Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank all Members who contributed to the Order of Business this morning for their comments. Senator Dooley started the day by bringing up the issue of the Doolin Coast Guard, which has been brought up by a number of colleagues this morning, including Senators Garvey, Conway and others. I join with colleagues in sharing their frustration and concern over the standing down of that very busy Coast Guard. My current information is that the Department of Transport is working with local stakeholders and the community to try to get the issue resolved and get the Coast Guard back up and running as it is not the intention to permanently close that Coast Guard. It is a fair request by the Members of this House to ask for a timeline as to when that service will be back up and running. Senator Conway asked whether the citizens in that area are safe currently without that service, given they are now relying on the Aran Islands. It is a question I cannot answer but it is a fair question that has been posed.

Senator Kyne raised the issue of the Technological University for the West and North West that was announced last Thursday with great fanfare across the north-west region. I join with him in congratulating all of the institutes of technology involved - GMIT, Sligo IT and LYIT - which came together to make this happen. I join with him in saying it is fantastic to have a number of university towns across eight campuses, one of them being my own hometown of Castlebar. I can say it is something that is a very exciting prospect for the students and communities in those regions.

Senator Kyne also raised the issue of funding for local authorities. I concur with his remarks in that there is an issue around current funding, given the current levels of funding are based on 2014 assessments. There is a deficit in funding, particularly in smaller and more rural local authorities, which do not have the same level of income as some of the larger urban centres. It is something that should be reviewed and we will seek a debate with the Minister of State with responsibility, Deputy Peter Burke, at the earliest opportunity.

Senator Boyhan also raised the issue of the Doolin Coast Guard and spoke about the need to reassess how we do the debates with our MEPs. I join with other colleagues in saying we had a very good debate last night with our Dublin MEPs. The standard and quality of the debate was quite high. It is fair to say that all four MEPs took a lot of questions on a variety of topics. The suggestion from Senator Boyhan is that we would perhaps look at themed discussions going forward. As I understand it from the Cathaoirleach, it is the understanding that once we complete the third constituency in the south, we might take feedback from Members and MEPs as to how we can improve that process for the next round of engagements.

Senator Garvey raised the issue of the Doolin Coast Guard and spoke very passionately about her work in trying to resolve that with her party leader, the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan.

Senator Warfield spoke about two reports that were launched this week in which he was personally involved, namely, the report on online safety from the Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media, chaired by Deputy Niamh Smyth. A number of Members of this House are participants in that committee, including Senator Warfield and Senator Malcolm Byrne. I commend the committee on its work. Some 33 recommendations were made. One of the key recommendations is around an online digital safety commissioner but various other recommendations are around making the online space safer for all of us, in particular children. It should certainly be viewed by all Members of this House. I hope the Department and the Minister will take on board the recommendations made by that cross-party joint committee.

Senator Warfield also spoke about the report launched yesterday by the Forum on a Family Friendly and Inclusive Parliament that was launched and initiated by the Ceann Comhairle almost a year ago. I am a member of that forum. The culmination of all of that work came yesterday, when we produced our report with over 50 recommendations as to how we can improve both Houses of the Oireachtas as a workplace for all Members and make it more family friendly and inclusive for everybody. I urge Members to have a look at that report at a time of their convenience.

Senator Rebecca Moynihan raised several issues around housing, as she very often does, namely, the need to improve standards in rental accommodation, improve security of tenure for rental tenants and deal with the ongoing increase in the cost of rent across the country. She correctly pointed out that it is not just an issue in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford or Galway, and it is affecting other areas. She pointed to Mayo, where she said there was an increase in rent cost of 11.8% last year. I can attest to that. I can see that the prices are increasing across the board and it is something we need to deal with.

Senator Frances Black raised the issue of the adult safeguarding legislation that is currently with the Law Reform Commission. We will certainly do our best to see if we can assist in getting that report published sooner. I suggest to the Senator that she might circulate the proposed legislation to Members of this House so we can have a look at that.

Senator Ardagh raised two particular issues in regard to disability services. One was the around the EmployAbility service (west) in Bluebell and the conflicting information that service users have received and that she has herself received as a public representative in that area. There is a need for clarity. I suggest to the Senator that she might table a Commencement matter to try to bring clarity on that issue.

The Senator also raised, as she has on a number of occasions, the issue around therapies for children with autism, which I know is an issue many Members have raised in the House. A very worrying statement from her was that no child in the Bluebell area is currently receiving any therapy.

Senator Jerry Buttimer requested that we have a debate in the House with the Minister for Education, in conjunction with the Minister for Health, around contact tracing in schools in regard to Covid-19, and also the ongoing difficulties many schools are facing in getting substitute teachers to cover where a teacher is out. We will certainly request that.

The Senator also sought a debate on Taiwan. Many other Members, including Senators McDowell and Ward, also raised the need for that debate, and I know Senator Malcolm Byrne has on many occasions requested a similar debate. We will try to get that debate at the earliest opportunity.

Senator Keogan spoke about the need for a debate on the future of banking and finance. She went into a lot of detail around cryptocurrencies.I will not even suggest I have a level of knowledge to debate with her on that. It is certainly a worthwhile debate to have in the House in order to get some information from the Minister for Finance.

Senator Crowe raise the issue of antisocial behaviour in Eyre Square. I know the area well. I went to college in Galway so would have frequented Eyre Square regularly. I am surprised to hear the response from gardaí locally was to just close Eyre Square. That is not really possible. It is the centre point of the city and that would be devastating for businesses, I imagine. Again, that might be one for a Commencement matter with the Minister for Justice because what the Senator is requesting is quite specific.

