The Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, is very welcome. We move to Senator Teresa Costello.
Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters
Road Projects
I thank the Minister of State for attending. What prompted my raising this matter is something that many of us have likely experienced, namely seriously poor road services. To be clear, I am not talking about general wear and tear or the occasional pothole; I am referring specifically to roads and footpaths that have been dug up by utility companies to carry out necessary works, which is understandable, but that are then left in a patchy, uneven and basically unacceptable state. From what I understand, when a utility company opens up a road or a footpath, it is required to reinstate it; initially with a temporary surface and then, after a settling-in period, works to ensure a complete and permanent reinstatement must be carried out. I understand that timeframe in this regard is approximately six months, but I would welcome some clarification on the exact obligation involved.
Just last week, I drove from Tallaght village to my mother's house. It is a really short trip that takes barely two minutes when traffic is light. For a brief moment, I honestly felt like I was riding a horse, not driving a car, because the road was so bumpy. I counted no fewer than 18 poorly reinstated sections along the short stretch of road in question. It is not an isolated case. On my way to work this morning I passed another patch of road that has been in poor condition for a considerable period.
All of this makes it hard not to question whether the utility companies will return to complete the permanent works required or if their standards are far below what is acceptable. What official agreements are in place for road and footpath reinstatement after works carried out by utility companies? Are there specific standards that must be adhered to and, crucially, who is responsible for enforcing these? This issue deserves proper scrutiny, so I propose that an audit be carried out in respect of the reinstatement works done by utility companies. Being parochial, this audit should begin with Tallaght. It is time we took a closer look at the standard of works and issued instructions, where necessary, to correct substandard reinstatements.
I thank the Senator for raising this matter. I welcome the opportunity to discuss the topic to which it relates on behalf of the Minister for Transport. I also very much welcome the opportunity to do so because the Senator and I live in the same constituency. I know exactly the condition of the roads mentioned and very much agree with the points made her.
Road opening licences are issued by local authorities to licenceholders and, in a very limited number of cases, are issued by Transport Infrastructure Ireland. These licences are governed by the guidelines for managing openings in public roads, which were published by the Department in 2017. The guidelines set out the licensing process which must be followed by all applicants for the opening, backfilling and reinstatement of public roads. General or minor routine works of lower impact are governed by what is known as a T3 licence. The duration of site works of this nature is typically limited to about five days over a period of 60 days. Larger works are governed by what is known as a T2 licence. These works can take up to 30 days over a period of 180 days. Impactful works such as the construction of new infrastructure require advance notification and may have licence validity periods of up to one year. Periods for road works may be extended in particular circumstances. In emergency situations road works which are governed by what is known as a T4 licence are allowed to commence but the licenceholder must inform the licensing authority by 12 noon on the day following the commencement of works. This licence validity is for only 48 hours.
In response to the points raised by the Senator, following the completion of works, a licenceholder is required to ensure that the road opening is reinstated to a proper standard. The licenceholder must also submit what is known as a T5 notification to the relevant local authority within 90 days of the completion of the licensed works.
Separately, the Framework for future delivery of water services, which was published in June 2022, sets out the agreed process towards moving all public water services from the control of local authorities to Uisce Éireann and how this will be managed over the period from June 2022 to December 2026. As part of this, Uisce Éireann and local authorities are working to enable the transition to a fully licensed approach for road works operation. Uisce Éireann will also address issues in respect of the outstanding permanent reinstatement in respect of water services.
In addition, a licenceholder is required to guarantee the reinstatement for a specific period of either 24 months or 36 months. During that period any defects must be rectified by the licenceholder. Inspections are a key element of the licensing process to support quality and compliance. A licenceholder is required to certify their completed work and the authority may inspect it. In 2024, licenceholders submitted over 45,000 notifications of completion of work, including certifying that the reinstatement was completed in accordance with the guidelines. If any remedial works are required during the guaranteed period, they will be carried out by the licenceholder. Local authorities inspected over 17,000 licences during 2024, with licenceholders following up on remedial works where necessary.
These are the appropriate standards and timeframes which are set out in the guidelines and with which licenceholders and the utility companies must comply in respect of opening, backfilling and permanently reinstating road openings. I trust what I have said addresses the Senator's queries, although I know from our mutual experience that there are many local residents who would say that it does not reflect their day-to-day experience.
I thank the Minister of State. I will continue to wear a helmet as I drive my car around the area. All joking aside, I do not feel that reinstatement is happening to acceptable standards. We are putting in very nice roads, which are like a patchwork quilt. I will follow up on this with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and chase up the utility companies and local authorities about certain areas. From what I can see, even from my journey to work today, reinstatement is substandard and not acceptable.
