Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The first comment was from Senator O'Loughlin. She referenced the Jacob family. I pay my respects to the family and hope they get Deirdre back. It is right and proper we show solidarity in this House for their long suffering. The Senator also mentioned the national heritage site proposal at the Curragh. I agree it is a unique site and deserves to be protected. With regard to the Yellow Flag programme on inclusion in schools, if there is that level of demand from schools, we should certainly facilitate it. It is fantastic for our young people to be involved in those types of projects.The issue of visas for non-residents was raised. I refer to those that have been extended but where people cannot leave the country. It might be a good topic for a Commencement matter with the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Senator Kyne raised the issue of the health service and the unprecedented investment in health in yesterday's budget. He then specifically referred to the issue of waiting lists, which have plagued this country for more than a decade. These excessive waiting lists are hurting people. As I said to Senator Sherlock, a specific announcement was made in this regard in the budget. I do not have a specific figure to hand, but it is more than €200 million specifically allocated to tackle waiting lists. This issue, therefore, is to the fore of the mind of the Minister for Health in respect of targeting these waiting lists now that we are emerging from the pandemic. Everybody will agree that this must be a priority. Senator Kyne also raised the issue of Sláintecare and requested a debate on that matter. I am informed by the Leader’s office that this debate is scheduled for 19 November.

Senator Boyhan referred to the Private Members' Bill on legacy issues this evening. I commend the Senator on his work and on travelling to the North with colleagues from both Houses in regard to this issue. I commend Senator Currie in this respect as well. She has been to the fore on this issue. Deputy Lawless and other Members were also involved.

Senator Kyne in raising his matter has helpfully put on the record the colossal waiting lists affecting all the hospitals. I am not surprised to hear that University Hospital Galway, UHG, tops that list. It caters for patients from Mayo, Roscommon, Leitrim, Sligo and Donegal as well, which is a massive region. As I said, however, a specific announcement was made in the budget regarding funding to address these waiting lists. I am unsure if that will happen through the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF. It has been Fianna Fáil policy for many years to use that vehicle to reduce the waiting lists. It would be a good avenue to take as a one-time measure to clear these waiting lists and start afresh. We must try to do this.

Senator Boylan raised the issue of the Stardust inquiry, as she has several times before. It is a major priority for her. I am not sure why the members of that legal team are the only ones not being paid for their work. Something must happen in that regard. It is unfair that every other legal team would be reimbursed but not that of the victims. Surely the reasonable legal costs could be looked at, and I hope that will be addressed.

I was not up to speed with the Ryanair issue until the Senator raised it. I got an update, but I was not previously aware that this was happening. This matter should be looked at, however. It might be an issue to address in a Commencement matter with the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Varadkar or the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe. They may be able to shed some light on this issue. From what the Senator has said, however, it sounds quite incredible that a company would do something like this. I am a big fan of Ryanair and its having opened up travel to many people, but customers must also be treated well. This issue requires more investigation.

Senator Sherlock raised yesterday's budget. She said certain things were not mentioned in the speech. It is probably difficult to cover everything in one speech. We must acknowledge that it is incredible that we are in a position to be able to spend the amount of money that we are spending, and to do so in many different sectors, when we are still dealing with the pandemic. Looking at other jurisdictions, including the one closest to us, we see a different story. Spending cuts are being mentioned in those countries, but we are spending more money. It would be difficult to find things in the budget to be annoyed about or to give out about. I appreciate that Opposition Members must find things to highlight that they feel could have been addressed better or further. I think it was a good budget, however. It contained a major package for childcare services. More than €700 million was allocated and we have never seen that level of investment in childcare. In addition, more than €30 million was allocated to women’s health initiatives. Similarly, I have never seen that level of spending before in a budget. The social welfare package was also remarkable, with increases right across the board.

There were also specific youth policies. The Senator mentioned youth unemployment. There will be half-priced travel for young people aged from 17 to 23. The Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, grant was also increased. Again, I have never seen a budget with so many specific measures addressing young people. Therefore, I, for one, thought it was a good budget. I appreciate, however, that the Senator has a job to do in highlighting certain things that were perhaps not addressed at the level she wanted them to be. I took on board what she said about the level of youth unemployment. Having a level of unemployment of 10% in the country now is not bad, considering what we have just been through. We should be relatively optimistic about that figure and that it is going to reduce.

I take on board as well what the Senator said about youth unemployment being higher. However, it is always higher than the national unemployment rate and that is normal. I accept, though, that we must reduce the level of 17%. Those impacted were generally working in the hospitality and retail areas and those are the sectors still trying to get back on their feet. The Senator will accept and appreciate, however, that the Government supports provided to businesses have been phenomenal. It is not just me saying that but also the representatives of the business community. They have felt very supported. I refer to the wage subsidy scheme and the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP. Those supports ensured that people were okay in the last year and a half, that they could pay their bills and stay in touch with their employers. That did not happen in every country and we can be proud of the supports we provided to businesses. Those supports are going to continue as well. Therefore, there are positives in the budget, and not everything can be done in one budget.

Senator Gallagher raised the issue of organ donation. It is important, and I was not aware that there was a 27% reduction in deceased organ donation in 2020. This is an issue that we must address and we must speed up the promised legislation.

