Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fíor-fháilte roimh gach duine ar ais. In welcoming everyone back, I join Senators in congratulating an tUachtarán Micheál D. Ó hUigínn on his election. Fuair sé vóta an-láidir. Gabhaim mo chomhghairdeas leis agus tá mandate agus údarás láidir aige don dara téarma. In congratulating President Michael D. Higgins, we wish him and his wife, Sabina, well for his second term in office. We commend him on his election and thank the other candidates for their participation.

I disagree with Senator Mullen on one point; we did see the good side in many of the candidates. I disagree with the Senator profoundly in that regard. To be fair to our colleague, Senator Freeman, she showed great civility in not allowing people to descend into a rat race of an election by her constant positivity in her campaign. I commend all the candidates on their participation in the election.

We will have a debate on the election in the fullness of time. The one thing we should take away from the election - I have said this in the House previously - is that what we say and how we say it matters. This applies on social media, in the House, on the airwaves and in written form. I would very much love to have a debate on the Presidency, whether it is on the nominating process, the term of office or whatever. I do not think that Mary McAleese's term as President was diminished by the fact that she did not have to have an election for her second term. Having said that, the people spoke in their hundreds of thousands to endorse the candidacy of Michael. D. Higgins. We wish him well for next Sunday when he will take the oath of office for the second time.

Our democratic process is well served by those of us who go out and vote. We have to vote and we should vote. Regardless of whether it was, as Senator Mullen stated, the paucity of the campaign - and I know he did not use that word - there must be a reason people did not vote. Perhaps it was because the opinion polls and the political commentariat suggested that it was to be a landslide that people felt they did not need to vote. However, I am not sure. As Senator Mullen stated, Michael D. Higgins is our President and we will support him in his endeavours. We wish the him well.

Senator Ardagh referred to the illness benefit processing issue, on which many Members had to engage with the Department in recent weeks. The Department has committed, and has outlined to us, that a normal level of payment will issue to illness benefit customers this week, and that no customer will miss out on payments. Senator Ardagh alluded to the transition to a new IT system that led to a number of people on illness benefit receiving either some or no payment. Thankfully, action has now been taken to ensure that payments have returned to normal. We should apologise to the people who have been affected. It is unacceptable that people are in arrears in their payment and that they have no money. Thankfully, that glitch has been ironed out and I welcome this.

The Senator also referred to the bail laws and electronic monitoring, which is part of the whole issue. Members are aware that the Garda Commissioner is the person charged with operational matters regarding bail. On foot of the case that is currently in the public domain, the Garda Commissioner has ordered a review to examine any policing issues in that regard. The review will seek to establish any lessons that may need to be learned, and if there are any changes needed in procedures or processes with regard to that case. The Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan, has also said that if a review concludes the law needs to be changed he will act. It is also important to let the review take place. All of us who are living in our communities are concerned about the bail laws and the application of bail.We need more often to see why and how bail is granted. Last year the laws around bail were strengthened under the Criminal Justice Act 2017 but I will be happy to invite the Minister for Justice and Equality back to the House pending the review to respond to the issues raised.

Senators Ardagh, Hopkins, Devine, Colm Burke and Freeman raised the issue of mental health and trolleys. I remind Members that in the recent budget €17 billion has been awarded to the Department of Health of which €75 million has been given to the National Treatment Purchase Fund which is tasked with driving down waiting lists, which will assist thousands of our fellow citizens. I commend Senator Freeman on her work for mental health. The Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, has secured a budget of €55 million for mental health services. He is also moving to online or telecounselling. The Cathaoirleach might correct me on this point but I think Senator Freeman's call on the Taoiseach regarding the committee is a matter for the Houses of the Oireachtas. As a former Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and having seen the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Future of Mental Healthcare do extraordinary work, in this and the previous session, I do not see any reason we should not have a committee specific to mental health. We could consider that but it could be done at a later stage.