Seanad debates

Wednesday, 18 December 2019

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

 

10:30 am

Photo of Lorraine Clifford LeeLorraine Clifford Lee (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to mention the awful and tragic death of Nadine Lott and to offer my condolences to her family, particularly her young daughter. Nadine Lott from Arklow died last night after succumbing to the horrific injuries she sustained. Last week I highlighted the alarmingly high rate of domestic violence and deaths of women in their own homes, in front of their children and often with their children. I want a debate on domestic violence in this Chamber as soon as we return from the Christmas break. The women of Ireland are facing a great crisis, namely, the crisis of domestic violence, which is not being tackled. We are furious it is not being tackled properly. I would like to request that a specific committee be set up to examine the issue, although not over a long period. I would like a committee made up of people who have an interest in and knowledge of this area to produce a report within a matter of weeks because this cannot continue. A number of women have been murdered in similar circumstances, and it is no longer acceptable. We need to respect the memories of these women by taking action.

I would like to raise an issue facing thousands of crèches, childcare facilities and early education facilities throughout the country, namely, the insurance crisis. As we all know, there is only one insurer in the market. Many facilities are without insurance at the moment. If they want insurance, they have to go to one insurer which is offering outrageous rates. It is tripling the insurance premiums of the previous year, even though no claims are outstanding or no claims have been settled in a particular facility. This is absolutely outrageous. Not one Minister from the Department of Finance, the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation, the Department of Justice and Equality or the Department of Children and Youth Affairs has met the insurance companies or their industry body since taking office in 2016. That is symptomatic of the hands-off approach taken by this Government to the insurance crisis facing many businesses.

There is a severe shortage of childcare places in north County Dublin, and if any facilities close because of this issue, it will cause great distress in an already squeezed market. It has been coming for months, but the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs seems surprised. We have been highlighting this since last April but it is only the now that the Minister is seeking to do something about it. It is probably a little too late. These facilities are providing a public service. Early years education is a vital public service, yet these facilities are being treated appallingly by the Government. They are not being offered any support or assistance, and it is an outrage that this crisis has gotten to this point. I want the Leader to address this issue.

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