Mary Fitzpatrick
Industrial and Commercial Panel · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“It would help inform policy, not just in the drugs space but in all areas of mental health, physical health and our social well-being. I draw the House's attention to the publication this morning of the Government's latest progress report on housing - Delivering Homes, Building Communities.”
“This morning's news coverage is dominated by calls from medical professionals for a ban on e-scooters. This follows calls for bans on social media. The Government has moved to ban vapes. We are actively engaged as a country in banning a lot of things at the moment and there is very good reasoning behind a lot of these proposals.”
“That is just in the first quarter and it is up 33%. More than 46,000 new homes have commenced. There is a lot of activity in terms of supply. Affordability is a huge issue for a lot of people but, in the last year, more than 20,000 first-time home purchasers acquired their own home.”
“I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for her forbearance and patience with us. I thank Martin and all of the staff of the Seanad Office on behalf of the Fianna Fáil group. It is a tremendous personal honour and privilege for me to serve with all of the Senators.”
“We all understand the value of our local democracy and the incredible role our elected representatives undertake to represent and champion their communities and ensure they are properly served. The Minister came into the House and gave a response which, unfortunately, there was not a hard copy of to share with Senators.”
“Population growth and changing demographics mean that electoral areas must be reviewed and it is really important to ensure that there is fair and adequate representation. Every citizen's voice should carry equal weight, regardless of where he or she lives, so the boundary review is really important.”
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“Regarding the issue about the consent of the victim being required, it is a very hard thing to get our minds around, but we have to think it through. It is incredibly challenging to get this right, but at least we are starting, and the Minister is starting. It is important that we have this legislation. It is commencing in the Seanad. It gives us all an opportunity to contribute to it and support the work that is being done to support victims. It gives us a unique privilege to enact legislation that will empower people with information and help to reduce risk, prevent harm and save lives, hopefully. Most importantly, it will honour victims. I am happy and honoured to play a small part in supporting this legislation. I thank the Minister for commencing it in the Seanad.”
“The best Bills are clear and concise because that means they are easy to understand and easy to implement. There will be no confusion. It is going to be clear. If someone is convicted of a domestic violence offence, it is going to be made public. There is huge power in its simplicity. I commend the Minister on that. It is an important practical step. Regarding the register, when we start from scratch with something, it is not going to be perfect. We all accept that. We had contributions on that. Universally so far, there is support for this legislation. The House is very clear. I acknowledge the concerns being raised about the types of offences that are included. I hear the concerns about the three years and being able to apply to have one's name removed.”
“I thank the Minister for commencing Jennie's law in the Seanad. I acknowledge Jason and Joe Poole, David French and our colleague Deputy Paul McAuliffe. I particularly acknowledge all of the victims. It is Jennie's law, but it is about all the victims who have survived, who are living in fear and, most importantly, those who have not survived and are not here today. It is important legislation. I thank everybody who works on daily basis with victims, such as the volunteers who take phone calls and respond to victims in the moment of the crisis. That is incredibly challenging for any person to experience. I commend all those people who give up their talents, skills and energies every day to do that. The legislation is clear and concise.”
“It is utterly unacceptable to the people of the north inner city that our city is left unclean in the way it is being left, and it is utterly unacceptable to the people who come to visit our city. I would appreciate if the Acting Leader would ask the Minister to address with Dublin City Council its maintenance, enforcement and street cleaning, including the sweeping and power-washing. I know it can do better. Our city deserves better.”
“I participated in a walking tour recently in advance of Bloomsday. It reminded me again - and I call on the Acting Leader to address this with the Minister and Dublin City Council - of Dublin City Council's absolute neglect of the public domain and the streetscape and the dirt in the north-east inner city. The North Circular Road, Gardiner Street and Mountjoy Square are beautiful. This is Georgian Dublin at its best, but the dirt and the debris, the gutters oozing, the odours - it was vile. It was embarrassing. It is embarrassing. Unfortunately, it is not a once-off event. It is absolutely not good enough. How our public domain, our streets and our public spaces look speak to and signify the value we put on that place, on those people and on our heritage.”
