Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank all Members who contributed to the Order of Business today.

The first Member to speak was Senator Dooley, who spoke on the ongoing situation in Gaza and the proposed attack and ground offensive by Israel at the Rafah crossing. Senators Tom Clonan and Rebecca Moynihan also raised the same issue. I think we all agree that what is happening is absolutely abhorrent. I also welcome the Tánaiste’s remarks, as did Senator Dooley, which were significant. He clearly stated that if what is proposed is carried out by the IDF and the Israeli Government at the Rafah crossing, it would constitute a war crime.

It is disappointing to see some Members of the Oireachtas publicly take that, try to sow division domestically, try to turn that into a negative, and suggest that the Government here is not doing enough as opposed to acknowledging it for what it is. Our Minister for Foreign Affairs articulating that point is what is significant. That is diplomacy. That is what the Government can do to be effective and that should be acknowledged. To suggest otherwise either shows a lack of awareness as to how diplomacy works and how we should operate on the international stage or simply is taking the issue and trying to use it domestically for political purposes to feather one’s own nest, which I think is quite disgraceful. There should be no division on this issue in this country. We are all on the same page and most Members of both Houses have been constructive in that regard.

I think it is clear to all of us that somebody at the head of Government, Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel, is operating simply to preserve and prolong his own existence. There is now somebody driving the car who is not fit to be driving the car. I think we are looking at the US in particular to show leadership. I agree with Senator Moynihan’s comments that they are moving in that direction, albeit very slowly. As we see Joe Biden publicly saying he hopes to get a six-week ceasefire and to build upon that, one can imagine what is being said behind the scenes that is not in the public.

There is a limit to what we as a State can do. I think we have been effective in using our mandate and advocating at an EU level. We have often been an outlier or certainly in the minority in advocating for the Palestinian people on this. I watched with interest Dana Erlich on the news yesterday. Israel lost the room a long time ago. The interview was good in that it pointed out the clear holes in what she was saying. Ultimately, there are very few people in the room who can influence what Israel will do and that lands with the US. Hopefully, we will see a ceasefire there soon and, of course, the release of the hostages. It is important to always make that point as well.

Senator Burke spoke about the need to increase the housing supply.He made a very interesting point about the number of houses that have been subject to compulsory purchase order by the roads authority, which are good, turnkey houses that are not being used and that could be used on a short term basis by families dealing with mica and pyrite. He also spoke about the need to provide shelter for bikes in Dublin city centre and other places. He felt it was an easy issue to resolve and that the Minister for Transport should be able to solve it quite easily.

Senator Clonan also spoke about the issue in Rafah. He raised a second issue of children awaiting surgical procedures and urology appointments. If the Senator has particular details of families he would like to raise with me, I ask him to send them to my office and I will pass them on to the Minister for Health.

Senator Moynihan spoke about the situation in Rafah.

Senator Warfield spoke about sports funding, Tallaght Stadium, which was full last week, and the need to fund Dalymount Park. I would obviously reject his assertion that Fianna Fáil has not supported sports infrastructure. We are actually accused of the opposite, of putting too much money into sports to the detriment of other sectors. There has been record sports capital investment under this Government. It has been a bumper few year in investment in sports infrastructure for all sports, not just soccer and Gaelic football but also tennis, golf and everything in between. The suggestion that sport has not been funded is unfounded. On soccer, even in my own county of Mayo there has been funding for soccer clubs. The Minister of State with responsibility for sport, Deputy Byrne, has made a huge push where he has told sports clubs that he will fund those where there is equal access for men and women. That is huge change in policy in the Department. The onus is on clubs, if they are going to get sports funding, to show they provide equal access to men and women at their facilities. That will not stop them getting access to funding but they will just need to show they can do that and they intend to do that. It is a really positive development under the Minister of State that should be acknowledged

Senators Malcolm Byrne and Mark Wall both welcomed the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth’s announcement that local authorities can now use drones, CCTV and other technologies to try and tackle the scourge of dumping. Senator Byrne had a Bill on this, as did Senator Wall. From working with Senator Byrne at a party level, I know it has been one of his issues for a long time. I am sure both Senators are delighted to see the Government moving on this.. It is a difficult issue to deal with at a local level because unless you catch someone in the act, it can be very difficult to bring a prosecution, so evidence is what is needed. The use of technology to assist local authorities is very welcome because dumping is a scourge on many communities. It is a small few involved but it is impacting many. It is an issue that needs to be dealt with.

Senator Maria Byrne spoke of the costs associated with businesses and the closure of some small businesses, particularly food and coffee shops. I think that has been happening throughout the country. I take the Senator’s point. There has been an acknowledgement by the Government that in bringing in statutory sick leave and an increase to the national minimum wage, there has been a lot of change for business in a relatively short period, with many of the changes coming in at the start of this year, so it has put a huge pressure on business. In response to that the Government set up the increased cost of business grant and put €257 million behind it. That is open to businesses now and I believe it will cover 95% of all businesses and about 143,000 business can access that grant. That is directly set up to deal with those increased costs of business associated with the Government policy changes that are coming in this year. I still take the point on board, however, that it is a tough time for business, especially the month of January. I know the Minister is very aware of that. On tax warehousing, the Minister for Finance is dealing with that. He has acknowledged that was a challenge which was putting pressure on businesses. There is a genuine effort on the Government’s part to try and help businesses through this period. The Senator is right that the changes coming in, such as sick leave, changes we want to make, such as in domestic violence leave, and changes to the minimum wage are things businesses want to do but it is just that the transition to making those changes can be a challenge.