Again, I reassure the Senator that the appropriate standards and timeframes for opening up are in place. I fully take on board the Senator’s comments and will also pass on to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, her remarks on the experience so many people have when they are looking at what they believe to be incomplete reinstatements after roadworks.
Rail Network
I welcome the Minister of State to the House. As the Fine Gael spokesperson on transport in the Seanad and a member of the newly formed Oireachtas committee on transport, I bring to the Minister of State’s attention a key and important piece of infrastructure for the north west, namely, the western rail corridor. The line between Athenry and Claremorris, which is currently closed, is in public ownership. I compliment the work of advocacy groups like West on Track, as well as political and civic leaders across the north west who have been campaigning and advocating for the reopening of the western rail corridor. There is a great opportunity for improving the connectivity and economic prosperity of the north west, a region that has recently been identified as lagging behind other European regions.
The reopening of the western rail corridor would connect Mayo and Galway by rail and the line would continue all the way down to Limerick and Cork. Due to the cost and lack of affordability of student accommodation, whether in Dublin or the west, particularly Galway and Limerick, many students in my home county of Mayo are commuting regularly. The reopening of this line is an open goal because it is in public ownership and the project offers value for money and aligns with the national development plan. Therefore, we need to make it a key priority.
Research reports have identified the cost of reopening the western rail corridor at approximately €200 million. If we compare that cost for a rail line of more than 30 km in the west which would unlock and improve connectivity across the whole western seaboard with the estimated cost of between €400 million and €500 million per kilometre to build a metro, it is a no-brainer and an open goal.
I will work with the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, on this. I compliment him and the transport officials who have been having working on this issue. The economic benefits of a rail connection down to Foynes Port and the benefits of removing heavy freight from the roads in terms of reducing congestion and improving connectivity cannot be overstated.
This is a brilliant opportunity to show a vote of confidence in the north west. I will work with the Minister of State and across all Government channels, including through the Joint Committee on Transport, to make sure this project is included in the national development plan and is funded and delivered for the north west. I look forward to hearing the Minister of State’s thoughts on the matter.
I thank the Senator. I am replying to him on behalf of the Minister of State with responsibility for international road transport, logistics, rail and ports, Deputy Canney. The Senator has done a lot of work on this issue, which he has raised on a number of occasions. As I have no doubt he is aware, the final report of the all-island strategic rail review, which was undertaken by the Department of Transport in co-operation with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland, was published last year. The review will inform the development of rail on the island of Ireland in the coming decades, up to 2050, in line with the net carbon zero targets for both jurisdictions. In order to meet these targets, the review sets out 32 strategic recommendations to enhance and expand the rail system in Ireland and Northern Ireland on a phased basis.
The recommendations seek to transform the quality of the rail system to the benefit of passengers and wider society through additional track capacity, electrification, increased speeds, higher service frequencies and new and reinstated routes. Included in these recommendations is the reinstatement of the western rail corridor between Claremorris and Athenry. The reinstatement of this line has the potential to support both passenger and rail freight services, allowing a direct route for freight services from Ballina and Westport to ports on the south coast which avoid the more congested part of the rail network around Dublin. This would also reconnect Tuam to the railway and enable direct passenger services between Galway and Mayo. It should be noted that individual programmes and projects referred to in the final review report will be advanced, subject to funding and relevant approvals, as required under the infrastructure guidelines in Ireland.
Assisted by the European Investment Bank advisory services, the Department of Transport in Ireland, the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland and agencies North and South are working to progress the report’s recommendations in the years ahead. This is to help optimise the sequencing and implementation of the proposed investments. Progress in following up on the rail review will be reported on as appropriate through the North-South Ministerial Council.
I thank the Minister of State for the update. I also thank the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, for his work on this issue. The all-island strategic rail review identified the reopening of the western rail corridor from Claremorris to Athenry as a short-term measure. Having invested so much in planning, consultation and reviews, we now need to move to delivery. We need to do whatever it takes to ensure the project is included in the upcoming review of the national development plan and move swiftly to reopen the line. The tracks are in public ownership, although substantial investment is required. The social, economical and connectivity benefits for the north west cannot be overstated. I will do whatever I can to work with the Minister of State and the Government to ensure this is project is made a priority and delivered for the people of the north west.
I have no doubt the Senator will do that as he has made the case very well today. I will report that back to the Minister.
We have made good progress on several projects across the rail network in recent years, including in the west. These include upgrades at Ceannt Station in Galway city, which are under way and scheduled to be completed next year. In addition, a new platform and passing loop at Oranmore station was granted planning permission last February and construction is expected to commence by the end of this year. These projects will increase the capacity and efficiency of the rail network.
