Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----and the world as well, championing EU-Ireland-UK relations but, more important, North-South and Ireland-UK relations? To be fair to him, the work he does perhaps goes under the radar and is not recognised in the way it should be. I thank him for that work. I know I am repeating myself but today is an extraordinary day that we have Prince Charles visiting. The welcome he will receive in Cork and Kerry is a sign of the maturity in our country.

I join Senator Mark Daly in acknowledging that we must tackle the large amount of plastic in the oceans. The Senator referred to the Little Skellig. World Oceans Day took place last week. The EU has imposed a ban on ten single-use plastic items. Senator Grace O'Sullivan has repeatedly made the point that we cannot ignore any longer the negative impact of plastics on the oceans. It is something we must tackle. I am happy to have the Minister come to the House in regard to the matter raised.

Today, we also remember the people who were tragically killed in the Grenfell Tower fire. A total of 71 people lost their lives. The inquiry is ongoing. It is worth remembering that those people were killed and the families of the bereaved deserve answers. Senator Mark Daly referred to the Corporate Manslaughter (No. 2) Bill 2016, which he introduced. I am aware that he has been engaging with the Department on the issue. As Leader, I will not stop the Bill coming before the House. That is a matter for the Senator and the Department and I hope there will be positive engagement with the Senator on the matter.

Senators Boyhan and Horkan raised the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF. As Senator Boyhan rightly acknowledged, an extra €55 million was allocated to the fund this year. We have seen an attempt to tackle inpatient day cases with an action plan which has been promoted, promulgated and published by the Department of Health, the HSE and the NTPF.Some 1.14 million hospital operations or procedures will take place this year and the NTPF will deliver 20,000 day case treatments. I accept the points made by Senators Victor Boyhan and Gerry Horkan about the figures being too high, but the previous Government did not get rid of the NTPF. Through the special delivery unit, we used moneys to reduce inpatient waiting times to eight months and waiting times for patients on trolleys by one third. This issue needs to be addressed because the numbers are unacceptably high. I make no apology for the fact that we should invest more through Sláintecare.

I welcome the boundary commission's publication. Yesterday was like Christmas Eve for many local authority members, as well as Senators. There are some who will be happy and some who will be unhappy. The Minister published the independent report last night and I hope it will be enacted soon. I will be happy to have a debate on it.

I do not believe there is a plan to privatise Irish Water. The all-party Oireachtas committee did not entertain the idea. As such, I am not sure if there will be a referendum on the issue. To the best of my knowledge, there definitely will not be such a referendum in the autumn, but I will endeavour to find out for the Senator.

Senator Grace O'Sullivan referred to the resignations yesterday in the south east. It is an important issue. Notwithstanding the fact that an extra €200 million has been allocated for mental health services, there has been a recruitment campaign. Of the 44 posts advertised, no applications were received for one quarter of them, while only one was received for 30%. There is a failure to recruit. From my inquiries, the Minister of State responsible, Deputy Jim Daly, is not in Leinster House today and the Minister for Health is in the Dáil. However, I would be happy to facilitate a debate early next week, perhaps on Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on the Ministers' availability.

Senator Rose Conway-Walsh raised the issue of Ms Muojeke's deportation. I am not familiar with the issue, but if the Senator gives me the information, I will be happy to give it to the relevant Minister.

Senators Rose Conway-Walsh and Robbie Gallagher raised the issue of teaching principals. The INTO's pre-budget briefing session is being held today. I will attend it later. I acknowledge the work principals are doing, particularly walking principals who have to balance being teachers with their administrative duties. More must be done in that regard. This and previous Governments have introduced measures for all principals, but there is a sliding scale. Listening to the Senators, one would swear there had been no investment in primary education, but there has. Recruitment has allowed posts of responsibility to be restored, while there has been investment in other aspects, for example, school buildings and the provision of special needs assistants and teachers. However, we need to do more regarding walking principals. A significant burden is being imposed on them in that they are now charged with managing staff, parents, boards of management and students and ensuring their schools are sufficiently resourced. I will be happy to organise a debate on the matter with the Minister for Education and Skills who has been in the House a number of times.