I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan.

I offer my condolences to the Minister of State on his sad loss. It is a testament to him that he is back here so soon after such a difficult loss. My sympathies are with him.

I raise an issue relating to the tenant in situ scheme, which is a very good scheme that helps people in the challenging circumstance of facing eviction. Currently, when people are in receipt of HAP or RAS, local authorities are enabled to purchase the property when the eviction notice is given to the tenant. Unfortunately, any rent supplement paid to the household renter is not taken into account and is not a factor for the tenant in situ scheme. This means the local authority cannot purchase the property because they have not been empowered by the Department of housing to do so, even though the renter is receiving rent supplement support from a social welfare office.

This issue was raised with me by Councillor Donna Sheridan in Castlebar. She is currently dealing with a situation where the local authority wants to purchase a house that meets all the scheme criteria. The person renting the house is in receipt of rent supplement from the social welfare office. Unfortunately, bureaucracy is denying the local authority the ability to purchase the property.

People who receive rent supplement are often victims of domestic violence and abuse and have been relocated. They are being penalised and are suffering a negative impact under this policy. Will the Minister of State consider expanding the scheme to include those in receipt of rent supplement? This is a pressing matter. Given the current housing challenges, many people are under pressure. In the instance I mentioned, the local authority wants to help but cannot do so because of the current criteria. I would really welcome the Minister of State's consideration of this issue. I look forward to his response.

I thank the Deputy for his kind words. I welcome the schoolchildren in the Gallery. I am not sure where they are from but they are welcome to the Seanad Chamber. I hope they are enjoying the day.

I appreciate the opportunity to respond to the very serious matter Senator Duffy has raised. The tenant in situ scheme has benefited people in Mayo and the Senator has represented many constituents in that regard. It has been a very good solution in terms of people avoiding homelessness. We are continuing the scheme but, obviously, the real solution to avoid homelessness and ensure secure tenure is increasing housing supply. That is the number one goal one of the Government. However, the tenant in situ scheme is a very effective scheme and it is continuing. It is important to make that point.

Unfortunately, it does not apply to short-term rent supplements. That will continue to be the case but there is another scheme, the cost-rental tenant in situ scheme, that applies for those in tenancies who have received an eviction notice but are not within the parameters or the income limits for social housing or the housing assistance payment. That is important to say. I will outline that here.

The Department is providing €325 million in 2025 for local authorities to buy second-hand properties, with a particular focus on the tenant in situ, where tenants in receipt of social housing support, such as the housing assistance payment or the rental accommodation scheme, had received a notice of termination. While the clear focus of the Government must remain on increasing the supply of new-build social and affordable homes, a targeted social housing acquisition programme has been, and will continue to be, an important policy response to priority needs.

The social housing acquisitions circular that recently issued to local authorities sets out the revised arrangements for second-hand social housing acquisitions in 2025. Under the revised arrangements for second-hand acquisitions in 2025, local authorities will receive a capital funding allocation for the acquisition of homes for the following priority categories: tenant in situ; elderly and disabled persons; exits from homelessness; and buy-and-renew acquisitions that tackle vacancy. Despite some coverage to the contrary, the eligibility criteria for tenant in situ acquisitions in 2025 is not overly restrictive. It is largely the same as the guidance issued in June 2024 and not substantially different from what was required in 2023.

We have asked local authorities, as we did in previous years, to ensure that they are responding to a valid notice of termination where there is a real risk of homelessness, and to examine all options for the ongoing accommodation of the household before progressing, as a last resort, with an acquisition. We have also asked that local authorities give priority to families with children, older persons or people with a disability who are at serious risk of homelessness. However, prioritising households should not be interpreted as excluding any household and the final decision regarding each individual acquisition rests, as it should, with the local authority.

The tenant in situ acquisitions programme was introduced by way of Government decision in 2023. The programme for Government commits to continuing to have tenant in situ acquisitions as an option for local authorities. The eligibility criteria do not extend to short-term or temporary income support measures such as rent supplement. Where an individual or a household has a long-term housing need, they can apply to the local authority for social housing support, which may include the housing assistance payment. This would, therefore, render them ineligible for the tenant in situ scheme.

The option of the cost-rental tenant in situ scheme, which I mentioned, should also be explored by any affected households. The scheme, which was also introduced in 2023, is targeted at tenants in private rental homes who are not in receipt of social housing supports but are at risk of homelessness because a landlord has served a valid notice of termination due to an intention to sell the property. The local authority conducts the initial assessment for eligibility of the tenant for this scheme and refers potential cases to the Housing Agency, which is responsible for administering and managing the scheme on behalf of the Department. That cost-rental tenant in situ option is there. I can elaborate a bit more in my response later.

I thank the Minister of State for outlining the detailed feedback. The person affected in this example is in receipt of the rent supplement payment. She meets the criteria for HAP and RAS but she is not in receipt of them now. Will she be negatively impacted by, say, the minimum of two years that is required for her to avail of the tenant in situ scheme, or does the Minister of State think the cost-rental ability he outlined will give enough flexibility, considering that this is a difficult situation where the tenant is due to be evicted and that there are many examples of people being affected by domestic violence? Does the Minister of State see and believe that there is, generally, enough flexibility for the local authority? I know he cannot give case-specific replies but generally, is there enough flexibility to allow the local authority to purchase the house to keep a roof over the head of someone in a vulnerable situation like this?

I thank Senator Duffy. The Department obviously cannot get into the nitty-gritty of individual cases but from what he has described, the cost-rental tenant in situ scheme is the option in situations like these. Where someone is not in receipt of HAP or is not approved for social housing, the regular tenant in situ scheme does not allow for the local authority to purchase that house but the option is there for approved housing bodies. It is a less popular and less well-known scheme but where someone fits outside that income limit, that is the scheme for them, as long as the landlord is in a position to sell and is willing to sell, and as long as the approved housing body fitd all the criteria. For me, in those situations, that is the appropriate scheme. The income levels are different. There are limits under that scheme with regard to the level of income someone earns but certainly, that seems to me to be the appropriate scheme. I appreciate the frustration and the Senator's concern for that particular case, but that option is there and I would urge them to explore that.