“Today is 16 June and it is Bloomsday in Dublin. Even as we were coming into the Chamber, Senators will have seen the straw hats, petticoats, blouses and puffed sleeves. It is a day of real pride for Dubliners but it is a day of international importance. The literary heritage that Joyce left, not just for Dublin but all literary fans and people around the world, is immense. I commend people like Darina at the James Joyce Centre on North Great George's Street, the Joyce Stagers, the National Library, museums, Sweny's, Davy Byrnes and Dublin City Libraries. Right across the city, there are events of music, literature and food. It is truly a great event. I particularly thank those who give the walking tours of our city and bring Joyce to life for Dubliners and visitors internationally.”
“The community safety partnerships offer a huge opportunity for communities to bring together the health services, the gardaí, the teachers, parents and the wider community to deliver health-led responses in our communities. I ask that the House would debate the report.”
“They are being groomed and used to courier cocaine and other substances. It is a real issue. The report gives us statistics but more importantly, what we have within this House is the Oireachtas drugs committee which is approaching the conclusion of its work. It is really important that the report of the committee and these Houses endorse a comprehensive, health-led to our drug problem. We must recognise that this is not just a criminal justice issue and we cannot police our way out of this public health crisis. We need to adequately resource both universal and targeted prevention measures. Our prevention measures must be properly resourced, evidence-based and both universal and targeted. We must do this as a child-protection measure, a public health initiative and a whole-of-community response.”
“In Ireland, according to the latest statistics, there were 343 drug poisoning deaths and in eight out of ten of those deaths, there was more than one drug used. What that tells us is that polydrug use is now more common. We also need to accept that cocaine, and increasingly crack cocaine, and synthetics are dominating. Drug use and drug abuse is not something that is confined to marginalised, at-risk, hard-to-reach individuals, cohorts or communities. It is a universal, society-wide issue. Middle-class people holding down full-time jobs are engaging in regular drug use and abuse and our water testing in Dublin shows that. It shows spikes at weekends. It also shows, and we do not need "Prime Time" to tell us this but will see it if we go through any of our streets, that young people's lives are being robbed from a very young age.”
“Today I would like to draw the attention of the House to the latest report from the European Union Drugs Agency. The drug trends report for 2026 makes for very stark reading from a European perspective but also from an Irish perspective. Ultimately, what it tells us in very clear language is that our challenge with drugs is increasing every day. Drugs are more available, more powerful and more dangerous right across Europe but also here in Ireland and not just in Dublin, but right across the country. It is really important that we understand that message and accept it. We cannot continue to try to police our way out of what is a public health emergency. The report is available online. It was released this week. There are some very key, stark findings in it. The lives of more than 7,600 people in Europe ended because of drug use.”
“I have been in contact with the Lord Mayor, Ray McAdam, who has assured me that the city council will do their best for the lads. They deserve a huge bualadh bos and I send them my best wishes. Well done.”
“I also offer my best wishes to Deputies Seán Kyne and Daniel Ennis, both having been elected to the Dáil. I give a big shout-out to Jordan and Cian Adams, the FTD Brothers. Jordan and Cian carry the frontotemporal dementia gene. They inherited the gene from their mother, Geraldine, who sadly died at the very young age of just 52. Jordan and Cian have been running marathons in every county. They are coming to Dublin and will arrive on 28 May. The work they are doing to raise awareness of dementia is tremendous. More than 60,000 people live with dementia in Ireland and more than 180,000 people care for people with dementia. They have raised in excess of €1 million already and people can continue to support them at the FTD Brothers' GoFundMe page. Most importantly, I ask people to come out and give them a warm Dublin welcome on Thursday.”
