Neale Richmond (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator Humphreys raised the issue of housing. Every single vehicle available to the Government to alleviate the problem is being taken. It is not just about the response to social housing needs, affordable housing needs or the role of the private sector. Everything has to be taken into account to address the issue. Every issue is being taken on by the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government and his Ministers of State, Deputies English and Phelan, in this regard.

Last weekend, the Taoiseach said that the three Government's key aims relate to Brexit, the health system and the housing system, which it is working on. This also relates to the range of healthcare issues raised by Senators Freeman, Ó Ríordáin, Butler and Colm Burke. Senators Freeman and Ó Ríordáin might consider tabling the issue of Scoil Chiaráin in Donnycarney as a Commencement matter next week. I will request that the Minister for Health come to the House to take statements on the response to mental health issues in general, as Senator Butler mentioned. Last year's mental healthcare budget was considerably increased when compared with the previous year. I will ensure that mental healthcare and access to medicines, as raised by Senator Colm Burke, will also form part of the debate.

Senator Humphreys asked whether Operation Freeflow could be undertaken in city centres during the festive period. I support his idea and I shall raise it with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.

Senator Gallagher mentioned the plight of the school secretary. It is a pertinent issue to raise and it is dear to his heart. I will call on the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy McHugh, to come to the House to take statements.

Senator Craughwell made timely and pertinent remarks about the attack on The Haunting Soldier statue. In addition, he mentioned the report on subsidiarity that was compiled by the First Vice-President of the European Commission, Mr. Timmermans. The Senator did the Government an injustice in his comments on the Government's approach to local government because it has been proactive. The Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy John Paul Phelan, has been particularly proactive in the past number of months in this area. I have had the honour of serving on a county council for the seven years, as well as on the Committee of the Regions for two years, and I fully appreciate the need for a realistic approach to subsidiarity. However, I will bring the report to the Minister's attention and ask him to come to the House to take statements on the matter, as well as to respond to the comments made by Senator Lombard on the Local Government Bill 2018. He believes that the legislation will slow things down and thus have an impact on the boundaries of Cork City Council and Cork County Council.

Senator Davitt sought a debate on rural transport issues with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport so I will invite the Minister to a debate. I will not necessarily use some of the language that the Senator used but the issue deserves attention and discussion in this House.

Senator McFadden raised the issue of drones. As she will be aware, the regulatory body responsible for drones and the enforcement of regulations is the Irish Aviation Authority, which comes under the remit of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. I have no doubt that the agency will be more than willing to take into account her comments and discuss her concerns regarding the barracks in Athlone.

Senator Boyhan mentioned waiting lists and healthcare issues. I have given a commitment to invite the Minister for Health to the House for statements and I will add both topics to that debate. I will request that the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government contact the Senator directly regarding the legislative timeframe for the Land Development Agency. Like Senator Ardagh, he might like to engage with the agency, to which a CEO has been appointed. He can engage directly with the agency on the issues he raised.

Senator Wilson made thoughtful and pertinent remarks regarding the debate on social media. We, in the body politic, know as well as anyone the detrimental effects that abuse via social media can have. I have become quite a fan of the "Mute" button on Twitter.If anyone does not know why, he or she can take a look through my timeline. There is not a night where I do not go home an it is my wife or my sister asking whether I am okay. I do not know why they are asking this because it turns out some faceless troll behind an anonymous timeline has been attacking my appearance, my beliefs or the amount of hair gel I use. It is something that hits me hard when they bring that issue up. We have to realise that is the level of intelligence one is dealing with in this area. There is a need to have a thorough debate on this. I will call on the new Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, Deputy Bruton, to come to the House as soon as possible to debate this.

Finally, I agree with Senator Paddy Burke's call for a debate on tourism. I will ask the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Brendan Griffin, to come to the House. The Government has acted in two ways in this area. First, it has increased funding both for Bord Fáilte and Tourism Ireland as a direct response to Brexit. Unfortunately, while overall tourism numbers are up, numbers from the UK have reduced in recent years. I spent my holidays in west Cork last summer and when the shopkeeper said that new tourists coming from America and Canada was brilliant, but tourists who travel from the UK in their cars spend the most in the shops and supermarkets and probably add a lot more to the local economy which is vitally important. Second, the third section of the withdrawal agreement, which we will debate this afternoon, deals with Irish-specific issues such as cross-Border co-operation and a range of areas but in particular, how Tourism Ireland will be protected. The ability through the Good Friday Agreement for the island of Ireland, as a whole, to be marketed as a tourism destination will be maintained as long as that withdrawal agreement and the related political framework makes its way through both the European and British legislative systems and is approved before 29 March 2019. We will play our part in that debate this afternoon and I look forward to contributing to it.