Regina Doherty (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----that did not require legislative change. As the Senator will be aware, any of the substantive change we would like to see requires legislation. That said, we will keep plugging away and I urge him to also keep plugging away and raising the matter.

The Senator also referred to Tavistock and gave a far more honest account of the report on that clinic but if Senator Keoghan has concerns, I urge her to write to the CEOs of the HSE and Crumlin children's hospital. The biggest shame that has been highlighted by the Tavistock report is that we do not have these services available in Ireland for our own children. We should not be sending anybody who is in such a stressful situation in their own lives to the United Kingdom to get medical care. We should look after them right here.

Senator Conway asked me to write to Ministers regarding the transfer of the heritage buildings in Shannon to Clare County Council. I will write to the three relevant Ministers today on his behalf. The Senator, along with Senators Ahearn and Kyne, also raised the briefing this morning by local media who are calling for 0% VAT rate to be applied to local newspapers. As politicians we all know, as do the people who buy local newspapers for court reports, local sports news and so on, the value of local journalism. Their value is not lost on anybody. Local newspapers have a significant readership of 1.3 million and when one considers the fact that we have a population of only 5 million, most of whom live in our cities, that is a significant number. What was not highlighted this morning is the fact that the cost of paper has risen by approximately 150% recently, yet the cost of newspapers has not increased at the same rate. The very least we should do to support local journalism, if we really feel the way we say we feel about it, is to ensure it remains viable. To that end, on Senator Kyne's suggestion, I will write to the Minister for Finance and ask if it is even possible to have a 0% VAT rate on something like a newspaper. That will further fuel our activism in that area.

Senator Cummins sought an expansion of the Croí Cónaithe scheme. I suggest he writes to the Ministers for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and Finance, to request same. Senator Seery Kearney, supported by Senator Conway, sought a debate on how drugs get onto the illness benefit scheme or medical card scheme lists. I will inquire as to the current position so that we can all be clear on it and then I will organise a debate so that we can ask for changes to be made if we are not happy about it.

Senator Maria Byrne raised several issues. She welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage of €2 million in funding for 25 homes in Castletroy, which will be very welcome in Limerick. I hope they are built quickly. She also advocated different routes to professional education and spoke about a young lady she knows called Mairéad who is in her third year of a level 7 degree programme. In the past number of years we have changed people's mind sets but we still have a way to go. Going to Trinity College Dublin, Dublin City University or the South East Technological University in Waterford is not the only route to getting a professional education and qualification in this country. Congratulations and continued success to Mairéad.

Senator Dooley asked for a debate on the control of dogs with the Ministers for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and Justice. He highlighted illegal hunting in County Clare and I will try to organise such a debate at the earliest opportunity. Senator Mullen spoke about the sad passing of Her Majesty, Elizabeth II, the Queen of the United Kingdom. Senator Sherlock very much welcomed the ERO for early childcare workers but highlighted the unacceptable delay in its implementation. I am sure that all 60,000 workers and their families also find that delay unacceptable. It is a result of an injunction dating from the end of August. I am not sure what is causing the delay but I will find out for the Senator and if there is anything I can do to help, I will do it today.

Senator Boylan spoke about the far right and the really awful incident that happened outside Leinster House yesterday but this is not just about the far right. Any incident like that, involving violence by anybody against anybody else, whether in public life or not, is not acceptable. That incident highlights a growing concern around some people's views, which I do not find acceptable and which would not be acceptable to the mainstream. We certainly should not intimidate or abuse each other in any way, shape or form. The Senator also spoke about youth emigration issues, as she and her party see them, but I certainly do not agree. We have far more people, including our youth, returning to Ireland than we ever had. Indeed, the population increased by 84,000 people last year. It is hard to understand the Senator's sentiments when so many people want to come back and live in Ireland. That is not to negate the fact that we do have obvious concerns and issues; I accept that and she highlighted some of them.

Senator Keoghan spoke about Tavistock and her concerns. As I said earlier, I suggest she send a letter to the CEOs of the HSE and of Crumlin hospital. Senator Martin spoke with real dignity about the passing of Her Majesty, the Queen of England and I thank him for that. Senator O'Loughlin spoke about the cost-of-living crisis and about the leadership that has been shown by the Taoiseach, which she expects to continue in the next number of weeks. She asked for a debate on therapists and the delays with CORU registration, which is preventing psychotherapists taking up posts in the HSE. She drew our attention to the fact that September is World Alzheimer's Month and that 30 people are diagnosed with the disease every day. Families up and down the country are really impacted by this and are worthy of increased support in the forthcoming budget.

I ask the Cathaoirleach to indulge me as I congratulate a County Galway family I know. The Connolly family from Tuam are the recipients of the overall prize in the National Dairy Council and Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards for 2022. More power to them and continued success.