Cian O'Callaghan
Dublin Bay North · Social Democrats · Ireland
“Unification presents distinct challenges that need to be carefully planned for and managed. The analysis done by Professor Doyle shows that the cost of pensions would be unlikely to transfer to a united Ireland straight away. Following Brexit, the UK and Ireland signed a bilateral convention on social security in 2019.”
“Ireland spends less than that defending a much larger territory and has decades of underinvestment to catch up on. We need increased investment, particularly in systems and technologies, including sonar and air surveillance radar.”
“I welcome this important discussion on the topic of Irish unity and its fiscal implications. It deserves analysis and fundamentally respect for the people, who will ultimately decide the future of this island. There are real challenges in any transition to unity but there are also very significant opportunities.”
“These are highly skilled jobs with union representation and apprenticeship programmes. They are of fundamental importance to the local economy and community. They should never have been left exposed in this way.”
“The Tánaiste must surely know that these exports are feeding Putin's war machine. Does he not think it is unusual that Ireland is one of the very few European countries where our exports to Russia have increased since Russia invaded Ukraine? That has been driven by the exports of alumina that have more than doubled.”
“We know from the investigation carried out by The Irish Times and the organised crime and corruption reporting project that alumina from Ireland is ending up in Russian owned smelters in Krasnoyarsk. Krasnoyarsk is Russia's only smelter producing high purity aluminium.”
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“The OECD's organisational autonomy country ranking chart has Ireland at third from the bottom, with only Malta and Belarus performing worse than us among OECD countries. There is no doubt this ranking is linked to issues around how we finance local government. It is a key factor. If we want better public services delivered at a local level, including affordable, high-quality childcare, improvements in housing and myriad other services, changes are best made at local government level. I make that overall point in case anyone in the Chamber or watching the debate is in any doubt whatsoever about our position. The amendment seeks a report within six months of the passing of the Act on the potential for broadening the tax base by increasing the local property tax for owners of multiple properties.”
“This amendment is about broadening and diversifying the tax base but also supporting local government and local democracy. The delivery of public services at a local level requires good, solid funding streams. That has always been the position of the Social Democrats. It has never changed and it will not change. We cannot have strong local government and strong public services without having mechanisms and streams for financing them. Ireland has one of the most strongly centralised forms of government in the western world, with the least power devolved to local authorities. We often talk in this House about the weakness of public services and how they can be improved and strengthened. One of the best ways of strengthening public services is through empowering local government, and that cannot be done without strong financing streams.”
“I move amendment No. 3: In page 3, between lines 23 and 24, to insert the following: “ Report into differential rates for owners of multiple properties 3. The Minister shall within six months from the passing of this Act prepare and lay before Dáil Eireann a report on the potential introduction of differential rates of local property tax on residential properties under this Act and the Principal Act where such properties are owned by persons who: (a) own two or less residential properties; (b) own more than two but less than 20 residential properties; (c) own more than twenty but less than 50 residential properties; (d) own more than fifty but less than 100 residential properties; (e) own more than one hundred but less than 1,000 residential properties; (f) own more than 1,000 residential properties.”.”
“Does he acknowledge that the €3,000 per year extra on grocery prices that most households are paying is utterly unsustainable, and that action needs to be taken by the Government now to bring those prices down?”
“The Taoiseach did rattle off a range of figures about inflation but did not acknowledge the real hardship people face in terms of grocery prices. I ask him to acknowledge that. Last week, his Government took the decision to lift the pay caps for senior high-paid bankers. Newspapers reported that means, for instance, the annual package of the head of AIB could go from €500,000 to €2 million. Those are the kinds of decisions the Government has taken that may have an immediate effect for people at the very high end of incomes. What has it done about grocery prices and ensuring full transparency on supermarket profits now - not something that is going to happen in the future? Why is there not full transparency now? When will the Taoiseach act on that?”
“People are handing more than €10 billion per year to supermarkets to buy food for their families, so why is there not full transparency about profits? Supermarket chains are not required to publish detailed and full accounts about their profits. Given that people have to buy food, there is no choice in this. Why is this not a requirement for all supermarket retailers and chains? There is a simple answer to this. He could act. I am asking him if he will act to require all supermarket chains and retailers to do this. I do not want diversionary answers here or distractions. It is a simple question. I want him to answer the question.”
