Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I move:

Tuesday's business shall be:- Motion re Referral to Joint Committee of proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of a Carbon Budget Programme (to be taken without debate)

- Motion re Presentation and Circulation of Revised and Further Revised Estimates 2025 (any division demanded shall be taken immediately)

- Statements on Assessment of Need (not to exceed 3 hrs and 32 mins)

- Motion re Membership of the Committee on Parliamentary Privileges and Oversight (to be taken without debate)

- Statements on Gaza (not to exceed 3 hrs and 32 mins)

- Statements to Mark Biodiversity Week (not to exceed 2 hrs and 25 mins)

- Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 (Section 9(2)) (Amount of Financial Contribution) Order 2025 (to be taken no earlier than 6.30 p.m. and to conclude within 60 mins)

- Motions for Revised Estimates for Public Services 2025 [Votes 25 and 40] (to be moved together and decided by one question, and to conclude within 60 minutes)

- Motion for Further Revised Estimate for Public Services 2025 [Vote 24] (to conclude within 60 minutes)

(a) the Dáil may sit later than 10.48 p.m.;

(b) the time allotted for Government Business shall be extended in accordance with the arrangements for that business, with consequential effect on the commencement time for private members' business, which may be taken later than 6.12 p.m.; and

(c) private members’ time shall in any event be taken on the conclusion of the Statements on Assessment of Need, with consequential effect on the commencement times for the items following in the ordinary routine of business, namely, Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and topical issues;

(a) the arrangements for the statements, not including the Ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the arrangements contained in the table immediately below (to be read across, not down);

(b) following the statements, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and

(c) members may share time.

	Gov	SF	Lab	Gov	SF
Mins	35	25	15	15	5
	SD	Gov	SF	IPTG	Gov
Mins	15	15	5	12	15
	SF	ITG	Gov	SF	NP/G
Mins	5	12	15	5	8

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Are the proposed arrangements-----

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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Not agreed.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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Not agreed.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I call Deputy Mac Lochlainn.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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We read with interest the comments of the Taoiseach's Government's kingmaker, Michael Lowry, in The Sunday Times, where he boasted about the rota of Ministers who come before his group. He chairs those meetings.

Is it not about time the Government published the deal it did with Michael Lowry's group for the programme for Government and took statements and questions and full accountability about the deal it did with Michael Lowry?

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Deputy, please.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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There is an unbelievable lack of legislation from the Government, which is a huge problem. Will the Taoiseach state when we will see the occupied territories Bill and the timeline to enact it? Is it the Government's intention to have it enacted before the summer recess?

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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The average rent is now more than €2,000 a month. Rents are rising faster than ever. It is a nightmare for renters and it is getting worse. The Minister for housing is speaking to the media, saying there has to be a change in the rent pressure zones. Extra fear is being felt by these renters that a landlords' government will allow landlords to hike their rents even faster. It is happening in the media; it is not happening here. Every week over the past month or so, I have been asking for statements on housing-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Thank you, Deputy. It is 30 seconds.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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The Minister needs to come into the House, outline his plans and allow them to be debated.

Michael Collins (Cork South-West, Independent Ireland Party)
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Communities throughout Ireland are in huge fear as they await flood relief schemes. Many of these communities just need simple river cleaning before their houses are flooded again. The bottom line is that we need a debate. I have been promised it might happen soon but I have been looking for a debate for the past number of weeks. We need an urgent debate. We never know when a flood will strike. The sun is shining right now but it might not continue. People are in living in terror that their homes will be flooded again.

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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Under Standing Order 35(3), I would like to propose an amendment to the Order of Business that the Minister for housing come into the House and take questions on the housing emergency. It can no longer be called a crisis; it is an absolute disaster. Commencements of residential units have collapsed to a ten-year low. The Government's plan is failing disastrously. Does the Minister have any-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Thank you. Deputy. Which section do you propose to amend?

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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-----ideas to turn this around? He needs to come into this House and tell us his plans.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Similarly, under Standing Order 35(3), I wish to move an amendment to the Order of Business-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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To which section?

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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-----to ensure that at the end of Thursday's business we have statements on the Government's deal with Michael Lowry and that the Taoiseach and Tánaiste make statements and take questions and give full-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Thank you, Deputy. We will come back-----

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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-----clarity and transparency. What is the relationship with Cabinet?