Building on such progress, the long-term vision for the future of the rail network is provided for by the all-island strategic rail review, which recommends electrification of inter-city routes, increasing track capacity and the new and reinstated routes I mentioned. Among the review’s 32 strategic recommendations is the reinstatement, as I said, of the western rail corridor between Claremorris and Athenry. This project has the potential to support both passenger and rail freight services and to advance regional connectivity objectives.
I thank the Senator for his contribution. I will convey his views to the Minister.
Control of Firearms
I raise the establishment of a new stakeholder forum for licensed firearms holders. Licensed firearms, namely, shotguns and rifles, have an important place in rural Ireland. Farmers and hunters use licensed firearms to control vermin and tackle predators, protect crops, livestock and poultry and protect habitats and biodiversity, including in cases of overpopulation of deer. In addition, game hunting is an important cultural and recreational pursuit in rural Ireland, evidenced by the enduring presence of more than 1,000 gun clubs in communities and parishes around Ireland, boasting approximately 25,000 members nationwide.
Just as licensed firearms use is important to the economic, social and cultural life of rural Ireland, licensed firearms users are important stakeholders who should have a voice when it comes to debates and discussions on firearms regulation in Ireland. Many of the rural groups representing licensed firearm users have expressed concerns about inconsistencies in the interpretation and implementation of firearms legislation. One would imagine these groups would be in a position to bring these concerns to the table and have discussions with the Department of Justice and An Garda Síochána but the problem is there is no table. This forum does not exist.
There was previously a firearms consultative panel comprised of various firearms interest groups which the Department consulted with on various matters relating to firearms. However, this panel has not met since 2019, covering the lifetime of the previous Government, which is disappointing for those involved in this industry.
Twelve months ago, rural stakeholder groups were told by the Department that the need for more regular and structured engagement between policymakers and firearms users would be explored. A year later, there has still been zero progress on this. However, there has been progress by the rural stakeholder group. The firearms users group, which is a coalition comprising groups such as the National Association of Regional Game Councils, the Irish Deer Commission and farm organisations, including the IFA, ICMSA, ICSA and the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association, have come together to develop proposals, for example, a membership structure and terms of references for a new permanent stakeholders forum for licensed firearms holders. These proposals have been submitted to the Department of Justice, including to the new Minister. The groups are still awaiting a response.
I ask the Minister of State to commit today to meeting the firearms users group and the NARGC to discuss the proposals and to further commit to establishing a new stakeholder forum for licensed firearms holders. Rural firearms users should have a seat at the table and, in this case, the first job is to bring back the table and allow discussions to happen.
The Minister would like to thank the Senator for raising this important matter. As she mentioned in her contribution, the responsibility for firearms policy and legislation rests with the Department of Justice. As issues arise or changes in EU legislation occur, the Minister and departmental officials engage with individual firearms representative organisations and other stakeholders as appropriate.
The Department of Justice also works closely with the firearms policy unit of An Garda Síochána, which is responsible for licensing firearms holders. By way of example, three regional firearms forums took place in February. They were held jointly by the Department and the firearms policy unit of An Garda Síochána. Around 20 firearms dealers attended each forum, at which updates on forthcoming legislation were presented, followed by a discussion and a question and answer session on all issues relevant to the dealers and their clients, who are the firearms holders. All three meetings were deemed to be very beneficial and informative for both the participants and the organisers.
Reform of the firearms licensing system has been under consideration by the Department of Justice for a number of years and extensive consultation has been undertaken on this issue. In 2022, a non-statutory advisory body - the firearms expert committee - was established to provide guidance on matters related to firearms licensing in the State. Following the delivery of the committee's report in March 2023, a consultation was launched online that May. This was to ensure that stakeholder organisations and their members could engage fully in this consultation process. As part of the process, the then Minister of State and departmental officials met with a number of firearms organisations.
Prior to all of this, a non-statutory forum called the firearms consultative panel, FCP, was established. The panel comprised various firearms interest groups, such as the National Association of Regional Game Councils, the Irish Country Sports Association, the National Association of Sporting Rifle and Pistol Clubs, and the IFA. The panel last met in 2019, when it is understood a breakdown in relations between some of the major firearms interest groups occurred. This meant that it was not possible for any further meetings to take place, as the Senator mentioned in her contribution, and, in effect, put the FCP into abeyance.
Notwithstanding these difficulties, it remains the intention of the Minister that any proposed changes to policy will be subject to prior consultation with firearms stakeholders. In addition, if there are any changes to EU legislation, which we are obliged to implement, all stakeholders will be informed as a matter of course.
I thank the Minister of State for that comprehensive response. I noted everything he said, but it still did not provide an answer as to when the stakeholder forum would actually be delivered. This has been promised since 2019. We are seeing changes in the legislation and rules regarding firearms, yet there is no consultation with those who are actively involved in this. It feels kind of remiss to note the firearms consultative panel, given that it has not met since 2019.
