Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach. As this is my first time taking the Order of Business, I thank everybody for their co-operation. We started off this morning with Senator Fitzpatrick who spoke about the three-year war of aggression against Ukraine. Many of us had the opportunity to meet the ambassador, H.E. Larysa Gerasko, yesterday, and express personally to her our solidarity. Senator Fitzpatrick is right; we need to reaffirm that on every occasion we can. Senator Fitzpatrick also spoke about the importance of the upcoming meetings with the Taoiseach in Washington where he will meet President Zelenskyy.

The Senator also spoke about the 40th anniversary of LAMA and that almost 98% of councillors are members. We should recognise and appreciate the tremendous work done by LAMA and AILG in supporting members. She suggested that we invite the executive to visit Leinster House during this 40th anniversary year. We should do that. We should look back on the past 40 years but also look ahead. Only last week, I spoke about the upcoming awards at the weekend. I thought it would be appropriate we would have the opportunity to see examples of best practice in local government in the projects that won. It is something we should do this year. I commit to Senator Fitzpatrick and all Members that we will look at that with the executive.

Senator Joe Conway started the conversation about Project Eagle and Senator Keogan also spoke about it in terms of the report from NAMA. There are certainly concerns about the length of time it took to develop this report - seven years. There are concerns about the extended timeline given some of the information that came through. There are a lot of questions about conflict of interest and the values of portfolios. We should look for a debate on it in this House. It is of public interest to the people of Ireland and Northern Ireland because it is really about assets in Northern Ireland.

Senator Andrews spoke about St. Patrick's Boys School in Ringsend and that the Department of Education notified the school that it would lose a teacher and that classes will be split. It is always most unfortunate when something like that happens. I suggest that Senator Andrews submit a Commencement matter in relation to that school. We all support children in all schools getting the best possible education and support they can.

Senator Harmon spoke about Sunbeam House Services, a residential home for people with disabilities, and her concern about a large number of incidences and the overreliance on agency workers. She expressed concern about the denial of human rights in the context of people being able to make their own decisions about their own futures. We should all be concerned about that. A lot of work was done around the ratification of the UNCPRD. Part of that is being able to make decisions. There is a HIQA report; we need action on it. A Commencement matter could be submitted about Sunbeam House Services in particular. We should call for a debate with the Minister for disabilities concerning ongoing issues.

Senators Ahearn, McCarthy and Mullen all spoke about the need to have a debate with the Minister for trade and business on what has been coming for a while but was announced overnight: the possibility of the US putting tariffs on EU goods and the potential for that to be up to 25%. It is of huge concern. The Senators are right to raise it. We had so many debates about Brexit and its possible impact leading up to Brexit. We were able to manage - I am not saying it was not difficult for many areas - but this is of such importance that we need to have a discussion with our colleagues in Dáil Éireann about setting up a joint committee on the potential difficulties and to engage with the EU. We must have a position but the EU also has a position. There are huge concerns. We will take this on as something of immediate importance. We will look for the Minister to come to the House as soon as possible. I am sure it will not happen next week but after St. Patrick's weekend we will try to highlight this as a key area. Senator Rabbitte spoke about co-ordination in local authorities, particularly regarding the rescue boat at Portumna at the mouth of Lough Derg, which serves not just that area, as she pointed out, but also counties Offaly, Clare and Tipperary at times. She stated that the next nearest boat was run by a different agency - the RNLI - in Limerick. As she rightly pointed out, time is always of the essence when dealing with emergency situations. We need standardisation. I support her call to invite a Minister to discuss this. A Commencement matter on this would also be good, but we will look for the Minister to respond.

Senator Comyn spoke about the emergency department at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda. It has to be frustrating when paramedics are tied up for up to seven hours at a time and 200 people are waiting in the accident and emergency department there. One of my sisters was an accident and emergency doctor at Drogheda many years ago. I remember hearing about the shock and horror for people who were working in it as well. It is highly frustrating that ambulances can only be directed there. There has to be a better way. The small injuries unit and better primary care are the way to go, which is ironic considering what Senator Scahill raised. In general, we need to have a debate with the Minister for Health on accident and emergency departments throughout the country and how we can try to solve the issue.

Senator Boyle raised the need for a debate on the fishing industry. It is an industry in crisis. The matter affects coastal counties far more than the midlands where I live, but I am conscious of it and of those who are employed in the industry and the families and communities that depend on it. The Senator is right, in that we need to hear the plans and to engage with our MEPs. The Minister of State with responsibility for fisheries and the marine was only appointed last week. We will look for the opportunity to have a debate with him as soon as possible.

Senator Costello discussed waiting times for dental health services for children. Some of them have been told that they will have wait until they are 13 years old for treatment. That is simply not good enough. She also spoke about the difficulties she heard in an interview for a child with autism. Approximately €200 million annually is going to support oral health and there are 15 new HSE dental staff this year, but it is an issue of importance and we will look for a debate.

I am genuinely sorry to hear that the primary care centre that was promised for Ballaghaderreen is now to be moved, as mentioned by Senator Scahill. The fact that people have been waiting since the announcement in 2012 and now, 13 years later, it is being moved is just incredible. Money has already been spent in sourcing the centre. I do not have any information on it, as the Senator will understand. Primary care centres are the whole basis of Sláintecare. To be fair to the former Minister, Stephen Donnelly, he put a lot of time and investment into ensuring the growth and development of primary care centres. We will look for a debate but I suggest that the Senator table a Commencement matter specifically about Ballaghaderreen. That decision undoubtedly needs to be reversed.

I have already addressed what Senator McCarthy discussed regarding the severe consequences and job losses. With the Cathaoirleach's agreement, we will put the highest priority on that as a House.

Senator Murphy O'Mahony spoke about the €82 million allocated for roads in Cork. I appreciate what she is saying. It sounds like a large amount of money, and it is, with record funding going to roads, but I appreciate that, in a county as large as Cork where roads are well traversed and there is, given streams and the coast, a great deal of water, there is difficulty in trying to get as much bang for your buck as possible. We need a debate on the allocation of funding. Yesterday, I mentioned that some of the funding was also for the rehabilitation of bridges, with a small amount for footpaths. We need to have separate allocations for those. We will look for a debate on the allocation of roads funding.

Senator Mullen, while also speaking about the situation in the US, spoke about the need for value for money. That is important. Oversight of taxpayers' money is important. The PAC plays an important role in that regard. Unfortunately, while we have the ongoing row about speaking rights in the Lower House, we cannot allocate people or Chairs to committees. Committees, including the PAC, cannot get their valuable work done. That is regrettable because the sooner we can get into that, the better. Senator Mullen mentioned the lack of transparency. We all hear about the buildings and various small projects that have gone over budget. We need to hear about them, but we also need to hear about those that have come in on time and on budget. There are a number of those projects as well.