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Deputy, you have made your point.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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What is this rota of Ministers? What deal was struck?

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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On the questions that dealt specifically with the Order of Business for this week, I inform Deputy Collins that I have been in talks regarding statements on flood relief.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Michael Lowry.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I will update him at the Business Committee meeting on Thursday.

On legislation, next week we will have Second Stage of the Employees (Employers’ Insolvency) (Amendment) Bill 2024 from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. We will also have Order for Report, Report and Final Stages of the Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024. I remind all Deputies that any Opposition Deputy is entitled to bring forward legislation if they so wish.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Are the proposed arrangements-----

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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What about Michael Lowry?

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Excuse me, Deputy McDonald.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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The question was asked.

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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My question also asked about the Minister for housing.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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It is the Ceann Comhairle who puts the question to me, not the Deputy.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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If the question has not been answered, that is-----

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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I asked a legitimate question about the Order of Business-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Are the proposed arrangements agreed to?

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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-----as did the Members who raised Standing Order 35(3). They are totally within their rights to do that. Those questions have not been answered. Four different questions were not answered.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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The Deputy has the right to dissent in his vote, if he calls a vote.

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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I asked a question specifically about the Minister for housing.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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The Deputy has the right to bring it up at the next meeting.

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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Is there not an obligation to respond?

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Does the Chief Whip wish to respond?

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister for housing was in the House twice last week answering questions about housing. If anybody looks at the agenda, they can see that he has been in the House almost every week since the Dáil formed 16 weeks ago.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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As he should be. There is a housing crisis.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Does the Chief Whip wish to respond to the other questions?

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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What about Michael Lowry, the Chief Whip's colleague?

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The programme for Government is open and transparent.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Are the proposed arrangements agreed to?

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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They are not agreed.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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We will move on to Questions on Policy or Legislation. We had 74 applicants out of which 15 have been chosen. I doubt very much we will get through the 15 which means some may be left out.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Children are on the brink of starvation in Gaza as a consequence of Israel's blocking of humanitarian aid. It is blocking food, water and medicines. More than 500 people have been slaughtered in Gaza in recent days alone. What people might not know is that the Irish Government has made Ireland complicit in funding this genocide. The Irish Central Bank oversees the sale of Israeli war bonds. These are directly used to fund the genocide in Palestine. Tomorrow, Deputy Pearse Doherty and I will introduce legislation which will end the sale of Israeli war bonds through the Irish Central Bank. We ask the Taoiseach to work with us.

Israel acts with impunity because it can and because the world refuses to act. Ireland cannot be complicit any longer in genocide. Ireland cannot facilitate the funding of this genocide.

Deputies:

Hear, hear.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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What is happening in Gaza is absolutely appalling. I noted a quote earlier from a Dr. Potokar in Gaza who said that "if Cambodia was the killing fields, then Gaza now is the slaughterhouse." What is happening to innocent civilians in Gaza is beyond any moral compass, particularly the children who are being slaughtered and the children who are starving. It needs to come to an end.

The weaponisation of aid is a war crime and I said that. It is very regrettable that the Deputy says the Irish Government is funding genocide. I cannot really comprehend why the Deputy says things like that. I argue the Deputy does it for politics but it smacks of that only. It lacks sincerity.

The Central Bank operates under European regulations. It does not have the authority to do what the Deputy says it should do. It is fundamentally wrong to take the tactics the Deputy is taking.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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It has asked for direction from the Government.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I find it morally repulsive as well.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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It has asked for direction from the Government.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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The news from Gaza is getting worse and worse each day and as famine takes hold, we all fear that Israel's announcement that it will allow aid into Gaza is as illusory as it was the last time. Gaza needs 600 trucks every day and just five were let through. Meanwhile, more and more children are being killed and maimed with surgeons speaking about the horrors of having to amputate the limbs of tiny children. Whole families have been killed under this brutal, genocidal bombardment.

The human suffering in Gaza requires us to do all we can in our power. My colleague, Deputy Duncan Smith, asked a very clear question earlier about a timeline for the passage of the occupied territories Bill - a Bill behind which we can all unite. I ask again whether the Taoiseach can give us that timeline and whether he can say what his Government is doing at United Nations' level to bring about more pressure on Israel to ensure we see a ceasefire and a lasting peace.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy knows, at UN level we have been doing quite a lot working with other like-minded countries, particularly co-sponsoring the motion that led to the ICJ's advisory opinion in respect of the illegal occupation of Palestinian territories. We intend to continue to work with like-minded states. There is a conference coming up in June in New York, organised by a number of countries - France, in particular - and Ireland will be there to support the initiatives that will be taken at that particular conference.

