Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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It is proposed to take No. 5, Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2015 - Second Stage (resumed), to adjourn at 7.30 p.m. tonight if not previously concluded; No. 6, Communications Regulation (Postal Services) (Amendment) Bill 2015 - Order for Second Stage and Second Stage, to adjourn at 7.30 p.m. tonight if not previously concluded; and No. 7, Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015 - Order for Second Stage and Second Stage, to adjourn at 4.42 p.m. today if not previously concluded.

It is proposed, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, that the Dáil shall sit later than 5.30 p.m. today and shall adjourn on the conclusion of Topical Issues, which shall take place not later than 7.30 p.m.; and that the sitting shall be suspended for 30 minutes after the Order of Business today.

Friday's fortnightly business shall be No. 76, Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2014; and No. 21, report on direct provision.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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There are two proposals to be put to the House today. Is the proposal for dealing with the late sitting agreed to? Agreed. Is the proposal for the suspension of the sitting agreed to? Agreed.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I refer to the education (admission to school) Bill. There seems to be some divergence of views between the Labour Party and Fine Gael with regard to the cap on admissions of sons and daughters of past pupils. Some are proposing a cap of 10% and other parties are proposing a cap of 25%. When will this Bill come before the House?

A little more than four years ago, the House debated the Moriarty tribunal and its findings. The report was referred to An Garda Síochána and to the Director of Public Prosecutions, there being an issue of public interest. Has the Tánaiste any information with regard to the report? Is a file being prepared by the DPP? Can that information be accessed?

When will the criminal procedure Bill be before the House? In other public prosecution services around the world, information is given as to whether a case will proceed and the reasons if it is not to proceed, whereas we are left completely in the dark on an issue of huge public interest. A tribunal was established by the Houses of the Oireachtas to investigate payments to politicians, and four years after its publication, we do not know what is happening with regard to that report. A commitment was made in speeches last week by the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste about implementation of the recommendations on lobbying, openness, transparency and accountability and all of that. However, the key issue of accountability will not be addressed until such time as we know what is happening with regard to the completion of investigations by the prosecutorial forces in this country, those being the Garda Síochána and the DPP. Will the Tánaiste assure the House that the criminal procedure Bill will come before it so that we can address this issue of not knowing, in view of the fact that the Taoiseach looked like a scared rabbit when he was asked about Mr. O'Brien yesterday in an interview by the journalist Ann Cahill? He said that what was in the past was in the past. I am sorry, but the past is very much in the future or the present. The Moriarty tribunal is very much in the present, because its report was published four years ago and has not been fully dealt with.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The criminal legislation has been before the Cabinet recently and is under discussion. I would expect to see it advanced quite quickly after that. I did not quite understand the Deputy's point about the cap on admissions in schools. To be clear for the record of the House, the former Minister, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, indicated that his preference was for a cap of 25%. Following the discussions, to which many Members contributed, the Minister, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, indicated her preference for a figure in the region of 10%.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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So we must guess which it is.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Consultations and discussions are ongoing. It is hoped that a conclusion can be reached which will address the various concerns.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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There is time for the election, so.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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We want to see a good, robust open-access system to all educational facilities.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Will a figure be prescribed in the Bill?

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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I reiterate that I think the Tánaiste's response to the plight of Ibrahim Halawa is very worrying and will be disappointing for the family.

When might we see the publication of the report from the Fennelly commission? I ask her to confirm that it has been supplied today to interested parties and to give the House a sense of the timeline.

Sinn Féin and I have raised previously in the House serious allegations of corruption in planning matters in County Wicklow. The serious allegations include questionable zoning practices, one of which at least resulted in the loss of a significant number of jobs in Newtownmountkennedy. I know that three former Labour Party councillors brought these allegations of corruption to the Tánaiste's direct attention. I am sure she is also aware of a file that went missing from the office of her colleague, Deputy Alan Kelly, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, pertaining to allegations of corruption in planning in County Wicklow.

The files disappeared and then reappeared. We have raised these matters before but have never received any satisfactory or even coherent response to them.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Siteserv.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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They are very serious allegations. Given that the Tánaiste is familiar with these matters, I request that she ask the Government to give time next week for a debate on the issues in question.

