the Garda Commissioner on this issue and, in fact, spoke last week to the deputy Garda commissioner about the issue of resources for the Dublin metropolitan area. I would be happy to engage with Deputy Broughan by way of a more lengthy debate if the time were to permit.

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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Nuair a labhraíonn tú i nGaeilge go poiblí, léiríonn tú don domhain go bhfuil an Ghaeilge beo mar theanga Ghaelach, Eorpach, Cheilteach agus nuálach feasta. Tá Gaelscoileanna ar fud an oileáin seo, ó Bhaile Átha Cliath go Béal Feirste, ó Dhún na nGall go dtí An Daingean agus tá cultúr na nGael faoi bhláth.

Ach, agus muid ag céiliúradh Bhliain na Gaeilge - is í seo seachtain na Gaeilge - ní mór dúinn mar pholaiteoirí ár n-aird a dhíriú ar staid na Gaeltachta. Is é an fhírinne ná go bhfuil bánú á dhéanamh ar cheantair Gaeltachta. Gan deiseanna fostaíochta do mhuintir Ghaoth Dobhair agus Chonamara, ní bhíonn de rogha ag daoine ach slán a fhágáil le saol a chaitheamh sa Ghaeltacht agus clann a thógáil ann.

Is cuimhin linn manna Barack Obama, "Is féidir linn". Tá ceist agam don Taoiseach. An féidir leat? An féidir leis ceannaireacht a léiriú maidir le riachtanais na Gaeltachta? Carpe diem- téigh chuig-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Tá an t-am caite, a Theachta.

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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-----Rosmuc, na hoileáin, Dún Chaoin agus Gaoth Dobhair agus bíodh comhrá agat féin le pobal na Gaeltachta.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Is féidir liom, a Theachta. Gabhaim buíochas don Teachta as na ceisteanna sin. Is í seo Bliain na Gaeilge, togra de cuid an Rialtais. Tá dáiríreacht an Rialtais i leith na Gaeilge rísholéir dar liom. Is mian liom tagairt don méid atá déanta i leith na Gaeilge, na Gaeltachta agus na noileán sa chreatlach pleanála náisiúnta agus sa phlean forbartha náisiúnta a foilsíodh le gairid. Faoin plean sin, tá sé fógartha ag an Rialtas go mbeidh €178 milliún ar fáil don chiste caipitil chun caithimh ar thograí Gaeilge, Gaeltachta agus na noileáin as seo go ceann deich mbliana. Is airgead as an nua é €78 milliún den mhéid sin ar an mbunshuim de, níos mó ná €10 milliún atá á gcaitheamh ar na nithe céanna i bliana.

San áireamh, tá gealltanas sa phlean forbartha náisiúnta go méadófar buiséad caipitil Údaráis na Gaeltachta go dtí €12 milliún in aghaidh na bliana, go gcaithfidh Roinn Cultúir, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta €4 milliún ar lárionad Gaeilge i gcathair Bhaile Átha Cliath agus go ndéanfar forbairt ar gréasán don ionad Gaeilge timpeall na tíre, agus na líonraí Gaeilge agus na seirbhísí Gaeltachta ach go háirithe.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Before I take any further questions, I wish to point out that people who had offered yesterday did not get an opportunity to put their questions. Therefore, between today and tomorrow I hope to take all the Deputies who had offered yesterday, beginning with No. 1 from today. I will then proceed to take-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I call Deputy Curran.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I will take Deputy Danny Healy-Rae later. I call Deputy Curran.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Please. I call Deputy Curran. I will take everyone. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae is only eating up the time. Let us hear Deputy Curran.

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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The card Deputy Danny Healy-Rae is holding up is yesterday's No. 1. We will not row over it.

Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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I depend on the Ceann Comhairle to be fair.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I will be fair if the Deputy gives me a chance.

