Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
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The Order of Business is No. 1, statements to mark Europe Day 2025, to be taken at 12 noon and to conclude at 1.30 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed ten minutes, all other Senators not to exceed five minutes and time may be shared, and the Minister to be given not less than ten minutes to reply to the debate.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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The clock to my left is not working. When Members on this side are speaking I will strike the bell just to let them know that the time is nearly finished.

Shane Curley (Fianna Fail)
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We can all agree that one of the biggest frustrations for the Irish taxpayer is waste. Since 2017, Ireland has wasted more than €2.1 billion worth of renewable electricity due to curtailment. Taxpayers' money finances the energy that is used to electrify social housing, yet we are throwing away thousands of euro worth of electricity every night when we generate surplus energy. Why? It is because we have nowhere to store it and it simply gets earthed.

This is all happening against the backdrop of the all-too-common issue of fuel poverty. It is a subject with which all of us as public representatives are familiar. According to the ESRI, 550,000 families in Ireland are now living in fuel poverty. This should not be happening in 2025 in a country like Ireland. This energy could and should be used to help people most in need. My party colleague, the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, is committed to supporting initiatives such as the EnergyCloud programme to tackle this problem. I am pleased that families in east Galway are part of the EnergyCloud programme that was launched last year with Galway County Council, where this surplus energy is stored and redirected to heat the water tanks of families living in fuel poverty. Not alone does this reduce their financial difficulties but it saves the taxpayer a fortune by reducing the money we spend on heating social homes. This is a long-term solution and it is not a hugely costly project to roll out. This initial project will see approximately 150 families in Galway benefit. The great news is that it is already operational. It is easy to roll out.

I want to see more energy companies play their part and contribute to finding ways to use surplus energy and help tackle energy poverty in the country. Some of my Fianna Fáil colleagues in Dáil Éireann have championed this issue, including the Minister of State, Deputy Chris O'Sullivan, and Deputy Paul McAuliffe, who has produced Private Members' legislation on the matter. Councillor Emma Murphy on South Dublin County Council has led from the front on this topic as well. She helped launch an initiative in her area of South Dublin in association with EnergyCloud and Clúid Housing. I commend the recognition of this opportunity in the programme for Government, including the commitment to exploring how surplus renewable energy can be used to help reduce fuel poverty and benefit all communities.

Tá an fhadhb seo an-dáiríre agus caithfimid dul i ngleic leis go tapa agus airgead a shábháil do dhaoine a íocann cáin sa tír seo. Tá sé thar a bheith tábhachtach go mbogfaimid go tapa maidir leis seo. Will the Deputy Leader arrange time for a full debate on using surplus renewable energy to help tackle energy poverty?

Mark Duffy (Fine Gael)
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In recent days there have been reports about the appointment of a housing tsar to help support the housing crisis we face. I have serious concerns about this concept considering the fact that we have more than 900 tsars in county councils across every local authority. They are our county councillors. Devolved functions to zone housing on the ground is what we need to unlock housing supply, and working with potential developers, the utilities and service providers. That is where the war will be won in terms of unlocking housing supply. The sum of €430,000 is an extortionate amount of money for a position that has no clarity on what the holder is going to do. I welcome the programme for Government commitment on a housing activation office, but we must have stronger conversations on the concept of a housing tsar in terms of delivery and the empowerment of local authorities.

Numerous attempts were made in the area I am from in Mayo to zone land to activate housing in towns and villages in the county. I have been contacted daily by people who are trying to build one-off houses in the area they are from but they are being repelled by county development plans, local development plans or other bureaucratic excuses. It is not always the case that it is just about the lack of supply from Irish Water. We have had multiple examples in local area plans where councillors have tried to zone land that is in walking distance of urban centres, has footpaths, broadband, electricity supply and public lighting schemes but they are rejected because of population targets and ceilings that are being put on settlements in counties, towns and villages. We must devolve power back to local authorities because we have 900 tsars already in place who are resourced and paid. They just need to be empowered to do that work. That is where we need to have our focus. If we have a housing activation office, it must have devolved functions to every local authority and not be centralised.The LDA, for example, is doing great work but it is focused on the cities. I have concerns that if we have a housing activation office, it will again focus on centralised efforts in cities while towns in more rural areas are left behind. We need to empower the tsars we have and not create another layer of bureaucracy that will potentially impede progress in solving the housing crisis.

