Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate – Dáil Éireann (34th Dáil) – Wednesday, 10 Jun 2026

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate

School Staff

Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Is mian liom labhairt faoin chruachás ina bhfuil Bunscoil Chríost Rí. De réir cosúlachta, beidh sí síos cúigear múinteoirí don bhliain atá romhainn.

Bunscoil Chríost Rí is a primary school in the Turner's Cross area of Cork city. It is a very well-established school with a high reputation which does exceptionally good work. The Minister of State might be familiar with the school. It is probably the primary school the Taoiseach attended. The school currently faces a worrying situation for the 2026-27 school year. It could be down five teachers for the next year. I want to focus on the English as an additional language allocation. I will go through the manner in which the school could be down five teachers.

For enrolment reasons, it appears the school will lose two mainstream teachers. It is on the borderline, in that the school might be able to keep one because it has 455 students on the roll - the key date for enrolment was 30 September. That is a significant blow. The school is asking that consideration be given to that. The special education teacher hours were cut from 205 to 230. When school management considers its allocations, it is trying to understand what it has and how it can meet the needs in different ways. The school serves the Turner's Cross area, as well as a wider area. Many children come in from the Kinsale Road accommodation centre, which is the direct provision centre close to the airport. There is a high degree of diversity, including linguistic diversity, in the school. That has to be supported and resources need to be put in place for that.

The school has had a permanent English as an additional language post since 2013. For the past three years, the school has successfully applied for and received an additional two English as an additional language fixed-term posts due to the large English as an additional language numbers. The application form or process seems to have changed this year without any engagement, discussion or schools being made aware of it. In September 2025, as was the case in previous years, schools were informed of the situation and a table was provided which outlined the number of new entrant pupils and teaching hours per week. For one to four new entrant pupils there were five teaching hours, for nine to 13 there were 15 teaching hours and for 21 to 30 there were 25 teaching hours. That criteria seems not to have been included this year and does not seem to have been disclosed to schools.

For this year, the school had 39 category A and 49 category B pupils, which is much the same as last year in terms of the number of children with English as an additional language requirement for support. Due to the fact that the goalposts seem to have shifted, the school will now go from two full-time posts for English as an additional language to ten hours per week. That is a huge blow in and of itself. When a reduction in special education teaching hours and two full-time general allocation teachers being lost are added to that, it is a huge blow and it will be very difficult for the school to adjust to that.

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Youth (Deputy Michael Moynihan)

The primary school staffing schedule is a long-standing feature of the primary allocation system which ensures fairness and transparency in the allocation of mainstream class teachers in primary schools across the country. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided in an individual school is a staffing schedule for the relevant school year and the number of pupils enrolled on the previous 30 September. Staffing arrangements for primary schools for 2026-27 are set out in Circular 0025/2026. Having an enrolment of 479 pupils in September 2024, Bunscoil Chríost Rí has a current mainstream staffing of an administrative principal and 20 mainstream teachers.

The information given to me is that school enrolment fell to 453 pupils last September. The Deputy mentioned the figure was 455. Perhaps that is something we might check. This enrolment allows for mainstream staffing comprising an administrative principal and 18 classroom teachers for the 2026-27 school year, with two fewer teachers than are currently in place. The school also has additional supporting staff comprising nine special education teachers, one English as an additional language, EAL, teacher and three special class teachers under the rural DEIS and non-DEIS home school community liaison initiative. The school has been allocated a shared home school liaison teacher based on enrolment for the 2026-27 school year.

The Department has adapted to the dynamic landscape of student enrolment and has prioritised enhanced English as an additional language support.

An online portal system was introduced in the current year to allow schools to apply in a timely and efficient manner. Following the application process, Bunscoil Chríost Rí has been informed of an EAL allocation of ten hours per week for the 2026-27 school year in addition to the permanent EAL post that is in place within the school. This is less than the current EAL allocation and corresponds with an increase in the overall enrolment in the school enrolments of pupils with EAL needs.

As I understand it and as it is presented to me, the school is not losing five teachers in the 2026-27 school year. The staffing arrangements, and I would be very strong on this, which have been long-standing, include arrangements for an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain published criteria. The primary staffing appeals board meets three times a year. The board met in May and will meet again later this month. It is important that the school, if it wishes, should submit an appeal on the staffing allocations to the appeals board with all the necessary supporting information it can have from the school cohort and the school community as well. This will be a crucial meeting of the appeals board in June this year to try to ensure we have everything in place for September insofar as possible. However, I encourage the school to make sure an appeal is submitted. The application forms are available on Circular 0025/2026. It is important we have sight of that and that a decision is made by the appeals board which, as the Deputy knows, is independent of the Department. Information should be submitted as soon as possible.

Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Some of what I said is to give context to the way that this is being compounded. The key part to focus on is the English as an additional language aspect. The school is disappointed to be down by two mainstream teachers. However, they understand there are criteria regarding numbers. The 455 is by way of illustration that they have hit the bar on another date. Had the key date been another date, they might have been successful in keeping another teacher. However, the key part is the English as an additional language. The permanent position is still there, but they are effectively down by two positions in that area alone. This year they submitted 39 category A. According to the table I have here in front of me from last year and previous years before that, for the bracket 31 to 40 hours, that would have been 35 hours alone, even before we get into the 49 category B.

This is a school that is supporting a community that has a high degree of linguistic diversity, that includes a lot of children from direct provision from the Kinsale Road centre and is supporting a community which has mixed needs but certainly pockets of disadvantage. The goalposts have shifted here. That is the bit I would like the Minister of State to take back to the Department. Schools were not informed that there would be a different approach to the calculation in terms of EAL. The policy compounds that with the loss of the two permanent general allocation teachers and the loss of the special education teacher. Separately, it is now looking like there will be a loss of special needs assistant, SNA, hours. All of these things are compounding this, but the key injustice here is the fact that the goalposts have shifted and schools were not informed of this in advance. From having effectively three EAL positions it now looks as if the school will have one and ten hours. That is a huge loss, when the same number of children who have those needs are involved. Those children will now be in bigger classes, with access to fewer special education hours. That is a huge problem. I want the Minister of State to take that back to the Department. The goalposts shifted and the school is down because of it significantly.

Deputy Michael Moynihan

We have a huge level of investment in terms of teachers. The past number of years have seen more than 5,000 extra teachers within the school system. That is little comfort to Bunscoil Chríost Rí. In order that we are all understanding this, there is no reduction in SNAs from 2025 to 2026 or from 2026 to 2027. The Deputy will be aware of the documentation that was launched last week on the SNA workforce development plan, the redeployment plan and the new circular. That is setting out our roadmap for SNA employment. There will be no cliff edge in relation to schools or school communities into the future. It is important to understand that.

In regard to the point on the numbers, my information is 453.

Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

The criteria are different this year.

Deputy Michael Moynihan

The Deputy mentioned 455.

Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

That is the general allocation. The English as an additional language is the key bit.

An Cathaoirleach Gníomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan)

The Minister of State will respond.

Deputy Michael Moynihan

I believe my information is correct in relation to that. I take the Deputy's point on the numbers and the acceptance of the school community. We have put in a huge amount. Bunscoil Chríost Rí has a huge reputation as a massive school within the Turner's Cross area, as the Deputy outlined. Any information that is submitted to the Department in terms of an appeal will be adjudicated on. I know the school is facilitating and working with a diverse community as well. It is important to say that this policy documentation has not shifted the goalposts in a dramatic fashion. These are long-standing issues we have had. It is important that if the school, and I believe it will, submits an appeal, that appeal will be adjudicated on in a timely fashion to ensure that certainty is brought to the school community in advance of September 2026.

Educational Disadvantage

An Cathaoirleach Gníomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan)

We now have Deputies Paul Murphy, Ciarán Ahern and Seán Crowe to the Minister for Education and Youth to discuss the exclusion of St. Dominic's National School, Tallaght, from the DEIS plus programme. There are three names on it. If only two Deputies are speaking, we will split it half-and-half with two minutes each.

Deputy Paul Murphy

Apologies from Deputy Crowe who supports this issue but cannot be here this morning. I welcome the DEIS plus scheme. It can make a real difference for children in school communities with high levels of educational disadvantage. The extra resources will make a real difference. There are other issues around the country but we are raising a particular issue regarding a school which is excluded from the current scheme. It has appealed that. It seems to highlight a flaw in the methodology which is primarily based, as far as I understand it, on the deprivation index. Therefore, it can miss the level of granularity which means that for some schools, the level of deprivation that was reflected in their school community is not fully captured by that data.

St. Dominic's National School in Tallaght is one such school. It is one of the largest DEIS band 1 schools in the country with 431 pupils. There are about 50 different nationalities represented. It is a really fantastic school and a great place for kids to learn but it definitely could do with the extra resources. One simple example is that in the area served by St. Dominic's is Tallaght village, which would not qualify as an area of particularly high deprivation. However, within this area, there is an IPAS centre and a homeless hub. Multiple children from both these places are going to the school. Many kids who are coming in are in homeless housing assistance payment, HAP, accommodation or are kids from lone parent families with high levels of intergenerational educational disadvantage. The school community is worried that it certainly was not captured at the first step and needs to be captured on appeal stage so that it gets DEIS plus status.

