Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 30 Jun 2026

Vol. 1088 No. 5

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An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Deputy Mary Butler)

I move:

Tuesday's business shall be:

- Supplementary Estimates for Public Services [Votes 30 and 31] (back from Committee) (without debate, to moved together and decided by one question and any division claimed to be taken immediately)

- Motion re Thirteenth Report of the Standing Committee of Selection (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately)

- Motion re Restoration of Seller’s Legal Pack for Property Buyers Bill 2021 (without debate)

- Development (Strategic Gas Reserve) Bill 2026 (Committee and remaining Stages) (to conclude within 2 hours)

- Dublin Airport (Passenger Capacity) Bill 2026 (Committee and remaining Stages) (to conclude within 2 hours)

- Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill 2026 (Committee and remaining Stages) (to conclude within 2 hours)

Tuesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Childcare, selected by Sinn Féin.

Wednesday's business shall be:

- Statements on Ireland's EU Presidency (not to exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes)

Wednesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Cost of Living, selected by the Independent Technical Group.

Thursday's business shall be:

- Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2026 (Second Stage) (to conclude after the first round, not to exceed 3 hours and 34 minutes and any division claimed to be taken immediately prior to Committee Stage)

Thursday evening business shall be the Second Stage of the Animal Health and Welfare (Ban on Hare Coursing) Bill 2020, sponsored by Deputy Paul Murphy.

Proposed Arrangements for this week’s business:

In relation to Tuesday’s business, it is proposed that:

1. notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders:

(a) the time allotted for Government Business shall be extended in accordance with the arrangements for that business, and the Dáil may sit later than 10.48 p.m.;

(b) the Order of the Dáil of 23rd June 2026 referring the Dublin Airport (Passenger Capacity) Bill 2026 to the Select Committee on Transport is hereby discharged and Third Stage of the Bill shall be taken in Committee of the whole Dáil;

(c) private members’ business shall be taken on the conclusion of proceedings of the Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill 2026;

(d) Questions to the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration pursuant to Standing Order 47(1) shall not be taken, and shall instead be taken on Wednesday, 1st July, 2026, without any change to the allocation of priority Questions to the Minister and not otherwise affecting the current sequence of Ministers or the rota for priority Questions as ordered by the House; and

(e) topical issues pursuant to Standing Order 39 shall not be taken, and shall instead be taken on Wednesday, 1st July, 2026, and the Dáil shall adjourn on the conclusion of private members’ business;

2. the following arrangements shall apply to the Motions for Supplementary Estimates for Public Services [Votes 30 and 31]:

(a) the motions shall be moved and decided together by one question;

(b) the proceedings thereon shall be taken without debate; and

(c) any division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately;

3. the proceedings on the Motion re Thirteenth Report of the Standing Committee of Selection shall be taken without debate and any division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately;

4. the proceedings on the Motion re Restoration of Seller’s Legal Pack for Property Buyers Bill 2021 shall be taken without debate;

5. the proceedings on Committee and remaining Stages of the Development (Strategic Gas Reserve) Bill 2026 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 2 hours by one question, which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment;

6. the proceedings on Committee and remaining Stages of the Dublin Airport (Passenger Capacity) Bill 2026 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 2 hours by one question, which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Transport; and

7. the proceedings on Committee and remaining Stages of the Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill 2026 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 2 hours by one question, which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment.

In relation to Wednesday's business, it is proposed that:

1. notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders:

(a) the Dáil may sit later than 9.30 p.m. and shall adjourn on conclusion of Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration;

(b) Leaders Questions and Other Members’ Questions pursuant to Standing Orders 38 and 38A shall not be taken;

(c) there shall be no Questions on Policy or Legislation pursuant to Standing Order 36;

(d) on conclusion of private members business, the sitting shall stand suspended until 5.30 p.m. whereupon business shall resume with Topical Issues pursuant to Standing Order 39;

(e) Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration shall be taken for 96.5 minutes on the conclusion of Statements on Ireland’s EU Presidency; and

(f) there shall be no weekly division time pursuant to Standing Order 34; and

2. the Statements on Ireland's EU Presidency shall not exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply:

(a) the statements, not including the Ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the sequence contained in the table immediately below (to be read across);

(b) following the statements, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and

(c) members may share time.

