Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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The Government's childcare policy is failing. We have had promise after promise and we still see parents paying a small fortune in fees, a perpetual staffing crisis and, every year, parents struggling to find places for their children. These problems are the result of the Government's refusal to invest properly in the sector. Childcare services in many areas right across the State are now at breaking point. As the Minister will know, next week, many childcare centres are going to close their doors for three days, which will leave parents, along with thousands of children, in a very difficult situation. They will be left in the lurch as they desperately search for alternative arrangements so they can simply get to work. This again shows how crucial it is that we begin to move childcare towards being a public service. When will the Government finally change direction and invest properly so that children and families will have the childcare they deserve at affordable prices? Does the Government plan any interventions before the action by childcare providers next week?

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this important point. I have met childcare providers in my own area and the Minister has expressed his disappointment with the action the federation has chosen to pursue which is, as the Deputy has said, the closure of early years childcare facilities between 26 and 28 September. The number of providers currently recorded as being closed is 56. As I have said, the Minister believes the closure of services is unwarranted at this time. Core funding has been in operation for just over a year, since 15 September 2022, and 95% of providers, more than 4,200, have signed up in the first year. There is already significant evidence of the success of the scheme. There is no question that issues have arisen and that childcare providers have concerns but there is a mechanism to discuss these with the Minister and the Department. The Minister is open to that.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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Unfair and cruel. Those are the words of parents of children in a national school in Swords whose kids have been left at the side of the road by a school transport system that has failed, that is not fit for purpose and that needs to be totally remodelled. It has been a nightmare summer for children up and down the country and that nightmare has continued into the autumn for those who have been left behind. In the constituency the Minister and I share in Fingal, more than a dozen children in Swords cannot get to Gaelcholáiste Ghlór na Mara in Balbriggan, their regional local Gaelcholáiste. There is a bus service, which goes from Blake's Cross. This system does not meet the needs of the growing population and does not recognise the more diverse range of patron bodies that now exist in the country. Will this Government reform the school transport scheme so that it is fit for purpose? Will it provide school transport for those children in Swords to get to the Gaelcholáiste in Balbriggan?

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as ucht na ceiste tábhachtaí seo. Bhí mé ag caint le tuismitheoirí agus daltaí ón Sord an seachtain seo caite. Ní bhíonn siad ábalta bus a thógáil go dtí an Gaelcholáiste i mBaile Brigín and that is a big problem for those students. I have engaged directly with the Minister and the Department of Education in that regard. It is an example of an issue that arises around the country. Overall, investment in school transport has increased substantially. There are more places now than there have ever been but there are anomalies. The one Gaelcholáiste that covers our Dáilcheantar is Gaelcholáiste Ghlór na Mara in Balbriggan. There are students from Swords who should be able to get that bus. I thank the Deputy for raising that matter. It is an example of these anomalies but, overall, Government has increased funding and provided additional spaces and we will continue to do that. I assure the Deputy that I will engage directly with the Minister following his intervention this afternoon and will report directly back to him and to the parents.

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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I will ask about conditions in privately run homeless emergency accommodation. On 2 August, a woman named Mairéad was physically assaulted by a member of staff in a privately run hostel for homeless people. While this hostel is run by a private company, it is funded with public money. The incident was recorded on video, which clearly shows the male staff member telling Mairéad that she is a piece of junk before threatening to hit and crush her. This staff member then hits Mairéad and forcefully knocks her to the ground. What action is the Minister taking on foot of this assault to ensure that vulnerable homeless people are safe when staying in privately run homeless emergency accommodation? What follow-up support has been given to Mairéad since this assault? Why was she left sleeping on the streets for several weeks after this assault?

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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It seems that this is something the Deputy should be bringing to An Garda Síochána.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Hear, hear.