I welcome the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Heydon, to the Chamber, and thank him for his time.

The Minister is welcome. Before I kick off, I wish him and his colleagues in Bord Bia every success this week for Bloom. I was out there the other day having a look, and tomorrow they kick off with that. I thank the Minister for his collaboration with Bord Bia and hope it will be a fantastic and successful event.

Today, I am speaking on and pursuing a call by the IFA president, Mr. Francie Gorman, who has called for the Minister to grant additional powers to the Agri-Food Regulator. The IFA says these powers are needed so that the Agri-Food Regulator can compel businesses in the agri-food supply chain to provide price and marketing information when requested. The office of the Agri-Food Regulator, as the Minister knows, has overall responsibility for the enforcement of the unfair trading practices, UTP, directive. The regulator also has an important role to play with regard to analysing the market, the data and the price transparency regime.

The IFA is calling on the Minister to grant the regulator additional powers, and it makes a very strong case. The Minister will be aware of a recent press release it issued where it said this is essential to beef up the powers and functions of the regulator and to deal with issues around compliance with the regulator. The IFA says it is aware of a number of large retailers that did not provide information to the Agri-Food Regulator when asked. I am aware of some of those suggested people who did not involve themselves but it is not appropriate for me to put that on the floor of the House because due process must prevail. The Minister will appreciate that himself.

The Minister and his Department are aware of the IFA's assertions. They are serious and critical. We must instil transparency and confidence in the regulator, as was envisaged in the legislation. It is important that they be investigated. The regulator should be in a position to produce - the Minister will agree with this, as it was the backbone of the legislation - the price and market reports of the sector with respect to the food supply chain.

I ask the Minister to comment on the additional powers. The food regulator must carry out its functions. There must be reliable and verifiable sources of information it can stand over, so data is critical with regard to analysing the supply chain and the engagement and collaboration of all sides. The point about all sides is important. I know IBEC has concerns, and we must look at the concerns of everyone in the sector, but the regulator is also required to publish the regulatory analysis and the reports, as I said. That is important. Transparency is important throughout the food chain.

The Minister will often come across the suggestion of over-regulatory burden. It is a phrase that is used a lot. I am not in the business of over-regulation but if the food regulator is to carry out its functions it must have the right to compel all information that is accurate and verifiable. That is the request. The Minister will have had time to consider it - he may need more time to consider it - but the IFA has made a call and expressed concerns. We need to examine them because everybody must benefit from the legislation in terms of the regulator. It is about confidence in the sector, but it is about fairness too. It is about accuracy and due process. We must take on board IBEC's concerns but we must also respond to what is a call now by the IFA and others to give additional regulatory powers to the regulator. Ultimately that is a matter for the Minister. He may decide to bring in amendments to legislation or to introduce primary legislation. I would be interested to hear his view on that.

I thank the Senator for raising this important matter. I will pass on his good wishes to Bord Bia. I look forward to meeting him at Bloom on Thursday evening and to the fantastic bank holiday ahead. A huge number of people have put an awful lot of work in there. It is a great opportunity for us to showcase the best in our food and horticulture sector and beyond. It is something that people take great pride in and put huge work into. It will be a positive weekend. I encourage everyone to go along to Bloom this weekend.

As the Senator is aware from his involvement in the pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill that established Ireland’s first independent Agri-Food Regulator, the regulator performs two key functions. It enforces the law on unfair trading practices, UTP, and it performs a price and market analysis and reporting function. It is that second function we are discussing today. Section 12 of the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Act 2023 requires the regulator to publish analysis of information about price and market data relating to the agricultural and food supply chain. Currently, in respect of that function, the Act provides that the regulator may "seek from businesses ... any data impacting upon price and margins considered necessary". Such data sought by the regulator includes but is not limited to the items listed in the legislation. I wish to emphasise that this price and market function is separate and distinct from the regulator’s function to enforce the law on UTP. The regulator has extensive powers to obtain data from businesses in the course of UTP investigations. It is appropriate to mention at this juncture that the regulator has already had a successful prosecution for a UTP breach.

On the price and market analysis function, over the last year the regulator has published welcome analysis on two sectors: the egg and horticulture sectors. Such reports are important to assist food suppliers in their decision-making. While there has been much positive engagement with the regulator from operators who have responded to requests for data, there were a few operators who did not provide the requested data. The two reports were as a result published using publicly available data. In light of its experience concerning those reports, the regulator has reported to me that it requires enhanced powers to compel businesses to provide financial information that is not in the public domain. The Act does not permit the regulator to compel such data. However, the Act provides that the Minister may make regulations on price and market information. In addition, the programme for Government commits to giving the Agri-Food Regulator enhanced powers to ensure transparency in the food supply chain with regard to providing market information.

I am fully committed to ensuring that the regulator is equipped with the necessary powers to fulfil its statutory function, subject to the legislative and consultative process. I need to ensure that the powers granted are proportionate. My Department and I are in discussions with the Agri-Food Regulator and other key stakeholders to see how this can be achieved. As part of that process, it is appropriate for me to consider relevant factors before making any such regulations. In particular, I must have regard for the SME test, which is also a programme for Government commitment relating to legislation. I am aware that there is a concern in the business sector. I have met with IBEC and business representatives and heard their concern that compelling Irish agrifood businesses to provide financial data may give rise to competitive advantages for businesses in other EU member states. This is because it may go beyond the current EU requirements. The regulator has advised me that it is fully aware of its responsibilities on protecting information that may be commercially sensitive.

My Department is committed to working with the regulator and stakeholders on this matter. Pending the finalisation of the legislative and consultative process, it remains open to the regulator to seek financial data from businesses and to publish reports on the price and market. I hope the Senator takes on board from the broad response I have given that this is something I am taking seriously. We did not set up the Agri-Food Regulator in order for it not to be able to do its job. We would not be in this position if everybody had provided the information they were required to provide. At the same time, we want to make sure that any intervention or statutory instrument I may bring forward will be proportionate and take due account. The regulator is very much aware of its responsibilities in handling such sensitive information.

