Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the nine Members of the House for their contributions on the Order of Business. I join you, a Chathaoirligh, in welcoming the Georgian Ambassador and his wife to the House.

I am happy to accept the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by Senator Wilson. The motion Senator Wilson referred to concerns Georgia and the illegal decision of the Russian occupation regime in Tskhinvali. All of us must be deeply concerned about the matter being reported and actively pursued. It is unacceptable to have illegal moves being made by the Russian Federation, which I believe is violating the fundamental norms and principles of international law and undermining the international system based on the rule of law. It is important. I had the pleasure of being in Georgia two summers ago as part of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE, Parliamentary Assembly, and one of my regrets is that we were unable to go to the frontier, if I can use that expression.

All Members of the Oireachtas, as parliamentarians, must always uphold human and civil rights and the continuation of the Georgian people having self-determination, so I am happy to accept the amendment to the Order of Business. I commend the ambassador for his work and for reaching out to Members of the Oireachtas. It is important that we stand with Georgia not least because, as we said yesterday, it is about not allowing demarcations in the world but having stabilisation, ensuring continued freedom of movement and reducing the amount of conflict that takes place not only in Tskhinvali but also in the rest of Georgia. The international community must stand up against the Russian occupation and support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia.

Senator Ardagh was going well until she personalised the attack on the Taoiseach, which was unfair. She is right that Drimnagh is an important part of Dublin. Those of us who travel from Cork to the city drive through Davitt Road or the main part of Drimnagh. It reminds me a little of my area of Bishopstown in Cork in that it needs a heart. The Senator is right about the need to have that plan re-established and proper development in the area. I am aware that Senator Ardagh is working hard in the area with the Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne, and there have been a number of meetings about issues in the area. I had the pleasure of going there recently with the Minister of State and I canvassed with a Fine Gael local area representative, Eoghan Howe.

In fairness to Senator Ardagh, she has worked hard at highlighting issues in her area and I am happy to invite the Minister to the House to discuss the matter. The Senator is right that it is an issue we need to address in a modern world. Project 2040 is one part of the plan but Senator Ardagh’s point is about the fact that in areas such as Drimnagh it is about marrying the old with the new and the demands that exist. I support her and commend her for raising the matter and for her work in the area.

The issue of the schools is very difficult and sensitive. To be fair to the Minister for Education and Skills, he has not opted for the blame game. To begin with he has tried to ascertain the faults in the schools and to give clarity and certainty to the pupils, teachers, parents and community. There was a meeting this morning in Tyrrelstown regarding an inspection at 9 a.m. I have put a request to the Minister to come to the House to discuss the schools issue.

With regard to the health story yesterday in terms of the Taoiseach’s remarks and hospitals, I believe he was trying to say that there is a need at peak demand times to have full service, whether that is in the health sector or the retail sector. For example, in the retail sector nobody is off during the time before Christmas, which is the peak time. People are working and they take their time off when the peak time ends.

In the case of the health system, and I have made my view clear on numerous occasions, it shuts down in some parts at 5 p.m., be it for outpatients or certain types of procedures. We must examine that. To be fair, nobody is advocating that we not allow hard-working members of the health service staff at every tier to take holidays. That is not what was said. The Taoiseach is saying that we must examine how, between 22 December and 3 January, we can keep some of the hospitals, not front-line and critical services, from being shut down. Nobody is advocating that we have elective surgery on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or St. Stephen's Day or that we open outpatient departments on those days.Nobody is advocating that outpatient departments be opened on those days. However, we have to look at how we can address the issue on an ongoing basis. The remarks of President Higgins in his election night speech were to the effect that all of us, whether politicians, the Taoiseach or those in health unions, matter. We should be careful to work to address the situation rather than instilling fear in people. That is what the Taoiseach was trying to say.

An additional €10 million in funding has been allocated to this year’s winter plan, as well as an extra €10 million next year. The Government is committed to addressing the inequalities in the health system, and we must not create barriers to tackling waiting times and the trolley crisis. Instead we should create solutions. I would be happy for the Minister for Health to come to the House to discuss that matter.

I do not have the answers to the questions raised by Senator Gavan. I would be very disappointed and dismayed if the allegations he has listed today are not being addressed. Nobody can condone bullying in the workplace. In fact, the opposite is true. I have stated in this House on many occasions that there is a need to have unions representing workers which can engage with management or the heads of sectors in order that disputes can be ironed out and solutions can be found. I hope that the machinery of the State can be employed to address industrial relations and workplace issues. I would be very disappointed to hear that any industrial relations are not being conducted in a professional manner. It is the very least we can do, irrespective of ideology. We need a proper mechanism where people can engage in a respectful manner. Perhaps the Senator would be better served by tabling a Commencement matter on this issue.