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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Regarding the programme for Government, the issues of housing and homelessness are reflected in the policy document Rebuilding Ireland. I acknowledge specifically the efforts many people went to in the recent very severe weather in Dublin in dealing with homeless people and rough sleepers. It needs to be acknowledged that they did an exceptional job. However, their work highlighted the fact that there are significantly more people who are rough sleepers in Dublin than had been acknowledged and provision made for before. It is important we now set out a clear programme as to how we deal with these additional people who have been brought into the services, some of them for the first time. Many of our charities, such as Focus Ireland, Simon Communities of Ireland, Merchants Quay Ireland and the Peter McVerry Trust, are dealing at the front line with these people. In light of the additional people who have been identified, I ask that a clear plan and additional funding for these charities be put in place. It is interesting to note that even on the way in today, on the radio, there were fundraising appeals for these charities. In light of the new numbers, I ask that specific programmes and additional funding be made available.

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for acknowledging the incredible efforts that were put in by our partners in the NGO sector. His remarks are well said. A huge amount of work went in and there were extra outreach teams and people running emergency facilities through the night. As a result, we were able to bring many more people into emergency services to take care of them during this very difficult storm event. We already put a huge amount of money into these services with our partner organisations. As part of the work that has been ongoing since this began last week, there are pathways for each of those individuals who have now come into the system to see how we can get them the proper care and supports on a longer-term basis. This work is concluding at present. I expect a report on Friday which will be a pathway for each additional individual who came into those services over the course of Storm Emma.

Martin Ferris (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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I was contacted at 11.30 this morning by a constituent who brought to my attention the fact that his 67 year old mother is in University Hospital Kerry sitting on a chair.

She has been sitting on a chair since 6.30 p.m. yesterday when she was referred by her doctor to the hospital. She suffers from diabetes and arthritis, but for the past three weeks she has been suffering from severe headaches. As yet, she has not had a CAT scan. This is deplorable. Will the Minister for Health look into this matter immediately? This woman is 67 years old. It is unacceptable that anybody would spend 17 hours sitting on a chair in a hospital.

On 25 February, I sent a file to the Minister for Health and the head of the HSE-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy can only raise one matter.

Martin Ferris (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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That file is a potential protected disclosure regarding the carry-on in a certain hospital.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy cannot raise a second matter.

Martin Ferris (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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As yet, I have received no acknowledgement or reply from the Minister or the head of the HSE.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Please, Deputy.

Martin Ferris (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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When can I expect a reply from the HSE and the Minister?

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy Michael Healy Rae on the same matter.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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I support Deputy Ferris because I was also contacted on my way in here about this very important matter. The answer is that there is a request by the manager of the hospital. We want to support University Hospital Kerry. There is an opportunity to open 40 additional beds in the hospital. On behalf of the people working in the accident and emergency department, I ask the Taoiseach please to open those 40 beds in order to take this massive pressure off them. The individuals in question are doing their level best to cater for the likes of the lady who has been sitting on a chair since 6.30 p.m. yesterday.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I thank the Deputy.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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Please put the services and the money in place to open the 40 beds in University Hospital Kerry as a matter of urgency.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I am very sorry to hear about the experience of the patient in Kerry to whom the Deputies refer. Unfortunately, I do not know the details of the case. I do know that two thirds of people who attend hospital emergency departments are either in bed or discharged home within nine hours. For one third of patients, however, the experience can be very bad indeed. I will certainly raise the matter with the Minister for Health when I speak to him later.

On the second point raised by Deputy Michael Healy-Rae, 170 new extra beds have been open so far this winter and another 130 will be opened over the course of the year. As part of the capacity review and the ten-year capital plan, we want to open more capacity, with 2,500 additional beds over the next decade. We do not intend to do 250 a year for ten years. We want to front-load it. If there are detailed, costed proposals from hospitals, we want to see them and we will fund them if we can.