“Every Member of the House should seek to understand what is going on with drug use in our country. The nature of it has changed dramatically, and we need to respond accordingly. I condemn unequivocally the illegal abduction and detainment of the peaceful protesters by Israel. This is a complete violation of international law. It is absolutely unacceptable, as the Taoiseach has indicated. These protesters need to be immediately and unconditionally released. As the Taoiseach stated, the EU must respond. I add my voice to the many voices offering condolences to the family of Yves Sakila, the man who lost his life on Henry Street last week. It is very sad and tragic for Yves, his family, his community and for the wider community. I urge the authorities to complete the independent review of the incident as swiftly as possible.”
“As the Deputy Leader is aware, the Oireachtas drugs committee is working to complete its report before the summer recess. As she is also aware, the Minister is producing a new drugs strategy. This week, the Health Research Board, HRB, released its latest report, which shows increasing demand for drug treatment. More than 15,000 individuals sought drug treatment in 2025. The nature of drug use has changed or is changing. It is much more widespread and much more complex. There are multiple drugs. Younger people are using synthetic drugs such as nitrous oxide. Cocaine accounts for 42% of all treatment cases. There has also been a big increase in women using drugs. There is a huge issue. Work is in hand but the House should have an urgent debate on the HRB report.”
“It has been designated within the national development plan, and €500 million in capital funding has been earmarked for its development. The GPO has enormous potential. O'Connell Street is already an architectural conservation area. There are great things happening in the area. The Minister of State has given a commitment in respect of it. The new poetry museum and the city library in Parnell Square are there. Also, there are plans for the Rotunda Hospital. There is lots happening there, but we need to ensure that the project relating to the GPO does not take another 20 years. That cannot be allowed to happen. The OPW must prove that it can work faster, smarter and more affordably.”
“I appreciate that the project has gone to tender. I thank that Minister of State for making that happen, but I ask him to make it his ambition to deliver it before the next general election. Another is project is that relating to the family law courts complex at Hammond Lane. My colleague Senator Clifford-Lee has raised this issue ad nauseam . I mean no disrespect to the Senator in saying that, she is truly hoarse from raising it. Hammond Lane has been in the works since 2007. The pace is glacial. That is inexcusable and completely unacceptable from the public's perspective. The final matter I wish to raise relates to the GPO. I am absolutely delighted that the Government has made a significant commitment to not allow the GPO to become just another vacant property.”
“I commend everybody in the OPW who has worked on the delivering them and who continues to work to deliver such really top-class, world-class sites and monuments. I have to say, however, that I am sick taking it in the back of the neck for things like shelters for two-wheeled vehicles. I am absolutely sick hearing about that, because people are really angry when they see taxpayers' money being wasted. The Minister of State knows - he has been here previously to reply to Commencement matters I have raised, and I thank him for giving his time - about Moore Street, which was mentioned by another Senator. I was first elected in 2004. The Government designated 14 to 17 Moore Street as a national monument in 2007. In 2016, 100 years after the Easter Rising, the State acquired the site. It is now 2026.”
“As a Dub, it would be bad grace of me not to welcome the Minister of State. Beidh lá eile ar ár lads. There is no doubt about that. The OPW has a really important remit. It is pivotal to minding, operating, planning, developing and delivering our public buildings, heritage, national monuments and, obviously, responding to and mitigating against flood risk. In the constituency in which I live, I am really privileged. People in the capital city are really privileged. The Phoenix Park, the Botanic Gardens and Collins Barracks have all been delivered by the OPW. They are top-quality, world-class visitor attractions, and they are all free. There is no charge, and people will not a better quality experience. They are just fantastic. They are a pleasure and a treasure.”
“The Minister with responsibility for drugs is in the process of finalising a new drugs strategy. We are all committed to achieving a health-led response to drugs. To achieve a health-led response to drugs, the drug treatment court can play a part. It is only a part. It is not all of the solution but it can help to bridge from where we are today - with a judicial response - to a more health-led one. I urge the Minister of State and the Department to do that. I believe that it reduces crime, saves lives and money. It breaks that cycle and it makes for safer communities.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. I fully accept, agree with and support the premise that any expansion needs to be grounded in evidence, properly planned and, more importantly, properly resourced. It has to be set up to succeed and we cannot set it up to fail. I ask the Minister of State to convey back to the Department that this drug treatment court has been a pilot since 2001. In case they need reminding, we are now in 2026, which is 25 years or a quarter of a century later. I think the drug treatment court has low referrals primarily because people do not know about it. It is not being spoken about and it is not being used as effectively as it could be. More importantly, I genuinely believe the citizens' assembly gave a direction to politicians. The last interim Oireachtas committee on drugs gave a direction.”
