Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Senator, there needs to be complete transparency and accountability as regards how a health service executive handles situations like this. It might be a little premature to talk about redress, but what we need to put in place is a suite of measures to support the families and the people or children affected. I agree with the Senator on that and I will take that back to the Minister.

Senator Ardagh raised the issue of student accommodation. We had a discussion on this already in the House. I remind Members that the Ministers of State, Deputies Mitchell O'Connor and English, published the progress report just this week on the national student accommodation strategy which complements initiatives being taken by the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, to increase housing supply under Rebuilding Ireland. The targets set out intend to have 7,000 bed spaces created by the end of next year, and a total of 21,000 purpose-built student accommodation spaces by 2024. At the end of the second quarter of this year, 2,100 purpose-built student accommodation bed spaces had been completed. There are 7,257 under construction, and 7,154 additional bed spaces have had planning permission granted, of which 1,109 are at the planning permission application stage.

These projects combine to a total of 18,610 purpose-built student accommodation bed spaces, of which 5,423 will be completed or due to be completed by the end of this year. I absolutely agree with the Senator on the need for purpose-built student accommodation. The Government is committed to this. I will be happy to bring the Senator to Cork city where we are building a number of purpose-built student accommodation facilities in a variety of places.Construction is imperative given the fact we are playing catch-up. Access to accommodation is critical for students. As those of us who went to college know, the lived experience away from home is part of what college life is about. However, it is becoming difficult for people albeit there are tax incentives for those who want to rent out a room and the Government is committed under Rebuilding Ireland to increasing housing construction in a variety of areas.

Members have raised the issue of Ryanair. I hope talks will resume. Notwithstanding that Ryanair has recognised a union, Senators Ardagh and Humphreys referred to a strike. Any disruption to the passengers and the travelling public is disappointing and upsetting. While I respect fundamentally the right of everyone to go on strike, I hope talks resume. I encourage all sides to engage with the mechanisms available to avoid a protracted or negative impact on customers. Ryanair has taken steps to reroute or cancel flights, but it is important that people talk and seek a resolution.

Senator Humphreys also raised issues around the standard of public consultation. I am not quite sure what was in The Irish Timesthis morning as I did not see it. I am not quite sure what the Senator meant by political interference or Government involvement. Where he is 100% correct and where I stand united with him is that there must be real engagement with the stakeholders who take the time to put a submission together and engage in the public consultation process. Whether it is the NTA, TII or local authorities, people in a planning process should read submissions and take cognisance of representations, which are sometimes prepared by professionals on behalf of communities or residents. I agree with the Senator on the need for real and meaningful public consultation.