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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On page 131 of the programme for Government, reference is made to rapid response units and severe weather warnings. I congratulate the emergency services, the hospital staff who made it into work, residents who cleared their areas and utility companies. Does the Minister accept that there is an information deficit on this? I do not get any sense of urgency when we come into Dublin city that there is a problem out there. We do not know how many people are trapped in their homes. I live in Tallaght and I am still getting phone calls from people about 6 ft and 7 ft snowdrifts in part of my constituency. There is still snow up to my elbows in many of the housing estates. People cannot get off buses because there is no access due to the height of the snow. People are trapped in their homes and they do not know what to do. The information is not available. If we look at Wicklow, Kildare and some of the other counties, such as Tipperary, it is still going on.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I thank the Deputy.

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Are we learning anything from these storms and weather difficulties? What will we do differently the next time?

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputies Brady and Buckley on the same matter. I ask Deputy Brady to be brief.

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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Storm Emma is memory now for most people, but it is still a reality for many people in Wicklow, particularly those in the west of the county. As we sit here, many people are still trapped in their homes. They are running low on supplies - or they have no supplies and certainly no water - and are running out of medicines. While the Taoiseach was busy getting his photograph taken to put out an image that he is a hands-on Taoiseach, the reality is that people are trapped in their homes. Only yesterday, the Defence Forces were deployed in west Wicklow. Where was the outside help? No emergency was declared in west Wicklow. People are still trapped in their homes today.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I thank the Deputy. The point is made.

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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There is no outside assistance. A lot of credit has to go to Wicklow County Council, which tried its best. The Civil Defence tried its best.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I ask the Deputy to give way to his colleague, Deputy Buckley.

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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Sorry, I tried to get in on this yesterday. It is very important. Many people are still trapped in their homes and there has been no emergency response whatsoever. There has been no outside help.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy time is up.

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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A mere 60 members of the Defence Forces-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy, please.

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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-----were deployed yesterday.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy please.

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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Sorry, only yesterday-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy, please resume your seat.

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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The people of west Wicklow demand-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We are well aware of the problem in west Wicklow. I ask the Deputy to resume his seat.

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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There is no emergency response from this Government. It is putting on a charade.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Resume your seat.

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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We need a response from the Government on this.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I will not be calling the Deputy again, I assure him of that, if this is how he is going to behave.

Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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On the same matter, is it possible for the Government to put in place a proper strategic plan to assist the farming communities and rural dwellers? As the two previous speakers stated, many people in rural areas have been absolutely decimated. There does not seem to be any cohesion or strategic planning to work with county councils, NGOs and the voluntary sector regarding simple things such as salting bins and contracting local farmers with heavy machinery to assist in particular areas. Surely we can come up with a better plan than this. Surely we can assist everybody in the country. There is a big place in Ireland and it is not called Dublin. There is another part of Ireland also.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I call Deputies Casey and Nolan on the same matter.

Pat Casey (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I want to put on record my thanks to the emergency services for their work over recent days. What Deputy Brady said about west Wicklow is correct; there are still people isolated there today. However, I want to relate to the House something that happened last night when two teams of the Civil Defence from Dublin and Wicklow went to a house in west Wicklow to provide assistance. When they eventually got there at 6.30 p.m., the roadway had been cleared, the boiler the people in the house claimed was out of commission was working and the sticks they could not get out of the shed were in the house. What they requested when the members of the Civil Defence knocked on the door was another bottle of whiskey.

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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Do not downplay the emergencies out there.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Please, Deputy.

Pat Casey (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I know there are emergencies but people are abusing-----

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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I do not think that is the right way to raise issues of this nature.

Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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On the issue of rural communities being left behind, there will be a lot more damage done to our roads and I ask for an emergency fund to be put in place. There is much talk about road safety. If we are serious about road safety, come to Offaly, Laois, Tipperary or any county any day. Some of the potholes are horrendous. It makes a joke and mockery of road safety.

I commend the emergency services and the local authorities, which did a fantastic job, as did the farming community. We must bear in mind that the farming community suffered a lot of damage also and I am of the view that it will also be necessary to put in place a fund for it.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I concur with the points raised by others. I acknowledge the tremendous response from the emergency services and the co-ordination nationally of those services. For the first time in our history, we were able to put together a response to a major disaster of this nature and it worked extremely well. Of course, we can learn from it. There is provision to make an application for disaster funds from the European Union and I ask that the Government might co-ordinate its efforts in this regard, with particular reference to those who suffered damage to stock and buildings that is not covered by insurance.