Aubrey McCarthy (Independent)
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Last weekend while the Seanad was in recess I attended a fantastic conference organised by FIDI in Dubrovnik, Croatia. It was a conference of business leaders from around the world in the moving and transport industry, in which I am involved. A key concern that kept coming up was the disruptive and unpredictable nature of the US tariffs, for which the phrase "the Trumpademic" was coined. These trade measures are causing serious disruption to the global supply chain and this is making it really difficult for businesses to plan, invest and manage risk. The speed and volatility of these changes are leaving companies attending the seminar dealing with tariffs that have gone from $10,000 to $100,000 per container. This trend threatens global growth and will inevitably affect Ireland’s open economy. I ask the Government to urgently engage with all the EU and international bodies to push for stability, defend free trade and also support Irish exporters.

Other alarming statistics that came out in the last few days are the latest homelessness figures. As of March, a record 15,418 people are now experiencing emergency homeless accommodation, of whom 4,675 are children. That is an increase of 10% in the last year and an increase of 11% in the number of children. These are not just numbers but real people. These are families, young adults and elderly people who are experiencing life without the security of a home. Over 11,000 of these people are in the Dublin area. I encourage my colleagues to visit the Lighthouse homeless café on Pearse Street, as Senator O’Loughlin did recently, to see what is happening on the ground. The issue goes beyond Dublin to counties Kildare, Meath, Mayo and Galway, all of which are seeing significant pressure. The figures do not include couch-surfing or people staying in cars.

The failure to meet last year’s social housing targets means 1,500 homes were not realised. That has directly contributed to this situation. We urgently need a shift in Government priorities, including more funding for social housing, better preventative schemes and better support services, which are essential. With a new Minister in place we need a new, courageous view of how to put people before budget lines. Homelessness is preventable, but only if we act.

Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent)
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We will have statements on Europe Day later and I am looking forward to making a contribution. However, I have checked and Europe Day is usually celebrated on 9 May by the European Parliament and on 5 May by the European Council. While I am of course delighted we are going to have the opportunity to speak about Europe Day, I am a little puzzled as to why we are not doing so next week because today is International Workers' Day. It is May Day, the day for workers across the world. Since we are having Europe Day statements today on International Workers' Day, perhaps we could have statements on workers' rights on 9 May. Both are very important and worth marking.

I have a few things to say to mark International Workers' Day. Much work needs to be done on workers' rights in Ireland. UCD has published reports highlighting that up to 27% of jobs in the State are precarious in nature, with little security, lower wages and few opportunities to grow and develop.In the higher education sector, which I work with very closely as a Senator, more than 40% of employees are on temporary, short-term or part-time contracts without access to rights and benefits or the ability to plan their lives. This is not just bad for the workers but for all of us because insecurity in the area in which we hope ideas will be generated creates a climate of fear and moves us away from the thinking, security and ideas we should be getting from the higher education sector, including diversity.

Section 39 healthcare workers took action in February and March to demand what they deserve, namely, pay parity with their public sector counterparts. These workers are delivering the same services that perhaps should be delivered directly by the public services at much lower pay rates and without the same security.

If we have statements on 9 May, I hope we will be able to address the very worrying statements from the Taoiseach indicating his intention to delay the implementation of the adequate minimum wage directive and to delay progress towards a living wage. This is coming at a time of international insecurity. We cannot have a situation whereby we are deciding to wait until 2029, which is after the term of the Government, before we deliver a living wage for workers. The adequate minimum wage directive inserts adequacy as one the things we should be thinking about when we determine the minimum wage. I note the trade unions' campaign on things that do not cost money but which, I hope, the Government will might progress, namely, recognition of unions, rights to collective bargaining and protection from union busting. These will all be required under EU law but we should be doing them anyway, rather than waiting until 2029.