Before I bring the Senator back in, I welcome students from Shellybanks Educate Together National School in Sandymount to the Visitors Gallery. They are very welcome. They are here in the Seanad for Commencement Matters. This is where Senators get to pose in-depth and detailed questions to Ministers. Ministers provide longer than usual detailed answers. The Minister, Deputy Heydon, has just provided an answer to Senator Boyhan and the Senator is going to respond.

I also welcome the students from Shellybanks. I know some of the students in the school. It is an amazing school. Well done to all involved in it.

I thank the Minister. He has given a robust response. He has clearly demonstrated that he is listening to the IFA and others. He referenced the engagement with all stakeholders and that is important. Due process must prevail in all these things. He flagged a possible statutory instrument, which is in his remit and function, or additional legislation or amending legislation. In principle, I am going away with the understanding that we need enhanced powers to ensure transparency in the food supply chain. That is necessary. I have no doubt that the Minister is on top of the situation. It is important that we demonstrate our absolute commitment to the role and function of the Agri-Food Regulator as envisaged in the legislation. I thank the Minister for taking time out of his busy schedule to be with us.

I thank the Senator again. On his last point, I take my responsibility to both Houses very importantly. I always try to answer the Commencement matters or Topical Issue matters that are put to me or my colleagues within the Department. It is important and I thank the Senator for acknowledging that.

This is novel legislation that would place an onus on business to supply financial data that goes beyond that which is required across the EU. It is not an insignificant ask. I want to ensure that any proposed additional powers are subject to an appropriative legislative process and do not give rise to any unintended consequences. It is our responsibility in both Houses to make sure that we look out for unintended consequences and that when we are trying to fix one problem, we do not create another. We do not want to put an extra burden on business but the Agri-Food Regulator was set up for an important reason. There was a need for it. I wish to repeat that I am fully committed to ensuring the regulator is equipped with the necessary powers to fulfil its statutory function, subject to the legislative and consultative processes. I cannot be any clearer on that. I hope to see clear progress in the near future. As I previously mentioned, this was a commitment in the programme for Government so it should not be a surprise to anybody.

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, to the Chamber. I thank her for her time.

The Minister of State is most welcome to the House. I rise on behalf of myself, the Coeliac Society of Ireland and Councillor Brian O'Donoghue of Carlow County Council. This matter relates to people who suffer both with coeliac disease and with gluten intolerance. The estimates in Ireland now are that approximately one in 100 people - approximately 45,000 people - suffer with coeliac disease, with an estimated 500,000 people being gluten intolerant. The significance is that people find themselves unable to consume and eat wheat, barley and rye. We can imagine all the food that is produced with wheat flour, to which people who are coeliac disease are allergic - wheat flour is commonly used to thicken up and in ingredients in cooking - and therefore we understand that they can find themselves with symptoms which are most commonly like food poisoning. Unfortunately, over time this culminates in significant medical distress. Ultimately, some coeliacs find themselves having anaemia, osteoporosis and other complications.

Ireland does not have a screening programme. If people find they are having a reaction to wheat flour, they go to their GP, who performs blood tests, and ultimately they are diagnosed as being gluten intolerant or as a coeliac. Perhaps they might need a scope and further examination thereafter.

Several countries have introduced coeliac screening for children who are under the age of 18. For example, the home of pizza and pasta, Italy, introduced this screening programme in 2023. It found that approximately one in 60 people in Italy, or 1.65% of children who were tested through simple blood tests, were found to have coeliac disease. What is interesting about this is that 60% of those children were undiagnosed prior to screening. I support the calls from the Coeliac Society of Ireland to introduce this measure into Ireland. It is important, as the disease and the significant impact it has on individual people's lives gets better known, that there is an opportunity to screen people with a simple blood test so they can get the treatment and diagnosis that they require in advance. I am interested in hearing the Minister of State's feedback.

I thank Senator Byrne for giving me the opportunity to update the House on this important matter. I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. The Minister for Health and I are dedicated to enhancing Ireland’s population screening programmes, which play a crucial role in our health services by facilitating early treatment and care for many people, thereby promoting the overall health of our community. In this regard, I highlight that any proposed changes to Ireland's screening programmes will be facilitated through established evidence-driven protocols.

The national screening advisory committee, NSAC, is the independent expert group which considers any proposed changes to screening programmes. It assesses the evidence robustly and transparently against internationally accepted criteria before making recommendations to the Minister for Health. The NSAC processes ensure that recommendations are based on solid evidence, which is crucial to maintaining rigorous processes for effective, quality-assured and safe screening programme standards. I must emphasise that any changes to Ireland's screening programmes will always be based on the available evidence and that the benefits of such a change should outweigh the potential harms.

The NSAC received a proposal for the introduction of a national screening programme for coeliac disease in children through its 2023-2024 call for submissions. This proposal was carefully considered at an NSAC meeting in June 2024. On the basis of the information provided in the submission, the committee decided that the proposal did not sufficiently satisfy its requirements for referral to the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, for a full evidence review, also known as a health technology assessment. The Coeliac Society of Ireland requested an appeal of this decision and provided additional information. However, after reviewing the additional information provided, the committee determined that its original decision would be maintained. In explaining the rationale for its decision, the committee noted that there is currently a lack of sufficient evidence to demonstrate additional benefits to the population. The committee also pointed to existing HSE guidelines and established clinical pathways for the early identification of symptoms associated with the condition.

I remind the Chamber that the benefits and harms of introducing a screening programme need to be balanced and must align with the internationally recognised Wilson and Jungner criteria for screening. It may be of interest to note that NSAC holds annual calls for submissions, which invite proposals from all stakeholders and organisations, including members of the public, HSE and other medical professionals, for the introduction of new screening programmes or changes to existing programmes. This Commencement matter is well timed, given that the 2025 call for submissions is due to launch shortly. I invite the Coeliac Society of Ireland to submit an updated application, should it feel that significant new evidence has emerged that would warrant reconsideration by the NSAC. Information on how to make a submission will be available on the NSAC website. I thank the Senator for raising this issue and I will raise it with the Minister for Health.