“Soaring food prices are something the Government promised to address. It is now more than two years since the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, organised his meeting with grocery retailers to discuss runaway prices. What happened was that meeting was a talking shop convened for optics. He turned up, wagged his finger and everyone went home. Grocery prices are higher now than they ever have been, so if the Minister of State thinks that was a success it certainly has not been. We all have suspicions that we are being ripped off and price-gouged in this country when it comes to grocery prices, but there is no way to prove it because we do not have full transparency when it comes to supermarket profits.”
“Does the Taoiseach even acknowledge that reality for people? We are talking about parents who are working really hard all week, and who are going without meals so they can feed their children. We are talking about pensioners who have to leave items behind on the checkout that they can no longer afford. We are talking about families scrimping and saving just so they can get by. No one should be going hungry. No one should be having to skip meals to feed their children and no pensioner should be worried about keeping food on the table. We are talking about the basics here; what it costs just to survive in this country. Buying the essentials of milk, butter, pasta and bread now costs more than it ever has before. The level of stress and anxiety this is causing families is growing.”
“I, too, welcome the Little Blue Heroes and the gardaí and commend everyone involved in that. Listening to the Taoiseach's answers, I wonder if he gets it at all. He was presented with the stark reality people face in terms of grocery prices and he rattled off a list of numbers and inflation rates rather than acknowledging the real difficulties people are facing when they do their weekly shop. I do not know if the Taoiseach even notices or acknowledges the problems people are facing. Some 70% of people are either very worried or extremely worried about food prices. Will the Taoiseach even acknowledge that? Many families are now spending an extra €3,000 per year on their grocery and shopping bills and prices are still increasing. Anyone doing their weekly shopping recently will have noticed prices again beginning to soar.”
“What proportion of renters over the coming years will not face this reset to full market rents? Tell us that. Most are going to face that. When they end a tenancy, they are going to be in this new system where, effectively, the RPZ rent regulation is ripped up on them and they are going to face full market rents.”
“The Taoiseach knows that we put forward proposals to bring extra financing into housing. His criticism is that it is going to take a couple of years but his party has had decades at this and it cannot get the situation right. If it takes a couple of years to get more financing into the system, it is absolutely worth it. The fact is that most renters are going to face huge rent increases. The Taoiseach will not even mention the six years. Most renters are going to be facing huge rent increases at the end of six years of a tenancy.”
“That will mean more and more children growing up for longer in emergency accommodation, without a home. The Taoiseach was positively triumphant yesterday announcing these measures. Does he now accept they are going to lead to huge rent increases for most renters and that these measures will increase hardship, poverty, evictions and homelessness for renters?”
“As a smoke screen for cutting rent pressure zones, they will be extended across the country. By giving landlords a heads-up about this, the Government has now incentivised them to jack up rents substantially. Furthermore, any accommodation that frees up between now and March is likely to remain vacant in order that landlords can charge sky high rents at that time and make maximum profits. Does the Government have any plan to deal with the hoarding of rental properties that it is now incentivising by announcing these measures? Another huge concern is the impact these measures will have on homelessness, which is already at record levels. Private rental has been a key route out of homelessness for people. That route will now be cut off because struggling families will be unable to afford the new norm of extortionate rents for new tenancies.”
“He did not mention it yesterday either. He would not once mention his reset of six years. Rents are already completely unaffordable. In Dublin 8, just down the road from here, studio apartments are being advertised at €2,495 per month. This is two and a half grand per month to live in one room, basically. This is the dystopian future for renters which this Government has envisaged. Instead of protecting renters, its big plan is to use them as sacrificial lambs and to bleed them dry. Incredibly, the Minister for housing, Deputy James Browne, claimed yesterday that rents would eventually come down but he could not tell us when this was going to happen. Before being put in charge of housing, the Minister was responsible for gambling. It now seems he is gambling with renters' future and betting against them.”
“Renters are already in an incredibly stressful situation having seen their rents doubled over the last decade and the Government is now not helping the situation by sowing confusion. It did that yesterday. The launch, as regards the understanding of it and the contradictory messages coming out, was an absolute shambles. The Taoiseach is at it again today. He told the Dáil just a few minutes ago that new tenancies after March 2026 will be capped at CPI. There was no mention of a reset every six years. Is the reset every six years gone? The Minister of State, Deputy John Cummins, told "Drivetime" yesterday that in all new tenancies post March 2026, the landlord will be able to reset the rent to full market levels. Has the reset every six years been ditched or is it still in place? The Taoiseach did not mention it.”
