There are winners and losers in the cost-of-living crisis. The winners are clearly the big corporations. As has been mentioned, the European Central Bank, ECB, made it clear that corporate profiteering or "greedflation" has been a key driver of inflation. We see profits soaring: ESB, up; Energia, up; and Bord Gáis, up. We learned today that Shell, the biggest oil and gas operator in Europe, made profits of €8.7 billion in the first three months of this years. Despite electricity prices remaining sky high, the windfall profits of these large electricity producers will remain untouched by the Government proposals for the first 11 months of 2022. It will not apply at all during that period.

We also learned today that AIB's income has increased by 70% in the first three months of this year with net interest income to hit €3.3 billion this year alone.

What are the Governments plans, or does it have any plans, to tackle the corporate profiteering that we are seeing across many sectors as households are suffering from the rising costs and pressures as a result of inflation and the reductions of living standards as a result of it?

The SAFE registration process, which my Department uses to authenticate a person's identity, is a face- to-face process which results in the issuing of a Public Services Card (PSC).

I can confirm that an individual’s adoption certificate is not required for the purpose of a SAFE registration appointment.

The individual referred to by the Deputy has been contacted by officials of my Department and she attended for a SAFE registration appointment on 26th April 2023.

A PSC will be issued to her shortly.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Do what Germany does.

The Deputy did not suggest any increase in corporate tax because his party is of the view that there should not be increases in corporate tax because of the wider investment issues facing the country. I take it I am being accurate on that issue.

I do not believe price caps would be optimal either or would give us the outcome over time in terms of how the market would operate.

On what we are doing, we have the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, we have a new food regulator that we are establishing to bring far greater transparency on pricing, and in terms of energy, there is a windfall tax coming to capture the excessive profits that have been made by the energy companies.

Pension entitlement can only be assessed on the basis of the eligibility conditions applicable on the date an individual reaches State Pension age.

Currently, a person who has 2080 paid or credited contributions, or who has in excess of 520 contributions with a yearly average of 48 or more contributions since they entered the social insurance system, would qualify for the full rate State Pension (Contributory).  A person who does not meet the requirements for a full rate pension may be paid a lower rate commensurate with their social insurance record where they exceed the minimum contribution threshold.

A person reaching pension age on or after 1st January 2024 can choose to defer access to the State Pension (Contributory) up to age 70 and receive a cost neutral actuarial increase in their State Pension payment.  This system also provides for a person to continue to pay social insurance contributions after State Pension age to improve their social insurance record for State Pension (Contributory) purposes.  These PRSI contributions may enable individuals without a full contribution record (and who have deferred access to the State Pension) to become entitled to the State Pension (Contributory), or increase the pension rate of payment, as a consequence of the additional paid contributions.  These measures will become effective from January 2024.

As State Pension Contributory is not means-tested, a person can draw down their pension entitlement while continuing to work and this will not impact on their weekly rate or payment.

It is advisable that all contributors maintain their social insurance record as fully as possible over their working life.  It is open to the person concerned to request a copy of their social insurance record from my Department.  In addition to seeking the record through normal postal means from PRSI Records, Department of Social Protection, McCarter's Road, Ardaravan, Buncrana, Co. Donegal, a person can also access their social insurance record in real-time online at MyWelfare.ie if they have a verified MyGovID account.  Information on getting a verified MyGovID account is available on www.mygovid.ie.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

I thank the Tánaiste.

The Government will claw back-----

Not for 2022.

The time is up.

Disability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, means test and Habitual Residency conditions.

I can confirm that my Department originally received an application for disability allowance (DA) from the person concerned on 8 February 2023. 8 The application was examined and, based upon the evidence submitted, it was refused on 25 March 2023. It was refused as the client failed to supply the additional information requested on 13 February 2023.

This information was subsequently received by the Department and a review of the decision 25 March 2023 was carried out. Following this review, the person concerned was awarded DA with effect from 21 December 2022. The person concerned was notified in writing of this revised decision on 31 March 2023. The first payment was made by their chosen payment method on 19 April 2023.