I thank the Minister of State for her reply. I am aware that the Coeliac Society of Ireland will be making a submission to that group, looking for this. By way of follow-up, perhaps there is an opportunity here for a pilot programme to look at this in a targeted area and gather more evidence. I have seen first-hand the benefits to individual people who have coeliac disease and are then diagnosed, get treatment and go on a gluten-free diet. I ask that the Department of Health support the Coeliac Society of Ireland's call for a pilot programme when it makes that submission as part of the 2025 call for submissions. I ask that the Department of Health continue to engage with the Coeliac Society of Ireland on this issue. I know it is an important issue for the approximately 500,000 people in the country who are affected.

I thank Senator Byrne. I will relay that to the Minister for Health. I have no doubt that engagement will continue with the Coeliac Society of Ireland. I reiterate that the NSAC is an independent expert group which makes recommendations to the Minister for Health. It is chaired by Dr. Suzanne Crowe. There is a wide range of expertise on that board. It ensures a rigorous and expert-driven approach for considerations on Ireland's screening policy. To date, six recommendations have been made to the Minister for Health by that committee. Regarding the current NSAC priorities, HIQA is focused on the conclusion of two health technology assessment processes based on requests from the committee to consider the evidence for a proposed age range expansion to the bowel screening programme and the potential development of a screening programme for abdominal aortic aneurysm. Should the Coeliac Society of Ireland feel that there is additional evidence that would justify the NSAC reconsidering its proposal for the establishment of a screening programme for coeliac disease, I would encourage it to submit it, as the Senator said it will do, to the upcoming NSAC call for submissions. I conclude by emphasising that screening is for people without symptoms and if anyone becomes aware or has concerns or worries, they should contact a medical professional, who will arrange appropriate follow-up care.

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, for coming to the House to take this Commencement matter on the urgent need for the development of a comprehensive national genomic and genetic testing service which is publicly governed, clinically robust and capable of delivering timely and advanced diagnostics in areas such as oncology, rare diseases and inherited conditions.

We are at a critical juncture in Irish healthcare. The advances in personalised medicine, early detection and preventative care increasingly rely on genomic data, but Ireland, despite its world-class clinicians and ambitions in the life sciences sector, remains alarmingly behind when it comes to the local laboratory infrastructure. There is a deficit of suitably qualified people and facilities which are necessary to provide clinical genetic testing within our own public health system. At present, the majority of clinical genetic tests, including those for cancer and rare conditions, are sent abroad to laboratories in the UK, the US and across Europe. Concerns have been expressed that this is not just inefficient but risky. There are significant implications for patient safety, sample integrity, data privacy and health equity. Moreover, many public hospitals lack the accreditation and technological infrastructure to offer comprehensive genetic testing at scale. This results in long delays and inconsistent access, neither of which serve the interests of patients or clinicians.

While the establishment of the national genetics and genomics office was a welcome step, it must now be matched with real investment and action. We need a physical, nationally co-ordinated service that is resourced to deliver testing within Ireland to the highest clinical and ethical standards. One critical milestone in this regard was the anticipated appointment of an interim host for the national genomic processing service, which was due to take place by March of this year. That milestone has now been missed. When will this happen? Without clarity on timelines, we risk further delays to what is already an overdue reform.

It is important to ensure that the design and roll-out of any national genomics service align with the principles of open competition and accessibility, allowing both public and commercial laboratories that meet appropriate clinical standards to participate. This approach not only supports value for money but also ensures equal access by all suitably accredited providers, helping to build a resilient and scalable testing infrastructure.

Patients and clinicians are waiting in the public system. Genetics counsellors are overstretched. Meanwhile, demand for genetic testing continues to rise, driven by developments in cancer care, prenatal screening and the growing understanding of rare conditions. This demand will only increase as we are in transition towards a model of care centred on early intervention and prevention. We have a moment here to act decisively to put in place a system that ensures equality of access to high-quality genomic testing for patients across the country. This requires full deployment of the service offering in accredited laboratories, public or commercial.

Will the Minister of State please update the House on the status of the national genomic processing service, tell us when a host for the national genomic processing service will be appointed and set out the Government's intentions for ensuring the deployment of appropriate accredited commercial laboratory services in Ireland in order to build this critical healthcare infrastructure capacity without further delay? This is not just a question of efficiency or modernisation; it is a test of our commitment to providing world-class detection, treatment and care for every patient in a timely and effective manner.

I thank Senator Murphy O'Mahony for facilitating this opportunity to discuss this issue. I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. I assure the Senator that developing a comprehensive national genetic and genomic testing service in Ireland is a key commitment for both the Department of Health and the HSE.

Despite having excellent personnel on the ground, our services face significant challenges across the system, whether that be waiting times to access specialist clinical genetics services or the need to send tests abroad to meet demand.

In 2022, the national strategy for accelerating genetic and genomic medicine was developed. Subsequently, the HSE established the national genetics and genomics office, NGGO, in 2023 to implement the national strategy. The NGGO is looking to address the challenges identified but, more widely, is responsible for co-ordinating a national approach to genetics and genomics. This includes supporting the development of a skilled genetic and genomic workforce, enhancing clinical services for patients and families and strengthening laboratory and data infrastructure to drive advances in genetic and genomic medicine services across the country.

The NGGO is making significant progress in the following key areas that will help underpin the development of a transformed and robust national genomic and genetic testing service. The development of a bioinformatics and genetic data infrastructure roadmap will be key towards informing how we deliver a national centre of excellence for genetic testing as envisaged by our national strategy. Establishing national infrastructure will be key to managing complex digital data arising from genetic testing and securing our patients' data nationally, which will also aid our international research partnerships, such as the 1+ Million Genomes project. There is the development of a national genomic test directory, promoting evidence-based, equitable and timely access to genetic and genomic tests. The first step in this journey was delivered earlier this year with the launch of a test directory for rare diseases. This directory will help guide clinicians to select the appropriate test for patients' clinical indications, reducing unnecessary testing and burden on the system. The test directory is under continuous development, and its next iteration is due in quarter 4 of this year, with further conditions being added over time. Development of an interim national genomic processing service, NGPS, later this year will provide business intelligence to enable national laboratory demand forecasting. Arrangements to finalise the location of the NGPS are under way, and the NGGO aims to have this service in place and running during quarter 4 of this year. Development of a communications plan for ongoing patient and public involvement, PPI, and stakeholder engagement and commencement of work for a strategic workforce plan for the genomic medicine service will add much-needed capacity to our genomics workforce.

