Fiona O'Loughlin
Administrative Panel · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“Some 400 remote working hubs were also put in place, particularly following the Covid-19 pandemic, when we all had the realisation that some work - not all work - can be done remotely. The local enterprise boards are doing an incredible job in rural areas. I am speaking from experience.”
“I join the Cathaoirleach in welcoming both the Belgian ambassador and my friends Joeleen and James. Anyone who has visited Chat N' Chew in Newbridge will have met Joeleen. I certainly hope her lunch today will be up to the usual standard at Chat N' Chew. It was lovely to meet with our former colleague Catherine Martin last night.”
“Continuing the theme of Kildare connections, she is a grand-niece of the late Rathangan author Maura Laverty, who wrote many books and wrote the very first soap opera for RTÉ, "Tolka Row". We wish Áine well on her retirement. I wish to talk about a serious issue relating to the blueway.”
“I thank the Minister of State for her positive response. In terms of premises, I had meetings with Jigsaw over the years in Newbridge and we did look at various premises. No later than yesterday, I spoke to the chief executive of Kildare County Council in relation to this.”
“We know young people are showing signs of stress or anxiety and that it is a very stressful and anxious world. Interventions can be made at this stage. The reason I have tabled this Commencement matter is that I have been advocating for a long time for Newbridge to have a Jigsaw service.”
“I always hate talking about these figures, but in terms of the rate of youth suicide, Kildare has the highest rate in Leinster. According to CSO figures, 14 people died by suicide in Kildare in 2023, in 2022 the figure was 26 and in 2021 it was 27. Demand is rising sharply for services.”
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“I met one of the groups with members of the EU affairs committee. It was very good to see such strong engagement on our relationships going forward and I certainly agree with the Senator on that. We need to ensure Ireland does not become collateral damage. Cross-party engagement is exceedingly important. I understand that the next UK-Ireland summit will take place in the next month or two. Again, that is important. The UK-Ireland summits are extremely important in terms of how we go forward. We have to acknowledge the shared island funds and supports being provided in conjunction with Northern Ireland. Senator Cosgrove spoke about the 110th anniversary of James Connolly and Seán Mac Diarmada being sentenced to death, and what they spoke about at the time which was the need for the tradition and the need for change.”
“Listening to debates on the radio this morning and yesterday, it was clear that the Government wants to put a plan in place to support those who wish to return to Ukraine, to ensure vulnerable people are supported and to recognise that many Ukrainians who came here and who wish to stay are in full employment and are able to pay for their own accommodation and resources. It is about putting a response in place to support affected people in their various scenarios. I know we will see some of the measures unfold over time. Senator Conor Murphy spoke about the election results in Britain. Obviously, strong engagement is important to the relationship we have with the present and future British Governments. Only this morning, members of the UK trade committee were here. I believe they met members of six Oireachtas committees.”
“The associated payment was called the beneficiary of temporary protection, BOTP, payment for a clear reason. It was never intended to be permanent; it was always intended to be temporary. We do not want to see anybody homeless, whether they come from Ukraine or Ireland and regardless of their background. We want to see protections and supports put in place to ensure nobody becomes homeless. We have to acknowledge that more than 1.2 million of the Ukrainians who left their country have gone back. They see a future in their own country despite what Putin is doing. The Ukrainian Government and President have called on people to return to rebuild their country. That has to be respected.”
“We will certainly ask that he address this matter during that debate. Senator Aubrey McCarthy spoke about the hantavirus. We were all very concerned when we heard the breaking news about the cruise ship. The Senator wished to commend the Taoiseach and the Baldonnel team, whose quick action ensured the two Irish citizens were brought home. It was a very difficult situation, particularly when countries started to refuse the ship permission to dock. We have to call for global compassion in cases like these because we cannot have ships simply left at sea when very serious circumstances arise. The two Irish citizens are now in quarantine and, as I understand it, they are doing well. We certainly wish them well. Senator McCarthy also spoke about the supports being withdrawn from Ukrainians. The supports were very much needed when put in place.”
“From what I have seen, Ms Ogbu is a very fine person and a very fine candidate. All of us stand in solidarity with her and say that is completely wrong. Yesterday, I heard just a little of "Liveline", on which Suad Mooge, a medical student who has been chosen as the Dublin Rose, was speaking about the racial abuse she received. We have to call it out where it happens. Senator Clifford-Lee asked for the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy James Lawless, to come to the House to speak about opportunities so we will not be completely reliant on those who are coming in, even though we are completely thankful for that. The Minister has given us a date – I think it is in the last week of May – to come here to speak about opportunities in further and higher education.”
“The fact that we have 92,000 nurses on the register means that we have to say "thank you" multiplied by 92,000 to recognise the huge contribution all of these nurses make. Senators Clifford-Lee, Cosgrove and Ahearn spoke about Ireland's reliance on nurses from abroad. Sometimes a figure of 20% is bandied around. Statistics given by Senator Clifford-Lee show that it is far higher than that, with 22% alone coming from India and 8% from the Philippines. Compassion is a global language and I think nurses speak it fluently. They show up every single day with skill, patience, compassion, courage and resilience. It is completely shameful to see some of the racist comments that have been made. Senator Cosgrove spoke specifically about Helen Ogbu suffering racial abuse. We need to call it out. It is shocking.”
“Through the community sports facilities fund alone, about €97 million goes to GAA clubs, while Croke Park itself receives other specific funding. We will ask the Minister of State with responsibility for sport, Deputy McConalogue, not just to look at this but to take it very seriously and to contact the GAA. The Senator is right and I am happy to fully support him. Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee spoke about International Nurses Day today and was supported by Senators Cosgrove and Ahearn. It is important that we recognise the contribution of the wonderful nurses working in so many different settings. Some of them are working in clinics, while others work in hospitals. Many of them work in nursing homes and schools as well.”
“I thank the 15 Senators who contributed to this morning's Order of Business. We started with Senator Kennelly speaking about the GAA, the upcoming match between Kerry and Donegal and the fact that it is behind a pay wall. There is no doubt that it will be spectacular match. It is sad that the volunteers who spend their time week after week helping support their local clubs, training, washing gear and providing food, may be precluded from watching the match because it is behind a pay wall. The GAA is made up of the best of volunteers. The president Jarlath Burns typifies the very best of volunteerism. Any time I have heard him speak over the past year, he talks about the grassroots of the organisation. It is wrong that the match is behind a pay wall. The GAA gets plenty of State funding. I did a quick search while the Senator was speaking.”
“The Order of Business is No. 1, Fourth Report of the Committee on Parliamentary Privileges and Oversight on the amendment of Standing Order 87, to be taken on conclusion of the Order of Business without debate; and No. 57, motion 1, Private Members' business motion regarding domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, to be taken at 5 p.m., with the time allocated to the debate not to exceed two hours.”
“This is not the first time I have raised this issue. A court order was given on 9 April 2026, and it is good to see that sort of action being taken but we need to have a permanent solution. I and other representatives from County Kildare do not need to be standing up and talking about this year after year. I seek a debate with the Minister for Defence, Deputy McEntee, in relation to the Curragh. A plan with very strong recommendations was put in place and nothing has happened or is happening at a snail's pace. I wrote to the Minister, Deputy McEntee, directly, but I want a debate in this House in relation to this issue.”
“There is another practice willing to take over the clinic in Ballymore Eustace to ensure that there are clinics up to three times a week in the town. I have brought this up several times but nothing has changed. It really needs to and that is why I have brought it up in this House again. I also want to again bring up the issue of illegal encampments on the Curragh, which I have raised a number of times. The Curragh is an absolute jewel. It is a place that people in the area like to access, particularly in this nice weather. We have golf courses, horse racing, the Army and sheep farmers but, unfortunately, at the start of summer every year, we have illegal encampments. Millions of euro have been spent on gathering the waste afterwards. There has been antisocial behaviour. Greens in Cill Dara Golf Club have been damaged.”
“Every day in Ballymore Eustace is really good. However, it struck me as slightly ironic that the town was awarded this status and this celebration for being very age-friendly and yet it has a complete lack of GP services. I tabled a Commencement matter on this about six months ago. Essentially, there is a clinic but there is no GP service. There is a GP from Blessington, who is assigned to the clinic and is an excellent GP according to people who go to the clinic. While clinics run from the Blessington clinic were meant to be held in Ballymore Eustace, these have ceased. People are now forced to go to Blessington for that service. We are talking about older people who may not have access to private transport and who may find it difficult to use an irregular bus service. These people need to be better served.”
“I was at a very positive event last Friday in south Kildare that the Tánaiste, Deputy Harris, attended, and he was very welcome. Ballymore Eustace was proclaimed as the first age-friendly and climate-friendly town in the country at the event. Ballymore Eustace was chosen mainly because of its wonderful community spirit and because so many people are actively involved in the community. It was also chosen because among its 1,700 residents, it has the highest age range within the county. We had a wonderful event organised by Ms Carmel Cashin from Kildare County Council. Mr. Stephen Deegan, Ms Janet Deegan and Mr. Tommy Deegan from the Tidy Towns are all related and did a wonderful job getting the town ready for this. A beautiful sculpture by Beth Murphy was unveiled and the sun came out. It really was a heavenly day.”
“Senator Martin Conway called for a debate on the long-term strategy for the regional airports. It is not all about Dublin and the cap being lifted, and he is correct about that. He praised the excellent teams at Shannon and Knock. I will add Farranfore in Kerry because the team there does great work too. I have never flown into Knock but I have flown into and out of Shannon and Farranfore as well. The Senator is right when he says that for tourism, business and connectivity between families it is hugely important, so we will look for that debate.”
“The Senator mentioned what is happening in other jurisdictions, particularly Australia. The Government has agreed to keep a watching brief on this as it is one of the huge issues of our time. The anti-bullying unit in DCU has done incredible work and research on bullying through social media among those under 16. I was fortunate enough through the education committee to get to see a lot of the unit's statistics and what it is doing. It would be no harm if we looked for another debate, particularly on what is happening in other jurisdictions because that is important to inform what we do here. It is a cross-departmental issue. It does not lie with just one Minister, which is the way it should be. There has to be accountability across government and across the Cabinet. We will look for a debate on that.”
“Any of us who has been to the family courts will know how difficult it can be. I remember being in Dolphin House one time. It is difficult. We need to have those family court situations when we see the increase in domestic violence alone, to take that as just one statistic. Obviously, those cases all have to go through the courts too, as well as so many other very civilised sets of arrangements, which can cause trauma to all of those involved. We need to see a good geographical location. I have no doubt the Senator will make that excellent case to the Minister and that he will take it on board. Senator Mullen spoke about the British Government having committed to looking at social media measures for under-16s and having a consultation. Certainly, it is to be welcomed. The House of Lords had a lot to do with bringing that about.”
“I would suggest that Senator Curley put in a specific Commencement matter about that. Senator Cosgrove spoke about workers and the cost-of-living crisis and the impact on PAYE workers. That is true, but we also have to remember that the same cost-of-living crisis has an impact on those working in the private sector. It is also a difficult time for employers in the private sector in terms of paying into the pension scheme and the increase in wages. There are certainly issues around the cost of living, but I would say it applies to PAYE workers and those working in the private sector and business and enterprise too. Senator Maria Byrne spoke about the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan's, recent announcement about dedicated family provision in the courts and put a very strong case forward for Limerick to be considered as one of those areas.”
“Obviously, we cannot speak about specific offences, but it is very frustrating to see repeat offenders. Any one of us who has been inside listening to cases in the court will have heard of people being up for their 50th or 60th time. It is really difficult. I have no doubt it is very difficult for the gardaí who are dealing with the same offenders as well. It absolutely needs to be dealt with, both in terms of the protocols that are there and in terms of the Judiciary. Senator Curley spoke about good news and bad news. The good news is that two Gaelscoileanna in the Loughrea area have been issued with letters of intent. The bad news is that Carrabane National School, in the same area, is at stage 3 but still does not have the letter of intent after 20 years.”
“Senator Tully spoke about the rent thresholds available through local authorities and the three different bands that apply. For Dublin and the commuter belt, the threshold is around €40,000. The threshold for the second band is €35,000. I appreciate that in Cavan the amount is at the lower end of the scale, at €30,000. I am aware that the Minister is examining this and engaging with local authorities on the barriers and challenges people face in accessing supports. I expect the thresholds to go up significantly. Of course when the bands go up, that takes away from the available amount of money as well, so there is a difficulty either way. Senator Pauline O'Reilly spoke about overcrowding in prisons, inconsistency in sentencing and the revolving door system.”
“For 2026, there has been a total of €11.3 billion in funding to directly support housing with about €9 billion of that going towards capital housing. We have approximately €2.9 billion going into social housing. There was a 20% increase in starter home supports delivered in 2025. In quarter 1 of 2026, there has been an increase of 184% compared with quarter 1 of 2025. By any standard, that is a huge jump. There was an increase of 293% in respect of new homes commenced in March 2026 by comparison with March 2025. As we have said repeatedly, the only way to have enough houses to rent and to try to bring prices down is by having homes available. Under the relevant Minister, Deputy Browne, we have seen a huge increase in this regard.”
“It is a difficult year for farmers, no matter what sector they are in. The nature of farming is such that you can have a good year one year and a bad one the next. Given what is happening in the world, not just in terms of the affordability of fertiliser but also its availability, as well as in terms of energy costs and so on, this is a very difficult time. We need to have absolute clarity on the barriers in place under TAMS and on what is covered in respect of refunds. This affects farmers right across the country. We need to have a debate on this with the Minister for agriculture and I will certainly look for it. Senator Andrews spoke about housing and the impact of the lack of rental housing, particularly in the city centre. I appreciate that this is difficult.”
“I thank all the staff in the Department of foreign affairs, but also staff cross-departmentally, for their preparations to showcase Ireland and to ensure the lives of people going about their daily business will not be impeded unnecessarily. We can certainly ask the Minister of State responsible for EU affairs to come back, but just because we do not necessarily see the preparations does not mean that they are not happening. On security, obviously much of the work has to be kept under wraps and will not be made public; however, we will ask the Minister for Defence to come to the House to speak about it. Senator Kennelly spoke about the operation of TAMS and the fact that it is causing concern among farmers owing to a lack of simplification and a lack of clarity over what is covered. We absolutely need to address this.”
“Senator Craughwell noted defence expenditure is still at 0.2%. Although welcoming the fact that the Garda has received an additional budget of €165 million, he stated we are not seeing such an increase for defence. The Senator asked how we can take on the EU Presidency. I would say we are taking it on extremely well. The Minister of State responsible for European affairs, Deputy Thomas Byrne, has liaised on an ongoing basis with the EU affairs committee. We have had statements and debates in this House on the Presidency. The EU affairs committee had a debate with the Minister of State only two weeks ago.”
“All the DEIS plus schools seem to be in the cities, particularly Dublin. I do not doubt that those schools need it, but DEIS is needed in the country as well. There are schools that have missed out. We are talking about disadvantage from a rural basis and disadvantage from an urban basis. I certainly agree that the biggest disadvantage a school has if it does not have DEIS status is not having a home school liaison service. Last year, measures were put in place so that a school would not have to have DEIS status to have a home-school liaison service. It is incredibly important. The Senator mentioned Ballycastle, where a third of the children are non-English speaking. I can appreciate that there are difficulties. We need to liaise with families to ensure everybody is on the same page.”
“Senator Murphy O'Mahony spoke about the sad news of Councillor Joe Carroll's very sudden demise. He received a diagnosis four or five days before he passed away. He was an absolutely wonderful character who came into his own as mayor of Cork, a position in which he took huge pride. His death is an incredible blow not just to the community but to all the public representatives in the area, particularly those from Fianna Fáil who have lost Joe Carroll, Patrick Gerard Murphy and Brian Crowley in recent times. It is a very difficult time. We offer our very deepest sympathy to Joe's family, his many friends and all of the Fianna Fáil family in west Cork. Senator Duffy spoke about DEIS status. The recent announcements with regard to DEIS plus status were certainly very welcome.”
“When it comes to people, particularly those who are vulnerable and have challenging needs, we have to find a system that is going to work best for the individual. We will ask the Minister to come in for a debate on that. Senator Conor Murphy spoke about work safety. He said that this is trade union week on both sides of the Border. He mentioned a presentation that was given by ICTU in the audiovisual room earlier about quality employment and good jobs. It is important that we support our workers. Collective bargaining, which has always had success, is something we certainly want to see. The Senator asked for an update on commitments that were made in the programme for Government. We will look for that. We also offer our solidarity to workers. Where would any of us be without the workers who facilitate every part of our lives?”
“I can appreciate how it will affect people who live not just in rural areas but maybe in urban areas as well who are unable to go to mass for mobility reasons. I understand the connectivity they have with their peers and with their brethren when they are able to listen to mass. I know the Senator will be doing her best to persuade LMFM to change its mind on that. Senator Keogan spoke about funds paid by the HSE in the area of autism that are going to private companies in the UK, according to a particular report. She sought a debate on how funding for public infrastructure is allocated and spent. It is about looking for value for money but it is also about making sure it is the right decision for that individual.”
“I know only too well the impact of these incidents. We need to put a lot of focus on ensuring our workplaces are very safe places. I sometimes hear from local authorities that it can be frustrating when a third of all costs go on making a place safe, particularly when workers are out on the roads, but that is the way it has to be. We need to protect people's lives no matter what. We need to renew our focus on workplace safety. We will look for a debate on that. Senator Comyn also welcomed the practical supports for farmers, hauliers and fishermen. I know there will be debates throughout the week about that. It is incredibly important. I am sorry to hear from Senator Comyn about the decision that LMFM has made.”
“It seems, certainly from what Senator Ní Chuilinn said, that we need to have a task force set up for that particular area. We will look for a debate with the Minister about that. Senator Comyn spoke about Workers' Memorial Day, as did Senator Murphy and Senator Cosgrove. It is important that we look back with sadness on those who died in workplace accidents. The fact that 63 people died last year, which was a 75% increase on the year before, was quite shocking. I knew one of them: John Maher, who was very fine man. When you know the individual, the family and the community, you see the impact on them. There is also the impact on their work colleagues and those who own the workplace. It has such a shocking impact. Sadly another person - Lukasz Prusik - from the same village of Rathangan died in another workplace accident just last month.”
“Obviously, there are concerns such as those Senator Ní Chuilinn spoke about in relation to Dublin's south-west inner city and the report that was launched last week stating that only about four in ten primary school pupils in the area go on to secondary schools in the area. Some, obviously, go to secondary schools outside of the area, but that statistic is quite alarming. Only about 36% go on to further education. There is a huge lack of sporting and education facilities. That leads to poor health and social outcomes. It is clear from what the Senator said that clear recommendations have been given and that a task force and ring-fenced funding have been requested for the area. Every child, no matter where they are, whether they are in a deprived urban setting or a deprived rural setting, deserves access to good-quality facilities.”
“I thought I was going to have a quiet afternoon. That was not to be, but I thank the 19 Senators who contributed this afternoon. We started with Senator Ní Chuilinn, who spoke about St. Audoen's. I think the children who go to school there are across Dublin 6 and Dublin 8. She spoke about a very pleasant morning spent with the children talking about the importance of democracy and about issues and concerns they had. Many of us have spoken in the past about our engagements with young people. Every time I have that within a school I come away enthused by what they are thinking about and talking about. It is just wonderful to see how engaged they are.”
“and to conclude at 7.45 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes, all other Senators not to exceed five minutes and the Minister to be given no less than ten minutes to reply to the debate; and No. 3, Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill 2025 - Second Stage, to be taken at 7.45 p.m. and to conclude at 9 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes, all other Senators not to exceed five minutes and the Minister to be given no less than ten minutes to reply to the debate.”
“The Order of Business is No. 1, motion re Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (Designation of Fingal and Wexford County Councils) (Parts of Administrative Areas) Order 2026, to be taken at 4.45 p.m. and to conclude at 6 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed eight minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed ten minutes, time can be shared and the Minister to be given no less than seven minutes to reply to the debate; No. 2, statements on the delivery of the broadband plan, to be taken at 6.15 p.m.”
“Many victims, particularly in rural areas, simply do not have the means to travel to refuges, court services or vital support organisations. That is why this is an absolute key step change. I thank the Minister for all the work he has put into this debate. Today is a red-letter day in terms of the supports that can be offered.”
“Organisations like Teach Tearmainn do an excellent job. Teach Tearmainn gives a lot of support not just to those who are in the refuge, but to those who are outside of it, with the courts and so on. However, it is struggling to keep up with the numbers. While we do have strong local services and dedicated front-line staff, their efforts are often hindered when individuals cannot physically access help. That is why travel supports are not a luxury, but an essential lifeline. Against this backdrop, the importance of travel supports cannot be overstated. Access to safe and reliable transport can be a critical barrier for those who are trying to escape domestic and gender-based violence and ensure some normality for their children in terms of going to school and so on.”
“I thank the Minister for being here today. I know from previous conversations that he took this by the horns. I also thank my colleague, Senator Stephenson, for bringing this to the Minister's attention. My colleague Senator Rabbitte and I have worked closely with him, as have many of our other colleagues. There is no doubt that we have to put a number of different supports in place for those who are suffering from domestic abuse, which is an absolute scourge on our society. A cross-departmental and cross-government approach must be taken. That is why it is incredibly welcome that the Minister is playing his part in bringing something very significant to the table. In my county of Kildare, there is a very concerning rise in domestic and gender-based violence. Over two years, there has been a staggering 30% increase.”
“He is absolutely right. To be honest, I am not overly familiar with the scheme but the fact that the Comptroller and Auditor General does not have the potential to look at how money is spent there means it seems to be a vehicle that is being used - I am not saying to avoid scrutiny or transparency because that would be wrong - and the same accountability is not there. The Senator is right in saying that in some places it works very well and in some it does not. We will request a debate about that because if it is there, there should be very clear criteria, regulation and accountability for it.”
“The Minister of State, Deputy Marian Harkin, will deal with the apprenticeship issue as well but it is at a crisis stage when we only have 12 apprentices coming through. We just need to make sure that young people are so well aware of their options and there is that parity of esteem between college and apprenticeships. Earn as you learn is a fantastic scheme but there is a job of work that career guidance teachers and schools need to do so that parents will encourage their children. Unfortunately, in many instances, while ambition is absolutely important, people are sometimes not suited for university but they can have such a wonderful career. They can go on to university through their apprenticeship schemes as well. We need to address the regional skills gap. Senator Conway spoke about a review needed for the DAC scheme.”
“The Minister committed to that, and I think that is good. It is an excellent scheme and ties in with what Senator Scahill said about the apprenticeship scheme. I always remember the then Minister, Catherine Martin, speaking about this at the education committee. She spoke about how we need to try to develop the green apprenticeships that will help us with energy. Senator Scahill talked about the fact there are only 12 plastering apprenticeships coming through a year. That is a crisis. We have the Minister, Deputy James Lawless, coming into the Seanad in the next few weeks. He has committed to that. We will ensure he addresses that. To be fair, he is doing an excellent job with higher and further education. Apprenticeships come under that.”
“I was very happy to work with Kildare County Council and Senator McCarthy in relation to it. Naas Men's Shed was very involved also, and I would like to give it a shout out. There are very good models in place. These are not just economic models; they are social care models. We need people who are passionate and who are be able to give of their time and energy. Senator Murphy O'Mahony spoke about the SEAI scheme, which is an excellent scheme. I heard the statistic to which Senator Scahill referred yesterday, namely, that the level of uptake was 96%. It is a brilliant scheme, and it is wonderful that so many people want to take it. Senator Murphy O'Mahony is right. The delay that is there is very lengthy. We have asked in the past that people would be prioritised for health and care needs and that their cases would be progressed.”
“I would appreciate it if the Senator would speak to him about the matter and inform him that we will be sending him an invitation later today to come here for a debate on the importance of local radio importance and on the need to ensure that the decision regarding the levy is reversed. What has happened is simply not good enough. Senator McCarthy spoke about last night's documentary. I was at a meeting. I am really sorry, but I did not get to see it. I will get to see it over the next few nights. From everything I have heard - I listened to "Morning Ireland", and Max, who was mentioned and who is from my area, spoke on it - it is absolutely harrowing. We need to do so much better to support these. The project Senator McCarthy referred to in Jigginstown Manor is a really good one.”
“I am thinking particularly of older people who are living in isolated areas and may not be using smartphones to get information. They get their vital information from their local radio stations, which provide an incredible service. Their standard of broadcasting is absolutely excellent. We certainly support the Senator in the context of what he spoke about and what he requested. We need a reversal on this. We will ask the Minister, Deputy Patrick O'Donovan, to come before the House. I accept that Coimisiún na Meán is separate, but the Minister certainly has a vital role to play. We have been looking for him to come to the Seanad for some time. He has not taken up the invitation.”
“Senator Mark Duffy spoke about the increase in the levy on local radio stations of 39% which was announced yesterday. I missed the announcement, but he is right. Local radio stations give us an incredible service. I often hear our colleagues in Dublin talking about the fact that they feel they do not get the same service. It is always an opportunity to highlight different issues or a campaign to highlight the positive things going on in the community. If my local radio station, Kfm, were to close, it would be at a huge loss to the area. I say that not just from the point of view of being a public representatives but also in the context of the fact that people can hear about concerns and issues and be provided with valuable information.”
“He was right to thank our gardaí on the beat and those at middle and senior management level. We depend on them a lot. They deserve our gratitude. It is a job worth doing, and we need to encourage people to apply to join the Garda now that the age limit has been raised. The Senator mentioned the significant drop in the number of burglaries. Residential burglaries are down 80%. That is incredible. Having recently experienced a burglary, I can say that the gardaí involved were really efficient and very good to deal with. The Senator is right to highlight that it is very difficult for the victims of burglaries. It is a trauma in itself, and, to be fair, gardaí, in my experience, are understanding and supportive in that regard.”
“We need to make sure that the development of private housing is happening apace too, but I have no doubt that the Minister is right across this. I suggested to the Senator that he table a Commencement matter in relation to both issues. The Senator stated that there is not enough State investment going into Dublin. I mentioned during the Order of Business on Tuesday that in an analysis carried out in respect of investment, it was discovered that €1,716 per person is being invested in Dublin. In my county, the amount is €720. Clearly, money is being invested. Having said that, we all want to see the regeneration of Dublin and our city centre. Our capital city is very important to us, and we want to see it working well. Senator Ollie Crowe spoke about Operation Thor.”
“It is great that we have somebody who has clearly delivered previously being appointed to that really important task force. The Senator, who is not here for the response, spoke about failures of the Government in relation to it. He was previously both a councillor and a TD for a Government party, so it is very clear that he felt differently at that time than he does now. He brought up the same issue last week in respect of the Irish Glass Bottle site and Pearse House. I will give him the same the response that I gave him last week. The Minister for housing cannot meet every group that wishes to meet him. He has an incredibly demanding schedule when it comes to trying to put in place schemes that will support people who are in need of housing, and not just social and affordable housing.”
“The Senator also spoke about the need for regulation and concerns about what happens with the stock market when something that clearly does not reflect any sort of decision is said in a very ad hoc way that gets a response. We have to be very concerned about the possibility that stock markets are being manipulated by off-the-wall statements that are clearly being made in other jurisdictions as opposed to here. To be honest, I am not sure where this needs to go, but I will speak to the Minister for foreign affairs and the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs to see if this is something they can raise in a global context. It needs to be monitored at that level. Senator Andrews spoke about the appointment of Mr. Robert Watt to the regeneration task force.”
“I thank Senator Craughwell for raising the very sad situation where a second French peacekeeper has died in Lebanon. I offer our very deepest sympathies. I know I speak for everybody in the House when I say that we are beyond sad about the two French peacekeepers who have lost their lives. We are pleased, obviously, that our Irish UN peacekeepers are all safe. Thank God. Many of us, particularly those who live in Kildare, know many who have served in Lebanon over the years. I know some who are out there now. It is a very valuable experience for them. The bond they have developed with the Lebanese people is very special. People who have returned have supported the Lebanese in different ways. It is a very sad situation. We hope it will be resolved soon.”
“Having been in a situation where I was on crutches for a year following an accident, I am so nervous crossing the road, even at lights. Small youngsters are more vulnerable. They see their friends on the other side of the road and may be inclined to run across. Maybe their parent has said goodbye to them and then they realise halfway across the road that they forgot to bring their lunchbox and go back. Where possible, we need to have school wardens. Not only do they provide a great service, they also love their work. It is a really important role, so we certainly hope that Meath County Council will revisit its decision. We will look for a debate on safe routes to school. We can discuss the wardens and the policy, but, again, it is the councils that make the decisions.”
“Senator Nelson Murray spoke about concerns in Enfield about the school warden who is retiring and is not going to be replaced. School wardens play an important role in the lives of young people. They look forward to seeing them on those two occasions every day. I have seen it myself. Ultimately, it is within the remit of the local authorities. They are the ones that finance it. It would be disappointing - and it is not clear from the answer sent the Senator - that it is for financial reasons that the position will no longer be there current warden retires. Certainly, we hope it would be looked at by the local authority. Everybody is vulnerable when crossing a road. It does not matter how many lights are there.”