Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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Chuaigh níos mó ná 100,000 páiste bunscoile gan choinne scagthástála fiaclóireachta anuraidh. Tá sé soiléir ó Fheidhmeannacht na Seirbhíse Sláinte gur tharla seo mar gheall nach bhfuil an fheidhmeannacht ábalta níos mó baill foirne fiaclóireachta poiblí a earcú mar gheall ar an gcosc earcaíochta atá i bhfeidhm ag an Rialtas agus mar gheall ar mhíbhainistíocht ár seirbhísí sláinte. Gan dabht, tá níos fearr tuillte ag ár bpáistí. More than 100,000 primary school children went without dental screening appointments last year. That is according to the Irish Dental Association's analysis of the HSE data. More than 200,000 children were eligible for school dental screening appointments with public dentists, but only half of them received appointments. The other half were left without what they were entitled to. Children should be seen in second, fourth and sixth classes, because those are the years that correspond with dental milestones. Screening at these points is essential. It is necessary to identify early signs of disease or a need for more serious orthodontic intervention. Delays in these assessments reduce the chance of preventative measures when the disease is not caught early. Without preventative care, children face poor oral health.

The HSE corresponded with my colleague Deputy Cullinane and expressed concern at the extent of the backlog in preventative intervention and treatment, which the public health service has not been able to manage. The HSE has been clear about why this happened. It stated that the ability to offer services to children in each of the school years has been limited due to the availability of dental staff. No surprises there. The Irish Dental Association has stated that compared with 15 years ago, there are 74 fewer public dentists. That is a drop of 23%. The burden of missed care falls disproportionately on lower income households in rural and urban communities. At the same time as the collapse of the school screening programme, the number of dentists providing care to medical card holders has also collapsed. In 2016 - eight years ago - there were 1,600 dentists on that scheme; now there are only 800. Every year, the numbers decline. That means that if their parents do not have deep pockets and cannot afford private healthcare, ranging from hundreds to thousands of euro for fillings, crowns and implants, these children face dental decay, poor oral health and even tooth loss. They are more likely to suffer pain and to miss school, and it impacts their education and their social life. The Irish Dental Association has estimated a dentist shortage of about 500 across the public and private systems.

When asked about plans the HSE had to hire more public dentists, the response was devastating. The HSE informed my colleague David Culliane that the embargo does not allow it currently to appoint any dental staff not at consultant level. It also stated that while the embargo is in place, no additional staff will be appointed. That is the nub of the problem. The Government is preventing our health service from recruiting staff to treat our children while one in two of them goes without what they are entitled to. The HSE cannot recruit public dental staff, other than consultants, because of the Government's decision and because of the Government recruitment embargo that is still in place. The Government is driving the privatisation of basic dental services, despite the fact that the vast majority of private dentists strongly support this essential service, particularly for children in school. It is one of the most basic forms of cost-effective, preventative healthcare. The Government is punishing ordinary families who cannot afford private healthcare as a result of its own incompetence and mismanagement of the health budget.

Our children deserve better. They do not deserve to be waiting and waiting. Access to care needs to be on the basis of need, not the ability to pay. Will the Government now, finally, lift its ludicrous recruitment embargo and launch a serious catch-up programme for these children? Will the Minister tell us what the Government's plans are to recruit and train more dentists?

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Doherty for raising this matter. This is a really important service and a really important issue. It is important we get the dental service children need at a young age. That is why it is in the school system. It is also a key priority for the Government. We have been investing over €200 million annually in the provision of oral healthcare, targeting, in particular, those most in need of support to access that care. This includes, importantly and in the context of the issue the Deputy raises, an additional €15 million in core funding since 2019-20 to support the national oral health policy, Smile agus Sláinte, and an additional €17 million in one-off funding to address service backlogs. The HSE is progressing the development of oral healthcare packages for children from birth to seven years of age. That is being supported by an additional funding package in the most recent budget of €4.75 million to facilitate the development of that service. We are also seeing additional investment being provided to target orthodontic waiting lists, prioritising those who have been waiting the longest to access treatment. In 2023, more than 2,000 patients were removed from the HSE's orthodontic treatment waiting list as a result of that funding. There was a reduction of 47% in the number of patients waiting to commence orthodontic treatment between the end of March 2020 and the end of June of last year. In addition, a new orthognathic, or jaw surgery, waiting list initiative commenced in September of last year, providing complex surgeries to patients. These surgeries require lengthy hospital stays. In addition, a further €3.35 million is being invested this year on a one-off basis to support the continuation of measures to reduce orthodontic waiting lists, prioritising those most in need.

