Tom Brabazon (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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1. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Justice, Migration and Social Affairs will meet next. [16803/25]

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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2. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Justice, Migration and Social Affairs will next meet. [18693/25]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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3. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Justice, Migration and Social Affairs will meet next. [18746/25]

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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4. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Justice, Migration and Social Affairs will next meet. [20899/25]

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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5. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Justice, Migration and Social Affairs will meet next. [22208/25]

John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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6. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Justice, Migration and Social Affairs will meet next. [22378/25]

Tony McCormack (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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7. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Justice, Migration and Social Affairs will next meet. [22404/25]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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8. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Justice, Migration and Social Affairs will next meet. [22477/25]

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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9. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Justice, Migration and Social Affairs will next meet. [22485/25]

Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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10. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Justice, Migration and Social Affairs will meet next. [25524/25]

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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11. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Justice, Migration and Social Affairs will meet next. [25530/25]

Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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12. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Justice, Migration and Social Affairs will meet next. [25743/25]

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 12, inclusive, together.

The Cabinet Committee on Justice, Migration and Social Affairs will oversee the implementation of programme for Government commitments that regard matters under these headings. It was established in February 2025 following the appointment of the new Government in January.

The Cabinet Committee on Justice, Migration and Social Affairs had its first meeting on 10 April and it is expected the next meeting will take place in July. The Cabinet committee will cover a range of policy areas, including domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, policing and justice reform, and initiatives tackling local area disadvantage. Among other items, it will also oversee the development and delivery of whole-of-government responses to migration and integration, including through a national migration and integration strategy.

In addition to meetings of the Cabinet committee, I have regular engagements with Ministers at Cabinet and individually to discuss issues relating to their Departments.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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There are 12 questions from Deputies. We will take them in order. Question No. 1 is from Deputy Tom Brabazon.

Tom Brabazon (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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Like Deputy Shane Moynihan who spoke earlier, I have serious concerns about e-bikes, e-scramblers, e-scooters and ordinary scramblers, which are the scourge of people's lives across the city. Aside from the dangers these modes of transport create on our roads and footpaths and across our open spaces and parks, we often see users not wearing any helmets being "ballied up" - for want of a better phrase - and not carrying or using lights in the dark evenings, having removed the speed governors from their vehicles. Many of them are unfortunately being used in criminal enterprises for, in particular, muling and carrying illicit produce for the drug trade.

These bikes, scramblers and scooters, when used as part of a criminal enterprise, are usually operated by minors. They are, despite being underage, acting in an adult way but are not facing the rigours of the criminal system. On top of that, notwithstanding anything the Garda Commissioner might say, these drug mules are not being pursued and prosecuted when they are on those vehicles.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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We have a minute each. I call Deputy Ivana Bacik.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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I wish to ask about Government policy on accommodation and international protection. On Friday, we saw the Government confirm it would not proceed with opening an IPAS centre in Coolock on the former Crown Paints site. We are all aware there has been a very violent and nasty campaign against the opening of an IPAS centre there. There were local public representatives who bravely stood in support of integration and with a welcome for those who come here fleeing persecution and war, and who seek refuge here. Many in my own constituency have established welcome groups but we have seen two recent instances in Dublin 4 and 8 where a decision has been made not to proceed with opening IPAS centres. The reason, we are told, is a move to State-owned and State-run facilities, and we very much welcome what we hope will be a more co-ordinated and concerted Government approach to accommodation. What we are not getting, however, are any clear answers from the Government about the approach that is going to be taken to accommodation and international protection and about whether backing down may embolden the far right. There is a real concern in some instances that the far right is claiming a win where a centre does not open, and Government needs to address that.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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An issue I raised in the past was the reconfiguration of Garda divisions a number of years ago under the Commissioner, Mr. Drew Harris. I believe that the structures that were made and put in place were wrong. Traditionally, since the foundation of the State, Cavan-Monaghan was one Garda division. Now we are in with County Louth. You have a Garda division stretching from outside Dublin to the far end of west Cavan, which is quite near Sligo, Bundoran and Donegal. It has a very long land border with a neighbouring jurisdiction.

We are all well aware that borders do not deter criminality. Unfortunately, we have cross-Border criminality. The chief superintendent for the Louth-Cavan-Monaghan Garda division is based in Drogheda, which is outside Dublin. I do not believe that the further ends of that Garda division will get the attention, personnel or resources they deserve. Over the years, an issue I have kept putting on the agenda is the need to ensure that the unique policing demands of a Border area are always resourced adequately.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I agree. Louth-Cavan-Monaghan does not work as a sensible divisional decision, and I get that the Taoiseach's answer is going to be that that remains for the Commissioner. It is, however, an issue that needs to be looked at. The Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, said here that the community safety partnerships are going to happen quickly. That needs to happen post-haste because we know there has been a failure to have JPC meetings, and we need that engagement. There are questions to be asked.