“How much longer will it take for us to have action on this? What would have to happen for the Government to take action on this? These bonds are being used to help fund genocide and bombs landing on the heads of people in Gaza. We need every TD in this Dáil to vote this evening for this motion to enact emergency legislation to stop the facilitation of the sale of these bonds.”
“The Government has stated it will not bring forward emergency legislation because it would be open to legal challenge. That is meaningless language. Every piece of legislation brought through this Dáil is, of course, open to legal challenge. If that was the threshold, this Government would never enact any legislation whatsoever. We have clear, independent advice from the Office of Parliamentary Legal Advisers that measures on this issue would be in compliance with Irish, EU and international law. It is utterly wrong for the Whip to be used this evening on backbench Government TDs in respect of this motion. They should be given a free vote so they can vote with their conscience. Every TD has a responsibility to do so this evening. At least 54,000 people have been killed, probably many more, in Gaza and we need action on this now.”
“I thank everybody who contributed to this cross-party motion and spoke on it today. Let us be very clear about this. The Minister and the Government are hiding behind technicalities and standard arguments that are wheeled out to justify inaction. The Government could act on this if it wanted to do so. The Central Bank is independent; that is correct. However, as Deputy Connolly pointed out, it is not independent of the law. We, as Members elected to Dáil Éireann by the people, have a role and mandate to enact legislation and to enact emergency legislation in this regard. We have a responsibility to do so. As my colleague, Deputy Gibney, pointed out, the Central Bank itself has stated that a legal basis for refusal of approval of the prospectus for these bonds would be national restrictive measures. As the Dáil, we could do that.”
“There is legal advice from the Attorney General that states that the State can invoke justification grounded on public policy, based on the need to respect international law and the rights of those adversely affected, the Palestinian people. The Government has told us that legal advice was given by the Attorney General. I implore every TD in this Dáil. There should be a free vote this evening on this. Every TD should be allowed to vote with their conscience. We should send a very clear signal as a Dáil that not only are we united in standing against this genocide, but we are also united as a Dáil in wanting the Central Bank to stop facilitating these bonds and stop the financing of this genocide, which is happening in part through the facilitation of the sale of these bonds.”
“Voting against legislation to stop the facilitation of the sale of these bonds - that is standing idly by. If the Government does not like the legislation that was presented two weeks ago, it should pass this motion and enact its own emergency legislation, as the motion asks it to do. There are no excuses not to act. Legal advice from the Office of the Parliamentary Legal Advisor concludes that we can provide restricted access to financial services based on public policy grounds, rooted in Ireland's pursuit of its international obligations. It is clear that this can be done in accordance with the Irish Constitution, European law and international law.”
“Israel Bonds president and CEO, Danny Naveh, has told potential investors that purchasing the bonds is the best way to help Israel and support its war campaign. This is unequivocally clear. Recently, the Tánaiste, Deputy Simon Harris, said that children are being left starving and even dying as we speak. He went on to say that we cannot and will not stand idly by and let this happen. I know that the Tánaiste and other Ministers and Government TDs mean these words when they say them. I know that. However, allowing the continued sale of Israeli bonds in Europe and allowing the continued facilitation of this by the Irish Central Bank is standing idly by. Allowing munitions destined for Israel through Irish airspace that are literally being dropped on children, men and women in Gaza - that is standing idly by.”
“Not only have Ireland and other countries failed to put meaningful sanctions in place against Israel, but Ireland in fact is Israel's second largest trading partner in the world. By not backing this motion, the Government is missing an opportunity to take meaningful action against Israel. These bonds are explicitly marketed as being crucial to the war effort by Israel. Israel has run a marketing campaign imploring people to buy these bonds so they can stand with Israel. Over €3.34 billion has been raised through the sale of Israeli bonds since October 2023. One of the websites used to promote the sale of these bonds includes phrases such as "Israel is at war" and a quote from the Israeli President, Isaac Herzog, emphasising the crucial role of Israeli bonds during this time of conflict.”
