Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Members who contributed to the Order of Business. Fiona O'Loughlin acknowledged today's apology by an Taoiseach to the victims of the Stardust tragedy. Many Members spoke about that tragedy today, including Senators Boyhan, Cummins and Conway. It is a poignant moment in what has been a very long battle. They have waited more than 40 years for justice. I extend my solidarity and support to the victims and their families on this important day for them. The State apology is welcome, albeit long overdue. It is still great to get there; better late than never, as they say. It is a very important day for those families.

Senator O'Loughlin raised another important point around housing and the constraints in the private housing market relating to units available to rent and purchase. She raised concerns that IPAS is now renting properties from the private rental market, and mentioned Newbridge, County Kildare, in particular. That is hugely concerning because it will upset people locally. We try not to have the State competing with individuals and families in the private sector for rent and purchase of housing unless it is absolutely needed. That will certainly only further discommode local residents and there will be bad feeling in that community if that is happening and people's families cannot get somewhere to rent in the locality. I concur with the Senator's remarks and urge the Department to move away from a policy of purchasing or renting accommodation in the private sector for IPAS. It is going to breed more problems rather than solve the challenges we have.

The Senator also referenced the Garda Representative Association, GRA, conference taking place today in Westport. I welcome the GRA to County Mayo for its annual conference. It is good to see that the theme and objective of the event is to say it is a job worth protecting and I support gardaí in their work in that regard. Many issues have been highlighted with An Garda. From my conversations with local gardaí in County Mayo, there is a feeling that the hierarchy in An Garda Síochána does not have the backs of ordinary rank and file gardaí. That is evidenced by the fact that a few months ago more than 90% of gardaí voted no confidence in the Garda Commissioner. I am sure that is the reason the Commissioner is not present at the event. It is regrettable that the Minister for Justice was unable to attend, but it is important we continue to listen to gardaí and the concerns they are raising. There are cases like what is now well known and referred to as the garda bicycle case where the GRA says there was a lack of a common-sense approach. I concur with that. There is also the case of the garda being prosecuted for dangerous driving. There are concerns among ordinary rank and file gardaí that they are not in a position to use their discretion. There is a chill effect and a fear among gardaí about doing their jobs fully because they fear they will be reprimanded. That is something that needs to be looked at. You have to ask how we can turn that around. How can we increase morale in the force, and encourage more people to enter An Garda Síochána? That will be difficult to achieve in the current circumstances without regime change at the top. I thank the Senator for raising the issue.

Senator Carrigy welcome the investment in local improvement schemes by the Minister, Deputy Humphreys. He mentioned that €900,000 was put into County Longford. He also raised concerns about functional neurological disorder services across the country. Senator Clonan raised the specific issue of a young student who entered the National College of Art and Design, NCAD. I do not have the full details of what happened apart from what the Senator mentioned.I believe there are sensitivities around that. I am happy to work with the Senator to try to assist in that particular matter.

The Minister of State, Senator Hackett, also referenced the Stardust apology today. She spoke of Tony Bergin, an Offaly man who received a local award for his work in farming and protecting nature and about his love of nature. I wish Tony the very best. It is great to see that his work over many years has been acknowledged.

Senator Black raised the plight of the people of Gaza, as she has done on numerous occasions. I concur with her remarks. It is an abhorrent situation. Words do not do justice to what is happening to the people of Gaza. While we will always condemn the 7 October attack, what has happened since then has been disproportionate. I believe war crimes have been committed and that the people of Gaza are being starved, tormented and tortured by the IDF. All we can say, as we have said repeatedly, is that we need a ceasefire now, peace in the region and a two-state solution.

Senator Gavan made reference to the housing crisis in Cork, as he sees it, in terms of vacant homes. I remind the Senator that the vacant homes grant of up to €70,000 is available from the State to bring a vacant or derelict building back into use. It has been a hugely successful scheme. Vacant properties have been brought back into use in every county, including Cork. He said there was a lack of Government funding under Housing for All. There has been record investment in housing. A €4 billion plan has been put in place that is delivering homes. The numbers are going in the right direction and there is momentum behind house building. Sinn Féin has yet to produce its housing plan, but is very quick to point out the difficulties and challenges. That is easy to do, but actually solving the housing crisis and getting the work done is the job of Government, and that is what is happening under the Minister, Deputy O'Brien.