Chris Andrews (Sinn Fein)
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The crisis in dog welfare continues daily and is obviously having an impact on dogs. I know the Minister has been very supportive of dog and animal welfare. This is also having a hugely damaging impact on those working in rescue centres. It is devastating for those who work tirelessly in this area to pick up the tab for Government failure on dog welfare. I highlight the many measures the Government could take to improve dog welfare. They are simple measures to encourage responsible ownership. One example that Animal Law Ireland proposes is to reduce the dog licence fee from €20 to €10 for those who have their dog neutered and increase the fee from €20 to €60, €70 or €80 for those whose dogs are not neutered. This is a very simple measure that would encourage responsible dog ownership. I ask that the Minister come to the House to discuss simple measures that can be implemented and do not require hours of debate or legislation. A simple measure such as the one I outlined would have a hugely positive impact on dog welfare. It is very doable. I ask that the Minister come in to discuss it.

Teresa Costello (Fianna Fail)
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I wish to highlight the significance of the Alzheimer’s tea days taking place across Ireland today. Now in its 31st year, this national event, organised by the Alzheimer's Society of Ireland, brings communities together over a cup of tea to raise vital funds and awareness for the 64,000 people living with dementia and their families. The funds raised today support essential services, such as daycare, home care, dementia advisers and a national helpline, which are lifelines for many families navigating the challenges of dementia.

I wish to personally acknowledge the staff of Rose Cottage Day Care in Tallaght, where my dad attends daycare. He absolutely loves it. It not only benefits him but also my mother, who is his primary carer. This year, the campaign has been supported by singer Daniel O'Donnell, who recorded a special rendition of Shunie Crampsey’s song "Times Change, Nothing Lasts Forever" in memory of his late mother-in-law who lived with dementia.His tribute serves as a poignant reminder of the personal impact of this condition and the importance of community solidarity. As I drove to work this morning, I listened to an interview with Daniel where the song was played and I have to say it brought to a tear to my eye. For anyone else who listened to the interview and heard the song, I am thinking of you today. I will read out the first line of the song as it really sums up Alzheimer's disease. It is:

There is a chair there by the window where she spends most of her time

And it is hard to say, if anything, just what's going through her mind.

I would also like to acknowledge my party colleague, Senator Fiona O'Loughlin, who, on behalf of The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, hosted an Oireachtas tea day yesterday. It was a lovely morning filled with plenty of cups of tea, cakes and traditional music. I encourage everyone to participate in tea day events, whether by hosting or attending a gathering or simply raising a cup in support.

I would also like to ask the Minister to revisit opening hours of daycare centres, some of which have not returned to their pre-Covid opening hours. They provide a vital service to patients and carers and I would appreciate the Minister commenting on this.

Noel O'Donovan (Fine Gael)
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I want to raise the issue of the driver test wait times at present. It has been raised in this Chamber previously. Specifically, in west Cork, the Southern Star did some research recently and the wait time is six months at present. That is absolutely ridiculous. I am calling for a debate in this Chamber with the Minister for Transport directly on the matter because the RSA is not fit for purpose on this issue. A root-and-branch review of the system needs to be carried out. I accept we see movements to employ new testers but I simply do not believe that will be enough. We need to look at the whole process. We need to engage secondary schools and the education system in terms of driver training, and driver testing as well, because this has an impact on people's lives. It has an impact on families where adults or older siblings are having to accompany the younger people within their families because of insurance issues. I am not condoning for a second learner drivers driving unaccompanied but it is having a serious effect on families, not to mind the traffic offences that young people are enduring because of penalties and fines enforced by An Garda Síochána, which it has to do. We are being contacted by young people within our communities. We have to do something. The system is broken and I am calling for change and a debate on the matter in this Chamber.

