Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senators for their contributions. We started and finished with Senators Chambers and Lombard, respectively, regarding school transport issues. Both request a debate with the Minister, Deputy Foley, on this. We welcome the €13 million additional funding in the budget for school transport. I agree that there are many children and parents not knowing where they stand. Senator Chambers talked about getting rid of the whole issue of concessionary tickets and eligibility and ensuring that there is a bus place for all school-going children who want one. Senator Lombard talked about people who are still none the wiser five weeks after the announcement that something will be done. I am dealing with those cases myself, so I certainly call on the Minister, Deputy Foley, to come in before us to discuss this at the earliest opportunity. Senator Chambers also talked about her friend and neighbour, Geraldine Lavelle, and wished her well on her new book, titled, Weathering the Storm. I will look out for that as well in bookshops.

Senator Buttimer spoke about independent broadcasters, the broadcasting levy and the future of radio. I will request that we have a debate on this issue. All of us, particularly rural Senators, would know the importance of local radio stations. At times of Covid, local radio was important for everything, whether it be Sunday Mass, the death notices, sports results or coverage of local sporting games. Local radio is hugely important across the regions. The levy they pay is a regulatory levy. There is some concern that if you scrap it entirely it will not be fair to other bodies, whether it be teachers or others, who also pay regulatory levies and there is a principle there. It is certainly a burden on local radio. If it can be reduced, at the very least, that would be welcome. Senator Buttimer also called for a debate on disability matters and I will request that from the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan.

Senator Craughwell raised cybersecurity and defence. Unfortunately, he could not make the debate during the week on the Defence Forces because he was abroad. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, was here and gave a good outline of the present status of the action plan, the commission report and what Cabinet has agreed. I note that in the past 24 hours, at the PDFORRA conference, he announced measures to increase the pay rates for private three-star naval seamen in the first three years of service, starting at €34,798 in year one, €36,128 in year two and €37,253 in year three of service. He also referenced the recently agreed extension to the Building Momentum pay agreement which, if ratified, would further improve members’ pay and allowances to the order of 6.5% over 2022 and 2023. In recognition of a particular concern raised at the conference, that Defence Forces personal daily ration allowance should be raised to reflect present-day inflation prices, the Minister, Deputy Coveney, announced an increase in the daily ration rate of 52%. All of that is welcome. Senator Craughwell raised a number of other issues. As I said, the action plan on the report that has been commissioned will see priority in relation to radar and increases in personnel within the Naval Service and our forces. I certainly welcome that. On cybersecurity, obviously, the Minister is aware of the matter. Reference was made to the underground cables. It is hugely important that we are able to defend them. If he has any particular issues in mind, the Senator might be able to raise these in a Commencement debate.

Senator Gavan talked about community employment, CE, supervisors having had no pay increase for 14 years. In February, the Government welcomed the decision of the CE supervisors and assistant supervisors on voting in favour of ending the long-running dispute regarding pensions. They will receive an ex-gratiapayment at an overall cost of €24 million. I know there is still an issue with the rural social scheme, RSS, and Tús, but I will contact the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, for a debate on the area. Obviously, no more than the section 39 organisations that I raised here myself recently, not having a pay increase for 14 years for any sector, particularly very important community sectors and all those involved in disability services, such as Ability West, is not good enough. I will request debate on that.

Senator Sherlock requested that the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O’Brien, come into the Chamber to discuss issues regarding build-to-rent planning and reforms in that. I will certainly request an overall debate in housing. We have not had the Minister in for a while to discuss housing and Housing for All.

Senator Daly spoke about energy issues, which are absolutely crucial and vital. The EirGrid report stated there is a shortfall of supply over demand for the next decade. The statement published described the situation as stark and serious. EirGrid’s chief executive talked about a tight winter ahead and could not guarantee that there would be no blackouts. There are a number of issues, including the performance of existing power plants as poor. Some 590 MW have been taken out of the system. Some 630 MW of power, which was contracted to come from new plants, has failed to materialise, as developers have pulled out. There have been technical and planning difficulties causing delays. Senator Daly also talked about something I had not heard of, the “kill switch”. The Senator can table a Commencement matter on that. However, I will request the Minister to come in to discuss issues related to that. That makes no sense. There may be technical reasons involved relating to storage, but I do not know what they would be. If power has been generated and not collected and stored in the grid, that makes no sense.

