Regina Doherty (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It would be remiss of me not to give Councillor Sweeny the same good welcome everybody else has given him. I thank him for being here.

Senator Carrigy spoke about the SMA test and sought a review to include it in the process relating to the heel prick test. He has raised it on a number of occasions and, given the relatively small charge and the significant impact it can have in the intervention of the disease, it is worthwhile. I raised it with the Minister the last time the Senator brought it up here but will do it again to refresh his memory.

Senator Currie sought a debate on transport with regard to anomalies in parking charges at train stations. I will ask again. We were lucky enough to secure the Minister for a climate debate this week and his brief is very extensive, but we will try again after Christmas.

Senator McGreehan spoke about the merits of the shared island unit and the €500 million investment on behalf of the Taoiseach and State.

Senator Cummins told us of the grant scheme opened last week to support businesses with their ever-increasing energy costs and the €10,000 per month that is available to help with those costs.

Senator Keogan spoke on Vertex. I follow it now on social media to keep abreast of any changes. For a while I thought there was a political dance involving the HSE. The post I saw at the weekend made me sad and I contacted somebody involved with the 35 children. The HSE has agreed to give it and all we are dancing around now is about whether it will cost X or Y amount of money. I do not understand why we cannot have that argument and long debate, if that is what the HSE wants, after giving the kids the drugs which will have a massive impact on their lives. It is disingenuous. It is incumbent on us to keep raising it here week-in, week-out until we get it. I will contact the Minister again today. It is disingenuous that there is a political debate going on over money while children's lives are at stake. It is disgusting.

As I said the night we had the review around gender services in Ireland, Dr. Colm Henry and his senior officials have conducted a thorough report on Tavistock, including meeting with Dr. Hilary Cass. They went to the United Kingdom to meet her and discuss how the services had been run, the concerns she had raised and how Ireland had interacted with those services. I was of a mind that that report was to be published a couple of weeks ago but it has not yet. I will make a phone call today and find out when it is coming, and then we can have a proper conversation about it.

I note the Senator's welcome for the suggestion made by Cabinet sources this morning that we should have a Minister with responsibility for refugees. The latter would mean that there would be a single person to whom people could address their concerns. My only worry is that it would let all the other Departments that are required to ensure we have proper integrated services off lightly.Whether we are talking about education, healthcare or community supports, they do not all rest with one Minister. Given my experience, no one Minister has control to the magnitude of what they would need over other Departments. While it might look like a good idea, I am not sure it would have the authority that I think it would need, given the concerns that have been raised. It is a welcome suggestion to have a conversation about it. Senator Buttimer again spoke about consultation being an absolute must, not just with local authorities but with communities, when we are trying to resettle the large number of refugees coming into the country.

Senator Dolan welcomed the €21 million funding that was announced this morning, particularly for regional airports, and it is very welcome. Senator Buttimer welcomed the fact that €10 million of the funding went to Cork Airport, as he would, and sought a debate on aviation.

Senator Blaney made a very impassioned speech. It is very disturbing to hear the revelations he made this morning, especially the abuse of officials. While we do not all agree 100% with decisions governments or local authorities make, the only way we ever get change is to support each other and to make sure the authorities activate the money and schemes the Government has decided to give to help people in distress. I acknowledge what the Senator said here.

Senator Boyhan spoke about the shared island event the Taoiseach held yesterday. It was particularly nice of the Senator to mention the Taoiseach's passion and enthusiasm for the topic, and I do not think that could be underestimated. The Senator also objected to the Order of Business, which is fair enough. Senator Conway spoke about saluting the flag and especially about the people who have maintained our democracy over recent years. Senator O'Sullivan spoke of his real grá for the fact the shared island unit was started by the Taoiseach, that it has done tremendous work and spent a significant amount of money of more than €140 million in recent years. Only a short two years has elapsed since its inception. The Senator is right that this is the first time people North and South are doing something in a positive way, working together and collaborating. Long may that last, regardless of which Department the Taoiseach ends up in over the next couple of weeks. The Taoiseach's enthusiasm will still make sure the initiative is driven. The Senator mentioned, and I thought it was a really nice to describe it, that it is a practical way to make sure everybody's boat gets lifted and not just some communities, as may have happened in the past.

I am sorry Senator Flynn does not have a reply and I will definitely get her one. I have not heard about money messages for a long number of years. When my party was in a minority Government, there were money messages and they were used considerably to make sure Bills did not pass. The Bill she mentioned is a very positive one and a small amount of money is involved. A money message is not something we should use to thwart proceedings and we should get around it. I will get the answer for the Senator today and at least will get back to her.

Senator Ó Donnghaile spoke again about Sinn Féin's opposition to the Order of Business, which I totally understand.