“In recent weeks, the Irish Government has recognised that what is happening in Gaza is genocide. It has been clear about that. It is not simply enough for the Government to say that what is happening is genocide; it must act under the terms of the Genocide Convention. It must do everything it can to stop and prevent genocide in Gaza. Let us be very clear about this: the Israeli Government is selling these bonds to help to finance the genocide. It is the Irish Central Bank that is facilitating the sale of those bonds in Europe. There is a direct link between these bonds and the genocide that is taking place. This has to stop. As a signatory of the Genocide Convention, the Irish Government and our public institutions including the Central Bank have a legal obligation to do everything they can to stop genocide.”
“What is happening in Gaza is absolutely and utterly horrific. I know that every TD in the Dáil has that view. Men, women and children are being starved to death. Food and aid has been blocked at the border by Israel. When tiny amounts of aid have been distributed and made available, people have been killed trying to access it. This is absolutely and utterly brutal. Mothers have been forced to boil grass to feed their children. Starvation is being used as a weapon of war against innocent people. The governor of the Central Bank says it cannot act on this as it is beyond the bank's competency to decide whether genocide is taking place. However, in January 2024 the International Court of Justice confirmed the plausibility of the charges of genocide taken against Israel by South Africa.”
“The children's father, who was with them at the time, has since died from injuries he sustained in the attack. He was also a doctor. We do not know if the munitions used in this brutal attack passed through Irish airspace on their way. What we do know is that these munitions were part financed by the sale of Israeli bonds. In Europe, those bonds are being sold with the facilitation of the Irish Central Bank. We also know the Irish Government is not willing to do anything about this. We have been asking it to do something. Let us be clear about this: genocide is taking place and is being part-funded by the sale of Israeli bonds including in Europe, which is being facilitated by the Irish Central Bank. This motion seeks to end this and in order for it to succeed we need the support of TDs across the Dáil.”
“I thank all the parties that have worked together on this cross-party motion. I especially thank the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign and the activists in it who have been working for months to highlight and draw attention to the issue that Israeli bonds are being sold in Europe, facilitated by the Central Bank of Ireland. They have done excellent work on this. Dr. Ali al-Najjar works in Sligo. A few weeks ago, nine of his nieces and nephews were killed by Israel. An airstrike on the home of his sister, a doctor in Gaza, killed her children while she was working in the emergency ward. Yahya, Rakan, Eve, Jubran, Ruslan, Revan, Sayden, Luqman and Sidra were all killed in the attack. The children were aged between six months and 12 years. Several were still in their pyjamas at the time of the attack.”
“We are starving the children of Gaza because if we don't do something about it, we are complicit"; — on 5th May, 2025, Israel announced its intention to permanently seize territory in Gaza and forcibly displace the population; — on 28th May, 2025, the Government voted against the Restrictive Financial Measures (State of Israel) Bill 2025, which was drafted by the Office of Parliamentary Legal Advisors and underpinned by a full legal opinion that would have given the Minister for Finance the explicit power to end Ireland's involvement with Israeli war bonds; — all institutions are obliged under international law to prevent genocide and the abuse of human rights; — the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) in their response to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach on 4th December, 2024, stated that in their assessment the prospectus makes extensive reference to the war in Gaza and there is a clear and prominent discussion of the war in Gaza and the proposed use of the funds; — the CBI also stated in their response to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on 4th December, 2024, that the advertisement material is not inconsistent with the information in the prospectus; — the CBI Governor, has said that the Central Bank can only refuse the approval of a prospectus where it has a legal basis to do so; — a compelling legal basis exists in the Genocide Convention and under International Humanitarian Law to refuse the State of Israel Bonds Issuance prospectus; and — furthermore, the State of Israel Bonds Issuance prospectus is not complete, neither the January 2024 ruling of the ICJ in relation to the Genocide Convention, nor the July 2024 ICJ Advisory Opinion are not mentioned in the prospectus and this omission amounts to the deliberate with-holding of risk-related information; and calls on the Government to: — honour Ireland's obligations under the Genocide Convention and to fulfil the duty of the State to use all means likely to have a deterrent effect on those suspected of preparing genocide, or reasonably suspected of harbouring specific intent, dolus specialis, to prevent the genocide; — honour Ireland's obligations under international humanitarian law; — make a clear and unequivocal declaration of commitment to honour Ireland's obligations under the Genocide Convention, international human rights law conventions and customary international humanitarian law; — advise the CBI that it is acting in violation of the Genocide Convention, by facilitating the sale of Israel Bonds in the European Union (EU); — advise the CBI that by acting as the enabling cog in Israel's fund-raising machine in the EU it is putting the State at risk of a charge of complicity in genocide; — insist that the CBI immediately end its facilitation of the sale of Israel Bonds; and — enact emergency legislation to explicitly force the CBI to stop facilitating the sale of Israel Bonds.”