I take the Minister of State’s reply on board but I am seeking that the stakeholder forum be established within the next 12 months. It has been promised for the past six years. All these groups are seeking is that it be established and that proper engagement happen.
While the licensing of firearms holders is not carried out by the Department of Justice, the Minister recognises and acknowledges the dedication and responsibility of firearm owners and also their contribution to conservation in rural communities.
The Minister and the Department are committed to engaging with relevant stakeholders on any potential policy or legislative changes in these areas. I will take the opportunity on behalf of the Senator, as I have no doubt she will also do, to raise the points she has made about the lack of a table, which was a very good colloquial way of putting it, and put them directly to the Minister. I can clearly see that is necessary.
I again thank Senator Lynch for her contribution. I will pass her remarks directly to the Minister.
Insurance Industry
I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. I hope that he and the Minister, Jim O'Callaghan, hear what I have to say.
Yesterday, the Central Bank showed that motor insurance premiums increased by 9% in the first half of last year. No doubt in the next six months we will learn they have risen again. In December 2024, the Personal Injuries Guidelines Committee recommended that awards in personal injury cases be increased across the board by 16.7%.
The introduction of the personal injury guidelines three years ago was one of the most impactful reforms made to insurance in decades and was a significant part of the previous Government's commitment to reducing premiums for us all, be it for a car, business, employer liability or sports club. The reason we did it is that we were total outliers compared to other countries. Our awards were sometimes 100% higher. Compared to our neighbours in England, our awards were 440% higher on average. There is no doubt that we needed the guidelines. This meant insurance companies paid out more, and people were more likely to claim for small injuries prior to the change.
We implemented the guidelines, which reduced awards. We saw a 40% reduction in claims volumes for personal injuries sustained by visitors to businesses and in public spaces between 2019 and 2023. Claims in cafés, hotels and restaurants have more than halved. Shops and stores have seen a 44% decrease and sporting and athletics areas have seen a 38% reduction in claims. In childcare settings, a sector that has historically reported high insurance costs, only 256 personal injury claims were identified over five years. Compare this to the nearly 170,000 children enrolled in the years 2020 and 2021. The Minister of State should not get me wrong: our awards are still higher than those in many other countries but, as can be seen, it was a pivotal moment and was instrumental in reducing premiums.
If we fast-forward to now, only three years after the introduction of the guidelines, the guidelines committee has made the recommendation that the awards go up by 16.7%. The suggested increases by the committee cannot be allowed to happen. We do not want to see insurance for cars, cafés, community groups, charities, football clubs and golf clubs rise. I guarantee that if we allow the personal injury guidelines to go up, that is exactly what will happen.
Such increases would also impede the work of the Injuries Resolution Board. The previous Government did all it could to get claims processed through it. Legal costs are already a substantial problem and will only increase if this proposal is adopted. Right now, businesses are faced with a myriad of increased costs and we simply cannot add more fuel to the fire by doing something that will drive premiums up.
I previously mentioned that I am one of the people impacted. My husband and I run a leisure business where so many kids leave with smiles on their faces. The guidelines will ensure that any type of activity where people have fun - playing sport, enjoying a festival or going to a restaurant - will find it even more difficult to get insurance. Does the Minister of State know that the only reason play centres in Ireland have insurance is because we have a group insurance scheme? In other words, such is still the difficulty of getting insurance that the play centres we all know in our constituencies would more than likely not be there if it was not for group insurance schemes.
In recent years, we witnessed an excellent programme of insurance reform delivered by the previous Government, but before we can even reap the great results of it, we are already planning to increase the awards. The Oireachtas is required to consider and approve the proposals of the Judicial Council. The proposals are on the desk of the Minister of State's colleague, the Minister, Jim O'Callaghan. I respectfully appreciate that he has a very difficult job to do in this regard but I recommend that, as a matter of urgency, the issue be assigned to the relevant Oireachtas committee so that it can be thoughtfully considered in an open forum and with proper public debate on the appropriate path forward.
If we continually review upwards personal injury awards every three years, not only will awards increase but legal fees will, too. In our programme for Government, the Government committed to further action to drive down insurance costs that impact households, motorists and businesses. This is our first test. I urge the Minister not to let his local running club, café, crèche, play centre or festival suffer and to pause the increase in personal injury awards.
I convey the apologies of my colleague, the Minister, Jim O'Callaghan, who regrets that he cannot be here because he unfortunately has another commitment at this time. He has asked me to reply to Senator Nelson Murray and to thank her for raising this important issue, which I know is very important to her.