We have been involved in the International Court of Justice. The Attorney General, on behalf of the Government, made a submission to the court in respect of that advisory opinion. We have also co-sponsored a resolution, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 18 December, seeking to implement the court's advisory opinion. The Minister for foreign affairs is progressing the occupied territories Bill and has made comments in respect of the timelines for that some weeks ago.

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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The Taoiseach probably saw the figures yesterday that showed that the average rent in this country is now over €2,000. My question is simple and straightforward. The Taoiseach and his Government accept that the housing crisis is no longer just a crisis. It is an emergency. How, in that context, can he agree with the Minister for housing, who said, as quoted in the Irish Examiner yesterday, that the Government will be making changes to the rent pressure zones? How can the Government agree to lifting rent caps in the middle of a housing emergency? Renters need to know. Given what is going on, there should be a commitment to keep the rent caps and the rent pressure zones in place for a minimum of three years to give renters some security. Regardless of the questions of institutional investors and supply, renters need that.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy said he supported the Housing Commission's report, and the Housing Commission report recommended changes to the rent pressure zones. I do not know why he is condemning the Government for even considering the recommendation of the Housing Commission in respect of that issue.

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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Because we also said there needed to be a period of time.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Regarding real investment in dwellings, the Irish economy registered the fourth largest increase across the 27 EU countries between 2020 and 2024. The House may be interested to know that a recent Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, publication in 2024 comparing housing supply across Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales found that Ireland and Northern Ireland had the highest rate of housebuilding per capita and that Ireland and Scotland had the highest rate of publicly built housing. There is significant investment but it simply is not enough. That is why we need the private sector investment. I know the Deputy is against pension funds and institutional funds, but I do not see how we can get to the €20 billion investment required if we do not bring in substantial private sector investment to supplement record levels of public expenditure on housing, the likes of which we have not seen since the 1980s.

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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The rent caps. That is what I raised.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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Residents in Applewood in Swords are facing eviction by their corporate landlord, LRC. There is no good reason for these evictions. These are no-fault evictions. LRC is refusing to offer further Part 4 tenancies, through a legal loophole which allows landlords to evict tenants without reason at the end of a tenancy if it was created before 11 June 2022. This is a tried and tested tactic by LRC. It issued 100 notices of termination on these grounds between October 2022 and April 2024. The impact on the tenants is horrific. One said, "The stress is constant. I have had a double hip replacement. I am not in a position to move. It feels hopeless." Tenants are being abandoned by this Government. Will the Government introduce emergency legislation to close the loophole and stop evictions for no reason?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Renters are not being ignored by this Government. That is just a false statement. Over the last number of years, we have brought in a series of protections, regulatory and otherwise, to protect tenants and give greater security. We have also continued to keep protecting renters as a high priority of Government. I cannot commit to emergency legislation on the blind. If the Deputy sends me the details of the particular case and estate, I will engage with the Minister for housing about it and see what action can be taken to help the tenants in that situation.

Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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I raise with the Taoiseach a reply to a parliamentary question I received from the Minister for Health. In the last year and a half, since January 2024, just five paramedics and 12 emergency medical technicians, EMTs, have been hired by the National Ambulance Service. This is despite the fact that a recent report states that there are 1,000 staff shortages. There is a major crisis in the National Ambulance Service. There are qualified people sitting on panels in Mayo and right across the country and they are trained to save lives. Instead of saving lives, they are pouring pints in local pubs.

This is totally wrong. We need to address this issue. We need to recruit these qualified personnel, take them off panels and recruit them to address the staff shortages in the National Ambulance Service.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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We keep bandying words about the place, but the expansion of health services in recent years has been exponential. We need to get a sense of perspective in how we describe things. I am not saying there is not challenges but the bottom line is €25 billion is being spent on our health services. The HSE has significant resources. I was involved in setting up the PHECC and so on 20-odd years ago.

Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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There have been no paramedics hired this year.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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What I am saying is that an additional €8 million was provided in 2025 for new service development in terms of an additional 180 posts. The total staff numbers have risen to 2,407 up to the end of 2024. That is an increase of 25% or 476 extra-----

Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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Front-line paramedics and EMTs.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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-----since the start of 2020. Therefore, we have had close to 500 extra staff over the last number of years. That does not mean we do not need more; we probably do.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Taoiseach, your time is up.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Let us not pretend-----

Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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Front-line paramedics and EMTs. The numbers are there in the reply to the parliamentary question. I can give them to the Taoiseach.

Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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In my constituency, in the last two weeks, we have seen an injury involving an e-scooter on a cycle lane because the user of the e-scooter broke a red light and severely injured a ten-year-old boy. We saw a fatality involving a scrambler bike in the Citywest-Saggart area three weeks ago. Time and time again, I am getting complaints and representations from people across my constituency about the use of e-scooters and scrambler bikes. Certainly, while e-scooters in particular are a welcome addition to the active travel agenda, they need to be accompanied by assurances that the users of those e-scooters obey the rules of the road effectively, that they are correctly lit up and that they have respect for other road users. Equally, with regard to the scramblers that terrorise many housing estates across Dublin Mid-West on a near daily basis, while we welcome the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 introduced by the last Government, there is an enforcement question that we need to see addressed. We need to see a more consistent approach to enforcement in terms of seizing illegally held scramblers but also encouraging their sensible and careful use. Will the Taoiseach work with the Government and An Garda Síochána to increase enforcement but also to increase educational awareness about the safe use of e-scooters and scrambler bikes?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising what is a very important issue. Although regulations were introduced in 2024 to allow for the legal use of e-scooters on Irish roads, I believe they need to be kept under constant review because there are clear dangers and vulnerabilities in regard to their use. Those regulations extended the rules of the road already in place for pedal cycles to include e-scooters, provide for technical standards and conditions for safe use and set a minimum age of 16 and a speed limit of 20 km/h. Also An Garda Síochána can issue a fixed-charge notice of €50 to e-scooter users. As the Deputy knows, the 2023 Act which he referenced deals with dangerous driving and antisocial use of scramblers and quad bikes via three key measures. Dangerous driving has become an offence everywhere. Gardaí have powers of seizure. Under section 11(b) of that Act there is a new power to provide in regulations for the prohibition or restriction of the uses of classes of vehicles in particular places. These regulations are currently being prepared by the Department of Transport. I will follow that up with the Minister and alert him to the Deputy's interest in this.

Michael Murphy (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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I am deeply proud of my home town of Clonmel. It has a great history, a great location, strong levels of employment and extraordinary community spirit. However, our town centre - the historic core of Clonmel - continues to suffer from high vacancy rates and, more worryingly, increased dereliction. We have a shovel-ready plan to transform the prime retail area and reimagine the public realm. We have set aside the matching funding that is required. It is crucial that, as a town, we can access the URDF or the newly proposed town and cities infrastructure and investment fund as promised in the programme for Government at the earliest opportunity. Can the Taoiseach give any indication of when the Government proposes to launch these funds?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy knows, the Minister, Deputy Browne, is committed to establishing a new towns and cities infrastructure and investment fund to replace the urban regeneration and development fund. Hopefully, we can make it a bit more flexible for some towns that may not have qualified for the URDF. The detailed arrangements for the implementation of these funding streams will be clarified further following completion of the national development plan review. That will enable a clear line of sight as to the level of additional capital funding for infrastructural investment. We believe that review will be completed in line with the summer 2025 timeline set out in the programme for Government.

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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I raise with the Taoiseach the issue of Grange Post-Primary School in north Sligo. I visited the school last September I think - certainly it was before the general election - with other public representatives and we were given a tour of the school and the very cramped situation they are in. There are overcrowded classrooms and problems with toilet facilities are particularly a problem. Children are queuing up during lunch break to go to the toilet and sometimes fail to do so. The principal and the chair of the parents' association have written to me and to other public representatives on this. The minimum need they have is to get toilet facilities put in place before the next school term. There are only a number of weeks left in the school term, as we know. The school also has a long-promised extension which is badly needed. Children in the area who live quite close to the school are having to travel to other schools because there is no space there. Really this is an issue that needs urgent attention to make sure the toilet facilities are put in place and the long-promised extension is expedited as soon as possible.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I will pursue the matter. I do not know whether an application has gone in under the summer works scheme. Is it too big for that?