	Gov	SF	SD	Gov	SF
Mins	25	15	10	10	3
	Lab	Gov	SF	IPTG	Gov
Mins	10	10	3	9	10
	SF	ITG	Gov	SF	OM
Mins	3	9	10	3	5
					Total: 2 hours 15 mins

In relation to Thursday's business, it is proposed that:

1. notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, topical issues may be taken earlier than 7.24 p.m. with consequential effect on the commencement time for Second Stage of the Animal Health and Welfare (Ban on Hare Coursing) Bill 2020, and on the time for the adjournment of the Dáil; and

2. the proceedings on the Second Stage of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2026 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at the end of the first speaking round and the following arrangements shall apply:

(a) the first-round speeches, not including the Ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the table below (to be read across);

(b) on conclusion of the first speaking round, or where speeches conclude before the 3 hours and 24 minutes have elapsed and no other member is offering, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes, whereupon proceedings shall be brought to a conclusion; Provided that any division claimed on the Second Stage proceedings shall be taken immediately prior to Committee Stage; and

(c) members may share time.

	Gov	SF	SD	Gov	SF
Mins	20	20	20	12	4
	Lab	Gov	SF	IPTG	Gov
Mins	20	12	4	20	12
	SF	ITG	Gov	SF	OM
Mins	4	20	12	4	20
					Total: 3 hours 24 mins

An Ceann Comhairle

Are the proposed arrangements for the week's business agreed to?

Deputy Pearse Doherty

They are not agreed.

An Ceann Comhairle

I call Deputy Doherty.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

The Government, in response to the outrage in relation to the cost of excise on petrol and diesel has decided to kick the can down the road.

In doing that, it has made the decision that before the end of the year, it will increase the price of diesel by 34 cent. Everybody knows what they have been paying at the pumps. This will push the price of diesel well above €2. It is simply unacceptable at a time when so many people are feeling the pinch. This cannot go ahead. I ask that there is a full debate in relation to this and that Government sees sense and recognises the pressures people are under at the pumps at this point.

Deputy Jen Cummins

In today's Irish Independent we read of the devastating number of women, 1,872, who fled abuse and tried to get a refuse space but could not. The Istanbul Convention states that we should have 500 refuge spaces but we only have 172. Safe Ireland's report outlines that we do not have enough to support women who are fleeing. When a woman has made up her mind to flee abuse, it is the most dangerous time. We need to do more. We need an urgent debate in this House about this topic.

Deputy Conor Sheehan

We have an epidemic of male violence against women in this country. Nearly 1,900 women were turned away from domestic violence refuges in the final six months of last year. The Government is failing these women. We need the Minister to come in and take questions on this issue this week. Women fleeing domestic violence need support and they need safe refuge.

Deputy Roderic O'Gorman

Two Bills are being guillotined this evening, the airport cap Bill and the liquefied natural gas, LNG, Bill, each of which will have major impacts on our climate targets. Not only are they being guillotined, but Committee Stage and Report Stage of each are being run together so the two Bills can be rushed through this House. There are 58 detailed amendments across the two Bills that will not get proper consideration because of this process. I ask the Chief Whip to please withdraw the use of the guillotine and allow these two Bills to get the consideration they deserve.

Deputy Michael Collins

We need time for a debate on the mandatory retirement age for retained firefighters, who are currently required to retire at 62 despite meeting the same training and medical fitness standards as full-time firefighters. Given that full-time firefighters and other emergency services personnel can now serve until 65, there is a strong case for reviewing this anomaly and bringing the retirement age for retained firefighters into line with their full-time colleagues. I call on the Minister to come before the Dáil to discuss this issue.

An Ceann Comhairle

The Chief Whip to respond.

Deputy Mary Butler

I have noted all the comments made. We have a really busy schedule to get through this week. We have a lot of legislation, so the Order of Business stands.

An Ceann Comhairle

Are the proposed arrangements agreed to?

Deputies

Not agreed.

Question put: "That the proposed arrangements for this week's business be agreed to."