All of the above will support our programme for Government 2025 objective of securing Ireland's future by combining a clinical and diagnostic service with a national genome database and making that data available for research leading to innovation and improvements in patient care. In doing so we will continue to take steps to ensure alignment with the HSE's Digital Health Strategic Implementation Roadmap and European health data space requirements; the Department of Health and the HSE's national cancer strategy up to 2026 and the laboratory services reform programme's outline strategic plan 2026-35; and the national rare disease strategy 2025-30.

Each advance made towards strategy implementation will improve the experience of patients and their families and builds on a firm commitment to ensure that patients benefit from the emerging science of genomics. I thank the Senator again for providing me the opportunity to speak here today.

I thank the Minister of State for the update. She will agree that it is a case of "a lot done, a lot more to do". I ask her to keep the House informed as we approach those deadlines and I thank her for her commitment.

I will raise this issue again with the Minister for Health and tell her that this House would like to be updated on progress. Again, I reassure the Senator that the Department of Health is fully committed to supporting the NGGO as it works to implement the national strategy for accelerating genetic and genomic medicine. It is important to note that a transformation of the genetic and genomic medicine landscape in Ireland is a complex challenge but one we are facing head-on. Thanks to the NGGO's work to date, we have captured the scale of the problem and are now taking the steps to expand the system towards a robust, future-proofed genetic and genomics service that suits the needs of our growing population. The Department of Health, in collaboration with the HSE's NGGO, will continue to work with patient advocates and other stakeholders in the public and private sectors to transform the vision of a robust and future-proofed genetic and genomic medicine service and make sure that it becomes a reality.

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, to the House.

I thank the Cathaoirleach's office for choosing this Commencement debate. The Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, is welcome. I am delighted to see a Minister of State actually from the Department of education taking an education Commencement debate.

I am here to raise the plans for a new school for Scoil Chaitríona junior and senior school in Renmore. I previously raised a similar Commencement matter in, I would say, 2020 and the then Minister, Norma Foley, attended and replied on behalf of the Department. Since then, progress has been made. The Taoiseach at the time and now Taoiseach again, Micheál Martin, went down to Renmore with the Minister, Deputy Foley, back in November 2021 to visit Scoil Chaitríona and to announce a large-scale school building project and the advancement of same under the ADAPT programme. I certainly welcomed that, but that was, as I said, in November 2021, and the school is still awaiting confirmation of progress for its much-needed school building.

Scoil Chaitríona is divided into a junior and a senior school, with nearly 400 pupils in each school. The building is nearly 50 years old and is showing signs of wear and tear like any school building of that age. Indeed, there was a collapse in one of the roofs of the building last year, which obviously impacted on the school. The school has a committed principal, staff and board of management who have advocated for the school for years, and there have been plans for a new school building for over 30 years.

I have engaged with my colleague, Councillor Shane Forde, who is a hard-working councillor in the community and is originally from the area. A number of suggestions for a decant or temporary accommodation have been put forward by the school. One of the sites is opposite the Kingfisher in Renmore. Another is the old Corrib Great Southern Hotel site, and another is the building previously owned by Eircom on the old Monivea Road. These sites have been put forward but no one from the Department has come to examine them and look at the possibility, feasibility or practicality of whether these sites would be suitable for a temporary school building while a new school is being built on the existing site. That is the crux of the matter.

Progress has been made. In 2022 there was a further step in respect of a project manager being appointed. In June 2022 the Minister announced the tender process to appoint a project manager had been completed and that the first step for the project manager would be the tender competition for the appointment of a design team for a number of school building projects. Those projects were to include junior and senior schools for Scoil Chaitríona. The Minister stated the Department would shortly advise school authorities of further developments in respect of these appointments. That was in June 2022, under the ADAPT programme.

The school is in limbo. There is good news on one hand, in that redevelopment of the existing school is on the ADAPT plan, but before that can happen a temporary site for the school to move to in the interim must be found. Is there any update from the Department on the identification of that site? Will a representative of the Department visit the school to look at the options it is proposing, including the Corrib Great Southern Hotel and the old Eircom building?

I thank Senator Kyne for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to the Seanad the current position regarding the major building project for Scoil Chaitríona junior and senior schools in Renmore, Galway city. This project is included in the Department of Education and Youth construction programme, which will be delivered under the national development plan, NDP, as part of the Project Ireland 2040 framework. The major building project for Scoil Chaitríona junior and senior schools will be delivered under the Department's accelerated delivery of architectural planning and tendering, ADAPT, programme. The ADAPT programme uses professional external project managers to co-ordinate and drive the design team to achieve the best possible timeframe for the projects through the stages of architectural planning, to tender and construction.

The brief for the joint major project for Scoil Chaitríona includes the demolition of the existing school buildings and the development of two new replacement 24-classroom schools, plus classrooms for pupils with special educational needs, at the current site in Renmore. The stage 1 site assessment and proposed design options are currently under review by the design team and a revised report is anticipated to be submitted to the Department for consideration at the end of quarter 2 of 2025. The design team is also conducting a review of all decant options within the red-line boundary of the current school and is preparing to submit its revised report to the Department for consideration. The design team and Department officials will advise the school authorities of further developments in respect of these decant options and the progression of the stage 1 review.

It is important to reflect on what the Senator has suggested regarding sites and the visits with the Department and the design team. I will liaise with the Department and take his concerns back to it. This is a major piece of infrastructure for the education system in Galway city. It is a significant development and I understand the Senator has been interested in it for a long time. I will take the issues back and ensure there is adequate correspondence and visits between the Department, the design team and the school authorities to move the project forward.

I thank the Minister of State for his reply and for offering to take this back to the Department. The Minister of State mentioned a further review of all decant options within the red-line boundary of the current school. Perhaps the Department is looking at facilitating the existing pupils within the existing site boundary. I am not sure whether that is feasible but, if the design team feels it is, that is progress and a solution. However, the school must be kept abreast of those developments as it is in limbo. There is good news and progress and a design team has been appointed, but there is concern regarding where the decant or temporary relocation will take place to allow for progress on the badly-needed new school building. I thank the Minister of State for his attendance today on behalf of the Department and for offering to take this further within the Department.

