Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I do not have to remind Deputies that it is Thursday and there are 15 minutes available in the next slot, which is for questions and answers, not statements. Elaboration is unnecessary and should be avoided to give every other Member a chance to come in. Apart from the leaders, Deputies Breathnach, O'Loughlin, Lahart, Martin Kenny, Michael Collins, McLoughlin, Crowe and Scanlon have indicated and I ask speakers to take their colleagues into consideration. I will be cutting this off after 15 minutes. I call Deputy Calleary.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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There has been a serious disruption this morning in the debit card services of one of our leading banks. The Government has done a great deal of work to encourage people to use debit cards in recent years but this is not the first service disruption by a bank. Does the Government plan to introduce financial sanctions for banks for service disruptions which cause huge inconvenience and stress to users?

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I do not have information on new legislation in that area but I will certainly ask the Minister to get back to the Deputy with some detail.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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I raise the issue of services for children with autism in particular and the matter of autism spectrum disorder, ASD, unit places in schools and the supports therein. There are long waiting lists and people are obliged to travel long distances to access units. In some cases, there are simply no available places for children while other schools are hesitant about opening ASD units at all because they will not receive adequate funding and support to run them. To say parents are at their wits' end is an understatement. It is deeply distressing for children with ASD and their parents not to know where they are going in September, whether there will be places for them and whether supports will be in available in that environment. The Government is failing children with ASD. There are many other issues which parents and children face in terms of assessment and so on, but I ask the Government not to wait for September and to make the necessary investment to provide for school places now. The Government must ensure that every child with ASD has an appropriate place in the education system come September. The supports necessary to nurture their potential should be there.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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There has been a very dramatic increase in spending in this area. In fact, we have changed the regulations to allow the Minister to instruct a school to put an ASD unit in place. That was not previously the case. I am very familiar with the stresses parents face, as I suspect are many others, where they are trying and failing to get the supports they need in terms of ASD units in schools. As such, we will continue to invest heavily in this area.

Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I have raised countless times in the Chamber the issue of lack of access to medical cannabis. Yesterday, I was in the House of Commons with Vera Twomey where we attended a presentation on access to medical cannabis in Britain. I will get onto that in a few minutes.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy does not have a few minutes.

Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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In the time that I have. Ms Twomey spoke passionately about the ordeal her family went through. I spoke to MPs about the lack of progress and, in particular, about the Government stalling the legislation. I do not know if the Tánaiste has been watching, but the Tory Government in the UK has done a U-turn on access to medicinal cannabis and is carrying out a full review. The Minister for Health briefed the Cabinet two or three weeks ago about the lack of access to medical cannabis.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy should ask a question. We have a long list.

Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I want the Tánaiste to give me an answer on the lack of access to medical cannabis while people are suffering. I know for a fact that people will die because of the Government's lack of progress on this issue.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy, please. You have made your point. Your colleagues want to come in.

Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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They are going to die.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Parents and children can access medicinal cannabis in Ireland today. Vera Twomey's case is very familiar to me and I know her very well. I have intervened in that case to try to help her, as have others in the House. That access has been very beneficial for her child. As far as I am aware, the Minister for Health has not refused to licence the importation of medicinal cannabis in any case where that course has been recommended by a consultant. Parents can access medicinal cannabis today, which is a different thing to what the Deputy is looking for, namely, to not require any process of licensing from the Minister.

Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Can the Tánaiste withdraw that remark? That is not true.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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What is not true?

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Kenny cannot come in. I am going to move on.

Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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He said piece of legislation. The Government has sat on that Bill for the last eight months.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will have to put down a Topical Issue or find some other way to raise the matter if he needs more than a minute.

Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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It is a lie. The Tánaiste has misled the House.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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That is not a lie. The Deputy is not allowed to do that.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I did not hear him, but if the Deputy used the word "lie"-----

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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He did.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Can I clarify?

Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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He misled the House.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I have not misled the House. I said that parents and children can currently access medicinal cannabis but they must have a licence from the Minister for Health who, as far as I am aware, has not refused a single case as long as there has been a consultant doctor's recommendation.

Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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It should not be up to the Minister.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Kenny's colleagues want to ask questions.

Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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If the Tánaiste starts to give straight answers, I will stop.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy had an opportunity. I was too lenient with him. Other Members want to ask questions and I have asked for the co-operation of the House in that regard but I am not getting it.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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What I said was that Deputy Kenny was looking for something different, which he should see as a compliment. He is looking for a Bill to deal with this in a more comprehensive way but the legislation he presented is not fit for purpose. This is an issue that the Minister, Deputy Harris, has under review and the Government will deal with it in a way that is in the interests of children.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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I will be short.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Is it a question?