The Dáil divided: Tá, 89; Níl, 70; Staon, 0.

Tá

• Aird, William.
• Boland, Grace.
• Brabazon, Tom.
• Brennan, Brian.
• Brennan, Shay.
• Brophy, Colm.
• Browne, James.
• Burke, Colm.
• Burke, Peter.
• Butler, Mary.
• Butterly, Paula.
• Buttimer, Jerry.
• Byrne, Malcolm.
• Byrne, Thomas.
• Cahill, Michael.
• Callaghan, Catherine.
• Calleary, Dara.
• Canney, Seán.
• Carrigy, Micheál.
• Carroll MacNeill, Jennifer.
• Chambers, Jack.
• Cleere, Peter 'Chap'.
• Clendennen, John.
• Collins, Niall.
• Connolly, John.
• Cooney, Joe.
• Crowe, Cathal.
• Cummins, John.
• Currie, Emer.
• Daly, Martin.
• Dempsey, Aisling.
• Devlin, Cormac.
• Dillon, Alan.
• Dolan, Albert.
• Dooley, Timmy.
• Feighan, Frankie.
• Fleming, Sean.
• Foley, Norma.
• Gallagher, Pat the Cope.
• Geoghegan, James.
• Grealish, Noel.
• Harkin, Marian.
• Healy-Rae, Michael.
• Heneghan, Barry.
• Heydon, Martin.
• Higgins, Emer.
• Keogh, Keira.
• Kyne, Seán.
• Lahart, John.
• Lawless, James.
• Lowry, Michael.
• Martin, Micheál.
• Maxwell, David.
• McAuliffe, Paul.
• McCarthy, Noel.
• McConalogue, Charlie.
• McCormack, Tony.
• McEntee, Helen.
• McGrath, Séamus.
• McGreehan, Erin.
• McGuinness, John.
• Moran, Kevin Boxer.
• Moynihan, Aindrias.
• Moynihan, Michael.
• Murnane O'Connor, Jennifer.
• Murphy, Michael.
• Naughton, Hildegarde.
• Neville, Joe.
• O'Brien, Darragh.
• O'Connell, Maeve.
• O'Connor, James.
• O'Dea, Willie.
• O'Donnell, Kieran.
• O'Meara, Ryan.
• O'Shea, John Paul.
• O'Sullivan, Christopher.
• O'Sullivan, Pádraig.
• Ó Cearúil, Naoise.
• Ó Fearghaíl, Seán.
• Ó Muirí, Naoise.
• Richmond, Neale.
• Roche, Peter.
• Scanlon, Eamon.
• Smith, Brendan.
• Smyth, Niamh.
• Timmins, Edward.
• Toole, Gillian.
• Troy, Robert.
• Ward, Barry.

Níl

• Ahern, Ciarán.
• Bacik, Ivana.
• Bennett, Cathy.
• Boyd Barrett, Richard.
• Buckley, Pat.
• Byrne, Joanna.
• Cairns, Holly.
• Carthy, Matt.
• Clarke, Sorca.
• Collins, Michael.
• Conway-Walsh, Rose.
• Cronin, Réada.
• Crowe, Seán.
• Cullinane, David.
• Cummins, Jen.
• Daly, Pa.
• Devine, Máire.
• Doherty, Pearse.
• Donnelly, Paul.
• Ellis, Dessie.
• Ennis, Daniel.
• Farrelly, Aidan.
• Farrell, Mairéad.
• Gannon, Gary.
• Gibney, Sinéad.
• Gould, Thomas.
• Graves, Ann.
• Guirke, Johnny.
• Hayes, Eoin.
• Healy-Rae, Danny.
• Healy, Seamus.
• Hearne, Rory.
• Kenny, Eoghan.
• Kenny, Martin.
• Kerrane, Claire.
• Lawless, Paul.
• Lawlor, George.
• Mac Lochlainn, Pádraig.
• McDonald, Mary Lou.
• McGettigan, Donna.
• McGuinness, Conor D.
• Mitchell, Denise.
• Murphy, Paul.
• Mythen, Johnny.
• Nash, Ged.
• Newsome Drennan, Natasha.
• Ní Raghallaigh, Shónagh.
• Nolan, Carol.
• O'Callaghan, Cian.
• O'Donoghue, Richard.
• O'Donoghue, Robert.
• O'Flynn, Ken.
• O'Gorman, Roderic.
• O'Hara, Louis.
• O'Reilly, Louise.
• O'Rourke, Darren.
• Ó Broin, Eoin.
• Ó Laoghaire, Donnchadh.
• Ó Murchú, Ruairí.
• Ó Snodaigh, Aengus.
• Ó Súilleabháin, Fionntán.
• Quaide, Liam.
• Quinlivan, Maurice.
• Rice, Pádraig.
• Sheehan, Conor.
• Stanley, Brian.
• Tóibín, Peadar.
• Wall, Mark.
• Ward, Mark.
• Whitmore, Jennifer.