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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It can be.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Yes. I will alert the Minister for education to the specifics and ask if she could respond to the school authorities and to the Deputy.

Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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County Kildare has the lowest rate of community-based childcare facilities, with three in total and only two of those in Kildare North, one of which is Maynooth University Crèche. To give a sense of how long it has been there, I attended it myself. This is in spite of 48% of childcare services having waiting lists in Kildare. I have raised multiple parliamentary questions about this. However, in the programme for Government there is a commitment for capital investment to build or purchase State-owned childcare facilities where demand exceeds supply. It is very clear that Kildare has a huge demand. I ask that consideration is given to prioritise Kildare when it comes to State-led childcare facilities.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Ó Cearúil. Obviously, the quality of Maynooth University Crèche must have been of a very high standard given the manner in which the Deputy has come through ever since, right into Dáil Éireann.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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See what happens, Deputy.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I have just been informed that building blocks have now been suggested. In any event, I will talk to the Minister, Deputy Foley, and to the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, about Kildare and its needs. It is probably one of the fastest growing counties in the country and clearly it is no surprise to me that the demand is quite high there.

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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Yesterday, expectant mothers in Kildare received word with very little notice that the community midwife service at Athy primary care centre had been cancelled. This service has provided crucial prenatal care to women in Athy, Castledermot and surrounding areas. This care was local, consistent and accessible. The sudden withdrawal of this service now means that women will have to travel to Portlaoise for similar care. Public transport options are limited and many will need to pay out of pocket for taxis to the hospital. For women who are already at their most vulnerable, including those with other children at home, no car or limited support, this adds significant stress. To date, the HSE has not provided a timeline for the restoration of the service. What immediate steps will be taken to ensure expectant mothers in south Kildare can continue to access the care they need close to home and without unnecessary barriers?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Again, I will talk to the Minister involved. Has the Deputy spoken to the HSE authorities locally or regionally there about why the service was suddenly stopped? There is normally a background to these issues. Certainly, we will enquire with the HSE and with the Minister.

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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Staffing issues.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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If the Deputy gets the background information, we will see what we can do.

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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At the weekend, Mark Tighe reported in the Sunday Independent on the apparent toxic workplace environment and irreparable damage happening at the Corporate Enforcement Agency. In his piece, Mr. Tighe referenced the disintegration of the CEA's leadership team and the gaps in experienced police investigators. Many of those posts are vacant or were never filled at Garda sergeant and inspector ranks. According to the piece, soon just three of 16 gardaí that can be employed will remain.

The memorandum of understanding between the Garda Commissioner and the Corporate Enforcement Agency, CEA, appears not to be worth the piece of paper it was written on in terms of the allocation of resources and secondments. Is it the Government's intention to review the memorandum of understanding and will the Minister direct that the CEA immediately initiate an organisational capability review to run in parallel with the workplace culture audit given the very important caseload before the CEA, for example, the case of the FAI?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Part of me would say these agencies, the Garda and so on need to get this sorted out. The Government cannot be intervening left, right and centre in every organisation it establishes that has statutory duties and functions. We need to create a culture in this regard. I fully appreciate the Deputy raising this issue and I will talk to both Ministers in respect of this issue. These organisations have been established by law and there is an obligation on the leadership of both organisations to ensure issues are ironed out and that these arrangements and memorandums of understanding operate properly, efficiently and effectively. That would be my initial response to this. There should be no personality issues involved here and the organisations should work properly in the interests of the citizens and the country. I will raise this issue with the two Ministers.

George Lawlor (Wexford, Labour)
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I listened with interest last week as the Taoiseach scolded local authorities for their inaction or delays in returning void houses back into use. However, as someone who served on Wexford County Council for 20 years, one of the things that caused some of the greatest headaches were large-scale derelict buildings that created dangerous places for young people and children, in particular, to venture into. I think of the old Wexford General Hospital lying dangerously derelict for 33 years. I think of Hookless Village resort in Hook Head in Wexford lying dangerously derelict for 18 years. In the Taoiseach's constituency St. Kevin's Hospital has been closed since 2002. I think I am correct in suggesting that.

Hookless Village resort is vested in the ownership of the Minister for public expenditure. When a building or a company goes into receivership it becomes vested in the ownership of the Minister for public expenditure and the HSE own the rest.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I thank the Deputy. I call the Taoiseach to respond.