While we all accept that migration is an absolute necessity and we have to look after those fleeing war and persecution, there is a question - and there has been for a long time - with regard to processing times. The time we were told for somebody on appeal was that it would take up to 15 months. That was coming from a safe country. Then we are talking about a time of something like two years and eight months for those coming from other places. There are also fast-processing lists. Obviously, a huge amount needs to be done on that, so what are the proposals with regard to improving it?

Tony McCormack (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Taoiseach for his reply, and I commend the Garda. I have noticed more gardaí on the streets in Offaly and across the country recently. That visibility has a real and positive impact. It helps people feel safer, builds community trust and serves as a strong deterrent to crime. With that in mind, I ask the Cabinet Committee on Justice, Migration and Social Affairs to consider the specific needs of smaller rural towns like Banagher, Daingean, Clara and other towns across Offaly and the country.

While these towns are assigned gardaí, in practice officers are often drawn away to larger population centres, leaving little or no regular presence locally. More consistent Garda presence in these smaller towns would significantly improve community confidence and security.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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Last week, South Dublin County Council passed a People Before Profit motion to allocate long-term housing to victims of gender-based violence leaving short-term refuges. Official figures show that 32 households fleeing domestic violence were forced into emergency accommodation from January to March. However, according to service providers this massively understates the problem. The housing crisis means women either cannot leave abusive relationships or are forced to return to them once their time in a refuge is up.

I spoke to a woman a few weeks ago whose time in the short-term refuge was over. She was in an absolute panic because moving into emergency accommodation meant moving outside of her support networks. Both Housing for All and the zero tolerance strategy on gender-based violence focus on short-term refuges but nothing is being done to provide long-term secure social housing for victims of domestic violence. Does the Taoiseach accept that additional long-term social housing needs to be provided?

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Minister for Justice has assured this House that his Department is finalising the regulations necessary for the local community safety partnerships to function. We really need to get them up and running as soon as possible.

Dublin West is a big place. Key to the effectiveness of the local community safety partnerships is that they are indeed local. The problems facing Clonsilla are very different from those facing Corduff. Local communities have to be able to identify and solve those problems. I urge the Taoiseach and the Minister for Justice to ensure there is flexibility to set up subgroups for specific local villages like Ongar, Tyrellstown, Clonsilla, Carpenterstown and so on.

There is a budget behind this work. The community safety fund is a brilliant initiative putting the proceeds from crime back into communities. However, it is only €4 million. Not all solutions are going to fall neatly under existing funding streams. I ask the Taoiseach to confirm that the new regulations will take that into account?

Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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As the Taoiseach is aware, there is overcrowding in every prison in the State at present. That has consequences for the prisoners but also for the prison officers. While punishment has to be part of the prison experience, it is also essential that we address rehabilitation and deter recidivism. We have only two open prisons in the State. Shelton Abbey in Arklow is one of them. It works with Tosú on some excellent programmes in educating, training and rehabilitating a number of prisoners, working with local employers and often providing role models. Some of those prisoners go back into communities to talk about the dangers of going into a life of crime.

I would like to see a commitment on the part of the Government toward the possibility of opening a female open prison because there is not one in the State, and of looking at more opportunities for schemes such as those run by Tosú about being able, after the punishment has been served, to rehabilitate those prisoners and prevent recidivism.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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The Government's new policy on justice and migration is to increase the number of deportations, particularly by using chartered flights. The Minister goes on social media to announce that a charter flight has taken place. Is this not virtue signalling to the increased racism that there is in society and to the far right? We have already seen this week the backing down from a migration centre in Coolock. Is it any wonder when the Government is sending a message out to the public that refugees and asylum seekers are to be feared and are a drain? The Minister stated, "Stepping up enforcement and securing our borders is a central commitment". Our borders are not in danger from people who come here seeking refuge. Why is that language being used? How much are these flights costing for the virtue signalling that the Government is doing?

Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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The cost of accommodating asylum seekers has ballooned in recent years. It is now ten times the figure in 2019. It cost the State €1.2 billion this year. This is an extortionate cost to the taxpayer. Essentially, the State is paying hotel or accommodation owners a hotel occupancy rate. It has cost the State €4 billion since 2019. The average cost of renting a three-bedroom house is €20,000, yet the average cost of housing an asylum seeker is €33,000 a year.

Wealthy accommodation providers are earning huge sums of money. The Government is making millionaires out of accommodation providers. The Carnbeg Hotel, which is now an IPAS centre, has earned more than €23 million since 2023. When is the Government going to address this issue? There is a huge issue here of value for money for the taxpayer.

John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Taoiseach mentioned the Cabinet committee's role in the area of local area disadvantage. Earlier this afternoon the Taoiseach spoke about the positive health statistics in the country. It is important to recognise that they are not universal. There are minority groups and some disadvantaged communities where those health figures are not as good. Yesterday we also saw that there is a greater impact on disadvantaged communities in regard to the challenge of school attendance.