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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A number of issues were raised and I will try to reply to each of them individually. We were battered by an extreme weather event, the likes of which we have not seen in at least 35 years, if not longer. Our emergency response services, as well as our communities, responded incredibly admirably through a very difficult period for many people. While I very much appreciate the comments of some Deputies, I do have a problem with the tone of some of the interventions that were made because they do a disservice to the incredible efforts made throughout the country.

Deputies:

Hear, hear.

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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People worked three or four shifts in a row and individuals slept on hospital floors to look after their patients. Local authority staff worked through the night to help people.

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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I acknowledged that. There was no outside assistance.

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I beg the Deputy's pardon, but he acknowledged it in the same way his leader acknowledged respect for a member of the Civil Service yesterday, which was a backhanded acknowledgement.

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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Wicklow, which has limited resources, was left to its own devices. Sixty members of the Defence Forces were only brought in yesterday. That is the point I was making.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Perhaps the Minister might address his remarks through the Chair rather than to Deputy Brady. I ask Deputy Brady to control himself.

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I beg the Ceann Comhairle's pardon. It was my mistake to turn to the Deputy when I made that remark. I apologise.

A huge response has been put in place. Earlier, we had the final meeting of the national emergency co-ordination group. It first met last Monday. Just because the group is being stood down does not mean that certain areas of our country are not still experiencing severe difficulties.

Crisis teams remain in place at local authority level in many parts of the country. The Defence Forces remain deployed and salting and gritting are taking place in many parts of the country. Local contractors and farmers have been engaged in the road-clearing efforts throughout the country.

In regard to roads, or any repairs that must come through local authority requests following Storm Emma, we will meet those requests through my Department, as we did in Storm Ophelia. We have asked local authorities to expedite a review and an assessment of the costs incurred, and we will put the funding for those repairs in place once those requests come in.

On the topic of reviews following crises like this, I note that a review process was implemented following Storm Ophelia, because we can learn from every one of these experiences. That review was concluding when another severe weather event took place in early January, requiring the National Emergency Co-Ordination Group, NECG, to convene again. It was once again about to conclude when we experienced Storm Emma. The people who are doing that review are the people who put the national response in place and work with our emergency teams. I have told them to incorporate Storm Emma into that review so that we can have a further discussion and debate on how we respond to weather events.

While I have the floor, it is worth pointing out that every red weather alert is different. When we get a red weather alert warning from Met Éireann, we do an impact assessment at the NECG and make decisions off the back of it. We cannot have a standing protocol, or a standing cascading effect stipulating certain actions when a red alert is called, because every red alert is different. As such, we have to make that impact assessment and that is what the NECG does.

Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Can the Taoiseach provide an update on the long-awaited commercial rates Bill? This Bill seeks to update the out-of-date commercial rates legislation that is currently in place in this country.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Freagróidh an tAire Murphy an cheist sin.

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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The commercial rates Bill is due for publication and is on the priority list. I will have the heads of the Bill very shortly.

Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Fine Gael)
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The rights of grandparents Bill 2013 did not proceed through the Oireachtas. It was intended to deal with issues around grandparents' access to children. It also sought to provide for the continuous development of the relationship and bond between a grandparent and his or her grandchild. The Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 is a child-centred Act which guarantees the right of children to legal security and to care for their parents and the important adults in their lives. Over the past several months, many grandparents have come into my constituency office. Their problem is that they do not seem to have any access or communication with their grandchildren. The simple reason is either that they have fallen out with their son-in-law or daughter-in-law, or with the other grandparents. These are genuine people who love their grandchildren. I want to know what the Government will do to help grandparents get involved with their grandchildren.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Is there promised legislation in this area?

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I am advised that legislation was enacted in 2015, but I do not have a more detailed answer for the Deputy. I will endeavour to return to the Deputy with a more detailed reply, because in my constituency service I have also had the experience of meeting grandparents who have been prevented from seeing their grandchildren. I know it is deeply upsetting for them that they are not able to have access to their grandchildren.

