Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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1. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the status of the national risk assessment 2021-2022. [57547/22]

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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11. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the status of the national risk assessment 2021-2022. [58886/22]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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12. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the status of the national risk assessment 2021-2022. [58894/22]

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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13. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the status of the national risk assessment 2021-2022. [59007/22]

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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14. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the status of the national risk assessment. [59148/22]

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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15. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the status of the national risk assessment 2021-2022. [59220/22]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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16. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the status of the national risk assessment. [59243/22]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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17. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the status of the national risk assessment. [59246/22]

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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18. To ask the Taoiseach the status of the national risk assessment. [59250/22]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 11 to 18, inclusive, together.

The national risk assessment has been prepared since 2014 and provides an opportunity to identify and discuss significant risks which may arise for Ireland. The national risk assessment 2021-22 was published last December. The experience of recent years has brought home the importance of work in the area of risk management and preparedness. By promoting an open and inclusive discussion on the major risks facing the country, the national risk assessment plays an important role in this work.

Work is now under way on the latest version of the national risk assessment, and it is intended to publish a draft list of risks for public consultation in the coming weeks. This will provide an opportunity, as has been done in previous years, for stakeholders and Oireachtas Members to contribute to the development of the final report early next year.

Many of the proposed strategic risks will have been identified in previous assessments. However, there will likely be a number of new proposed economic risks, and a number of other previously identified risks will have evolved significantly in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and current cost-of-living challenges.

It is important to note that the national risk assessment is just one element of the overall system of preparedness and resilience planning for Ireland and is not intended to replace or displace the detailed risk management and preparedness carried out across Departments and agencies. It is, however, an important opportunity to reflect on strategic risks facing the country in the years ahead.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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There are several contributors, so the Deputy has up to one minute.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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One of the criticisms of the current national risk assessment is that it does not adequately provide for poverty-related risks and includes an inadequate analysis regarding social exclusion. Of particular relevance today is the criticism that forced displacement does not feature as a risk. It is mentioned only fleetingly in the analysis. Social Justice Ireland has observed that forced displacement, whether due to conflict or climate change, presents a serious risk for all countries.

Poverty, too, is dealt with only briefly and is certainly not acknowledged as a risk. It is a genuine risk. Over 11% of the population live in poverty, more than 160,000 of whom are children. If the Government agrees with Social Justice Ireland’s analysis that a thriving economy is not a goal in itself but a means to social development and well-being for all, surely the significant risks of poverty in Ireland should be given greater consideration.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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There are just over nine minutes.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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That is not my fault.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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It is not my fault either.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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I know. The way the questions are ordered is bizarre.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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If there is a difficulty with the timing, there is a Business Committee to deal with it. I am operating according to the time schedule I have. Could we stick to it?

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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We all look forward to seeing the draft list of risks, which the Taoiseach said will be published in the coming weeks. I refer specifically to the enormous risks to Ireland and elsewhere posed by Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, which the Taoiseach has referred to. It poses an enormous humanitarian risk to so many people displaced by war as well as posing many economic, strategic and security risks. I am asking specifically about the risk to national security associated with the continued presence in Ireland of so many officials operating under diplomatic cover in the Russian embassy, Orwell Road. I am conscious the Government has already moved to expel some of them. I and others have called upon the Taoiseach to expel the Russian ambassador and indeed the other officials in light of the continuing brutality of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. I renew that request. Will the national risk register identify the real risk to national security associated with having so many officials in the Russian embassy, Orwell Road in Dublin?

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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For the past nine months, the world has witnessed the horror of the war inflicted by Russia on Ukraine. Apart from the loss of life and suffering, we have seen the adverse effect on economies and the hardship caused to families by cost-of-living increases. As we know, small and medium enterprises are the backbone of our economy and of particular importance in our smaller towns, villages and rural counties. Many of these enterprises, be they involved in retail, manufacturing, processing or distribution, are being crippled by increased energy costs. Substantial Government support has been made available and is appreciated by business. The Government will need to continue to ensure adequate and additional support will be made available, if needed, to assist small and medium enterprises, which are vital to employment, to remain viable in these turbulent economic times.