Senator Malcolm Byrne spoke about the disorder around the home of the Minister, Deputy Roderic O'Gorman - I do not think one could call them protests - and the erection of disgusting banners on his home, which is private property. We universally condemn what happened at his house. No public representative, at any level, should have their home subjected to that level of abuse. Working in politics and being a public representative is becoming more difficult and, at times, more dangerous. We have to be very conscious of that and call it out where it happens. The Senator also welcomed the €1.8 million for a new community centre in his area of Wexford.

Senator Cummins also referenced the Stardust apology today. He drew our attention to the cost of doing business grant for small businesses, as did Senator Robbie Gallagher. Up to €5,000 is available for a company or business that has paid between €10,000 and €30,000 in rates. The uptake has been quite low - as low as 20% in some counties. Senator Gallagher said that approximately 130,000 businesses would be eligible for the grant, but only 30,000 have availed of it. The deadline for receipt of applications is 1 May. I concur with the remarks of both Senators. It would be good to try to extend the deadline, if at all possible - I am sure the Minister is working on that - to give us more time to create awareness around the grant availability and encourage eligible businesses to apply for that helping hand.

Senator Sharon Keogan spoke about the EU migration pact. As she will be aware, we will have a full debate on the matter in the House on 2 May with the Minister. She drew attention to the five different regulations that comprise the pact. There are some positives in what she said. We are all supporters of the EURODAC database having more information and data available to the State, as well as the screening regulations and the asylum procedure. I take on board her point on the asylum and migration management regulation and the concerns raised around that. Overall, the pact has to be viewed as a whole. There are positive elements to it. People have been against the pact because it is not hardline enough, while others are against it because they think it is too hardline. It seems that after ten years of negotiations, people have met somewhere in the middle. From an Irish perspective, we have worked with countries to try to deal with what is an immense challenge for the country. This has been hugely difficult for us in terms of housing and accommodation, issues raised by Senators across the House. Working with other countries on this issue is the way forward because it is not going to go away anytime soon. It is here to stay and it is something we have to try to manage. We have to protect the country in terms of the challenges it brings, such as pressure on resources, in particular housing.

Senator Paul Daly spoke about child passport applications. Some 90% of passports are quite easy to get now and the online system is excellent. However, the problem is first-time children's passports. We need to find a better way of issuing them. The system is cumbersome and stressful for parents. People have waited for three months for passports, yet have not received them. The time it takes people to get those passports is unnecessarily long and the system is bureaucratic.I understand the child protection elements of it and I believe this is why there is a requirement to ring the Garda station, to be doubly sure that what is being sent in is correct. There must, though, be a better way of doing it and a courier should be acceptable. It seems ridiculous it is not the case now. I was not aware of this aspect, to be quite honest. This process is taking too long. Even trying to get the photograph right is challenging for parents. Those applying even months in advance are still not guaranteed to get the passport. This situation needs to change. Besides this issue, a fantastic job has been done with everything else. All other passport applications have been streamlined and are very efficient. It is nearly possible to get a passport within two days using the online application. This is to the credit of the Passport Office. This issue is the one final area to be looked at to improve the service for parents. I have no doubt about the office being able to do this, if it puts its mind to it, and the Department as well.

I welcome Senator Lombard's wife, Catherine, who was here today. Senator Lombard spoke about the election that will take place in Limerick for that city's directly elected mayor. As for the whole space around directly elected mayors, I think there is scope to expand it. It is great to see that Limerick city will soon have its directly elected mayor. I wish all the candidates in that election well. Obviously, Cork and Dublin were asked the question and the people there decided "No" in this respect. The people of Galway city, however, were never asked if they wanted to have a directly-elected mayor and I believe they should be. There is certainly an opportunity here for our larger cities. I am sure Dublin and Cork may wish to revisit the question at some point. What happens in Limerick city will give us an opportunity to see how this new institution beds in. The fact, though, that there will be a team of staff available to the directly-elected mayor, a budget behind the office and the officeholder will have the ability to effect change in communities means that I believe the people of Galway and other cities should be asked if they would like to follow Limerick down this same path. It is an interesting and exciting change for local government in one area, and it should be rolled out beyond this one area. I am sure we will see this happen and that the Department and the Minister will be willing to do this.

Senators Boyhan and Conway spoke about the Stardust fire. Finally, Senator Gallagher spoke about the increased cost of business grant. As a businessman, who has been in business for more than 20 years, the Senator made a valid point when he said it is often difficult for people dealing with the day-to-day running of their businesses to find the time to keep abreast of the different grants that may be available. More of an effort needs to be made to ensure that eligible businesses are aware of this grant. I am sure we can increase the uptake for this important grant from the Government to support small businesses.