The programme for Government commits us to launching an urban communities initiative to revitalise disadvantaged city areas. I believe there has been a deficiency in this area since the end of the revitalising areas by planning, investment and development, RAPID, programme which used to fund programmes and infrastructure in disadvantaged urban areas. It funded such programmes as childcare facilities, back-to-work employment schemes and also infrastructure such as libraries and sports facilities. I would like the Government to look at reinvesting in the RAPID programme.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I call the Taoiseach, who has five minutes to respond to approximately 12 Deputies.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputies for their contributions. Deputy Brabazon has consistently raised in the House the issue of how the regulations are currently operating in respect of e-scooters and scrambler bikes. He referenced how some of these new vehicles are being utilised as part of criminal enterprises, particularly the utilisation of young minors in the distribution of drugs. This is a very serious issue which demands a review of the entire regulatory framework governing scramblers and e-scooters. There are positives too, particularly for the elderly population in terms of people getting access and go up hills and so on. However, it merits a review because many negative aspects have happened as a result of their deployment.

Deputy Bacik raised the issue of the IPAS site in Coolock. The Minister made a decision in that regard. In my view it made sense in the overall context. We need to move to State-owned and State-controlled facilities. That is the direction of travel from here onwards.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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Yes.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I understand the issues the Deputy and her colleagues have raised in respect of it. It was a shocking situation overall.

Deputy Smith raised the issue of reconfiguration of Garda districts. I will talk to the Minister for Justice in respect of the point about the unique policing demands of Border areas requiring specific resourcing.

Deputy Ó Murchú supported that. As for community safety partnerships, these are important and the Minister is moving with regard to implementation. On migration processing times, the first phase is now being processed relatively quickly. The appeal stage needs significant attention and the Minister is working on that and has specific proposals to speed up the second phase.

I appreciate the comments Deputy McCormack made on the increased visibility of gardaí on our streets but also the need for greater Garda presence in smaller towns in the county of Offaly. He mentioned Banagher and a few other towns. I have asked the Minister, in the context of more and more people coming through Templemore, that we look at proper deployment throughout the country, particularly in rural Ireland and the smaller towns because it has an impact.

On the matter raised by Deputy Paul Murphy, I have no issue at all with making sure we have long-term social housing provision for those fleeing domestic violence. We need more permanent structures as well and more secure units. They are all at varying degrees of progress but we need to accelerate that also.

Deputy Currie raised the issue of safety partnerships.

I will talk to the Minister. Obviously, the Deputy has specific ideas in respect of the area she represents. I am sure if she discusses it with the Minister he will respond with flexibility on how the groups and subgroups are set up and so on.

Deputy Malcolm Byrne is correct. There is overcrowding in our prison system. It is, again, a feature of a growing population. Rehabilitation is very important. Education provision is very important in our prisons and that opportunities are given to people, as well as follow-on services. We help to reintegrate back into society through work, placements and so on. We often do not hear of the success stories where it does work. That reintegration is to the benefit of the individual and to society as a whole. I will check with the Minister about capacity on the female side to which the Deputy referred.

Deputy Coppinger raised the issue of deportations. They are in respect of people whose asylum application has failed. They are not eligible for asylum, having gone through the process, and, therefore, they should not be in the country. We must always have security in our borders. What we mean by that is that not everybody can simply come into the country. We have work permits for people who wish to work legally in the country and we have various visas and legal frameworks that facilitate the flow and egress. That is not just Ireland; it is every country in the world. It is not virtue signalling to racism or the far right when we say that.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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Chartered flights.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is not, really. It is also sending a signal that we have asylum laws for people who genuinely need asylum, not for everyone who comes in. A lot of economic migrants come in who should be applying for work permits. That is the point.

Deputy Lawless followed up on the costs ballooning. We have obligations. There has been a significant inflationary cycle but we are reducing the numbers in hotels quite significantly and moving towards a State-owned model.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Sorry, Taoiseach. Deputy Connolly.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Apologies. Deputy Connolly raised the issue of local area disadvantage. I accept his point that health figures are not as good, by definition, in areas of disadvantage. It is extremely important, both on the education and health fronts. In education, we have a successful DEIS programme. We are now looking at DEIS plus. The Minister was at the Cabinet today signalling a move to DEIS plus for areas of profound socioeconomic disadvantage, with different types of supports being available to the small number of schools that would gain access to such a DEIS plus programme. Health probably needs to do better, or run in parallel with the pace that education has moved over the years, in respect of specific health initiatives in areas of economic disadvantage. In 2002 I established the Niche project on the northside of Cork, in Knocknaheeny, and it had a profound impact. It dealt with issues such as lifestyle, access to gyms and was pioneered by the local health board at the time. We need more of that from the health side. They are getting better at it and there is more of it happening but, compared with what is happening in education, we could be doing better in health.