“They are committing to a programme of treatment and recovery. They are participating in education and training. They are being supervised, helped and supported. This means that where they are back living in our communities they are being helped to do that in a meaningful way where they can participate in a healthy way for themselves but also for our communities and society. In his response to my Commencement matter I hope the Minister of State might be able to share with the House when the evaluation will be published and what are the plans to make it a mainstream court and expand it regionally.”
“Sadly, many of those with addictions very quickly relapse or overdose when released from prison, doing themselves even further harm. Prison is not working for them. It is just compounding this cycle of addiction, offending and incarceration. This goes on and the cycle does not end. This really matters for those individuals, but it also matters for society. I live close to Mountjoy Prison and the Dóchas Centre. I know there is a lot of opportunistic crime. Oftentimes, this would be somebody with an addiction being released from prison and on their way out opportunistically checking cars to see if they can get a bit of change or a bit of money to help themselves to their next fix. The drug treatment court actually makes communities safer because these individuals are admitting their offence.”
“It is non-adversarial because the offenders are participating on a voluntary basis. As such, they have no need for legal representation. This system involves the Probation Service, An Garda Síochána, education services, welfare services and the court itself. The individual progresses, in a managed and supported way, away from addiction, crime and offending and towards addressing their addiction, achieving recovery, participating in education and training, rebuilding relationships and rebuilding their lives. This really matters because the alternative to the drug treatment court is incarceration. Seven out of ten people in our prisons today have an addiction and six out of ten reoffend very shortly after being released.”
“It is a way of leading us from a judicial response to drug addiction to a more health-led response. It has the potential to break the cycle of addiction and crime. Instead of being sent to prison, offenders are placed on a structured and closely monitored recovery programme. This has been operating as a pilot programme since 2001. It works for participants who are over 17 years of age and who have committed an offence. Let us say a person shoplifts. That is a non-violent offence. They are shoplifting to feed their addiction. Participants must admit to that offence and commit to participating in the drug treatment court. Under the court, people comply with very strict conditions around regular court appearances, drug testing, treatment and counselling and education and training. The court operates on Green Street.”
“I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. I am seeking an update on two matters relating to the Dublin drug treatment court. The Minister of State will be aware that a review of the Dublin drug treatment court pilot has recently been completed. I understand that the report and evaluation in this regard were sent to the Minister. When will the evaluation be published and made available to the public? In the aftermath of publication, what are the Department's plans to make the Dublin drug treatment court permanent and to expand the model nationwide? I anticipate that it will be expanded regionally in the first instance. For those who are not aware of what the Dublin drug treatment court is, it is a court-supervised treatment programme for people whose offending is driven by drug addiction.”
“One in three 15-year-olds in Ireland reports low life satisfaction, and youth suicide in Ireland is among the highest. We have a lot of red flags. We have also done a lot of great work. I have been involved in youth services for almost 20 years as the founding director of a youth service and a justice diversion programme. Prevention does work. I believe we need the Minister of State with responsibility for young people and education to come to the House. This is not just a drugs issue; this is a public health and a child protection issue. We need the Government to respond to that, to support teachers, youth workers, parents and communities and to provide them with the tools to ensure that every young person reaches their full potential and lives a healthy life.”
“It achieved this by developing what is called the Icelandic prevention model, which is based on real-time data, strong parental engagement and investment in youth services, but most importantly, a shared social commitment that childhood is worth protecting. Prevention does work, as has been proven in Iceland and other communities, if it is early, sustained, evidence-led and rooted in communities. We need to recognise in Ireland that we have some real red flags. It is not just about alcohol and weed anymore. When we look at what is going on with our young people, there are issues around vaping, nitrous oxide, digital exposure, porn, gambling, excessive screen time and sleep deprivation. Youth mental health in Ireland ranks quite low.”
