Lorraine Clifford-Lee - Recent appearances (From KildareStreet.com)
I thank the Minister for coming to the Seanad to talk about this important issue. She is going to do well in this role. It complements her previous role as Minister for Education because the...
I thank the Minister for coming to the Seanad to talk about this important issue. She is going to do well in this role. It complements her previous role as Minister for Education because the education of children is on the same spectrum. As the Minister outlined, there has been unprecedented investment in early years education over the past number of years. Childcare fees for parents have been slashed. Investment in pay and conditions and support for early years education has been unprecedented as well. The educators are getting the support that they deserve. The statement the Minister made relating to State-owned facilities promised in the programme for Government is important. I have been calling for this for years. <!--p></p--> <!--span class="speakercontinuing">&#91;</span--><!--span class="speakercontinuing">Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee:</span--><!--a href="http://www.oireachtas.ie/members-hist/default.asp?housetype=1&amp;HouseNum=27&amp;MemberID=2461"></a--><!--a href="../zoomin?readform&amp;chamber=seanad&amp;memberid=2461&amp;pid=LorraineCliffordLee&amp;year=2025&amp;month=04&amp;day=02"></a--><!--span class="speakercontinuing">&#93;</span-->We need to move to a publicly funded childcare model. The Minister said this is to complement existing childcare facilities, and of course we will have to operate a hybrid model, but this public investment in facilities within communities is to be welcomed. The Minister said this is to deliver in areas where there is unmet need, and let me tell you, in north County Dublin there is unmet need for childcare. Unprecedented numbers of houses are being built but we do not have the childcare facilities. Quite simply, builders make a bigger profit from building and selling houses. Obviously, Government policy is to deliver houses and we all support that, but we need to build communities alongside housing. When couples are buying their houses in new communities, whether in north County Dublin or in other areas, they do so with the expectation that they will be able to live their lives, that they will be able to continue their jobs and pay their mortgages. When they get to a point where they have a child, however, the waiting lists are too long for the very few childcare facilities available within a particular area. Often these childcare facilities do not take children under the age of two. That then requires somebody in the household, primarily women, to give up their jobs because they can only take up to a maximum of a year off after having a child. That brings a whole host of problems. That is not something that should be supported or encouraged by a lack of public policy around providing facilities to offer childcare places for children under the age of two. I would like to see the Minister address this because people need to be able to access childcare that is suitable for their family and when it suits them. Many people take a number of years off with their children and that is supported. If women want to return to work before their child is aged two, however, there are very few options available and it creates a huge headache. We have to look at an holistic approach with the issues coming down the line with population growth. We need to be able to support families, support people to have the number of children they want to have, and support families through a whole host of issues. If people are finding it hard to access childcare for their first child, they are not exactly encouraged to go on to have a second and third. This needs to be looked at from an all-government point of view. What the Minister is doing is very welcome. I look forward to that public investment. The childcare fees coming down to €200 over the lifetime of this Government would be fantastic and is to be welcomed. I support my colleague, Senator Alison Comyn, on the role of men working within childcare. My own two children were lucky to go to a fantastic crèche that had some male early years educators who a huge impact on their lives. We need to encourage more men into the sector. There is probably an issue with low pay in the sector. Low pay generally attracts women. It is a whole balancing act we need to get right. We need to increase the wages for everybody in the sector because they are doing such valuable work and to encourage men into it. Another issue came up yesterday. A childcare provider within my constituency contacted me. It is very difficult to get work permits for people to work in early years education if those workers are from outside of the European Union. The Minister said the issue of attracting people into the industry is impeding childcare facilities in expanding places. If that could be looked at, it would go a long way to creating extra capacity within the system. I wish the Minister the best of luck. There is a big body of work ahead. A lot of work was done over the lifetime of the previous Government. I support the core funding that was brought in by the previous Minister. There has been unprecedented investment into the sector, but we now need to bring it to the next level.
Public Transport | Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters | Seanad debates
I am well aware the Department and the Minister are not involved in day-to-day operations of public transport, but the opening paragraph of the Minister of State's response stated that the...
I am well aware the Department and the Minister are not involved in day-to-day operations of public transport, but the opening paragraph of the Minister of State's response stated that the Minister is responsible for policy. This is why I am asking for engagement. It is the policy of the Government to encourage people onto public transport, to lessen the burden of cost on commuters and to make fares fairer. Balbriggan and Skerries have been caught in this Dublin commuter zone. The Minister of State named a number of other stations in the commuter zone - Rathdrum, Kildare, Enfield and Drogheda. None of those stations is in Dublin. The point I am making is that these are two Dublin stations. The people of Balbriggan and Skerries getting the train every day are coming in and working here in the Houses of the Oireachtas, city centre offices and businesses across the city. They are part of Dublin city. They come into Dublin city to go to school, university and sports events. They are part of Dublin city, like the rest of the city, yet they are being treated the same as people living in counties Louth, Kildare or Wicklow. It just does not make sense that they are made to pay this cost. It is policy matter and it is something the Minister can engage with. I would like the Minister of State and the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, to go back to the NTA and not treat people who are culturally part of Dublin city, and who contribute to Dublin city daily, as something else.
