I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue today. I am very conscious that in discussing this matter, there are families who have been deeply impacted and who are deeply hurting. Anyone who has read or listened to the reports on the issue is going to be shocked and upset by what has happened. Certainly, when I read about it, I was horrified that this could have happened. I even felt disbelief that something like this could happen and continue to happen for a period of time. All of our thoughts, in the firs…

As I mentioned, the Minister of State and the Government are keen to see the full report published. The HSE has taken a view that this cannot be done and that only the executive summary can be published, and that is being done today. The Minister of State is engaging with the Attorney General to see if it can be published. That is certainly our preference. If it cannot be published in full, for legal or other reasons, surely at least it could be published in redacted form, taking out sections or names to protect pe…

Cognisant of what the Ceann Comhairle said, I am not going to make any particular remark about any particular company or any particular individual. What I can say in the round is that it is my view that companies that have recorded substantial profits this year or are in the position to pay substantial dividends should refund the money they received under the employment wage subsidy scheme, EWSS. A number of companies have done so. They received the money in good faith. They did not know how hard they would be hit …

I thank the Deputy. More than €6.6 billion has been provided under the EWSS comprising of direct subsidy payments of €5.729 billion to companies and PRSI forgone of just under €1 billion. It has helped to protect approximately 700,000 jobs in 60,000 companies. The legislation incorporates important safeguards to ensure that it is correctly claimed by companies. Revenue is undertaking assurance checks on the scheme to ensure that conditions have been met and will continue to do so. Qualification for EWSS is based on…

I thank the Deputy. I am sorry to hear those stories. I know so many people who work in the night-time economy and they had been looking forward to a very different Christmas one where they could do their job, practise their art and maybe make a little bit of money for Christmas and for the year ahead. They now find themselves in a very difficult position. We want to make sure those financial supports are in place for the people in the night-time economy and the experience economy who are going to need them because…

There needs to be some controls and some checks and balances.

This is ultimately taxpayers' money. As the Deputy will know from the published reports, there have been very large overpayments of the PUP and there has also been fraud related to it. This is taxpayers' money and we must ensure we minimise that. Among the checks and controls is asking people to show evidence that they were self-employed. Anyone who is self-employed makes PRSI class S contributions and should be able to show that-----

-----but I hear what the Deputy is saying. There are people who work in the night-time economy and who have had the devastating news in the past few weeks that that sector of the economy is being shut down again until we do not know when. We need to make sure they get the money they need to get through Christmas and thereafter. I will certainly take this up with the Minster, Deputy Humphreys. Again, if the Deputy wants to pass on those individual instances to my office I will ensure she gets them.

I thank the Deputy. On behalf of the Government, I reiterate that reducing the scoliosis waiting list and the spinal surgery waiting list is a priority for Government. It is important to say the HSE's service plan for 2022 has not yet been approved or published. The HSE is aware of the level of priority the Government, and indeed all parties, attach to this issue. The Minister for Health will shortly bring the service plan to Government for approval. The plan will include very significant investment in 2022 to incr…

If this was simply a matter of money, political will or compassion, it would have been solved a long time ago. I know of the major efforts that have been made in recent years to improve the situation, whether it is sending children to Germany and England, or new theatres and additional funding. There are periods during which it has been improved, and waiting lists have been shortened, but then things go backwards again. That is, unfortunately, the problem and the situation we have been in for a very long time. The …

I beg the Ceann Comhairle's indulgence to allow me to wish a merry Christmas, a restful break and a prosperous new year to everyone in the House, including all the staff and anyone who may be watching at home. I thank the Ceann Comhairle for his stewardship, leadership and the extent to which he has maintained order in this House in the past year. I also thank all the Members and the Houses of Oireachtas staff for the phenomenal job they have done in the year gone by. It is great to be back in the Chamber and, what…

I understand three new centres will commence operation in the coming weeks; Richmond Barracks, the RDS and one in Cork city centre. Drogheda is not currently on the list but I agree with the Deputy that it is a very large town. Indeed, the entire south Louth and greater Drogheda area has a population of well in excess of 50,000, if not more. Perhaps it is an appropriate place for a centre. That is an operational decision for the HSE, but I will certainly make sure its chief executive is made aware that this matter …

It is planned to bring in a vacant property tax in the budget, so it will, in essence, be legislated for this year and will most likely be applied from 2023. Revenue is collecting data at present as part of the current revaluation to find out why places are vacant. There is not very accurate data on how many vacant properties there are or why they are vacant. They can sometimes be vacant for a good reason. I acknowledge the increase in house prices in the year gone by, but I will point out there is one area that is…

I had not heard of that practice, or at least not that term. As the Deputy mentioned, we brought in ticket touting legislation, which was the big consumer legislation for this year. Next year we will have a new consumer protection Act which will replace the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act. It is being led by my Department and the Minister of State, Deputy Troy, in particular. It is the big reform of consumer law. That will happen next year and that might be the opportunity to deal with it.

The Government is aware of the issue. It is complicated because it depends on the contract. Some contracts allow provision for inflation and some allow claims to be made for additional cost, while others do not. We have run into an issue around school-building where contractors tendered for a certain amount, believing they could build a school for that amount and make a reasonable profit. Now, because of the increased cost of building materials, they cannot build a school without making a substantial loss that they…

I thank the Deputy. I do not have it in front of me but there was some revised NIAC advice today on that issue. When it comes to the third or booster dose, they are working down through the age cohorts, from 50-somethings through 40-somethings and 30-somethings and then those aged 16 to 29. We are saying to pharmacists and doctors to use common sense and discretion and, if they have vaccines they can use, to use them. I understand NIAC has identified those who received the single-dose Janssen vaccine to be prioriti…

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. Non-EEA, non-European doctors make an enormous contribution to the Irish heath service. They have been doing service jobs in hospitals throughout the country for decades. They have also done a phenomenal job during the pandemic. Non-European doctors are not always treated very well in our system. It is hard for them to get consultant posts or to get on specialist training schemes. The Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, and I are working on it and will change it. We have …

I thank the Deputy. The underlying causes of inflation are largely international and outside our control. They relate to supply chain difficulties that arose particularly during the pandemic, when supply chains were disrupted. A post-pandemic international economic boom occurred when pent-up demand was released when lockdowns were eased. Central banks have also printed trillions of dollars. When central banks have very low interest rates and print trillions of dollars through quantitative easing, things that cannot…

I thank the Deputy. This is a European competence, as a trade issue. The position of the European Union is that compulsory licensing is a better approach than the TRIPS waiver approach. However, neither is a silver bullet and neither will result in vaccines being produced all of a sudden on their own. What is required is a comprehensive response. That is what the Government and I support. We will consider any proposal that is presented to the WTO that would result in more vaccines being produced. As was the case wi…

My understanding is that the hands of the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, are tied in this matter. It is a legal requirement that the service be put out to tender. It cannot just be handed to a group because one likes or knows them or because one thinks they do a great job. There has to be a competitive process. That is the advice the Minister has.