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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I want to ask the Taoiseach about the very serious risk of energy poverty faced by those who rely on district heating and who pay exorbitant prices for it. In one area of my constituency, residents estimate it now costs €12 to take a shower. Households are no longer taking showers as a result; they are washing with basins of hot water. They have no alternatives and cannot opt for another provider. They are in a prepay system. If in arrears of more than €10, they are cut out. This means some residents are now living without heat or hot water. This is extreme and cannot be allowed to continue. It needs to be addressed urgently. Replies I have received on this to date suggest the Government will take action in the coming months or even years, on the basis that there is no urgency. Will the Government, as a matter of urgency, act on this and ensure those in district heating systems and without access to heating or hot water at affordable rates will be protected?

Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I add my voice to what Deputy O’Callaghan has said about communal heating systems. This is an issue I have raised many times.

I want to deal with the risk posed by poverty. We know about the issues we are dealing with, the general cost of living and the absolute housing emergency. We must consider early family interventions and supports. While there are many good projects, we are very good in this State at coming up with pilots that work very well alongside families to bridge the gaps, but then, without adding resources, we just add a workload that cannot deliver. We know education and employment are the way to break poverty, but a very large number of people need to be given supports so the gaps can be bridged long before we talk about youth diversion or other initiatives. What has occurred represents an absolute failing of the State over many years. What I propose is something we need to do.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I wish to raise with the Taoiseach the very severe danger to people’s health because of the lack of fast and efficient medical assessments of people with housing needs. The lack of social or any other housing options is seriously jeopardising the health of very vulnerable people. I gave the Taoiseach some examples yesterday. Here are some more. One relates to a 59-year-old man with severe Alzheimer’s disease in a housing assistance payment, HAP, residency. He has been moved seven times in the past nine years. His doctors have specifically said he needs one location in which to live so as not to aggravate his medical condition. I received an email today from a couple with two twins. There are four young boys. The mother is getting cancer treatment, namely, chemotherapy, and she is also getting multiple infections because the family is living in mouldy, damp conditions. In all these cases in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, it now takes up to a year for the medical assessment to happen, never mind giving people places to live that are suited to their health conditions. Will the Taoiseach addresses this as a matter of urgency?

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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I raise the issue of adult education tutors who are denied a decent contract and therefore, incredibly, have to sign on for social welfare payments during the summer. They are uncertain about their hours and annual income. There is pay inequality for post-2011 entrants, no opportunity for progression and no pay rise after years of service. This has long been an issue, starting with the Workplace Relations Commission in 2014. In 2020, the Labour Court instructed the Department to make an offer to the workers. In July 2022, the Department promised it would make an offer before October, but there was still no offer from it then. The workers have had enough of the many years of begging and asking the Government to do the right thing. They have decided to protest this Friday at 1 p.m. outside Government Buildings.

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I want to talk again about the risk to tenants who have to live in accommodation under reckless landlords. The tenants of Liberty Lane, Dublin 8, have for two years been paying €500 and €600 per month for a tin box with wires dangling around the kitchen area and bathroom area, and with two showers between 27 of them. Twenty-seven people now face homelessness in the weeks before Christmas. Would the Taoiseach join me in calling on the landlord, who is one of our own, to do the decent thing? Nowadays people go on about who is our own and who is not. He is one of our own, an Irish landlord who is putting at risk the lives of 27 people. There should be criminal negligence charges brought against him. Furthermore, I argue that every penny given to him in rent from the illegal unauthorised dwelling – a dwelling representing a fire safety risk – from which he profiteered, should be handed back to the tenants so they can at least find some comfortable accommodation before Christmas. I ask the Taoiseach to join me in calling on the landlord, Cathal Garrad, do the decent thing, hand back the money and face whatever consequences should be faced because of his activity.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy McDonald raised the issue of poverty, and Social Justice Ireland also raised the same point. Overall, the national risk assessment deals with strategic risks facing the country from external sources, including hybrid threats, terrorism, armed conflict and war. These were identified for the period 2021 to 2022. Risks referred to include the rise of a multipolar world; the future direction of the European Union; Ireland’s relationship, after Brexit, with the United Kingdom; and armed conflict, terrorism and hybrid threats. The economic risks listed relate to economic scarring, economic risks coming out of Covid, the public finances, the financial system, labour shortages, and supply chain capacity. These are all the issues that were identified, along with environmental risks. Social risks include risks to social cohesion, which relates to poverty, and risks associated with housing and sustainable development. The risk assessment makes the point that each Department and agency will have to carry out more detailed risk assessments.