We absolutely accept the importance of dental services to young people, particularly those who are of school age, the early advice intervention as regards good oral care and, particularly, treatments where they are necessary. We accept that there are pressures on the system. As a Government, we are significantly increasing the funding to help to address that, and I know the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, is particularly focused on that. We will continue that work because, as regards the two biyearly assessments that young children get when they go through primary school, it is really important we ensure that the resources are in place and that they get them when they need them. This certainly prevents many challenges down the line and ensures that children get the treatment when they need it.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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The one thing on which I can agree with the Minister is that there is serious pressure on the system. Where we differ, however, is that the Government is putting the pressure on the system. The clinical lead tells us in correspondence we have from the HSE that it is a Government decision that is preventing these children from being treated. We have a serious problem. One in two children who are entitled to these appointments are not getting them. That is 100,000 young children. We all know the impact that delayed diagnosis and delayed treatment can have on the child and on oral health but also on self-confidence and all the issues in that regard. The HSE could not be clearer. The Taoiseach stood here yesterday and said there is no recruitment embargo. The HSE tells us the recruitment embargo is still in place at this point. It states that while the embargo is in place, no additional staff will be appointed.

I put it to the Minister again that there are 100 children being failed by his Government and by a Government decision to implement a recruitment embargo that makes sure that there will be no additional dental staff employed outside of consultants. What is the Government going to do about it? We have told the Government what needs to be done. It needs to lift the ludicrous recruitment embargo that is failing our children so badly and it needs to train more dentists.

Deputies:

Hear, hear.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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We are recruiting staff.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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Read you own memo.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Obviously, we have to work within the budgetary envelope-----

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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The Government has an embargo in place.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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-----that is provided. However, a record number of staff have been employed across the health service during the lifetime of this Government.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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The HSE states that no additional staff will be appointed.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Please, let the Minister respond.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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An additional 28,000 staff have been employed across the health service. It is particularly important to ensure that we resource the provision of dental services. We accept the importance of early intervention.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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No, you do not.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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We absolutely do. As already outlined, we are putting additional funding in place to address backlogs. We want the backlogs to be addressed and the service improved.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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What about the embargo?

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Across the board-----

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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Lift the embargo.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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-----there has been a significant increase of 50% in funding for the health service-----

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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Lift the embargo.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Would you stop heckling please?

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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-----generally over the past four or five years under this Government. We want to ensure the health service is as strong as possible.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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Then lift the embargo.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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This is laughable stuff.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In the context of dental healthcare services, we are putting additional investment in place. Some 900 additional staff were employed within the service as recently as last December in order to improve the service further.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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Is é cúrsaí tithíochta príomhfhadhb na tíre seo. Is gá dúinn tithe maithe ar phraghas réasúnta a sholáthar do gach duine. Caithfear deireadh a chur le drochpholasaithe an Rialtais seo. Yesterday, the Government presented its quarterly Housing for All update. As always, the press conference appeared to be a smiley, happy occasion. However, the reality of this housing disaster for people on the sharp edge of the crisis is not optimistic. The homelessness figures for March are due to be released tomorrow, and doubtless there is going to be more bad news. Those looking to avail of schemes such as tenant in situ where they face eviction are becoming mired in paperwork and inactivity from local authorities. We are all hearing this. I appreciate that some work is being done and that bodies like the Land Development Agency are being better capitalised, but those agencies are still not delivering the homes people need. This Government is not delivering the homes people need.

Upon the lifting of the temporary eviction ban last year – a shameful decision – we heard many promises and commitments about new measures to keep people in their homes. There were lots of new policies, although they all fell short of a ban on no-fault evictions - a ban that should never have been lifted. Even still, the consolation prizes for people who are being deprived of security in their homes missed the mark. New promised laws, which would give statutory first refusal to tenants and local authorities where landlords decide to sell their properties, have still not been brought in. We had been led to believe that permanent schemes to help people facing eviction would be up and running by the start of this year, so there have been more delays.