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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I have raised the issue of conditions in privately run emergency accommodation with the Minister multiple times before. He needs to act on it.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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First, I absolutely condemn what happened to Mairéad. This is the first I have heard of this specific case and incident. If the Deputy has information and has that video, as he has stated, he should share it with An Garda Síochána. That is assault. It is a very serious thing. There are many committed people working in our NGOs right across this country and working in emergency accommodation, both privately run and State run. The Deputy knows that. This is not the experience of the majority of people but it is a very serious instance. The Deputy has raised it here with me today and it is the first time I have heard of the specific case. I will take it very seriously indeed. I would like to know where it occurred. Was it in the Dublin region? If it was, I will raise it directly with the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive. The person who perpetrated that assault needs to be investigated. The Deputy has raised the case with me for the first time on the floor of the Dáil and I do not have details on it. If he shares the details, I assure him I will take this up as a matter of priority and make sure that Mairéad has the support she needs.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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People across the country are horrified at the revelations from Temple Street. Children with spina bifida have been failed by the State yet again. There are extremely long waiting lists and extremely high rates of complications and we now know about the use of unlicensed implants and about non-medical springs being inserted into very sick children. When did the Government become aware of this and what did it do about it? The Minister, Deputy Donnelly, is quoted in the media as saying his Department only became aware of the use of unlicensed implants in August but how can that be the case? On 5 July, I stood here and asked the Taoiseach about it. I explicitly said "allegations that unlicensed implants have been used in children." and the Taoiseach said "I will certainly let the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, know it was raised in the Chamber and get back to the Deputy." When did the Taoiseach send it across the Minister's desk and what was done about it? On that day, I called for the internal and external reviews to be published. They were only published last night, on foot of reporting in The Ditch.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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First, I thank the Deputy and acknowledge that this is a cause of great concern and anxiety for many patients, parents and families attending these services. As the Deputy will know, a comprehensive patient safety review and assurance process overseen by the HSE and the chief clinical officer, Dr. Colm Henry, is now under way into elements of the paediatric orthopaedic surgery service at Temple Street. I understand the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, will be here next Tuesday for a specific debate on this issue.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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Statements.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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It is crucially important that we get to the truth of this matter, that lessons are learned and that all the facts get out there. That is why the importance of the review is paramount. It is important to say that we do not have all of the facts at this point in time. That is why, in fairness, the Minister and the HSE have decided to get an external view. I cannot answer the specific question the Deputy put to me regarding timing but it is potentially something he could raise during the debate next Tuesday.

Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent)
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The Garda is in the grip of a staff retention crisis due to poor pay, poor pensions and poor working conditions. To make matters worse, the Minister for Justice and Commissioner Harris intend to impose roster changes that will result in the depletion of existing units such as the community policing units, task force units, drug units and district detective units in an attempt to fill a new unit come November and which will also force gardaí to work more days and more hours for no additional pay.

The reality is that no manpower is available. This is a completely retrograde step. Community policing is the cornerstone of Irish policing, and with the changes the Commissioner is bringing into force, there is little proactive policing being carried out. The proposed new operation will be to the detriment of Louth, which has the highest number of incidents and call-outs, as Drogheda and Dundalk are the State's largest towns.

There is a growing concern about the impact that the new Garda operation model will have on crime levels, especially when one considers that the gardaí are already swamped by the day-to-day workload. These new processes will ensure that Garda members spend less time on the beat and being proactive in preventing crime. Where is the benefit? What is going to happen if the ever-depleting backbone of the Garda dwindles even more? I ask the Minister of State, Deputy Browne, to please ask the Taoiseach to intervene.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I assure the Deputy that record funding is now being provided to An Garda Síochána. There is significant recruitment happening at the moment in Templemore, where more gardaí are going into training. On the rosters, the Garda roster that is currently in operation was introduced by the Garda Commissioner to deal with the specific policing requirements of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Westmanstown roster is the only roster that is actually agreed between An Garda Síochána and the representative unions. I know that the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and the Commissioner have met some of those representatives and I am hopeful that a solution to the current situation can be found.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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The town of Clonmel in south Tipperary has been devastated this summer by water outages. It was one of the wettest summers in history and people were aghast to find that for 40 different days, there were outages at the Talbot Hotel in Clonmel and large parts of the town of Clonmel. People just cannot believe that Irish Water is treating its customers like this, both domestic and business people in the town, who have suffered damage to their equipment and everything else by these outages for that length of time. We cannot fill the reservoirs in the Galtee scheme or the Ardfinnan regional scheme or Lingaun in Carrick-on-Suir, and we have a number of sources for Clonmel.

