Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank all Senators for their contributions. There was a wide variety of topics. Senator Murphy spoke about the flooding at Lough Funshinagh. I have great sympathy for all those who have been impacted by the floodwaters there. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, who is responsible for the Office of Public Works, OPW, has been passionate about his concerns about the planning process as well as about objections to projects, including in Lough Funshinagh. The CEO of Roscommon County Council did much work to try to provide a solution and to get works moving. I welcome the fact the Minister of State is to meet with a local group next week. He is always amenable to engaging with people on the issues.

Senator Conway welcomed the Minister, Deputy Ryan's attendance at the opening of the sod turning at Killaloe Bridge. The Senator spoke about the northern distributor road and asked for debate. I will ask for the Minister to attend or perhaps the Minister of State with responsibility for roads, Deputy Naughton, might attend in his place regarding that project and other road projects.

Senator Conway also spoke about the concern about the agri-climate rural environment scheme, ACRES. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, held a briefing for Members the week before last, so I am sure the Minister would be happy to engage in a Commencement debate, if the Senator were to table one regarding the specific details of the Burren LIFE programme and ACRES.

Senator Craughwell raised issues regarding the constitutionality of RAF flights over this country and whether this has been approved by the Cabinet. I am not privy to that information, but I am sure he can have that raised with the Attorney General or with the Taoiseach. He has also asked for the Minister to come into the House. I suggest this is first a matter for the Oireachtas committee at which he spoke initially. He can liaise with the committee in that regard.

Senator Gavan has spoken about the cost of living and the rally on Saturday. It is important and welcome in this country that we have the ability to protest and to march. Senator Gavan did not, of course, mention any of the range of measures put in place by the Government in the budget last month, some of which are coming through now, including the doubling of child benefit, the autumn double payment, the €500 disability support grant, the €500 lump sum for the working family payment, the €200 lump sum to people living alone, the €500 carer’s grant, the Christmas bonus double payment, as well as the energy payments.We acknowledge that all of this is absolutely necessary because families are under tremendous pressure this year. We encounter people every day of the week who are experiencing difficulties. Thankfully, the Government has been able to respond, and everything we have done has been done because it was necessary. We have been able to do it because we had the financial firepower, from a well-run economy, to be able to put in place these supports for people who are deserving of them.

Senators Hoey and Buttimer referred to the layoffs at Twitter, and Senator Buttimer asked for a debate on the matter. I will certainly ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to come to the House to talk about the state of the tech sector. A number of concerns have been expressed in respect of announcements made in respect of not just Twitter but also Stripe and other companies. The treatment of Twitter employees was not right and was not what we would expect from a world-renowned multinational company. I accept there have been a number of changes in the company management over the past while and, unfortunately, we saw the brunt of that in the form of the layoffs that took place.

Senators also referred to the World Cup in Qatar, an event that is tarnished and should never have been planned for. There has been much talk about the fact the country has had to build many new stadiums, with questions as to whether they will ever be used again, and there is the ongoing question of whether it is right to bring such an event to that part of the world, why it was chosen in the first instance and what impact it will have through lives lost and people injured. As far as I am concerned, it is a tarnished event.

Senator Blaney talked about the events last week at Markets Field in Limerick during the match between Galway United and Waterford Football Club. Thankfully, nobody was seriously injured or worse. I will ask the Minister of State with responsibility for sport to engage with stakeholders in respect of sports infrastructure throughout the country and to come to the House to talk about that.

Senator Keogan argued that Covid did not cancel cancer screenings but rather it was the Government and the HSE that did so. I appreciate there were differing points of view but the Government, through majorities of these Houses, initiated legislation to impose severe restrictions - we accept that - in what we believed to be the national interest. We have to balance the fact that thousands of lives have been saved by virtue of what was done, including among healthcare staff, and that was the reasoning. We had full debates and democratic votes in these Houses in respect of the lockdowns as they happened while we were awaiting the development of vaccines. Unfortunately, judging by reports I have read, it is an international expectation that there will be delayed cancer diagnoses, which is deeply regrettable for all families who have been impacted. I reiterate we had democratic votes in these Houses on the policies of lockdown and vaccines and we were protecting front-line healthcare staff, who were under tremendous pressure throughout the country, from Covid.