Senator Currie raised the issue of obesity. Only a few days ago, I heard the same figure in respect of it being projected that by 2030 some 90% of our citizens will be either obese or overweight. That is a phenomenal figure and an issue we must tackle. It is a public health issue and one that the country will end up paying for and dealing with through the health service. We must tackle it and that must happen at the earliest possible opportunity. We ensure that we are providing healthy meals and exercise opportunities to younger children through the school programme, and in other ways.

Senator Murphy respectfully commented on the passing of Paddy Moloney. Other Senators concurred with his remarks. I pay my respects and send my condolences to his family, his friends and all those who will miss him. The Senator also rightly pointed out that the budget was welcome in respect of its allocation to the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, DEIS, programme to enable the expansion of that programme to other schools. The increased allocation of special needs assistants, SNAs, will also make a major difference to many communities.

Senator Seery Kearney raised the issue of migrant children and unaccompanied minors. The timing is apt and important. We have had this debate in recent years. Some unaccompanied minors are arriving from Moria camp, and this will be a recurring issue that the country must deal with. It is going to become more of an issue for us and we will be taking in more unaccompanied minors. We should do that, and we are not even going far enough in that regard. We should be taking in more unaccompanied minors than we are now. It is embarrassing that we are not doing an awful lot more. It is shocking to realise as well that of the 54 unaccompanied minors who have been missing since 2018, only 18 have ever been found. This aspect must be followed up. This is not a legacy issue but an immediate concern. This issue has happened in recent years. A debate with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O’Gorman, would be welcome in this regard.

Senator Gavan concurred with the previous comments and also paid a strong tribute to Paddy Moloney. He referred to his own experience in that regard. The whole House will agree with those comments in respect of the mark that Mr. Moloney made and the legacy he left, not just in Ireland but across the globe. He was a phenomenal musician and a superb ambassador for this country.

Senator Conway spoke about the budget. When he said we all slept on the budget, I had a picture in my mind of him sleeping on the budget book. He was right when he said that there was a bit in the budget for everybody. That has been mentioned as a criticism. I cannot understand why it is a bad thing for everybody to feel that they got something in yesterday’s budget. It should be a good thing that resources were as evenly spread as we can manage. There will always be limited resources, so the issue here concerns trying to target and to tailor spending to protect the most vulnerable. The Senator also discussed the leaking of the budget. I was listening in the car yesterday on the way to work to the former Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, discussing that subject with Pat Kenny on the radio. Mr. Kenny recalled what happened many years ago when the then Minister of State, Phil Hogan, mistakenly faxed the budget in advance of it being announced. At that point it was a sackable offence, whereas the details of the budget are now discussed well in advance of budget day.

The former Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, also said that it felt as though yesterday was the day after the budget, not the day of the budget. Many people love the budget season and the run up to it. Maybe the big bang of budget day has gone but perhaps the run up to it and the discussions beforehand is where the excitement is now. The Committee on Budgetary Oversight, which I sat on in the last session, and which was referred to by Senator Buttimer, gives us a chance to feed into this process. The committee produces a report with cross-party recommendations for the Ministers for Public Expenditure and Reform and Finance to make them aware of the views of all parties in advance of the budget. I take on board, however, what the Senator said about having that debate prior to the budget itself.

Senator Fitzpatrick referred to the issue of disinformation about the budget. She mentioned in particular the money that is being allocated and which will be spent to address the rental crisis and to help renters. It was an important point. Even if misinformation is done for political purposes, and that might be the accusation, it harms citizens because it scares people into thinking that things are not happening when they are. That is unfortunate.

Senator Lombard raised the issue of farming families and farming communities, as he often does. He referred to the climate action Bill and the need to protect rural communities and to ensure that they are vibrant. The budget contained good measures in respect of agriculture and farming. All the supports are being maintained and there is also an increase in the budget for agriculture. Senator Lombard has long been an advocate for the farming community and he will continue to undertake the role. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, is keenly aware of the stresses and strains on farmers in dealing with the climate challenge.They are very much stepping up to the mark in that regard.

Senator Buttimer raised the issue of the butcher process which I have dealt with, but also the need for a debate on the future of work which would be an interesting debate to have. There are very different views and perspective on it but there is no doubt that work has changed since the pandemic.

Senator Ahearn raised the issue of banking, an issue which he raised previously, in particular the Fethard branch which is of particular concern to constituents of the Senator, and the three Bank of Ireland branches that closed in County Tipperary. Three of them are closing in Mayo also. I understand the concern. It makes things difficult. Very often people think of retail banking as being for individuals but it really impacts on businesses in the town which need that cash facility to be able to lodge at the end of the day. That is of particular concern. A debate around banking services in rural areas is a good idea, including on how we will ensure that businesses have access to banking services in some form. That might be through post offices or credit unions, but the writing is on the wall in regard to retail banking. They are private companies. We have very little control as to where they move their operations and how they work in some regards, but we can assist the post offices and credit unions to step in and provide that service. That could be the way forward. That is a debate that needs to be had, because businesses are very worried as to how they are going to operate. Take Clonmel for example. As a tourist town it needs banking services, and having to travel long distances makes it very difficult for them.