Seán Kyne
Galway West · Fine Gael · Ireland
“Yes, there will be public engagement later today and again tomorrow. Residents in the Shantalla area hope to be able to pop in there tomorrow as well, and councillors will be engaging. I will certainly pass on the Minister's strong view on pushing on with a decision on the transfer of land in relation to the helipad project.”
“I thank the Minister for that response. Certainly, the appointment of the design team is hugely welcome and a positive step. She will be aware of the Mater Hospital during the Covid pandemic and the 98-bed block that was built in two years. These things can be done where there is urgency.”
“In University Hospital Galway over recent years we have seen investment in a 75-bed en suite ward, a temporary emergency department and the new radiation oncology building, but so much more is needed.”
“Both blocks A and B are primarily bed-based accommodation, supported by well-established HSE guidance and standard approval layouts. Considering the loss of a number of years in Galway, would the Minister see merit in engaging with the Department of public expenditure and reform on fast-tracking these design stages?”
“De réir MARA, má tá daoine ag baint agus ag bailiú feamainne le haghaidh úsáid tráchtála, nó méid mór le haghaidh úsáid pearsanta, ní mór dóibh iarratas a dhéanamh ar cheadúnas úsáide ó MARA. Tá na rudaí seo fíorthábhachtach. Níl sé soiléir céard atá ag teastáil ó bhainteoirí feamainne.”
“I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response. I welcome the fact that he expects the MPPS to be brought to the Government in the coming weeks. May I assume, therefore, that MARA is not granting licences pending the MPPS? Is that in abeyance? Is there a formal process?”
The complete record
Every one of 1,542 lines we hold for Seán Kyne, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 20 of 31.
“I move: That, pursuant to subsection 2° of section 2 of Article 25 of the Constitution, Seanad Éireann concurs with the Government in a request to the President to sign the Finance (Local Property Tax and Other Provisions) (Amendment) Bill 2025 on a date which is earlier than the fifth day after the date on which the Bill shall have been presented to him.”
“I encourage him to raise that perhaps at the next private meeting of the defence committee or to submit it is as a Commencement matter to get a more detailed response.”
“He can also engage locally with the people involved in the different projects and issues in Donegal. We have those contacts in Galway and I assume it is the same in Donegal, whereby we have to speak directly to people about issues like that. Nevertheless, he is right; information is key to keep people informed of what is happening. If the water will not be back until tomorrow or the day after that, at least people would know and have access to another supply. Senator Craughwell raised the debate last week and today at the defence and national security committee and talked about the bounty scheme to encourage air traffic controllers to come back. He stated that the measures put in place will not assist in getting people back.”
“I am sure she could raise it in the House as a Commencement matter. It is the right thing to have a refuge in every county and, indeed, there may be a requirement for more than one. That would certainly be the case in cities or larger counties. It is the least that can be provided to ensure there is safe place for women and their children. I will call for a debate on prison spaces and women's prisons, as the Senator raised. On what Senator Keogan raised, I am not familiar with what Bill will come before the House. It is not on my radar at the moment but there will be an opportunity to debate those issues at that stage. Senator Boyle raised issues regarding Irish Water and Malin Head. As he knows, there are Oireachtas phone lines to Irish Water.”
“Perhaps she could submit a Commencement matter. It will have to be looked at the context of budget proposals. Senator Harmon also raised Bessborough mother and baby home and argued that the site needs to be protected. I concur. Perhaps she could submit a Commencement matter on that and she might get a more direct response on what is happening. Senator Maria Byrne raised vaping. The issue is a particular passion of hers. I know she is a member of the health committee. I will get an update from the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, on that. Senators Keogan, O'Reilly, Clifford-Lee and McCarthy all raised issues in relation to Women's Aid, women's rights, women's prisons, the case of Sarah Montgomery and domestic violence. Senator O'Reilly raised the issue of a refuge in Cavan. I do not have an update on the specific case in Cavan.”