The Minister of State is very welcome to the House and I thank him for being here to respond to my Commencement matter. When I submitted this matter, I asked that the Minister engage with the...
The Minister of State is very welcome to the House and I thank him for being here to respond to my Commencement matter. When I submitted this matter, I asked that the Minister engage with the NTA on implementing fairer fares for north County Dublin. The fairer fares scheme has been rolled out to some extent and I know more work has to be done on it but I am speaking specifically about the two stations of Balbriggan and Skerries. They are in the Dublin commuter zone and all other stations in Dublin are in the Dublin city zone. This is a significant difference. In the Dublin city zone, the €2 Leap card fare gets people to Connolly Station. The same trip from Balbriggan or Skerries to Connolly Station is significantly more expensive. From Balbriggan, it is €3.90 and from Skerries it is €2.90. This is a big difference. When we think about it, it is €20 a week and more than €1,000 a year. This is what commuters from Balbriggan and Skerries pay compared to people travelling from the next neighbouring stations of Rush and Lusk, who pay the €2 Leap card fare. The fairer fares scheme has been good for other parts of the country. Passengers from Drogheda have recently seen a significant decrease in their fares. Fair play to them and I have no complaints about this but we are in a situation where we are trying to encourage people to take public transport and fares are being increased for commuters from Balbriggan and Skerries. It is not fair, particularly when we take into account that people are paying for parking at these train stations also, as there are very poor links between the residential areas and the train stations. This adds to the cost of going to work. Balbriggan and Skerries are the only two Dublin stations that are not in the Dublin city zone. The people there feel very aggrieved. Skerries and Balbriggan are in Dublin, yet they are in the same zone as other stations that are not in County Dublin. This is not fair. Will the Minister of State engage with the NTA to look at this and revisit it? The commuters in Balbriggan and Skerries are really after getting a raw deal with this scheme. Other parts of the country have vastly reduced train fares and bus fares. These commuters are caught in the middle. The Government has done a lot of work to reduce fares for people, which is to be commended, and more people are using public transport, but when we have this situation where commuters pay over €1,000 more than their neighbours in the next town, it is not fair. I would like to hear the response of the Minister of State to this. He will probably tell me the roll-out of the fairer fares programme has been a great success. I acknowledge that it has been a good success in other parts but the commuters of Balbriggan and Skerries are caught by this. They are not seeing the benefit of it. They feel very aggrieved with the big disparity in their train fare of €3.90 as opposed to €2. The Minister of State can do the maths on doing this trip twice a day, five days a week, over 52 weeks in the year. It is a significant difference. Will the Minister of State respond and engage with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and the NTA to see whether there can be a workaround for the commuters of Skerries and Balbriggan?
Special Education Provision: Motion | Seanad debates
The Minister of State is welcome to the House and I am particularly glad he is taking this motion. I commend Sinn Féin on laying the motion before the House and giving us the opportunity to...
The Minister of State is welcome to the House and I am particularly glad he is taking this motion. I commend Sinn Féin on laying the motion before the House and giving us the opportunity to discuss this important topic. We are all aware of the issues facing families with special education needs. The Minister of State has a deep, personal and long-standing commitment to this topic and there is no better person to be in charge of this. I look forward to seeing significant progress in the next couple of years under his tenure. I also pay tribute to our colleague, Senator Rabbitte, who was in this role prior to her appointment to the Seanad. She did an excellent job, was extremely passionate and made significant progress in this area but, of course, we have a long road to go. Significant progress has been made in recent weeks and I wish to touch on the special education needs classes announced for my own constituency. Loreto Secondary School in Balbriggan got an extra class and 1.5 teachers to support it. Ballyboughal National School got one class. Hedgestown National School got one class. Rolestown National School got two classes. Bremore Educate Together Secondary School got one class. This is just one small area of north County Dublin and is replicated in every other constituency around the country. It is not enough to meet the demand, but when those classes were announced, I had many happy parents in touch me. It is reaching some people and some families will avail of this, so it is really well received. I hope the Government will announce more of these classes in the coming weeks and months. I wish to make specific reference to something I have mentioned to the Minister of State before, namely, the issue of reading schools and reading classes within the education system. These are specific classes for children with dyslexia. There are four reading schools in Ireland, three in Dublin and one in Cork, and 11 reading classes around the country. In north County Dublin, we have one in St. Oliver Plunkett National School in Malahide, one in St. Molaga's National School in Balbriggan and one in Holy Family Senior National School in Swords. The last reading class was opened approximately 25 years ago and was an initiative under Micheál Martin when he was Minister for Education and Science. In case Members are not aware of them, these classes are a really crucial lifeline for children with dyslexia. If they qualify for admission to a reading class, the class is attached to a mainstream school. Children must have finished second class and have their reading abilities and IQs assessed. They are placed in the reading class for two years in an intensive programme to help them to meet their potential and give them the crucial skills to learn how to read. It is really important for their self-esteem and children who have been to a reading class make significant progress. It also helps them and their families significantly. From next September, there will be more than 2,500 special education classes but only 11 readings classes, with the last one opened 25 years ago. I ask the Minister of State to look at this specifically because, while the classes outlined this motion are welcome and much needed, they are focusing on children with ADHD or autism. Children with dyslexia have specific needs and our population and the number of children with dyslexia is increasing. There is a clear a demand. Regarding the schools I mentioned in north County Dublin with a reading class, there were 41 applications made for the 12 places in St. Oliver Plunkett National School in Malahide and 36 applications for six places in Holy Family Senior National School in Swords. All the other 11 classes around the country see considerable demand, as do the four specific reading schools, which are completely dedicated to this model of teaching reading to children with dyslexia. This is something I want the Minister of State to look at and I might follow it up with him because it is important. While the work done in recent years is excellent, and we need more of it, we cannot forget about the children with dyslexia. I wish the Minister the very best of luck and I look forward to significant progress being made. We are all aware of the difficulties for families and how heartbreaking it is. Unfortunately, it is not getting any better. More children are being diagnosed and there is greater demand in our communities. Our population is increasing and we have a duty and obligation to provide education for everyone in our communities. I know that is the guiding principle the Minister of State is working under and I wish him the best of luck. I look forward to hearing more announcements, specifically for north County Dublin.