Senator Lombard raised the issue of forestry and the ongoing licensing crisis in the forestry sector, as did Senator Carrigy, and I raised the issue myself yesterday. We are looking for a debate with the Minister of State, Senator Pippa Hackett, at the earliest possible opportunity. Many of us had the opportunity to meet with that sector yesterday, when they were in Buswells Hotel for a number of hours to provide a briefing to Oireachtas Members, and I thank them for making themselves available to us to do that. I concur with the remarks of the Leas-Chathaoirleach that it is a huge issue that has been dragging on for many months. I know the agriculture committee was meeting throughout the summer with the Minister of State to try to resolve this and it is still not resolved. A debate on that is certainly required.

Senator McDowell raised the issue of volunteerism, in particular in regard to the Garda Reserve, which I think is a fantastic initiative. As somebody who served in the Army Reserve, I can attest to the importance of volunteerism, giving people in the community an opportunity to serve in those organisations, to give back to their communities and to work in the local space. We see how much it benefits young people to be part of those organisations. It can be character forming if people come in at a certain age, and it certainly was for me. There is a very lax attitude in regard to maintaining that organisation. It is the same with the Army Reserve, which has just been left to wither and die, in my view. I am sure Senator Craughwell will know a lot of the issues around that as well. This is an issue that needs to be debated with the Minister for Justice to get an update on what are the plans to maintain and enhance the Garda Reserve and ensure people can apply and join again, which is not happening currently.

The Senator also raised the issue of Richard O'Halloran and the ongoing nightmare that he and his family are living through. This was also raised in the Chamber yesterday. I hope the Department of Foreign Affairs is doing everything it can to try to get justice and get him out of there.

Senator Paul Daly raised the issue around the dimming of lights and poor lighting on our motorways. I suggest he puts forward a Commencement matter on that as it is very specifically around whether there has been a policy change within TII and the Department in order to try to make those savings. It seems like a small amount of money in the grand scheme of things, given it is a matter of health and safety.

Senator Craughwell raised a number of issues around vaccines. We need to take on board that questions are being asked. It is very important that Members of this House and all public representatives hammer home the message that vaccines work and they are protecting the country. It does not mean people cannot contract Covid-19 and that was never suggested, but there is a lot of misinformation flying around. It is incumbent on all of us to try to correct that and to try to get the message out that vaccines do work. A booster has been approved for healthcare workers, which is very welcome and I know they welcome that. It is important that we continue to do the things we have been asked to do all along. We know what we need to do at this stage. That is all I can add on that front.

Senator Malcolm Byrne raised the issue of motor neurone disease and the need to increase support around that. That would be a welcome debate with the Minister for Health. The fact we only have four nurse specialists in the country who are funded by a charity is not sustainable and that should not be how we provide healthcare. Credit to the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association for providing that service because, otherwise, it would not be there. We will certainly seek a debate on that with the Minister at the earliest opportunity.

Senator Conway also raised the issue of the Coast Guard, which I have dealt with.

Senator Erin McGreehan asked for a debate on the future of agriculture. This is timely, given the comments that have come out of COP26 around emissions reductions and methane. There is a lot of change happening in agriculture, particularly with CAP being out for public consultation and Ireland needing to finalise its plan by the end of this year. There are competing interests and the farming organisations, unfortunately, are not on the same page and not united in what they are requesting of the Minister. There is a lot of change. It would be timely to have a debate with the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, on that at the earliest opportunity.

Senator Paul Gavan joined others in asking about an update on the Doolin Coast Guard and, in particular, spoke about the need for improved terms and conditions for the workers. It is a conversation we need to have. It should be a service that is paid because of the work they do and the risks they take.

I concur with the Senator that if we are going to have a public holiday, it should be a permanent fixture. I am not sure where the one-off suggestion has come from. I know my colleague, Senator Fiona O'Loughlin, is pushing for St. Brigid's Day to be the new public holiday. I join with Senator Gavan in aspiring to bring Ireland in line with other similar countries in increasing the number of public holidays we have. We should aspire to that as a country, why would we not? With advances in technology, we should be looking to reduce the number of hours people have to work, that being a choice, of course, but it should be something we try to do.

Senators Carrigy and Currie raised the issue around Basketball Ireland and sport. I am not fully up to date as to why that directive was issued by Sport Ireland. It needs to be clarified and, again, I suggest a Commencement matter on that or we could seek a wider debate with the Minister of State with responsibility for sport as to why that directive has come from that particular sporting body but has not been applied across the board to children in other activities. There is confusion there, of that there is no doubt.

Senator McGahon raised the issue of the Wind Turbine Regulation Bill from Sinn Féin. It is welcome that it was withdrawn. The Senator raised the wider debate we need to have around renewables, wind energy and how we manage that. There are a lot of things happening offshore as well and I know it is a big conversation, particularly in the west, where there is huge potential for offshore wind. We need to take all angles on this because we have a huge gap to make up in terms of how much renewable energy we produce and can rely upon to meet those demands for energy.

Senator Dolan spoke very positively about the Mayo Roscommon Hospice. I have been involved with the hospice for many years as a public representative and I can attest to the huge amount of fundraising done. No stone has been left unturned in terms of gathering funds from every corner of the counties of Mayo and Roscommon. Credit to all involved, the hospice was opened in Castlebar a couple of years ago and it is great to see the hospice in Roscommon being opened as well, with a €6 million investment in an eight-bed unit that will make a huge difference to the lives of the people and families who go through that service. It is a positive day for Roscommon. I commend all involved in the Mayo Roscommon Hospice on delivering that.

Senator Barry Ward concluded the debate. I concur with his remarks on yesterday's debate with the MEPs and how good it was. Credit to the four MEPs who attended and made themselves available.

I also concur with his remarks around Taiwan. We will seek to have that debate at the earliest opportunity.