Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise the issue of what is happening at Dublin Airport. People right across the State have been told that there are no more car parking facilities there, that the car parks will be full in the coming days and that the situation is likely to be the same right through the holiday period, into the summer months. The Tánaiste will know about this from his time as Taoiseach. I understand that DAA had been in correspondence with the Minister for Transport and that, in a note to the Tánaiste on the issues with car parking, DAA put forward a number of proposals that were shot down by the Minister with responsibility for the environment and transport at the time. What the Minister called for at the time was a communications strategy from DAA to tell people to get public transport, to get a taxi or to get somebody to drop them off at the airport. The Tánaiste will know that for many people that is not really practical. I think in particular of people who may be vulnerable or elderly or have a disability. The issues with public transport to the airport are not joined up in any way across the State.

What is the Tánaiste's Government doing? Is the Minister meeting with DAA? Has the Government offered any solutions to this issue?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My understanding is that the Department of Transport is aware that Dublin Airport is facing significant car parking challenges on foot of the temporary closure of a privately owned long-stay car park, QuickPark, and that there is potential for that to have a very significant impact on passengers over the coming summer peak period. The numbers travelling overseas for holidays and various other activities are back to what they were prior to Covid, so there is a very buoyant situation in aviation again. It has been restored very quickly, perhaps not in line with projections from the industry. Originally, industry felt there would be a much longer bounce back in aviation, but it has been much more rapid, and that is clearly creating huge challenges. I will raise the issue the Deputy raised with the Minister.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Tánaiste was told last May and the Government rejected both proposals.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Today marks five years since the result of the referendum in which the people voted overwhelmingly to remove the eight amendment from the Constitution. We saw a very welcome change in the law to enable women to access abortion services here in Ireland. Five years on, however, too many women are still not able to access abortion here. We know that more than 770 women have travelled to Britain for abortion services that they cannot access here since we changed the law. For those women, therefore, the problem has not been solved, nor has it been for the many women who still have to travel across counties to access services, as we see so little provision in some counties by GPs and by hospitals.

I know that Deputy Bríd Smith raised this issue earlier and we will debate her Bill later. I welcomed the recommendations of the O'Shea review and called for necessary legislative changes. Will the Tánaiste clarify what he said earlier about the expansion of services across the country, in maternity hospitals in particular? Can we see increased provision by GPs? That does not require legislative change and it is essential for women.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I do not have the precise figures here, but my understanding is that 11 out of 19 maternity hospitals are providing services. The Minister has been informed by the HSE that that number will increase significantly, certainly by the autumn. If a referendum is passed and a law is passed by the Oireachtas, State agencies have to adhere to the law. That is my view. It is very basic. Every effort should be made to make sure that our hospitals, in particular, adhere to the law of the land.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I was perplexed today to see reports in the media that gardaí are being sent to Disneyland in France to police tourist hot spots. I see the Tánaiste is perplexed by that as well. The facts are that we have migrant campsites being burned out literally a stone's throw from the Dáil and that the Taoiseach himself has raised concerns about garda numbers and whether we have enough gardaí to police the far-right in this country. In every community across the country, certainly in my county of Wicklow, people would like to see more gardaí on the streets, so this seems like a very strange decision. This is actually the second year this has happened. Previously, gardaí were sent to another tourist spot in France to police hot spots in order that Irish tourists could see gardaí if they had any questions. Apparently, the ambassador to France has organised this exchange. I would be very interested in the Tánaiste's opinions on that.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

From time to time we have very creative diplomacy in terms of exchanges, learning of expertise and so on. The next thing could be a parliamentary trip to Disneyland. It could be cross-party.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

We are already there.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

You would hardly have to go there.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

We are already there.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

We might get very valuable insights into how things operate. It has been a long time since I have been in Disneyland, so opportunity beckons.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

What is the Tánaiste's opinion on the matter?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In a more serious vein, I think the broader issue of crime which the Deputy introduces-----

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

It is a matter of garda numbers and whether we should be-----

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

A very significant resource allocation has been made to recruit a thousand more gardaí. That will continue year on year, and applications have been received and so on in that respect.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Should we be sending gardaí to France?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I would have to get the context of the visit to Disneyland to understand the full policy wraparound as to why gardaí are there.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Could Deputies please stick to the time allocated? A Thánaiste, if you could stick to it, it would help.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Disneyland set me off.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Next is Solidarity.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