“Last week, I had the privilege of leading a delegation from the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Drugs Use to a conference in Reykjavík, Iceland, that was organised by Planet Youth. At the conference, we heard from dozens of expert speakers, policymakers and practitioners from more than 20 countries on five continents. The theme of the conference was building sustainable communities and using prevention to protect young people and ensure they reach their full potential. It was held in Iceland, which, back in the 1990s, had among the highest substance abuse rates among adolescents. Today, it ranks among the lowest in Europe.”
“It is estimated in the Indecon report that almost 2,000 jobs have been lost and over €125 million in economic activity has been put at risk because of this practice of betting on the lottery. Betting on national lotteries has been banned in 25 of the 27 other European member states. We are far behind here and we are letting down our communities. It is an issue that should be addressed as a matter of urgency. The report highlights it in very objective independent terms. I would appreciate if the Acting Leader would arrange a debate, at the earliest opportunity, with the Minister for public expenditure to provide this House with a response on what action he is going to take to ban betting on the national lottery.”
“It is an issue I have raised previously in the Seanad. I have tabled Commencement matters on it. It is a matter for the Minister for public expenditure to address. However, the report this week raises the issue again. It highlights that in 2024 alone, more than €80 million was lost in funding to good causes in our communities. When we think of all the work those organisations put into making applications to Government, local authorities and other funding streams, to be losing more than €80 million in one year to good causes is a good enough reason. It is also just not fair; it truly is not. The national lottery is regulated and transparent, and it is designed to serve the public good. It also protects communities; 30 cent in every euro spent on the national lottery goes directly back into communities. It is also an economic issue.”
“I would like to draw the House's attention to the call this week from the national lottery for an outright ban on betting on the national lottery. We are all familiar with the national lottery. It helps fund sports organisations, voluntary organisations, cultural organisations, youth clubs and all manner of activities and organisations within our communities. This week, however, the national lottery published an independent report completed by Indecon, on the socio-economic impact of the national lottery. Basically, the report has very stark findings and I encourage all Members to read it. It concludes that betting on the lottery is draining vital funding from important community organisations and events right across Ireland. The national lottery is calling on the Government to act to ban outright betting on the national lottery.”
“It should be made available nationally. If we are to do that, we need to ensure there will be supports throughout the country. That means multi-annual funding for treatment, probation and the courts. I appreciate that the drugs strategy going through from the Department of Health is driven in a health-led way but there is an opportunity now with the new drugs strategy to ensure addiction treatment exists in every region, that regional drugs courts are established across the State and the model is put on a statutory footing. It is a practical evidence-based model we should support. I urge the Minister in considering alternatives to incarceration to put it on a statutory footing and ensure it is properly funded and made available to everyone who needs it.”
“The judge deals with the offender and there is the support of the Probation Service, education service and welfare services. It supports the individual to recognise and own their behaviour and to engage on a path of recovery. It is incredibly constructive and I advise anybody who has not been down the drugs court to go down some Wednesday and observe it. It keeps people in supervision, reduces harm, supports recovery and in many cases can prevent death. It is not a soft option; it is demanding. I have seen it in action. Those who fail to engage still face consequences which could involve going to prison. I firmly believe the drugs court works. The Government needs to take it from a pilot to having it mainstreamed so that not just people who offend in a non-violent way, suffering from an addiction, have access to it in Dublin.”
“The drugs court allows prison to be used where it is most effective, which is for those who have committed serious crimes, including violent crimes, but also uses public money more effectively. As Senator Gallagher said, it costs close to €100,000 to keep somebody in prison. It costs less than €10,000 per year to have somebody go through the drugs court. Most importantly, the drugs court saves lives - not just the lives of individuals who have offended but of their families and communities. The risk of relapse and overdose is highest when people are just released from prison. One element of the drugs court is engagement in treatment - that supervision and support. It is not just a court with lawyers; in fact, there are no lawyers because participants are there on a voluntary basis.”