Sarah O'Reilly (Aontú)
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I wish the Deputy Leader a happy May Day, but it is also International Workers' Day. I want to highlight the ongoing penalisation of workers who have to commute to and from work every day. Thousands of people commute from Cavan to Dublin and during this commute they pass six tolls on a return journey.

The Government took in €4 billion in fuel tax last year, €1.2 billion of which was carbon tax. Carbon tax adds 17 cent onto every litre of petrol and diesel. These carbon taxes will keep increasing. The Government is cashing in on the hardship of those who are simply trying to go to work, make a living and provide for themselves and their families. Amazingly, Aontú was the only party in the Dáil to vote against the climate action Bill which paved the way for carbon tax under the previous Government. We knew that this would put immense financial pressure on people and that an alternative approach should have been taken.

The constant rises in excise tax and tolls see the Government committing highway robbery at the expense of its own citizens, particularly workers. These constant increases in taxes are not reflected in the state of our roads or, for that matter, in any of the other public services. People who are travelling to work from Cavan - plasterers, plumbers, electricians, teachers and nurses - end up paying approximately €2,000 a year on tolls. They do not have any option to avoid this payment, or any steps they can take to reduce the financial hardship.

One of the best ways we can support workers is to make their commute more cost-effective by reducing the cost of fuel and investing in the road network. The Government should not be profiteering off its people during a cost-of-living crisis.

Pauline Tully (Sinn Fein)
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We encourage people to shop around for their utility bills, insurance or whatever it might be, to get the best price. I have been in contact with someone recently who had issues with an energy utility company which I will not name and he claims he was given false information in order to sign a contract. He made a complaint to the Commission for Regulation of Utilities. This is where the problem is. The commission has come back to him to say there will be a resolution in 12 months' time. That is not sufficient. The commission is an independent body but it is established under a Government framework. Could we make an inquiry as to why resolutions are taking so long? We want people to shop around but we also want them to get fair treatment. If they feel they are not being treated fairly, they have a right to make a complaint and have it investigated to establish if that is the case, but they should not have to wait 12 months.

Gareth Scahill (Fine Gael)
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I rise this morning to talk about a good news story this week in Roscommon, which is the launch of a tertiary route to general nursing in Castlerea. The Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board and the Atlantic Technological University, ATU, have launched a new tertiary access route to general nursing. The programme is delivered through the further education and training centre in Castlerea, offering QQI level 5 awards in nursing studies. It is the first of its kind in Roscommon, providing a free and flexible path to a BSc in general nursing at the ATU in Mayo. It is a very important thing to highlight. I commend the education and training board in Castlerea on creating this course for next September. It supports learners of all ages to build confidence, gain qualifications and pursue a career in nursing. It is community-focused and the programme also contributes to the national effort to address the shortage in qualified nurses. It also reduces the need for people to travel and cuts the cost for local learners.

I have spoken here numerous times on apprenticeships and alternative ways of learning. When a programme like this is created and made available locally it must be acknowledged. It was launched last Tuesday, 29 April. I encourage people across the west of Ireland to look at it as an option for getting into nursing.

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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I second Senator Sarah O'Reilly's remarks yesterday in welcoming the recent UK Supreme Court verdict confirming the biological definition of womanhood and I echo her call for a debate on the matter. After a decade of hysteria it is a relief to many of us to finally see common sense prevail. It is nothing short of a disgrace that it has taken so long and has required measures as extreme as a Supreme Court case for the law to finally acknowledge what a woman is. It is certainly a disgrace that nothing similar has happened here in Ireland. Considering that last year the Irish people reaffirmed their belief in and support for our constitutional recognition of women I say there is no better time to bring such a legal challenge to the courtroom floor. I encourage any advocacy groups interested in this to get in contact as they will have my wholehearted support.