The messing and downright tomfoolery that is going on with Irish Water and the neglect of its customers is appalling. When is the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, going to do something with this cabal that was set up by a Fine Gael Government and is not answerable to anybody? People are entitled to an answer. It is not a Third World country we live in. It is incredible to think that a town like Clonmel, the biggest inland town in the country, would be without water for 40 days since April of this year. It continued with outages at night, low pressure and everything else and there has been no engagement with Irish Water.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy knows, just last week I visited Clonmel for the third time in 12 months.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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The Minister did not call to see the hotel. He was taking photographs.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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It was fantastic, and I was delighted to bump into the Deputy when he was doing a bit of work as well that day.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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I would say you were.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Seriously, on Uisce Éireann, and specifically about the water issue in Clonmel, I will raise it directly with them, particularly around water outages. It reports directly to the Department as well. There has never been more investment in water and wastewater services than now, with €6 billion of investment right across the country. There is a multi-annual capital plan in place and taking hold and it is improving things. Specifically on Clonmel, I will revert to the Deputy myself on that.

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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I again raise the issue of the urgent need to build a new Garda station in Sligo. While I know it is ultimately the responsibility of the Garda Commissioner, nonetheless a site was purchased by the Office of Public Works, OPW, and funding was put in place before the last election to build a station. Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal were all part of the same Garda division. The excuse given was that Letterkenny was now the divisional headquarters. However, another realignment of divisions has taken place, and Sligo-Leitrim is now a division in its own right, with Sligo as its headquarters. There is no impediment to proceeding with the planned and promised new build of a Garda station, with the possible collocation of a new fire station on the site.

I ask the Minister of State to please contact the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, and ask her for her full political support in finally getting a new Garda station for Sligo.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I hear the Deputy's concerns, and I will bring them to the Minister for Justice. Obviously, the provision of Garda stations is a matter for the Garda Commissioner in the first instance, working with the OPW but I will bring the Deputy's concerns to the Minister for Justice.

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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It is good to see the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, here this morning and firing on all cylinders. As a brief aside, 95 homes have been purchased by South Dublin County Council under the tenant in situscheme, with 133 planned, and I know the Minister would probably like to comment on that. I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me away with this.

The previous Government launched the north inner city initiative and while not perfect, it has met with a lot of success. The Minister will have heard me at parliamentary party level over the years looking for a similar initiative for areas that have similar challenges. The term that is now being used is intergenerational trauma. I wonder what plans has the Government to really seriously look at replicating that initiative in areas like those in my own constituency, such as parts of west Tallaght, Killinarden and Jobstown. There are also other areas like Darndale, Ballymun etc. Is the Minister in a position to make a comment on that?

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Lahart for his question. On the purchase for the tenant in situscheme, it is going extremely well. I am glad to hear the progress that is being made in south Dublin. We will exceed the baseline target of 1,500 that we have set this year. We have between 800 and 900 already concluded, and about another 1,500 going through the conveyancing process, which is way above and beyond what we thought. It is a great way of securing tenancies and additional public homes for people.