“Roughly six out of ten reoffend within three years of having been released from prison. Prison is definitely not working. What it is attempting to do is to punish the crime and the behaviour, but it is not addressing the real causes. There are alternatives, and I acknowledge community service and the Minister's commitment to electronic tagging. However, I believe that the drugs court offers a unique response. It is not a replacement for prison, but it is a credible alternative. The drugs court reduces reoffending, where prison often does not. It combines treatment, supervision and real accountability. It creates a situation where there is real responsibility and not avoidance of responsibility.”
“I thank the Minister for coming to the Seanad and for engaging with us on this important matter. I commend him on the work that he and his Department are doing, the seriousness with which they are treating the issue of inadequate capacity in our prisons and the emphasis they are putting on the increased use of non-custodial sentences. It is all to be commended and I support it. Prison will always have a place in our justice system. I firmly believe that. The Minister securing €500 million in funding to increase capacity is welcome. However, I also firmly believe that for non-violent, addiction-driven crime, the drugs court, which has been in operation on a pilot basis in Dublin for almost 25 years, offers a real alternative. Prison is not working. Seven in ten people in our prisons identify as having an addiction.”
“Many of them have been hit very badly over the last number of years by continued increases in the cost of doing business. RGDATA has engaged very constructively on behalf of its members with the Department of enterprise and the Minister and we are looking forward to the cost of doing business report, which I urge the Minister to publish. This House has an important role to play in taking the forecast and debating it and debating the scenarios. As a country we have come through Covid, Brexit and the war in Ukraine and now we have the very significant threats and pressures we are experiencing due to global conflict and the energy supply crisis. I would appreciate it if the Acting Leader could use his offices to organise an early debate on the economic forecast for the country.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh. Fáilte to everyone in the Gallery. Today the Tánaiste brought to Cabinet a paper for discussion on the economic forecast for our country. I would like the Acting Leader to arrange a debate in the House on the economic forecast with a particular focus on the cost-of-living pressures being experienced by households and businesses. We are very fortunate to live in a country with a strong, stable economy. We have full employment and growth continues to be forecast. However, my understanding is the report from the Department of Finance outlined three possible scenarios and it is important we debate those in the House. In particular, households are feeling the pinch. I was nominated by RGDATA, which represents indigenous, independent shop owners and convenience stores.”
“I encourage everybody to support all the artists, creators and producers who have come together and entertained, illuminated and animated the city over the last few days. Well done to all involved.”
“I look forward to convening the Irish-Hungarian Parliamentary Friendship Group and invite all Members to join if they wish. I also look forward to really constructive contributions from the new Hungarian Government in our European Union. I hope it will work with other member states to make our Union stronger, freer and more democratic for all. I want to give a huge shout-out to everybody who has been involved in the Five Lamps Arts Festival in Dublin city. It is just such a fantastic festival. It has all sorts of creative events and the talent on show includes everything from the spoken word to poetry, artists, drama, music - you name it. It is all taking place in Dublin city. It will conclude on 19 April so there are still a few days to go.”
“As convener of the Irish-Hungarian Parliamentary Friendship Group I congratulate the Hungarian people on their recent democratic election. It is really heartening to see democracy in action in the way we did in Hungary last weekend. I congratulate Péter Magyar - and apologise if I have mispronounced his name - the Tisza Party, but most importantly the Hungarian people. I thank the outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his Administration and all those who served under him for a peaceful transition. It is really important to not just gloss over what is transpiring. It is an end of 16 years of Viktor Orbán's leadership in Hungary and the beginning of a new leadership. I wish the new leader well. I wish the Hungarian people well.”