The Senator has been one of the strongest advocates on this matter. I appreciate her giving me the opportunity to provide some clarity on some of the areas of the personal injury guidelines that have been drawn up for implementation. I know the Senator is very familiar with all of this but I will just say at the outset that it is not a matter for the Minister for Justice to approve the adoption of the guidelines. The Minister shares the concerns the Senator has raised regarding inflation and has been consulting with his ministerial colleagues and the Attorney General on the issues in terms of reviewing the situation.
As the Senator mentioned, under the Judicial Council Act 2019, the Judicial Council, which is independent in its functions, has the responsibility for drawing up and reviewing the personal injuries guidelines. The first iteration of the personal injuries guidelines came about in April 2021 and have had a clear and significant cost-saving impact since their introduction. Claim volumes dropped, the average award value decreased by 20%, and legal costs for those settling through the Injuries Resolution Board comprised 4% of the total settled cost compared to 43% through litigation. In addition, the time take to resolve matters is much shorter under the IRB process.
That being said, the guidelines were challenged in the Delaney v. PIAB case. While the Supreme Court upheld the guidelines, it identified deficiencies in the underpinning legislation. This was amended by the Oireachtas in the Courts, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024.
In accordance with the 2019 Act, as amended, the Judicial Council has conducted a review of the guidelines and submitted draft amendments to the Minister for Justice to enable the laying of the draft amendments before the Oireachtas. The draft guidelines submitted to the Minister by the council propose an across-the-board increase of 16.7% in compensation amounts, as the Senator mentioned. This figure aligns to the increase in the harmonised index of consumer prices, HICP, over the period from which the guidelines were last agreed in 2021. Section 7(2)(b) of the 2019 Act requires that the Minister for Justice lay those revised guidelines before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as is practicable. The legislation provides that the draft guidelines must be approved by a resolution of both Houses of the Oireachtas before they can be brought into operation. The Oireachtas will have the opportunity to debate the matter once the resolutions on the adoption of the guidelines are tabled. The Minister wants to stress, however, that the legislation passed by the Houses last year does not provide for amendment of the guidelines by the Oireachtas. Assuming the resolutions have been approved by the House, the Judicial Council will then meet formally to adopt the guidelines. This is in keeping with the amendments to the 2019 Act as adopted last year.
I should add that the Minister, Jim O'Callaghan, is reviewing the relevant provisions of the Judicial Council Act 2019 to see what amendments can be made to make further reviews of the personal injuries guidelines more inclusive and transparent. This may include making changes to the mechanism and the timing of future reviews of the guidelines, and the possibility of increasing the monetary jurisdictions of the District and Circuit Courts.
I thank the Minister of State. Some 96% of cases do not even get to court, so we are talking about 4% of all cases. It has been suggested in some quarters that the 2019 legislation provided for the Judicial Council to review the guidelines, that it has now done this and we must accept its recommendation. Why? As the Minister of State mentioned, the Supreme Court made clear in the Delaney case that any changes to awards had to have the ultimate approval of the Oireachtas. For this approval to be meaningful, it has to be freely given. It is hard to see how the separation of powers concerns are addressed if Oireachtas consent is merely a rubber-stamping exercise and not meaningful consideration and assent by this Legislature. I submit that we need clarity from the Minister on this issue before going any further.
What we need most of all is for the recommendations of the Judicial Council regarding the proposed increase in awards to be sent to the relevant Oireachtas committee for considered debate. Policyholders deserve nothing less from us in this matter and we really need to consider them.
I will convey, as I know she will directly convey, the Senator's views and what she has said to the Minister. I listened closely to the points she raised. I am aware of the view expressed by some stakeholders that the proposed increase will have the effect of increasing premiums. I fully take on board the issues and considerations the Senator has raised. They are very important. However, the Minister believes that, given the complex nature of the assessment of insurance premiums, it is too early to say if increases in awards for personal injuries will have the effect of directly increasing premiums. Members of the House will have the opportunity to discuss these matters in fuller detail when resolutions are presented to the Oireachtas.
I thank the Senator again for raising this really important issue.
EU Budgets
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as teacht chuig an Teach ar maidin. Déanaim comhghairdeas leis. As this is my first formal engagement with the Minister of State, I congratulate him on his appointment and wish him all the best for his tenure.
In the context of the challenges around meeting climate targets from every sector under our national climate action plan, the ongoing work around the development of a national nature restoration plan in line with the nature restoration regulation and the development of a coherent network of marine protected areas around the Irish coast, as well as many other opportunities for Ireland in socioeconomic development, will the Minister of State outline to the House the Government's engagement on negotiations around the shaping of the next EU multi-annual financial framework, MFF, covering the period 2028 to 2035? With a proposed budget of €1.2 trillion, the MFF represents an incredible opportunity for Ireland and all member states to make progress towards a zero carbon, nature resilient and durable future for all of our citizens.