I thank the Senator. As I understand it, they are looking at the decant option within the existing site, if that can be achieved. That is one of the options. The Senator has outlined a number of other options available within the greater Renmore area and I will reflect those back to the planning and building unit. This is a major piece of infrastructure and it is important that Scoil Chaitríona junior and senior school projects move forward. A lot of work and discussion has gone into bringing it this far; it is important we get it moving and to construction. I will take the issues raised back to the Department but, from what I understand, the Department is looking a decant option within the site. If that is feasible, it would be the preferred option. If it is not doable, we will have to look at the alternative sites proposed by the Senator. I will ensure we liaise with him and the school authorities as soon as possible to make sure this project is moving forward.

The Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, is welcome back to the House.

I highlight a deeply concerning gap in supports for children with disabilities, particularly around the availability of summer services and structured activities during school holidays. I am not speaking about July provision or anything within schools. In recent years, Enable Ireland and other service providers secured places within private summer camps to enable children with special and additional needs to join and have a chance to attend. These are not just social outings; they are crucial developmental and support-based spaces for children and their families.

This year, I was contacted by two families in Kilmallock, County Limerick, and inquired on their behalf. Unfortunately, there are no places because Enable Ireland does not have sufficient staffing numbers to send staff to these private summer camps and, as a result, the safeguards necessary for these children to attend would not be in place. These two families are distraught. Not only would they have had to travel all the way to UL in Limerick city to access these summer camps, as there are no services in the county, they now do not even have that option. These children's option to have the same access as their peers and experience the same summer as their peers is being taken away. It is not an affordability issue anymore. Some families may not be able to afford to send their children to summer camp but, for these families, regardless how much money they have, they do not have the option for their children to have the same experience as their peers during the summer. Some of these children are of secondary school age and might not suit all summer camps. As we know, just because children with additional needs and disabilities turn 13, that does not mean their disability or need is gone.

They still have the same needs and disabilities and they would still like to enjoy the different activities that the mainstream students have on offer. They have an offer of multiple camps on multiple weeks throughout the summer, whereas these children would have had that one week in a private camp which now, due to lack of staffing through Enable Ireland and other service providers, will not be an option. I ask the Minister of State to look at services in the county, not just city based, and outside of July provision and the mainstream services that go hand-in-hand with the school. Is there an initiative we are looking at for these children to have what their peers are getting in order for them to feel like they are getting the same experiences?

I thank Senator Collins for raising this important issue and for offering me the opportunity to respond.

Summer services, such as summer camps, fall under the bracket of what we term "alternative respite". We often forget that respite can take many forms, such as overnights in a respite facility or another person’s home, additional support during the regular day such as afterschool or holiday programmes, or in-home support. As Minister for State with responsibility for disability, I know the importance of providing respite for people with disabilities and their families. For a disabled person, respite can be an opportunity to take part in afterschool or weekend activities with their peers, while for some carers the focus is on getting some much-needed help and relief in caring for a loved one.

I take this opportunity to stress that provision of respite is a key priority area, both for me and the HSE, and the benefits of proper respite supports cannot be overstated. Respite services can play a crucial role in delaying or preventing moves into full-time residential placements and can be a very important factor in preventing carer burnout and family breakdowns. There has been significant focus on respite provision in recent years, and additional funding to expand respite services has been provided in successive budgets. Between 2021 and 2024, €35.7 million in new development funding was provided to respite. This has resulted in the provision of tens of thousands of new respite sessions. Summer camps, along with afterschool respite services, Saturday clubs and other community-based respite support activities, are recorded as day-only respite. From 2021 to 2024, day-only sessions increased nearly 400%, from 16,306 to 65,151.

In the national service plan for 2025, additional funding has been provided to increase the occupancy of existing respite capacity, where feasible, and alternative respite provision, including in-home respite support hours and group-based targeted measures such as summer camps and evening provision.

Ensuring that the disability sector is fully resourced is a key priority for the Government, which has been reflected in the programme for Government. While additional funding has been provided over successive budgets, it should be noted that the HSE is operating in a very competitive global market for healthcare talent, as the Senator is aware. There are significant shortages of qualified healthcare professionals across the globe. The HSE and the various lead agencies are experiencing ongoing challenges recruiting and retaining staff across a range of disciplines and grades. A dedicated disability workforce strategy will be developed by the HSE in 2025, to meet growing service demands and address recruitment and retention challenges across specialist disability services. To address the high staff vacancy rate during 2025 across all children disability services, the HSE is continuing to carry out sustained workforce recruitment and retention initiatives which include intensive recruitment efforts across the HSE, section 38 and section 39 organisations to onboard staff into vacant jobs. It has also broadened access to the HSE CareerHub portal, and has had active and sustained engagement with the employment market and students to improve the perception of and interest in working in children’s disability network teams, CDNTs, boosted by an increase in clinical placements in CDNTs and the development of pipeline initiatives to map relevant applicant pools directly into CDNT jobs.

To address resourcing challenges, the HSE resourcing strategy, Resourcing our Future, was launched in May 2023 to ensure a sufficient domestic supply of healthcare staff. That strategy is being implemented to maximise the resourcing and delivery of publicly funded health services for the future. We are doing recruitment drives internationally as well, to try to attract more staff into the services as well as into higher education, meaning putting them through our universities.

That all sounds amazing. The funding is desperately needed. I get the staffing issue. Would there be a way to alleviate that issue through special needs assistants that are qualifying and need to do a placement? Would it be an option to try to get their placement as a summer camp? Similarly, special education teachers who are qualified and vetted need to do some training or placement. Could we look at giving something like that to this service so they are not just going into a classroom and are not just doing their placement and ticking a box, but are actually bringing another service into the system whereby they are supplying a summer camp for these children? That would mean they would be getting their placement and the children would be getting a benefit from it outside of school. It is something that we were thinking could be looked at to kill two birds with one stone.