“Serbia and Montenegro case, "at the instant that the State learns of, or should normally have learned of, the existence of a serious risk that genocide will be committed"; — the ICJ's finding of "plausible rights" and "imminent risk" constitutes that knowledge of the risk of genocide triggers third states' legal obligations under the Genocide Convention; — further reasonable grounds exist to believe crimes against humanity and war crimes are being committed by Israel in Gaza, given that arrest warrants have been requested by the International Criminal Court Prosecutor for key Israeli officials, the Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, including, inter alia for the crimes against humanity of extermination and persecution, and the war crimes of starvation, wilful killing, and the causing of great suffering or serious injury to body or health; — on 5th December, 2024, Amnesty International concluded that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza; — on 19th December, 2024, Human Rights Watch accused Israel of acts of extermination and genocide; — on 19th December, 2024, Medecins Sans Frontières described the Israeli military actions in Gaza as ethnic cleansing and genocide; — at least 54,500 people have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, and another 900 in the West Bank, 65 per cent of them are women and children; — 2,180 families have been obliterated in their entirety, and 5,000 more have but a single family member surviving; — 1,400 medics, 200 journalists, and 750 aid workers have been killed; — on 2nd March, 2025, Israel imposed a total food and aid blockade flagrantly using starvation and denial of medical aid as a method of warfare, and on 18th March, Israel unilaterally broke the ceasefire killing more than 400 people in Gaza in one night; — on 3rd May, 2025, Doctor Mike Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization said "We are breaking the bodies and the minds of the children of Gaza.”
“I move: That Dáil Éireann: notes that: — Israel Sovereign Bonds, known as Israel Bonds, have, since 1951, raised funds for the Israeli Treasury for use across the Israeli economy including the Israeli military and the illegal settlements; — Israel Bonds have since October 2023, been advertised as war bonds with the slogan "Stand with Israel – Israel is at War", and the website marketing the bonds contains a video by Israeli President, Isaac Herzog who lauds "the crucial role of Israel Bonds during this time of conflict and war"; — Israel Bonds are intended to fund what Israel calls "the war in Gaza", the State of Israel Bond Issuance prospectus explicitly refers to the decision of Israel's Ministerial Committee for National Security Affairs "to undertake military action, which resulted in drafting more than 300,000 reservists launching the war in Gaza"; — in January 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) found that the Palestinian people in Gaza had "plausible rights" to be protected from the "imminent risk" of genocide; — in June 2024, the United Nations International Commission of Inquiry on Palestine found that Israel's actions in Gaza "constitute the war crimes of wilful killing and mistreatment, and the crime against humanity of extermination"; — in July 2024, an ICJ advisory opinion declared that Israel's entire regime of military occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal and must end immediately; — the same ICJ advisory opinion declared that Israel is in "breach of Article 3" of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination which "condemns racial segregation and apartheid" and compels states to "undertake to prevent, prohibit and eradicate all practices of this nature in territories under their jurisdiction"; — Article 1 of the Genocide Convention requires states to undertake "to prevent and punish genocide", and under the Convention, states have a negative obligation not to commit or be complicit in genocide and positive obligations to prevent and to punish genocide; — the obligation to prevent genocide and the corresponding duty to act starts, as the ICJ clarified in the Bosnia and Herzegovina v.”
“Is he ashamed of what is in the press release? Why does he keep talking about everything else but that this is a measure to effectively abolish rent regulation as we know it? It will allow astronomical rent increases that people simply will not be able to afford and will push more and more people into homelessness.”
“Time and again, we have put forward proposals to increase supply and financing, most recently with regard to leveraging some of the savings on deposit in Ireland and incentivising how they could be invested in housing. Pension funds in other countries invest in housing that is affordable. The Government is creating a system in which rents just go up and up, beyond people's reach. That is the difference. The Government's press release from just over an hour ago states, "All landlords will have the right to reset rent where the rent is below market at the end of each six-year tenancy". Is the press release wrong? The Taoiseach has not commented on the ability of all landlords to reset rent every six years. He keeps brushing around about 2% and inflation. Will he answer that? Is the press release wrong? Why is he not commenting on it?”