It is vital that we build on the good progress made in recent years towards decarbonisation, including working with farmers, in particular, on water quality and nature restoration and efforts to scale up such work from pilots to the mainstream. I launched a number of LIFE projects, European Innovation Partnership, EIP, projects and other short-term initiatives, typically projects over a five- to seven-year cycle, during my time as a Minister of State. At every event, landowners told me they loved participating in schemes they saw tangible results from and, critically, got paid for. However, it is frustrating that there was no afterlife to such projects. Learning outputs and results were compiled and a project, with all of its expertise, then fell away. Burren LIFE was probably the most high-profile of these types of projects. Brendan Dunford was very critical that the results-based payment scheme developed by the project, which mainstreamed into the agri-climate rural environment scheme, ACRES, is now no more.
We negotiated with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael a €3.515 billion climate and nature fund, a capital fund that could extend and embed measures for nature, water and climate. We have yet to see the publication of the detail of that fund from the Government. My hope is that it will not be raided to shore up deficits in Uisce Eireann's capital programme.
Equally, I am concerned by the soundings coming from civil society that the MFF will be raided to ramp up defence and security spending across the EU at the expense of environmental measures, LIFE projects and climate initiatives. It may also impact negatively on humanitarian programmes at a time when many member states are cutting international aid budgets.
In Ireland, it could mean a reduction in Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, funding. The Commission closed public consultation on the MFF on Tuesday of this week. It was a poorly communicated process, which was cumbersome and complex, and largely excluded citizens and civil society from meaningful public participation. How many groups or organisations were aware that it was even open?
In that context, what has the European Commission representation in Ireland done to promote civil society engagement in this process? How is the Government going to ensure that Irish voices, including those of rural communities, family farmers and NGOs, are heard and used to help to shape Ireland's position on the MFF? If CAP, environmental supports and humanitarian funding are to be reduced, how will the Government propose to fill the gap to support rural communities and measures that Irish farmers are implementing on ecosystem services to support local authorities and other State bodies to deliver on climate and nature actions?
The Government should lead on a national conversation on the MFF. A figure of €1.12 billion sounds like a an eye-watering amount of money, but it is a drop in the ocean if siphoned off for weapons, missiles and fighter jets. Facilitating a public participation process, inviting submissions and engaging with key stakeholders are vital in advance of the next round of negotiations. In every statement I made as Minister of State to help get the nature restoration law over the line, I stated clearly that there needed to be EU money on the table for implementation. The MFF is that money and it will be agreed on the watch of the Irish Presidency next year.
Let us work together to ensure that it is a fund that benefits citizens, communities, farmers, fishers, foresters and vulnerable people caught in conflict and the ravages of climate change and not weapons manufacturers which are already enjoying record dividends for shareholders on the back of human suffering. How we shape influence and negotiate the next MFF could well be an enduring and defining legacy of Ireland's next EU Presidency.
I thank the Senator and again apologise that the Minister is not available to reply to him directly. I will reply on his behalf.
The European Union budget, the MFF, as the Senator knows, currently runs until 2027. The current MFF was agreed in 2020 at the height of the Covid pandemic, which left a very clear mark on that framework.
Most notably, alongside the MFF, the Next Generation EU recovery instrument was established to give a significant boost to Europe’s recovery, through a one-off programme of borrowing for common debt. To prepare for the next budget round, the Commission is expected to bring forward its proposals for the post-2027 MFF in July. It is realistic to expect negotiations to conclude in 2027, in time for the new MFF to begin in 2028.
It is important to note that negotiations between member states will not commence until after the Commission shares its proposal, which is most likely to be in early July. The Commission’s proposal will come as a package, including an MFF regulation setting out the architecture and sectoral basic acts, which will include the detailed budgetary and policy provisions as well as the implementing rules. In practice, the MFF’s key details will be agreed by consensus at the European Council.
In March, the European Council had its first exchange of views on the post-2027 MFF, where An Taoiseach expressed Ireland’s overarching priorities. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Department of Finance are also actively working across Government to develop our national position across the EU budget to ensure our views are well communicated to the Commission. It is clear that the next MFF will set a precedent in many ways, given the new and emerging demands on the budget across several policy areas. In addition, the repayment of the common debt taken on in the current MFF period will commence.
The Government will work with our European partners to ensure the MFF reflects the needs of Irish citizens, maintains continuity and predictability, and delivers on the overall ambitions of fostering a competitive and secure Europe. Ireland is keen to play its part as a constructive partner in the MFF negotiations.