I can confirm that arrears of payment due from 21 December 2022 to 18 April 2023 also issued to the person concerned on 24 April 2023. A letter notifying the person of this issued on 24 April 2023.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

In recent months, we have seen announcement after announcement of layoffs across many big technology companies, in particular, in Dublin. The impact of these redundancies has obviously been huge for those directly and indirectly impacted, not only in my own constituency of Dublin Bay South but across the country. The impact is more worrying where there are concerns regarding a lack of compliance by companies with redundancy rules, such as the 30-day statutory consultation period.

I encourage all tech workers to join a trade union to ensure rights are protected. While I welcome the announcement today of Cabinet plans to strengthen rights around collective redundancies, I ask that the Government would go further. I believe we need to see comprehensive strengthening of collective bargaining rights and the Government should ensure a right to organise to ensure that workers can insulate themselves from the worst impacts of layoffs. Does the Tánaiste acknowledge that this series of redundancies proves the need to introduce a right to organise in unions and commit to establishing a task force to support tech workers now facing layoffs?

The unemployment figure today, at 3.9%, is the lowest ever in the history of the State in the context of a rising population. Over the past 20 or 25 years, the population has risen quite dramatically, yet our economy has really kept pace. The rate of 3.9% is the lowest unemployment rate in the history of the State. What it indicates is there is absorption capacity within the State in terms of those who will or have lost jobs in certain sectors. That is a very traumatic issue for the people concerned who lose jobs and the State needs to do everything we possibly can to support people to get new jobs and, if necessary, to train and reskill them to get alternative jobs.

In terms of collective bargaining, there has been significant work done in partnership with the trade union movement. Under the Labour Employer Economic Forum, LEEF, umbrella, last year the Government took very significant steps forward on that.

I want to ask the Tánaiste about the Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill. Historic monuments are a hugely important part of our heritage. Where there is public access to monuments, it must be protected.

Aideen's Grave in Howth is a megalithic tomb where walking groups with local guides have been told by the new corporate landowner that they are no longer welcome to visit it. Does the Tánaiste agree that the public, including guiding walking groups, should continue to have access to important monuments such as Aideen's Grave? Will the Government bring forward measures in the Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill or, indeed, support my amendments to protect public access to these types of monuments?

I believe that the public should have access to historic monuments of the calibre and importance of Aideen's Grave and, indeed, megalithic tombs. Obviously, there have to be safeguards and there has to be proper organisation of that. In short, I believe that people should have access to these very significant monuments.

I did first year archaeology and had a very good trip to Lough Gur one time, which taught me the importance of such access and how we can learn from our past.

The banks that are going to pass on the ECB rate hikes, the seventh that mortgage have experienced in the past year, are making absolutely obscene profits. The dirty secret of the hardship and misery that is being imposed on mortgage holders who are facing €500 and €600 a month - thousands of euro every year - in increased mortgage interest payments that many cannot afford and that will drive many into arrears is that the banks in this country that are imposing these increases are making stupendous profits. AIB, which made profits of €765 million last year with further increases in profits this year, announced €381 million in distribution to shareholders. If you are a bank shareholder, you are making a fortune; if you are a bank mortgage holder, you are being absolutely crucified. Will the Government follow People Before Profit's proposal to cap interest rates?

My Department is committed to delivering excellent customer service as pledged in the Customer Service Charter. This includes providing the highest quality of services, including information provision, to all customers and to treating customers with courtesy and respect. My officials aim to ensure that all persons are served in a fair, courteous, and timely manner, and provided with full and clear information regarding entitlements. The department strives at all times to ensure that our customers’ experiences in dealing with us, whether in person or over the telephone, are positive.

The Department has invested significant resources in delivering frontline customer services training to its staff including all new entrants. It provides a wide range of instructor-led classroom training and e-learning supports to staff engaged in frontline roles to enhance the delivery of services to customers.

This training is designed to ensure that frontline staff are aware of the various legislation, guidelines, processes and procedures applicable to the delivery of such services including Illness Benefit.

The Department carries out surveys to discover how well its programmes are working and how satisfied customers are with the services provided. Results indicate a high level of satisfaction with front-line services.