Staon

Tellers: Tá, Deputies Mary Butler and Emer Currie; Níl, Deputies Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and Conor Sheehan.

Question declared carried.

Deputy Mary Lou McDonald

Almost 1,900 women were turned away from domestic violence services in the last six months of last year because there was simply nowhere safe for them to go. Almost 1,900 women found the courage to escape abuse only to be told that there was no safe refuge, no home, and no place of safety for them or for their children. SAFE Ireland now says that the housing crisis is the single biggest barrier preventing women and children from escaping abuse. That is an extraordinary indictment of the Taoiseach's Government. What positive action will the Taoiseach now take to guarantee women fleeing domestic violence immediate access to refuge and safe accommodation? How will the Taoiseach ensure that no woman seeking safely is ever again turned away because the State has failed to provide for her and her children?

The Taoiseach

The Government is very conscious of this issue. We are accelerating the delivery of safe accommodation and significantly strengthening capacity nationwide. There are currently about 241 safe accommodation places, with 181 domestic violence refuge units and 60 safe home units. At the end of the year, it is envisaged that there will be 193 domestic violence refuge units completed and 94 safe homes, bringing total safe accommodation to 287. There is a further 50 refuge units under construction. We have allocated resources. It is now an issue of the timelines to getting these buildings constructed and completed. We will continue with this over the next number of months and years.

Deputy Gary Gannon

Tomorrow, in the Taoiseach's home city of Cork, every single solicitor is removing themselves from the legal aid scheme. Imagine that. It is not just Cork. It is Dublin and all over the country. Thousands of cases have had to be adjourned, undoubtedly leaving so many victims of crime awaiting justice. This flat fee proposal that has been brought in is causing chaos. Solicitors have rightfully said that there has been a level of consultation. The analysis which the Department released is deeply flawed and that will be discussed in the justice committee shortly.

We now need a more mature approach to this fundamental principle of legal representation and the cost of it. We cannot continue with this chaos that we have seen over the past week.

The Taoiseach

Again, I think that should not happen tomorrow. I do not believe people should withdraw their services and I do not think it is the correct or appropriate action. Department officials have been engaging sensitively with the relevant stakeholders and the Law Society. That includes legal professionals and their representative bodies on the proposed changes. That discussion has been ongoing for quite some time. There is no reduction in resources. If anything, the resources have increased significantly. Discussions are ongoing within the Department and so forth. Again, there is a need for reform. I am sure the Deputy would accept that. That should not affect the ability of legal professionals to engage in criminal legal aid work.

Deputy Ivana Bacik

In 2019, I started working with the INTO to address the issue of the impact of early pregnancy loss and fertility challenges on their women members who told me about their experience of having to come into work after losing a pregnancy before 22 weeks or after going through rounds of IVF and not being able to take time off work. After hearing their stories, I drafted a Bill to provide for 20 days paid leave for early pregnancy loss, up to ten days of leave for reproductive healthcare - leave when it matters most. Our Bill passed all Stages in the Seanad. It was delayed by the Government in the Dáil, pending a report from UCC. Only now is our Bill going to an Oireachtas committee. At the weekend, the Government announced it will move on proposal for reproductive health leave but it will only be providing five days for women suffering the loss of a pregnancy early in term. The Taoiseach delayed further debate on the Labour Party Bill on the basis that the report from UCC would provide important information in drafting amendments. We want to see this Bill become law. The many women and couples who contacted me about this want to see reproductive health leave brought into effect. Will the Taoiseach say when that will be?