Road Safety: Statements | Seanad debates
The Minister of State is very welcome back to this House. I congratulate him on his appointment. This is my first time standing before him in the Chamber since his promotion. I am sure he will...
The Minister of State is very welcome back to this House. I congratulate him on his appointment. This is my first time standing before him in the Chamber since his promotion. I am sure he will bring his skills and talent to the position. <!--p></p--> <!--span class="speakercontinuing">&#91;</span--><!--span class="speakercontinuing">Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee:</span--><!--a href="http://www.oireachtas.ie/members-hist/default.asp?housetype=1&amp;HouseNum=27&amp;MemberID=2461"></a--><!--a href="../zoomin?readform&amp;chamber=seanad&amp;memberid=2461&amp;pid=LorraineCliffordLee&amp;year=2025&amp;month=03&amp;day=25"></a--><!--span class="speakercontinuing">&#93;</span-->It is really important that we are having this discussion. All our communities and families have, unfortunately, been hit by road fatalities and serious injuries. Road safety is of the utmost importance to every community. I wish to raise a specific issue around driving test centres. I live in north County Dublin, which has the fastest growing population in the country. Many young people living there want to qualify as drivers but are unable to access a local driving centre. There was a driving test centre in Drogheda, but that has recently closed. The main centre people go to is in Finglas. For people living in Balbriggan or Skerries, though, that is a significant distance to travel. If someone is engaging with a local driving instructor and perhaps paying for a two-hour lesson, that instructor would have to meet them in Balbriggan, drive their car to Finglas - because learner drivers cannot go on the motorway - to drive the route they might take during their test, and then drive back to Balbriggan. All that would have to happen in the space of two hours. The result is that most of that two-hour lesson is taken up going to and from the testing area. People then have to get twice the number of lessons they would normally have to get. It is extremely inconvenient. We need to be making it more convenient for people to pass their tests and not adding further expense and hassle. The waiting times in the test centres across Dublin are phenomenal. There are several such test centres around Dublin but there are extremely significant waiting times. Young people in north County Dublin not only have to wait a considerable time but are also paying extra for their driving lessons because they are taking more of them. It is completely inconvenient for people to do what they should be doing, namely, get driving lessons, qualify as a driver and be responsible drivers on the roads thereafter. I would like the Department to engage with the Road Safety Authority to open a driving test centre in north County Dublin. There are many suitable locations. Balbriggan would be a good town. It is busy and there are lots of roundabouts and other challenging features would provide several good routes for driving tests. It would also serve the people of Drogheda, who have lost their test centre in recent months. It would be a very positive step forward for road safety in the area. We should be removing barriers obstructing people and making it more accessible for them to do the right thing, qualify and be responsible road users. If they start out in a good pattern of behaviour, it is more likely they will stay in that good pattern for their driving careers. I would like the Minister of State, therefore, to consider the possibility of opening a driving test centre in north County Dublin to provide a safe, accessible and barrier-free driving test centre for people living in Balbriggan, Skerries, Lusk, Rush and beyond. The population is there. It is an outrage we do not have a local driving test centre.
Common Agricultural Policy National Plan: Statements | Seanad debates
I extend my congratulations to the Minister and wish him the very best of luck in his brief. No doubt, given his background in agriculture, he will have no need to get up to speed on many of the...
