Fennelly report, planning allegations and water debt
Mary Lou McDonald raises Ibrahim Halawa, the delayed Fennelly report, alleged planning corruption in Wicklow and legislation allowing recovery of unpaid water charges, seeking a debate and publication timetable. The Tánaiste gives no Fennelly timetable and points to the Civil Debt (Procedures) Bill on water charges.
I reiterate that I think the Tánaiste's response to the plight of Ibrahim Halawa is very worrying and will be disappointing for the family.
When might we see the publication of the report from the Fennelly commission? I ask her to confirm that it has been supplied today to interested parties and to give the House a sense of the timeline.
Sinn Féin and I have raised previously in the House serious allegations of corruption in planning matters in County Wicklow. The serious allegations include questionable zoning practices, one of which at least resulted in the loss of a significant number of jobs in Newtownmountkennedy. I know that three former Labour Party councillors brought these allegations of corruption to the Tánaiste's direct attention. I am sure she is also aware of a file that went missing from the office of her colleague, Deputy Alan Kelly, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, pertaining to allegations of corruption in planning in County Wicklow.
The files disappeared and then reappeared. We have raised these matters before but have never received any satisfactory or even coherent response to them.
Comment on this
They are very serious allegations. Given that the Tánaiste is familiar with these matters, I request that she ask the Government to give time next week for a debate on the issues in question.
In respect of the Water Services Bill, the Tánaiste and the Minister, Deputy Kelly, told us that they would introduce measures by which unpaid water charges could be taken from people's wages, welfare or pensions. As there does not seem to have been any mention of that legislation since, can the Tánaiste tell us what timetable is envisaged in respect of its introduction?
Comment on this
On the last point, as Deputy McDonald knows, the civil debt (procedures) Bill will, provided the House gives its agreement, implement in law the recommendations and report of the Law Reform Commission. That has been made clear to the Deputy on quite a significant number of occasions. On the Fennelly report-----
Comment on this
Sarcasm does not suit the Tánaiste. I will just give her that by way of a pointer.
Comment on this
It feels on some days like Deputy McDonald may have gotten out the wrong side of the bed. I know sometimes she is a bit tough but usually she is a little bit more pleasant.
On the Fennelly commission, no report has been published. I will receive it when it is published. I have seen media reports that an interim contact or report has been given to some parties, but I do not have any further details. That is the normal process of commissions and I assume that in due course, when the process is completed and when the judge who is handling the commission so decides, we will get the published report.
Deputy McDonald gave a detailed commentary on County Wicklow and Newtownmountkennedy specifically. I will certainly ask the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government for a report on the matters she has raised.