“She is passionate about this topic and spoke about it in the House in the context of the motion on insurance. As I understand, this is to go before the Cabinet subcommittee on insurance before going to Cabinet. There are now rules in relation to SME tests. It is an important issue. We will see what comes out of that. It has to be voted on subsequently by both Houses. Senator Clonan raised the protest in Washington D.C. and what happened there. I had not seen it but it is not hard to believe at the moment. He also raised issues regarding last week's debate on his disability Bill. He asked for an discussion on that early in the new year when we come back following the review of the pilot scheme. I will keep that in mind and try to arrange that. Senator Collins raised issues regarding foster children and the means test.”
“There is a commitment from the Tánaiste, as the first Minister for further and higher education, that the fees would be reduced over the lifetime of the Government. As others here have said, it would be a bad start if fees were to be increased on this occasion. I will certainly raise that on the Senators' behalf with the Minister, Deputy Lawless, and the Minister, Deputy Chambers. Senator Fitzpatrick raised the welcome news of pre-legislative scrutiny of the occupied territories Bill commencing and commended Senator Black. She also called for a debate on the post office network. I will request that the Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, come to the House to talk about this issue. Senator Fitzpatrick also wished Dessie Farrell well in his retirement. Senator Nelson Murray mentioned the proposed 17% rise in personal injury awards.”
“Comments made last April which encouraged Fine Gael to table Private Members' business at the time and again last week certainly were a surprise. They were not agreed, and that is the important point. Normally, when Ministers fly kites it is on something they know will happen in a positive fashion. This was a strange kite to fly and it has taken off into outer space. I hope it can be recovered because it is the right thing to do to continue to reduce the burden on students. We must remember as well that it is not just €1,000. That €1,000 has to be earned, so that is €2,000 gross. If you have two kids, that is €4,000, and if you have three it is €6,000 that has to be earned to pay for that. The Government has to decide on this. It is right that no decisions have been made and that this will be part of budget negotiations.”
“I thank all Senators for their contributions. A number of issues were raised but I will start with the one that was raised the most, which was student fees. It was raised by Senators Nelson Murray, Harmon, Scahill, Maria Byrne, Clifford-Lee, Duffy, Cathal Byrne, Boyle, Ahearn and Comyn. I draw people's attention to the programme for Government and to the Private Members' business that was debated in this House on 7 May. It was in the name of Fine Gael Senators and was supported by all parties. The Minister himself attended for that debate, which agreed the presentation to continue to reduce the student contribution fee during the Government's lifetime. The programme for Government also commits to having no surprises.”
“The Order of Business is No. 1, Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024 - Report Stage (resumed) and Final Stage, to be taken at 4.30 p.m. or on the conclusion of the Order of Business, whichever is the later, and to adjourn at 6.30 p.m., if not previously concluded; No. 2, Finance (Local Property Tax and Other Provisions) (Amendment) Bill 2025 - Committee and Remaining Stages, to be taken at 6.30 p.m.; and No. 3, motion re the earlier signature of the Finance (Local Property Tax and Other Provisions) (Amendment) Bill 2025, to be taken on the conclusion of No. 2, without debate.”
“HIQA is the one that is there to oversee what goes on in nursing homes as regards the care of loved ones, particularly those who may not have immediate family members or who may have very loving family members who might live in another part of the country or the world and who rely on the care of the staff and management of a nursing home. I appreciate there are very good staff, but that is what we expect and demand - that there be a good staff, that there be sufficient staff, that the basics be there, that the processes be there and that if there are problems, they be identified, reported and dealt with quickly. There is an important job of work ahead for the Minister of State and the Government and I wish him well. It is important we get good delivery for all our citizens, not just for now, but into the future.”
“The delay from notification by HIQA was not good enough. That is an absolute shortcoming. If information is being provided, it should be in there rapidly – as immediately as possible – to investigate. Staffing has been an issue and I understand that. I refer to the basics of incontinence pads. A man was told there were no staff to bring him to the toilet, so he should use his pad and not wet the sheets. How absolutely degrading is that in this day and age? HIQA needs to do a lot of work to improve its processes because it is the guardian. If I end up in a nursing home, who do I call?”