I thank the Senator. To be quite frank, my door is open to all suggestions. When I was in education, many of the problems around the summer programme within the schools related to teacher burnout or people needing a break. We were looking at therapists or student teachers, for example, coming into the school setting and being able to provide the service if the school staff are not available. If the Senator has any suggestions, I ask her to please relay them. The big elephant in the room is the shortage of supply of staff. We need to be innovative in how we do that and make sure the safeguards are there and the expertise is there. That is at the heart of what we want to provide. We are increasing the funding. We have bursaries and we have incentives for people to work within the disability service. There is outreach to secondary schools for raising awareness about the importance and value of working within the disability sector and incentivising people to work and to retain staff within our CDNTs. Any suggestions are welcome.

The minimum wage was established just over a quarter of a century ago, in April 2000, two years before the first euro notes and coins were circulated in Ireland. Just like the euro, the minimum wage has become an accepted and crucial element of our economy. At the time of its introduction, no political party represented in the Oireachtas opposed it. It was recognised as an essential tool in the ongoing battle against social exclusion. It is hard to recall those times now, but 25 years ago in Ireland the wages for the lowest paid workers were firmly on the floor. Throughout the eighties the gap between the 10% lowest and 10% highest paid workers was greater in Ireland than in any other European country. Despite the birth of the Celtic tiger, the same trend continued into the nineties and a consensus developed that wages needed to increase. Higher wages did not cause the recessions of the 1980s, they did not cause the 2008 crash, and they did not cause the shortage of builders and tradespeople which has meant we now face into the housing catastrophe we have been in for a number of years. Higher wages, despite what some neoliberal thinking might want us to think, certainly does not cause inflation. Better wages do not cause economic turbulence and uncertainty or inflation. On the contrary, if we look at our history, we can see that the times when we enjoyed the most prosperity as a nation were the periods when we deliberately and systematically increased the spending power of the least-well off. This is what the minimum wage does. It raises the boats on all tides. It is often repeated and it is the truth that the people who have the least money spend the most locally, so increasing the wages of those at the bottom of the economic pyramid circulates more money in the local and national economy, driving sustainable community growth and employment. We have seen a roll-back on workers rights with this Government, which is very disappointing. We have seen a roll-back on pensions, on sick pay and on trade union recognition. The most pertinent of all those roll-backs was the move from the minimum wage to the living wage. I am not going to talk about the living wage today. I am going bring attention back to the minimum wage and to the legally binding minimum wage to provide some level of protection to those who need it most. It does not include apprenticeships and interns.

My predecessor in the Labour Party as spokesperson on workers' rights, Deputy Marie Sherlock, introduced a number of Bills during the last Seanad which are currently awaiting Committee Stage, namely, the National Minimum Wage (Inclusion of Apprentices) Bill 2023 and the National Minimum Wage (Payment of Interns) Bill 2022.

These Bills address the patently unfair situation of people, often young people, carrying out exactly the same work as someone else but being paid less than the minimum wage. As we all know, the current minimum wage is €13.50 per hour, but I have seen jobs advertised online for apprentice electricians offering as little as €9 per hour, which is even less than the €9.45 per hour rate for under-18s. I know from working in MSLETB and in training centres that it is very hard to get people to start off on the minimum wage. It is fine that people's wages go up when they are in training programmes, but they may have to give up their current job or even have to move somewhere else, because it is often hard to find someone to take you on as an employe. If you are then being paid minimum wage, it is virtually impossible for many. In the middle of a housing crisis, there is a struggle to get people to take up apprenticeships. Young people want to earn. They want to start working in trades but last year, SOLAS reported that around 20% of apprentices failed to complete their apprenticeships, with sub-minimum rates of pay being given much of the blame. This brings me to the difference between an internship and an apprenticeship. I know this from doing unpaid work experience when I was a student. It is virtually impossible to live. You are double-jobbing trying to do an unpaid internship or work experience while having to do another job at the same time. Any good employer would say it does not have to be done like this. If an employer is willing to take someone on, they should at least be paid the minimum wage.

I thank Senator Cosgrove for raising this issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Peter Burke. The Government is fully committed to supporting workers and to ensuring fair wages for the lowest paid workers in our economy. The national minimum wage increased to €13.50 per hour on 1 January 2025, an increase of over 6%, which is ahead of projected wage growth across the economy. Approximately 195,300 workers directly benefited from this increase.

The Senator highlighted pay for young people. As the current system of youth rates is based on a percentage of the full minimum wage, when the minimum wage increases, these sub-minimum rates also increase, with young people in receipt of these rates seeing a commensurate increase in their wages.

Senator Cosgrove mentioned bogus self-employment. Chapter II of the EU platform work directive tackles the issue of misclassifying persons performing platform work as self-employed. It requires EU countries to set up clear procedures to determine the correct employment status. Work on the transposition of this directive is under way in the Department and will complement existing mechanisms for the determination of the employment status of individuals or groups.

Turning to interns, in March 2024, the European Commission proposed an initiative that includes a proposal for a directive on improving and enforcing working conditions of trainees and combating regular employment relationships disguised as traineeships. The directive includes a common framework of principles and measures to improve and enforce the working conditions of trainees and to combat employment relationships being disguised as traineeships, and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is leading Ireland’s negotiations on the traineeship directive.

It is important to recognise the important role apprenticeships play in many sectors of our economy. Apprenticeship remains a vital pathway, with registrations up 51% since 2019, supporting national priorities like housing and infrastructure. This clearly shows apprenticeship is a valued option by both career seekers and employers. Minimum wage legislation does not apply to the remuneration of apprentices under the Industrial Training Act 1967 or the Labour Services Act 1987. This reflects the significant investment employers make in training, including mentoring and reduced productivity. The Government is committed to ensuring that employers and future workers continue to value apprenticeship and are incentivised to participate in apprenticeship programmes in all sectors of the economy.

I thank the Minister of State for her response. It is great to hear her referring to the EU directive on the minimum wage. I will be continuing to try to bring forward the Bills I mentioned. Particularly in the construction sector at the moment, we need apprentices but it is very difficult for people to work on less than the minimum wage rate. It is true that the sub-minimum rates do increase when the minimum wage rises, but a lot of young people are trying to work and pay rent. I will continue to push this. I thank the Minister of State for her response.