Deputy Ciarán Ahern

To echo those comments, this is something that has joint political support across our constituency. We have worked constructively with the Minister of State before and we welcomed his engagement on the issues related to schools in Dublin South-West. DEIS plus is clearly very welcome and many schools in Dublin South-West have already benefited from it in the first round of applications. We are asking for this for St. Dominic's school which, as Deputy Murphy said, is a fabulous school in the heart of Tallaght serving 50 different nationalities. It already caters for two special classes and is opening an additional two in the coming year. It is a DEIS urban band 1 school, arguably one of the largest in the country, and is appealing the Department's decision not to include it in the DEIS plus first-round allocations. It has numerous reasons for doing that. Primarily, it seems that the methodology applied by the Department is very data-driven and is supposed to be objective, but possibly in sticking to so much data, some of the subtlety and the local knowledge are lost that would be involved in these kind of applications. What the school is saying is that the school itself and maybe the addresses of the students in the schools are not necessarily in the most deprived areas, strictly speaking, from a geographical point of view, including the conditions and situations in which the students are living and coming into the school.

The school takes from a very wide catchment, including from as far away as Citywest and the Citywest Hotel. Those students are in deprived situations and that data and that sort of subtlety are not captured by the Department's model. We are supporting the school's appeal for DEIS plus status and we would ask that the Minister of State would also give that significant consideration.

Deputy Michael Moynihan

I compliment the way both Deputies work across political divides in terms of education and I will continue to liaise with them. We might not turn water into wine at every juncture but we certainly will try.

Addressing educational disadvantage and ensuring that every child and young person can achieve their full potential are key priorities for me and the Minister for Education and Youth. The introduction of DEIS plus represents the most significant expansion of targeted education support since the establishment of the DEIS programme. The scheme is designed to provide enhanced supports to a small cohort of schools with the highest concentration of children and young people experiencing persistent and intergenerational disadvantage.

The Deputies raised the issue of St. Dominic's National School in Tallaght. I acknowledge the strong work being undertaken by the principal, all of the team and the wider school community in supporting pupils and families. It is important to stress that although the school was not identified under the DEIS plus programme, it does not mean that disadvantage is not present within the school community. St. Dominic's National School remains a DEIS urban band 1 school and continues to receive significant range of supports available under the programme, including reduced class sizes, enhanced staffing supports and full home school liaison provision.

DEIS plus schools were identified using a nationally consistent and evidence-based model developed using pupil-level administrative data and a range of indicators associated with persistent and intergenerational disadvantage. These indicators include deprivation level, Traveller and Roma identity and children residing in State-funded emergency accommodation and international protection accommodation. The model examines enrolment data across the previous three academic years to ensure consistency and fairness in its application nationally. I recognise that the local school communities can experience significant and complex challenges that are deeply felt by people's families and staff, however, in establishing a national scheme such as DEIS plus, it is essential that the same evidence-based criteria are applied consistently across all schools to ensure fairness and equality of treatment throughout the education system.

The scheme is intentionally highly targeted. Schools that have been included in the scheme have been assessed as having a concentration of disadvantage significantly above the national average and at the highest level nationally. While many similar schools clearly serve children and families experiencing disadvantage, the DEIS plus programme is targeted at those with the very highest concentration of students at risk of education disadvantage.

As the Deputies will be aware, the appeal process is currently under way for schools that were not satisfied with the outcome following the application of the DEIS plus identification model to their enrolment data. St. Dominic's National School has submitted an appeal under the process and I would be very mindful that it is not appropriate for me to comment on the specifics of any individual school appeal while the process remains ongoing. All appeals are subject to a technical review process in line with the criteria set out by the Department with independent oversight provided through an independent appeals panel. It is anticipated that the schools will be informed of the outcome of the appeals process by the end of June 2026.

The Department and I continue to engage with school communities and education stakeholders regarding the implementation of the DEIS strategy to 2035 and the range of supports available to schools serving communities experiencing educational disadvantage.

Deputy Paul Murphy

We absolutely accept there need for objective criteria. That is not in doubt. The question is whether we have objective criteria that capture the reality beyond simply the geographical deprivation index. It is not entirely clear. I do not think a list of the criteria has been published - if a school is above this, it is in but if a school is below this, it is out. The school has appealed. There is a limit in the appeals process because the only basis on which the school could really appeal was to update the Primary Online Database about its pupils and then say it had done that. It obviously hopes that this is enough to put it over the line but there are flaws even there. If the school had pupils who were in it two years ago and who should be captured but who are now in a different school, it is not technically able to update their addresses because they are now registered elsewhere. Therefore, that is not being captured in the appeal and the school does not have a chance to put forward all these arguments. I think they have been submitted to the Minister of State in parliamentary questions in terms of the points about homeless hubs and IPAS so, hopefully, they can be taken into account.

