We will be bringing forward the Bill and I hope the Deputy will support us when we are bringing it through the Houses of the Oireachtas. I am sure the Deputy will. The Deputy mentioned the Tánaiste. The Tánaiste was answering a direct question, and he answered it. He stated this was a matter for the Garda Commissioner, which it is. What the Tánaiste said was that if the Garda Commissioner requested additional supports or whatever, he would be happy to look at it if the Garda Commissioner looked for more armed garda…

My Department is committed to protecting all communities, especially those most affected by crime, to implementing policies designed to prevent our young people from falling into crime and, where they do, to providing them with a pathway to a better future free from crime. It is important to say Ireland is, for the most part, a very safe place to live. According to the Garda Síochána public attitudes survey results published last week, less than 20% of those surveyed perceived crime in their local area as being a s…

As I say, the Government continues its active priority focus on combating antisocial behaviour. Of course, we appreciate the damaging effect it can have on the quality of life for local communities. A range of commitments are set out in the programme for Government and the Justice Plan 2022. There is included, in 2023, a €5 million increase in the overtime budget for An Garda Síochána to more than €100 million to support high-visibility policing to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour. In line with a programme for…

I thank the Deputy. The Minister of State, Deputy Browne is committed to the youth diversion projects. He has done a huge amount of work in this area. As Deputy Carroll MacNeill knows, these projects provide an invaluable support to complement the work of An Garda Síochána in addressing youth crime and protecting local communities.

I thank Deputy Sherlock for raising this matter again. I would prefer not to put amendments on reports into legislation. That is my first point. When I say I will do a report, I will do it. Deputy Kerrane will agree with that. If I say I will do a report, I will do it, and I did do it last year. Like many Deputy across the House, I realise the important service provided by community welfare officers. Members will be aware from last night that a full-time community welfare office is located in all Intreo offices nat…

I will.

I am familiar with the case Deputy Kerrane raises. I have asked my officials to look into it. I was surprised when I saw it. Having said that, community welfare officers are compassionate people who do their best. We do not know all the details in the particular case, but I am having it checked as we speak. We will get to the bottom of it. I thank Deputy Sherlock for not pressing his amendment. I am happy to do the report, which will be done very promptly. The fund for community welfare officers is an open-ended on…

The Deputy has raised this matter with me previously. The text message he received is very emotive, and we all deal with cases of people in difficult positions. There is a cut-off age here. I acknowledge the Deputy tabled an amendment but it was ruled out of order because, if I am to change the rules in the way it sought to do, that would have considerable budgetary consequences. Twenty-two is the cut-off age, and if I changed it to 23 or 24, that would involve a massive call on resources. I would say to that famil…

I do not propose to accept the amendment on the basis I do not think legislation is the appropriate vehicle for reports, although I understand why it was tabled. The recent Government decision regarding the introduction of a national living wage stated the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, in conjunction with the Low Pay Commission, which is under its aegis, will pursue options to improve median wage estimates with the Central Statistics Office and the Revenue Commissioners. Officials in my Department…

Yes, that is what I meant.

I am happy to give the Deputy this report, which is with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. We have done the work on it and we are discussing how we can go forward. The Deputy can press the amendment if he wants. I will give him the report and all I have, however.

No, it is not in the public domain because the officials are working on it at the minute. We are trying to come up with solutions.

The solution includes what the Deputy was talking about, which is the tapering tax relief.

No, I do not.

As it happens, my officials are preparing a report on this matter, which I would be happy to share with the Deputy as soon as possible. I will point out that in line with the provisions of the EU work-life balance directive, parent's leave is not transferable between parents. That comes under the EU directive, which recognises the importance of equality between men and women with regard to labour market opportunities and the equal importance of men and fathers in bringing up their children. It should encourage an i…

I thank Deputy Naughten for raising this issue. I will speak, as the Deputy himself has, on the next two amendments together. I am not prepared to accept the first amendment, and I will explain that shortly, but I am prepared and happy to do a report. My Department is monitoring the work and the recommendations of the European Commission in this regard, and I understand the Commission has published its recommendations on occupational diseases this very week. I can assure the Deputies that my Department and the othe…

I thank the Deputy for that.

I thank the Deputy. As I do not like putting these reports into legislation, I was not-----

I can agree to report to the Oireachtas on the matter. However, I have to set out some facts relating to the ex gratia payment. It is a complex issue as community employment, CE, workers are not State employees. This agreement was reached with both unions representing supervisors, SIPTU and Fórsa, arising from a 2008 Labour Court recommendation on pensions for CE supervisors and assistant supervisors. The agreed ex gratia payment is in respect of workers covered by that recommendation and not any other group. It do…

I thank Deputy Joan Collins. As part of the Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025, the Government committed to finalising an approach for the benchmarking and indexation of pension payments and to consider and prepare a report for Government on the potential application of the benchmarking approach on a wider basis to other welfare payments. I am happy to share that report with the Deputy when it is complete. Work is ongoing on it. In September, I announced a series of landmark reforms to the State pension system.…