I thank the Senator for raising this issue. I am aware of the importance of advocating for all workers and ensuring that no one worker is overlooked. The Department of enterprise is committed to ensuring that every worker's contribution is recognised and valued. The Department will continue to review the relevant legislation and advocate on behalf of these groups. Work is under way to tackle the issue of bogus self-employment through the platform work directive. The Department will continue to lead Ireland's negotiations on the traineeship directive.

The priority of the apprenticeship system is to ensure that apprenticeships are well equipped to continue to grow and respond to the skills needs of industry, particularly construction as the Senator has mentioned, and to adapt to the challenges facing the workforce from digitisation and climate change. Significant progress has been made towards reaching the 10,000 registrations per year target in the current action plan for apprenticeships, with over 9,300 registrations last year. Substantial work on these matters is under way at national and EU level. I will keep the Senator apprised of the work and developments on the issue.

I thank the Minister of State for taking time to be here. A very impressive, brand-spanking-new IDA advanced technology building, ATB, was completed in Monaghan in 2021 but has been lying idle waiting for an occupier since then. The new 1,400 sq. m building is in the industrial park in Knockaconny, just outside Monaghan town, and has ancillary office space over two floors. ATBs are designed to facilitate a change of function to advanced office buildings if required, and also have 100% capacity expansion, which is very much welcome. IDA Ireland's ATBs offer ready-for-occupation, high-spec, flexible and sustainable property solutions suitable for high-value manufacturing and global businesses services to support the winning of investment from IDA clients. The Monaghan development is part of IDA Ireland's wider regional property programme, the objective of which is to develop property solutions in regional locations across the country in places like Monaghan. As part of the regional property programme, advanced buildings have been constructed, completed and occupied in many other parts of the country, which is very welcome. This initiative is vital in supporting the Border region in particular because in the past, the region has been left behind when it comes to foreign direct investment. This new facility must now help to attract more investment to a county and region that has previously fended for itself.

I am aware that advertisements to potential investors began when the building in Knockaconny was completed towards the end of 2021. The IDA has expressed confidence in attracting new investors but, unfortunately, without success to date. The IDA has said that it is actively marketing this state-of-the-art facility in all of its 24 global offices. This is very welcome. I hope the IDA can find an investor with long-term potential to expand and grow in that location. County Monaghan and the wider Border regions have long exported their children to the capital and further afield, when there were not the types of jobs they needed to get back in their own locality. We hope we can reverse that trend. It is long overdue that there would be some FDI with the potential to attract our young graduates to return in the long term.

Of course, we recognise the finer points of ongoing negotiations and commercial sensitivities. Bearing that in mind, I would be grateful if the Minister of State could give us an update as to where we are in trying to find an occupier for the brand-new building.

I thank Senator Gallagher for raising this issue. I am here on behalf of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Peter Burke. Regional development is a key element of this Government's enterprise policy, as set out in the programme for Government and the White Paper on enterprise. It is a key focus of the work of the Department and its agencies.

Accordingly, regional development is also a priority for the IDA. In that regard, the IDA published its new strategy, Adapt Intelligently: A Strategy for Sustainable Growth and Innovation 2025-29, in February of this year. That strategy aims to attract 1,000 investments over the five years of its currency, with 550 specifically targeted for regional locations outside Dublin. This ambitious target reflects IDA Ireland’s ongoing commitment to support transformation and growth in the regions and was a key metric for the Minister for enterprise, tourism and employment when recommending the strategy to Government.

Currently, IDA Ireland client companies directly employ more than 160,000 people in regional locations across our country, or 55% of total client employment. There are seven IDA-supported companies in Monaghan, employing 258 people out of a total of 31,000 employed across the country. The IDA’s regional property programme ensures the supply of land, buildings and infrastructure in regional locations as required by current and prospective clients of both the IDA and Enterprise Ireland. The programme aims to address market failure by having advanced sites available for prospective investors, although investors themselves take that ultimate decision on where to locate. For both the Department and the IDA, it is crucial that the Border region has a competitive, sustainable property offering to enable the attraction and retention of investment and jobs and the regional property programme seeks to support that objective.

As part of the IDA’s marketing efforts, the IDA emphasises the significant strengths that Monaghan and the Border region have to offer potential investors. A key feature of this offering is the IDA’s new 16,000 sq. ft advanced building solution, ABS, in IDA Monaghan business and technology park, Knockaconny, County Monaghan.

As the Senator will be aware, it is a well-established part of our enterprise policy that the availability of property and infrastructure solutions can be a key differentiator in investment decisions made by companies. In that regard, the provision of property solutions continues to be a key element of the IDA’s marketing of the Border region and the IDA is currently actively and positively engaged with an Enterprise Ireland company in respect of a proposed letting of the Monaghan ABS building. However, the engagement remains subject to contract so I must respect the commercial sensitivities which are at play at present.

I thank the Minister of State for that very positive contribution on this unit that has been vacant for a number of years. Ultimately, the final decision rests with those who wish or do not wish to locate, as the Minister of State said. However, I am very heartened by the response this morning. The fact there are negotiations with a company is very positive and I appreciate there is only so far the Minister of State can go and so much she can say. This is the first breakthrough we have had since 2021, so I will take that as a positive. Hopefully, the negotiations the Minister of State alluded to that are all subject to contract or contract denied will get over the line and find an end user there that will be of huge benefit to the local economy of Monaghan. I am very heartened and thank the Minister of State for her response.

I thank the Senator for raising this issue. I reiterate that the IDA is currently engaged with an Enterprise Ireland company about the proposed letting of the Monaghan ABS building, subject to contract. The Minister is confident that the IDA will do all in its power to bring that to a successful outcome. As the Senator is aware, the ultimate decision as to where a company locates its operations is a matter for the company itself.

A core objective of IDA Ireland is to enable, influence and deliver a competitive property offering which promotes national economic investments, supports willing FDI and the growth and expansion of indigenous clients within the Enterprise Ireland portfolio. The IDA is maintaining momentum on the delivery of its regional property programme across the country. I assure the Senator that the IDA will continue to market Monaghan and the Border region through its overseas offices to target FDI opportunities with corresponding site visits.