Deputy Ciarán Ahern

I thank the Minister of State for his engagement. The appeals process itself is basically based on the Primary Online Database, which is very rigid and does not really allow for any subtlety or colour to be given. Part of what we are doing today is giving the Minister of State an insight into how the school works and into the background of the students there. The school desperately needs the resources that DEIS would bring to allow it to have a well-being and a trauma teacher and an administrative deputy principal because like staff in so many schools around the country, the staff in the school are working to the pin of their collar and the students would hugely benefit from the additional resources that DEIS plus would bring, so we are asking the Minister of State to do it. One thought I will leave the Minister of State with is that when Deputy Murphy and I visited the school a couple of days ago, there were food and snack baskets at the door and they are not just used by the students but by the parents.

Deputy Michael Moynihan

I accept that engagement by all political representatives with regard to school communities in disadvantaged areas is hugely important because education is a fundamental. It can determine the trajectory of someone whether he or she is in a disadvantaged area or elsewhere. I do understand that the Deputies have a real and genuine engagement within the education sector.

Although St. Dominic's National School was not identified for inclusion in DEIS plus, that does not diminish in any way the challenges faced by the school communities and the outstanding work done there by the school leadership and all of the team working in the school and dealing with disadvantage.

Due to the appeals process, the Deputies will understand that it is important for me not to comment on that process right now and I do not intend to. The criteria set down very early on aimed to make sure that we were targeting the most disadvantaged communities across the country. The resources we were putting in - there are significant resources in DEIS plus and indeed the entire DEIS programme - are to ensure that disadvantage is dealt with within the communities. A number of Deputies have raised issues about the criteria but they are transparent. Deputy Ahern spoke about them not reflecting some of the things that are outside of them but, in the first instance, it is important that the appeals process is dealt with and that it is brought to a conclusion as early as possible. We are hopeful that decision will be taken by the end of June 2026, so the school will have certainty for next year. I do understand that there is disadvantage in other communities that has not been captured but we are targeting resources in the best possible way.

Hospital Equipment

Deputy Colm Burke

Currently in Ireland, we have 23 linear accelerators in Galway, Dublin and Cork. Of those 14 linear accelerators in Dublin, 12 are more than ten years old and eight are more than 15 years old. It is clearly established that any machine that is more than ten years old is going to cause delays and breakdowns are far more frequent and as a result, the service cannot be delivered. In fact, the figures for 2025 are quite frightening where the radiation that people required was not delivered within the 14-day time period, which is the guideline.

Paragraph 22 of the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026 set out that a rolling replacement programme would be put in place. This has not occurred. In relation to radiation therapy, we have a whole team of people. We have radiation oncologists, radiation therapists, medical physics, dosimetrists and nurses. There is a whole team. If a linear accelerator breaks down, treatment is not provided and a whole team wastes one, two or three days.

Radiation therapy cures about 40% of cancers. The European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology, ESTRO, sets out quite clearly that the lifetime of these machines is ten years. Some of these machines are 18 years old. There is a programme, to start in 2027, which talks about replacing two machines per year but that is not enough. We now need to set out a clear programme of action so that the number of replacements is four per year over the next three years and not two per year. This needs to be put in place.

We have had a huge increase in population. We will also have an increase in the number of people who require treatment. We have the expertise. We have good and dedicated staff. It is important that we give them the support they require. There are 14 machines in total in Dublin. If St. Luke's replaces two machines every year, some of them will be over 21 years old by the time they are replaced. It is time that we looked at this. It is not a big cost in real terms because there would be a huge saving. We are wasting staff time when a machine is not working.

Over the past 12 months, we have also had to have patients receive treatment in the private sector. This cost over €17 million last year alone. Why are we delaying the replacement of these machines? Recently, I opened the cancer summit in Croke Park, which was attended by more than 300 people from hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and a whole range of services in the healthcare area. There was a big discussion about the fact that we are delaying putting new equipment in place.

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor)

I thank Deputy Burke for raising this very important issue. The Government is committed to improving cancer care, ensuring better prevention and maintaining improvements in cancer survival rates and timely access to treatments. The availability of appropriate, fit-for-purpose facilities and equipment is critical to the safe and timely delivery of cancer care.

Since the launch of the national cancer strategy in 2017, the Government has allocated €105 million to support cancer services and improve outcomes for patients. Under the national cancer strategy and the recommendations of the national plan for radiation oncology, two state-of-the-art radiation oncology centres have opened in Cork and Galway, in 2019 and 2023 respectively, representing a €120 million capital investment.

Expansion and equipment replacement programmes are progressing across Ireland's public radiation oncology network. Deputy Burke spoke about the phased expansion that is under way. This is at Beaumont Hospital, where formal tender documents have already been issued to advance the project. A dedicated equipment replacement programme is also active across the St. Luke's Radiation Oncology Network to upgrade essential linear accelerators.

