Seanad debates

Tuesday, 21 June 2016

2:30 pm

Photo of Brian Ó DomhnaillBrian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom ceist a chur ar an gCeannaire maidir le deis a bheith againn díospóireacht a bheith againn ar chursaí Gaeilge go ginearálta, go háirithe i gcomhthéacs Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge, an teanga dúchais agus na céimeanna atá á ghlacadh ag an Roinn chun na spriocanna atá leagtha síos sa straitéis a bhaint amach. Ba mhaith liom dá bhféadfadh an díospóireacht sin a bheith againn roimh bhriseadh an tsamhraidh. Chomh maith le sin, the summer economic statement published today makes for positive reading. However, it does not take into account some of the risk factors for Ireland, one of which was mentioned by our Sinn Féin colleague - Brexit - but there are many others, including the financial regulation of banks and many other institutions, some of which were highlighted in the banking inquiry. There are financial, economic, demographic and political risks facing the country. Year on year, we are overspending in the area of health, yet we are unable to meet from the perspective of the public purse the demographic challenges posed by an ageing population whereby up to 4% of the population will need nursing home care by 2025. I, therefore, call on the Leader to facilitate a debate with the relevant Minister or Ministers across a range of Departments on the plans being put in place to meet the challenges poses and ascertain the level of risk across each Department. It might mean many Ministers having to come into the House, but we should be looking at the issue in the context of a five or ten year spending plan. The medium-term objective announced today makes for positive reading, in that it recognises a fiscal space of around €3 billion in 2019. Some of the money will be put into a savings scheme similar to the National Pensions Reserve Fund, but it is not a great deal of money when the challenges mentioned are brought into the equation. I ask that we look at the challenges facing the country and that the Leader consider the best way to debate the issue.

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