I extend my congratulations to the Minister and wish him the very best of luck in his brief. No doubt, given his background in agriculture, he will have no need to get up to speed on many of the issues within the Department. I rise today to talk about the Common Agricultural Policy, which has been very important to this country's development since we joined the European Union. I particularly want to touch on the aspect of LEADER funding for communities. In north County Dublin, it has been particularly important in supporting vibrant rural towns, villages and communities. In Lusk, it has been integral to developing the community cultural centre and over €500,000 was secured from LEADER to develop what is a huge asset for the community. Floraville Park in Skerries is a beautiful little park in the middle of the town and was instrumental in Skerries winning the Tidy Towns competition in 2016, so this was very important funding. Even the meals on wheels service in Balbriggan received funding, as did the St. Maur's GAA club. This funding has been very important in supporting communities, in particular rural communities by ensuring services and community facilities are as good in rural communities as they are in any other community in Ireland. Nonetheless, the simplification of the application process for funding is needed, as has been mentioned. I ask the Minister to look at that and come back with proposals on the delivery of that funding to communities. Agriculture is very important for this country. As Senator O'Loughlin said, it is our biggest indigenous industry. Now that all of our other industries are under threat, we need to support the agricultural industry more than ever before. North County Dublin has many farmers, in particular growers. Potatoes, strawberries, cabbage, cucumbers and everything we can think of are grown in north County Dublin. It is important that this agricultural heritage is not threatened by the building of houses. While we know houses are required in Dublin, we cannot take up prime agricultural land or force farmers, through no action on their own part, to have their land zoned. Their land has been zoned and they are now under pressure to develop that land whereas they really want to continue to be farmers. They have farmed the land for generations and produce high-quality food. Food security is very important for us, now more than ever before. It is important to support those families to continue to deliver food to communities. As colleagues mentioned, farm income is very important in ensuring the sustainability of farming families, as is allowing farming families to build a home on their own land. This is an issue that Fianna Fáil is passionate about and we want to progress it. We have all dealt with constituents who are struggling to find housing and although they have land, they cannot build on that land. That is no way to support rural communities. We want people who are invested in their community and have a connection with the community to be able to live there and produce the next generation of that community. I wish the Minister the very best of luck in his tenure as Minister for agriculture. I look forward to engaging with him in the future, particularly as the negotiations go on and in his role as chairperson of the group when we take over the EU Presidency. I have no doubt in his ability to emphasise the importance of agriculture to Ireland.
An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business | Seanad debates
I also welcome those from St. Joseph's in Rush. I am very familiar with it. It is great to see them all. They are all very welcome to Leinster House. Before they came in, I raised the issue...
I also welcome those from St. Joseph's in Rush. I am very familiar with it. It is great to see them all. They are all very welcome to Leinster House. Before they came in, I raised the issue of the need to develop a swimming pool for north County Dublin. It is an issue the guests have contacted me about through the years. I am working on it. I look forward to a trip to St. Joseph's in the near future.
There is a need for a debate on the national swimming strategy for the period 2024 to 2027. This was launched last August by the then Minister of State, Deputy Thomas Byrne, and aims to provide...
There is a need for a debate on the national swimming strategy for the period 2024 to 2027. This was launched last August by the then Minister of State, Deputy Thomas Byrne, and aims to provide everyone in Ireland with an opportunity to swim. The strategy focuses on enhancing facilities, coaching, safety awareness and pathways for high-performance athletes. A key component is an allocation of €500,000 to Swim Ireland for hiring swimming activators within local authorities, promoting increased swimming participation. Access, inclusion and disability form a really strong component of the strategy, ensuring people of all ages and abilities have access to swimming. Infrastructure and facilities comprise a huge part of the strategy also. I would like to raise this matter particularly in respect of my constituency in north County Dublin where we have no public swimming pool. There has been a campaign for many years to provide a public swimming pool in Balbriggan to serve the neighbouring communities of Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush and Lusk. There are 26,000 people living in Balbriggan, 12,000 in Skerries, 12,000 in Rush and 10,000 in Lusk. There are villages nearby, including Naul, Garristown, Ballyboughal, Oldtown and Loughshinny, with significant populations also, but there is no public swimming pool. There is now a real divide in people's ability to access swimming facilities. Those who can afford to travel and have the time to travel a long distance can access a swimming pool and benefit from being able to swim whereas those who are not in this category simply cannot benefit. That is completely unacceptable. A site has been identified in Balbriggan to provide the swimming pool and Government funding is available but there seem to be roadblocks. We need to figure this out. If we had a debate on the national swimming strategy, we could tease these issues out with the Minister. A cross-governmental committee was to be set up under the strategy. I would like an update on that. Education, lessons and coaching form part of the strategy, as does enhancing formal lessons within the education system. Many of our European counterparts have extremely high levels of swimming competency. Swimming is a core life skill we should all have being an island nation. Open-water swimming forms part of the strategy as well. It is a matter of improving open-water swimming facilities and promoting safety measures. We are an island nation. During Covid, many people took to sea swimming, so we need to encourage and facilitate this. I refer to pathways and performance, boosting participation across all life stages, expanding club membership and developing pathways for potential high performers. Out of the seven Olympic medals Ireland won, three were for swimming. This is really significant, but without the facilities in all communities, I am afraid that young children in places like Balbriggan and Skerries cannot aspire to the heights of winning Olympic medals in the way they should. They cannot access a public swimming pool. I ask the Deputy Leader for a debate on the national swimming strategy. I would appreciate it.