The north inner city initiative has been successful because it got community buy-in and cross-departmental support. Within my own Department, there are areas like the urban regeneration development fund, on which we have engaged extensively with South Dublin County Council, which covers part of the Deputy's own Dáil constituency. Significant funding has been given through that fund, and that has been really good. We need to look at areas where there is high deprivation. That is why we have changed the local property tax baseline as well, to take into account the funding we are giving to local authorities based on geographic size and on deprivation in certain areas, and to target and focus the resources we have on areas that need more assistance.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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Annagh Banks is a 14-unit development on the Inch-Dingle road out of Castlemaine. Anyone familiar with my part of the country would see it on the right-hand side as they are leaving Castlemaine. It has been unfinished for well over a decade. These houses would take very little work to get them over the line and become homes for people. Kerry County Council is preparing a turnkey application at the moment. My parliamentary assistant, Tommy Griffin, has engaged for a very long time with the owner of these properties to try to bring this project as a proposal to the Minister's Department. Will the Minister engage with the local authority? The process seems quite onerous. These houses really should be ready to go. If they are built, there is a little bit of work to be done but in the overall scheme of things, not a huge amount of work to be done. The process itself seems to be very onerous and I ask the Minister to look at this case as an example of how that process could be streamlined to make it easier to get such properties turned around and ready as homes for people.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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If it is 14 homes, and we have a single-stage approval process that more local authorities are using now, the process is not that onerous. I have not seen that proposal yet. I would be happy to. There are some other estates that we have seen across the country. There is one in Galway we were looking at recently that is partially built or nearly complete, and which we will take in as a turnkey project. As I said earlier on in discussions, as a Government we delivered more new social homes last year than we have done in 50 years. On these type of developments, where they are nearly built, of course I would be very positively disposed to them. If Deputy Griffin could deal with me directly on it, we can see where the application is.

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Cork University Hospital, CUH, is a hospital that is constantly overcrowded and understaffed. The staff members there do Trojan work in the face of huge difficulties often caused by the failure of successive Governments to invest in healthcare in Cork. In recent weeks, they have been informed that their car park is to close. This was done without consultation with their union, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, and without consultation with the staff, especially those on a night shift. The union carried out a survey of the staff which showed that 90% of the nurses and midwives, over 1,000 of them, are considering leaving because of this situation. At a time when we are struggling to retain these brilliant staff, will the Government step in now and put a plan in place to ensure we do not lose them?

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising the issue here today, and I will bring it up with the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly when he returns next week.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware of and have been kept up to date by officials on this dispute and the action proposed to be taken by Fórsa members in local authorities. These are local authority staff whom we all value and there is no question about that. There is a mechanism to deal with disputes and issues such as this with the LGMA and the union representatives. We are on the cusp of national pay talks. In fact, we are in the middle of them. I would have thought that would be the forum in which to deal with the issue. I call on both sides to engage to resolve the issues, which are resolvable.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Benefit-in-kind is a non-cash benefit given to an employee by an employer. It has a monetary value and is deemed to be a taxable income. There are approximately 150,000 company cars in the country and if those drivers have a benefit-in-kind, the vast majority pay the amount due themselves. In the case of the CEO of Bord na Móna, because the original market value of his car is €130,000, the benefit-in-kind is €22,000. The benefit-in-kind for his health insurance is €9,000. I have no issue with company cars or health insurance but I have an issue with a semi-state company paying the tax on those benefits. For 2022, the cost to Bord na Móna was €64,000 and over a four-year period, the cost was almost €250,000. While the ordinary Joe Soap is paying benefit-of-kind of €60 to €100 per week, it is unacceptable for the company in question to continue to pay the additional amount. I ask for this practice to be reviewed by the Government. While it is legal and proper in that respect, it is unacceptable and should change.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy. It is certainly a curious arrangement that has raised a number of eyebrows, including my own. I will raise the matter directly with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform because his is the Department with responsibility for contracts and conditions of employment. Following the Deputy's intervention, I will speak directly to the Minister and ask him to respond.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Despite an increase in the number of school bus tickets issued this year, there are still difficulties for many families through the lack of a bus service or the lack of capacity on existing routes. Some routes were handed back at the last minute by contractors in many instances because of a shortage of drivers. Last April, I raised such school transport difficulties through parliamentary questions and during Questions on Promised Legislation, with particular reference to the likely shortage of bus drivers. I specifically asked that Bus Éireann would review its policy not to employ qualified and fit drivers aged 70 or over. School routes are short journeys and those persons ineligible to drive a school bus can drive coaches for private hire regardless of the distances involved. I am not suggesting in any way that safety should be compromised but surely a case could be made for drivers to carry out short-term work while undergoing regular medical checks. This policy needs to be reviewed. We need services on all approved school bus routes. Schools have now been open again for almost a month and in some instances in some parishes, there are no school transport services.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy. I discussed earlier with Deputy Duncan Smith the same issue in a different part of the country. There are issues. I know the review of the school transport scheme is nearing completion. That needs to be done urgently and I have engaged with the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, on the issue. Even though we are investing more in school transport now, some students are not able to access buses to their local schools and that is something that needs to be rectified. I will engage directly with the Minister, Deputy Foley, and have done so already.

