Seanad debates
Wednesday, 28 September 2016
Order of Business
2:30 pm
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome back all the Members. I am glad to note we are still here.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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We are in a new session. I wish Members luck in the session and I hope we will get some positive work done. I call the Leader to outline the business of the day.
Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I love the enthusiasm of the Members opposite. It is fantastic. New politics is alive and well.
The Order Business is No. 1, Finance (Certain European Union and Intergovernmental Obligations) Bill 2016 - Second Stage, to be taken on conclusion of the Order of Business and to conclude not later than 6 p.m., with the contributions of group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes, those of all other Senators not to exceed five minutes and the Minister to be given five minutes to reply; and No. 24, motion 9, to be taken on the conclusion of No. 1.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Spokespersons have three minutes on the Order of Business and all others contributors have two minutes. I am certainly going to be much stricter in this term with regard to people rambling on. If Members have an issue or want a long debate, they should submit a Commencement matter.It is not appropriate now. The whole purpose of the Order of Business is to ask a question and elicit an answer. It is not meant for long speeches or debates.
Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail)
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I look forward to working with the Cathaoirleach during this term.
I call on the Minister for Education and Skills to review the process of selecting schools for participation in the DEIS programme. I have been contacted by the principal of the Assumption girls national school in Walkinstown, Dublin 12, who raised concerns with me about this process. The Assumption school is an island surrounded by DEIS schools. The selection process is not fit for purpose. The majority of indicators for DEIS selection relate to performance, with only one relating to socioeconomic measures. Therefore, the selection process penalises schools for doing well. A review of the DEIS selection method was promised in 2005 but nothing has happened to date. In April 2015, the then Minister, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, undertook to conduct such a review but it has not been completed. As part of the Government's confidence and supply agreement, it was agreed that increased community-based intervention programmes would be initiated. Given the deprivation levels in Dublin 12 and the known socioeconomic problems relating to crime and poverty, the Government is not adhering to that agreement by excluding the Assumption school. The school is not a DEIS school but it has applied for and been granted developmental status. When it submitted an application for increased class sizes, it did so on the basis of numbers at the end of last term. Due to the housing crisis, though, and the fact that many parents have taken their kids out of the school to move to other parts of Dublin, the school's numbers will change and it may not be able to achieve the same pupil-teacher ratio. It is 30:1 currently whereas the ideal is 27:1. Will the Minister consider reviewing the DEIS selection process, not just in Dublin 12, but all over the country? Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí.
Gerard Craughwell (Independent)
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I welcome the Cathaoirleach and Leader back after our short break. I look forward to working with the Leader during the coming session.
In the previous Seanad, I spoke in favour of former Senator Crown's Bill relating to the issue of forced retirements on a particular day just because one happened to pass a birthday. Unfortunately, that Bill did not complete its progress. I have received a number of queries from the Leader's county regarding the appointment of the president of the Cork Institute of Technology, CIT, who I understand was reappointed by the outgoing board on a five-year contract at the age of 63 years when it knew that there was a statutory bar on him serving beyond the age of 65 years. Actually, I am not sure that the statutory bar applies to him, as I believe that it was lifted some years ago. If there is a fault in the process, though, will the Leader use his good offices to establish that the process was undertaken correctly and CIT went as far as it could to find a suitable replacement for the president? This is a significant time in the lives of institutes of technology as they move towards technological university status and we do not want to see old cronyism, for want of a better word, keeping someone in a job in which he or she should not have been. I mean no disrespect to the president. He has done a marvellous job for CIT during his term of office, the Leader will agree, but we must ensure fair processes across all systems. I appreciate the Leader taking the time to listen.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Conway-Walsh is next, or someone from Sinn Féin.
Maire Devine (Sinn Fein)
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I am Senator Devine.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I apologise.
Maire Devine (Sinn Fein)
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I am not from Mayo. I am from Dublin, thank you very much.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Normally we have the same leader from each group. That confused me.
Maire Devine (Sinn Fein)
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Last week I attended a briefing with representatives of the Psychiatric Nurses Association, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation and SIPTU in Leinster House regarding the lack of implementation of what was agreed with the Health Service Executive, HSE, on nursing internships. This agreement was reneged on by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, and it is leaving the 2011 intake of nurses, who trained until 2015, with less pay than the graduates we will see this September and October.
These people are mentoring, teaching and passing on experience to less-experienced nurses who are just about to qualify. One can contrast this with the massive spending on agency staff day in and day out in the HSE. We spend €2.2 million on agency staff per week while the cost of trying to keep the nurses here is just over €4 million. Nevertheless, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is refusing to meet the trade union representatives. It is hypocritical in the extreme to appeal to nurses to come home and have a better career when they will have no such thing. They will have less pay as there are better salaries, terms and conditions abroad. What kind of message does this send out when nurses are in such short supply?
I e-mailed the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, last Thursday and offered to facilitate a meeting between union officials and his Department in an attempt to resolve this issue. There was no response. I also note there was no response to an e-mail sent by the unions. The result was that hundreds of union members were forced to take to the streets yesterday in a first show of dissent, which has the capacity to develop into further industrial action. We currently have bus drivers on picket lines and gardaí look like they will be next. Do we want nurses outside hospital doors as well when there is a crisis within the health care system? I appeal to the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, to sit down with unions and resolve the issue.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I apologise, Senator Devine, and perhaps by the end of Saturday night you might be glad to be from Mayo.
Colette Kelleher (Independent)
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I raise the urgent issue of fire safety in Traveller accommodation. On 10 October last year, ten citizens tragically lost their lives in a fire in Carrickmines. Those who died were Willie Lynch and Tara Gilbert, with their daughters Kelsey and Jodie; Willie's brother, Jimmy; Thomas and Sylvia Connors and their children, Jim, Christie and six-month-old Mary.
In the wake of this tragedy, a national fire safety audit of all Traveller accommodation was ordered. That report from the national directorate of fire and emergency management was published in recent days, finding that over 80% of the units inspected had no smoke alarm or fire blanket. The report also indicated that access for fire services to sites was a concern in just under a third of cases, with separation distances - in other words, overcrowding - a concern in over half of the cases. Furthermore, it noted that protecting people from the dangers of fire is particularly challenging in the confined and cramped conditions where families living in caravans or non-standard accommodation may find themselves. Unofficial and roadside halting sites are the most vulnerable to lapses in fire safety and inappropriate access. These are the categories most likely missed in the audit and the real picture is probably worse than the report indicates. Currently, 534 families are living in unofficial, unrecognised and unserved accommodation.
In May 2016, the European Committee of Social Rights found the Irish Government in violation of Article 16 of the European Social Charter on five grounds, including the grounds of insufficient provision of accommodation for Travellers, and it concluded that a number of sites are in poor condition, lack maintenance and are badly located. According to the director of the Irish Traveller Movement, Mr. Bernard Joyce, with whom I am working, Travellers' quality of life, physical and mental health are linked to the quality of their accommodation. Fire safety protection is a basic entitlement.Since the devastating fire in Carrickmines, there have been other fires on halting sites. More people will die unnecessarily unless something is done. Rebuilding Ireland commits to an expert, independent review of capital and current funding for Traveller-specific accommodation which is needed, but the plan does not reference the scale of the project or the investment needed to bring it up to standard.
