On behalf of the Minister, Deputy McEntee, I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. As he will be aware, under section 26 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, as amended, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business, which encompasses all operational policing matters, including the allocation of resources. The Minister for Justice has no statutory role in these operational, policing matters. The Government and the Minister are conscious of the very serious im…

I, again, thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. All the Deputies in the area have continuously raised this matter, including Deputy McAuliffe, who is seated behind me here. In July last year, An Garda Síochána commenced an enhanced national anti-drug strategy, Operation Tara, which has a strong focus on tackling street-level dealing throughout rural and urban Ireland. Operation Tara works to disrupt, dismantle and prosecute drug trafficking networks at all levels involved in the importation, distribut…

I thank Deputy McAuliffe for raising this important issue and I know he has raised it on a number of occasions. I am grateful for the opportunity to give an update on Government action on the better energy warmer homes scheme. The programme for Government and the climate action plan set ambitious targets to retrofit 500,000 homes to a building energy rating, BER, of B2 and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing buildings by the end of this decade. These targets represent a very significant increase in both the v…

I again thank the Deputy for raising this very important matter. I have listened with real interest to his points. Until 2018 the scheme predominantly focused on delivering shallow measures such as attic or cavity wall insulation. In many cases where the walls were not cavity walls, only the attic was insulated. With the expansion of the scheme in 2018, internal and external wall insulation was introduced, which meant that solid wall properties could now receive insulation under the scheme. With the scheme expansio…

I thank Deputy Naughten for raising this important issue for discussion. It is well recognised how important telecommunications services are to citizens for so many aspects of their daily lives, including remote working, studying and staying in touch with family members. These services have proved even more essential since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic and will continue to provide vital support in accelerating digitalisation as part of our economic recovery from the pandemic. Access to high-quality telecom…

I again thank the Deputy for raising this very important matter concerning the need for decisive steps to be taken to improve mobile phone telephone coverage in rural areas for individuals, businesses and emergency services. I will certainly bring to the Minister's attention his comments on the proposal for a shared rural network with costs estimated at between €30 million and €50 million. As I outlined, connectivity in rural areas, both fixed and mobile, is very much on an upward trajectory. Coverage at both a pop…

I thank Senator Clifford-Lee for raising the important matter of the feasibility of the establishment of a dedicated transport police service. On behalf of the Minister for Justice, Deputy Helen McEntee, I express her thanks to the Senator for raising this important matter. Senator Clifford-Lee has raised this issue on numerous occasions in the House and behind the scenes with various Departments that have responsibility for this area. Unfortunately, I cannot speak on behalf of the Department of Transport, but I wi…

I again thank Senator Clifford-Lee for bringing up this important matter. I will, of course, bring her concerns to the attention of both the Minister for Transport, Deputy Ryan, and the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, in my own Department. On behalf of the Minister, Deputy McEntee, I thank the Senator for raising this important issue. I understand that Garda management engages extensively on an ongoing basis with the transport operators, including the National Transport Authority, Irish Rail and TransDev Irel…

I thank the Deputy for raising this important question. As he will be aware, the right to protest peacefully is enshrined in the Constitution and under the law. It is an essential part of our democracy. An Garda Síochána, through its human rights-led approach to policing, seeks to uphold and protect the right to freedom of assembly and protest while also upholding the law and protecting the public and businesses. Balancing the right to protest with protecting the public and upholding the rule of law is a complex ta…

As the Deputy will agree, climate is the defining challenge of our time. In Ireland we are already experiencing the result of this through flooding, more extreme weather and rising sea levels. As the threats from climate change increase, so does the need for urgent action to address them. The Government recognises this and is taking ambitious climate action steps as necessary to ensure a sustainable future nationally and globally. The programme for Government commits to some of the strongest climate targets in the …

As the Deputy will be fully aware and as I have already stated, the right to protest peacefully is enshrined in the Constitution and protected. An Garda Síochána takes a human rights-led approach to any protest situation and seeks to uphold and protect the right of freedom of assembly and the right to protest. It also upholds the law and protects the public and businesses when such protests are being carried out. The balance is always struck but the primary protection is the Constitution. I cannot comment on any pa…

I thank the Deputy for raising this important question around enhancing policing in rural communities. I echo the words of the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and extend my best wishes to the victims and families of the recent horrific attacks. I hope that those responsible are brought to justice and made accountable for their actions. A key pillar of Programme for Government: Our Shared Future is building stronger and safer communities. Prioritising visible policing in rural and urban communities will ensure community p…

As of 31 January 2022, the latest date for which figures are available, 298 Garda members were assigned to the Roscommon-Longford division, of whom 92 were assigned to the Longford district. These figures represent an increase of more than 2% in the Roscommon-Longford division since December 2015 and an increase of almost 10% for the Longford district in the same period. Garda members in the division are supported by 44 Garda staff, which is an increase of more than 69% since the end of 2015, when there were 26 Gar…

The recommendations continue to be under review. The new divisional model will also be implementing a significant number of those recommendations. Again, however, the deployment of the members of An Garda Síochána, whether they are designated as community gardaí and where they are assigned within a division is an operational matter for the chief superintendent.

That was because of Deputy Frankie Feighan.

I thank the Deputies for raising this very important matter. I watched the programme as well. I am acutely conscious that all of the families and individuals impacted by the incidents which the recent RTÉ series has revisited have suffered significantly over the years as a result of the way in which those investigations were conducted. There is no doubt that the alleged practices detailed were unacceptable at the time and would not be tolerated today. Such incidents cast a shadow over the trust we place in our crim…

I have addressed the issue of the proposal around a public inquiry or something similar. In regard to the Una Lynskey case, the events of 50 years ago in Ratoath, County Meath, were an horrific tragedy and I would like to express my deepest sympathies to the families of both Una Lynskey and Martin Kerrigan, whose families continue to suffer so many years after their murders. As the Deputies will be aware, Martin Conmey received an apology from the then Minister for Justice on behalf of the State in 2016 and I welco…

I thank Solidarity-People Before Profit for tabling this motion. The Government notes the motion on the minimum wage. It expresses concerns with rising inflation and with the welfare of the low paid. These are two concerns that this Government shares. However, the motion ignores what this Government has done and is doing to address issues around the cost of living and to ensure rising incomes and rising living standards for the low paid. First, regarding the problems of inflation and cost of living increases, I und…

I referred to a wage inflation spiral. Quote directly.

I thank the Senator for tabling these amendments. I understand the concerns and the reason they have been brought forward. However, I can allay his fears. His concerns are unnecessary. I cannot accept the amendments. They appear to be drafting changes primarily substituting "an inspector" for "the inspector". On the first amendment, the inserted section 25CA. provides that a superintendent can delegate functions to an inspector. The Senator proposes inserting "or inspectors". Under the Interpretation Act the singul…