Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I would. They are very welcome and I hope they enjoy the visit to this House, to the other House and to the grounds as well. I am sure they have been well looked after. It is great to see them here.

I thank all Senators who contributed to the Order of Business today. Senator Fiona O' Loughlin acknowledged that today was Irish stammering day. The Senator said that we should all be very aware of making sure we invest in supports for people. The Senator congratulated the Irish stuttering organisation for their activities on this issue. The Senator also congratulated the Newbridge St. Brigid's Community Games for its 50 years in operation and she referenced - which I did not know - that she had a very famous cousin in Tommy Bowe. That was news to me today. The Senator also paid tribute to the Riverbank Arts Centre and made a call that there should be a similar level of funding akin to sports capital applications or grants for the arts community. Senator Byrne has also raised this on many occasion.

Senator Carrigy asked that No. 12 be taken before No. 1. I am not aware of what the item is as the Senator did not mention what the Bill was. I will take the Senator at face value and I accept the amendment to the Order of Business. The Senator also mentioned the issue of occupational therapists in Longford. That might be worth submitting as a Commencement matter as the issue is quite a specific question relating to the Senator's local area. I also take on board the comments made in relation to bus escorts and the important work they do. It is difficult, particularly in the context of full employment. To attract people into industries and jobs where the pay has not increased is going to be even more difficult.

Senator Craughwell very helpfully informed us about the space industry in Ireland and the 109 companies operating in that space, excuse the pun. Unusually, the Senator congratulated the Government on its work in terms of Skillnet Ireland. I certainly concur with the Senator's remarks around cybersecurity and the importance of companies dealing with that. We saw what happened to the HSE when it sustained a very significant cyberattack. As a country we are taking those issues far more seriously. It is incumbent on small and medium-sized businesses to make sure their systems are safe for their customers as well. I concur with the Senator's remarks on the Defence Forces that are serving with UNIFIL in the Lebanon. Troops are due to travel there in the weeks and months ahead. Our troops are currently serving there and are in a very vulnerable and dangerous position where they are. The word we are hearing back is that they are in good spirits. This is what they trained for. The Minister for Defence is actively keeping an eye on the situation. It is under constant review by the Department and the Minister in terms of safety of personnel and making sure that communication with families is where it needs to be to keep them in the loop as well.

Senator Vincent P. Martin spoke about a local situation in relation to land. I am not fully up to speed on the details of that particular issue but the Senator has asked that the matter be accelerated to a concluding point.

Senator Wall spoke about teachers and we had this conversation yesterday so the Senator knows my position on it. I believe there is merit in looking at an allowance for teachers who are working in the capital city because the cost of living here is so high. It is not the challenge in Mayo where I am. The challenge there is that there are actually very few teaching posts and people want to work in the rural schools. It is quite the opposite then in our cities where schools are finding it difficult to attract people to live and work here because of the cost. I do believe it merits consideration. Senator Wall also spoke about the important work of SNAs. The requests by that organisation are very reasonable. I have no doubt that the Government would consider that. I am sure all parties, in the context of their manifestos as we lead into an election, will be considering their policy in that area. On the Croí Cónaithe grant, Senator Wall may or may not be aware that the Minister for housing has introduced a loan through the local authorities specifically to bridge that gap. If a person has been refused by financial institutions the local authority should be facilitating a loan through the authority to bridge the gap between the €50,000 and €70,000 until such time as the work is complete. The Minister is right not to go down the route of stage payments because it would actually take longer. Right now the person has one application, makes the application, the property is assessed - as the Senator knows from helping people - then the applicant goes and gets the work done, and only goes for a final inspection when the work is complete, and the money can be drawn down. If we start adding in stage payments there is a higher administrative burden and it would end up making it more complicated and challenging. The loan is there to deal with the issue the Senator raised. It is available in my local authority so it should be available in the Senator's as well. The Minister brought about that loan in August of this year. It is quite new but I would suggest that the Senator speaks to the housing officers in his local authority and makes them aware that this facility is available in other local authorities.

Senator Eileen Flynn raised the debate that was had yesterday in the House on the Curragh of Kildare (Amendment) Bill. I spoke in that debate in support of the Bill. That was the opportunity to speak on the Bill. That was yesterday and that was the debate that was scheduled-----