With that said, it is evident there will be pressure on the balance of the existing budget, in which the long-standing CAP is a key feature for Ireland, forming the vast majority of our EU funding. How these new priorities are balanced against traditional policies and the trade-offs which will emerge, including avoiding significant increases to member states’ EU budget contributions, will be important features of the negotiation of the post-2027 MFF.
While acknowledging the challenges ahead, the Government’s view is that the CAP remains a core priority as a thriving sector of our economies, not only to Ireland but right across the EU. Ireland will advocate for a robustly funded CAP as direct payments underpin the economic sustainability of European agriculture and are vital in safeguarding a fair and sufficient income for farmers.
The next MFF must also reflect that security and defence is more urgent than ever before. Ireland will continue to advocate that the Commission takes account of specifics of island and peripheral regions with large maritime areas and subsea infrastructure to protect. The security and connectivity of energy and communications infrastructure is also of common interest for both Ireland and the EU.
The EU budget has an intrinsically important role through the visible way it improves the lives of our citizens. Programmes such as Erasmus, Creative Europe and, in particular for Ireland, the PEACE programme have value and make our Continent a better place to live. Across its negotiation, which Ireland will have a pivotal role in, especially during our Council Presidency in 2026, we will work to continue to ensure the MFF reflects EU priorities such as defending the rules-based international order, human rights, climate action and sustainable development.
In his remarks the Minister of State said that the Department states that the MFF should reflect the needs of Irish citizens, yet there has not been sufficient engagement. A poll from European Movement Ireland that was released today should be of interest to all Members and it looks at falling trust in European institutions and in the EU generally. It is a slow feed but it is of concern. What better way to restore trust in European institutions than by having public engagement in one of the most significant things it does, which is its budget and the MFF? My message to the Minister and the Government generally is that there needs to be civil society engagement on this issue. I note the points the Minister of State made about defence spending and it is of concern to many people, to NGOs and to the wider sector that LIFE programme funding and CAP funding will be cut at the expense of defence spending. It is critically important the Government engages with civil society and sees it as an opportunity to engage with civil society in a positive way on how the next MFF is framed.
I will, of course, convey the Senator’s views to the Minister. I will take a moment to acknowledge the European Movement Ireland survey. It is a very interesting survey. As a Chair of the Committee on European Union Affairs for two and a half years, I found European Movement Ireland to be an organisation that does incredibly good work in terms of promoting engagement and civic involvement in Europe and bringing Europe closer to people and people closer to Europe. I commend it again on its excellent survey and thank the Senator for his remarks.
Suicide Prevention
I thank the Minister of State for coming in. I appreciate that she took the time.
Your day really is not all that different. You leave the house and go to work. It is the same as it is every day. Maybe you go for a drink with colleagues or to a match afterwards, then you come home and it is so empty. The house is so unbearably empty. A piece of your life is gone forever in one tragic event. This is a story many of us know. Almost everyone has had the experience of this tragedy in life, if not with their partner, then within their family, among friends or through neighbours. This tragedy plays out every day in our country, again and again. I am talking about suicide.
This Saturday morning, thousands of people will be waking up early in support of Darkness into Light, building awareness around suicide prevention and raising money for urgently needed mental health services. Every single day, a family have their lives changed forever by suicide. In 2023 alone, more than 300 people in this State died by suicide. While, thankfully, this has reduced from previous years, it is still far higher than we can allow it to be. It is an ever-present reality in our society and we cannot fail to treat it as anything other than an emergency. More than one in five deaths of men under 25 years of age is through suicide. That is more than any other cause of death in this age group. Three out of every four suicides in Ireland are men. This is not just a statistic but a sad reflection on something very wrong with our society. Suicide is a growing issue for women, with the percentage of female suicides increasing by nearly 10% in the past decade.
We urgently need better access to mental health services both in Dublin and throughout the country. That will not happen without significant funding from Government. We need to properly fund suicide prevention programmes. We need to fund 24-7 crisis helplines and to have a real plan to combat loneliness, isolation and other causes of suicide and self-harm. Pieta, probably the best-known suicide prevention charity in Ireland, receives the vast majority of its funding from private donations. Initiatives like Darkness into Light, the walk this Saturday, 10 May, are important events and make real progress in funding services and building awareness. However, this issue is simply too important to be left to private charities. The State is failing to provide services that are urgently required and we need swift and decisive action by the Government to fix this. We simply must act now. I strongly urge the Minister of State to do everything she can to address the epidemic before it gets any worse.