People Before Profit. Does the Tánaiste think it is a bit rich that Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil Ministers are tearing lumps out of one another at the moment saying how much they will help the squeezed middle and ordinary people in the forthcoming budget when it was collectively Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael that squeezed them in the first place? I ask the question particularly when one considers Unite's report that, for example, the average worker has lost about €4,000 in real income over the past two years and that we have 952,000 people living at risk of poverty while massive profits are made by supermarkets, energy companies and property vultures. Will we get some serious promises from the Government about the budget that it will increase incomes to lift pensioners, social welfare recipients and people on disability payments out of poverty, in which they currently live, and that all workers will see income increases to compensate for the profiteering and the wage cuts in real terms they have suffered over the past two years?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Last year we announced about €1.1 billion in tax cuts and about €6 billion in additional public expenditure in respect of a whole range of services. Shortly before the summer recess, in the summer economic statement we will give the financial envelopes as to how much more we can spend on services and how much we can do as regards taxation. That taxation will take many forms. It is not just one form of taxation. We are committed to having a taxation package for the rental sector to make sure that more people continue to rent out their homes and that those people stay in that market, which is important, and that renters get a break as well in the budget. All of that will have to be collectively agreed by the Government over the time between now and budget time.

The Deputy's policies overall on employment and his model of the economy, I think, would destroy jobs in this country-----

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Absolutely.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

-----and lead to investment flowing out of the country. His model is to kill enterprise. That seems to be his view.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My view is that we should end the poverty.

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The issues surrounding work permits are ongoing. There have been welcome improvements, but the system is far from satisfactory. As we enter the peak season, hospitality, hotels, pubs and entertainment providers are in desperate need of staff. Agriculture, transport, meat processing and healthcare providers continue to battle staff shortages. Some 79% of IT companies report difficulty in finding skilled talent. It was reported recently that four in five Irish companies are struggling to attract talent as Ireland endures its worst labour shortage for 17 years. The entire area of work permits is weighed down by bureaucracy, it is too slow, it is not fulfilling its purpose and it must be revisited. Labour shortage is a huge issue in Tipperary and across the country. The Government must act to remove restrictions on international recruitment and allow the work permit process to be more flexible.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Deputy raises a very important issue, given that we have virtual full employment in this country, so the economic model the Government has been pursuing is working in respect of employment. We have never had more people working in the economy since surveys began in 1998. We have more than 2.6 million people now working in the economy.

About 40,000 work permits were issued last year but there is a need for a review, particularly of the occupational lists. That is to commence next month, in June. We have to consider the areas and lists themselves because there is not a sector of the economy that is not articulating issues regarding shortages and a genuine difficulty in recruiting staff. We had a debate earlier on disability services, respite services, home care and so forth right across the board. The position on the services sectors the Deputy outlined is similar to that concerning these services. Therefore, we have got to review this and consider it in terms of future policy.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I welcome the recent announcement that SIPTU and Fórsa members employed in the community sector organisations funded by the Department of Social Protection have voted to accept the pay rise recommended recently by the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC. I am even happier to see that the Government has committed to engaging in a mechanism for the workers to negotiate future pay rises. This is a welcome step along the road to collective bargaining for the sector and a good win for the unions involved. To my mind, it also provides a template to resolve the outstanding issues concerning pension provision in this sector. This is what I want to focus on today.

In Donegal, I have been contacted numerous times by Tús and rural social scheme workers close to retirement who need clarity on this issue. It is obvious that representatives of the Departments responsible for social protection and public expenditure must sit around the table with funders and representatives of the unions to move this matter to a conclusion. The unions are willing, as are the employer bodies. Will the Government commit to engaging in tripartite negotiations involving the unions this year to ensure this is resolved?

Coming into government, this was an issue I was very focused on and concerned about to improve the situation for those in community employment schemes and the sector. We have made progress, as the Deputy outlined. There are ongoing issues. Obviously, it will fall to the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to resolve them through engagement. That is a process we will engage in.