“I do not have children and I am unlikely to at this stage of my life, and you worry who is there to look after you if you were in a situation in a nursing home. That is why we should aspire to statutory home care. Having the opportunity to be cared for in your own home rather than a nursing home should be the norm. That is not to say there are not great and wonderful nursing homes. I understand there were nursing homes that were small family units that were closed down and residents moved to other nursing homes, at least one of them being the one in question in Portlaoise. There needs to be a sea-change in all of this area, as well as the adult safeguarding that goes with all of this. HIQA obviously has a board. What engagement has the board had on these issues with regard to its responsibilities?”
“I acknowledge public service broadcasting and the role of RTÉ in showing this footage and going undercover. When you query paying a television licence fee, this is public service broadcasting at its best, unpalatable as it may be to watch and as uncomfortable as it may be for family members, I am sure. I understand from talking to colleagues in the Portlaoise area that there were other family members who did not consent to the footage being shown, even blurred and obscured, because they did not want their loved ones to be shown in that fashion. I can understand that. As Senator Black touched on, none of us know what our future will be. In the case of my own father, Lord have mercy on him, we were able to keep him at home, but he was nearly totally immobile at the end and non-verbal. These are difficult things.”
“I know the Minister of State will continue to engage with his Department officials, whom he brought along today, and they will bring these issues back to the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, as well.”
“We can do better and we have to do better for the children of our country. My colleague Senator Nelson Murray spoke of her experience with her own children. That is the reality. I hope that this problem is not centred on certain parts of the country, such as disadvantaged areas, and that we do not have a postcode lottery in relation to this. All children are deserving of these vital check-ups. The longer they are left untreated, the more problems are stored up for themselves, for their families and for the HSE and dental services into the future. I again thank the Minister of State and all of the Senators for their contributions. It was a good debate and it is an important issue.”
“I welcome the commitments in relation to the Dentists Act 1985, but the Minister of State has been in various Government Departments and I have been as well, and we know that sometimes these things can be on lists for a long time. The Minister for Health has to actively push for this to be part of the legislative programme, has to go through all the consultations, has to get the heads of a Bill published, has to go through pre-legislative scrutiny and has to get a Bill drafted and published. I will continue to push her and the Government on that. I wish to respond to what was said about people, especially children, waiting too long for care. There was a suggestion that we are aligned to World Health Organization standards. That should not be the case. That is just being honest.”
“We brought forward this positive motion, which outlines what we have done, what needs to be done and what is committed to under the programme for Government. That is welcome. I welcome the Minister of State 's commitment to looking at those practices that have closed because that is a cohort of people who overnight can be left facing severe financial penalties. It is important that is looked at. The Minister of State said that there are currently 3,888 dentists on the Dental Council's register but data from the Department of Health shows that there are 2,420 dentists. I am not sure if all of the dentists on the Dental Council's register are practising or what the reason is for that disparity. Certainly the figures we have show that there is a shortfall in relation to this.”
“I thank the Minister of State for that response and his engagement on this matter. Indeed, I thank all Senators for their contributions during the course of this debate. I think the role of Senators, including Government Senators and backbenchers, is not just to clap each other on the back and say we are all wonderful, but to be critical, to bring up flaws, shortcomings and shortfalls and to respond to the needs of our constituents and people who bring matters to our attention. We have done that in this debate. I say that in response to Senator Conway, who rightly spoke about Fine Gael being in government for 14 years but should bear in mind that the Opposition is well able to bring forward debates it wishes to have on dentistry or anything else.”
“In all aspects of life, there should be an increase in the supply of specialists to serve a growing population. That goes without saying, and it should happen across all occupations. There is a clear need for extra investment in dental services and to look at the additional accommodation needed in UCC and Trinity. Overall, I am afraid the picture is not as rosy as it could be. I commend all the work done by our dentists, dental hygienists and orthodontists. While I commend Government investment in the DTSS, more needs to be done. The Minister and the Department need to come to terms with this. We need to look at the Dentists Act 1985 as a priority and at the recommendations of the Irish Dental Council.”
“That is what we are calling for today in raising this matter. Returning to the issue of places, it is hugely important. If we are not training enough and not even offering enough places to Irish students who might see this as a worthy and noble career, then we are going nowhere. We need to open this up and make it attractive for Irish students to go through their education in dental practice in Trinity or UCC and then remain in this country and set up a practice or work in an existing practice. I also include dental hygienists in that. There is an issue there as well which needs to be sorted. Our colleague Deputy Colm Burke has raised that matter. If we look at the number of undergraduate places, Irish student places in Trinity and UCC have not increased in 25 years. That says it all.”
