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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation

Abortion review and student supports

Summary

Deputy Bríd Smith sought clarity on the three-year review of repeal legislation, and Deputy Conway-Walsh raised students losing SUSI grants because they received PUP. The Tánaiste said the abortion review is planned and will be detailed by the Minister for Health, and that the SUSI anomaly is being examined; Deputy Smyth also asked for an update on the Hennessy report on poultry disease.

Catherine Connolly An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Independent

There are four Members left on the list, but only three of them are in the Chamber. With their co-operation and the co-operation of the Tánaiste, I will use my discretion and allow the three Deputies to each ask questions for 30 seconds and take one response from the Tánaiste. Otherwise the Deputies will not be reached and their contributions will move to next week.

Comment on this

Next month will mark three years since the referendum to repeal the eighth amendment. We still have no news, nor can we get any clarity, on when the review of that legislation will be held, how it will be held, how it will be governed and who will be conducting it. I ask the Tánaiste to seek that clarity for us. It is a bit over the top to have to wait. We also have no clarity on whether we will get the ancillary recommendations of the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution on free contraception and non-ethos-based sex education.

Comment on this

I, too, offer my good wishes to the Minister, Deputy McEntee.

I do not know if the Tánaiste is aware that students have been pushed out and denied SUSI grants because they have accepted the pandemic unemployment payment. If they were on the TWSS, they would be treated differently. At a minimum, I am asking the Tánaiste to introduce the normal disregards for student employment income. This needs to be implemented immediately. That is a deduction of €4,500 for holiday earnings. The PUP is an exceptional payment and must be regarded as such. Putting it into their pockets with one hand and removing it with another is not acceptable. Can the Government fix it?

Comment on this

Some weeks ago, I raised with the Tánaiste the issue of the recent publication of the Hennessy report and, more important, the actioning of the recommendations from that report. As I have outlined previously, the poultry industry is of enormous importance in the constituency of Cavan-Monaghan. An outbreak of disease has serious economic implications. I understand the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine convened a meeting of the stakeholders this week. I ask the Tánaiste for an update on that or to get the Minister to respond to me on it.

Comment on this
Leo Varadkar The Tánaiste Fine Gael

Deputy Bríd Smith asked about the three-year review of the abortion legislation. That is planned. I understand the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, has done some initial work on it. I will ask him to provide the Deputy with more detail on that.

The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, is aware of the anomaly relating to the SUSI grant and is examining it with a view to finding a solution. I thank Deputy Conway-Walsh for raising the matter.

Deputy Niamh Smyth asked about the Hennessy report. I am afraid I do not have an update on that at the moment, but I will see the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine this afternoon. I will mention to him that the Deputy raised the matter and ask him to come back to her directly.

Comment on this

That concludes questions on promised legislation. Our new system seems to be working fairly well.

We do not have a Deputy present to move the First Stage of the Dog Breeding Establishments (Amendment) Bill 2021.

Deputy Kerrane is not present to move the First Stage of the Social Welfare (Payment Order) (Amendment) Bill 2021.

Comment on this