Delay and a lack of ambition have characterised the approach to housing from the Department and the Government. The consequences are dire for so many. Yesterday, the Irish Council for Social Housing warned that older people and disabled people risk becoming an underclass due to a lack of appropriate social housing. We need more affordable homes. We need more social homes. We need greater ramping up of retrofitting and the Government needs to build. Under Housing for All, we will not see the level of building that is needed because the plan is fundamentally flawed. For months now, even the Government has accepted that its own targets are too low. We know that Housing for All is incapable of delivering the homes needed. We will be waiting until the autumn before we see higher targets being set. You would not train for a marathon by setting the ceiling of your ambition at a 5 km run. It is ridiculous to see such low targets remaining in place when even the Taoiseach has admitted that they are too low. None of us on the Labour benches believes in trickle-down politics, but the lack of urgency at the top of Government is trickling down. It is slowing down construction across the country, it is slowing down responses from local authorities to those facing eviction and it means that many people are still on the sharp end of this housing crisis. When will the Government accept that it is unacceptable to wait so long before we see publication of the higher targets? When will it accept there is far too little urgency or ambition on the delivery of housing and homes for people who need them?

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Bacik for raising what is the most pressing issue facing the Government. It is the key, number one priority that this Government has been working to deliver. We all wish that delivering in this regard could be dealt with as easily as setting a target.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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It is the first step.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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At its recent conference, the Labour Party set targets without providing any plan as to how they might be delivered.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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We have plans.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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That is just not true. It is a false statement.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Government will continue to assess evolving need in terms of medium- and long-term targets. There will be a full assessment in the context of updating those targets. What we are absolutely focused on is increasing delivery and capacity and making a real difference. We are not in any way taking the foot off the throttle in doing as much as possible regarding new housing supply. While the targets will be adjusted, we are going as fast as we can in ramping up delivery.

The Deputy mentioned the CSO dwellings completions for quarter 1 of 2024. This reflects the fact that this Government is making a real impact in increasing delivery. The challenge is that we would love to increase it more quickly, but we are delivering it as fast as we possibly can. We are taking any interventions we can take to increase supply. The Deputy will have seen from the results to which she referred that there were 5,841 new home completions in quarter 1 of this year. In addition, there were 33,000 new home completions in 2023. That was the highest number in 15 years and it exceeded the Housing for All strategy target of 29,000. Even though the target for last year was 29,000, by pushing as hard as we could we hit 33,000. New commencements this year are significantly up on what they would have been last year. We have also seen the highest level of annual completion since we started keeping records in 2011. That is a reflection of the effort and momentum the Government is seeking to build. Over the four years since the Government took office in 2020, 107,000 houses have been built. That is more houses than were built in the nine years before that. Through the social housing programme, more than 12,000 new homes were built last year. That represents the highest delivery for social housing since the mid-1970s. Again, that is a reflection of how the Government is putting in every resource and bringing every tool possible to the table in order to increase delivery as quickly as possible and bring supply into the system. This is what will deliver new homes for families and address the many challenges in the system.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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I am glad the Minister says that housing is the key, number one, priority of the Government. However, we are certainly not seeing a sense of ambition and urgency when it comes to that priority. We are not seeing that trickle down into Government policies. The Minister can provide figures, but the key figure of 4,000 children in homelessness remains a shameful stain on the Government's record. I repeat that the Government has to set ambitious targets to speed up delivery of homes. That is true in any sphere, whether it is sport or housing construction. Every stakeholder in construction says that. The Government accuses Labour of not having a plan. We put forward a plan in a motion to this House in March this year, a motion the Government did not even oppose because it knows that more must be done to speed up delivery of homes. In the Seanad Chamber today, councillors from different parties are debating. They will all point out the lack of ambition and urgency at local and national levels on the delivery of homes. We need to see more ambition and urgency from Government and it is not good enough to say it is delaying the publication of the increased housing targets until the autumn. When will those targets be published and why the delay?