I back the call of the Irish Traveller Movement for the Minister with responsibility for housing to prioritise the issue of overcrowding on sites as a matter of urgency and to address the issues raised in the European Social Charter. I also urge the Leader of the House to raise the issue directly with An Taoiseach, who attended some of the funerals, because another tragedy such as that in Carrickmines can and must be prevented.
Ivana Bacik (Independent)
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As we face into a new session, I welcome some of the Bills on the legislative programme, albeit a fairly light one. In particular, I welcome the disability Bill and the Bill on the judicial council. I also welcome the fact that we will have An Taoiseach with us tomorrow and be able to raise a number of issues with him.
I ask the Leader for a debate on third level funding, when we can arrange it, over the coming weeks. Today I attended, as did many colleagues, an excellent briefing with USI, SIPTU, IFUT and other unions as part of the coalition for publicly-funded higher education. This is a matter of increasing urgency. We need to put pressure on the Government to take a decision on foot of the recommendations in the Cassells report. Many of us will be pushing for an increase in public funding, which the Cassells report acknowledges is the primary aim and need. We saw university rankings slip over the summer and, therefore, this has become increasingly urgent. However, there is good news for the universities. This Friday night we will have a festival of research in Trinity College Dublin. It is called PROBE and is being facilitated by the Science Gallery. Senator Norris will be one of the speakers at the festival. It will showcase some of the important research that is being done in universities. It is open to the public and all are welcome. It will show how important higher education is as a sector in Ireland.
I ask the Leader for a debate on Syria in light of the appalling crisis we are seeing unfolding there, with the Syrian Government and Russia effectively abandoning the peace process.
Ivana Bacik (Independent)
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There are 2 million people in Aleppo without running water and 250,000 civilians trapped in the rebel held areas, which are under constant and horrific bombardment, with currently only approximately 30 doctors functioning in hospitals there. I will also be raising this matter with the Taoiseach tomorrow when we have him before us, particularly in light of the slow pace of welcome here for Syrian refugees. We had promised to welcome 4,000 but we have only welcomed a very small handful yet.
I also ask the Leader for a debate on the repeal of the eighth amendment. I was among the many thousands who marched on Saturday with the Coalition to Repeal the Eighth Amendment and other groups. We are calling for the repeal of the eighth amendment. We are conscious that the Citizens' Assembly has been convened for 15 October but I ask the Leader that we might try to establish from the Taoiseach a likely timeframe for a recommendation from the assembly on the eighth amendment, knowing that that is the first issue with which it has been tasked to consider and knowing also that the movement for repeal is really growing, as evidenced by the 25,000 or 30,000 who marched on Saturday.
Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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On Monday, 12 September, a wonderful human being and a good friend of mine, Caitríona Lucas, lost her life while volunteering with the Irish Coast Guard on a search and recovery mission off the coast of Kilkee in County Clare. Caitríona lost her life in the line of duty for this State. What she was doing and what she had been doing for the previous ten years was heroic work. As with the 3,000 other Coast Guard volunteers throughout the country, she risked her life on search and rescue and search and recovery missions.
It is a tragedy for her husband, Bernard, her son, Ben, and her daughter, Emma, and I wish to express my condolences to them. I am sure every Member of the House would agree that what she was doing was heroic. She is the first member of the Coast Guard in this country to lose her life in the line of duty. It is very emotional and upsetting for the people of County Clare, particularly her neighbours and friends and those who knew and loved her. She was an absolutely amazing human being and completely dedicated to her family, neighbours and community.
She was involved in many aspects of her community. Her day job was as a librarian - educating and teaching children and getting them active.She embraced rescue and recovery and spent much time training and developing new techniques to enable the people who visited County Clare and the surrounding areas to enjoy our natural beauty in a safe way and to ensure that if they found themselves in trouble, the best possible expertise was there to help them out.
I propose that, before the Leader sums up on the Order of Business, the House observe a minute's silence in memory of a courageous and wonderful human being. At a later date, perhaps we could have a debate on the work the 3,000 volunteers of the Irish Coast Guard do. The Coast Guard is our fourth emergency responder after the Garda, ambulance and fire service. In memory of Caitriona Lucas, and the wonderful work she did and the fact that she laid down her life in the service of the State, we must consider giving the Coast Guard the same parity of esteem as the other emergency services.
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Fianna Fail)
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I extend my sympathies to the Lucas family. It was a very sad situation and the whole of Ireland was in shock when we saw it on the news and read about it.
As the Leader is aware, now is the time for local authorities to do their budgets. Councils have experienced major changes. The most significant issue for local authorities is the abolition of all the town councils. Additional issues are the cost of the land aggregation scheme and the loss of rates from the local enterprise offices, LEOs, and the utilities from the ESB, Bord Gáis and Eir. In my local authority, on average, 40% of our local property tax is €90, another 40% is €225 and 20% is €320. On average, we are in the three lowest categories, like many of our small towns and neighbours.
If the Minister does not give extra capital funding or does not come to some agreement with local authorities, services will be cut, which will affect the normal person through libraries, parks and roads. I have addressed the Minister regarding this, but I have not received a reply. It is very unfair for the Minister to compare cities and larger towns, which can take in extra funding through different tools and other local property taxes, with smaller towns which cannot. I ask the Leader to contact the Minister, Deputy Coveney, and ask him to return to the local authorities which have been seeking extra capital funding or some agreement so budgets can be passed for 2017.
John O'Mahony (Fine Gael)
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We are all aware of how sport can lift the spirit of a nation and it is the first time we have had an opportunity to congratulate our Olympians and Paralympians on their success in Rio. I congratulate the O'Donovan brothers and Annalise Murphy in the Olympics and all the 11 medals we won at the Paralympics, particularly Jason Smyth and Michael McKillop, who are multiple medal winners in the past four Paralympic Games.
Just as we are aware of this, there have been many issues that have depressed the nation and given sport a bad name. We all know about the ticketing situation and I am aware of the commission of inquiry, and I do not want to refer to it too much. There is an issue of governance in Irish sport in some of the governing bodies. During the Olympic Games, a boxer arrived in Rio and failed a drug test. Was it known before he departed Ireland?
Today, a story broke about two boxers who had been disciplined and who were warned regarding betting. One of them had betted on his opponent and against himself. It needs serious attention.I understand there will be reviews by the Irish Sports Council and the Olympic Council of Ireland. In view of all the instances highlighted, when will the funding for the Olympic Council of Ireland be reviewed? While the Irish Sports Council and the Olympic Council of Ireland will provide reports on these matters themselves, will the Leader, at the earliest and most appropriate opportunity, ensure there are answers to these questions? We need to have more successes, which lift the nation, and fewer of the negative issues, which only depress the nation.
Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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Cuirim fáilte ar ais roimh chuile dhuine. Tá súil agam go raibh briseadh maith ag daoine.
Aontaím go huile is go hiomlán leis an Seanadóir Colette Kelleher faoin méid a bhí le rá aici maidir le cóiríocht don Lucht Siúil. I concur with Senator Colette Kelleher wholeheartedly on her well-spoken comments on the Traveller accommodation issue.