A court ruling, even in another country, does not mean that this ideology has vanished. A recent report showed that a bath bomb company, whose core audience is girls aged 12 to 18, was including trans ideology pamphlets in its party bags. The pamphlets contained no information about the irreversible effects of puberty blockers or gender reassignment surgery. We do not give under-18s the right to vote or even to drink alcohol yet encourage them to make decisions with irreversible consequences that damage their bodies. To all who have cheered this recent judgment and last year's referendum results I say we are winning the battle but the war is far from over. Let us keep fighting for sanity and for the protection and celebration of womanhood.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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As no other Senators are indicating I call the Deputy Leader to respond.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach. Our opener this morning was Senator Shane Curley, who spoke about the issue of waste and surplus energy due to the lack of storage, while at the same time we have fuel poverty. It is really good to hear about the pilot scheme in Galway relating to the energy cloud initiative and that 150 families benefit from this. The Senator is correct to say that Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan, who is now a Minister of State, and Deputy Paul McAuliffe brought forward a Bill on this issue.I think it is extremely worthwhile. While we have a scheme that is up and running, we all need to learn from it. I, too, compliment Councillor Emma Murphy on her work, as has been rightly pointed out. I think we should have a full debate on this matter. We will ask the Minister to come in here to debate this topical issue as we need further information and an opportunity to feed into any solution.

Senator Duffy spoke about a housing tsar. The word "tsar" means an emperor. All of the councillors around the country are doing excellent work and I am not sure they would like to be known as emperors in their counties and constituencies. The Senator is correct in what he said about empowering councillors and local government to deliver houses. He is also correct when he argued for one-off houses, particularly for anyone who own their land. They have been brought up on their own land and they trying to make rural areas, villages and small towns sustainable.

On the point about a housing tsar, it is hugely important that we have somebody who will examine the blockages that exist. A lot of the blockages that arise, no matter the county, concern issues with Irish Water and services that are not provided. I understand that no name has been put forward, but it is important that whoever it is can knock heads together. One does not exclude the other, so while there should be somebody to look at housing activation on the macro, we need to empower local councillors and ensure they are part of the delivery programme.

Senator McCarthy spoke about the need to engage with EU bodies on transport and emphasised that stability is needed for exports and free trade. All of that is laudable. I have no doubt that through the Council of Europe, where our Ministers meet on a regular basis to discuss transport, these issues are thrashed out.

The Senator also spoke about the very concerning issue of homelessness and, without doubt, we all share his concern. His comments go hand in hand with the view expressed by Senator Duffy who said that the only way to deal with homelessness is to provide more houses. We need to put everything we have into that. The Taoiseach has already said that housing is a priority. The Government is extremely clear on that.

Senator Higgins mentioned that today is International Workers' Day, as did Senator Sarah O'Reilly. Senator Higgins suggested that we should have a debate today on workers' rights rather than Europe Day, which traditionally is Schuman Day, that is, 9 May. We will look for a debate on workers' rights as it is important. We must strike a balance by ensuring businesses are sustainable and can give employment. I totally agree with what was said about section 39 organisations. There have been advances made in Government talks in respect of pay parity for people who work in section 39 organisations.

Senator Andrews spoke about the crisis in dog welfare and how we need to support people who work in rescue centres. These people do incredible work. Last weekend, I was with the KWWSPCA, which was doing its own mammoth fundraising. The KWWSPCA needs to fundraise to care for animals that are, it is sad to say, badly treated or abandoned some place. My family, like many Senators, choose to adopt rescue animals and it is very worthwhile thing to do.

Senator Andrews talked about the Government's failure. The failure is by those who illegally breed dogs or are irresponsible owners of dogs. I refer to people who have not thought about the amount of time and commitment it takes to provide a home for a dog.It is quite shocking. We should make recommendations to improve policy and work with the Minister in that regard. The Senator rightly spoke about simple measures that could be put in place. We will ask the Minister to come to the House for a debate on animal welfare. It comes up on a regular basis. It is an important issue.