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I assure Deputy Bacik that we are not delaying anything when it comes to delivering and building new houses.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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They are delaying the target.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I have just outlined that the target for last year was 29,000 and that we exceeded it and reached 33,000. Our ambition this year is to also exceed the targets in place and build as many houses as possible. No house that can be built will be left unbuilt. We want to see more homes as well as more homeowners and more availability in the rental sector. All of the issues, in particular homelessness, will be addressed by more supply. This Government has massively ramped that up in every way possible. We have also put tools in place to support the development of houses and for people to purchase homes. I refer, for example, to the €30,000 available to get a deposit under the first homes schemes and the help-to-buy scheme under which we are helping homeowners with up to 30% shared ownership.

Along with that, there is a grant of €70,000 for derelict homes.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Time is up

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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We put that-in place to create a new source of supply. It applies to homes have been out of circulation for the past few years.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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George Nkencho was shot dead by an armed garda in his family's front garden on 30 December 2020. He was shot five times - twice in the back. Yesterday, we learnt that the garda who shot him will not stand trial. George's grieving mother, his sisters and brothers, a working class migrant family, will now have to fight a long and hard battle for justice - even for basic information - as many others have had to in the past.

On Tuesday, the State apologised to the Stardust families. The House rose in standing ovation and everyone said, "Never again". Yet, just one day later, the State appears to many to be doing it all over again.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy, hold on. As a matter of long-standing principle, we have a separation of powers. The separation of powers means that in this House, we do not criticise or comment on affairs before the courts. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, is independent. Its actions and decisions may not be commented on in this House. That is in accordance with the long-established tradition, and the Deputy is long enough here to understand that.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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Standing orders state that a member shall not be prevented from raising in the Dáil any matter of general public importance. It is matters of public importance that I intend to raise.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I am sorry. You cannot comment. I will not tolerate this from any Member on any side of the House. Before I am told what group the Deputy belongs to, no one in this Chamber is going to comment on any actions, statements or decisions of the courts or the DPP. Let that be clear.

Our hearts go out to the Nkencho family. The sympathies of every Member of this House are with them and the memory of their son, who should not have lost his life. However, we are not going to talk here about the decisions of the DPP. Let me be very clear about that.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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This case was always going to be a litmus test for the State on how it treats the issue of race.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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No. Sorry, Deputy. You may take another tack, but you are not going to engage in a debate here about a decision of the Director of Public Prosecutions. You are out of order in attempting to do so. I will have to take action if you persist.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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In 2024, Ireland is not the land and Dublin is not the city of 100,000 welcomes for migrants or people of colour. A racist riot shook the city last November. A migrant was killed some weeks ago for speaking his own language. What message does a decision not to even send this case for trial send------

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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No. Please, Deputy. We will not have more of this. Please desist. Respect the honourable traditions of the House that have been respected for years by Members on all sides. Do not try to take us down this road.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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I am stating a fact when I say-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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You can state any facts you like-----

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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Ceann Comhairle-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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-----but you will not come in here and abuse the long-established principle of the separation of powers. You will not come in here and make statements about decisions of courts or those of the Director of Public Prosecutions. It is as simple as that. You cannot have a separate-----

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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Will I be given my time back?

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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No, you will not.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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I will not.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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You cannot make-----

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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I will be censored on the floor of the Dáil for raising opinions-----

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

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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-----that are matters of legitimate public debate.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Excuse me, Deputy. The rules of the House impact on and apply to every one of its 160 Members in the same way.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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The rules of the House state-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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There is no particular set of rules for you.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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The rules of the House state-----

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

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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-----that a Member shall not be prevented-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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You are out of order. Resume your seat.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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-----from raising any matter of-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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You are out of order. Resume your seat.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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-----general public importance------

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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You are out of order. Resume your seat.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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-----even where court proceedings have been initiated.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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You are out of order.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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The Standing Orders are clear.

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

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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The Standing Order is clear, and I wish to make my point.

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

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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I want to make my point.

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

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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I will not resume my seat.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The House stands suspended for ten minutes.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We will resume Leaders' Questions. Will the Minister reply to the Deputy? The same protocols and procedures apply to him as to Deputy Barry.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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Can I have a minute of my time back-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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No, you cannot.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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-----if I steer clear from any comment on the DPP?

