I thank Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan for raising this important issue as it gives me an opportunity, on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, to outline the current position regarding the SNA allocation at Scoil Eoin National School in Innishannon, County Cork. I stress that enabling students with additional needs to receive an education appropriate to their needs is an ongoing priority for this Government. In 2022, the Department of the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, will spend over €2.3 billion, o…

I thank Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan for raising the important matter of SNA allocation for Scoil Eoin National School, Innishannon, County Cork. I assure the House that the Department of Education is committed to ensuring that all children can access an education suitable to their needs. I reassure the Deputy that the Department of Education will continue to support the NCSE and schools through the provision of the necessary funding and capital investment to ensure all children are successful in accessing the edu…

I thank Deputy Carroll MacNeill for raising this important matter of funding for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, DSGBV, services. As the Deputy will be aware, Zero Tolerance, the new national strategy to combat domestic, sexual and gender-based violence was launched earlier this year. It is an ambitious five-year programme of reform and a whole-of-society plan of action. Implementation of the strategy is a whole-of-government priority that is backed up by a substantial funding commitment under budget 20…

I again thank the Deputy for raising a very important matter. She has been consistent in raising this important and serious issue since she became a Member of Dáil Éireann, and I am very conscious of that. I am confident combating domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is a priority that is not going to drop off the agenda, and I have no doubt the Deputy will ensure focus on it is maintained. That commitment is evident in a number of areas, including the unprecedented funding of €363 million underpinning the st…

I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach. I am pleased to have the opportunity to address the Seanad this afternoon on behalf of the Minister for Justice. I begin by thanking Senators Doherty, Chambers and Pauline O'Reilly for bringing forward this important Private Members' Bill on character references in sexual offences trials and thank the Senators for supporting this Bill. Earlier this week, the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, brought a memo to Government seeking Cabinet approval to support the passage of this Bill thro…

On behalf of the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, who cannot be here today, I thank Senator Crowe for raising this very important matter around the sentencing for those found guilty of attacks on emergency service workers. I echo the Minister's and the Deputy's unequivocal condemnation of the attack on two members of An Gardaí Síochána in Ballyfermot on Monday of this week. Attacks like these on our valued emergency service workers are simply unacceptable and are not only deeply traumatic for the Garda members…

I again thank the Senator for raising this very important matter in the House today. He will appreciate that the Judiciary is independent in the matter of sentencing subject only to the Constitution and the law. An important safeguard rests in the power of the Director of Public Prosecutions to apply to the Court of Appeal to review any sentence which she feels is unduly lenient. However, it is a matter for the Government and the Oireachtas to propose and enact legislation setting out maximum sentences which a cour…

I thank Senators for the opportunity to address the House on this matter today. Everyone has the right to be safe and, importantly, to feel safe in our communities. That principle is central to my Department's mission to have a safe, fair and inclusive Ireland. It is also central to our community safety policy and the provisions of new legislation, such as the policing, security and community safety Bill. It is important, however, that we do not attempt to address all of the complex underlying factors associated wi…

I thank the Senators for their detailed and wide-ranging contributions. That a significant number spoke shows the genuine interest in what we have been discussing. I thank the Acting Chair and the Senators for giving me the time to speak. Policing is just one facet of community safety, as the Minister, Deputy McEntee, has stated. I assure Senators and the public that the Government is committed to ensuring that An Garda Síochána has the resources it needs. Budget 2023 provides for in excess of €2.14 billion in fund…

I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach pursuant to Standing Orders 95(3)( a ) and 181(1).

I thank Senator Boyhan for raising the important issue of trihalomethanes, THMs, in our public water supplies, which gives me an opportunity to give an overview of the work being undertaken to improve the quality and resilience of our public and private water supplies. The programme for Government sets out clear and ambitious commitments to ensure that Irish Water accelerates the resolution of schemes on the remedial action list of the Environmental Protection Authority, EPA, including that the formation of THMs is…

I highlight the fact that solutions typically consist of water treatment plant upgrades, a new connection or water schemes being taken in charge by Irish Water. The works to resolve the water quality issue are being funded under the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage's multi-annual rural water programme. For the Senator's information, the EPA publishes its full remedial action list on its website at www.epa.ie. This list provides a comprehensive picture of public water supply compliance and risk o…

I thank Senator Lombard for raising this important matter regarding a statement on the progress of the new extension for Ballinspittle National School and an outline of the timelines for each project stage. The major building project for the school is included in the Department’s construction programme, which is being delivered under the national development plan. The brief provides for the demolition of the existing buildings to provide accommodation for a new 12-classroom school, with three classrooms for pupils …

I thank Deputy Stanley for raising the very important matter of domestic violence refuge accommodation in County Laois. It is the intention of the Minister for Justice that every person who needs a refuge space will have access to one. The Minister fully acknowledges the need for a significant increase in the provision of refuge spaces and she is committed to achieving this to ensure that victims have a safe place when they need it. In June, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, brought to Government the third national str…

I again thank the Senator for raising the important issue of Ballinspittle National School's new project. I hear the Senator's concerns about the population growing, how there is a real need for this school in a strong community that is very positive towards it, and about the delivery of this new important project. From the information provided to me, I understand the project is at the end of the design team stage 2(b), confirmations and completion of pre-qualification process. As soon as that is complete, which I …

Again, I thank Deputy Stanley for raising the very important matter of the domestic violence refuge accommodation that is necessary in County Laois. I have heard the Deputy's concerns clearly and will relay them to the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee. I heard very clearly and understand the very strong commitment in County Laois to deliver this necessary accommodation to support women and children who find themselves in the horrific situation of domestic violence or abuse. I do not have the global figure to ha…

On behalf of the Minister for Rural and Community Development, I thank Senator Boylan for affording me the opportunity to speak on this very important matter. I understand there has been some concern about this issue. The Department of Rural and Community Development has policy responsibility for dog control and dog-breeding establishments, while the local authorities are responsible for all operational activities. These responsibilities include the dog-licensing and dog-warden service and the management and operat…

I fully understand the Senator's concerns with regard to local authorities having sufficient capacity to deal with the number of stray and surrendered dogs and while the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and her Department are not aware of any capacity issues in local authority dog pounds or shelters, I ask the Senator to make any such information available to them. Every January, after Christmas, we are all saddened to hear of and read media articles about numerous dogs being abandoned at local authority shelters and wi…

I thank Senator Kyne for raising this very important matter of the rates paid to providers of school meals across the country under the school meals programme. The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,700 schools and organisations, benefiting 260,000 children. The objective of the programme is to provide regular nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good-quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an importa…

I again thank the Senator for raising this matter and for the constructive engagement. As I outlined, budget 2022 provided €68.1 million for a programme, with an additional €9 million provided to allow access to all new DEIS schools from September 2022. Additional funding for the programme has been provided for 2023, bringing the total to €91.6 million, which represents a 49% funding increase in the period since 2020. The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, has commissioned an evaluation of the school meals programme and a…