International Women's Day - Women's Health: Statements | Seanad debates
The Minister is very welcome on this day to mark International Women's Day. We are, of course, discussing a very important topic. It is one in which I know she will excel in her role as...
The Minister is very welcome on this day to mark International Women's Day. We are, of course, discussing a very important topic. It is one in which I know she will excel in her role as Minister for Health. The previous Minister, Stephen Donnelly, changed the landscape for women's health in Ireland during his term of office. I am sure she will continue that very good work and expand on the very many good schemes that were started. However, it is step-by-step, incremental change and, as was pointed out, this is a community issue rather than a women's issue. It impacts everybody in our community and the women in our lives - the women who are caring, teaching and working in our workplaces - and it is right and proper that proper investment is made because, unfortunately, like many things, we are fighting the patriarchy and it manifests in the lack of investment in women's healthcare over the years. The free contraception scheme really changed the playing pitch for women in Ireland. Since the days of the contraception train going to Belfast, I did not think we thought we would see in a relatively short period of time free contraception for women in this country from the ages of 17 to 35. That was really ground-breaking. However, I would like to ask the Minister what the plans are to extend this to 16-year-olds. I know the previous Minister, Stephen Donnelly, had started working on that and was receiving advice from the Attorney General. Where is that body of work at? Will we be able to expand it upwards beyond the age of 35 because, of course, we know that women over the age of 35 still have a need for contraception? Oftentimes, when people are paying for a lot of things in their lives - expensive rent, mortgage payments, children, childcare and everything else - it can be very expensive for that age group. I would really appreciate if the Minister could give us an update in that regard. Safe access zones were something many of us in this House worked upon in the last term. I am very glad safe access zones have been put in place to protect women who are availing of termination services and services in our maternity units. The gynaecology see and treat clinics have been a huge success and have really brought down gynaecology waiting lists. The menopause hubs have also been very well received. I know people who have accessed treatment there and they speak very positively. As people have mentioned, the roll-out of the HRT scheme is one thing but the HRT shortages is also something that is coming into sharp focus. There was a recent announcement that Estradot, one of the most widely used HRT patches, will be in short supply for much of 2025 and 2026. This has left women across Ireland feeling very anxious and abandoned. For many women, simply switching to another HRT product is not viable. HRT is not a one-size-fits-all treatment and many women have spent many years finding a product that works for them and coming up with a formula with their doctors to see what works for them. Therefore, the prospect of losing access to this very important drug is very concerning. The Minister might address what specific steps the Department of Health is taking to address these shortages. This then will ensure a long-term, stable supply of this really vital drug. The free IVF scheme, again, was absolutely ground-breaking and many in this House worked very hard on that, but the expansion of the scheme is something that needs to be looked at. I would appreciate it if the Minister could address that. We know we needed to start with a limited form of free IVF. I am delighted that many couples who availed of the free IVF now have their bouncing babies in their arms, but we need to ensure that more people have access to this. We are facing a population crisis globally, but in the western world as well, and we need to help families to have as many children as they want to have. A lot of people might be able to have one child, but they are suffering from secondary infertility, and it is really important that those people can avail of the free IVF scheme. Endometriosis was also referred to by a number of people here. One in ten Irish women, unfortunately, suffers from endometriosis. A national framework of endometriosis is currently in train. Could the Minister give us an update as to when this will be published? Education for GPs around endometriosis care needs to be mandatory. <!--p></p--> <!--span class="speakercontinuing">&#91;</span--><!--span class="speakercontinuing">Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee:</span--><!--a href="http://www.oireachtas.ie/members-hist/default.asp?housetype=1&amp;HouseNum=27&amp;MemberID=2461"></a--><!--a href="../zoomin?readform&amp;chamber=seanad&amp;memberid=2461&amp;pid=LorraineCliffordLee&amp;year=2025&amp;month=03&amp;day=05"></a--><!--span class="speakercontinuing">&#93;</span-->Many GPs have taken it upon themselves to upskill and engage in education in this area, but not all of them have done so. It is very difficult for people to switch GP if they find the doctor they are attending does not have skills, knowledge or interest in endometriosis. That applies particularly in Dublin but also in other parts of the country. Education and training should be mandatory. There also should be access to holistic care for patients suffering from endometriosis. Surgical treatment is one option but people might also need to avail of other, holistic therapies. Those therapies should be available to women without charge. I am really glad the Minister mentioned bone health and cardiovascular health in her opening statement. I included a reminder in my notes to raise those issues and the importance of weight-bearing exercise for women as we age. That will mitigate against osteoporosis, brittle bones, falls, bumps and everything women experience as they move into the later years. As the Minister noted, 18 out of 19 hospitals now provide termination of pregnancy services. That is very welcome. Cavan General Hospital is the one hospital still to begin providing the services. I understand they will become available at the end of March. Can the Minister indicate whether that is still the date? There is an issue with women being gaslighted and not listened to when they access the health service. This is a particular issue for ethnic minorities and women of colour. We have seen that in other countries and it is becoming more prevalent in Ireland. There needs to be education and training through which biases within the health service are examined. Shortages of public health nurses, particularly in areas of booming population such as my area of north County Dublin, are really impacting on women. When women are at home