I ask the Deputy to send me a structured email so that we can formally follow up with Dublin City Council on the issues he has raised on behalf of the people he represents. On behalf of the Minister, Deputy McEntee, I thank the Deputy for raising this issue in the House. While the Minister for Health and his Department lead the Government response to drug use, tackling this issue will continue to be a priority for the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and her Department. As the Deputy is aware, the Government has agreed to…

I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly. I thank Deputy Paul Donnelly for raising the question of overcrowding at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown. Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, is a major teaching academic hospital within the RCSI Hospitals Group. It has a catchment population of upwards of 331,000 people and serves a mixed urban and rural catchment, including Finglas west, Lucan, Dublin 15, north Kildare and south Meath. In addition to 24-hour emergency care, sc…

I appreciate the Deputy’s contribution and his genuine sentiments on the surge in attendance at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown. I also thank him for raising this important topic and acknowledge that he has raised other issues. The Government understands how important it is to make quality patient services available to people in Blanchardstown and everyone across the country. As I outlined, Connolly Hospital experienced a surge in attendance at the emergency department on the night of 7-8 February. It took the de…

I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister for Health. I thank Deputy Kerrane for the opportunity to update the House on delivery of ambulance services in Roscommon, including the important emergency response role carried out by the rapid resource vehicle, RRV. I am informed that in the context of the National Ambulance Service emergency response operations across the country, RRVs are routinely resourced by both advanced paramedics and paramedics. In this regard, I have been assured that the National…

I thank Deputy Kerrane. I will take back the points she raised to the Minister. In my opening statement I concentrated for the most part on ambulance resourcing and some recent alternative care paths in County Roscommon. I will now focus on the service nationally and touch on the investment in our National Ambulance Service and its future plans. This Government has invested very significantly in the National Ambulance Service in recent years. This year the total National Ambulance Service budget will comprise €227.…

I apologise for being delayed. I thank the Acting Chair and Members for their indulgence. I will speak to amendments Nos. 40 to 46, inclusive, in the name of the Labour Party, Civil Engagement Group and Sinn Féin Senators as they have been grouped for discussion. These amendments relate to the requirement for the mayor to present a draft of the mayoral programme for consideration by the elected council at an ordinary meeting and to propose a range of suggestions for potential amendments to the programme, public con…

I thank Members for their contributions. Amendments Nos. 47 to 66, inclusive, have been grouped for discussion so I will speak about them as a whole. Amendments Nos. 47 to 50, inclusive, seek to change how council members and others are to be appointed to the advisory and implementation committee. The role of the committee will be to support the mayor in preparing and implementing their mayoral programme. It is in my view entirely fitting that the mayor should be the person to appoint the committee members to have …

Amendments Nos. 75 to 80 on the transport subgroup are similar to the amendments proposed to section 33 and many of the same points apply. I feel that the membership of the subgroup as provided for is appropriate, so I do not propose to accept amendment No. 75. Amendment No. 76 seeks to include a representative of the Climate Change Advisory Committee in the subgroup. That committee was established under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 and is an independent body that advises the Government. I…

Yes. Just to give context, though-----

Sorry.

To give context, under the climate action legislation - to give it its formal name the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act, 2015 - section 14B of that Act requires that all local authorities are now required under a statutory basis to prepare climate action plans. Limerick City and County Council are currently preparing theirs. It is about to be finalised. It went out on consultation in draft form. Guidelines were issued by the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, to th…

I have given a commitment on that.

Amendment No. 81 proposes adding a new section in the Bill to empower the mayor of Limerick to apply for EU funding on behalf of Limerick City and County Council. Currently, EU funding applications are signed by the figures with the legal status to sign on behalf of their organisation, and this is in line with guidance issued by the European Commission. There is currently nothing in the Bill that precludes the mayor of Limerick from signing or co-signing such an application in the case of Limerick. Nor indeed does …

If I may, I would also like to acknowledge a former Member of the Houses, former Deputy Mary Upton, was previously in the Gallery about ten minutes ago and she left.

Amendment No. 82 proposes a new section authorising, subject to council approval, the mayor to enter into co-operation agreements with cities and municipalities in any country for the benefit of diplomatic, cultural, environmental, social and economic relationships. The amendment also proposes that co-operation of this nature can focus on participating in European Union projects. There is already an existing provision under section 75 of the Local Government Act 2001 for a local authority to enter into twinning rel…

Absolutely. The mayor is a member of the chamber, it is 40 plus 1. He or she is accountable to the chamber and is in essence taking up a senior role within the chamber. He or she will be bringing forward proposals. Once again, it is hugely important in the spirit of co-operation and looking at local authorities around the world where having a directly elected mayor has worked, they have worked with co-operation. The mayor still has to have a democratic mandate, however. Looking at the local authorities where it has…

If I may explain, it was put to the people that certain activities, such as staffing, administration of schemes, housing and general operational matters, would remain with the CEO. The CEO will continue to be the accounting officer, very similar to a Secretary General of a Department. Everything else moves to the mayor. The mayor will be responsible for bringing the annual budget to the chamber, whereas that is currently the CEO's responsibility. I refer to a budget of €600 million. The mayor will be responsible fo…

The director general. It is a change of title

It is the same role. Dare I say it, we can always look for the negative. The role was designed and put to the people. There is a similar role and relationship between a Secretary General of a Department, who is the Accounting Officer, and the Minister. It is virtually identical. This is a significant shifting of powers from the CEO, who will now be called the director general, to the mayor. This reflects the normal functioning of a Department. We would expect people to work in co-operation. It should be remembered …

The Senator lived there for many years. He knows the city very well. I acknowledge the Senator's bona fides in the matter. There is one key element that was not discussed. There will still be the chamber of 40 councillors who have reserve functions. The mayor will be bringing proposals to the chamber. Their role remains unaffected, but it means that the mayor can drive policy on planning and housing. The mayor can drive policy within the local authority to bring it to the chamber. Ultimately, it is a reserve functi…