I know the issue of the ages of drivers has been raised previously by the Deputy. We need to be inventive. Many people who are 70 years or older are very fit and well capable of carrying out those jobs. It makes eminent sense for them to be able to continue to do those jobs. That is a point I will raise.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Ba mhaith lion an t-ionad leighis in Áras Mhic Dara ar an gCeathrú Rua a ardú arís mar tá sé ardaithe go mion minic agam. Faoi dheireadh, tá beagáinín dul chun cinn déanta agus tá sé oscailte an tseachtain seo tar éis é a dhúnadh trí bliana ó shin. Is rud maith é sin ach níl ach ceathrar ag freastal ar an ionad in ainneoin an éilimh atá ar an talamh, dar leis na dochtúirí teaghlaigh. Tá teach altranais ann freisin agus tá cúig leaba folamh leis na blianta, rud a chuir iontas ar an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Butler, nuair a bhí sí ann i rith an tsamhraidh. Táim ag rá go bhfuil beagáinín dul chun cinn déanta ach tá gá lé súil ghéar ón Aire agus ón Aire Stáit chun a chinntiú go mbeidh an t-ionad oscailte go hiomlán chomh sciobtha agus is féidir agus fáil réidh leis na leapacha atá dúnta.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. Táim sásta go bhfuil dul chun cinn beag ann anois. Cuirfidh mé an cheist ar aghaidh go dtí an tAire Sláinte faoi Áras Mhic Dara agus beidh mé ar ais chuici go luath.

Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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I welcome the recent news of the significant overhaul of the disability payment system. Ms Niamh Ní Hoireabhaird, a disability activist from Clane, wrote in the Irish Independentlast week about how she had been excitedly planning her wedding only to find out she was going to lose her disability allowance upon getting married. As part of this overhaul, will the Government commit to removing the stipulation that recipients of disability allowance have their allowance reduced if they get married, enter a civil partnership or cohabit? It is deeply unfair on recipients of disability allowance. It limits their autonomy and forces them to depend on a partner. That flies in the face of the independent life and autonomy we should be providing, regardless of other circumstances.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. The Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, met yesterday with many of the disability organisations and is reviewing a lot of the assessment criteria for disability allowances. I am sure the issue the Deputy has raised is under consideration by the Minister.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I raise another egregious example of problems with school transport. Since the end of August, I have been in communication with parents and the association of parents with children who have disabilities and wheelchair users in Sandymount. They were informed a few days before the resumption of classes that instead of the 11 buses needed to get all the children to school, there are only seven. As a result, approximately seven to nine children have not been able to get to school at all since classes recommenced. Many other parents are having extreme difficulties. There are similar problems at Newcourt Special School in Bray where the bus services that should be provided for children with disabilities are not being provided. Their parents are having extraordinary difficulty getting their children to school. It is not acceptable that young people with disabilities and in wheelchairs cannot access schools and that their parents are being put in such a difficult position.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I agree it is not acceptable whatsoever. The office of the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, has been thoroughly engaged in this process. Many buses were returned because drivers were unavailable. We are working on the issue and it is a priority within the office of the Minister to ensure that all children with disabilities can access education. I will take up the matter with her again today.

