Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I join others who have raised the issue of the availability of Spinraza and welcome the decision made by NHS England, the chief executive of which, Mr. Simon Stevens, said: "This promising treatment has the potential to be life changing for children and their families." Obviously, he is referring to children who suffer from SMA. I have received messages from families who believe they are being managed in the run-up to the local and European elections on 24 May, given the absence of the announcement on this matter that was due to take place this week. As stated, Ireland and Estonia are the only two EU countries that do not fund this treatment. As other Senators stated, we need to have an honest debate about the matter. I know that such situations are not easy to deal with, that the Government has to strike a deal and that the process can be difficult, but the lives the children are leading are extremely difficult, much more difficult than anybody can possibly imagine. Therefore, a debate on the availability of Spinraza would be greatly appreciated. I understand there will be another protest next week on 22 May calling on the Government to fund the provision of Spinraza.

I refer to a shooting in Donaghmede yesterday. Unfortunately, a shooting outside a shopping centre at 5.20 p.m. or early in the evening does not seem to receive much media attention anymore. That is a shocking indictment of our society. Shots were fired outside Donaghmede Shopping Centre at 5.20 p.m. yesterday. The Government is almost disinterested in crime levels in that part of the city. Whenever we raise the issue in this House, as I have done on countless occasions, I am told that the provision of Garda resources and the potential construction of a new Garda station in the hugely expanding area of Donaghmede, Clongriffin and Belmayne are not matters for decision by the Minister but by the Garda Commissioner, yet when the assistant Garda Commissioner said there was absolutely no justification for the reopening of Stepaside Garda station, Cabinet Ministers were able to make it their business to open it. Why is Stepaside more important than an area on the northside when it comes to the provision of Garda resources? Shots being fired at 5.20 p.m. outside of a shopping centre in Donaghmede is not normal. Shootings do not happen in a normal society and they cannot be treated as normal. It is not a case of business as usual because anybody could be caught in the crossfire. With the greatest of respect, I ask the Deputy Leader to facilitate a discussion in this House with the Minister for Justice and Equality on crime in the capital city.Tá dhá rud le rá agam. Déanfaidh mé iarracht mo chéad phointe a dhéanamh as Gaeilge mar tá sé oiriúnach sa chás seo. Molaim an tAire Stáit ar a bhfuil freagracht as an Gaeltacht, Teachta Kyne, as a bheith chun deontais a thabhairt do mhic léinn meánscoile agus do dhaoine atá ag déanamh Gaeilge ag an tríú leibhéal, go háirithe dóibh siúd atá ag ullmhú le bheith ina múinteoirí, chun dul go dtí na Gaeltachta i rith an tsamhraidh. Tréaslaím go mór leis sin, sílim gur rud iontach é. Níl aon slí níos fearr chun ár n-oidhreacht agus ár dteanga a choimeád beo agus a fhorbairt. Tréaslaím go mór leis sin. Molaim an tAire Stáit. Táim cinnte gur cuimhin leis an gCathaoirleach go raibh mise ag caint faoi seo gach uair a raibh díospóireacht faoin nGaeilge againn sa Teach seo. Táim lán ina fhabhar. Táim cinnte gurb é an rud ceart le déanamh. Tréaslaím go mór leis agus molaim an tAire Stáit as an rud seo a dhéanamh.

The second point I wish to raise commends itself more readily to be raised in English. I put it to the Deputy Leader that we should have a discussion on the new broadband plan and its implementation every two or three months in order to discuss whether targets are being met and so on. There should be a rolling debate on this issue set for every three months. The plan is a wonderful idea. Those who read the article by Mr. Weckler, who is the acknowledged national expert, in The Irish Timeslast week will know that it is not possible to achieve a wireless solution or for 5G to do the business. No critic of the broadband plan has yet come up with a costed alternative that would provide exactly the same opportunity to rural people as urban people. That should be the criteria. Are we going to create a second-tier society, because this is the equivalent of rural electrification?

I agree with those who raised the issue of Spinraza. I have been in touch with the Minister on this myself and I know that he gets it, but we have to get a result. It is important. I agree with the two speakers who have said that Spinraza offers great potential and needs to be explored fully and made available.