Regina Doherty (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It strikes me as odd that it was only just during Covid, but I do not see why we would need security then and not during normal times. It is bizarre. I will contact the Minister in that regard today.

Senator Conway, who has brought the HPV catch-up programme to our attention on many occasions in the Seanad, raised the fact that constituents of his have told him they have been charged for the HPV vaccine. That runs completely contrary to the intentions of the Department of Health's previous announcements. I will follow up on that. Senator Conway also asked me to contact the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, about funding needed by Clare County Council to take ownership of the Shannon Heritage sites so it can start marketing them off its own back. I will follow up with the Minister on that issue.

Senator Ward spoke about the continuing plight of Thalidomide citizens in Ireland. There is a "Scannal" programme next Tuesday that will highlight everything that has happened not just in Ireland but across the UK, including the glaring differences in how the two jurisdictions have treated their citizens. To be honest, it leaves us in a very embarrassing position. Senator Boyhan has also raised this matter numerous times. It is time for the Department to take action with regard to its responsibility for these citizens.

Senator Malcolm Byrne spoke about northern voices and the Seanad reform Bill that he has before the House. I will come back to him later today on his request.

Senator Ruane has tabled an amendment to the Order of Business which I am very happy to accept. That is no problem. More important, probably, she asked for a debate on combatting poverty. Notwithstanding that we are in a crisis that we have not seen in a generation - there probably was a similar one going back in the 1980s but I was only a young one so the problems were on my mam's and dad's shoulders not on mine - it is distinctly different to combatting persistent poverty, something that blights many towns and communities around the country. I will ask for such a debate.

I am very conscious of what Senator Ruane said this morning. She is probably here for seven or nearly eight years. I am not surprised that particular communities turn off and ask us to please stop talking about them because all it ever does is bring negativity and bring them down from the positive parts and actions of the communities we speak about. This is not a reflection on Senator Ruane at all, but what we need to be mindful of is the tone of how we speak about communities. Sometimes we can very easily highlight all of the bad stuff in certain communities, as if they do not happen in every other community and that our lovely, leafy suburbs are perfect when we all know they are not. We must be mindful of how we speak about the negativity that exist in some communities but also at the same time balance it by highlighting the very positive impacts that most people in those communities strive for just to live a normal, decent life. I will try to arrange such a debate as quickly as I can.

Senator Wall spoke about the ongoing issues with the school transport system. I listened intently to what he said, following on from my own party's Private Members' motion some weeks ago, which was widely supported by everybody, as we are all experiencing the same difficulties with families who did have access to bus transport but who do not have it now. The Minister made a statement at the time that the matter would be resolved in the budget. Her press conference came and went and did not give us any resolution, so I will follow up the matter as we do need to get it sorted. The money is now there, which is great, but what we need is the buses, drivers and the mechanism for people who used to have tickets to get them. People must be told what they have to do. I will follow up on the matter with the Senator today, and with all Members.

Members will be very pleased to know there is a debate on the Defence Forces report next Tuesday. We have scheduled two hours with the Minister. I hope Members get an opportunity to make their views known. Maynooth is only down the road from me. It is very worrying that the project was halted yesterday with no clarity as to where the money that has been collected to date is going and what they intend to do with future funding. While I completely understand that building costs have gone through the roof - everyone has experienced that and we get reports on it daily and weekly - but it is still not satisfactory. The statement finished nearly half way, and it did not follow on. I will contact the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, today and see if he knows anything. I will come back to the Senator on the matter.

Senator Ó Donnghaile spoke today about learning from the German experience of reunification. He also spoke about the Northern Voices event yesterday which was very welcome and sought Seanad reform.

Senator Boyhan spoke about the international European school in Clonskeagh that is run and funded by the German Government. He also spoke today about the AGM of the AILG. Nick Killian, who has been the chair for many years, is a good friend of mine. He lives in the same village as me and is a Trojan worker. I thank him for his work in recent years and wish him continued success in his role as chair of the AILG this year. The Senator looked for a debate on devolved powers, which I have sought as others have requested it in the past.We just do not have a date for it yet but I will follow up again.

Apart from the request for a debate on the inland fisheries, Senator Kyne spoke about the workforce planning debate that is badly needed. He spoke about his area where Saolta is recruiting with gusto, yet the CHOs that are responsible for all the local disability and mental health services do not seem to be doing the same. I noted with interest going home in my car late yesterday evening that Spin 1038 was doing a recruitment drive for Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda. I have never heard the likes of that before and it was unique but it was also welcome. When you look at the national recruitment of nurses by the HSE, we are paying for flights to bring them home and for accommodation for the first couple of months. We need to step up our game and make sure that the nurses who are training here get to stay here and we need increased numbers of them as well. We will do so with better treatment and conditions and we must also get back those nurses who we have lost over the years. There needs to be proper workforce planning to do so and not individual parts of the system working well while others are flaying behind. That workforce planning debate request has gone in and I will come back to the Senator as soon as I have a date for it.

Senator Murphy opened the debate by welcoming the largest ever agricultural budget in the history of the State, given that it is probably the most important indigenous industry we have. He highlighted some of the great advancements that have been made with new policies recognising where we are as a country and a world with our climate actions. He welcomed farm dwellings being included in the solar grant schemes, which reminded us all that 300,000 people rely on agriculture for their living every year. Every single one of us relies on them to eat and be well. The €14 billion in exports is something we should be very proud of and we should continue to support it in every way we can.