“There are 15,580 people living in homeless emergency accommodation. That includes 4,775 children who are growing up without a home. These proposals of incredible rent increases will drive more families and children into homelessness. How could Government contemplate doing this when homelessness is already at record levels? In terms of this work the Government has done and these proposals it has put forward, has Government assessed the impact of these proposals? If it has assessed it, will it publish that assessment? Does the Taoiseach know, as a result of these changes, how much rent will be increased and how many more people will be driven into homelessness?”
“What Government has done - while we have incredibly high rents here already - is brought forward a proposal to make that situation even worse. It is throwing renters under the bus. Incredibly, Government is planning even more favourable treatment for vulture funds than already exist. These funds currently pay almost no tax and charge some of the highest rents in the country. Now, when it comes to rent regulation, Government is rolling over for them yet again. It is allowing investment funds that control the entire rental stock in an area to jack up rents to what they determine is a market rent every six years. These funds have so much control, they will often be able to decide and determine what a market rent is in an area. Who is in charge here? Is it the Government or the vulture funds? Homelessness is already at record levels.”
“The Taoiseach can talk about his 2%, inflation and all the rest of it but if people are going to face astronomical rent increases they cannot afford every six years, Government will drive more people into homelessness. In a country where rents are already incredibly high - among the highest in Europe - the Taoiseach will only make things worse. Will he admit that in the last bullet point of his press release issued today, he is allowing full rent increases up to any level - up to market levels - across the board to any landlord and tenancy affecting any renter? That is what these proposals are about. "Government policy to increase rents" are not my words; they are the words of homeless charity, Focus Ireland, in describing Government proposals.”
“I also extend my sympathy to those affected by the school shooting in Austria. The Taoiseach was right about one thing; I did not expect these proposals. That is because at no stage in recent months, weeks or even today, until the press release was issued earlier, was there any mention by Government in all its spin that what it is actually introducing here - and the Taoiseach has not even acknowledged it himself in his comments as he seems to be ashamed of it, and rightly so - is that every six years, rent regulation as we know will be effectively gone and landlords can fully up the rents.”
“Yes, there are vacant posts on children's disability network teams but these teams have also been hit by the number of places they have being capped. Teams that used to have eight or ten people are being told that they are now down to two people and will stay at two people. The remaining people on those teams are saying that they cannot possibly cope with the workload and are asking how they can continue to do this. This has done significant damage when it comes to retaining staff and recruiting staff to fill vacant posts. When is the Government going to get a grip on this? When is it going to make decisions? When will it act? Will the Tánaiste confirm what the Taoiseach said, namely, that the Government had been unable to agree what to do for the past three years?”
“I asked the Tánaiste whether he would confirm what the Taoiseach said last week, which was that there had been indecision from the Government on this and that it could not agree over the past three years. I believe he implied in his answer that the Government had not been able to agree what to do. He is saying there need to be reforms to legislation but it is three years since the High Court judgment. That judgment was very good in terms of vindicating the rights of children with disabilities and additional needs. If it is the Government's intention to reform legislation, why has it taken so long to even decide what to do? This crisis is getting worse and worse by the day, creating significant stress.”
“We need proper investment in staff, with secure contracts to boost employment in primary care and children's disability network teams. Will the Tánaiste confirm the Taoiseach's admission that the Government has been unable to agree what to do over the past three years? At this late stage, has the Government finally decided what it is going to do following the High Court judgment?”
“He said the Government had not acted on the judgment because it could not agree what to do. That is quite an extraordinary admission. Is it the case that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael simply cannot get their act together and decide what to do? This indecision on the part of the Government is having a huge impact on children with additional needs and their families. A total of 15,000 children are now overdue assessments of need. That will grow to 25,000 by the end of the year. More and more children are being left behind. There are actions the Government can take now to significantly boost recruitment in key services. The pay and numbers strategy must go. It is placing a stranglehold on recruitment in primary care.”