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Yes, if you do that, I will concede that.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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After rowing with the Ceann Comhairle, I want to agree with him that George Nkencho should not have been killed. I repeat, he was shot five times, twice in the back. His grieving family deserve answers on how their son was killed. Will the Minister agree the GSOC report is a matter of great public importance about how Garda killings are investigated, about how people can get answers on what happened, and is a matter of real public importance about how mental health crises, which George Nkencho was going through, are dealt with by the State? Will the Minister agree that the report should now be provided to the family and should be published?

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I reiterate my deepest sympathies to the Nkencho family and to all those impacted by this tragic death. Any fatal shooting is distressing and traumatic for those who witness it and for those who grieve the loss of the person who died so suddenly. I know the community has experienced a trauma, and the family very much so, as a result of these events. I know for many people this development will be upsetting.

Fatal shootings involving members of An Garda Síochána are very rare in Ireland. All are independently investigated by GSOC when they do occur. This is the case with every incident involving members of An Garda Síochána that results in the death or serious harm of a person. I cannot and am not going to speak on behalf of the DPP as the DPP is entirely independent in her role and in respect of whether a matter should be prosecuted.

I understand that GSOC will engage further with George's family over the course of the coronial proceedings, which can now proceed. As there are statutory processes still live here, I am restricted, as we all know, in what more I can say. I would like to just again acknowledge that today will bring up very difficult memories and my thoughts are with all those continuing to grieve George's loss.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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I repeat my question to the Minister. There was a GSOC investigation. The investigation went on for two and a half years. There were hundreds of witness statements. There was video evidence. There is a lot of stuff in that report. Today, that report is not available to the family. It is not available to George's grieving mother, brothers and sisters. I believe that report should be published and made available to the family. I ask where the Minister stands on that.

I will make the observation, and it is merely an observation, that the level of alienation among young people of colour in this State from the State is a matter that needs to be discussed and recognised. I have no doubt that what happened yesterday will deepen and strengthen that alienation.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Do not go down that road please.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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That is something that must be debated and must be discussed.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I believe GSOC has notified the Nkencho family of their entitlement under the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017 to a summary of reasons from the DPP for her decision not to prosecute as well as their statutory entitlement to request a review of the decision. I understand GSOC will continue to engage with the Nkencho family in the context of coronial proceedings and any other statutory processes that may arise. GSOC has reiterated its undertaking to make the substantive detail of its investigation publicly available as and when other statutory processes permit it to do so.

Cathal Berry (Kildare South, Independent)
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I raise the issue of supports for the farming community. As we know, we have had a pretty brutal winter and there has been almost incessant rain for the past six to seven months. A lot of supports are required to help our farming community through this difficult patch because it has really disrupted the normal farm routine. For instance, we still have animals in sheds and slatted units full of slurry. We have fertiliser that has not been spread and crops that have not been sown. I acknowledge the small progress that has occurred over recent weeks and the additional supports from the State, particularly for the horticulture, potato and tillage sectors. That is to be welcomed for sure.

The big takeaway for me and, I suspect, everybody in the Chamber is that the weather patterns are changing. It is only the start of the Irish summer, but we should already have an eye towards the Irish winter in about six or seven months' time. The big issue for us is cash flow. It is the lifeblood of any small business, household or small farm, the original Irish SMEs. Issues regarding cash flow include the predictability of farm payments, something that has been mentioned to the Minister on previous occasions. He said we are above average from an EU point of view. However, if, for example, a State employer did not pay its PAYE workers at the appropriate regular time, that would be completely unacceptable. Farmers should be treated exactly the same. There should be zero tolerance for any kind of slippage from a payment point of view. What is the reason for the slippage in payments? Are there not enough staff in the Department of agriculture? Is there a problem with the IT system? Is it a combination of both?

On the labelling of payments, a normal bank statement for a farmer shows money coming in from the Department, which is true and to be welcomed, but it is difficult to track what a payment is for, whether it is for BISS, ACRES or TAMS. We have excellent traceability from a farm produce point of view. Perhaps we could have the same traceability from a farm payments point of view.

Fodder support is another issue. One of the reasons we have muddled through the past few months is because there was surplus silage and haylage in the country due to prudent planning over the past couple of years through the fodder support scheme. That cushion has been completely exhausted and depleted and needs to be replenished as soon as possible. Are there plans for a new fodder support scheme for 2024? Farmers are making plans for the summer about whether to cut silage. We know the scheme last year was capped at €100 per hectare for a total of 10 ha. If there is to be a scheme, would the Minister consider increasing the cap beyond 10 ha to 20 ha or 25 ha?