In respect of the Water Services Bill, the Tánaiste and the Minister, Deputy Kelly, told us that they would introduce measures by which unpaid water charges could be taken from people's wages, welfare or pensions. As there does not seem to have been any mention of that legislation since, can the Tánaiste tell us what timetable is envisaged in respect of its introduction?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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On the last point, as Deputy McDonald knows, the civil debt (procedures) Bill will, provided the House gives its agreement, implement in law the recommendations and report of the Law Reform Commission. That has been made clear to the Deputy on quite a significant number of occasions. On the Fennelly report-----

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Sarcasm does not suit the Tánaiste. I will just give her that by way of a pointer.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The Tánaiste has the floor.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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It feels on some days like Deputy McDonald may have gotten out the wrong side of the bed. I know sometimes she is a bit tough but usually she is a little bit more pleasant.

On the Fennelly commission, no report has been published. I will receive it when it is published. I have seen media reports that an interim contact or report has been given to some parties, but I do not have any further details. That is the normal process of commissions and I assume that in due course, when the process is completed and when the judge who is handling the commission so decides, we will get the published report.

Deputy McDonald gave a detailed commentary on County Wicklow and Newtownmountkennedy specifically. I will certainly ask the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government for a report on the matters she has raised.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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And a debate.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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When?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Earlier this year, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform gave the go-ahead to county councils around the country to take on 300 additional staff-----

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Deputy Grealish should just hold on. It is up to Galway County Council-----

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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It is up to Galway City Council to have actually made the applications-----

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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If it has now done them, the Department has actually approved the applications in respect of councils right around the country.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Minister, Deputy Howlin, made that allocation of additional staffing available precisely to encourage councils to speed up the time they take to provide accommodation, pass on tenants and deal with refurbishments. If we can get the councils working as quickly and strongly as possible in getting through all the stages, we will be able to house more families sooner. That allocation was made some time ago and it is a matter for Galway City Council to process it on time.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The legislation pertaining to building regulations will come before the Houses later this year. I do not currently have a date for the insurance Bill.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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I want to ask the Taoiseach, in view of - I am sorry, I have promoted the Tánaiste. I want to ask the Tánaiste-----

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Deputy McGrath is just a little ahead of his time.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Níor chuala mé é sin. It is nice to lighten up the temperature in here.

On the issue of GP care for children under six and the Health (General Practitioner Service) Act 2014, what is really going on? In south Tipperary, two GPs have signed up. I have serious questions as to who is driving this agenda and serious concerns about the role of the Irish Medical Organisation and its relationship with the HSE. This is very serious. The Government will not deal with the new organisation which now represents half the GPs. In an earlier reply to Deputy Kelleher, the Tánaiste said----

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Is there legislation on this, Deputy?

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Yes, there is. She said they were in negotiations, yet the Government is not negotiating with the new association which has half the members. In Tipperary, where are the patients going to go when there are no doctors to take them? Two GPs have signed up in south Tipperary and it is bullying of the highest order of a profession that is under siege by the Government. The waiting lists in accident and emergency departments are flooding out their practices. I ask the Tánaiste to go back to the drawing board.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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As Deputy McGrath knows, more than half of the GPs in the country have signed up for a service----

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Not in County Tipperary, only two.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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-----which was going to be vitally important for 270,000 children and their families. I urge any GPs who are still considering their options to sign up.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Talk to them.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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It is in the interests of the health of the children of Ireland to do this.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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The Tánaiste can bring a horse to water but she cannot make it drink.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Regarding the precise situation in south Tipperary to which the Deputy referred, as he knows everything about everything in County Tipperary, I am sure he understands whatever the complexities may be.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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I never suggested any such thing.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I would really like to see County Tipperary having the full value of the GP card for all children under six. Whatever the issues are, I hope they can be resolved as quickly as possible and that the doctors of south Tipperary can join the scheme.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Talk to the organisation.

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
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Cystic Fibrosis Ireland is concerned about the lack of progress on two Bills, the health information Bill and the human tissue Bill, both of which are promised since 2009. When will they come before the Dáil? Also, when will the Government introduce the soft opt-out organ donation promised in the 2012 programme for Government?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The health information Bill should come before the House later this year. I do not have any date for the human tissue Bill.

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
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What about the Government's promise to introduce soft opt-out organ donation?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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That may be included in the human tissue Bill, for which, as I said, I do not yet have a date.

Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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As the economy continues to improve over the next few years, and given the projected upturn expected to take place within the construction industry, when can we expect the apprenticeship Bill to be brought before the House for debate? I am sure the Tánaiste is aware that there is an alarming shortfall in the number of people currently in trade apprenticeships. This needs to be addressed.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I am happy to say that we have had 1,000 additional apprenticeships since Christmas. I had the privilege of being with the ESB as it launched a very ambitious three-year programme for apprenticeships and had many tens of thousands of young people indicating an interest. I know this matter is a very important priority for the Minister for Education and Skills. The Apprenticeship Council of Ireland is now reformed and up and running and there have been invitations to other areas of trade and activity to submit proposals for new apprenticeships.

I know the Minister has received over 80 proposals and she will probably be able to make announcements in some months time, when the proposals have been evaluated. It is a great part of the general recovery in the economy that is spreading out to every family and has our unemployment rate back down at 9.8%, the best that we have achieved since 2009. I look forward very much to the Minister, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, having the apprenticeships Bill before the Dáil later this year.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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On 8 April last year, the Fennelly commission was established. The media reported at the weekend that the report of the Fennelly commission had been circulated to interested parties. I put a question to the Minister, Deputy Richard Bruton, yesterday on this matter. I suppose, understandably, he was not aware of the timeline for the publication of the Fennelly report. I would expect the Tánaiste has a particular interest in its publication. Can she indicate to the House when we might expect to see it published?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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As I said earlier, obviously, interested parties are circulated by the judge, as the chairperson of the commission of inquiry sees appropriate. I have seen the same media reports that some interim documentation has been circulated to interested parties and, obviously, as I am not an interested party, I would not have received it. When these matters are dealt with between the judge and the various parties, it will hopefully then clear the way for the subsequent publication of the report. However, I do not have any timelines. The timelines are a matter for the interested parties but even more particularly for the judge in charge of the inquiry. That is a matter for the judge to call. I do not have any information on what is proposed.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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The Government sets Dáil business. A number of weeks ago we saw publication of the children's rights report where the Government received an F grade for its total and abject failure in regard to child poverty, with one in eight children now living in consistent poverty. The Tánaiste promised during the Order of Business that she would secure a Dáil debate in regard to how, as a collective Legislature, we can tackle child poverty. We are almost two months on from that promise and there is no indication of such a debate. Will the Tánaiste indicate when that debate will be facilitated?

Will she indicate when the national vetting legislation will be commenced? It went through the Houses of the Oireachtas over two years ago but it has yet to be commenced. When will the Child and Family Relationships Bill be commenced?

We talk about homelessness and about poverty in the context of the lack of funding for councils. A very important funding stream for councils over the years was the tenant purchase scheme but no tenant purchase scheme has been in operation for the past 12 months. When will the Government finally bring forward the much-promised tenant purchase scheme?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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In regard to a Dáil debate on children, as I said, that is a matter for the Whips. If the Whips care to identify a time, I would be very happy to see that debate taking place.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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The Government sets the agenda.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Deputy must bear in mind that our social welfare system is among the strongest in Europe and the effect of social transfers in Ireland is to reduce the risk of poverty for children and adults right down to one of the lowest figures in Europe. It is a great tribute to all the parties in this House that we have broad agreement that social welfare and income support for families, particularly families with children, should be as strong as it is, notwithstanding the enormous difficulties we inherited when we took over office from Fianna Fáil, with an economy in ruins and employment destroyed. We have now got back to a situation where, I am happy to say, the economy is growing and is one of the strongest in Europe, where hundreds of thousands of people are back at work and, thankfully, people are returning who previously, unfortunately, emigrated after Fianna Fáil crashed the country. They are now on their way back and-----

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Thousands of people are being left behind.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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All of that, as it grows the economy, is producing prosperity for families with children. In last year's budget, I was delighted to be able to increase child benefit and to increase and bring in-----

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Water charges. What about the cut in child benefit?

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Order, please.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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-----the back to work family dividend, which is worth €30 per week per child to any adult in a family with children who is going back to work. The roll-out of that has been extremely successful in attracting families with children back to work.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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What about education fees?

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Please, Deputy. The Tánaiste to conclude.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am trying to remind her of her promises.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Traditionally, Fianna Fáil would have absolutely supported supports for families with children going back to work. It is surprising it does not support them at the moment.

Vetting is dealt with in the Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions) Bill, which is awaiting Report Stage. I will have to ask the Minister to give me an enactment date for the Child and Family Relationships Bill.