Regina Doherty (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I look forward to when it is absolutely ratified because the more screening we do, the better, not just with BreastCheck but for any conditions for females and males. People should be brought in as quickly and early as they possibly can so that we can improve their outcomes. Senator Dolan also raised the supports for regional radio stations this morning, which is very welcome.

Senator Currie spoke about the Phoenix Park racecourse development and complex being added to the tens of thousands of homeowners who are looking at defects and who do not have a scheme. The Minister will be very keen to bring a plan together after Christmas. I commend the Senator for raising that issue this morning. Indeed, our colleague, Senator Seery Kearney, raises that particular issue week in, week out in this Chamber. It is very important that we respond as a State with a scheme similar to those for pyrite and mica for those residents who have no other means of supporting themselves.

Senators Conway and Clonan this morning raised the fact that Saturday is both European and International Day of Persons with Disabilities. I am very mindful that we use reports and assessments as a tool to prolong action. It is terribly frustrating. The time for assessing should be very close to being over and the time for action should start; not for talking about the assessments, which is what we do in this country. It is very obvious to us what needs to be done. Senator Clonan's suggestion that we continue to put pressure on all our party leaders is very welcome. I will certainly do my part with mine. I commend Senator Conway for also raising that issue this morning.

Senator Craughwell welcomed pupils from Gurteen Central National School. On a more serious note, however, he highlighted the very serious issue we have in this country of a serious lack of teachers both in primary and post-primary schools. Panels are not being filled. As the Senator suggested this morning, some of our special needs teachers are being used to fill gaps in schools and that really is not what we want. We need to be very confident about a recruitment drive for teachers. One thing might be to reduce the H.Dip. from two years back to one year. It was increased a number of years ago because we had an oversupply of teachers and now we absolutely have an undersupply of teachers. It might be worth bringing that two-year course back to one year.

Senator Maria Byrne raised the autism report this morning. I say fair play to our colleague, Senator Carrigy, and all the members of that committee, which has done an enormous body of work in a very short space of time. Hopefully, the recommendations will be taken on board. I understand there is a lack of teachers and maybe that is one of the reasons why summer programmes are not offered in certain towns and villages. We all want the same thing, which is continuity of education for our children with special needs. I welcome that report. We will have a debate on it after Christmas so that we can talk further about the recommendations.

Senator Lombard this morning welcomed the funding for a special class in Bandon Grammar School.

Senator Sherlock spoke about an issue that was raised in this Chamber on Tuesday. I was really dismayed to see Dr. Jack Lambert having to plead for money on Twitter at the weekend. It is very unedifying for a man of his stature. Senator Maria Byrne raised the issue the other day in the context of there being no long Covid clinic in Limerick, and that maybe we do not have the specialties. We have the specialties right here in the Mater hospital. Men and women of professional classes want to continue and they are just not being given the money. It is crazy. To that end, I wrote to Mr. Stephen Mulvany on Tuesday to find out why the money is not being raised. I will come back to the Senator when I get a response because it is a similar issue.

Senator Black raised the Irish Anti-Apartheid Campaign for Palestine movement, which was launched yesterday, for which I thank her. She is really consistent on this. I will bring the message to the Minister and ask for a debate. It will probably be after Christmas at this stage, however.

I do not even know what to say to Senator Boylan. First, I thank her for raising the issue, which acknowledges the respect we have for each other in this House. I hope that I have equal respect not just for the House but for every single Member regardless of whether he or she is in my party. The very least we need to do is show respect to Members and the contributions they make to legislation in this House which, as Senator Ruane knows, are enormous, and not just from the Opposition but also from my own colleagues. It would have done an absolute injustice and disservice to the Bill and to the people in this House if I had done what was asked of me, particularly when there was no need to do so. What I propose, to which I know the Senator will object, is that we take Second Stage on Tuesday and clear the decks on Thursday of Order of Business and Commencement Matters. I will increase the number of Commencement Matters on Tuesday and Wednesday and we will take the whole day on Thursday for whatever it takes to take Committee Stage and Report Stage of the Bill. The Bill will obviously go to the Dáil the following week. The information I have been given, and I do not really know how this is going to work, to be honest with the Senator, is that the recommendations from the pre-legislative scrutiny will be brought as amendments to the Dáil next week by the Minister - presumably, the ones with which he agrees - and the Bill will then come back to us on Thursday. Therefore, I will try to clear the decks on Thursday so that we have enough time to talk when it returns to us. I know that is not ideal but given the time constraints I have between this, the Social Welfare Bill, Finance Bill and others, it is the very best I can do. I obviously totally appreciate the Senator's perspective, however.

Senator Clonan spoke about his very unique connection with Romania and Bram Stoker. It is a beautiful country. I thank him for putting that on the record and also the assessment of needs. When it is reported upon, the Acting Leader, Senator Chambers, and I will try to organise a debate as quickly as we can so that we can exert the pressure where it needs to go to get those recommendations into actions as opposed to just more talking.