Senator Costello spoke about Alzheimer's tea day. I thank everybody who came yesterday. We had an excellent morning. We will set up the all-party committee on dementia. I invite those interested to join. We only meet three or four times a year because we are conscious of the demands on everybody. It is a growing area. As our population gets older, we have an increase in dementia. Senator Costello spoke about her dad using Rose Cottage. I thank all of those involved in Rose Cottage and the different areas. It is important that we raise as much awareness as possible. The new initiatives around making towns and communities dementia-aware and dementia-friendly are really good. Dungarvan is going through that process at the moment and Macroom in County Cork has gone through the process. It is about working with all retail workers in a town and giving training so that people with dementia and their families can feel comfortable going into a place where they know there is awareness. The Alzheimer Society of Ireland does incredible work. It is an honour to support it. We will ask the Minister of State for older people to come to the House for a specific debate on dementia.

Senator O'Donovan spoke about driving tests and the RSA needing root-and-branch reform. I would be inclined to agree. When the Minister, Deputy Lawless, was the Minister of State in that area in the previous Government, he started quite a bit of work on taking away some responsibilities from the RSA. It is very difficult for young people starting employment or who need to drive to go to college, etc. They need to be able to do their tests quickly. We will ask for a debate with the Minister for Transport on that.

Senator O'Reilly spoke about International Workers' Day and those who commute. Six tolls is an awful lot. I get her point. She spoke about the carbon tax and the Government cashing in. At the end of the day, we all agree there is a climate emergency and there is a need for a carbon tax. I do not like to see energy consumption prices going up but we cannot ignore the crisis. It is not cashing in by the Government. The money is used in two ways. It is used for public transport. The fairer fares scheme came in last Monday. It benefits the area I live in because we are in a commuter area. I accept it does not benefit people in Cavan who have to commute to Dublin daily. That needs to be looked at when it is a longer route, particularly when there are six tolls. Some of the money from the carbon tax also goes to support those in fuel poverty and in the just transition in areas that had worked in the provision of turf, for example. My county of Kildare as well as Offaly, Roscommon and Laois will benefit from that. I take the Senator's point. We need to look at how to support those who have to travel from farther away and do not have the benefit of a better train or bus service. We should bring up with the Minister for Transport how to support those who commute from farther away.

Senator Tully spoke about the regulation concerning utility companies. She said it was not sufficient. She raised a particular situation that would take about 12 months. Senator Tully spoke about the Commission for Regulation of Utilities. She raised a particular situation that would take about 12 months to deal with and said it was not sufficient. It is not good enough. Everybody should get fair treatment. There should be a fair expectation that complaints are addressed within a relatively short period. Those timelines should maybe be defined. That is something we can also bring up with the Minister.

Senator Scahill gave us a good news story about Castlerea and access to nursing being delivered through FET and the ETB. It is wonderful when we see that higher and further education is being rolled out on a regional basis in order that people do not have to travel or take a long commute and they can do it in their own town. That benefits everybody. It benefits the individuals. It benefits local businesses too because if people are staying and studying, they are spending their money in their small rural town. It is a good news story and let us hope we see a lot more of that.

Senator Keogan spoke about the recent court ruling in the UK. I did not take the Order of Business yesterday but the Senator said it was an issue that was raised yesterday. Obviously, each country has its own judicial system and its own way of dealing with issues. I have no doubt that down the line something like that will be taken here. Obviously, there is a division between the State and the judicial system. I believe it is only a matter of time and we will have to see how something like that will play out in the Irish courts.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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There is a point of order from Senator Andrews.

Chris Andrews (Sinn Fein)
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I forgot to acknowledge Senator O'Loughlin's fantastic work on Alzheimer's disease and her ongoing advocacy. I should have mentioned that because it is excellent and very important.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy.

Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the students from the Harold School, Glasthule, who are guests of the Minister, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. I also welcome the Killoran Drama Group from Limerick - I know many of them down there - who are guests of the Minister of State, Deputy Kieran O'Donnell. I hope you all enjoy your visit to Leinster House and Seanad Éireann.