“Obviously, there will be a budget in October. Each local authority makes its annual budget towards the end of the year. It will be really important for local authorities to know in advance of making their annual budget when they will have these powers available to them because it will potentially be of huge benefit to them.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Minister of State. I welcome the confirmation from the Government of its commitment to give powers to local authorities to introduce, if they so choose, a visitor charge. It is very welcome that the Government is supporting this initiative from local authorities. Each local authority is an independent authority and will determine in its own good time and based on its own circumstances the appropriateness or not of a visitor tax. It is the Government's job to support our local authorities to operate to their maximum capacity. In committing to introducing legislation and supporting the local authorities by giving them those powers, the Government is doing a good job for local authorities. The Minister of State might bring back to the Department that I would be keen to get a clearer visibility on the timelines.”
“What they are proposing is a small per-night charge or percentage of the accommodation cost. For local authorities to introduce such a visitor tax would require legislation. My Commencement is seeking an update from the Minister of State, the Department of Finance and the Department of local government on where Government stands on that proposal. Will the Government bring forward legislation that will empower and enable local authorities in their own right, in their own areas, to introduce a visitor tax?”
“Last year, Ireland had approximately 6.7 million visitors to our beautiful island. That is great and we welcome them, but with all of those visitors comes a lot of extra wear and tear. If you have a private house with three or five people living in it but that is having visitors all of the time, the wear and tear is significant. There is extra litter, extra traffic and extra noise. There are all of the extras that are required. The Fianna Fáil group on Dublin City Council has been proposing a visitor tax. It is common internationally. If you go to stay in Madrid, Rome or Amsterdam, when you pay for your accommodation you will pay a nominal charge. Dublin City Council has examined this levy. It has looked at it with the executive functions but also with independent experts.”
“Today I would specifically like to address the proposal coming from Dublin city councillors. Councillor Daryl Barron is the Fianna Fáil group leader on Dublin City Council. Daryl, the Fianna Fáil group and other councillors on Dublin City Council have been proposing and working with the executive functions to develop a visitor tax. The reason a visitor tax is required is because Dublin city has a population of between 500,000 and 600,000 based on the most recent census, but we get millions of visitors. What happens in Dublin city is repeated in towns all over the country like Killarney, Westport, Cork, Carrick-on-Shannon and in counties like Sligo and Leitrim. Of course, acting chair, there is also Carlow and Kilkenny. All of our local authorities not only provide for their residents but for all the visitors.”
“I thank the Minister of State for being here to respond to my Commencement matter. I am looking for an update from Government on the proposal to give powers to local authorities to raise revenues. The Minister of State is a great friend of local authorities and all 31 of them do invaluable work in all of our communities across the country. However, local authorities are highly dependent on centralised Government funding. While they have powers to raise revenues through the LPT and rates, they struggle to meet all of their financial commitments. There has been discussion for many years about giving more powers to local government. I commend the Minister of State and the Government on the undertaking it has given in the local democracy task force. It recently completed its report, and we look forward to Government's response to that.”
“Most importantly, I ask her to use her office to engage the Government to continue to invest in and expand youth services.”
“We are lucky to have full employment in this country, and we are privileged to have an economy that is strong. We can invest and we should invest so that every young person has access. Not every young person will avail of it but every young person should have access to youth services that are both universal and targeted. On the age cohort, it is not the same in every community but in some communities there is a need for young people from the age of eight years to be engaged. Some families really need that extra help. For others, the need will not come until much later when they are teens or maybe early 20s. It is about adequately resourcing it. I commend the Minister and her Department on the work they are doing. I would welcome it if the Minister wished to visit.”
“We had to put our youth workers on a four-day week at one point when things were economically bad but we managed to sustain the service. It continues and has gone from strength to strength. When we can pool funding from both the Minister’s Department and the Department of justice, it allows us to really maximise the services. When we see young people discussing things like bullying or sexuality, learning barbering or bike skills, or learning to cook for each other, we see them develop in front of our eyes. It is invaluable. Our staff are incredible but as a sector, professional youth workers are not adequately valued. The fact that there is no multi-annual funding inhibits career development, retention and recruitment, as the Senator mentioned. Recruitment is a constant struggle.”