Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the 18 Members for their contributions to the Order of Business. I join all Members in extending our sympathies to the Iranian and Iraqi people on the very tragic loss of life in the earthquake at the western province in Iran. I join Senator Ardagh in her comments about the international agencies required to engage and be involved in what will be a major humanitarian aid project. The loss of life in this tragedy is to be lamented. I hope we, as a House, can convey through the Cathaoirleach to the Iranian ambassador our deepest sympathies on that loss of life.

I join Members, led by Senator Boyhan, in extending our sympathies the family of Mr. Kevin Dawson on his tragic death. As has been rightly noted this afternoon, he was a very brave and courageous journalist who brought high integrity and standards to his work. To his wife and family we offer our deepest sympathies. We hope they will remember and take pride in his work and the admiration that so many people had for him on the occasion of his very sad passing.

Senators Ardagh, Higgins and Byrne commented on the ESRI report on the affordability of housing, which was published yesterday. We will have statements later on housing. Undoubtedly, supply is the biggest issue and there is an urgent need to increase supply not just on the social side but on the private side. The Government is committed through Rebuilding Ireland to investment of €6.6 billion in the construction of housing.We understand that the affordable housing issue needs to be addressed as well.

I wish to make the following points in response to Senator Higgins. The Government has not diminished the issue of housing and it does not divide society but the language being used by some has been very polarising. The job of Government is to be responsible for the construction of social housing and ensure that a roadmap to develop private housing is put in place. As the Taoiseach said at the weekend, the Government is on the side of people. Let us be honest, the Government through the policy document entitled Rebuilding Ireland, and I will not list all the different initiatives that have been put in place since we came to Government, but the Government is leading. The Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Murphy, has put in place a suite of measures to enhance rent pressure zones. If the measures do not work then let us revisit them. When I heard Deputy Barry Cowen speak on the radio this afternoon I closed my eyes and wondered had he and his party ever been in government. I recall that we had the worst recession ever, the construction sector was decimated and the banks closed. Now the banks are obliged to work with developers. We need developers, landlords, social housing and to adopt a combined approach that ensures we increase supply. I hope that we will see all of that happen.

I join with Senator Boyhan in thanking the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government and his Minister of State, Deputy Phelan, for their announcement about the rate of pay for councillors that they made at the weekend. I know, mindful that it is a beginning, that some councillors are disappointed while others are quite happy. We have started a process. It behoves all of us, as Members of the House, to collectively work on behalf of the councillors. They do a huge amount of work that goes unnoticed in some cases and very much inconveniences their families and their family life. Their job of work is done in an extraordinary and commendable way. I worry that we will reach the point where many councillors will walk away from local government. Therefore, I believe we should pay them a full-time salary and reward them accordingly. That might be a step too far for some but the Minister and Minister of State have made a step forward with the initiative, for which we commend them.

Senator Conway-Walsh raised the issue of school transport and the eligibility status for repeat students. I presume she means the leaving certificate examination so the number of people involved must be very small. I advise her to table the issue as a Commencement matter. I am happy to invite the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills, Deputy Halligan, to discuss the issue that he raised.

Senator Higgins made reference to the public services card. There has been a lot of commentary in the ether about the public services card. I wish to state that card helps customers to easily access a variety of public services and it was first introduced in 2011. It is not a national ID card. There has been no gargantuan cover-up by the Government or no attempt to do anything other than ensure that people can access services. Last August, the Department issued a four-page clarification on the matter and I urge the Senator to consult the paper. I am happy to invite the Minister to the House to discuss the matter. Again, it might be quicker for the Senator to table a Commencement matter on the issue. To be fair, her remarks are well intended.

Senator Bacik raised the issue of gender equality in the workplace. I was very much struck by her ability to remember that last weekend the Taoiseach, in his Ard-Fheis speech and as part of our document, gave a commitment to make this a "republic of opportunity" and that we are committed to establishing a commission on the status of women in Ireland. The Senator is right that the issue concerns much more than just pay. It is also about a variety and a suite of issues that need to be tackled and put on a very proactive basis.

I join with the Senator in commending Grace Dyas and others who have come forward as part of the discourse on the issue, not just of sexual harassment, but how women are treated, and how all people are treated in the workplace let me add. We should debate the issue. I know that the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Humphreys, has had meetings with the Arts Council. As the Senator has said, this matter does not just revolve around the arts community but society in general and how we address and view the issue. I am happy to arrange a debate on the issue in the coming weeks.

Senators Butler and Reilly made reference to small towns in terms of retail and rural Ireland and rates. I am happy to invite the relevant Minister to the House to discuss the matter. Senator Butler has long championed the matter. The matter must be addressed and considered in the context of the national development plan, Ireland 2040, in terms of how we can promote rural Ireland in the future.

Senators Ned O'Sullivan, Coghlan and Feighan, in a variety of guises, referenced the Good Friday Agreement, the North and the budget that was announced yesterday in the House of Commons.We have waited since the start of the year for the Assembly to be re-established. There is an obligation and duty on all political sides to overcome the obstacles and have the Executive and an Assembly re-established. Senator Ned O'Sullivan is well intended and very correct in his remarks. It is disappointing that we do not have nationalist input into a budget that is now being passed for the North. It is disappointing that there is no nationalist voice at the Brexit negotiations other than the Government. We need to see that rectified in the coming weeks. I appeal to the Senators from Sinn Féin who are representatives of their party to implore all sides, but especially their own party to go back. I know there is ongoing engagement, as Senator Coghlan said, but the people of the North gave a mandate to the largest two parties to be in government. It is about time we had an Executive and an Assembly returned.

Equally it is important that we commend people such as Dick Spring, the late Peter Barry and Garrett FitzGerald for the work they did in terms of the Good Friday Agreement. It was the stepping stone, the beginning, which was derided by many at the time, but was the template used to build peace and be a bridge. I commend Senators Feighan, Coghlan, Gavan and others who were involved in reaching across the political divide. It is about ensuring, as has been said by Senator Ned O'Sullivan, that we break down the divide. I hope there will be movement and it will happen quickly.

Senators Craughwell, McFadden and Wilson raised the issue of the Jadotville medal presentation ceremony. It is upsetting to hear Senator Craughwell's reading of the letter. I want to praise Senators Craughwell, McFadden and Wilson for the work they have done in bringing us to the point where they will be a full military ceremony. Veterans are the focus of the ceremony. The Minister and the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces will be in attendance. For too long the service of the men involved in Jadotville was unrecognised. It was the Minister of State, Deputy Paul Kehoe, together with the former Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, who ensured those men would be recognised as heroes. I should commend Senator Mac Lochlainn as well for his remarks.

The Minister and the Government took a decision to honour these brave men with full military honours. I am told the ceremony is being organised hand in hand by the Department and the Defence Forces who are working to ensure that the tradition of all other military ceremonies with the focus on the surviving members and the family representatives of the deceased members will take place in Athlone. Senator McFadden is correct that Athlone is the appropriate venue. The civil and military working group has been established to prepare for the ceremony. I will communicate the views of Senators McFadden, Wilson and Craughwell today. From my understanding the Minister of State is very much of the view that this will be a full military ceremony, but I am open to correction. It would not be the intent of Government to dishonour anybody, quite the contrary. I will bring that issue back to the Minister of State.