“The number of dentists contracted to the school dental screening service has decreased by 30 since 2012, down from 283 whole-time equivalents to 253. That is reflective of the longer waiting lists and despite the fact that there are still backlogs. Just over 104,000 children were seen by dentists under the school dental screening service in 2023, a drop of 31,000 on 2017. Something is wrong in terms of these services, which we have in the past taken for granted. It is reflected in a poorer service and a poorer delivery for children and patients under the DTSS. The crux of the issue, as far as I can see, is the numbers of dentists or else the complexity of the scheme means dentists do not want to be involved with it, issues with reimbursement or whatever. It is not getting the level of attention that is needed.”
“It is important that representatives from all the entities to which I refer sit around a table and sort this out, particularly as parents out of pocket, and the time delays involved in trying to get someone else who might be quite busy to try to fit in the children of those parents. Let us look at the total number of dentists on the DTSS. Back in 2012, there were 1,452 on the scheme. The most recent information shows that the number is down to just over 800. That is a huge drop. The population of the country is not dropping; it is increasing. The demand for dental services is there. The number of medical card patients seen by dentists on the DTSS is also dropping, from over 394,000 in 2012 to 283,000 in 2023. That is a significant drop of more than 100,000 and it is replicated across the board.”
“I have spoken to the Minister, Deputy Peter Burke, and am calling for the establishment of a working group involving the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, the Dental Council and the Departments of Finance and Health to figure out what can be done in these emergency situations to ensure that parents are not left out of pocket. That is what insurance is for. That is what a dental practice or orthodontist has insurance for. It is to protect themselves and to ensure that the consumers have cover. I am calling for the setting up of such a working group. I have engaged with Ministers on the matter.”
“A practice may close because the practitioner passes away, leaves the country suddenly or is suspended. I have experience of this in Oranmore. The matter is on the record and has been looked at. Basically, parents are forking out huge sums for orthodontic care and then a practice suddenly closes and they have to go elsewhere. As it transpired in the case of the Oranmore practice, this was not easy. There were delays. They forked out this money but they also had to pay the new orthodontist to complete the work. Despite the fact that an orthodontic practice may be fully insured, there is no recourse to get money back or at least there is a delay in doing so.”
“In the interim, as I asked the then Minister, Stephen Donnelly, last year, could a scheme for recently retired dentists be looked at? Such dentists may not want to practise but they may be happy, and are obviously qualified and trained, to visit schools and carry out assessments. This would be less onerous but just as important. They would be able to pick up developmental issues in children at an early age. This would fulfil the commitments in the Smile agus Sláinte programme, which is Government policy on this matter. That could be done quickly and have immediate results. There might be issues in relation to pensions and pay but these could be sorted out. It would be a positive step in the area of oral healthcare for children. I have also raised on numerous occasions the closure of a practice.”
“In UCC, there were 61 final-year students, with 25 EU students and 36 non-EU students. It is fine if all those students stay here and practise. If they do not, therein lies part of the issue. This needs to be rectified. One of the commitments in the current policy, the national screening programme for children, is for children to have three dental appointments before the age of 12. These are to happen in second, fourth and sixth class. As my colleague Senator Nelson Murray told us from her lived experience, that in not happening in Meath. It is also not happening across the country. This is a requirement. It is a commitment on the part of the Government. This is a national policy, and we need to provide those appointments. Obviously, training more dentists in our colleges will allow for the position to be improved upon.”
“Our colleague, Deputy Colm Burke, presented this solution to our parliamentary party last week. The number of places in our universities is still quite low. Investment and accommodation are needed. If that is the case, then provision needs to be made for both in the upcoming capital plan. On places in Trinity and UCC, we do not have sufficient numbers. We have a lot of international students coming, which is fine, but that is not to say that they always stay in this country and practise here. Therein lies the crux of the problem. No funding has been forthcoming and nor has a plan to follow on from the Higher Education Authority's announcement in 2023 regarding initial undergraduate dental places. We need to see increases. The number of final year students in TCD in 2023 was 46, with 25 EU students and 21 non-EU students.”
“I welcome the Minister of State. According to the Irish Dental Association, diseases of the mouth and oral cavity have a significant impact in terms of pain, suffering, impairment of function and reduced quality of life. To a large extent, oral diseases are entirely preventable. When they occur, however, the damage is not reversible and they can be among the most expensive to treat. That sums up the reason dental and oral health is hugely important. Looking at some of the statistics, according to the Department of Health, there are 2,420 dentists in Ireland for a population in excess of 5.1 million. That is 47 dentists per 100,000 or one dentist per 2,128 of the population. This is among the lowest in and in the bottom quartile of the OECD. How can this be solved? College places and training provide a solution.”
“I put on record again that the Minister for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland has confirmed she will consider the judgment in full and remains committed to delivering the A5 upgrade. The Minister for Transport and the Department here will continue to engage with their Northern Ireland Executive counterparts on this, with a view to seeing the project move forward as soon as possible. I concur. We have asked the Taoiseach to come to the House, which he has said will not happen before the recess. This is an issue that I am sure Senators can raise with him. Senator Fitzpatrick can also raise the issue of the city task force with him, and other Senators have raised issues such as the shared island fund.”
“Certainly from her description, it sounded like a wonderful day. I wish them well in their future endeavours. Senator Duffy wished well all those involved in climbing the five peaks, ending at Croagh Patrick in Mayo, for the James McNeive Foundation. I certainly join him in this. He also spoke about CCTV in our towns and villages. I know there were issues in the past about the legality of these, which have been sorted, and now it is a case of funding. He can table a Commencement matter to the Department of justice on what funding is available or might be available. Perhaps it might be to the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht. Senator Blaney raised the A5 road, which was also raised yesterday by Senators Boyle and O'Reilly.”
“Senator Brady gave a very eloquent contribution on homegrown talent and Irish bands. I concur with everything he said, as would most people. We have seen in the past homegrown talent in larger acts such as U2 and also in lesser known ones. They make a valuable contribution to Irish culture and have become known on a worldwide stage. I wish him well on continuing to promote Irish talent. Senator Craughwell spoke of yesterday's committee meeting with the Department of Defence. He is well able to put questions, which he did. He had three rounds of questions to the Secretary General of the Department of Defence and to the Chief of Staff. I am sure he will be able to follow up on some of the points at the committee. Senator Costello thanked everybody involved in the Bohernabreena vintage car show.”
“Senator Boyhan called for a debate on the diaspora, which I will try to organise. The Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, came before the House a number of months ago on this matter. Senator Fitzpatrick welcomed the approval by the Government of the Dublin city task force, which has three objectives. These are to have more people living in the city, cleaner and safer communities, and a vibrant city. In my view, she quite wrongly tried to suggest that Fine Gael was against this, or tried to stop it, a number of years ago. The then Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, was involved in initiating the north east inner city initiative back in 2016. One of his final engagements as Taoiseach was to visit the initiative. It could be argued this was a precursor to a larger task force for the city.”
“It is within the law for local authorities to trim roadsides in the off season if it improves road safety and is necessary. Some local authorities do and some do not. There may be an issue of funding or there may not be. Transport Infrastructure Ireland is in charge of trimming and verge cutting on national roads but county roads and regional roads are matters for the local authority. Senator Boyle is right that they will say it is the responsibility of farmers, but at the end of the day, various local authorities operate in various fashions. In most cases, it is a matter for the local authority to go out and spend money on doing this job. In Galway, some of the local councillors have used some of their discretionary funding to support this work, which improves safety on our roads.”
“Senator Daly raised the tractor driving test for 16-year-olds and recent commentary and some opposition from the RSA. He is right, of course, that these are very large machines that 16-year-olds can get up on. He has called for training at an earlier age at 15-and-a-half or 15 to make them better able to drive such machines. He also spoke about the number of deaths on Irish farms involving tractors and said there were 28 such deaths between 2020 and 2024. I look forward to engagement with the RSA on this matter. I am sure the committee on agriculture will also be involved in this in the coming months. Senator Boyle spoke about hedge cutting and hedge trimming. He has even taken action himself. I will not condemn him because if he is improving road safety at junctions, it is within the law.”