George Lawlor (Wexford, Labour)
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Is there anything we can do to resolve these issues?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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There are two things. First, many local authorities do a lot of good work in terms of voids. The Deputy has sat on a council. I think all of us have complained over the years where a house, which has been vacated due to tenants leaving for whatever reason, has remained unoccupied for an inordinate length of time. That system has to change. That house should be very quickly reallocated to other tenants on the housing list. In the housing crisis we are in, there is no excuse for not doing that. That is my view.

Second, local authorities have powers under the Derelict Sites Act and I often-----

George Lawlor (Wexford, Labour)
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It is too slow.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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There is a lack of application.

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Absolutely.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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There is a lack of resource application and a lack of desire, in that it is said it is too cumbersome and too difficult. It is there for a reason. The law is complex but you need to be tenacious and you need to persevere. Third, the Deputy will be glad to know that St. Kevin's Hospital in Cork has been taken over by the LDA-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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The time is up, Taoiseach.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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-----and a very good housing scheme is now being developed there.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I thank the Taoiseach. Deputy Michael Collins is next.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Finally, the Deputy is right in one respect and that is why we asked the LDA to acquire some more of these properties from the HSE and others, that is, to get them used for housing.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I call Deputy Michael Collins.

Michael Collins (Cork South-West, Independent Ireland Party)
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It is 23 weeks and four days since the general election took place and almost four months since junior Ministers were appointed to their positions. However, powers have yet to be delegated to more than 50% of junior Ministers by this Government. The Taoiseach knows well the major housing crisis we have and the major challenges faced by small businesses, by communities that do not have flood relief schemes and by young people waiting for close to 13 months for their driving tests. Powers have not yet been delegated to the junior Ministers who are meant to deal with these issues and to make changes. Will the Taoiseach tell the people why a process to delegate powers to junior Ministers, which took just two to three weeks after the formation of previous Governments, is now taking four months?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Government was formed on 22 January. The general election was at the end of November. A number of Opposition people habitually equate the general election date with the formation of Government date. It is a clever ploy but it is not the truth. The Government has only been in office since 22 January. It is a very short while. It might seem like longer to the Deputy but that is how short it has been. In many instances, during the previous Government, the junior Ministers were not all sorted within two to three weeks. By any yardstick, it took much longer. There were some fundamental changes in Departments, with tourism going to enterprise. That led to a broader change. Quite a number of the junior Ministers have delegated powers. Not every Minister of State gets a delegated legal authority. A mistake is often made that one requires legal delegations in order to perform certain duties. That is not the case.

For example, the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs historically has never had delegated authority-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I thank the Taoiseach.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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-----but everyone understands their role, function and purpose. It has been a very effective one. Deputy Thomas Byrne has performed excellently in the role as have his predecessors.

The Taoiseach: -----but everyone understands the role, function and purpose of the Minister of State with responsibility for European Affairs.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I thank the Taoiseach. We are out of time.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Likewise, with regard to the Third World, the Minister of State with responsibility for Irish Aid has very clearly delineated functions, policies and initiatives-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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We have one Deputy left to speak. I call Deputy Brian Brennan.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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-----without requiring a dedicated Department.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Will Deputy Brian Brennan be as brief as possible as we are out of time?

Brian Brennan (Wicklow-Wexford, Fine Gael)
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In regard to the hip dysplasia report due in the coming days, as previously stated in this House I was a parent who sat in front of the surgeon being investigated, with my wife and my child. I was a lucky parent. I did not proceed with the recommended procedure. When the report is published, among the many recommendations, I hope there is one where parents are very much involved in the process. Every child who ever underwent a medical procedure under these surgeons in question must be re-examined. Procedures must be put in place and I welcome the Minister's action on this point. If media sources are correct, we could be dealing with one of the largest medical malpractices in the history of our State. Our response will be defining.

When the report is issued, I appeal for a calm, measured and sober debate with a firm and structured response.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this issue in the manner he has done so. I understand fully, as he eloquently articulated in the House some weeks ago, his personal experience of this entire situation in respect of his own child. That is a valuable input into the debate on this issue. I anticipate and expect a report to be published at the end of the week. It is important it is published and that in parallel with the publication of the report, it is accompanied by a very robust and comprehensive response from the entire health system. That is what is required here in the interests of the parents and children affected. We have to put the children and families at the centre of our response and at the centre of how we deal with this.