We previously called for several debates on matters including rural affairs, Gaeilge and the Gaeltacht, diaspora affairs, etc. Will the Leader outline if those debates will be scheduled for in this session?
We certainly need to have a debate on the future of Irish Water. There has been too much toing and froing over the summer from certain political parties which seem to be very confused on the issue. Clarification as to where they stand would be important. The Houses also need to debate the future of the provision of water in rural and urban areas and where is Irish Water going and what are the plans for it. It seems that the overwhelming majority of Members elected to these Houses are against water charges. I know the Dáil will have its debate but this House should have its own on the future of paying for water. Such a debate could be had in a reasonable manner, with Members putting forward arguments. When one saw so many people again taking to the streets in recent marches against water charges, one knew the matter had not gone away and neither had the campaign. I would welcome a debate on this issue.
Senator Murnane O'Connor referred to local government funding. I want to raise the particular issue of the future of libraries. There seems to be an ongoing pilot scheme around self-service libraries, a development which concerns many librarians and people who use libraries. It is seen really as a precursor to cutbacks in library services and staff. Issues are being raised around health and safety when people use the facilities, abuse of the facilities, etc. A debate on the future of libraries would be useful.
Maura Hopkins (Fine Gael)
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I want to raise the issue of farmers, particularly in the west, who are concerned about the difficult weather conditions we have had throughout the summer. I understand Teagasc is undertaking a survey on the extent of the tillage crisis, looking at how many hectares of barley, wheat and oats are yet to be harvested. There are farmers who have managed to harvest crops but the yields and quality are poor. I urge the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to take on board the difficulties farmers have experienced this summer. In the western region, I know of quite a number of farmers who have had to house animals much earlier than anticipated with the result that they are dealing with unforeseen costs. This will also inevitably to lead to a significant fodder deficit in the future.
Many farmers have been unable to empty their slurry tanks. Will the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Creed, consider extending slurry spreading date beyond 15 October? Overall, it has been a difficult time for farmers who are also struggling in terms of incomes. It is important that the Minister and the Government ensure that supports are put in place for farmers during this period of unseasonable weather.
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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Could the Leader ask the Minister for Health to come to the House to explain the circumstances surrounding a two-year-old child who was refused treatment by WestDoc in Roscommon last November and was brought by very anxious parents to Portiuncula Hospital bypassing Roscommon University Hospital, which has no accident and emergency department? The parents had to drive to Portiuncula Hospital because there is no accident and emergency department in Roscommon University Hospital. Roscommon University Hospital is a very beautiful hospital but the most basic service in a hospital is accident and emergency. I was very proud to make sure that it remained open during Fianna Fáil's Administration. It should never have been closed by the previous Administration. It is an absolute disgrace.
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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This young girl has now received-----
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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The former Minister for Health, James Reilly, and the Taoiseach closed it.
Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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Call in to see it.
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Feighan should be very proud. This child had to be brought-----
Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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It is busier and safer than ever before. If Senator Leyden called in and talked to consultants-----
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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All Senator Feighan is doing is prolonging the debate.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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This is not a council chamber. It is the Seanad.
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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It is not nonsense when a two-year-old child has to be brought to Portiuncula Hospital when the situation was very serious. The child has received a bill from Intrum Justitia for €100. The family earns €400 per week. This company has been directed by the HSE. The company seems to be chaired by a Swedish individual called Lars Lundquist while other individuals on the board of directors include Ulrika Valassi, Synnöve Trygg and Karolina Sandahl. The headquarters-----
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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It is not fair to name individuals. The Senator has been here a long time. He should not be mentioning names.
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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Well I am going to name them because I believe they should be named.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I will not allow the Senator to name them. I ask him to respect the Chair. I gave him a good deal of latitude.
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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I have a few more names but I will not give them out of respect for the Chair.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Please do not name them. The Senator is bringing the Chamber into disrepute.
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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This company has been assigned to pursue a two-year-old child for €100. That is bloody outrageous. It is about time the Minister for Health took control of the health service. He should not allow these bureaucrats to engage an international company to collect €100. The bill was sent to the child but the child cannot pay it.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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The Senator's point is well made.
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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I am telling my constituents not to pay it in the circumstances because a child aged two years of age is not liable for a bill of €100. It is outrageous. Senator Feighan can be very proud that the accident and emergency department in Roscommon University Hospital is closed. It is a bloody shame and Senator Feighan voted to close it.
Ray Butler (Fine Gael)
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I wish to raise an issue that was a blight on rural Ireland during the crash, namely, legislation regarding quarries. Now that construction has begun again after the crash, nobody has any problem with progress but I have seen three or four quarries in County Meath from which companies just walked away. Along with residents, I viewed one quarry on the border between Longwood and Rathmoylan where a man-made lake was left behind. Acres of desolate land were left behind. There was no safety and children were swimming in the lake that was left behind by the company that had quarried limestone out of the quarry. It was a disgrace that there was no legislation to tell this company to come back and fix up the mess it left behind.
There are three or four of these quarries in my county which companies have just walked away from. Could the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government come to the House to talk about proper legislation relating to this issue? It is a huge issue all over the country. I am sure Members in this Chamber have issues relating to quarries in their counties where companies have walked away and just left the areas desolate. A person would think he or she had landed on the moon. When I went down to see that quarry and went around the corner, I saw a massive man-made lake that would cost millions of euro to fix. It is a disgrace.
We need serious legislation because local authorities do not have the powers to cope with these companies which just walk away. We need to be proactive for future generations and to ensure safety for all. History will not be kind to us if we do not address this issue.
Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein)
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I apologise for having to nip out earlier and I thank the Cathaoirleach for giving me the opportunity to speak now. There are many important events about which I could talk today. There are many events that have happened since the House last met. There has been the Apple case, the huge efforts by the Government to hand back the €13 billion and the continuous denials that we have facilitated tax evasion and avoidance on a huge scale. We have the NAMA enquiry and the shenanigans that appear to have gone on there. I call for a debate in the House on that.
The real subject I want to talk to the Leader about today, however, is health. Since we last met, a patient died while waiting on a trolley in Galway. We cannot stand by and let that happen. This was a tragedy for the individual's family and friends and it has happened before, most recently at Tallaght hospital. As I speak, there are 33 people waiting on trolleys at Galway University Hospital. The national figure is 396. These are the lucky ones. They are the people who actually get a trolley. There has been a continuing saga of vital treatment being postponed because people cannot even get a trolley or a bed. There are patients who have had to go home from accident and emergency departments because there are no beds and they cannot be seen.
There is a great deal of amnesia in the House. I agree with Senator Feighan. I remind people of the trolley numbers from 2001 when Deputy Martin was Minister for Health and Children. In 2001, there were more than 500 people on trolleys. When Mary Harney was Minister for Health and Children, I invited her to come to Mayo General Hospital to look into the eyes of the people who were spending their last days on earth on trolleys and tell them why they could not have a bed or a room. Nothing was done. It was declared at the time to be a national emergency. It continued in 2006 and, again, in 2008, when over 400 people were left on trolleys. Nothing was done. We must be mindful that at that time the country was awash with money but the problem was completely ignored. People who come in here and talk about health as if it was a crisis that dropped out of the sky in recent months are deluding themselves. I want the Minister for Health to come to the House to tell us what the plan is in relation to this. I remind Mary Harney that she closed, aided and abetted by Fianna Fáil, the hospital in Belmullet.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Mary Harney retired from politics.
Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein)
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She has gone to PD heaven. Privatisation and centralisation have ruined the health service.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I gave the Senator 20 extra seconds. I was very fair.
Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Cathaoirleach.
Kieran O'Donnell (Fine Gael)
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Senator Hopkins referred to agriculture and farmers. It would be opportune to get the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to come to the House to discuss the low farm-gate prices farmers are receiving for their produce. There appears to be an alarming disconnect between what customers are being charged by the multiples and what farmers are getting for their produce. I understand work is being considered at national and European level and I suggest that we ask the Minister to come before the House to update Members on it. There are implications for both rural and urban areas in a situation whereby the multiples are dictating prices to the extent that co-operatives can only pay a certain rate to farmers for milk. This is a problem and it is something we need to investigate in order to determine what exactly is going on. There has been a great deal of talk about it. This is a debating Chamber and this is a matter we can track from the farm gate to the consumer. Ireland is an agricultural nation and this has implications for farmers, co-operatives, processors and, in many cases, local shops that cannot compete. I suggest that we request that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and any other relevant Minister come before us to provide an update on how the issue of the disconnect between farm-gate prices and the price charged to the consumer is being looked at nationally and at European level in order that farmers and others along the supply and distribution chains will get a fair price for their produce.
Grace O'Sullivan (Green Party)
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It is lovely to be back in the Chamber again. The summer recess was far too long and I feel we should all have been back a few weeks ago, getting on with the hugely important issues facing citizens.
Today, the Green Party published legislation on microbeads, which are small plastic beads found in soaps and cosmetics. They are causing contamination in our marine environment, as well as rivers and inland waterways. Our legislation seeks to prohibit the manufacture and sale of microbeads. We hope we will get support from this House on this matter.
The Minister for Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources, Deputy Denis Naughten, said on radio this morning that he would be interested in banning the use of microbeads. The legislation will be coming before this House in the coming weeks, so I hope all Senators will support it.
David Norris (Independent)
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I beg the indulgence of the House to express my sympathy to the people of Israel on the death of Shimon Peres, the former President and sometime Prime Minister of that country. I met him several times, the first time being 20 or 30 years ago in Jerusalem. I found him to be a man of extraordinary intelligence and wisdom. He pointed out the centrality of the water problem as one of the big issues behind the whole Middle Eastern situation. He was impressive and was one of the founding fathers of the State of Israel. He was a pupil of David Ben-Gurion and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat.
Peres is seen as a dove but, if so, he was a dove with eagle's talons because he was the architect of the settlement programme which is at the real heart of the divisive problem of Palestine and Israel. He was also the brains behind the nuclear programme which provided Israel with nuclear weapons, even through they have never publicly acknowledged this. It is with mixed emotions that one learned the news of his passing, but one has to understand the feelings of the majority of people in Israel, even though a Palestinian representative would take a very different view of Mr. Peres. However, he was undoubtedly a man of intelligence and wisdom. I think his loss will be felt by the people of Israel.
Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael)
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I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources to the House to discuss how we are setting about achieving our renewable heating targets for 2020, which we are obliged to do. As the House will know, we are required to obtain 12% of heating for homes and businesses from renewable sources by 2020. There are two aspects to it. First, we have a carbon tax which was introduced in 2010. That tax was increased in May 2013 and 2014. Second, we should debate how this money is being spent and whether the carbon tax, as applied, is a crude instrument to achieve our targets. This is especially so in the case of heating homes for people who are on very low incomes. They do not have a choice whether to buy coal or oil, although carbon tax is levied on such solid fossil fuels. Such people cannot afford to buy new heating systems.
I compliment the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland for its hard work in improving energy efficiency in old houses. This means that people are using less heating while the heat generated is better contained. However, where is the money from the carbon tax going?
We should also have a renewable heating incentive to encourage people to install woodchip heating facilities both for households and commercial enterprises. It is not currently attractive because a barrel of oil is relatively cheap. In addition, given the advances in technology, solar panels now even work in Ireland, including the west. While this was a problem for quite some time, people could now be incentivised to use solar panels both for businesses and homes.We could look at co-locating solar energy farms beside wind farms and we might get around some of the planning objections that can arise in trying to build renewable energy infrastructure. I ask that the Minister be invited in for a debate in the House.
Lorraine Clifford Lee (Fianna Fail)
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I was alarmed when I read recent media reports on the child care proposals of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Zappone, for the upcoming budget. No regard seems to be given to families in the squeezed middle bracket who have borne the majority of tax increases and public service cuts over the past five years. When I refer to the squeezed middle, I refer to those earning between €33,000 and €70,000 per annum. These families pay high housing costs and astronomical child care costs on top of that. One parent is often forced out of the workforce because of these child care costs, and nine times out of ten that parent is the mother. These child care costs continue to act as a barrier to re-entry to the workforce, even after the children have reached school-going age, and this leads to mothers being squeezed out of the workforce. Fianna Fáil has put forward a progressive tax credit proposal which would put money back into the pockets of those squeezed middle-income earners. This is the least we can do. Yesterday, I met an Australian MP who was appalled when I explained that families here are not assisted with the cost of child care. In Australia, 50% of the cost of child care is covered for families who earn under $100,000 a year.
I urge the Minister also to fund the early child care sector better. This should be taken in tandem with any proposals introduced in the budget. The early childhood care and education, ECCE, scheme is chronically underfunded and it is unsustainable as we move forward. We need to start prioritising children and families.
Tim Lombard (Fine Gael)
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Senators Kieran O'Donnell and Hopkins raised the plight of the farming community, but there is a major issue with grain growers and the grain sector. The grain sector in Ireland is on the verge of failing and ceasing to exist because of a fourth year of bad weather, bad prices and bad volume. We are looking at a situation, from Cork to Donegal, where grain has not been harvested, prices are as low as €135 a tonne and moisture content is anything up to 30%. It is a massive issue for everyone involved in the agricultural sector. We cannot let this sector slip through our fingers, as it were. We must act. A package of €11.2 million has been put in place for the livestock sector this year, but there has not been one for the grain sector. It is one of the issues on which we need to talk to the Minister. He should come to the House to discuss this issue because we need to go to Europe to get an aid package for the grain farmers and for the grain sector. I met grain farmers from all over west Cork last weekend, from Kilbrittain and Ballinascarty all the way to Roberts Cove, and the story is the same. They are at the end of their tether and they need assistance. I hope the Minister will go to Europe and that we will get an aid package because without that I do not see this sector existing, and it would be an awful shame.
Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein)
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Mar a dúirt roinnt daoine eile cheana féin, tá sé thar a bheith maith a bheith ar ais chun na cúrsaí seo a phlé inniu.