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. It has been a challenging spring for all farming sectors. That has come on the back of a very difficult autumn last year. We have just come out of one of the longest and most unprecedented wintering periods we have seen for a long time, lasting almost seven months from last September until now, in many instances. That has made it very difficult for livestock farmers, in particular. Farmers have been very supportive of one another in local communities and neighbourhoods, which is important. That has been crucial because farming can be quite solitary, in particular when people are handling the pressures themselves within the farm gate. I acknowledge the support farmers have given to one another and the challenging times they have gone through.

As a Government, we have worked to try to support the sector to come through this period. I moved to pause all inspections, for example, so that farmers would have one less thing to be concerned about until 22 April. I tasked Teagasc with the role of co-ordinating support and linking farmers who had fodder available with those who needed it. I acknowledge the role of the fodder and food security committee, under the chairmanship of Mike Magan, who worked closely with Professor Frank O'Mara and Dr. Stan Lalor from Teagasc. They provided support to farm stakeholders in terms of monitoring the situation.

In the past two or three weeks, I introduced a transport subsidy to move fodder from one part of the country to others where it is needed, which was important. Most recently, I made a commitment to the tillage sector, which is of particular importance in the Deputy's locality. I committed to €100 per hectare for all farmers who put seed in the soil for harvest 2024. That is to help with confidence for farmers, given there is a very narrow planting season and a higher risk to yields and profitability than at other times, and to support farmers through that.

The Deputy mentioned the importance of cash flow. I agree and have engaged with the banks on that. They have been proactive in terms of asking customers to come to them when they are experiencing cash flow problems and have put facilities in place to provide support.

I agree that certainty and predictability around payments is important. We are one of the best, if not the best, performing countries in the EU in terms of delivering payments early and on time to farmers. Last year was the first year of a new Common Agricultural Policy and all of the schemes were new. It is more complicated and difficult to provide payments in the first year of a new scheme as opposed to subsequent years when we are rerunning schemes from the first year.

Last year, I set out payment schedules in March for the end of last year to give farmers a line of sight and predictability as to when they will receive those payments. They were adjusted from between one and four weeks from previous years to reflect the fact that extra work was required to deliver on those dates. We delivered over 90% of payments on the dates we said we would, which was important. As we get into the second year of the scheme, those payments will return to normal dates and we will be very focused on delivering on those dates.

Cathal Berry (Kildare South, Independent)
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I thank the Minister for the response. I agree that postponing the audits and inspections, even just for a few weeks, takes a lot of pressure off a lot of farmers. Something which has been mentioned to me and Deputy Canney and, I am sure, the Minister is the burden of administration on farmers. Professional farmers are doing what they love and we want them out in the fields doing what they are good at. We do not want them at kitchen tables, filling up incessant forms and creating a massive duplication of work.

Most people would accept the principle that we need to simplify and streamline the administrative burden on farmers. There are about ten months left in the natural life of this Dáil. Is the Government considering introducing any specific measures to reduce the burden of administration on our farmers and make life easier for them so they can focus on the job they are supposed to be doing?

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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We have responded to reflect the challenges the inclement weather is creating across various schemes to provide flexibility over the course of the year in terms of dates and returns. In respect of the ACRES scheme, for example, we have delayed some actions until the end of the year to provide space for farmers to be able to manage that. We have provided more flexibility in respect of some of the tillage requirements that are in place around what crops farmers can plant this year and exemptions from the three-crop rule. Across the board, we have worked to try to make things as straightforward as we can.

When we are working within a common policy across 27 member states which requires many commonalities across the EU and Common Market, that creates challenges. We work very hard to try to make things as straightforward as possible. It is something we all have to work harder at, in particular when it comes to the next CAP and we formulate our priorities around that to make sure that becomes the case.

It is important we support farmers in making fodder this year to replenish stocks. I introduced a fodder scheme last year, and like the support schemes for homeowners and families, there were energy supports for farmers. I am applying those supports this year to the sectors that need them the most, in particular the tillage sector, which is under particular pressure. There will also be other supports this year.