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As the Tánaiste is aware, there was a huge extension to Mallow hospital. It is a four-storey building. There are 48 rooms between the second and third floors for hospital beds. Between the ground and first floors, there are 40 rooms - 20 rooms on each floor - and the whole idea was that they would be developed as rehabilitation facilities. There now appears to be a question mark over what the rooms will be used for. Could this be clarified? As the Tánaiste is aware, there is great pressure on Cork regarding hospitals and step-down facilities. We really do not have rehabilitation facilities in the southern region. Could we have clarification? Will the facility be open for rehabilitation rather than having to transfer people to Dún Laoghaire for the rehabilitation programme?

As the Deputy knows, there is a rehabilitation service within Cork University Hospital. There are unacceptable waiting times for rehabilitation and access to Dún Laoghaire. The greater number of services and greater degree of rehabilitation that we could provide in the regions under national clinical guidance would be welcome. The HSE should be in a position to provide clarity in respect of these. That is its role; it is not for the Minister for Health or Tánaiste to decide what should happen in every hospital, but I will ask the Minister for Health to revert to the Deputy in this.

Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Yesterday was four years since the people of Limerick city and county decided they would have a directly elected mayor for Limerick. Limerick was unique among the Irish cities and counties that it had this opportunity at the time. The Tánaiste's city, Cork, declined the opportunity, as did Waterford. The most recent comment we have heard on the legislation that is required to call an election for a directly elected mayor was that it would be introduced in April. We are moving into the month of June but have not seen the legislation. Numerous requests for the legislation have been made in this House and the Upper House over the past four years. We need to know whether the Government and Department are serious about this fundamental reform of local government.

Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Free Willie.

Is Deputy McNamara advancing him as a candidate?

Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I would say-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Wait now. Could we leave the fun until afterwards? Could we have the Tánaiste answering, please?

I note the endorsement by Deputy McNamara.

The legislation will be published in June. That is a demonstration of the seriousness with which this will be taken. Obviously, arrangements will have to be made for the election and so on.

Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

At yesterday's meeting of the health committee, the new CEO of the HSE, Mr. Bernard Gloster, said to me in response to a question that we have serious questions to ask about whether we should continue to maintain more than 70 partially staffed child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, teams or whether we should reduce the number to 55 or 50 full teams. I submitted a couple of questions to the Minister a couple of weeks ago, when I first got an inkling of this, but I have not received a response. Therefore, I have a few more questions. Has the Government plans to reduce the number of CAMHS teams? Can the Government guarantee that this will lead to better health outcomes for young people? Will it reduce waiting lists? At present, we have a record high of 4,490 young people waiting for a first appointment. Will what is proposed reduce waiting times? Seven hundred and fifty-two young people have been waiting for more than a year for an appointment. Parents and young people are rightly concerned about this. Are there concrete plans to reduce the number of CAMHS teams or is this just another desperate attempt at kite flying by the HSE and Government?

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his question. It is very valid. He is quite right in saying waiting lists have doubled in the past three years. We have had 33% more referrals and the teams managed to allocate 225,000 appointments last year. I have held a series of round-table discussions in the past month or so, the first of which was with representatives of the HSE, the Department and the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland. The second meeting was in relation to all the NGOs that provide services, and the third was with representatives of the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, and those in primary care and psychology. It concerned disability services and CAMHS. We are exploring different avenues. We have 74 CAMHS teams all over the country but they are not fully staffed. We are asking whether we should reduce the number and ask parents to drive a little further, the aim being to ensure supports will be in place. We are also considering a hub-and-spoke model. Everything is on the table; nothing has been decided. All we want to do is provide the best supports we can for children and their parents. I will engage with the Deputy on this.

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am aware that the Government is committed to increasing the capacity of existing special schools and providing new ones. In that vein, I ask the Tánaiste to do what he can to ensure the Department of Education will press ahead with the accelerated delivery of architectural planning and tendering, ADAPT, application for Scoil Chiaráin, which is at stage 2B at present. In asking the question, I am thinking of Dean Malone and his mother, Helen, who have been in contact with me and are waiting desperately for a place. The Tánaiste knows the transformative effect that securing a place can have, not just on a child but also on his or her entire family. The school in question could deliver if we gave it the resources, including the physical resources. I ask the Tánaiste to do everything he can to assist it.

