Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to follow up on the points Senator McGahon made on the Croí Cónaithe scheme. The Government has put significant investment into these schemes and it is important the local authorities provide the resources to deliver these schemes. The local authority chief executives should have monthly meetings with the Minister in his office in the Custom House to ensure the local authorities are resourced to deliver them. The reality is there are extremely wide inconsistencies. A number of counties have not processed repair and lease schemes for the past five years while other counties have had up to 200 schemes. It is important we resource them. It is also important that all political parties, particularly those in opposition, which object to housing developments in their local areas would promote these schemes funded by the taxpayers instead of coming into both the Dáil and Seanad, criticising the Government and not supporting the schemes that are put in place at the taxpayers' expense.

As the sports spokesperson for my party, I congratulate the Irish rugby team on the significant success at the weekend. We look forward to the pre-World Cup games during the summer. We look forward to September and October and hope we will see a World Cup coming back to our country to give significant joy to all of us, young and old. My son will be travelling to the RDS tomorrow to support the Longford under-12 team at half time during the Leinster game. A huge amount of work takes place on the ground in the various clubs throughout the country. I put on record my thanks and thanks from Fine Gael Members for the joy the team has given us. We look forward to supporting them and wish them further success.I join with Senator Wall in calling for the speedy progress of the Life Saving Equipment Bill 2017 through this House. It was introduced here in 2017 by then Senator Keith Swanick and was reintroduced into the House with the permission of the Cathaoirleach when he was Leader two years ago. We got it to Report Stage and it has been with the Department for over a year now. I ask that it be brought back into this House so we can send it to the Dáil and get it into law as a matter of urgency. This is very important legislation that would introduce specific penalties for people who damage life-saving equipment such as defibrillators, lifebuoys etc. We need to do that as a matter of urgency. I ask the Deputy Leader to please use her good offices to ensure that happens.

I also support Senator McDowell's call for a debate on the Garda Reserve. This is a very important resource. It has the capability to assist the Garda in carrying out its duties. These are volunteers who are willing to assist An Garda Síochána in its duties and leave full-time officers to do other things. This is an idea I had many years ago. I brought it up at a meeting of Cavan County Council in 1999. Subsequent to me doing that the Minister for Justice at the time, the now Senator McDowell, brought in legislation that enabled it to go forward. Some years later, I had a conversation with Senator McDowell and enlightened him on the fact that I raised this in 1999 at Cavan County Council. He said that he was not accustomed to reading the minutes of Cavan County Council meetings and that basically, I had nothing to do with the fact that was brought in. That is in jest. I congratulate him on doing so.