On a national scale, the Department of Health and the HSE are actively developing a strategic infrastructure programme to systematically plan for the future replacement and expansion of radiation therapy equipment at all public facilities. To progress this strategic initiative, formal engagement between the Department and relevant stakeholders is scheduled to begin on 12 June 2026, which is in two days' time. Centralised planning for this programme and subsequent oversight in its implementation will enable cost-effective procurement and efficient delivery of enabling works. The programme will also align with the national cancer strategy and Sláintecare, supporting sustainable, high-quality radiotherapy services nationwide.

As advised by the HSE, replacement of equipment takes into account not only age but also performance linked to use and ongoing maintenance regimes - end of life and end of support, as designed by the manufacturer - and the availability of spare parts. This is a critical consideration in replacing radiation oncology equipment. As such, the replacement of this equipment in the St. Luke's Radiation Oncology Network in Dublin is a priority.

The majority of radiation oncology services in Ireland met or exceeded the KPI targets across 2025, with the exception of the St. Luke's Radiation Oncology Network which performed below target across the year. As I have previously stated, an equipment replacement programme is in place to address this issue. In November 2025, the Department of Health's sectoral plan for 2026 to 2030 was launched under the national development plan. The sectoral plan sets out infrastructure investment priorities for the next five years, building on a strong track record of delivery to support the provision of equitable, accessible and high-quality healthcare across Ireland. A key strategic priority under the sectoral plan is continued investment in cancer care, including radiation oncology. I welcome this opportunity to discuss equipment replacement and expansion. The Government recognises the importance of the timely replacement of equipment as its effectiveness decreases.

Deputy Colm Burke

In 2016 access to radiation therapy within 15 days was 86.4% and in 2019 it was 86.5%. Last year it was 78.7%. It has dropped. In fact, in 2024 it was down to 64.7%. Part of the problem is machines breaking down. There is a need for a national radiotherapy equipment replacement programme. I know the programme is starting but it is about whether we can do it faster over the next four years. We will be in Government for this period of time so let us make a serious effort. We have the expertise and we need to make sure we have ring-fenced capital funding to replace four machines per year over the next three to four years so that we have a large number of machines replaced. This will create efficiency.

As I said earlier, all of the figures clearly indicate, because the population has increased dramatically over the past 20 years and we also have people living longer so we have an older population, that we are more likely to have more people identified with cancer. Therefore, more people will require treatment. Time is of the essence in providing treatment and it is very important that we have the best quality machines available so the staff can do this. This treatment cures up to 40% of cancers. It is extremely important that we give it priority over the next three to four years and set out a clear plan of capital funding. We must remember that when we are replacing the machines we will have delays because one or two fewer machines will be available. This is why we need to roll it on as fast as possible.

Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

I thank Deputy Burke. As he said, this is a serious issue. I know the Government is committed and I will certainly bring it back to the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. Ensuring better prevention, maintaining improvements in cancer survival rates and timely access to treatment are priorities for the Government. Access to state-of-the-art and fit-for-purpose facilities and equipment is fundamental to the safe and timely delivery of such care. Deputy Burke is right that timely delivery is so important. He spoke about the machines that have broken down. As I have previously set out, a replacement programme for radiation therapy equipment is under way across St. Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network in Dublin, funded under the HSE's capital plan for 2026. The replacement programme will conclude in 2030.

To address future radiotherapy equipment replacement, the Department of Health and the HSE are developing a strategic infrastructure programme to plan for the replacement and expansion of radiotherapy equipment at public radiation oncology facilities.

Engagement between the Department and relevant stakeholders will begin this week to advance this work. I assure the Deputy this will happen and I will definitely keep him updated, as that is important. Under the current strategic plan, direct investment of €120 million has been made in state-of-the-art radiation oncology centres in Cork and Galway to address radiotherapy equipment needs. A key strategic priority under the Department's health sectoral plan for 2026 to 2030 is the continued investment in cancer care, including radiation oncology. The plan will also progress national cancer infrastructure planning for oncology day wards, inpatient oncology, cancer diagnostics and outreach and community service delivery consistent with Sláintecare and the national cancer strategy.

I again thank the Deputy for highlighting this matter. I will definitely go back to the Minister. As the Deputy said, timely care is so important. I assure him the Government is committed to that.

Healthcare Infrastructure Provision

Deputy Danny Healy-Rae

I am glad to get the opportunity to raise this issue again. I will tell the Minister of State why I am doing it again. I raised this matter exactly a month ago, on 12 May, with the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell. We spoke at length about the need and the urgency of opening the community hospital in Killarney. On 29 May, there was a meeting arranged between the HSE locally and the five TDs from Kerry, one of whom is me. It was laid out clearly in front of us by the HSE people, who I believe are in charge of Cork and Kerry, that the community hospital would open before the end of June. That was on 29 May. About a week ago, it was made known to the county councillors that it would not open at the end of June. I will not speak for the other Deputies but I feel my credibility is being undermined by this kind of carry-on, which is what I would call it. We were told clearly it was going to open and the patients would be transferred from the old district hospital to the new community hospital building before the end of June. Who is calling the shots? Is it the HSE at national level? Is it the Minister? Who has the power or the responsibility? Who directed these people? Did they take it upon themselves? I do not think they did. Someone informed them to relay to us that the hospital would open before the end of June. I want an answer to that. I do not know whether the Minister of State can give it to me. I thought it might be the Minister of State who was here last month but I have learned he has gone away, and that is fine. The man is entitled to go about his business but I thought it would be him here.

