I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 to 20, inclusive, together. Ireland's well-being framework was launched in July 2021. Last week, we published the report for 2023. The development of a well-being framework is a major new initiative of this Government and is modelled on best practice from other countries. We know that no single measure can accurately capture how we are doing as a country. By bringing together economic, social and environmental statistics in an integrated way, this framework helps us to assess wher…

I thank the Deputies for their diverse range of questions. I will do my best to answer as many as I can. I associate myself with Deputy Dillon's remarks regarding the funding announced today for Daisy Lodge in Cong, County Mayo, to develop a respite care centre for children with cancer and their families. Cong is a particularly beautiful part of Mayo. It should not be forgotten that it crosses into County Galway in parts. We are very pleased we are able to provide that funding. Many people behind that centre do a f…

-----and they would have to be revised downwards. It is not a straightforward thing at all. We increase the funding for section 39s to reflect the fact that pay increases are being paid across the economy at the moment. On Deputy Ó Cathasaigh's question on culture and language, my regret is that we did not include it in the first place. It probably would have made sense to do so. I am not sure why we did not but the advice from my officials is there is a concern that if we adjust the framework and change what is me…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 to 27, inclusive, together. Section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 imposes a statutory obligation on public bodies in performing their functions to have regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and treatment for staff and persons to whom it provides services, and protect the human rights of staff and service users. The Department has conducted and published its public sector duty equality and human rights asses…

I will start with the sad death of George Nkencho. George was a constituent of mine and sadly was killed in the way that he was. I met his family and his legal team. It was a virtual meeting because it was during the pandemic. A GSOC investigation was established. That was the appropriate course of action. None of us as politicians should jump to conclusions. GSOC has now carried out its investigation, a file is with the DPP and the DPP will decide whether the gardaí concerned have a case to answer. We should await…

I am not sure. It is hard for me to answer that. In terms of my actions, I do not think I personally was guilty of racial bias, nor was my party. I met the family and their legal team. I also contacted the Garda but did not meet with the gardaí involved. It is my view that we should allow an investigation to take place. That is just me; I cannot speak for other politicians, RTÉ or the media. I do not think the Deputy is accusing me of racial bias but if he is, I do not think it is a fair charge. On Deputy Boyd Barr…

I join the Deputy in expressing my sadness at the news Christy Dignam has passed. He was a legend, a real, great Dub and somebody who will be sorely missed in this city, across the country and by the wider music community. I thank the Deputy for raising the important and serious news that 650 staff have, in effect, been put on leave without pay essentially, or temporary redundancy, for the period ahead. Of course, it is not just about the 650 staff in the mine. It is also about subcontractors, supply chain and the …

It is disappointing that the Deputy is trying to exploit this issue. This is really bad news.

Some 650 jobs have been lost in County Meath. This will impact on thousands of people. It is disappointing that the Deputy is taking this approach to it.

Let me answer the question. The announcement of the 650 temporary layoffs did come as a surprise. It probably came as a surprise to the management locally as well. They were due to meet the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Coveney, next week. There was no indication that this was going to happen in the way it did, all of a sudden. The fact that the mine was under pressure is no secret. Energy prices have gone up and zinc prices have gone down. Everyone knows that. That has been the case for mon…

The Government will work with the company to see what we can do to get the mine reopened and Tara Deep advanced in order that we can secure the future of the mine for decades ahead. It is not the case that just by being aware of a problem, the Government can save every job and business in the country. The price of zinc has gone down. It has gone way down. What happens when the price of the good or service you produce goes down? That happens, and-----

-----the Government cannot-----

-----intervene on matters like that.

I thank the Deputy for her remarks and her question. What has happened here is not the general impact of inflation, but the cost of energy. The cost of energy for the company has gone up, the value of its product, zinc, has gone down, and the company is now losing a lot of money. As a result of that, it has chosen to close the mine for a temporary period. We will be working very hard with the company to make sure that the apprentices can finish their apprenticeships in other companies, that the staff can be taken b…

I thank the Deputy. We have had schemes of that nature in the past. We had the temporary wage subsidy scheme and the employment wage subsidy scheme. Those schemes were valuable at a particular point during the pandemic. They were also extremely expensive and cost billions of euros. There was a great deal of criticism of companies availing of the schemes at the time. Let us not forget that. This is not something that we rule out doing in the future, but it is not in our immediate plans. Let us not forget that many M…

I thank the Deputy for asking a very important question. I acknowledge that she has raised this matter before. It was not among the questions I anticipated today, so I will not be able to give a comprehensive answer. I can say, as the Deputy has mentioned already, that when it comes to public records, work is advanced now on developing a central repository to hold those records. When it comes to records that are held privately, for example, by religious institutions, a working group was established to examine all o…

Again, I will be happy to come back to the Deputy later in the week with a more comprehensive response. I appreciate that she has raised this issue before. There is a distinction between public and private records. Public records are owned by the State; they are in our possession. Private records are not owned or in the possession of the State. People have rights in the context of private records. Under existing data protection and privacy legislation, a person has the right, in some circumstances, to access inform…

I thank Deputy Nolan for raising this important issue. I acknowledge there are nursing homes under financial pressure and some have closed. At the same time, others are making substantial profits and are opening. New nursing homes are opening as well as nursing homes closing. Last year we had a net gain in the total number of beds in nursing homes and so far this year we are seeing that happen again. More nursing home beds are opening than closing. I acknowledge that some are closing but others are opening. With re…

Deputy, I absolutely agree that we should not do that, so please make sure your remarks and the remarks of other people who support you do not do that either. It is not right to create the kind of impression that somehow older people will be turfed out of nursing homes-----

I will leave it at that.