“There is divergence regarding who is in charge but what is now the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht was involved in the initial regulations. We will request a debate. Senator Stephenson spoke about freedom of speech and called for a debate on the matter. She spoke about the overreach of the US Administration on J1 visas. I have commented on this a number of times and said it is that Administration's country and rules, which, to a degree, is correct. The Tánaiste has undertaken to engage with the ambassador on these matters. We certainly hope that Irish students can continue to avail of the J1 experience in the coming years. It is important that it be available. We will await further updates from the Tánaiste and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.”
“The Minister was in the House recently. I will request a further debate, or indeed ongoing debates, in respect of the topic. It is something we are witnessing. As I have said, I do not have a solution, but I condemn what is going on. I hope the United Nations and European Union can take a firmer hand and that Israel allows much-needed aid to be available to the citizens of Gaza. Senator Andrews mentioned the sustainable living initiative and the students who were there earlier, and I wish them well in their endeavours. He also raised issues regarding XL bullies and the regulations and mandatory training for wardens. I will request a debate with the Minister, Deputy Calleary, on this.”
“The Senator also raised issues in respect of the ASI lobby and dementia advisers and suggested that their requests were in line with the programme for Government commitments. That topic was also raised by Senator Sarah O'Reilly, who welcomed the signing of the national dementia registry and called for engagement in the House with the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell. I will request a debate on the whole issue of dementia. It is a worthy issue. Senator Nelson Murray also commended the Minister, Deputy Helen McEntee, on the launch and work of Cuan. I certainly agree with that. Senator Clonan raised the horrific and ongoing atrocities, including forced starvation, in Gaza and the fact there are children dying of thirst. No words that I have can adequately express what is going on in that part of the world.”
“I thank all Senators for their contributions. Senator O'Loughlin raised the recent annual report by Women's Aid and the concerning details disclosed within it. She was supported by Senators Nelson Murray and McCarthy on matters pertaining to Women's Aid. Senator O'Loughlin welcomed the targeted implementation plan and the 985 different actions. She also called for a special Oireachtas committee on gender-based violence. I would be supportive of that. I know the Senator can work through the Committee on Parliamentary Privileges and Oversight to try to push that forward. I believe it would be a worthy committee that would have a lot of work to do. It would be widely supported.”
“I also welcome the chargé d'affaires and Councillor Kelleher. I wish the chargé d'affaires well on her country's national day. The Order of Business is No. 1, report of the Committee of Selection, to be taken on conclusion of the Order of Business, without debate; No. 50, motion 1, Private Members’ business in the name of the Fine Gael Senators, motion re dental services, to be taken at 1 p.m., with the time allocated to this debate not to exceed two hours; No. 2, Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024 - Report and Final Stages, to be taken at 3 p.m. and to adjourn at 5 p.m., if not previously concluded; and No. 3, Private Members’ business, Disability (Personalised Budgets) Bill 2024 - Second Stage, to be taken at 5 p.m., with the time allocated to this debate not to exceed two hours.”
“I move: That Seanad Éireann resolves that section 8 of the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009 (No. 32 of 2009) shall continue in operation for the period beginning on 30th June, 2025 and ending on 29th June, 2026.”
“Senator McCarthy referred to his good friend Jason Power. My sympathies go to Aoife and to Jason's family. I thank the Senator for being a good friend to Jason and for raising the issues of concern to which he referred in the context of services. The Senator also rightly commended Naas General Hospital for the care it afforded to Jason.”
“There are numerous representatives from these Houses on the commission and I hope they will make progress on the matter. Senator Noonan mentioned a report on Sellafield that was received by the Public Accounts Committee in Westminster on 4 June. Perhaps the best approach there might be to write to the Taoiseach or the Minister to see if it could be put down as a line item for a future meeting of the British-Irish Council. Senator Tully raised services in County Cavan and called for a review. She might put down a Commencement matter on that. I do not know the ins and outs of it but it is clearly something the Senator is passionate about. If she puts down a Commencement matter, she might get a more direct response. Alternatively, if the Senator writes to me on it, I can raise it with the Minister.”