It is a pleasure to be back in the Seanad. I congratulate the Leas-Chathaoirleach on her role. I thank Senator Andrews for raising this important issue. Every death by suicide has a devastating effect on the families, loved ones and entire community who are affected. Suicide and self-harm reduction are a priority for me as Minister of State and for Government as a whole. Just two days ago, I brought a memo to Cabinet to update Government on our work to improve suicide prevention in Ireland, including access to services and work on our new suicide reduction policy. Thankfully, I was able to update colleagues on the fact that suicide rates are declining in Ireland and between 2000 and 2021, the last year for which we have official figures, the rate had declined by over 25%. Additionally, the recently published National Suicide Research Foundation self-harm registry report highlights that, between 2010 and 2023, self-harm rates decreased by 12%, which is really welcome.
As the Senator said, preliminary figures record 302 deaths by suicide in 2023. That is the lowest preliminary figure in over 20 years. For example, the rate in 2022 was 410 initially, upgraded to 436, so it was a significant reduction. There is a significant time lag in reporting on deaths by suicide, and the number of 302 will be revised upwards as coroners' investigations conclude, but the overall decline shows progress in suicide reduction in Ireland. It is welcome, but I understand and have said that we have so much more to do, particularly in terms of access to services.
When one looks at the suicide figures - it is something I spend a lot of time on - one sees that approximately 80% of all suicides in Ireland are male and 20% are female. Of all the counselling supports that are provided across the country, two thirds are accessed by women but only one third are accessed by males. There is an onus on all of us to try to support and encourage men, especially young men but also middle-aged and older men, to reach out and access counselling supports. Women will speak more freely. They will sit down with someone, have a cup of tea and speak about how they are feeling, their emotional well-being, their peace of mind and whether they are depressed, lonely or struggling. There is a big onus on all of us to do that.
The Senator spoke about private charities. My budget this year has allocated €100 million to organisations such as Jigsaw, Pieta, MyMind, SpunOut and the Samaritans. That is €100 million, and I want to commend and compliment Pieta for the work it does. I increased its budget this year and it does a phenomenal amount of work. I have a great working relationship with it and would encourage everyone to get out and walk for Darkness into Light on Friday night into Saturday morning. It is a great experience and you see many people walking there who are bereaved by suicide. It does help, and the support they get is really important.
This year, I have secured €2 million to specifically target men who require counselling. I am focusing on those who do not have medical cards, as we provide counselling under the counselling in primary care, CIPC, service. We are working on how to ensure that men who need counselling but are unable to afford it can get counselling free of charge through their GPs.
I believe there is no health without mental health and that suicide is everybody's business. I would encourage everybody not to be afraid to speak about it. I welcome the opportunity to come to the Seanad today to speak about it. I will touch on the Dublin services in the next piece.
The reduction in income from Darkness into Light walks and various activities means that Pieta will need more from the State for services, otherwise services are unfortunately going to close. I acknowledge the thousands of volunteers who wake up extra early in support of Pieta's Darkness into Light walk. Funds raised by Pieta are already down for Darkness into Light, and there is a real worry for the services because, without the money raised by Darkness into Light, those services will close. This is a major concern for everyone, as the services Pieta provides are desperately needed within the community. It is a concern for me, as somebody who has been involved in organising the Darkness into Light walk annually, that many State agencies are increasingly imposing barriers to communities running these events. Dublin City Council makes it almost impossible. There are event management plans, risk management plans and ecology reports. The amount of barriers local authorities are putting up is horrendous, and they make it difficult for communities to organise important events like this.
I look forward to walking on my own Darkness into Light walk in Portlaw this weekend. I normally attend the one in Waterford city but this time I am staying local. It is great to see all of these walks. Initially, they were in the big cities and towns but now they are in nearly every community, which has to be welcomed.
I want to touch on some of the funding that has been provided. I recently increased funding for suicide crisis counselling through Pieta, the national suicide bereavement liaison service and the national Traveller Counselling Service. There are also dedicated resource officers for suicide prevention in each of the Dublin health regions, promoting and co-ordinating suicide prevention initiatives in their local areas.
Work to enhance services in Dublin and nationwide has taken place through Connecting for Life, our national suicide reduction strategy, and this has seen sustained investment in funding. As Minister of State, I fund the National Office for Suicide Prevention, whose budget has tripled between 2012 and 2025, from approximately €5 million to €15 million. We recently went out for public consultation for a new Connecting for Life process, which is our programme for reducing suicide. Unbelievably, we got 1,895 submissions. The last time we went out for public consultation on this, we got 300 submissions. Those 1,900 submissions show that people are speaking more openly about their mental health. I encourage everyone, especially men, to do so. I thank the Senator for giving me the opportunity to come into the Seanad today; I appreciate it.
Cuireadh an Seanad ar fionraí ar 10.25 a.m. agus cuireadh tús leis arís ar 11.01 a.m.
Sitting suspended at 10.25 a.m. and resumed at 11.01 a.m.