Senator Maria Byrne congratulated Mr. Roger McCarthy on his service to the Limerick Art Society. She also welcomed the two new direct Ryanair routes from Shannon to Newcastle and Beziers. I agree that Shannon is an excellent airport. It has a quick throughput, whether it be for pre-clearance to the United States or for general security. It is very handy. Together with Ireland West Airport, it is certainly my first port of call, if possible, for a break away. They provide an excellent service. The Senator also asked that we contact Revenue regarding the opening of public offices. There are some things that are still delaying a resumption on normality post-Covid. People being able to meet with Revenue officials to discuss their issues in public should be provided in all offices, particularly outside of Dublin and Cork.

Senator Keogan talked about the intake of Ukrainians, long-term homes and limits to how many people we can accommodate. I am proud of the response of the Irish people in government on a humanitarian issue where people had to flee their homes. We have all seen the television footage of what is going on in Ukraine and the atrocities that have been committed in Bucha and other areas. I am proud that the European Union and Ireland have stood up and welcomed people. People have welcomed others into their own homes and offered accommodation. I do not think we are taking away from Irish people, as the Senator put it. There is a housing situation and I accept that but it is not caused by Ukrainians. They have been welcomed into people’s homes. They have been provided with accommodation in hotels and other buildings. We need long-term solutions and the Government is looking at modular homes. However, I agree that we need to also provide, as far as I am concerned, modular homes to deal with the housing situation across the board. We do not need to have a “them versus us” fight. Many good people have come to this country. In addition, we have shortages of people. We are crying out for nurses, home care assistants and staff for nursing homes up and down the country. We need people, thankfully, because we have full employment.

Senator Ahearn talked about the big increase in antisocial behaviour in Clonmel and said the people involved are known. That is good in one way, but it is about trying to ensure they are apprehended. There is a meeting tonight on that. I certainly will convey his request to the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, to meet with a delegation from the public meeting to discuss issues of antisocial behaviour. Obviously, allocations of Garda within the country is a matter for the Garda Commissioner. In the recent budget, we increased the funding for new Garda as well, which is important, by more than 800, excluding retirement.There will be a net increase in the number of gardaí allocated and deployed across the country.

Senator Burke talked about the Irish medtech meeting yesterday, which I also attended, and called for a meeting with the European Commissioner to discuss the issue. I will certainly ask that the issue be raised with the Commissioner although it might be more appropriately discussed at the Joint Committee on Health or the Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Certainly, I would be concerned that jobs are being put at risk. There is a new European directive on licensing. All existing products have to go through a new approval process so there is a backlog and I agree that it has to be resolved. The deadline is March 2024 but there is a backlog. Innovative medtech companies are concerned about the impact here.

Senator Boylan talked about the fact that the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine will be producing a report on dog welfare and I look forward to that. Perhaps we will get an opportunity to discuss it at a later date. She also talked about the impact of light pollution on migratory birds. This is an interesting issue and one that could be debated in the Seanad or at the relevant Oireachtas committee in the context of our heritage and additional resources for the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS.

Senator Seery Kearney called for a debate with the Minister for Education on the vetting of programmes rolled out in schools. She referenced Drinkaware, a charity funded by the drinks industry, and argued that there is no transparency regarding what it does. I will certainly request that debate. I agree with the Senator's point about the numerous outlets selling alcohol. A former Minister of State at the Department of Health, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, put in place legislation regulating the visibility of alcohol products in off licences and supermarkets. It is now less visible than it was previously but it is still visible. There is no doubt that the ease of access to alcohol is of concern around the country. I will ask the Minister to look at this in the context of Drinkaware and other bodies that have access to schools and to the minds of our children.

Senator Conway raised the important issue of thalidomide. RTÉ aired a "Scannal" documentary on the issue during the week, which I have not seen yet but I will watch it on the RTÉ Player. There are a small number of survivors of thalidomide - approximately 40, I believe - and very few of their parents still survive. I can only imagine the guilt that parents felt, through no fault of their own. Thousands of lives have been impacted. I understand that there is a big possibility of a legal bill to defend cases. It would be a shame if we spent millions upon millions of euro to defend cases rather than using that money to provide some comfort to the affected families. Perhaps there could be stand-alone legislation to provide supports for people who suffered because of thalidomide. There were no medicine licensing boards at that time but nevertheless, people were impacted through no fault of their own and the State should acknowledge that and provide support to the survivors and those impacted.