There are many elderly patients waiting to get into this public nursing home. We have excellent private nursing homes all around Killarney but we need a dementia unit. It is critical for so many because there are people getting dementia at a younger age. There were to be 30 beds opening for dementia patients as part of this. Many of the private nursing homes cannot cater for dementia patients or do not have the facilities. We are begging for this on our knees. The lights have been on in the building since before Christmas and it was cleared to go.

I raised with the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, that the INMO said there was no engagement by the HSE with it regarding the staffing. The HSE said it was engaging with the INMO every second day or every second week. Who is telling the truth? It will come out now that the reason for the delay is exactly that, namely, that the INMO and also HIQA have questions to be answered.

An Cathaoirleach Gníomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan)

Go raibh maith agat, a Theachta.

Deputy Danny Healy-Rae

It is hard to see the children's hospital ever opening-----

An Cathaoirleach Gníomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan)

The Minister of State-----

Deputy Danny Healy-Rae

-----if the Government cannot open a community hospital in Killarney.

An Cathaoirleach Gníomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan)

Deputy, you will have an opportunity again in a moment.

Deputy Danny Healy-Rae

All right. Thank you very much.

Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

I thank the Deputy for raising this serious issue. I am taking it on behalf of the Minister of State with responsibility for older people and housing, Deputy O'Donnell. Long-term residential care is a crucial part of our healthcare system. Across the country, our HSE community nursing units, CNUs, and community hospitals play a vital role in the provision of long-term care and other services. The Government is committed to continued investment in healthcare infrastructure which supports the highest quality care for our older people. This investment includes the community nursing unit capital programme, which was launched to ensure up to 90 of our public community nursing units and community hospitals would be refurbished or replaced to ensure the best-quality environments for our older people.

The public private partnership, PPP, aspect of the CNU programme continues to progress and will deliver 528 beds in seven facilities across the country. The new CNU in Killarney is part of the PPP project and will have 130 beds, with, as the Deputy said, 50 long-stay beds, 30 dementia-specific beds and 50-short stay beds. The CNU will provide a high-quality living environment which will be in line with all regulatory requirements. The HSE advised me it expects the new Killarney community nursing unit to open before the end of June. The HSE is still saying that. This only came to me yesterday.

The opening is dependent on registration approval from HIQA, so the Deputy is right that this is what the HSE is waiting on. The HSE is engaging with HIQA regarding a small number of outstanding issues. The Deputy is right that this is about opening these units, which are critical. Once HIQA registration is granted, the HSE will set a date and move forward with the transfer of residents from St. Columbanus's Community Hospital and the district hospital to the new building. HSE South West has assured the Minister there is ongoing engagement with residents and their families ahead of the transfer, so there has been a lot of engagement.

All current staff from both St. Columbanus's Community Hospital and Killarney Community Hospital will transfer to the new facility. I have been advised by the HSE that the recruitment campaigns are under way for the additional staff required to extend occupancy to the full 130-bed capacity. I am aware - this is what the Deputy spoke about - that the INMO served notice of industrial action last Friday in relation to staffing levels at the newly built Killarney community nursing unit. The HSE has advised there has been active dialogue by way of weekly meetings with unions over the last two months. The HSE advised that much has been agreed and some further engagements regarding staff rosters are in the final stages. The HSE is, therefore, in the final stages of this process and there has been a lot of communication. The HSE will meet the INMO again tomorrow. The HSE hopes an agreement can be reached on the remaining outstanding issues at this meeting. I thank the staff and representative bodies for their continued engagement. We know the excellent work they do.

HSE South West will continue to engage with residents, their families, staff and the wider community on all updates about the opening of the new Killarney community nursing unit. The opening of the new unit is an absolute priority for me, the Minister and Ministers of State and the Department of Health. I have no doubt this state-of-the-art CNU will enhance the lives of older people in Killarney and surrounding areas for many years to come by providing the highest quality health and social care services. I look forward to seeing it officially opened. I am sure the Deputy will be at the opening. He is right that this is important. It is about everybody working together to get the unit opened.

Deputy Danny Healy-Rae

I thank the Minister of State for her reply but practically everything she read out was read out by the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, a month ago.