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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Yes. I have a constituent, Ms Anna Dunne of Churchtown, Carrick-On-Suir, County Waterford, whose son, Nicholas, who is 20 years old, needs a residential place because he is severely autistic. The safety of Ms Dunne and her family is at risk. We have met the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, but got nowhere. While Ms Dunne's son has been assessed by two different institutions and approved for a residential place, the HSE will not provide the necessary funding. There are many cases like this around the country but this one is profoundly difficult and very challenging for the family who have done great work to keep him at home up to this age. I ask the Tánaiste to talk to the Minister of State because he must make funding available before someone dies.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I will ask the Minister of State or his office to come back to the Deputy. I cannot comment on an individual case.

Declan Breathnach (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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On page 96 of the programme for Government, under crime prevention and justice and equality, there is a commitment to protect all of our citizens and to reduce the incidence of crime. The most recent brutal killing of Cameron Reilly by way of strangulation and kicking to death has left the community of Dunleer in my constituency in shock as did the earlier murder in Dundalk of Yosuke Sasaki from Japan. When those murders were carried out, there were two people walking the streets of Dundalk who had previously been charged with murder and released on bail. Coupled with the murders of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe and Garda Tony Golden in my own constituency, does the Tánaiste accept there is a major need to overhaul our bail laws? The perpetration of crime by persons on bail and sentencing issues must be addressed. I am not speaking on behalf of people in my constituency alone. People across the country want the Dáil to deal with this issue. The punishment or deterrent does not match the crime.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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There was a criminal justice Act dealing with bail law last year. I will certainly ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to get back to the Deputy on the question he asks.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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I refer to page 82 of the programme for Government, which contains a commitment to work to make our older years better years and to provide home care packages. Page 63 of the programme for Government refers to access to end-of-life healthcare. Just this week, I have been dealing with two constituents who have been given blank refusals despite commitments that were made. One particular lady is 90 years of age. She worked her whole life and raised a family. She is at the end of her life in a hospital, which will not release her until supports are in place at home. Understandably, her family want to bring her home as opposed to a nursing home. Last week, a commitment was made that funding would be provided after two weeks and the family put emergency care in place. Thankfully, that lady is coming home today.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Go raibh maith agat.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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This morning the family received a call to say there is no funding available. They cannot afford to put supports in place but they are happy to bring their mother home. This is putting them in financial penury. Something must be done to deal with this issue. When will deserving people receive the care they need?

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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It is hard for me to comment on the reasons for difficulties in an individual case.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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I accept that but this is not the only one.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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If Deputy O'Loughlin provides me with the details, I will convey them to the Minister.

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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My question relates to having a directly elected mayor of Dublin. More than a year ago, the Tánaiste, who was the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government at the time, asked Deputy Eamon Ryan and me to pause our legislation on this matter on the basis that there would be movement on it in September of that year. I welcome the Taoiseach's commitment to a plebiscite, which will run in tandem with the local and European elections next May. As the Tánaiste will be aware, Fianna Fáil was the only party to propose the idea of a plebiscite, although other parties support the idea of a directly elected mayor. Will the Tánaiste confirm the plebiscite will be of the people of Dublin only, as opposed to the Dublin region as a whole? Will he also confirm that the plebiscite will deal with the election of one mayor and not four mayors? Will he confirm that a position paper will be published well in advance of the plebiscite to give the people of Dublin ample opportunity for a proper, informed discussion and conversation on the matter?

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Both the Taoiseach and I are absolutely committed to moving ahead with directly elected mayors. However, we will first ask people whether they want directed elected mayors. I would also like to see a directly elected mayor in Cork and other cities. That would be an advancement of local democracy and would give people real ownership of their first citizen, who they would elect directly.

It is unlikely that we will have four directly elected mayors in Dublin. Dublin is a much more complex local governance structure to manage in the context of electing one directly elected mayor across multiple local authorities and the interaction between the cathaoirligh of the various local authorities and a directly elected mayor. We are moving ahead with this proposal, albeit with caution. I note Deputy Lahart has been involved in those conversations.

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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I raise the issue of ambulance cover in rural areas, particularly in County Leitrim. I have raised this issue on several occasions previously. In emergency cases, it always take more than an hour before an ambulance reaches the person who is in need. This week, a local general practitioner in Ballinamore, Dr. Bourke, pointed out this problem had affected two of his patients in the past couple of months. In one case, the ambulance arrived five hours after he made the telephone call. Only last week, he phoned an ambulance to come to the house of an elderly lady aged in her 90s and it was six hours before she arrived in hospital. This is disgraceful. Resources must be provided for additional ambulances and staff to ensure that those living in rural areas receive the service they deserve.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Clearly, it should not take five or six hours for an ambulance to reach a patient in any part of the country.

Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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It has happened.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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It is not acceptable. If Deputy Martin Kenny sends me details of individual cases, I will try and obtain answers on what went wrong and, more important, on what plans are in place to improve the service in future.

Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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Leitrim Comhairle na nÓg this year worked on an initiative that has gained media attention. Launched in the Bush Hotel, Carrick-on-Shannon, on Friday, 27 April, the campaign is called Use your Brain, Not your Fists. It targets those responsible for random alcohol-related assaults, the majority of which, according to the statistics, are perpetrated between the hours of 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. by persons who are not known to the Garda and are not repeat offenders. The Comhairle na nÓg Leitrim steering committee believes the initiative should be included in the social, personal and health education, SPHE course in all secondary schools. Comhairle members produced a short film with the title, "Use your Brain, Not your Fists", for circulation to the media, schools and youth groups. The video features Ms Rosie Dolan and Mr. Joe Grogan, the parents of two young men who were assaulted in unprovoked attacks. Joe and Rosie Dolan are the parents of the late Andrew Dolan who was killed when he was struck and fell in an unprovoked attack. Shane Grogan is severely disabled as a result of an unprovoked attack.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Does Deputy Scanlon have a question?

Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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Leitrim Comhairle na nÓg has written to the Ministers for Justice and Equality, Children and Youth Affairs and Education and Skills seeking to have Use your Brain, Not your Fists included in the SPHE course.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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It sounds like a good campaign. Comhairle na nÓg does a great deal of good work for young people. I suggest the Deputy drop a line to the Ministers concerned and try to get a direct answer from them. He can then revert to me if it would be helpful.

Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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That has been done already.

Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I refer to a report given to me only last week on the possible closure of a fire station in Ballyshannon, County Donegal. Funding was only recently announced under the Project Ireland 2040 plan for new developments, including fire stations. A recommendation that the fire station be closed was made and the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, Deputy McHugh, and I have been lobbying to ensure no decision to proceed with the closure is made. As the Leas-Cheann Comhairle will be aware, Donegal County Council will hold a special meeting on Monday next to discuss the disturbing recommendation made to the council by certain individuals that the fire station in Ballyshannon be closed. Those who work in the first station and people living in the town are concerned. All Deputies will support my position that a decision on this matter should not be made until Donegal County Council has an opportunity to discuss the matter, at which point the Minister may intervene.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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If I may intervene at this point, I acknowledge the strong representations made by Deputy McLoughlin. I am sure the Minister of State, Deputy McHugh, has also raised concerns in this regard. It is now a matter for the line Minister.

Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
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In the programme for Government, under crime and prevention, the Government promised to reopen some Garda stations which had been closed by the previous Government. On 19 December 2017, the Government announced the reopening of six Garda stations, including Ballinspittle Garda station in my constituency. When will Ballinspittle Garda station in west Cork be open to the public? People are calling for it to open.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My understanding is that good progress is being made on all six Garda stations, including Stepaside Garda station, as the Minister, Deputy Madigan, has reminded me. There has been much commentary on the reopening of Stepaside Garda station. My understanding is that the plan is to move ahead quickly with the reopening of these Garda stations. I can get the details on Ballinspittle Garda station if that is helpful.

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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I refer to waiting lists and access to a dermatologist in Tallaght Hospital, for which one of my constituents has been waiting for 12 months. When I put a question on this case to the Minister for Health, he indicated there were 2,868 people on the waiting list and that 43% of these had been waiting for eight months or less. This means 57% have been waiting for longer than eight months. Of these, 691 have been waiting for 18 months or longer. There is clearly something wrong. It is cruel, inhuman and dangerous to have people wait so long to access a dermatology service, especially as some of them have serious conditions. Is there anything the Government can do?

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Government is doing a range of things to address waiting lists, from funding operations outside of the State to recruitment campaigns. I suggest the Deputy table a specific question to the Minister for Health on the issues at Tallaght Hospital and the need to recruit a dermatologist.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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I will ask a question I have been asking since January 2013. I refer to legislation the Government considered urgent at the time. When will the Bill to establish the national paediatric hospital development board be published? According to information I have received, the delay in publishing and passing the Bill is causing major problems with planning for the recruitment of staff to commission the new hospital to be located on the grounds of St. James's Hospital and its two satellite facilities in Tallaght and Blanchardstown. If the legislation is not published and enacted before January next, there will be problems. The last time I asked this question, the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, stated the Bill was imminent. I am still waiting on this legislation which, as I said, I first asked about in January 2013.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Perhaps the legislation for which Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh is looking is the children's health Bill, which is due to be published before the House rises for the summer.