I want to draw the attention of the Leader and Members to the welcome news of an agreement that was reached in north Belfast relating to outstanding contentious parades between the Crumlin and Ardoyne residents association and local lodges of the loyal orders. On behalf of my party, I commend the two mediators who were involved in those discussions, the Rev. Harold Good and Mr. Jim Roddy, both of whom, along with others, have played a key role in navigating what I am sure everyone will appreciate have been difficult and choppy waters in that part of the city relating to the parading issue and what has become known as Camp Twaddell.The agreement itself offers the opportunity and has the potential to be transformative both for the specific bespoke issues faced by the community in north Belfast and for those communities dealing with what I stress are the last few issues of contentious loyal order parades. I am, however, disappointed - I am sure Members will share this disappointment - but not entirely surprised that some have sought to rally against this positive agreement. When negativity and regression is one's raison d'être, that really is all one has to offer one's local community and what a sad reflection that is. However, Members should take the opportunity to send a clear message from this House that they support and seek to bolster localised dialogue and resolution to contentious parades and that as Members, they stand ready to support where appropriate the facilitation of that dialogue and those resolutions.
Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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As I had intended to raise it myself, I first support the call by Senator Lombard regarding the grain industry. Consequently, I will speak on something else instead, namely, the protection of the 9% VAT rate for the tourism industry. This is a highly vulnerable industry and since the 9% rate was introduced in 2011, it has been responsible for the creation of many jobs right across the sector. There is a fear post-Brexit that were the 9% rate to be touched in the forthcoming budget, it certainly would have a detrimental effect on many jobs and businesses across the tourism sector. The 9% rate gave great confidence in respect of job creation to businesses in the tourism industry during the downturn. As a consequence of the lower VAT rate, it was one of the few industries in which job creation took place and I call on the Minister to retain the 9% rate.
Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail)
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I also welcome everyone back to the Seanad for this term. I wish to mention briefly the issue of Brexit and note the Taoiseach will come to the House tomorrow to address Members, which I greatly welcome. I ask the Leader to bring forward to him my concerns on Brexit, which I will outline briefly. Last week, as did many other Members, I attended a symposium organised by the Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil, Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl, and found it to be highly informative. Many expert speakers were there on the day to give their opinions on the uncertainty that exists and which unfortunately will continue to exist for some time to come. The Leader should bring three points to the Taoiseach's attention. First, it is of vital importance to appoint a senior Minister to oversee the entire Brexit process. It is a serious issue that will have major implications for the future of the country. Second, the Leader should communicate to the Taoiseach that at any negotiations between the European Union and the United Kingdom, the Taoiseach should insist on the presence of the aforementioned Minister to co-ordinate everything that needs to be co-ordinated across all agencies and Departments. Finally, I ask the Leader to mention to the Taoiseach that everyone agrees no country is more affected by the Brexit vote than is Ireland and on a more micro level, no part of this country is more affected by the Brexit vote than the Border counties from Donegal to Louth. Consequently, I ask that these counties be given special consideration in any future negotiations that take place.
Colm Burke (Fine Gael)
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I also welcome everyone back for this term. A number of Members have raised the issue of health and it is an important issue for discussion. While there are difficulties in certain areas, Members should also acknowledge and check out an interesting report that has just been published in the medical journal, The Lancet. Ireland is ranked 13th out of 188 countries with regard to the United Nations development goals on health. There is much adverse coverage of the health services, which is having an effect on people who work in those services.More people than ever are out of work in the health service because of stress and much of that is generated by poor media coverage. In the past week, one newspaper carried an article about an alleged rape and the same article described complaints to the Medical Council. There is a big difference between that criminal offence and complaints to the Medical Council and it is wrong that they were tied in one article. That is not helpful to the medical services.
I agree with Senator Devine on the nursing issue. It is important and can easily be resolved. I fully support what she said about nurses where that difference has arisen, and it is not that costly to resolve it. Senator Buttimer and I attended a meeting with the management of Cork University Hospital and of 50 nurses who graduated this year in Cork, 48 are now employed in Cork University Hospital. That is the change we need to get. We still need to bring many people into the service. I agree that we need to remove the dependence on agencies to provide nursing staff. The sooner we do that, the better. We need to make sure it is attractive for nurses to stay here to work. We provide them with an excellent education and people here should benefit from that education. The Minister needs to take that on board and I ask the Leader to take it up with him at the earliest possible date to resolve the issue in respect of the nurses.
Paul Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I congratulate the Cathaoirleach and Eileen on their recent nuptials and wish them many years of health, happiness and prosperity together.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I am not sure that is appropriate to the Order of Business but I take it in good faith.
Paul Daly (Fianna Fail)
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The crisis in farming is far-reaching, as indicated by the fact that at least three Senators have already raised it. All sectors of the agriculture industry are in a deepening crisis. When the country was in an economic crisis, the agricultural sector came to the rescue. It is the foundation stone on which the economic structure of the country has been built. The family farm is a thing of the past. Unless serious action is taken, it will not survive and it will not be viable for a farmer to hope to raise a family with any quality of life on the farm. Farmers have to take on the top-heavy consumer markets daily. The problems of the grain sector have been compounded by inclement weather and in the horticulture sector 80% of mushrooms are exported to the UK. The mushroom business is taking an enormous hit because of the Brexit vote.
It is imperative that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine come to this House for a full, open and frank debate about what actions can be taken to help the farmers in crisis and to provide some hope for those who may not be in crisis now but expect it around the next corner because of the way the business is going. It is a matter of priority that he come in here and we have this debate. Action has to be taken in the budget. It seems to be the norm as we approach the budget, kites are flown.
Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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Fianna Fáil kites.
Paul Daly (Fianna Fail)
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There is one flying to suggest that there will be a hike in agricultural diesel. If there is any truth in that, the kite needs to be reeled in immediately.We are looking for aid, assistance and support for a sector which is on its knees. The largest bill on any farm, irrespective of the code of farming, is the diesel bill. If we hike the biggest bill in the budget, we will defeat whatever other actions may be taken as a token of support. We cannot give with one hand and take away with the other. I plead with the Minister to pull that kite in before the budget is decided so that the farming community is not hit with a hike in the cost of agricultural diesel.
Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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Even though I should not do so, I will respond to Senator Leyden's assertion that I should be ashamed of myself with regard to Roscommon County Hospital. I do not like to attack parties, but I have to say the Senator is absolutely right when he says that Fianna Fáil spent over €7 million putting in an accident and emergency department.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I am sure the Senator can convey that to him privately.
Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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It was a bit like the film "Blazing Saddles" - they put in a facade but nothing inside.
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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Rubbish. Absolute lies.
Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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I am so happy I ensured dozens of lives were saved with the air ambulance. The endoscopy unit at the hospital was opened two weeks ago. Over 300 people are employed full time at the hospital. Senators do not need to take my word for it - they can call down to Roscommon and talk to the consultants and the management personnel there. They will say that the hospital is much safer, that people are much safer and that dozens of lives have been saved. I ask anybody who would challenge that to come down.
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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The Senator voted for the closure.
David Norris (Independent)
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He is a man of principle.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Is Senator Feighan looking for a debate?
Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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I just want to say I am sick and tired of people standing up for the last five years to bring the name of Roscommon County Hospital through the mill. It is much safer and much busier now.
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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Not if you are dead.
Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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I am happy to make that statement again. I want to join-----
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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People have died as a result of the accident and emergency department being closed.
Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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Senator Leyden and I both know that not one person has died because of the downgrading of the accident and emergency department at Roscommon County Hospital.
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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I can name them.
Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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I invite the Senator to come up with the names. Nobody has died.
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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I can name a lady-----
Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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I can give the names of dozens of people whose lives have been saved.
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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Up at the Abbey Hotel-----
Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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Senator Leyden should withdraw what he has put on the record of this House.
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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She bled to death.
Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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Withdraw it, Senator Leyden.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I ask the Senator to respect the Chair.
Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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You are absolutely wrong. Withdraw it.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Feighan, respect the Chair. I will ask you to sit down now.
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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I will name names. She bled to death near the Abbey Hotel.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Leyden, ciúnas.
Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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We have heard no names. I want to put it on the record that not one person has died in the last five years because the accident and emergency department at Roscommon County Hospital was withdrawn. Dozens of lives have been saved.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I ask Senator Feighan to respect the Chair.
Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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Shame on you once again, Senator Leyden.
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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If she had been -----
Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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You are long enough in this place to know better.
Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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Shame on you, Senator Leyden.
Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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You are an absolute disgrace. Withdraw what you have said, Senator Leyden.
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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She bled to death.
Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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Just withdraw it.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I ask the Senators to respect the Chair.
Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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I am not going to stand and listen to lies being told in this Chamber.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I call Senator Paddy Burke.
Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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Withdraw it, Senator Leyden.
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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Senator Feighan knows that if the hospital had been open, she would not have bled to death.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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That goose is cooked.
Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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Senator Leyden should withdraw what he has said.
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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That is the point.
Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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Fianna Fáil could not put the accident and emergency department back together again.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I ask Senator Feighan to resume his seat.
Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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I will leave because I will not be a party to the lies of Senator Leyden, who should know better.
Grace O'Sullivan (Green Party)
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Hear, hear.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I call Senator Paddy Burke.
Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
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I want to finish off by saying-----
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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No, I have called Senator Burke.
David Norris (Independent)
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Senator Feighan was interrupted so he should be allowed to continue.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senators Leyden and Feighan have used almost four minutes so they can continue their discussion in Roscommon.
Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to come to this House for a debate on hedge-cutting. There have been more fatalities on the roads this year than there were in other years. The Minister should consider bringing forward the date on which hedge-cutting can commence from the current date in September.
David Norris (Independent)
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What about the rare birds?
Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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I think it should be brought forward to August. Children now go back to school in August, which is earlier than they used to go back to school. This year, there was much more rapid growth in August than there was in other years. I think the Minister has to look at this from a road safety point of view. There is a need for better co-ordination between local authorities and the ESB and the telecommunications utilities that engage in hedge-cutting. I believe the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs should come to this House with a view to moving the date on which hedge-cutting works can start to a time earlier in the year.
Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
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I want to raise with the Leader the very serious matter of car insurance and the huge increase in cost during the past year. It has increased by approximately 40%, on average. This is extraordinarily difficult for so many people throughout the country. In places that do not have trains and buses - large chunks of Ireland - it is a tax on work. It makes it almost impossible for young people and people generally to get to work in these areas. It has become a real difficulty. It is a real issue for so many families. It could represent hundreds of euro in increases and it is not sustainable for people. This needs immediate action.
I am aware of and welcome the fact that the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, is chairing a working group on car insurance to look at solutions. I understand the group will report quickly. I put it to the Leader that we need action on this and we need a debate on it. We need a series of actions across a number of Departments. They must happen now in the coming months since most car insurance renewals begin in the spring and in January. This needs resolution in the short term. A range of areas need to be looked at, including claims and the nature of claims. A complete package of areas needs to be looked at. All I am saying is that this is an extraordinary hardship on people. It is a tax on work. It is very unfair and affects many drivers. A person was talking to me this morning who has an absolutely clean record and yet the insurance has gone up by something like €700. The person has no record of accidents or malpractice.
It is a serious matter. It is probably one of the greatest difficulties confronting ordinary people trying to go about normal business. I am not talking about leisure driving; I am talking about people trying to get to work. I hope we can have action and a debate on the matter.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Thank you, Senator. The Leader to respond.
Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I thank Senator Conway for raising the very important and poignant death of Caitríona Lucas. Everyone in the House was shocked by her death. As Senator Conway rightly said, it was heroically in the line of duty in a search and rescue mission and in pursuit of bringing a person back to safety. In the House today, as we resume our deliberations and work, it is appropriate that we remember and pay tribute to the memory and life of Caitríona Lucas and, more important, that we remember her for her heroic endeavour and bravery. We commend her and, in doing that, we remember her husband, Brendan, her son, Ben, and her daughter, Emma. To the extended families we send our deepest sympathies. We think of her colleagues in the Doolin Coast Guard unit. To all the men and women who work in the Irish Coast Guard services we send our thanks and our gratitude.
We have seen the television reports, the pictures and the imagery. It is easy to watch the television in the luxury of the front room but to put ourselves in their lives and in their way is another matter. I call on Members to stand. In doing so, I call on them to remember the life of Shimon Peres, whom Senator Norris mentioned, a man who brought peace and who worked for peace. I think it is important that we stand at the beginning to pause for a minute's silence to commemorate, remember and to say "thank you" for the life of Caitríona Lucas.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I suggest we do that at the end of the Order of Business.
Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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That is okay. I would be happy to do that. Out of the sadness at the deaths-----
Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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On a point of order, I think it would be only appropriate to separate these two, because people might have different thoughts about them.
Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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That is fine. Out of the depths and tragedy of death comes new life. During the course of the summer recess Senator Lombard and his wife, Catherine, had the pleasure of having two young boys born to them, John and Denis. I congratulate Senator Lombard and his wife on the heroic endeavour on his part. I imagine his sleepless nights have started. We commend Senator Lombard and his wife, Catherine.
It would be remiss of me, as Leader, if I did not follow Senator Daly's remarks by congratulating him and his good wife, Eileen, on their recent marriage and wedding. We congratulate them and wish them well. By all accounts, Kinsale has survived and is now coming back to life after the nuptials. Senator Ardagh raised the important issue of DEIS schools, but before I discuss it, I wish to welcome everyone formally for returning. Senators have been back at work since long before today, but I wish them a productive and fruitful term until Christmas. I hope that, in the era of new politics, we can all come together to ensure the people's interests rather than vested interests are served in the House.
Senator Ardagh was right about there being a review of the selection method for DEIS schools under way. I am informed that it will be published by the end of the year and that a new action plan for disadvantaged schools will ensue. I join the Senator in expressing hope that there will be an increase in opportunities for people to participate in education as well as more positive outcomes for children in disadvantaged areas. A school in my area has become so successful that it has fallen out of the DEIS band. In that light, it is important the review take note of the Senator's remarks. The Minister, Deputy Bruton, will be in the House in the coming weeks to discuss education. I hope he refers to this issue as part of that deliberation.
