Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It shall return, exactly. Whether it will be on the third day or the last day, I am not sure. The image of the knots on the cover of the Senator's book reflects how we should join together as a country to have that conversation about end-of-life care.

Yesterday we had an important debate on post offices and the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment was honest in his remarks to the House. We will bring him back before the House to discuss the issue of banking. It is about the post office network expanding its range of services and its remit. I am not sure what the Minister has in mind and whether that will include community or social banking. We will have him back in due course to discuss the matter.

I join Senator Burke in welcoming the increase in construction and availability of student accommodation throughout the country. The Senator is correct; we are only now playing catch-up in building student accommodation adjacent to our universities and institutes of technology, which we should have done at the beginning. That is now taking place across our university towns and cities.

The issue concerning coroners and a database of bodies is important. Senator Burke's Bill addresses this in part, but it is something on which we need to keep a vigilant eye.

Senator Gallagher raised the issue of insurance costs. Mr. Justice Nicholas Kearns commented as chairperson of the Personal Injuries Commission that payments have gotten out of hand and we are paying out an inordinate amount. He is perhaps right in that regard. The judicial council legislation containing guidelines for personal injuries is a priority for the Government. We need to have a conversation on personal injury payouts. The Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Michael D'Arcy, has been instrumental in coming into the House and updating us on the cost of insurance and the work of the cost of insurance working group, which has published six quarterly reports. Of the 71 deadlines, 58 were met. One of the key actions was the delivery of the final report of the commission, which I hope will be the launch pad for further reform. The implementation of that recommendation should have an impact on the awarding of personal injury damages in the future. Moreover, the Central Statistics Office, CSO, data for August 2018 show that motor insurance premia have decreased by 20% since their peak in 2016. They are still too high, but we are taking action.

Senator Mullen raised the issue of Storm Ali and notifications. It is an interesting discussion to have. The Tánaiste made reference to fatigue. Perhaps it is now the case that when people hear a storm warning, they do not take it too seriously. I heard an interview on the radio earlier in which someone said that the only status red alert was for part of County Mayo because that was Met Éireann's information. To be fair to Met Éireann, it takes its role seriously. The national directorate for fire and emergency management has monitored the weather situation with Met Éireann and its members met on Tuesday to assess the impact of the storm. Some 17 counties were issued with a status orange storm alert. That came into effect on Tuesday evening and ended at 1 p.m. yesterday. It is worth noting that the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government only convenes the national emergency co-ordination group for severe weather events on the advice given to him. The Taoiseach was criticised for being at the front and centre of the response to Storm Ophelia. When he was not there for Storm Ali, he was also criticised. I do not say that Senator Mullen is doing that. It is important that we have moved to a coded alert system. People should take note of it. The important point is that we should always take notice of what is being asked of us. Again, we offer our sympathies to the families bereaved during the storm.

Senator Conway raised the issue of housing. The points he makes are valid.

Senator Davitt is flying kites regarding property tax. I have not heard that powers are being taken away, but I would be happy to come back to him on that.

I thank the Members for the contributions. If Senator Horkan is happy, I will not amend the Order of Business. I will have the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government before the House next Tuesday.