The Taoiseach

First, the Government in good faith, in terms of the Deputy's legislation, proposed a timed amendment to do further work. The Minister, Deputy Burke, and his officials have been developing a policy to provide pregnancy loss leave to women in the workplace, particularly women who have suffered a pregnancy loss before 23 weeks. The Minister met with the Oireachtas cross-party group on pregnancy loss in January. He will have heads of a Bill before the summer recess. Obviously, that will have to go to pre-legislative scrutiny in the Oireachtas. The draft heads of Bill are more or less ready. They were submitted to the Attorney General's office. He continues to work with the officials and across government on these proposals. He hopes to bring them to the Government before the summer recess.

Deputy Brian Stanley

The waiting times for driving tests in Laois for a lot of applicants are not improving. A local woman sought a driving test back on 21 May. She had to seek an invitation. She was told that it would take ten weeks to get onto the waiting list, which would be the end of July. That has now been extended to the end of August, which is 14 weeks. She applied for the waiting time. According to the RSA website this morning, there is another 11.5 weeks on average to wait. That brings it to a total of 25 weeks, if the two periods are counted. The two stages from requesting a test to getting a test is misleading. I am asking the Taoiseach to do two things. This long wait is creating a difficulty, particularly for workers in rural areas like Rathdowney, Clonaslee, Vicarstown, The Swan, Ballinakill, Borris-in-Ossory and all those areas. It also means higher insurance costs. I am asking the Taoiseach, along with the Minister for Transport, to do something about these waiting times, to shorten them and to scrap the two-stage process. It is a misleading process.

The Taoiseach

I will talk to the Minister for Transport and the Road Safety Authority in respect of this. I cannot operationally run the Road Safety Authority. There had been some progress in terms of reducing-----

Deputy Brian Stanley

It is a misleading process.

The Taoiseach

----- the timelines. I will talk to the Minister and ask him to engage with the Road Safety Authority to continue to work on getting waiting times for driving tests down.

Deputy Richard O'Donoghue

At present, there are 14,621 gardaí.

There are 621 in training at the moment. The problem is that 180 are resigning outside of retirements. Why does the Taoiseach think this is a problem? It is recurring. We have that amount in training but 180 are resigning every year. That trend has been there over the last two years. Why does the Taoiseach think that is?

The Taoiseach

Sorry, about 14,500?

Deputy Richard O'Donoghue

Yes.

The Taoiseach

There will always be people who will leave a job or occupation. I think there would have to be a survey done of the 189 specifically to ascertain why they decided to leave An Garda Síochána. The good news is we are oversubscribed in terms of applications and there are very healthy numbers going into Templemore on a regular basis now to qualify to become a member of An Garda Síochána. Those coming out of Templemore are then being allocated in fairly sizable numbers. It began with Dublin two years ago. Cork secured a good few, and also Limerick and across the country. Over time, I think there will be a significant increase because of the resources we put behind recruitment to An Garda Síochána. Equally, on retention, we increased the retirement age significantly.

Deputy Richard O'Donoghue

Young gardaí-----

The Taoiseach

That is a matter that the Garda should evaluate and do a survey to see whether there are underlying reasons.

Deputy Brendan Smith

I raise again the urgent need for improved services for children with additional needs in Cavan and Monaghan. Specifically, I wish to refer today to the need to provide after-school services, including summer camps and Saturday clubs, in County Cavan for children with additional needs.

Enable Ireland is the children’s disability network team, CDNT, in County Cavan. Due to staff shortages, it has been under extreme pressure to deliver the services it wants to provide for children with disabilities. I understand from parents that there is a proposal from Cavan CDNT with the HSE or the Department to establish after-school services in County Cavan. Parents also believe that there is the relevant expertise and capacity locally to provide these essential services. This proposal must be progressed and approved without further delay. Parents with children attending such a service in County Monaghan speak in glowing terms of the importance and value of the supports provided in that centre for the progressive development of their children. These supports are vital over the summer months and at other times for the overall development of children with autism and complex needs. That includes their education, communication and daily living skills.