The Department of Social Protection, in particular, and the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform need to do that in respect of issues pertaining to poverty. We will be publishing information shortly on the strategic risks identified for 2022-23 and we will be engaging with the Oireachtas in that regard. We can discuss those issues in more detail, including the more global strategic risks to the country and the risks in respect of individual areas within the country, such as forced displacement and so forth.

Deputy Bacik raised the issue of Russian officials in Ireland. We do not get down to those specifics in terms of risks but we have expelled certain officials and we are advised by the National Security Committee on occasion in terms of potential risks to the country from external forces. Those issues are kept under constant review.

Deputy Brendan Smith raised the impact of the war on Ukraine on Ireland's economy and the energy crisis, particularly for small and medium sized enterprises. We are very seized of this matter. The temporary business energy support scheme will be announced shortly and we hope funding gets out to companies before the end of the year. We will keep it under review to ensure we keep jobs intact, especially in the domestic services sector and particularly in hospitality and retail, which are areas the Deputy mentioned, as well as other manufacturers and so on. We will keep an eye on that because we want to retain as many jobs as we possibly can in small and medium sized enterprises.

I will come back to Deputy O'Callaghan on his question about district heating systems, which was also raised by Deputy Ó Murchú. We are not talking about waiting months or years for action to be taken. The Minister is of a mind to come back quickly in respect of this. We cannot wait months or years.

Deputy Ó Murchú raised the issue of household poverty, which I dealt with. In terms of early interventions with families, that would be an issue for the Department of Social Protection, other social services and housing services. They need to work with local authorities, Tusla and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in respect of early intervention and support services for families who are at risk and are challenged. There is a whole range of work that must be done at national level by Departments and agencies.

On Deputy Boyd Barrett's question, I do not know why it takes 12 months to assess somebody in the circumstances he outlined, for example, in the case of a cancer patient with children. That should not take 12 months.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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People are still being asked for more information even though they have an oncologist's report.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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A consultant's report should be sufficient or a GP should be able to give a confirmation in those circumstances. It seems to me that certain local authorities might have different approaches. The Deputy said a man had been moved seven times over the past nine years.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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He has severe Alzheimer's disease.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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We have to build more social houses, and we are building them. We are getting far more social houses built now, but there is room for local authorities to house people with medical conditions of that kind. Particularly in the situation the Deputy outlined, one would have thought a solution would be found by now for that individual.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I ask the Taoiseach to look into the matter.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I will do so. Deputy Murphy raised an issue in respect of adult education tutors. My understanding is that this would come under the remit of the education and training boards and it would take responsibility for it. The issue must ultimately be determined through the labour relations procedures and processes we have.

Deputy Bríd Smith raised the issue of tenants in Liberty Lane and the more general issue of landlords who are reckless. There is legislation dealing with those issues. Dublin City Council has moved to enforce the law. In situations like that, I do not want to prejudice the outcome of any case that may arise following the pursuance of this issue by the council. We should be in no doubt that accommodation of this kind should never have been offered in the first instance where there is a threat to tenants.

BS Does the Taoiseach agree the tenants should have the rent returned to them?

As I said, I am not going to prejudice the outcome of anything that may ensue here.