Regina Doherty (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is lovely to hear an area that is so often maligned spoken about so beautifully and eloquently. We should all be delighted that an area that has been disadvantaged for far too long under successive Governments is finally getting what it deserves, which is to have its community live with dignity and supports so every child can have the equality of opportunity that we all espouse so much. I thank the Senator for raising the matter this morning.Senators Conway, Black and Carrigy all spoke about the ask of the INTO this week. As Senator Carrigy said, its asks are not made very often and when they are made, they are very tempered. We all should be able to support exactly what its members are looking for. Senator Black knows well from her own history and my own involvement that mental health and resilience is something I really champion, particularly among our younger people. They have gone through a lot in the last number of years but they are also going through an awful lot more than we did when we were kids. Even my younger kids are going through more than my older kids did. We need to recognise the fact that they absolutely do need resilience training and that the €11.1 million being looked for would be money well spent.

I am at a loss. I recall saying to Senator Gavan months ago that the particular issue around the employment regulation order, ERO, was going to be sorted by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and now he is telling me today that it is not. I am a bit mortified and I apologise to the Senator but I was told that in good faith. I will follow up on this again today because it is not acceptable that we would be negotiating a new ERO having not stood over the previous one in the first place; it is ludicrous. I am absolutely at pains to understand why the people in Limerick have not got their €1,000 yet. What is the problem? I ask the Senator to maybe speak to me about it afterwards and I will see if there is anything we can do because it is nothing short of outrageous. I thank the Senator for raising that issue today.

Senator Davitt spoke about our international protection applicants. There has been a lot of talk, particularly over the last 18 months, about the rise of these applicants and about their age. I was with the Irish Farmers Association, IFA, last Friday and we spoke about how difficult it is to get work permits for farm workers. That led us on to talking about the Australian system where the application for citizenship has a specific part in it where everybody who applies to be a citizen has to work on a farm for either three or six months in order to qualify for citizenship. I suggest that we should maybe do something as progressive and constructive as something like that here. I will certainly raise it with the relevant people but we definitely need to think outside the box to provide the much-needed workers we need but also the dignity that our applicants should be able to be receiving in this country and sometimes are not.

Senator Kyne welcoming the official opening today of the N5, that 25 km stretch from Westport to Castlebar, which is much needed and very welcome down that neck of the woods.

Senator Murphy spoke about the new beef welfare scheme and how welcome that is. I know any additional payment to our farmers is extremely welcome because they are at the pin of their collars. He also reminded us that our farming community is probably the most nature-friendly and nature-active community we have in the country.

Senator Warfield spoke about the two commission posts in the Data Protection Commission, DPC, that have not been advertised. I am at a loss as to know why they have not but I will certainly find out and come back to him to let him know. On the whole, and given that I am probably subject to some of the commentary around the DPC, I think it does a phenomenal job for the number of staff members it has and on the international stage on which they work. I put that on record.

Senator Currie spoke this morning about the very alarming 78% increase in knife crime and her feelings around this. She expressed her sympathy, as I know we will all join with, the very sad death of Aaron Keating in her neck of the woods.

Senator Fitzpatrick reminded us that tomorrow is Bloomsday and Senator Boyhan spoke about looking for a debate on the impact of the Ombudsman on the disability transport system. He questioned briefly the effectiveness of being in a political party. I am sure there is not a political party in this House or the other that would not very much welcome having him and I put that on record.

It is not the first time that Senator Casey has brought this issue up. It is probably about the fifth or the sixth time and yet no magic light bulb moment seems to have happened in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. That regulatory office of which Niall Cussen is head needs to be cognisant of the fact that we have a Central Statistics Office, CSO, report that will be officially launched or published this year. It is going to impact every single development plan in every single county and city in this country and we are blindly waiting for somebody to press a button to say we actually have to do something about it. If the application refusal of 98 houses this week in Wicklow was not that light bulb moment, I am at a loss to know what is. I thank the Senator for raising that but I will certainly organise a debate before the recess and let him know.

Senator Black spoke about the INTO this morning but she also acknowledged the very sad passing of Christy Dignam. I grew up around the corner from Christy. He was always ten years older than me and he was always an enigma. I had a misspent youth in a pub in Finglas called The Bottom of the Hill where I used to go and see him, not every weekend but nearly every weekend. Aslan was a legend and Christy is a legend. The legacy that man has left, not only for music in Irish society, but in our hearts, is something of which his family should be incredibly proud.

Senator Wall spoke about the retained firefighters this morning, as did Senator Dolan.

Senator Ó Donnghaile spoke to us about the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference meeting next week and the legacy Bill that the conservative UK Government seems intent on pushing through. He asks us all to be mindful of that next week

Senator O'Loughlin spoke about World Elder Abuse Awareness Day and it is something we should all be aware of.

Senator Craughwell welcomed three very senior, retired Defence Forces personnel and spoke about their plight to try to get Billy Kedian that very much deserved medal.