“Routinely, whenever this issue is mentioned, the Government blames a High Court decision from 2022. It is helpful to detail what was in that judgment. It found that an accelerated 90-minute assessment process in which children were diagnosed with a disability but not told what disability they had was illegal. It found a child's needs should determine the nature and length of the assessment. I wonder what part of that judgment the Tánaiste has a problem with. I have heard him refer to it as rigid. The only rigidity in the judgment is its staunch defence of the rights of children with disabilities. That judgment was delivered more than three years ago. How long more will the Tánaiste continue to blame it for the Government's failure to respond to this crisis? When I asked the Taoiseach about this last week, he let the mask slip.”
“Disability services in this country are chaotic and threadbare. Families of children with additional needs have to fight for the very basics. All they want for their children is to be able to access an education and appropriate services and a chance for them to fulfil their potential. The very first step for most is to get an assessment of need and there are now over 15,000 children who have been waiting more than the legal time limit of six months for assessments. I have met children - I am sure the Tánaiste has as well - who cannot yet speak and who are left waiting years for speech and language therapy. Year after year passes and, as they grow older, their isolation from other children grows. Early intervention would make an absolute world of difference.”
“How can he stand over 42 public bodies not covered by the ethics legislation? Deputy Chambers is the Minister with responsibility for this. Will he not deal with this urgently and how is it that he is way behind where his colleague, Deputy Donohoe, was a year ago?”
“I thank the Minister. However, I do not understand how his predecessor, the current Minister for Finance, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, who is perfectly competent and able, was in a position to tell the Dáil a year ago that the heads of Bill was almost ready to be published and he was hoping to bring it to Government very shortly. How was it possible for Deputy Donohoe to do that a year ago only for the Minister to now come into the House to say there is a whole load of other work that needs to be done? The review by his Department was concluded more than two years ago. Some of these issues have been going on for years. We have 42 public bodies that are not covered by the ethics legislation because the regulations have not been updated in years. How can the Minister stand over that?”
“There are issues here that have been going on since 2018. Every single year in its annual report, SIPO highlights it does have the powers that it needs to do its job effectively. Year after year passes without this getting addressed. To give one example, in 2023 it identified 42 public bodies that are outside of its remit because the regulations have not been updated since 2018. This is long overdue. Can the Minister give us a commitment that he will do this urgently?”
“I thank the Minister for his reply but we are going backwards here. The review was concluded by his Department well over two years ago. We should have seen a heads of Bill at this stage. His predecessor, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, who I know the Minister works closely with, told this House a year ago that "we are nearly done in respect of the drafting of the heads of the Bill and I hope to be in a position to bring that to Government shortly.". A year ago, the Minister's predecessor was saying this work was almost finished and was almost ready to go to Government. The Minister is now saying two years after the review done by his Department and five years after the promise in the previous programme for Government that this would be done, he has more work to do and more consideration to give.”
“An update on the ethics in public office legislation was promised in the programme for Government in 2020. It never happened. The Minister's Department concluded its review in December 2022. We were promised heads of a Bill but have never seen them. It is now two and a half years later. When will those heads of Bill be published?”
“There has been in recent years more and more outsourcing of key services that should be provided directly with good value for money and good quality. This is happening across multiple Departments. Is there anything the Minister can do?”
“As Minister with overall responsibility for public expenditure and reform, does the Minister see a role for himself in this? This is happening across Departments. I will provide another example, namely, homeless emergency accommodation by private providers. Some are making huge profits and in some instances are providing emergency accommodation where there are bloodstains on the sheets and where people who stay there report being assaulted or robbed by staff who are not properly trained. We see it in social care and home care for elderly people. It has been outsourced and privatised. People are paid poorly and not getting proper conditions. That then affects the older person or person getting the service. It is not just an industrial relations issue, although that is important.”
“Companies are making huge money from this service that should be provided by the State. Emergency measures are put in place and, years later, are still in place. What controls are there are on this misuse of public money which should be providing high-quality services that people need?”
“I thank the Minister for the answer, which was really about the industrial relations processes around agreements and outsourcing. I am asking what financial controls and monitoring are in place. There is a myriad of examples of what should be public services being outsourced with detrimental outcomes for the users. We saw this week the National Treatment Purchase Fund has created perverse incentives. There are hundreds of examples of these. Emergency care for vulnerable teenagers is one. There are private companies getting contracts of between €10,000 and €15,000 per week to provide one placement with staff that are not trained in accommodation where there is no cutlery in the kitchens, where the bedsheets are not cleaned and where the teenager is brought to the Centra every evening to buy a chicken roll for dinner.”