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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As things stand, many homeowners affected by defective concrete blocks are unable to access working capital loans from the banks to start the remedial works on their houses. Aside from the well-documented shortcomings of the scheme, such people simply cannot afford to access it. They need invoices for €100,000 of completed work to have grant funding released by the local authorities under the redress scheme. Having met today with representatives of the Banking Payments Federation of Ireland, BPFI, I welcome their proposal. That proposal has gone to the Government. Has the Minister had sight of the proposal? How quickly can the Government approve it so that it begins to work for people? The proposal must be fast-tracked. Will the Minister commit to ensuring it is in place as quickly as possible?

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy. The enhanced defective concrete block scheme is up and running and we are seeing an increase in applications every week. We want to ensure that finance is not a barrier for people accessing the scheme. I have also discussed the matter with the BPFI and the Department of Finance is involved. I have not seen the detailed proposal yet. I believe it has come in very recently. I heard the chief executive, Mr. Brian Hayes, discuss the issue. Any proposal for assistance we can give to homeowners to access the scheme in the short term will be looked at positively but I will wait to see the detail of the BPFI proposal.

I welcome its intervention and this is something we have discussed with it. The Department of Finance will play quite a significant role in this too but I will keep the House informed.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We are out of time but I will take 30-second questions from the three remaining Deputies, starting with Deputy O'Connor.

James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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I want to raise what happened yesterday at the Committee on Transport and Communications with the ongoing delays with National Car Test, NCT, testing. We heard justification yesterday that there are supposed to be 18 days of a wait for NCTs across the country, which is factually incorrect. People are waiting for four, five and six months in different parts of the country to get an NCT. Also, in the area pertaining to the RSA, our driving testing waiting lists have gone out of all order. It is clear that the RSA and Applus+ are in complete disarray, and they are locked into a ten-year contract that was signed in 2020. This must urgently be reviewed by the Government.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Today I have to defer from my usual question, but I will be back to it again soon, in favour of the issue that arose in my constituency in the last week whereby at the State-owned Castletown House, access was intended to be denied by an adjoining new landowner, resulting in the prevention of access to the State-owned house and 200 acres or thereabouts. It was deemed that the State could not enter, maintain, allow the public, invite the public or continue to spend the monies that have been spent heretofore, on an annual basis, on the development of the estate, which is a preserved and heritage house. I call on all and sundry to concentrate all efforts possible, including an interim injunction, if necessary, to ensure that is successful. I recognise that discussions have been taking place for about ten days. Hopefully they will be successful.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I note the Minister's comments earlier on CHI at Temple Street and his sympathies to the parents of the children. I have a number of parents who believe they are outside of the scope of the current investigation but who are nonetheless affected because their children are within the orthopaedic paediatric setting. Their children are affected in other parts of the body, not by spina bifida, although one has a child with spina bifida and has not been contacted. They are in deep distress; they are contacting the helpline and getting no answers. I ask that something be put in place immediately to make contact, broaden the scope and include those who are outside the spina bifida category but within the surgeon's capacity.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Verona Murphy. In that instance, if we can help in any way to get those details directly to the Minister for Health, I will do so-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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They were sent.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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-----and let him assess it. So if the Deputy can get those details through I will get that on to the Minister for Health for her.

Deputy Durkan's point is well made and we will ensure that anything we can do, at Government and interdepartmental level, to ensure access to Castletown House, we will do.

Deputy O'Connor has expressed frustration at continuing delays for NCTs, which we see. I know the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, is committed to supporting all appropriate RSA requests for assistance in tackling the backlog but it is frustrating for customers and distressing in some instances too. The Deputy can be assured that from this afternoon I will relay his frustration and his comments from the committee yesterday and again today, directly to the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers.