Gareth Scahill
Nominated by the Taoiseach · Fine Gael · Ireland
“Before we finish up I call for a debate on home care services when we come back in September. We all know the value of carers in our society but an awful lot of the HSE support service staff going into houses are private agency staff and when the person they are looking after goes into hospital or into respite the support they are getting…”
“Can we reset the clock? I will start by mentioning the "parents notify" portal on the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, website for special classes and special places, which has a deadline of 1 September.”
“Like previous speakers, the Leas-Chathaoirleach might allow me to thank the staff of the House, including the ushers and all the catering staff and, reluctantly, all of my colleagues in the House. We do not always get on or agree but there is great respect in the House.”
“I welcome the Minister to the House. Like so many of the previous speakers, it would be disingenuous of me not to concede I agree with some of the points in the motion.”
“The whole country has these facilities now, meaning that should we ever experience something like Storm Éowyn in 2025 again, we will have supports to allow people to continue to work remotely, provide for their families and live where they want to.”
“I do not believe one size fits all in Ireland. The Minister's county, my county and Longford are all in one big district and we have not benefited from additional Garda numbers in quite some time.”
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“The MEPs are all very welcome. Europe often speaks about balanced regional development. The Midlands-North-West constituency still faces major deficits in transport, connectivity and economic investment. Addressing those challenges requires every level of government to work together properly. This is why the relationship between our MEPs, the European Committee of the Regions and our regional assemblies is important. REGI exists to represent local authorities and regional voices in Europe. It gives councillors and regional assemblies a direct channel to EU policymakers and funding priorities. MEPs should work closely with these bodies to strengthen the voice of our local authorities, not try to replace them or do the work of councillors. I welcome Mr. Cowen's clarification about that earlier.”
“I am calling for a debate on this matter to see whether we can ensure that HSE west and other HSE services around the country are not just fobbing off public representatives with the same answers they have been using for two and three years. When we ask these questions, we deserve honesty and delivery on them.”
“It is very frustrating that two years later, public representatives are still being fobbed off with a reference to a spatial plan that has not been delivered, while no meaningful progress has been delivered on the ground. Patients attending appointments should not face the stress of searching for parking and staff should not be left to rely on overflow arrangements that are already at full capacity most days. Enough is enough. Action is needed. The HSE must provide definite timelines for the completion and delivery of this spatial plan along with immediate interim measures to ease the parking crisis in Roscommon University Hospital.”
“The acknowledgment is important because everybody using Roscommon University Hospital - patients, family and staff - know that the current situation is simply unsustainable. Parking pressures have continued to grow as services, staffing levels and activity at the hospital have increased year on year. This is not a new issue. I raised this issue when I was a member of the regional health forum in 2024. At that stage I was informed that the spatial plan for the hospital campus would be completed by December 2024 and would help to address the parking difficulties. Since then, I have continued to pursue this matter and I have worked very closely with my colleague, Councillor Valerie Duffy, who is now representing us on the regional health forum.”
“I welcome Kathleen, Kevin and Alison here today. Kathleen may be retired but she is probably as busy now as she has ever been with the Tidy Towns Association. She is building on the great effort she has put into that down through the years. I wish Kathleen continued success. It is just coincidental I am bringing this up at the moment. I welcome and commend Councillor Emer Kelly for, once again, raising the ongoing parking crisis in Roscommon University Hospital at the regional health forum recently. The response that she received from the HSE clearly acknowledges the seriousness of the issue, with additional parking now described as "urgent and essential". It also sets out the requirement for the future development of the hospital campus.”
“That is very welcome and we want to see him delivering that. I would like to mention the Athlone green city plan. We have Mr. Sean Mulryan committing to 5,000 student beds, and if any man in this country can deliver that, it is definitely him. I would love to see the Minister's engagement with that particular project. There is also the access to skills for people with disabilities. There is a €36 million budget under the workability programme there - I know I have gone over time, I am sorry - but there are still barriers there. The barriers are leading to issues with our delivery on housing, student accommodation and infrastructure and we could do with having a conversation or a further debate on that.”
“We welcome the VAT reductions and rent reforms and the flexible design elements the Minister spoke about as well. They are all very welcome. I refer to something Senator Boyhan mentioned about third level food and trying to create that scheme. That scheme was there in the past when the Council for Education, Recruitment and Training, CERT, were in all of our technical institutes. The equipment and facilities are there, or most of it, and there is huge demand. We had the Restaurants Association of Ireland in last week talking to us about the lack of skills there. It is potentially not a huge budget; it is actually just expanding your apprenticeship model to include that and I would love to see that looked at again. The Minister has €176 million committed for student supports, including bursaries and grants.”
“The Minister is once again welcome back into this Chamber and I welcome the opportunity to speak on student accommodation and supports. With two minutes, I am going to have run through a lot of the other things and not go through things that have been said already. I welcome the student accommodation strategy. The Minister put it very well when he spoke about viability, allowing to build, and affordability, enabling and empowering the students to be able to afford the accommodation. The 42,000 beds by 2035 is a good, ambitious target. The current demand is 15,000 so it is great to see a Department looking to well exceed the current demand because that is very important. It is achievable because with the rent-a-room scheme, you are going to hit about 10,000 of those beds through digs and renting out accommodation in private homes.”
“When the FTD Brothers were in Roscommon, the Join Our Boys Trust charity was their local charity of choice to which they gave some of the funds they raised. It supports two young boys with Duchenne. As Senator Boyle highlighted, time is muscle and we need to act on it fast. I welcome the fact the manufacturers have applied for a licence for recognition in Ireland but we need to speed up the process.”
“Level 5 has been identified as putting students in an excellent position to transition to apprenticeships, yet in order for people with disabilities to go onto an apprenticeship programme they have to give up their disability allowance. This puts them at a distinct disadvantage. When they give up an initiative like this it is very hard to get it back. I call on the House to have a discussion on access to education for people with disabilities. To follow on from what some previous speakers said, I also acknowledge Jordan and Cian Adams from the FTD Brothers. I ran with them when they were in Roscommon. Senator Boyle brought up Duchenne muscular dystrophy and trying to get givinostat medication.”
“I wish to be associated with the congratulations to Deputies Seán Kyne and Daniel Ennis. I will highlight the issue of access to education for people with disabilities. We have a focus on the WorkAbility programme, a major initiative running through to 2028, which has a budget of approximately €36 million. It is designed to help people with disabilities transition to education, training and employment. As well as this, we have a focus on the higher education access programme, the national access plan, which aims to further increase the proportion of students with disabilities entering third level education. I have been made aware of an issue whereby students with disabilities are able to complete up to level 5 qualifications.”
“We need to talk openly about drug-related intimidation. It is not just the victims; families, friends, employers and others are being brought into the net. There is a lot of money changing hands. We need to highlight the issue in order that people feel they have someone or somewhere they can go to in the interests of engaging on this issue. We also need to convict some of the those who are chasing people down in relation to this matter. I call for a debate on the matter in the Chamber.”
“As one of the victims on the radio pointed out this morning, there are no receipts or anything like that in this business. When someone comes looking for a debt to be paid, it could be a multiple of what the initial debt was. People on the ground are experiencing not just physical intimidation but also drugs being withheld from them and this is leading to a lot of other crimes. In recent weeks, I have spoken about online fraud and targeting specific demographics through text messages, emails and all of that, for fraud and trying to relieve people of money. However, all of this is linked, and this money is all going to these actors in the background and we do not know who they are. We need to have a frank conversation in this Chamber. We need to dig a little bit deeper and reinforce the laws behind all of this.”
“I wish to acknowledge the Health Research Board's publication on the national drug treatment reporting system, which was just announced this morning. Drug treatment and the demand for such is currently increasing year on year, with the total number treated to date being 15,422. However, this morning's report highlights that cocaine now accounts for 42% of the drug problem, with opioids at 25% and cannabis at 15%. It is now affecting every area of society and in every part of the country. In the past, I called for a discussion on drugs in this Chamber and it is something that is becoming a more important conversation to have. There was a big discussion this morning on RTÉ regarding drug-related intimidation. A recent report by DRIVE stated that every county in the country is experiencing drug-related intimidation at present.”
“We are talking about 16-seater transit vans, not massive minibuses, but the opportunity and capacity that would open up for SEN students to get to and from schools is something that needs to be addressed. I look forward to working with the Minister of State on that.”
“I thank the Minister of State. I spoke with the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, last night, who will give me a more direct answer on this matter. I have always found him very approachable on this issue. I am happy to work with him on it. Like myself, the Minister of State is from a rural area. He sees the school transport to and from schools on a daily basis. These eight-seaters will not meet the demand for SEN transport. Capacity for wheelchairs is severely limited in these smaller vehicles. I must commend Councillor John Reilly on coming up with this practical idea from lived experience both as a driver and as a parent using the service.”
“This would help to retain experienced drivers, support families and provide much needed stability within the SEN transport system. Crucially, it would recognise the practical realities on the ground rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach. I ask the Minister to engage urgently with operators, families and representatives in the special education needs sector to examine how this gap can be addressed. Our priority must always be to ensure that children with additional needs can access education safely, reliably and with dignity.”
“We know that SEN transport demand is increasing year on year at the moment. Excluding D1 licence holders from this extension risks worsening recruitment and retention difficulties and could lead to further disruption for vulnerable children and their families. For many children with autism or complex needs, consistency matters enormously. A familiar driver, a predictable journey and a calm environment are not minor issues. They are central to the child's well-being and ability to access education. There is a balanced and sensible approach available to us all. The Minister should consider extending the operating to medically fit D1 licenceholders operating school transport minibuses for children with additional needs, subject of course to appropriate safeguarding, medical certification and regular review.”
“He has also spoken from personal experience on this as the father of a 26-year-old son with severe autism who has depended on school transport services for many years. Councillor Reilly's testimony highlights the reality faced by families and he understands both sides of this issue as a parent and as a driver. He sees at first hand how vital these services are, how carefully they operate, and how dependent the children are on continuity, routine and familiar drivers. Yet, under the current rules, an experienced and medically fit driver may continue to transport children in a smaller vehicle but cannot continue to drive the D1 minibus that is essential to SEN transport. This is the problem with this policy. There is already a shortage of school transport drivers, especially part-time drivers.”
“The extension applies only to vehicles under 3,500 kg and up to eight-seaters, which effectively are the people carriers, SUVs and big cars. Crucially, it excludes the 16-seat minibuses operated under the D1 licence category, the very vehicle most commonly used to transport children with additional needs. These minibuses are not a luxury. They are an essential part of the special educational needs transport system. They are specifically used because they allow adequate space between children, many of whom have complex additional needs and in some cases behavioural difficulties, who require a calm, safe and controlled environment. I was contacted on this by Councillor John Reilly in Louth who currently drives a minibus transporting six autistic children to early intervention classes daily.”
“I welcome the opportunity for the Minister of State to make a statement on the extension of the upper age limit for drivers of small public service vehicles contracted under the school transport scheme. Like so many Members of this House, I welcome the recent decision to extend the upper age limit for certain school transport drivers from 70 to 72 years of age. It is a practical recognition of the valuable contribution made by many experienced and medically fit drivers across the country. At a time when driver shortages have placed enormous pressure on school transport services, particularly in rural Ireland, this move is certainly positive. While the measure is welcome, it does not reflect the realities of special educational needs school transport.”
“In five or ten years' time, we will be trying to come up with a project to preserve these sites and we will have lost the blueprint created in Rathcroghan. If the Minister of State present, Deputy Moran, would not mind telling me in his response when I can expect to see him in Tulsk, I will happily roll out the red carpet.”
“There is an unbelievable visitor experience there for anyone who finds himself or herself in west Roscommon anytime soon. Visitors can experience archaeology, mythology and history all in one place and can see the oldest and largest unexcavated royal site in Europe. There is a parallel project, Farming Rathcroghan. It is all about the preservation of the historical sites and working with the farmers in the area. We have had a lot of success recently with the support of the Minister of State responsible for heritage, Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan, the Heritage Council and the National Monuments Service. However, we need additional support. If we do not receive it, the scheme, which should be the flag-bearer for the preservation of every historical site across Europe, will disappear.”
“I do not have time to compliment Westmeath on its win on Sunday, so I will move on quickly. I compliment the Minister of State on the Lough Funshinagh flood relief scheme, the communication around it and the recent public consultation to identify the best option for Roscommon County Council to submit with the strongest prospect of success before An Coimisiún Pleanála. I also compliment him on his engagement with the communities throughout the whole process. However, the matter I wish to raise with the Minister of State today is Rathcroghan, Tulsk. I know from the smirk on his face that he has spoken recently to Councillor Liam Callaghan, Mr. Ger Healy and a few such people in relation to this. Rathcroghan is the ancient capital site of Connacht and a site we are very proud of.”
“That was at 10 a.m. on Sunday and by 11.30 a.m. they were at Hyde Park in Roscommon getting an air ambulance. They were accepted into University Hospital Galway where the surgical team was fully prepped and that individual was discharged to Portiuncula hospital in Ballinasloe last night. I want to commend the National Ambulance Service because when it works, it works very effectively. Even with the work to rule, I must commend the National Ambulance Service staff on the work they are doing. At the same time, though, we know that some areas of the country are not as well served as others. Once again, I call for that further discussion within this Chamber on the National Ambulance Service and the distribution model, especially for areas that do not have an emergency department, such as my own home area.”
“Last week in this Chamber, I called for the Labour Court to get involved in the ambulance strike and support our National Ambulance Service. A planned 48-hour strike, which would have commenced today, has been stood down to allow those talks to take place. Plans remain in place for a 72-hour work stoppage on 26 May and there is also a work to rule by front-line ambulance staff that began last week and is continuing at the moment. From my experience on the ground engaging with ambulance services, some members have gone back to work while they have been striking to actually answer particular calls. I hope that the Labour Court talks develop today and that we have a favourable outcome for all parties involved. I spoke to somebody over the weekend who had a family member who experienced an incident and they had to call the ambulance.”
“Rather than waiting for the expansion of the national grid and some of the big infrastructural projects we need, the low-hanging fruit is doing that on domestic houses and businesses and giving our households and businesses the opportunity to reduce their own energy bills at the moment. It would be a topical and timely debate and I would welcome the opportunity to have it as soon as possible.”
“If we want the public to support renewable energy projects, people must be included from the very start. Communities should be given clear information about what is being planned, how it could affect their area and what benefits there may be for local people. An important aspect is bringing communities to see similar projects in other areas because half of the problem is misinformation and scaremongering, rather than actually seeing the positive impact of some of these facilities on communities. We need to improve access and funding for solar grants for both domestic houses and businesses because that is the easiest thing we have.”
“I call for a debate on how sustainable energy projects are planned and the need to involve local communities much earlier in the process. People understand that we need more renewable energy, we need cleaner energy, lower emissions and greater energy independence so that Ireland can reduce its reliance on imported energy and bring down energy costs in the long run but too often communities only hear about major projects when plans are already far advanced. At that stage people feel that decisions already been made and that their concerns are not being heard. When that happens, trust breaks down and communities feel they have no choice but to fight projects in their area. This is something we are hearing of more and more in every community across the country. It is not right and it is something we need to have a discussion about.”
“We need a different model for rural Ireland because gardaí are being asked to police rural areas in the same way as urban areas. That model is not working. I wish Commissioner Justin Kelly the very best. He is one of the Garda's own. He is seen as somebody who understands the role. I give this motion my full support.”
“It should be treated as a separate unit because of the job its members do. Ninety members of An Garda Síochána have been killed in the line of duty. Very few other sectors can say that. I will take a moment to recognise Detective Garda John Morley and Garda Henry Byrne from my hometown station in Castlerea in Roscommon, who were both shot down on 7 July 1980, and Detective Colm Horkan, who was killed more recently, on 17 June 2020. While negotiating, we also need to look at the model of policing in this country. We all see the numbers coming out of Templemore and where they are going. They are going towards the urban centres because that is where the model sees a need for them. However, I believe we need a two-tier model.”
“Previous speakers have mentioned many of the points made in this Private Members' motion but I will reiterate the main point, which is that new policies should be developed to penalise individuals who target members of An Garda Síochána or the Defence Forces online. We need to be fairly specific that this includes both the perpetrators and the antagonists because quite a few people online say things that instigate these situations. We really have to stand up for members of An Garda Síochána, support them and legislate properly to protect them. That is why I welcome that particular element of the motion. I will also highlight something a number of other people have said regarding the upcoming pay negotiations. I personally do not feel An Garda Síochána should be involved in the public sector pay talks.”
“I will be sharing time with Senator Joe O'Reilly. The Minister of State is welcome. I echo the sentiments of previous speakers regarding our respect for the job An Garda Síochána does. An Garda Síochána was founded on the vision of Michael Staines, the first Commissioner, that the force would succeed through moral authority as servants of the people. As has been mentioned, we should be very proud of the fact that our gardaí police by consent. That has been their ethos ever since the force was established back in 1922. This means gardaí rely on public approval, trust and moral authority rather than armed force. That is something we should all be very proud of.”
“I wonder whether insurance companies are increasing our premiums in certain areas because of the known lack of gardaí. If so, there should be a lot more transparency on that too. I will finish by speaking about the whole issue of fraud. I have been dealing recently with an awful lot of online fraud. The Garda Insurance Fraud Co-ordination Office, which was set up in 2021, has dealt with 98 cases. We all know that over the same five-year period, there were approximately 18,000 personal injury claims. The office is dealing with 0.5% of the claims put forward, even though we are told regularly by the insurance sector that up to 20% of claims are fraudulent. We need to support the Garda an awful lot more with that and try to resource them for that.”
“The Alliance for Insurance Reform gave me an example of one business as a practical example of a lack of competition that makes it difficult for the business to be able to avail of insurance. The alliance referred to a midlands water sports activity centre in Roscommon which reported that its premiums were equivalent to 10% of its turnover, and 40% higher than UK and EU competitors, despite having no claims. Access to that insurance is important. In my own area - I live in a rural part of west Roscommon - the company keeps telling me that my insurance premium is going up annually because the area is susceptible. I would love to see the transparency side of that, because there is no history of theft or claims. I have often spoken in this House about the need for additional gardaí, which is a really topical issue.”
“I recently spoke to a man who is trying to sell a couple of houses in an estate. An area nearby has been deemed a flood risk. He is having trouble accessing insurance in order to sell those houses. Action No. 18 in the action plan refers to "work with key stakeholders to facilitate Government investment in flood relief schemes being reflected in the affordability and availability of flood insurance". This is to be done by "strengthening governance" and through "reduced premiums for resilient properties and innovative insurance products for climate-vulnerable areas". I ask the Minister of State to comment on that in his response. I raise the whole idea of wider regional access to insurance.”
“If we want to promote these walks, however, we have to take out separate insurance to bring people on them so they will be encouraged to use them at a later stage. Senator Higgins might have struck on something when she spoke about going back to the mutuals that were looked at in the past. That is something to look at. The Minister of State mentioned transparency, accessibility and affordability. Every speaker here today has brought an element of that into everything they have said. I will touch on flood cover. The OPW and local authorities have invested in flood relief schemes and risk reduction measures. Communities should be seeing reductions reflected in their premiums, first and foremost, but they should also be seeing improvements in the availability of the cover itself.”
“The Minister of State is welcome once again to the Chamber. I will follow up on what Senator Higgins has said about the community model. Many of the points I wanted to make have been touched on, for example with regard to the voluntary nature within our communities. Coming up to Christmas each year, businesses and volunteers in towns give up their time to hang up Christmas lights. They have to pay out an amount of money to insure the public liability for those lights. In order to cut costs, everyone volunteers at a time when they cannot afford to give up that time, yet they are still paying out money to insurance providers. I am involved with similar schemes. The National Trails Office covers public liability on our national walks throughout the country.”
“Based on the correspondence I have received about this in recent days, there is a multiplier of the information and the people we know have been affected by this so I would love for that conversation to happen.”
“What had happened was that the scammer had infiltrated the bank's security system. The person immediately followed all the instructions they were given, transferred money from one account to another account and someone was at a bank machine at the other end of that account, probably standing in front of a camera where they could be seen, withdrawing this money. Now, this individual has no follow up because the money was immediately taken out and the bank could not freeze it. The same individual told me the bank froze the account and subsequently additional money was taken out of the account. The banks are not doing enough to follow up on this and if they are not, maybe we are not doing enough to legislate for this. Therefore, we need to have a conversation about this to protect individuals.”
“Last week I brought up the issue of fraud through text messages and emails, how one third of people affected by this type of fraud do not report it and the fact that 57% of people who did report it were getting their funds back. Since I raised it last week, I have been inundated with correspondence from people all over the country. A number of people who have been affected by this who never felt the ability to report it or talk about it have contacted me and told me their stories. We need to have a debate in this House, probably with the Minister for Finance, about the onus on the banks and other institutions to follow this up. One person sent me a message to say they had received correspondence and texts from an official bank number, which told them an unauthorised device had accessed their account and gave them instructions.”
“They are healthcare professionals who are doing a job, often in harsher circumstances than other healthcare professionals. They never know what situation they will see until they arrive at a location. Today, the HSE said the strike was regrettable. Regrettable is when I spill something on my tie driving up to Dublin on a Tuesday morning. It is unacceptable that we do not have a full service. We have a contingency plan in place at the moment, but we cannot afford this strike to go on and on. We need the Labour Court to intervene immediately and ensure that we do not go into a 48-hour strike next week.”
“It means that when ambulance services are based at emergency departments, they do not provide the same level of support in certain area. A different model is needed for constituencies and counties that do not have emergency departments. I spoke to an emergency medical technician, EMT, this morning. When he started his job 12 years ago, he was able to administer six medications. He is now able to administer 26 medications and he is still getting the same pay for his job. The responsibility, training and additional load that he has taken on is replicated across all employees of the National Ambulance Service. They need to be recognised for the job they do. They are currently being paid as ambulance drivers, not as healthcare professionals.”
“I reiterate the sentiments expressed by Senators Clifford-Lee and Cosgrove on International Nurses Day in acknowledging the contribution of nurses and recognising them as health professionals. In doing so, I must mention that I visited the ambulance service workers on strike in Roscommon town today. They are also out in Boyle and Loughglynn. I respect the job the National Ambulance Service does. Like my colleague Senator Boyle, we have not been quiet in this Chamber about the ambulance service in recent months or in demanding a better service for the areas we represent. I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I come from a constituency that does not have an emergency department. The dynamic model for the ambulance service does not work when there is no emergency department in the constituency.”
“All of these are supported by the State and yet we are relying on a private charity like Pieta House to take up the mantle with regard to suicide awareness. It is a very well-supported charity. I commend all of the organisers all over the country who have put in weeks of preparation for this weekend. It is a very worthy cause. About €36 million has been raised for Pieta House through Darkness Into Light walks since its inception in 2009 so it is a significant amount of money. The question I would like to ask is whether we are doing enough as a State, which is why I would like to have that conversation.”
“Like so many people in this House, this weekend, I will be participating in Darkness Into Light annual fundraiser with Pieta House. It will take place in a number of venues around the country from 4.15 a.m. on Saturday. The idea behind Darkness Into Light is to raise awareness of suicide and mental health issues, remove the stigma of it and bring communities together so people are prepared to talk. Getting more people to talk and engage on the subject is the best solution to this issue. There is an issue with providing these support services to people with mental health issues or suicidal tendencies. That is something we probably need to have a debate in this House about. There are a lot of primary care centres and family resource centres around the country.”
“Obviously, there will be ample opportunity, as we proceed through Committee and Report Stages, to go through this in further detail, but just to break this down, it is about keeping Ireland open, competitive and connected to our global markets. It enables Ireland to ratify modern EU trade agreements that support jobs, expand opportunities for Irish businesses, especially SMEs, and strengthen our position as a trusted trading partner. At a time of global uncertainty, backing rules-based trade sends a strong signal that Ireland is pro-European, pro-business and open for investment. Crucially, it does this by fully protecting the State's right to regulate in the public interest and ensuring a fair and transparent system for resolving disputes.”
“CETA has removed 98% of tariffs, lowered costs and boosted competitiveness for Irish exporters. Trade has grown, as we have said already, from €3.2 billion in 2016 to over €10 billion and has supported jobs across many key sectors. Full ratification would build on this by providing legal certainty, encouraging further investment and creating more opportunities, especially for our SMEs. The Minister of State indicated that it cannot be argued successfully that we have secured the trade aspects of the agreement and, therefore, do not need to ratify the agreement in full. The status of our ratification is regularly raised bilaterally by Canada and the European Commission. The Minister of State has answered many of the questions that have been put to everybody in the past couple of days.”
“The Minister of State is welcome. The Arbitration (Amendment) Bill is an important step towards enabling Ireland to ratify key trade agreements, including CETA and the EU-Chile agreement, as well as similar arrangements with partners such as Vietnam, Singapore and Mexico. Like Senator Daly, I am not going to go over all the information that the Minister of State gave. However, like everybody in this House, I have received a lot of correspondence in the past couple of days about this arrangement. What the Minister of State has reiterated is that the Bill does not ratify any of these arrangements. Ratification will proceed in line with constitutional requirements and will require further governmental and parliamentary approval. That is to acknowledge some of the points that have been made.”
“I am once again calling for a further debate in this House on garda numbers and the specialist units that are dealing with individual crimes because somebody is significantly benefiting from this fraud at the moment, and God knows what that money is going towards.”