The Taoiseach

I thank Deputy Smith for raising this matter. I want to acknowledge his strong commitment to ensuring that children and their families in Cavan who need early intervention and therapy services can access that support in a timely way. My understanding is that there is no after-school school support provided by Cavan CDNT, but Enable Ireland apparently advises that it is planning on putting in an application to provide after-school and respite. I need to get underneath the bonnet of that.

Deputy Brendan Smith

Enable Ireland is the CDNT.

An Ceann Comhairle

No, Deputy.

The Taoiseach

In any event, it says here that it is planning to put in an application. I will follow up with the Minister and see if we can get to the bottom of that in terms of getting it progressed.

Deputy Micheál Carrigy

I want to raise a query on behalf of a constituent about sarcoidosis, a disease that affects the lungs, heart and nervous system. We have one of the highest rates of it in the world in Ireland, even higher than cystic fibrosis, but it is not very well known. It is not on the long-term illness list. Not everybody suffers from it long term, but some do. There are extremely high costs associated with it for those who will have it for the rest of their lives. I would ask that the system and the long-term illness specification be looked at and that it be considered that those who suffer in the long term benefit from the long-term illness scheme.

The Taoiseach

The long-term illness scheme is under review at the moment. It has not been added to for a long time because other provision has overtaken the practice of having the long-term illness scheme. The condition that the Deputy raised has very severe and profound impacts on patients. We have taken a variety of other measures to alleviate the cost of medication, for example, long-term medication, for people and so forth. I will alert the Minister for Health that the Deputy has raised the issue and ask her to engage with him on that.

Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh

I have been trying to find out for some time the number of members of An Garda Síochána who have criminal convictions. I cannot get anywhere with the Minister or the Garda Commissioner. The latest response I got was that this information was not held centrally and would require a disproportionate amount of time and resources to address. Does the Taoiseach think that is acceptable? I think it is absolutely shocking. The public expects gardaí to undergo rigorous vetting. Will the Taoiseach tell me if the law currently provides sufficient powers to dismiss Garda members convicted of criminal offences? If not, will the Government introduce legislation to address this gap? People will be quite shocked to hear that and to hear that the information is not available to us. That is critical information. Women who are going in to be helped by a member of An Garda Síochána need to be sure that that Garda member is not already convicted of a crime of domestic violence themselves.

The Taoiseach

I did not get the specific question asked, but I agree that there should be a centralised system whereby if a garda is convicted of a criminal offence, that should be collated, recorded and collected by An Garda Síochána just as the Defence Forces are now devising a system to do that in respect of Defence Forces members who may have committed a criminal offence. That level of data and knowledge is required centrally and should be known centrally from a proper management perspective.

Deputy Daniel Ennis

I want to share the story of the scrambler scourge that is plaguing parts of Dublin city. In particular, I share the story of Jayden, a child with additional needs who was on the way to the shop at the Five Lamps to buy bread and was knocked down by a scrambler. Not only was the incident horrible and there was a serious injury, but it was also a hit and run. However, the scrambler came back as part of a group of scramblers, and they circled the family as they were tending to Jayden on the ground. It is horrible stuff, and it shows the sheer sense of lawlessness and the failure to address the scrambler scourge on the ground. When Grace's Law was passed, it was a step forward, but without that legislation being enforced and policed on the ground, it does not matter to these lads. These lads are running amok terrorising parts of Dublin. Deputy McAuliffe spoke of Finglas, the north inner city and Cabra. You are not seeing it in Foxrock. This needs to be policed. Will the Taoiseach support our call for a dedicated policing unit to address the scrambler scourge before we see more people-----

An Ceann Comhairle

Thank you, Deputy.

The Taoiseach

First of all, I appreciate the Deputy raising this issue. That incident was shocking, but there are too many shocking incidents in relation to scramblers. I know that Deputy McAuliffe has been working with the Deputy and others to deal with this issue. It does need enforcement. About 1,000 scramblers have been seized over the past number of years, but we need a full-on focus on this. The law is now there. It needs enforcement on a continuous basis, whether through a unit or a proper system operated by the Garda.