Senator Craughwell raised the issue of retirement age in general and the case of Dr. Brendan Murphy of Cork Institute of Technology, CIT, specifically. My understanding is that Dr. Murphy received a five-year contract in 2014 and that CIT and the Department are in dialogue regarding it. I am unsure as to the outcome of that dialogue but I am sure it will be the best outcome for CIT. As the Senator knows, the Bill on technological university status is returning to the Seanad. It is important we reflect on what would be the best outcome for CIT. I am informed there has been consultation on the specific issue.
Senators Devine and Colm Burke raised the question of nursing and the importance to recruitment of changing different pay rates, which has happened in education. I agree with Senator Colm Burke about the cost of agency staff and the need to move away from their use in order that more nurses can be recruited and retained in the health sector. I agree about the importance of nursing and the need for the situation to be clarified. The Minister for Health has been involved and I have spoken to him. Senator Colm Burke and I attended a meeting with him in Cork on Monday where we heard that nurse retention rates in hospitals were increasing. That is welcome, but it cannot be taken for granted. I agree with the Senator that the two-tier pay system must end. I will work with him and other Senators to achieve that.
Senators Kelleher and Ó Clochartaigh referred to the report that was published on Traveller accommodation. The serious threat to life posed by fire and other safety risks to members of the Traveller community is one we cannot take lightly. The Minister and the Department must first reflect on the report. Second, local authorities must consider it in the context of their housing plans and Traveller accommodation committees and work with the Traveller community on ensuring that, at a minimum, there is access and egress, fire blankets and proper adherence to health and safety measures at halting sites and that accommodation needs are met. I will invite the Minister to attend the House to discuss this issue.
In a wide-ranging contribution, Senator Bacik mentioned education. I commend Trinity College Dublin on its initiative. I assure the Senator that the Minister, Deputy Bruton, will attend the House to discuss education in the next two weeks. As to Syria, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade will attend our Brexit debate in the coming weeks. Perhaps we could discuss Syria and the important issues raised by the Senator then, not least of which was the saving of lives. I commend our Naval Service personnel, who have been proactive in saving lives in the Mediterranean Sea. Those of us who follow the situation closely will know there will be a homecoming this Friday. At a time when the matter has been tied into the issues of Brexit and the European response, it is important we keep up the effort in our debates.
Senator Bacik also referred to the repeal of the eighth amendment. As she knows, the citizens' assembly is commencing in October and the amendment is the signature item at the beginning. Like the Senator, I would have preferred the re-establishment of the Constitutional Convention model, but I understand the need for the Taoiseach to have a citizens' assembly. I appeal to those who are taking part in the debate around the eighth amendment to understand that language matters. That is to paraphrase what came from the debate in New York this week. In this Chamber and in a previous health committee we had discussions on protection of life during pregnancy legislation. It is important that we hear from all sides of the debate. I ask those who deride the idea of a citizens' assembly to reflect on the importance of what is being convened. Citizens are informed and although they may not be parliamentarians or invested in politics, they will be versed in knowledge and be able to do their work. They will come back with a set of proposals. The Taoiseach is right that this is not a black and white issue. We must take this debate beyond the prism of the usual suspects discussing it in the media. We must allow the "gnáth duine", the man and woman who will ultimately make the decision, to have their say and be participants in the debate. I hope the citizens' assembly will be given the support it needs from a resources perspective and, equally, by us as parliamentarians, the body politic and the country's citizenship. The citizens' assembly will do a service to the State and we should allow it to do its work.
I agree with Senator Conway that we must have a debate on the role of the Coast Guard and I would be happy to facilitate that. Senator Murnane O'Connor raised the funding of local government and the importance of the Government being able to support local government. She argued that, equally, local government should be able to bring forward mechanisms to support itself. I know the Local Authorities Members Association is meeting on Friday in Bantry and many Members from the House will be there. The importance of this will be seen by the Minister in the coming months and weeks when he discusses many elements of the local authority umbrella. I would be happy to have him come to the House in that regard.
I join Senator O'Mahony in congratulating our Olympians and Paralympians on the joy they gave to us during the summer. Sport is a great unifier and the success of our Olympians and Paralympians - I will not name them all - was uplifting and gave us a sense of importance and of who we are. We saw that in the homecoming and the warmth of reception given to those athletes. The bigger issue raised by the Senator is the importance of the governance of sport and sporting bodies. Perhaps we can come back to that piece of work in our consultative manner as the issue of how sport is governed should be addressed. There is also the matter of how sport complies with different directives. The Irish Sports Council under Mr. John Treacy is doing much work and I know Mr. Kieran Mulvey has moved into a different role again. We will come back to the issue.
Senator Ó Clochartaigh joined Senator Kelleher in raising Traveller accommodation and he also mentioned rural affairs, the Gaeltacht and the diaspora. The relevant Minister of State, Deputy Kyne, has committed to coming to the Seanad and has asked that we wait until the strategy is completed and published before he speaks to us about the Irish language. The other Ministers of State, Deputies McHugh and Ring, have also committed to coming before us to speak about rural affairs and the diaspora. The Senator also mentioned water and the most important point is that both Sinn Féin and Fianna Fail have changed positions on multiple occasions on the issue.
Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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Not at all.
Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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A commission has been established and we should all make a submission to it. I would be happy to have a debate after the submissions have been made. It is important to allow the commission do its work. I will not in any way be found wanting in having a debate on water and I would be very happy to hear how the Senator's party will propose to impose more taxes on the Irish people, as articulated by Deputy Ó Broin this morning on radio.
Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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It must be funded properly and in a progressive manner. Absolutely.
Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I would be very happy to have that debate. The Senator's party has flip-flopped on many different issues.
Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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We have not. The Leader is wrong.
Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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It has done it again with water and I look forward to having that debate.
Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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He is absolutely wrong. Check the facts.
Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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The issue of agriculture has correctly dominated this afternoon's proceedings. I thank Senators Hopkins, Lombard, Byrne, O'Donnell and Daly for raising the importance of agriculture to the nation. The Minister, Deputy Creed, is convening a meeting of stakeholders on 6 October with a view to considering all the options.As Senator Lombard rightly said, it is an issue that affects all farmers, in particular our grain farmers, from Cork to Donegal. I hope we will see some type of package being given to our farming community. The Commissioner, Mr. Hogan, is acutely aware of the issue. I know from speaking to him that he has been spoken to by many Members of the Oireachtas. As Senator Lombard rightly said, this is about the moisture, the volume of the crop, the quality of the crop and the poor weather. I think all of us in the House will join with him and other Senators who have raised the issue. There should be urgent aid coming from Europe.
Senator Daly rightly made reference to the high cost of diesel and the need for some recognition of it in the budget. I hope we do not just raise the cost of diesel. The Senator is right when he states that there is a crisis and an issue to be addressed. The farm is not as it was, but the Minister, Deputy Creed, is acutely aware of that fact. Senator Kieran O'Donnell rightly raised the issue of the cost being paid to the farmer for the food being produced. We need to see that issue tackled. When one sees some supermarkets being able to sell vegetables for 9 cent or being able to offer meat or other produce for prices way below what one would expect to pay, I agree that it poses a question.
As did Senator Feighan, Senator Leyden raised the issue of Roscommon University Hospital. On the issue Senator Leyden raised about the two-year-old child, it is important that he would give any information he has to the Minister, the HSE or the hospital authorities so they could address it. It is important that he does not play politics with people's lives and come in here scare-mongering-----
Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I am being fair.