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I will certainly talk to the Minister for Education to ensure there will be a positive response to the school's application. The funding has been provided in terms of the rapid acceleration of special schools. I will certainly talk to the Minister in respect of the issue the Deputy has raised.

Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Flats at Glover Court are earmarked for regeneration similar to that at St. Andrew's Court and Pearse House. They have been de-tenanted to get ready for the regeneration. However, overnight, without any communication with the residents, the council has decided to relet the empty flats at Glover Court. This will undoubtedly delay the regeneration process. Once again, residents of Glover Court are being treated like second-class citizens. The flats of St. Andrew's Court, Glover Court and Pearse House are monuments to the Government's failure and neglect of working-class communities. When will the Government start taking regeneration seriously and resource the councils to deliver quality new homes for those living in Glover Court, St. Andrew's Court and Pearse House?

The primary responsibility lies with the city council. The Government has provided enormous resources for regeneration. There is a balance to be struck in respect of leaving flats empty when there is great pressure to accommodate people. To be fair to the council, allocating flats to people does not necessarily mean regeneration is postponed.

I would like to see the full context of the decision taken by the council, but there is lots of funding available for regeneration.

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

One of the things that has been graciously welcomed in recent years is the expansion of autism spectrum disorder, ASD, units in many of our schools. However, I am finding that this expansion is displacing childcare facilities and that there is a scarcity of places, particularly for younger children. This is rampant across my constituency and I am sure it is the same across the constituencies of others.

Should the national development plan, NDP, capital, which will not be triggered until 2025, be brought forward so that we can start to fill some of those gaps? Should we give the county childcare committees more of a mandate to address gaps that exist?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I did not quite get the connection between ASD units, primary schools and the-----

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Many schools that had spare classrooms allowed childcare facilities to be established there but now the priority is to children in the schools, so they have to ask those childcare providers to leave to put in the ASD units.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The capital funding is there. There is no difficulty in increasing capital funding.

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Not for childcare.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

We can do it for childcare. If solutions come forward, we can provide the funding. I am endeavouring to say that we do not have to wait until 2025 to review the NDP. We can work to provide capital funding, either for the school setting where the playschools were or for stand-alone supports through the childcare budget.

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

That would be welcome.

Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Four parliamentary question responses received by me in the past week show the continuing obstruction and failure to provide promised bed capacity at University Hospital Waterford. Even if this Government goes its full term, its promise to deliver 24-7 cardiac care to the south east is envisaged to be broken. Is this because the Government is inept, compromised or corrupt? In 2016, Fianna Fáil gave a commitment to deliver 24-7 cardiac care to the south east. What does this promise mean to the Government?

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I do not like the use of the word "corrupt". It is not appropriate.

Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government is compromised and inept at the least. What does this promise mean to the Government?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I have engaged with the Deputy on an ongoing basis. Our engagement has been cordial and constructive and he knows the sincerity we have applied in allocating resources to cardiac services in Waterford.

Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Three years.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

We have provided the capital for buildings and there has been funding for staff as well. The Deputy knows that well and that is all I have to say.

Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Not a single bed in three years.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Ah, come on.

Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Shocking.

Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I want to bring to the Tánaiste's attention the spate of outpatient appointment cancellations in a hospital in County Kildare. In Naas General Hospital, for the months of January, February, March and April, there have been a total of 2,678 appointment cancellations. I do not lay the blame on the brilliant staff but on the Government because it rejected our motion to tackle hospital waiting lists and I implore the Government to act on it now. At the heart of this issue are people we represent; our families, neighbours and friends. They are not mere statistics; they are people who need care and their lives are waiting on that care. We need to address this issue now. That is not to mention the medical staff. They are all over the place and they are overworked, due to the staffing shortages. I want to know what the Government is going to do to fix this problem.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Motions do not change anything. If we want to be serious about solving issues, we can play politics with motions or we can try to solve the issues. Staffing numbers have increased significantly in all hospitals. In the case of Naas General Hospital, there is a significant difference between the staffing levels five years ago versus today. There is a balance and resources will continue to be applied to health, but there is also a balance in using those resources in the most effective and efficient way possible. Patients are the concern of all of us and we have to put patients first. There can be different reasons for cancellations and we do not have the time in the one-minute exchange allowed here to go through all of that, but there can be good reasons for some and poor reasons for others.

Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Since the establishment of Irish Water, local authority water workers have continued to work in their local authorities, which in turn have provided services for Irish Water. There were a lot of discussions about the full transfer of those workers and they were given assurances that, whether they transferred over to Irish Water or stayed in the local authority, all of their terms and conditions would be protected. It now transpires that if they stay in the local authority, their allowances are under threat. The Tánaiste knows from the collective bargaining engaged in by the previous Government he was involved in that allowances became a key part of core pay and became pensionable. As a result of this threat to their allowances, it appears that a strike of those water workers is imminent in less than two weeks' time. Will the Government intervene? I appreciate it is a dispute between the Local Government Management Agency, on the one hand, and Irish Water on the other, but we need to make sure these workers are treated fairly and we need to avert a strike in essential services.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

There are established industrial relations processes to resolve issues of this kind. The transfer was done with a view to protecting the entitlements of workers who would transfer from local authorities to Irish Water. I had not heard of any attempts to undermine existing rights of existing employees of local authorities.

Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am talking about those who stayed.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I will raise this with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I want to bring up the issue of the N22 Cork to Kerry road. The Tánaiste was there when he was Taoiseach, just before Christmas, to open the Macroom bypass, which is fantastic infrastructure. The remaining section between Ballyvourney and Macroom should open in the not-too-distant future. I want to ask about the section from Macroom to Ovens and place it firmly on the agenda because that remaining section of the N22, as the Tánaiste knows, is substandard and for modern purposes it requires an upgrade. I know it will not be ready for Saturday week to bring us up to Páirc Uí Chaoimh any bit quicker for the match against Cork but it is important for the future socioeconomic development of the south west that this road would be on the agenda for an upgrade. I ask the Tánaiste if it could be prioritised.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. What struck me when I was opening the Macroom bypass was the number of Kerry Deputies who arrived. That brought home to me the desire of Kerry Deputies and Kerry people to get closer to Cork and to have greater access to Cork. When the Deputy arrives in two weeks' time, he will see that we have lovely active greenways and a lovely park developed adjacent to Páirc Uí Chaoimh to facilitate Kerry supporters with picnics. In deference to my colleague, Deputy Eamon Ryan, you do not need to drive right into Páirc Uí Chaoimh anymore. You can park on the outskirts and walk in and it is pleasant terrain and a pleasant journey in what is now a beautiful landscape and which is evidence of the Government's commitment to providing improved amenities and so on.

I am committed to the extension of the road. We should finish the job because what came across forcefully with the Ballyvourney bypass was safety and what safety means for people on that road.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Tánaiste is aware of the case of Robert Pether, which I have raised in this Chamber many times. He has spent more than two years in a Baghdad prison cell following a dispute between his employer and the Iraqi Government. He has literally been collateral damage. He is an Australian citizen, which limits what the Government can do, and I understand that, but his wife and three children, who miss him dearly, live in my constituency and they are Irish citizens. We have had a report from the UN last March and it concluded that his detention is in breach of international law and arbitrary. It called for his immediate release. Time is moving on, his children are growing up without him and there are fears for his health. There are fears that his skin cancer may have returned and he is not getting the medical treatment he needs. This situation is becoming more grave every day. Will the Tánaiste meet his wife, Desree, to see what more the Irish Government can do to try to bring Robert home to County Roscommon?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Senator Eugene Murphy has consistently raised this me with me as well and has asked that I would meet the family. I made that commitment to Senator Murphy and to Deputy Kerrane as well. The issue, as the Deputy has outlined, is that the Australian Government has been leading in the discussions but we have also been making representations. It is a very difficult and sad situation for the family and the individual concerned, so we are continuing to work on it. Unfortunately, this is an increasing trend across the world with our citizens and dual citizens, so we will continue to work on this.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

That concludes Questions on Policy or Legislation, 30 minutes earlier than normal, so congratulations. We finished earlier than normal.