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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I acknowledge the events that have happened and the huge amount of work done by all the emergency services. I wish to raise the difficulty in getting water. In south Leitrim we have practically had no water for the past four days. The headline in the Leitrim Observerthis week states that there will be job losses in the Food Hub in Carrick-on-Shannon, which employs almost 80 people. Many of those businesses cannot survive without water. This is really down to the fact that the facilities have been under-resourced. We do not have enough people on the ground. Leitrim County Council, like every other county council, has been on a service contract with Irish Water. The same people are providing the service as before, but no extra money has been forthcoming to provide it. In south Sligo, the whole area near Lough Talt has been on a boil water notice for almost a month now. Some 13,000 people, in the towns of Tubbercurry and Ballymote and all across that area, have been on a boil water notice for over a month, but there is no sign of a solution to that problem. We need to put adequate funding and resources in place to ensure that someone, be it Irish Water, the local authorities or whoever, gets out there and ensures that people are provided with water.

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for the question. I will be addressing matters relating to Irish Water during Topical Issues later today, at which time I will do my best to address matters that are arising. There is now severe demand on Irish Water to get out and repair leaks. It has several find and fix teams operating. I will receive a briefing from it later, but I note that it is contracting more find and fix teams. The issues affecting Lough Talt concern cryptosporidium and are very difficult to resolve in a short period of time. Extra tankers, both mobile and static, have been deployed where they are needed until we can get the problems corrected. In the greater Dublin area, night-time restrictions will continue, but I note that those night-time restrictions had the anticipated impact last night, saving a huge amount of water.

John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I point out before I start that the reason we had no questions on promised legislation yesterday was the calling of an unnecessary vote by the Rural Independent Group. They are now calling for the Ceann Comhairle to be fair with them, so I would like to remind them that actions have consequences.

Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
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We are rural independents.

John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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They know who I am talking about.

Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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We do not know what he is talking about.

John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Regarding the response to the storm, has the Minister issued the local authorities with letters of reassurance that money will be forthcoming for emergency works necessitated by the disruption to the roads caused by the freezing of snow? Snow on roads freezes, expands and causes havoc. That is really necessary because those works need to be carried out right now, and the local authorities need the reassurance that they will be funded.

I welcome the fact that the Cabinet has met and agreed to provide extra funding, but I note that there was a red alert rain warning in Kerry in November. Several roads were washed away. I wrote to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, requesting emergency funding, and six weeks later he replied that it was the responsibility of the local authority. Red alert events that happen outside Dublin have equal consequences and impact. I ask the Minister to treat the rest of the country fairly. When the east coast is affected, we all get a positive response, but when it is not, we are ignored.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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On behalf of the people of Kildare, I express my gratitude to Kildare County Council, Civil Defence, the Department of Defence, the community volunteers and the farming community for doing such incredibly hard work over a sustained period of time. There is absolutely no doubt that people's lives were hugely impacted, and will be adversely impacted for quite a while. People are still snowbound. We have a situation where people do not have water and in some cases do not have electricity. The necessary emergency operations will cost Kildare County Council more than €1 million, and that is without mentioning the damage that has been done to our roads. What commitment can the Government make to Kildare County Council regarding the restoration of that €1 million and what money can it promise for the upgrading of our roads after the horrific events? I note that Kildare was one of the counties that was impacted most adversely.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I too compliment all the staff in Galway County Council and the local farmers in the county. One of my observations, which the Minister could perhaps incorporate into his review, is that despite the talk about a code red alert and a co-ordinated approach, the fire service was available in Offaly and Tipperary, but the fire service in Galway was not on standby. When a co-ordinated approach is considered in the review, can it apply across all county councils so that a template is set for how all county councils can respond when alerts are issued?

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I remind Deputies that the review has already commenced. At the end of the final NECG meeting this morning, we began with a debrief on how people felt initially. We heard their initial concerns and views on what approaches might have worked better. Everything will be co-ordinated in that way. The local authorities are represented on the NECG, and they will be part of that review.