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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I am being fair too.
Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Senator Conway-Walsh raised an issue about a hospital in Galway. She did not do it in the same manner as did Senator Leyden. It behoves the Senator, as a senior parliamentarian-----
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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I am sorry-----
Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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If I may, I did not interrupt Senator Leyden. As an experienced parliamentarian, he is long enough around to know that there is a way in which one can deal with issues and advocate for and represent constituents and others. To be fair, I do not think coming into the Chamber today to try to provoke a fight or a row is the way to do it. There is a way to do our business.
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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In fairness, I have already communicated with the Minister, the HSE and all those agencies.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Allow the Leader to continue.
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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I was provoked by Senator Feighan.
Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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He did not actually. Senator Leyden provoked Senator Feighan.
David Norris (Independent)
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Senator Feighan spoke after you, so how could he have provoked you? Nincompoop.
Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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As Members will know, as Leader of the House-----
Kieran O'Donnell (Fine Gael)
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A Chathaoirligh-----
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Senator O'Donnell, the less said the better-----
Kieran O'Donnell (Fine Gael)
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The Cathaoirleach is in good form.
Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Members know that if issues are raised with me as Leader of the House I will make representations to the line Minister on their behalf. I may not always get the result, but I do make those representations. If the Senator has the information, I would be happy to go on his behalf to the Minister for Health on the matter.
Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)
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He is already informed.
Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Senator Ray Butler raised the important issue of quarries. It is important that we allow for local authorities to be involved, but also that the Minister with responsibility for this area, Deputy Coveney, would be involved.
Senator Conway-Walsh raised the issue of the person in University Hospital Galway. I am happy to raise that issue with the Minister. She also raised the issue of Apple. We will debate that next week in the House. On NAMA, there is a commission of inquiry under way and there will also be a debate in the Committee of Public Accounts. The Senator is also right in regard to the area of health. The crisis in health did not just happen with the click of a switch. It happened under the watch of some of the Members opposite. When I hear Deputy Micheál Martin speak about fairness in Irish society, I wonder where he was for 14 years when he was leading various Departments. However, I will not open a political debate on that today.
Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)
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Fine Gael had five years to fix it.
Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein)
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On a point of clarification, will the Minister for Health attend this House?
Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I have asked him to come in and he has given a commitment to come to the House.
I commend the Green Party for its proposed legislation on microbeads. I heard the Minister discussing the issue this morning on "Morning Ireland". There is a knock-on effect and we need to have a conversation about it.
I have already dealt with the issues raised by Senator Norris.
Senator Michelle Mulherin raised the important issue of renewable energy and energy efficiency. The Minister, Deputy Naughten, has been before the House and will return to it.
I join with Senator Clifford-Lee on the points she raised regarding child care and the need to discuss a comprehensive suite of measures to solve, in so far as we can, the issue of the cost of child care. I welcome her to the Fine Gael position on the squeezed middle and thank her for joining us. She is right in raising the issue of the squeezed middle. There is now a group of people who pay for everything and feel they get nothing in return. They are looking to all of us-----
Lorraine Clifford Lee (Fianna Fail)
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What is the Minister going to do about it?
Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I will come to that. They are looking to all of us to give them some type of hope in terms of cost reduction, services and value for their money.This poses the issue who should pay and who should benefit in the next budget. I look forward to the Minister coming to the House, hopefully before, or definitely after, the budget, to discuss chid care, because it is very important. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, and the Minister of State, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, will be in the House during the next few weeks. We had a pre-budget discussion before the recess. The Senator can raise the issue as part of the discussion with the Minister and Minister of State. The Senator is correct. As Members of the legislative assembly we must make every effort to ensure the squeezed middle are looked after in some shape or form.
Senator Tim Lombard is correct about the grain industry. Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile raised north Belfast. I join him and all others in commending the two mediators regarding the parades resolution. It is important that all of us, no matter what our political ideology is, work to continue to bring both sides in the North together. The parades resolution is one area in which we can see some type of normality returning. I commend all involved. I agree with the Senator that it can be a transformative result that can benefit the lives of people in both communities.
Senator Maria Byrne raised the important issue of the 9% VAT rate. In the post-Brexit era it is important that the tourism sector continues to receive a break so we can attract visitors from across the world to come to our country. We welcome the increase in visitor numbers and passenger numbers in our airports. It behoves me as Leader to echo the views I expressed here before, that when we see hotels in our capital city and across the country raising their rates, it sends the wrong message and defeats the purpose of the 9%, which was to attract tourism. The Restaurants Association of Ireland is meeting today across the road. It has worked with the tourism industry in other areas to ensure prices are kept down by having a variety of menus. I hope the hotel sector will continue to work with all of us to keep prices down. If hotels raise their prices, different types of competition will enter the market. It behoves all of us to become an Ireland of welcomes with our prices kept down rather than being increased.
Senator Robbie Gallagher raised Brexit. During the coming weeks, we will have a series of debates on Brexit when Senators will have an opportunity to discuss it with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and other Ministers. I join the Senator in commending the Ceann Comhairle on holding the symposium on Brexit in the Mansion House last week. It was a very worthwhile and informative event.
Senator Colm Burke raised the issue of health and I thank him for doing so and for commending those who work in the health service. We are 13th on the table he mentioned. It is important we continue to invest in health, continue to have people staying in our country working in the health service and that we recruit people across the sectors. I join Senator Paul Daly in hoping Ministers and Opposition Members stop flying kites that will frighten people about what is coming in the budget. The Minister for Finance has said the budget will not be a giveaway budget. To listen to the Opposition, if one added up all they had one could fill every stadium in the world. In reality, we have €1 billion at our disposal. A ratio of two to one tax and spending has been agreed. If we all entered the world of reality in which we live rather than the world of make believe, we would do our constituents and those we represent a better service.
I agree with Senator Frank Feighan that there is a very strong and progressive hospital in Roscommon where there is much activity. Senator Paddy Burke raised the issue of hedge cutting. From limited information, the local county engineer has the power to cut hedges and make roads safe. The Senator is correct. There has been an increase in fatalities on our roads and there is a need for better co-ordination between local authorities, Transport Ireland and the utilities companies in terms of how they do work and cut hedges in rural Ireland. I will be happy to take it to the Departments regarding bring the hedge cutting date forward.
Senator Joe O'Reilly raised the important issue of car insurance and referenced an increase of 40% in some cases. It is an attack on work. He is dead right on that. It is a very penal attack on young people who, in many cases, cannot afford insurance.The Minister of State, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, is chairing a cross-departmental committee on the matter and the Chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach, Deputy John McGuinness, has held hearings into it. It is important we continue to be mindful that this is an important issue for many.
Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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Before concluding the Order of Business, I also want to be associated with the words of sympathy for the Irish Coast Guard volunteer, Caitríona Lucas. As someone who comes from a coastal community and was born on a peninsula, I am only too acutely aware of the tremendous work the Irish Coast Guard, our lifeboat services and inshore, cliff and other rescue services do. It is unfortunate they are called much too often. I ask the House to observe one minute's silence for the late Caitríona Lucas.