with small children, particularly their first child, it is a very vulnerable time of life. Women often have a toddler and a newborn at home and are unable to access the public health nurse service to which they are entitled. Other Members have raised this issue in the past. I hope the Minister can give us comfort that more public health nurses are being recruited, trained and deployed, particularly to areas of growing population. The goal that was set of eliminating cervical cancer is achievable with access to the human papillomavirus, HPV, vaccine. I am glad the vaccination programme has been rolled out. The uptake is quite good but there are still some problems in that regard. There was a lot of vaccine hesitancy and there still is such hesitancy in regard to this particular vaccine. Much work is still needed in that area. The lung cancer pilot screening project, in which north Dublin is included, is very welcome. I hope it will be rolled out to other parts of the country. As the Minister said, women suffer in particular from lung cancer. A constituent contacted me recently regarding the repeated cancellation of vital surgery she is awaiting to correct very serious injuries she sustained while giving birth. Those injuries have been very impactful on her life and on the lives of her family. However, these surgeries are seen as non-urgent. This woman has repeatedly faced her surgery being cancelled. I ask that it be made a matter of priority to secure treatment for women who have suffered injuries during birth, which can be really horrific, wide-ranging and impactful on day-to-day life. Such surgeries must be seen as a priority and not something that can be cancelled and put on the long finger. I suffered from hyperemesis during pregnancy. Those who have served with me here in the Seanad over the years know this is something on which I have campaigned. Mine was a lone voice for a long time. Cariban made a significant difference to my life and I am glad the medicine is now available on the general medical services, GMS, scheme. As my colleague pointed out, we need a public awareness campaign to inform people that this drug is available and is safe to use. Given the experience with other drugs in the past, many women are reluctant to take Cariban. It is a very safe drug and it can be life changing for women suffering from hyperemesis. I have loads of other points to make but my time is up. We will have more time with the Minister in the future to discuss this really important topic. I thank her for coming to the House. I hope she will work with us to progress all these issues.
Public Transport: Motion | Seanad debates
I second the motion. I am very happy that the Minister has attended. It is our first item of Private Members' business, which reflects the importance the Fianna Fáil Group is placing on...
I second the motion. I am very happy that the Minister has attended. It is our first item of Private Members' business, which reflects the importance the Fianna Fáil Group is placing on transport. I was very happy to see that the Minister got this brief because I know he understands this issue, which is a top priority for the people of north County Dublin. I will raise a number of issues. Senator O'Loughlin touched on some of them. She laid out the core tenets of the motion very well. We need people to have faith and trust in our public transport network so we can move to a more modern way of connecting people and communities. The Local Link bus service is a fantastic network that provides public transport for rural communities, which have always been left behind in that regard. Route 192, which links the towns of Balbriggan and Swords, goes through Balscadden, Naul, Oldtown, Ballyboughal and Roganstown and has been very well received. It is very well used by young and old alike and has given new life to rural communities. We definitely need new routes. The Government needs to continue to fund Local Link. As Senator O'Loughlin said, proposed new routes need to be prioritised, speeded up and delivered so people can live in a sustainable fashion in our rural towns and villages. In particular, a route I would like to see introduced is one from Ballyboughal to Lusk and Rush. That would service Lusk and Rush train station. The Minister is very familiar with these areas and the level of demand that is there, especially from students in Ballyboughal who wish to go to secondary school at Lusk on public transport, and people living in Ballyboughal who want to access supermarkets, doctors and cultural and social activities in the two towns I mentioned. That is a top priority of mine. The issue of fairer fares that Senator O'Loughlin also touched on impacts Balbriggan and Skerries. These are towns that are absorbing a lot of housing. People want to access the city for jobs, university and cultural and social activities. They need to be given fairer fares without any further delay. The Minister is very familiar with the long and sorry saga of MetroLink. Everybody in north County Dublin, whether they have been there 25 years, five years or five months, knows about the ins and outs of MetroLink. I was very happy to see a commitment to MetroLink in the programme for Government. This will be transformative not only for Swords, but for Dublin and the wider country. The very first stop on the proposed route will be at Lissenhall. There will be a massive park and ride facility there, which will open up access to MetroLink to the northern end of north County Dublin beyond it. It needs to be delivered. It will be transformative. I know the Minister is personally committed to the delivery of MetroLink, especially for north County Dublin. We have been absorbing the housing needs of Dublin and Ireland. Over the past number of months, there have been particular issues in respect of the quality of life for people occupying the new houses in the communities that are there. Of course, we needed houses. We are building houses and I am delighted to see such a good output of houses, but we need to build communities. Part of that is delivering safe, reliable and accessible public transport. MetroLink will play a key role in that. The capacity on the northern line and the urgency of it is, again, an issue that the Minister will be very familiar with, given the housing numbers and proposed housing numbers in the area. The capacity on the northern line, especially in respect of Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush, Lusk and Donabate, needs to be looked at urgently. I know that the Minister has a personal commitment to that. I look forward to working with the Minister on all our aims. If we are to develop as a modern, safe, efficient country that can deliver housing for its people, access to health services and education, and foster an entrepreneurial spirit in the country, we must have public transport infrastructure that is fit for purpose. I know the Minister will work very hard to deliver that.