If the Deputy would like to forward the details of a particular case(s) she is referring to I will have them examined.

How do we do it?

Do it exactly the way the Government did it with moneylenders-----

The time is up.

The aim of the Community Employment (CE) programme is to enhance the employability of disadvantaged and long-term unemployed people by providing work experience and training opportunities for them within their local communities on a temporary fixed term basis.

In addition to providing valuable occupational experience and training as a stepping-stone to employment for people who are unemployed, schemes such as CE and Tús also provide important and, in many cases essential, services to their local communities

As a result of the continued strong labour market performance the number of unemployed people dependent on social welfare payments continues to fall. While this is very welcome it also means that the number of candidates available for participation on CE also falls. This creates an obvious challenge in terms of recruitment.

Minister Humphreys and I have announced a number of reforms and enhancements to CE since December 2021 to address this challenge, including a provision to allow CE participants who reach 60 years of age to remain until they reach state pension age, updating the baseline year for CE which opens the scheme to a cohort of people who had previously exceeded their time on CE, introducing flexibilities to the CE candidate referral process to allow direct recruitment to fill 30% of places subject to conditions to ensure that places do not go unfilled when there are candidates available from the Live Register. CE sponsors have also been granted flexibility to extend individual placements and to retain existing participants in cases where no replacement is immediately available

More recently, the CE general eligibility of 12 months on the live register has been reduced to 9 months for those fleeing the war in Ukraine and a new pilot scheme to extend CE eligibility to people who are Qualified Adults on a jobseeker claim has commenced: these customers are generally unemployed partners of people in receipt of a weekly jobseeker payment.

The organisation concerned has 32 active participants and 2 supervisors currently, my officials locally are actively working to try and source candidates for their current vacancies and as the implementation of the most recent changes take effect it will enable these officials to identify a wider range of eligible candidates for CE in their locality to address their current vacancies.

Eligibility criteria for CE, continues to be kept under active review by my Department officials to ensure the best outcomes for individual participants, to support the vital community services delivered by schemes and to take account of changes to the labour market.

I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.

The time is up.

The ECB sets the rates. The Deputy knows that. Proposals that come forward should be credible and doable.

A person in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance can make an application for Carer’s Allowance. However, they will then not satisfy the available for full-time work condition for a jobseeker payment as they are declaring on their Carer’s Allowance application that they are caring for another person in a full-time capacity.

Once the application for Carer’s Allowance is made, a revised decision is carried out on their Jobseeker’s Allowance claim and the person is advised to apply for a Supplementary Welfare Allowance payment from their local Community Welfare Officer while awaiting a decision on their Carer’s Allowance claim.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

It is 20 years before that I am worried about.

My Department provides a comprehensive package of carers’ income supports including Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Combined spending on all these payments in 2022 is estimated to be almost €1.6 billion.

The Carer’s Allowance is the main scheme by which the Department provides income support to carers in the community. Carer’s Allowance is a means tested social assistance payment awarded to those carers who are caring for certain people who require full-time care and attention. The objective of the payment is to provide an income support to carers whose earning capacity is substantially reduced as a consequence of their caring responsibilities and in so doing to support the ongoing care of the person in respect of whom care is being provided.

A primary qualifying condition for the Carer’s Allowance is that the applicant provides full-time care and attention to a person in need of such care. The minimum hours condition for which a carer can be regarded as providing full-time care and attention is set out in legislation. A carer will be regarded as providing full-time care and attention to a relevant person, where the number of hours providing such care is not less than 35 hours in a period of 7 consecutive days, and this care is provided on any 5 days, whether consecutive or not, within a period of 7 consecutive days.

However, in order to support a carer’s continued attachment to the workforce and to support broader social inclusion, carers may engage in employment, education or training for up to 18.5 hours per week while still being regarded as being in a position to provide full-time care and continue to receive their full payment. During this time of employment, training or education, adequate provision must be made for the care of the relevant person.

It should be noted that both the full-time care and attention requirement and the 18.5-hour limitation are contained in the respective legislative provisions of the Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit and Carer’s Support Grant schemes.