Here we are with this confusion again placed upon the people of Killarney and the surrounding area. Surely the HSE knew the hospital was to be finished before the end of last December. Surely it knew staffing arrangements would have to be agreed with the INMO. Surely it knew HIQA would have to have everything certified. Why was that not done? It has had nearly two years to organise all this and we are being told the same thing today that I was told a month ago.

So much is contingent on this hospital opening. We need extra respite services in Killarney, which were to go into the whole district. We need a minor injuries unit, which I think was going into St. Columbanus's Community Hospital, and a primary care centre. All these things are held up while this is being finalised. The summer holidays will come and I am worried the new hospital will not be open and there will be nothing at all done about those three things, especially the extra respite services that are needed. I see people could not go on holidays last year after minding their elderly or sick parents, sisters or brothers. They had no place for the patients to go. We were promised that would be decided and sorted out for this summer but it is not going to be. That is the crib I have. It is terrible to think there is some fooling and carry-on going on in the HSE. God knows it is getting enough money to spend it properly, to see it is properly done and to see things like this are done in a timely fashion.

Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

I thank the Deputy for highlighting this matter. The opening at the end of June is a priority for him. I reiterate the older persons' service in Killarney and surrounding areas will be enhanced by the opening of the new state-of-the-art, 130-bed community nursing units. The new CNU in Killarney is part of the overall CNU programme, which will deliver seven public private partnership, PPP, projects and provide a complement of 130 beds, of which 50 will be long-stay beds, 30 will be dementia-specific beds and 50 will be short-stay beds.

The HSE is engaging with HIQA on a small number of outstanding issues and expects the new Killarney community nursing unit to be open before the end of June. It is waiting on HIQA registration. I welcome the ongoing engagement taking place again tomorrow. I hope the outstanding issues can be resolved.

I thank the staff and representative bodies for their continued engagement. The opening of the new CNU in Killarney is an absolute priority for the Department of Health and the HSE. I am working with the Ministers and committed to ensuring residents can move into their new home without delay.

Ports Policy

Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting my Topical Issue. I did not think last time I raised this matter in the House that I would have to come back again. It is not one of the major problems in the Department, which has more to deal with. However, whether it is the Department, the Minister of State or the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority, SFPA, they are unable to resolve this. I will make the charge immediately and explain it: it is total discrimination against the people I represent in Burtonport.

When Deputy Dooley assumed the office of Minister of State with responsibility for the marine and made his first visit to Donegal, he met with a fisherman from Burtonport who uses the port. He listened attentively to him and I thank him for that, but that was over a year and a half ago and still no progress has been made. I pose this question: who is in charge? Is it the Minister of State, the officials in the Department or the SFPA?

I will explain the simplicity of all this. As I outlined to the Minister of State at the time, Greencastle, Rathmullen and Burtonport were originally designated as landing ports for Northern Ireland-registered vessels landing crab into the State, with Bunagee, Malin and Glengad in the north of the county added later - not by the SFPA but by ministerial order. Burtonport was still ignored. All designated ports except Burtonport allow landings from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., Monday to Friday, and until 5 p.m. on Saturday. Burtonport is restricted to 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, with no Saturday landings permitted. This places vessels landing in Burtonport at a clear disadvantage. They simply seek parity with other ports. This has a direct impact on access to the Chinese market. Transfers are made to Holland on Saturday for onward shipment to the premium markets in China where maximum prices can be attained for Irish products. Those landing into Burtonport are deprived of that. The restricted hours and lack of Saturday landings are inconsistent with the arrangements in the other designated ports.

To illustrate the impact, a recent landing had to be made at Burtonport on a Saturday when a crew member had to return to Burtonport to bring his child to hospital. That was not considered a force majeure. They very kindly said - I am being sarcastic when I say that, "We're only warning you. We're not going to charge you." There are plenty of force majeure landings into Dún Laoghaire by Belgian fleets. Where is the SFPA when this is happening? It happened when a father of a child had to be taken into Burtonport. An initiative has to be taken. There is no way this should be allowed to continue, whether it is the Minister of State, the Department or the SFPA. I had this out with the former executive chairman of the SFPA before his retirement. What steps has the Minister of State taken to replace that person? Some weeks afterwards, has he taken steps to put somebody there in an acting capacity?

Let me in conclusion make the charge of discrimination and vindictiveness, and pose the question again: who is in charge?

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Deputy Timmy Dooley)

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. It is an issue I am very familiar with as a result of his continued lobbying. I had an opportunity to meet with the Deputy and some representatives of the fishing community who use Burtonport Harbour.

All work in relation to Ireland's exclusive fisheries zone comprises law enforcement matters for the Irish control authorities. Under the Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006, all operational matters concerning sea-fisheries control are, as a matter of law, exclusively for the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority. It is effectively in charge of the entire operation there. The Naval Service is involved as well. Under the Act, I am precluded from getting involved in operational matters. When it comes to the designation of the port, I understand that is the competency of the Department and Minister concerned. As I have delegated powers in that regard, it is my responsibility.