Community Safety: Statements | Seanad debates
I welcome the Minister to the very important debate we are having. I specifically raise the issue of domestic and gender-based violence. We are at a record high of gender-based violence, with...
I welcome the Minister to the very important debate we are having. I specifically raise the issue of domestic and gender-based violence. We are at a record high of gender-based violence, with 20,000 more reports to gardaí in more than four years. It is good that people are coming forward and reporting to gardaí but it is clear there has been an increase in violence in the community. Women and children are dying in their own homes at the hands of somebody known to them and whom they have been in an intimate relationship with. As the Minister rightly pointed out, there is a special aspect attached to gender-based violence - the relationship and the trust that the victim has placed on the perpetrator - that gives a different tint to this. People are being abused and traumatised. Children's lives are being destroyed within their homes. This needs to be seriously looked at by the Government. I know it is something the Minister has a personal commitment to. I am glad he mentioned Cuan, which the Minister, Deputy McEntee, established in her previous role and on which work is ongoing. While it is a very important development, I know from speaking to colleagues at all ends of the country that we do not have enough women's refuge spaces here in Dublin and across the country. I have spoken to colleagues who have served in these Houses over the years. They have told me that a number of years ago, if a woman came to a clinic in a domestic violence situation, they would have been able to work with that woman to secure council accommodation and get her to safety within a couple of weeks. That does not happen anymore because of the housing crisis. Women are remaining in difficult and dangerous situations because of our housing crisis. That is completely unacceptable. Women are dying. Their children are dying or are being left without their mother, as in the case of Jennie Poole, which was mentioned by Senator O'Loughlin, whom I commend for her work on Jennie's law. We need to make it a matter of priority to progress that. If Jennifer Poole had known that her partner had a history of domestic violence, she would have never exposed herself or her children to that risk. She did not know because we do not have the adequate laws in place and we need to change that as a matter of priority. Those children are left without a mother and Jason and his family are left without a much-cherished sister and family member. This is not acceptable in this day and age. We need to have a zero-tolerance approach to domestic violence. On that note, I commend Jarlath Burns, GAA president, on recently taking a strong leadership position in this regard. There can be no place in society for domestic abusers. We need to stand up and say it is not good enough. We need to call a spade a spade and not hide behind people who are held up as pillars of their communities. We need to call them out and say exactly what they are. I commend Jarlath Burns and I hope plenty more in similar positions will take a strong stance against domestic and gender-based violence. Senator O'Loughlin also mentioned the lack of judges we have, particularly at District Court level. Many family law matters, such as custody access, guardianship and maintenance, are decided at District Court level. To have a situation where people are rushed through the court system because of a lack of judges is completely unacceptable and in many cases, this leads to an unsafe environment. It will come as no surprise that I raise the issue of the new family court complex at Hammond Lane. It is a top priority of mine. It is something I have raised constantly since my election in 2016. I was glad to hear from the Minister, in a previous forum, that it is also a priority of his and something that will be progressed without any further delay during his tenure. We need extra gardaí in north County Dublin. We have a booming population and we are absorbing the housing needs not only of Dublin but of the country. We do not have enough gardaí to deal with antisocial behaviour that arises. People are afraid because their calls go unanswered. They ring 999 and nobody comes. That needs to be recalibrated. It is not a direct issue the Minister can deal with but one for the Garda Commissioner. We need a policy which looks at populations. Areas of large population growth should be prioritised for the new gardaí who will hopefully be coming out of the Garda recruitment campaign that the Minister has well steered. I will leave it at that. I thank the Minister and look forward to his response.
Schools Building Projects | Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters | Seanad debates
I thank the Minister of State for his response, which outlined the long and sorry history of the delivery of this project. It is not good enough. The people of Rush and, in particular, the...
I thank the Minister of State for his response, which outlined the long and sorry history of the delivery of this project. It is not good enough. The people of Rush and, in particular, the children of Rush National School deserve better. I am glad to see that Department officials will keep the school authorities updated as this stage progresses. Regarding doubling down on this commitment and getting them to engage in a better way than heretofore, I can guarantee that the school leadership and board of management want to ensure the quality of the school and value for money and are fully signed up to the principles laid out by the Minister of State in his response. They want to collaborate with the Department to get this delivered and not allow this to go on any longer than is necessary.
I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach. The Minister of State is very welcome to the Seanad to discuss this important matter. As he knows, I am passionate about the delivery of services for my...