This is absolutely unacceptable. These are a major threat to life in Dublin in particular. It is rampant in certain areas and needs to be targeted and dealt with.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

I hope the Taoiseach will join me in condemning the awful arson attack on the Muslim prayer hall on Talbot Street on Monday night. I will not comment on the individual circumstances because I know a man has been detained, but representatives of the Muslim community have said that this followed weeks of scaremongering and anti-Muslim targeting of the people in that prayer hall. We know that there are elements that are really whipping up fear over people from Muslim backgrounds, immigrants and so on. As Irish people have suffered racism for generations, it is important that we stand up and oppose any kind of targeting of people because of their religion, ethnic background or race.

The Taoiseach

First of all, I understand that a person has been arrested but I cannot comment, as I do not want to prejudice the outcome of this. We just need to be careful that we do not draw conclusions that might be the wrong conclusions in respect of this specific case. There is a zero-tolerance approach to racism generally, but we have to wait and see what emerges here first before drawing the kinds of implied conclusions that the Deputy is suggesting in respect of this specific incident. We have to await the outcome of the investigation.

Deputy Joe Neville

Today, I raise the issue of personal security on greenways. We have been strong in Ireland about investing in our greenways. We have seen huge benefits and increasing use around Leixlip and Maynooth. There is also a greenway in Sallins and Kildare. I know that in Dungarvan and the rest of the country, greenways have been successful. At the same time, though, we need to make sure that they are safe for vulnerable users like women and children. They are people we should not have to be thinking about in these situations, but all too often, they feel at risk. We can put in place things like CCTV and regular entry and exit points. This is a national security framework for greenways that has not been thought of in this way. It is something we really have to consider in their design. There should be public lighting where possible. We should not necessarily have to be focusing on these issues, but at the same time there are real concerns for people.

The Taoiseach

I think there has been huge expansion of greenways and huge investment by Government. It is an area I am particularly interested in myself. I think it has been transformative over the last five years. The level of investment that has taken place across the length and breadth of the country has created greater socialisation, which enhances security as well. In terms of the initial design, safety and security dimensions should be built in when greenways are being designed by the National Transport Authority, NTA, or Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII. That should be an automatic part of the designing of greenways, walkways and so forth.

Deputy Michael Cahill

I welcome the publication today of the draft national planning statement on rural and Gaeltacht housing, which represents the most significant reform of rural housing policy in over 20 years. As a rural TD for Kerry, I know at first hand the frustration, inconsistency and uncertainty that many families have faced when trying to build a home where they were born and raised. I was glad to engage consistently with the Taoiseach and our Fianna Fáil colleagues, the Ministers, Deputies Browne and Calleary, throughout this landmark policy, ensuring that the voices of rural communities like those in Kerry were heard at every stage. I have repeatedly raised the issue of rural depopulation in this House and called for the establishment of a dedicated rural depopulation task force. Too many of our young people have felt they had no option but to leave because they could not secure planning permission in their own communities. Today, I am delighted to be in a position where I can say I have helped positively influence these landmark reforms.

Will the Taoiseach confirm the timeline for the completion of the environmental assessment and public consultation, and reassure rural families that the final national planning statement will be in place before the end of this year? How quickly does he envisage the new draft planning statement being incorporated into county development plans?

The Taoiseach

I thank Deputy Cahill for raising this issue. It is fair to say that he has been a persistent advocate and strong voice for rural Ireland in respect of this issue, particularly advocating for young couples and young people generally to be in a position to build houses in their localities, very often on their land. This will be of significance in helping to sustain rural communities across the western and south-western seaboards, particularly in Kerry, the area the Deputy represents. There are, of course, the Chorca Dhuibhne Gaeltacht and others, which are of significance to him. I think that the Gaeltacht provisions will facilitate one-off housing in those areas, particularly in villages and towns across south Kerry and the Kerry area more generally. This will be significant.

On the timeline, I hope that it will not take too long after the screening.