On the issue of funding for roads, what I said to the local authority representatives is that we would be there to meet the expenses that have arisen in responding to the storm. As such, they would have no doubt that if they needed to contract people to help clear roads or keep staff on overtime, the Government would be there to help them manage, as we did in Storm Ophelia and previous storms. That commitment was made in advance, and we confirmed it through the memo that I brought to Cabinet yesterday. That memo informed the Cabinet that the process has begun. We are asking local authorities to give us an assessment of the costs incurred in response to Storm Emma as soon as they can. We will then meet those costs as we can.

The Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, and I have talked about the possibility of creating a standing fund because these severe events now seem to be coming more frequently. Thus, there would never be any doubt and I would not have to issue that clarification or that statement at the NECG to the local authorities in advance of a weather event. They would know it was there and how to draw it down.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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A rainy day fund.

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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It is a pity the Minister, Deputy Harris, is no longer present because he might have been able to throw some light on this subject for me. Under the programme for Government, he committed to enhancing the whole area of health. Up to 2014 Kinsale, a town in west Cork, had its own SouthDoc out-of-hours doctor service. Since then, however, people have had to travel to the nearest town, which is 12 miles away. The people of Kinsale are very upset that this has been going on for so long and, through a series of public meetings, they have been making their feelings very much known. Is there a plan to re-establish their SouthDoc service?

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I am afraid I do not have any specific information for the Deputy but I will ask the Minister, Deputy Harris, to give her more information. I know, from my previous background as a GP and as Minister for Health, that those doctor-on-call services are contracted to companies, owned and run by GPs in the main. They will tend to decide what is the best way to configure the service. They will often decide it is better to have people in mobile rather than stationary centres. However, I do not know enough to give the Deputy a full answer. I will certainly ask the Minister, Deputy Harris, to provide that.

Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Page 105 of the programme for Government commits to ensuring that every young person is enabled to reach their full potential. On this day four weeks ago, I raised as a Topical Issue the reimbursement of the drug Vimizim for the treatment of Morquio A syndrome on behalf of an 11 year old girl from Kilkenny who suffers from this condition. I met the Minister on two occasions when the family was seeking to have this issue sorted out.

The HSE drugs group has denied a number of applications for reimbursement. However, written replies to parliamentary questions reveal the drug was discussed at a meeting of the group on 18 January. During the aforementioned Topical Issue debate, the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, assured me that efforts would be redoubled and that the Department would make contact with the HSE that day to seek further updates. I had expected an update from the Minister, Deputy Harris, or the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, but I have yet to receive one. Has the Minister contacted the HSE drugs group in respect of reimbursement of the drug?

This drug is available in the UK and in most countries in Europe. It is endorsed by their governments and is handed out, yet, while it is manufactured here in Cork, we cannot use it in Ireland. What is wrong? What is wrong with the drugs group that it cannot come up with an answer and give these people some quality of life? It affects eight children in total but only three children who need it are getting it.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I will inform the Minister, Deputy Harris, that Deputy Aylward has raised the matter. We are having a long, hard and deep look at medicines for rare diseases and orphan drugs. While it may not always be the right thing to reimburse a medicine, I do not think any of us like a situation where a medicine is available and reimbursed in another European country, particularly if it is the one next door, and not in Ireland. It is something we are going to make a move on, I suspect, in the next weeks or months.

Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Did we get an answer from the drugs group?

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Not that I am aware of.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Minister, Deputy Harris, will come back to the Deputy. We have exceeded the additional ten minutes we offered. As for the questions that were not dealt with today, we will try to deal with them tomorrow. If Members have questions outstanding, they can give their names to my office and we will try to include them tomorrow.

Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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I thought that today's numbers would have finished at the normal time and Members like us, who were waiting since yesterday, would have started then. Can you not give a few more minutes to-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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No, we have already given an additional ten minutes. I will try to accommodate everyone tomorrow. That is best we can do.