I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach. The Minister of State is very welcome to the Seanad to discuss this important matter. As he knows, I am passionate about the delivery of services for my constituency. One of my top priorities is the delivery of a new school building for Rush National School. It is a matter I have continuously raised in the Seanad and one we need to keep raising and pressing the Department on because this is a project that has been in the offing for 18 years. The school leadership, under Morgan Doran, and the board of management have been pressing this. The previous principal, Margaret Dobinson, started the campaign. It has been a long and sorry history, which I will bring the Minister of State briefly through. Approval was obtained in 2010 and planning permission was granted in 2013. While it was renewed on a couple of occasions due to it expiring, it finally expired on 8 December 2024. A fresh planning application was required and this is currently in process. It is a school of some 700 pupils. It was built in 1953 and is completely inadequate. A new 32-classroom school needs to be delivered that will also have two autism classrooms, which are really badly needed, particularly in light of the previous Commencement matter. The same demand is seen throughout north County Dublin. Rush has a big population with more than 11,000 people and is increasing rapidly. Thousands of houses are being built and delivered in north County Dublin and Rush is at the centre of that. There is huge demand on school places and autism classrooms and the principal of Rush National School, Morgan Doran, wants to deliver this school so that he can cater for the huge demand in the area. The school is not fit for purpose. I am raising this Commencement matter to see whether we can get some information as to where the project is at. While the school wants to engage positively and collaboratively with the Department of Education, there is a complete lack of information coming from the Department with regard to the progress of this project. Given the long history I have outlined, including the lapsing of the planning permissions and the need for constant renewal of planning permissions, the lack of information coming from the Department is concerning. The school needs to be delivered. I do not want to let this matter slip from the attention of the new Minister for Education, Deputy McEntee. The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth of Ireland, Deputy Foley, visited the school last June when she was the Minister for Education, as did the Taoiseach, when he was the Tánaiste, in November. They saw the great education the children receive in the school but also the completely inadequate facilities. The people of Rush are proud of this school and the education it has delivered for generations in Rush. They are invested in its success, but the delivery of the school building is needed. <!--p></p--> <!--span class="speakercontinuing">&#91;</span--><!--span class="speakercontinuing">Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee:</span--><!--a href="http://www.oireachtas.ie/members-hist/default.asp?housetype=1&amp;HouseNum=27&amp;MemberID=2461"></a--><!--a href="../zoomin?readform&amp;chamber=seanad&amp;memberid=2461&amp;pid=LorraineCliffordLee&amp;year=2025&amp;month=02&amp;day=25"></a--><!--span class="speakercontinuing">&#93;</span-->When I was out knocking on doors last November, people were telling me that when their children started school, they were told the new school would be delivered within a couple of years. Not only have those children finished in Rush National School, they have also finished in secondary school at this stage, so enough is enough. We need this school building to be delivered as soon as possible. I would really appreciate an update about where the project is and a commitment that the Department will keep engaging or start better engagement with the school and board of management.
EU-UK Youth Experience Scheme: Motion | Seanad debates
Congratulations to the Leas-Chathaoirleach on her election. I had the great fortune of knowing Tras Honan. She was a mighty woman and it is fantastic that we have one of her successors among...
Congratulations to the Leas-Chathaoirleach on her election. I had the great fortune of knowing Tras Honan. She was a mighty woman and it is fantastic that we have one of her successors among us. I know the Senator's rate of work and how fair and dedicated she is to the job. I look forward to working with her. It is a testament to her tenacity and hard work over the years that she is in this position. I hope she enjoys today as it is a big day for her. The Minister is very welcome on his first visit to the Seanad as Minister for Justice. He has hit the ground running and we in Fianna Fáil are very proud of the pace of work he has set for himself and the confidence he is instilling within his office. People feel he is on their side. As somebody who is out and about in my constituency talking to people, it is really good that they know there are more gardaí being recruited. There is a lot of work there and we know the Minister is going to do a very good job. I look forward to working with him. He has considerable experience as a Dublin city councillor and as a TD as well as from his professional background as a lawyer. The Minister is very well equipped for this job and no doubt many challenges lie ahead. This is one of the easier matters for the Minister to come to the House with because we all agree it is very worthwhile. It might be politically difficult in other quarters down the line but we can all see the benefits to our opting into this scheme. Even though it does not have a material difference on the face of it, as the Minister outlined, there are risks involved if we are not at the negotiating table. There is a risk our common travel area with the UK, which we know is very important, could be undermined. I am fully supportive of this and I think most parties will be too. The avenues for young people to embark on exchanges, to work and to learn about each other have been considerably narrowed since Brexit. If we look back to the origins of the EU, the reason it was established was to create better understanding, co-operation and to avoid war. In the very difficult times we are living in, anything that can help promote peace, prosperity, understanding, cultural exchange or education can only be welcomed. I am very happy to speak on behalf of the Fianna Fáil group and I fully support this motion.
It was all Senator Boyhan's fault.
Rail Timetables: Iarnród Éireann | Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport | Committee meetings
We discussed this matter yesterday and I thank Mr. Meade for coming back today with a good solution.
Iarnród Éireann will do further work on the issue with Wednesdays.