UK fishing vessels, including Northern Irish vessels, had a pattern of landings into many Irish ports prior to the UK's withdrawal from the EU. In the post-Brexit period, UK vessels are now considered as third country vessels. County Donegal has the most landings by smaller Northern Ireland fishing vessels into smaller ports to which they traditionally landed.

Killybegs and Castletownbere have been designated for third country landings for some time. In 2021, Burtonport, Rathmullen, Greencastle, Howth and Ros an Mhíl were designated as ports for third country landings also. In 2023, three new ports in County Donegal — Bunagee, Glengad and Malin Head — as well as Dunmore East, were designated for landing of UK-registered Northern Ireland vessels. In addition, the opening hours in Greencastle were extended. The four newly designated ports were additional to the seven ports already designated.

There are significant practical and cost implications for the State in the designation of EU ports for third country landings. Under EU regulations, such designations represent an entry point to the European Union, following which food is free to circulate within the full EU Common Market.

On this basis, for any ports designated, Ireland is obliged to ensure that it has in place a meaningful control presence.

The current ports designated and the opening days and times for those ports were decided to allow for Northern Ireland registered vessels to continue to land into Irish ports, while ensuring that the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority, SFPA, has the capacity to continue to perform its vital control functions effectively.

The authority has advised that additional resources would be required in order to extend the operational hours for Burtonport. On that basis, the SFPA has been asked to submit a business case to the Department on this matter, and any additional resources that may be required at Greencastle. All business cases are assessed on their own merits once submitted. Any additional headcount that may be sought by the SFPA will require sanction from both our Department and the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation.

I also assure the Deputy that the designation of ports for landings does not preclude vessels from coming into ports for force majeure reasons, such as safe harbour. I take on board the issue he raised, and I will try to have that investigated.

I have set out for him the facts as they are and will answer some of his specific questions. Paschal Hayes, as the Deputy knows, submitted his decision to retire some time ago. There will be a public competition to replace that third member of the authority, but in answer to the Deputy’s question regarding who is now in charge, I intend to appoint in an acting capacity one of the two remaining members of the commission in the coming days. I will keep him updated on that.

Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher

I am disappointed to learn that a business case has to be made to open Burtonport for a few hours. When looking at the map of Donegal, there is no designated port from Greencastle to Killybegs where fishermen can land on Saturdays. It is putting people's lives of risks and depriving them of accessing the Chinese market. It makes no sense at all. It makes no sense to have Burtonport linked to Greencastle, which is an hour and a half away, whereas it should be linked to Killybegs, which is 48 km and 45 minutes away.

As the Minister of State knows, fishery officers are not laid off if there are no landings in Killybegs during the summer. There are 20 fishery officers there and all they have to do is slip down the back road from Killybegs to Ardara to Burtonport, and they do not have to come. There is an insinuation that a fishery officer has to be there every time a vessel is landed.

I will pose the question at a later stage and I want the details. Is there a fishery officer at every port when fish are being landed? There is not. I am around long around to know that. There is somebody in the Minister of State's Department or in the SFPA who is being difficult. They are being intransigent about this. They are discriminating against the people I represent. I strongly believe that this must be resolved soon rather than later.

I think I am the only one left in this House from the class of 1981. I am here all of these years and I never had to come in to make a case like this for something that is so simple. We talk about money; I understand if the SFPA is coming to make a case to the fisheries committee. When its officials attend, they have to spend some money in preparing to come there and the amount of money we are talking is peanuts.

A predecessor of the Minister of State's was able to designate ports in north Donegal but ignored west Donegal for some reason. To leave all of that area without a designated port on Saturdays deprives fishermen of going into that lucrative market.

An Cathaoirleach Gníomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan)

Go raibh maith agat, a Theachta. Tá an t-am caite.

Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher

I sincerely hope that I will not have to come into this House again to make the case.

Deputy Timmy Dooley

I assure the Deputy that I will make every effort to ensure that he does not have come in and be as passionate as he is about this issue. It is something that I am aware of. I am working to try to find a resolution. I take the Deputy's point about the language that is sometimes used to set out the reasoning, with terms such as "business case", "headcount" and "personnel".

Having travelled the road in the Deputy's presence, it is clear to me that there is an issue here that has to be resolved. I commit to doing my best to try to get it resolved as quickly as possible. It is a fair ask. I do not believe it is unreasonable, and I certainly do not believe that the costs should be prohibitive taking everything into consideration. The Deputy should be assured of my effort to try to resolve this in so far as is possible and as quickly as possible. I thank him again.

Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher

I thank the Minister of State.

Dáil Éireann debate - Wednesday, 10 Jun 2026