What plans does the Department have to support ComReg in its responsibility in the communications sector as this continues to grow? We know that regulation of the digital economy is very important and this sector is continuing to grow at pace. The responsibility around the telecoms sector with broadband roll-out and ensuring that there is no monopoly present - all of these issues need to be dealt with. The issue of cyber security is also an aspect of the work that ComReg continues to take a larger role in, as that …

We all recognise the vital role that ComReg plays in this. As the digital world continues to grow and expand, we need to recognise that its capability also needs to be expanded to match what needs to happen. Many of the general public are quite fearful and under the impression that our regulatory authorities are not up to matching the level of criminal activity that we see going on - people being hacked, Internet scams and all the types of things which come into play to some extent in regard to this. I was looking …

The cyber security aspect of it is something we need to really focus on. As with the HSE in Ireland, when we look at other jurisdictions we see some of these hackers and criminal organisations target water distribution systems and electricity systems. We have had blackouts recently; my own electricity only came back yesterday so we understand what it is like when we have vital services like this under attack. Most of the systems are computerised and based on data. We need to have an efficient and effective force in…

Many of my colleagues have discussed the security conclusions of the European Council meeting and indeed the issue with regard to Gaza and what is happening there. The complete inaction of Europe in respect of that is deplorable. I also want to focus on another major issue we have around the world, climate change. We have seen the impact of it in recent weeks, particularly the storms we have had in recent days. A total of 221,000 homes were out of power. Many businesses, farms and people were hugely discommoded, es…

As the Minister of State is aware, County Sligo is one of the few counties in the western seaboard that has been left out of the defective concrete blocks grant scheme. Counties Mayo, Donegal and Clare are in the scheme. Over the decades, many people in west County Sligo bought their aggregate and concrete blocks from County Mayo. We know there was a particular quarry in County Mayo that had this difficulty and pyrite has been found in many of these houses. The Sligo Pyrite Action Group has been campaigning for thr…

I thank the Minister of State. First, we have learned nothing new. We are aware that this has happened and that on 26 September, Sligo County Council engaged with the Housing Agency and commenced its investigations. According to the last letter I got in early December, the report was in draft form. We now need to see the report being brought forward. I am concerned about the use of the words "if appropriate". It is clear to everyone it is appropriate, because if the aggregate came from the same quarry in Mayo as th…

As the Minister of State will know, what happened in Leitrim village on Sunday afternoon was an absolutely freak incident that nobody could prepare for. A finger could not be pointed at anyone or any of the businesses regarding what happened. It was just one of these incidents that occasionally occur. According to Met Éireann, in certain weather conditions, small tornados can occur. This tornado ran through Leitrim village. It came up the river and tossed a whole lot of trees and took roofs off houses. It took larg…

I acknowledge the work of the local authority. It is appropriate that additional funding would be given to local authorities in circumstances where they have to deal with situations like this. However, the Government needs to put in place a fund that would be there so the public can access funds as well. I have spoken to people in the area. It is all hands on deck, and people are rushing to help and clean up but they must be paid, fed and looked after while this is ongoing. In many of these situations, they will no…

We are supporting this legislation. As it states, it is about ensuring a safe, predictable and trusted online environment for people who use social media and the Internet in general. We all recognise the huge advantages that have come from the advent of online platforms and media and how much people have information at their fingertips. My mother, who is 91, often picks up the phone and looks on Google to find out about something she has seen on television. We are all quite amused that someone of her age can still …

The majority of people who come to Ireland come on work permits to work in industries and services across the length and breadth of the country and they do so legally. People from the European Union or Britain come here without even a work permit. Over recent years, large numbers of people have come to Ireland from Ukraine, which has put pressure on our system. We need to acknowledge that. We also see an increase in the number of people coming from countries outside of Europe seeking international protection. These…

The reality is that across the whole State, rents are rising all the time. The latest report from last week shows us that even in my counties of Leitrim and Sligo, rents are up again; they are up everywhere. People cannot afford to continue this and the only solution we can come up with that will solve this issue is to have a freeze on rents. The Minister says that would put people out of the market but people are already going out of the market because property prices are going so high. That is why they are going …

That is the reality for many people around the country. The Government comes up with these schemes but it puts so many different problems, issues and conditions on them that they are unavailable to many people. The Minister needs to recognise that this has been a failure and put a ban on rent increases in place.

Will the Minister outline the estimated cost of providing private security on public transport since 2018? Does his Department plan to increase security measures on public transport and will he make a statement on the matter in the context of what happened last week?

I thank the Minister. While some efforts have been made, such as Operation Twin Tracks, which was the most recent iteration of what An Garda Síochána has been doing to deal with antisocial behaviour on public transport, we cannot have a piecemeal solution. Criminal and antisocial behaviour on public transport is widespread and we need to recognise that. The figures released to me by the Department of Justice state that 16 arrests were made as part of the most recent day of action on 21 November. This does not inclu…

We do not differ on that. I am not talking about an alternative to An Garda Síochána. I am talking about a division of An Garda Síochána, which would act as a public transport policing service. Not only would it be in place on the transport systems as they move, but it would also be at the pinch points, which are often at the junctions, train stations, tram stops, bus stops and the various areas where people often congregate and trouble brews. If we had public transport police in place last week, there is a fair ch…

Will the Minister of State provide an update on the road safety measures being considered for implementation, including the reduction in speed limits across the country, in the context of the high number of road deaths recently? I understand that, yesterday, the number stood at 171 road fatalities so far this year. It is a tragedy that we are losing so many people on our roads. In that context, while efforts are being made, we need to re-examine everything we are doing.

I thank the Minister of State. Regarding the speed limit reductions, when will we see the new signs being put up? It is well and good for us to talk about it, and the more conversation there is around it, the more people are aware and it is hoped it will have an impact. The thing that will have an impact is when it is actually in place. When does the Minister of State expect local authorities to be putting up signs reducing the speed limits on many of those dangerous roads? The other aspect of this issue has to do …

Regarding the speed limit review, I know the Minister of State sought for and succeeded in having pre-legislative scrutiny set aside for it. I was opposed to this because I felt we needed to look at it in more detail. I am always conscious when we bring in laws that, if they are considered by the public to be a little bit daft or a little bit silly or a little bit too far of a reach for them, people will not obey them. We have to be careful this does not happen, as has happened in the past in some circumstances. It…

I concur with Deputy Ó Cuív about the situation on the part of the line from Collooney to Claremorris. For a long time we have sought funding to preserve that line to ensure that it is in place. I note the Minister's comments about freight and everything else. We all agree that investment in rail is an investment that requires much lower funding for a much bigger return for the public. It provides public transport, which is not available, by and large, across vast areas of the west of Ireland. The western rail corr…

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