“I am not sure if that is one and the same or if there is going to be a further independent assessment. I had a quick look at the review summary. I do not see anything there that would inspire a great deal of hope. Certainly it is an issue that we have to keep on the agenda. Senator Ryan raised the broadcasters' contract issue. Again, as far as we are concerned, the majority of Members of both Houses have expressed their support for the broadcasters. We are leaving it in the hands of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission. I would hope that the commission will deal with this matter effectively. As the Senator said, it is meeting in early July. It is up to them when they can schedule that. I am sure they could bring it forward if they felt there was a need.”
“It is hoped that the issues raised by the judgment will be promptly addressed as needed by the relevant Northern Ireland authorities. The Minister for Transport and his Department will continue to engage with Northern Ireland Executive counterparts with a view to seeing the project move forward as soon as possible. It is something that is very much committed to by this Government as well. I fully agree with everything Senator Murphy O'Mahony said about the importance of the over-70s bus drivers. The Road Safety Authority under the remit of the Department of Transport committed to reviewing the upper age limit of drivers. That review has now been completed and published. The programme for Government commits to carrying out an independent assessment.”
“It is important that the preparation and work these players have put in would be realised. Senator Keogan commented on a case of missold mortgages. I am not exactly sure what the issue is but she might put down a Commencement debate for the Minister for Finance on the matter. Senators Boyle and O'Reilly spoke about the A5 judgment, which is disappointing. On Monday the High Court of Northern Ireland made a ruling on the A5 upgrade. The Minister for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland has confirmed that she will consider the judgment in full and remains committed to delivering the A5 upgrade. The Government funding commitment of €600 million remains. The A5 upgrade is of great significance for everyone who needs a better, safer road in the north west and beyond. Further delay is clearly not desirable.”
“Senator Comyn raised the tragic loss of a young man, Kofi Owusu, near Laytown over the weekend. We extend our sympathies to his family and friends. She has raised again the issue of compulsory swimming lessons and talked about funding in respect of issues there. I am not sure what Department that would be, possibly the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht under the Minister, Deputy Calleary. Perhaps the Senator would put down a Commencement matter on that. Senator Ní Chuilinn raised the Limerick FC under-15 team and mentioned that 44 teenage players have had their great plans for the summer ruined. I am not sure of the exact details. The Senator spoke about the owner pulling out. I hope the FAI will get involved and see if it can find a resolution.”
“Clearly they have a sizable portfolio and the Senator has expressed concern about them buying up future properties. Senator Harmon raised the J1 visa programme. I know this has been raised by the Taoiseach and Tánaiste as well and has been brought up in the House in the past. The former president of the students' union has raised the matter and urged students to be conscious of what they put up on social media and what they have posted in the past. I am not sure where that will run. There are lots of Irish people over there at the moment but there has been a drop-off. I do not know whether that is a direct response to this or to the uncertainty in that part of the world now, unfortunately, with all that is going on. The Tánaiste has said he will raise the issue with the ambassador.”
“Lynn needs to be remembered as well within the hospital or elsewhere, but I imagine that will be a matter for the Minister, the Cabinet and the board of the children's hospital. Senator Andrews wished the Dublin hurlers well. It was a great game. Any time the underdog wins, I always appreciate it. I wish the team well in its endeavours in the next match. I also wish Cork and Kilkenny well. That covers all the teams that were mentioned here today. I wish them all well. The Senator also raised the issue of the IRFU becoming a landlord. I saw media reports but have not delved into it. I am not sure the Minister for sport would have a direct involvement but the Senator could put down a Commencement matter and see if it would be an issue. I am not sure if they are renting to players or who they are renting some of their properties to.”
“This matter was the subject of Private Members' business a number of weeks ago. It is clearly an area to which an SME test needs to be applied. I am sure those in Cabinet are conscious of that. Senator Boyhan raised the issue of the national children's hospital. I am not aware of what has gone to Cabinet. I have seen reports in the media. What has been suggested as a name for the hospital is "the National Children's Hospital Ireland", which encompasses its national ethos, that it is a children's hospital and that it is in this country. Like any hospital, we want to attract the best people to it. Having a name that reflects what the hospital does is hugely important. Dr.”