Senator Malcolm Byrne talked about the impact of the flooding in Gorey and called for a clear programme of supports. The Red Cross, along with the Department of Social Protection, has initiated measures to support businesses that have been impacted in any of these floods and it has not been found wanting.

Senator Lombard raised the announcement of the €1.3 billion forestry programme, which was welcome news. I will invite the Minister of State with responsibility for forestry, Senator Hackett, to address the House in respect of this exciting programme of supports for the sector. We have historically low levels of planting in this country, and while we have seen some difficulties over recent years with regard to licensing, this will give a new impetus to planting.

Senator Boylan also referred to upcoming events in Qatar and to human rights issues in Egypt.I think there were a number of areas, whether Iran, Egypt or Qatar, on which we could invite the Minister for Foreign Affairs to discuss issues of human rights. I will do that.

Senator Maria Byrne spoke about University Hospital Limerick and the unfortunate ongoing issues regarding patients on trolleys. I know that management were before the Joint Committee on Health where she, Senators Conway and Gavan and others would have questioned them on issues and the management in the hospital that were impacting on people and the quality of care. Senator Maria Byrne also raised proposed cycle lanes. We have come across this in other areas as well. Everyone says they support cycling infrastructure which is the right thing to do but it has an impact on narrow streets in terms of removing parking and through traffic. Reducing roads down to one lane is something that one has to bring people with one on. One must iron out the difficulties that arise and it is not easy. We have come across that in Salthill in Galway in the past. Senators talked about Limerick and I am sure it has arisen and will arise in other areas as well.

Senator O'Sullivan gave a very passionate defence of the town of Listowel and the happenings last week regarding the visiting priest. The Senator spoke of the fact that people in Listowel have indicated their support for the repeal of the eighth amendment and marriage equality. He raised the case of Peggy McCarthy which I read about over the weekend. One would have thought it was something of the past. It was a shameful episode. I am always a great believer, as the Bible says, to do unto others as you would like them to do unto you. It is from Luke 6:31 and Matthew 7:12. So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you. Leviticus 19:18 says love your neighbour as yourself.

Senator Ward talked about accessibility issues. The concerns about lifts might be something to raise directly with Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann. The majority of us who do not need to use a wheelchair in our daily lives probably will never know the challenges that people face. For those who have to use a wheelchair every day who find these obstacles to daily travel, it is not good enough. I agree there needs to be a debate on that issue and I will ask for that debate.

Senator Mullen spoke about the Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022. He has already been involved in initiating some changes to that legislation. I look forward to the debate on that Bill when it comes to the House.

Senator Horkan mentioned Ulster Bank and the freezing of accounts from today and he called for a debate on the future of banking. It is a challenge now because there are a number of account holders who have not closed their accounts. Ulster Bank indicated a long time ago that it was leaving the country. There should be a debate on the future of banking and I hope that people are given the time and space to ensure that they have alternative arrangements for their accounts. Senator Horkan raised valid points about people's last address, which they might not have updated, and that they do not want a cheque from a closed account arriving at an address at which they are no longer living. That is important.

Senator Davitt spoke about machinery and the driving age for tractors. It is something that I have thought about regarding very high horsepower tractors on our roads. I might ask the Minister of State, Deputy Heydon, to come in and talk about farm safety.

Senator McGahon talked about a specific issue involving three students of dentistry who have been told there is no space for practical work. He might raise that as a Commencement matter with the Minister, Deputy Harris, or directly. I will engage with him or write to him. He would have more accurate details of the issue. I will send a copy of the transcript to the Minister and ask him to investigate this as a matter of urgency.