Deputy Thomas Gould

This Friday is the closing date for objections to the disgraceful plan to demolish the historic old Cork prison site and to build two new prisons in the middle of a residential area in The Glen and surrounding areas. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are determined to strip away our history and destroy working class communities. They are using questionable legislation - a loophole - that means objections must be sent to Longford by post. I posted my objection last Friday and it still has not arrived. It took nearly a week for my objection on environmental grounds to arrive and by the time it had arrived, the closing date had passed.

Will the Taoiseach give a commitment to instruct the Irish Prison Service, IPS, so that any objection that arrives after the closing date of 3 July will be accepted?

An Ceann Comhairle

I thank the Deputy.

Deputy Thomas Gould

The people of The Glen have enough with one prison. They do not deserve to have three prisons on the northside of Cork city.

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy's time is up. I call the Taoiseach to respond.

The Taoiseach

I thank Deputy Gould for raising the issue. I am not clear as to why, if he posted it last Friday, it did not get there quicker, but in any event, there is a huge challenge with overcrowding at the moment. Colleagues in the Deputy's party have been raising the overcrowding issue with the Minister. The Minister is under huge pressure in terms of capacity constraints in our prisons and the resulting challenge faced by those who work in our prisons and so forth. He is endeavouring to do the very best he can in terms of providing additional spaces as quickly as he can. It is arising out of that pressure that the use is being made of that site.

Deputy Thomas Gould

Why not a greenfield site?

An Ceann Comhairle

No, it does not work like that, Deputy. I thank the Taoiseach. His time is up. I call Deputy Graves.

Deputy Thomas Gould

The Taoiseach knows The Glen well. It is in the middle of the community.

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy knows that the rules are the rules.

Deputy Ann Graves

Ireland's largest summer festival is on this weekend in Newbridge House and Farm in Donabate. Flavours of Fingal is in its 14th year and has been very successful. Between 65,000 and 75,000 people attend over the two days. Part of its success has been down to shuttle buses that bring people to and fro. This year, however, due to cost cutting by Fingal County Council, there is to be no service, which is a real blow to businesses, vendors, etc. Thousands of extra cars on the road mean extra pollution and add to the existing traffic chaos. It clearly questions Fingal's commitment to sustainability and tackling climate change. It makes no sense whatever to have people travelling by car and paying €40 for parking-----

An Ceann Comhairle

I thank the Deputy. The Taoiseach will respond.

The Taoiseach

First of all, I wish that everyone attending the festival enjoys it. Sixty-five thousand is a huge number. It is obviously a very successful festival. I am not familiar with the council's arrangements but the implication was that the council was providing the transport.

Deputy Ann Graves

It was subsidised.

The Taoiseach

Yes. That is kind of unusual, but in any event that is what happened. Maybe the council was hoping to get it off the ground and that it would then sustain itself. I am not familiar with the background as to why the council pulled back on that aspect of it but I will talk to people to see what can be done there. Normally, Governments do not support transport to festivals.

Deputy Ann Graves

I was hoping the Minister could help.

The Taoiseach

I will talk to the Minister and see what can be done.

Deputy Ken O'Flynn

I am sure that the Taoiseach will join me in welcoming the Mayfield chit chat group, which is celebrating its second birthday in Leinster House.

An Ceann Comhairle

Its members have been very quiet.

Deputy Ken O'Flynn

My ladies from Mayfield. As the Taoiseach is aware, 54% of submissions made to the European Commission from all member states regarding the EU whistleblower directive came from Ireland. That is a huge and unusual amount. We had 15 whistleblowers in Leinster House last week. A number of them outlined that they were still not happy with whistleblower law in this country. They made submissions on that to the Taoiseach.

What training is now given to the Garda Síochána? Have gardaí received training? The previous Minister was not able to explain that to me in terms of the Protected Disclosures Act and the criminal offence of penalising and retaliating.

The Taoiseach

In the aftermath of the Charleton inquiry, for example, there were significant awareness levels in relation to whistleblowing more generally. I will raise the issue with the Minister. Operationally, the Garda Commissioner and, indeed, all workplaces have responsibility for ensuring that any whistleblower who provides a disclosure in accordance with the Act is not penalised. There are very clear strictures in that regard both in the public service and in the private sector. We have fairly robust legislation in place on protected disclosures. It is efficient. That is shown by the fact that so many have engaged with the European issue.

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