Senator Keogan raised an issue which was brought to her by the Farmers’ Alliance about sign language interpreting services and the social inclusion scheme. I was not aware of the issue until today. It might be worth doing what the Cathaoirleach suggested and putting down a Commencement matter because the questions are quite specific. We might be able to get further details on that. I take the point that we have made great strides, particularly on sign language, on foot of the work done by Senator Mark Daly, in bringing forward more supports in that area. I am sure the Minister would be keen to make sure those supports are maintained. Senator McGahon requested a debate with the Minister for Education on the solar energy programme for schools. The Senator hopes that his area in Louth will be on the next list of areas to be included. I will request that debate for the Senator.

Senator Wall referred to school places. There are particular challenges in some parts of the country. There is significant demand in Kildare but there are not enough places to meet this. I can only imagine how stressful it is for a family if there are two children in a school and it is not possible to get a place for the third child when it is needed. At the top of the Minister for Education's agenda in trying to address the pinch points and shortages that exist. Kildare has seen a significant increase in population in a relatively short period. That is where the pressure is coming from. This is certainly a matter that the Minister is focused on addressing. Hopefully, we will see a resolution for the schools involved. There has been major investment in schools in Kildare, but there is still considerable demand. This matter is top of the Minister's agenda.

Senator Cummins requested a debate on housing and the various schemes under Housing for All. He mentioned adaptation grants and the Part V affordable purchase scheme. I will request that debate or maybe a more general debate on housing, particularly as there is much to consider.

Senator Boylan spoke about the control of dogs, fines and disparity across the board. There is a bigger issue in terms of dogs. For starters, there are not enough dog wardens. There are significant dog welfare issues, and the dog shelters are at capacity and need extra support and funding. An overall awareness campaign might be needed. People are taking on pets when they have not maybe properly thought through the responsibility and what is required. This is putting pressure on dog kennels around the country. I cannot answer as to why some local authorities seem to be doing much more. I can only assume that it is resources for local authorities in the context of the number of wardens they have in place. The Minister has acknowledged that the Government wants to deal with this issue, especially in the context of preventing attacks by dogs and making things more safe for people. However, there must also be a level of personal responsibility on the part of those who take on dogs as pets and who allow attacks to happen. This is a challenging issue, but one that the Government is keen to address in terms of resources and, of course, enforcement of the existing legislation.

Senator Ahearn asked for a bus stop outside the TUS campus in Tipperary. I suggest that the Senator put down a Commencement matter in this regard. The Senator also said that the "cruise bus", as he referred to it, is doing well in terms of bringing people in and out of Clonmel. That is great to see. On a more serious note, Local Link has been a fantastic addition to rural communities in terms of transport for people. For those who, for whatever reason, want to get in and out of their local town, it has been most successful. I welcome the expansion of the Local Link service into rural areas. In my county of Mayo, it has been most successful. Many people in Mayo use the service. The more people become aware of it when a route is established and gets up and running over a period, the more use it gets.

Senator Boyhan asked me to confirm the date of the local elections. I cannot do that, but I agree that a date is needed. The referendums will be held in March. Then we will have the local and European elections in June. The Minister will announce a date when the Department is ready to move in that regard, but we have a ballpark indication of three dates. We know we are working towards June. Councillors are preparing in advance of those dates. They know roughly when the elections will be held. The absence of an exact date will not will have a significant impact in terms of local authority members preparing for the campaign. Of course, we wish all councillors the very best in the upcoming elections.

Senator Murphy spoke about today being World Radio Day. I agree with him and Senator Conway. It is most important to support local radio and regional press. I think of MidWest Radio and Shannonside FM. There are lots of other stations we could mention. They offer a lifeline to many people, particularly the elderly, and keep them connected with what is going on. The death notices, local sports events and local authority meetings are most important. You do not know what you have until it is gone. It is to the credit of many of those stations that they operate on a shoestring but provide an excellent service and value for money. They are well supported, but it is important that public representatives ensure that this support is maintained.

Senator Carrigy welcomed the announcement from the Minister, Deputy Harris, of third level courses for children with intellectual disabilities across ten universities. This is a welcome development. It is part of a policy of inclusion and opportunity for all children to allow them to reach their full potential. That is really welcome.

Senator Conway spoke about local journalism. The Senator spoke about Isabella in County Clare who wants to be a journalist and her concerns that there may not be opportunities for somebody like her when she gets to the stage of having a full-time job. Media is changing, but this Government has shown a commitment to preserving local and regional newspapers and radio and has provided investment in that regard.