In summary, a person in receipt of Carer's Allowance can still meet the full-time caring condition and participate in any employment, training or educational activity if they meet the criteria outlined above.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

There was an expert group set up a decade before that.

In terms of the expert group, Mr. Justice Meenan submitted the final report on the current system for managing clinical negligence claims to the Ministers for Health and Justice prior to the onset of Covid. The Meenan report has been published. It is the basis for getting forward. I will talk to the Minister to make sure that we progress this as soon as we can.

The Tánaiste comes from a teaching background. I stood last week with the adult education teachers and tutors in south Tipperary who are campaigning for parity of esteem with their teaching colleagues. Many of them have teaching qualifications. They do tremendous work with adult literacy and with adult education in bringing people back into education schemes. They go down as tutors sometimes in order to make it easy for the students, the daltaí, to come back in to learn and re-engage with the education system. However, the tutors are not being treated fairly and are not getting parity of esteem with their colleagues teaching across our schools. It is time that this was recognised. I cannot speak highly enough of the work these people do, which is so vital, when people can be left behind, fall off the system and fall through the cracks. They re-engage with people, bring them on and nurture them. They do tremendous work with adult literacy and so on. It is so badly needed. They need to be treated with respect by the Department and get parity of esteem and equal pay.

I accept the Deputy's general view with regard to the value and importance of adult education, and in particular adult tutors within the education and training boards, ETBs, and the adult education sector. The Deputy will be aware there has been an ongoing issue and a campaign around this but it is within an industrial relations framework. Various offers have been made and various hearings have been heard. We would like to see this accelerated as quickly as we possibly can to get a resolution to these issues to respect and reflect the contribution that adult tutors make to adult education and to education in general.

The Tánaiste mentioned that a new food regulator is going to come in and bring transparency. Undoubtedly, large profits are being made in the food chain but we do not really know where until we know what prices retailers are paying to processors, be it in the dairy sector or the beef sector in particular. They are blaming each other and saying "That is where the profits are being made".

I put forward an amendment to allow the regulator get information on that as there is no such information available in the public domain in Ireland. In other countries this information is available. In the United States of America and in France, for example, they are required to publish figures. My amendment was not accepted. I urge the Government to look at something like that in the Seanad. I do not care if it is my amendment. Perhaps it could look at giving the regulator the power to get information on the prices paid by retailers to the processors.

The minimum price of production in Ireland is currently being debated with regard to milk.

The Deputy's time is up.

Does the Tánaiste believe that somebody, be it the regulator or some other State agency, should be able to determine the minimum cost of production of food items in Ireland?

Applicants are advised to apply for their visa 8 weeks before their intended date of travel to the State.

The Dublin Visa Office are currently processing Short Stay Business Visas, received in the Dublin Visa Office, on the 3 April 2023. Processing times and decisions at the Overseas Visa Offices can be checked at the following link:

www.irishimmigration.ie/visa-decisions/

There are currently seven overseas Visa Offices in addition to the Visa Office in Dublin. They are located in Abuja, Beijing, London, Moscow, Ankara, Abu Dhabi and New Delhi. In addition, the Department of Foreign Affairs process certain visa applications in Irish Embassies abroad under delegated sanction from my Department.

All applications are processed in chronological order, based on date order of receipt. While every effort is made to process applications as soon as possible, processing times will vary having regard to the volume and complexity of applications, the possible need for the Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) function of the Department to investigate, inquire into, or seek further information, and the resources available.

The visa process has a crucial role to play in supporting economic activity in the State through facilitation of tourism from emerging markets, promotion of Ireland as a destination for international education, facilitating those coming here for business and work, etc. As with all visa services worldwide, the central concern in deciding on visa applications is to strike an appropriate balance between protecting the country's vital national interests by maintaining an effective immigration regime while at the same time not placing unnecessary or unreasonable obstacles in the way of intending visitors.

I am asking if some State agency, be it the regulator or someone else, should be able to determine the minimum cost of production in Ireland?

That would be an unprecedented intervention in the market and it may not work.

I will not comment on other countries and the challenges they are facing also. It is a fundamentally significant step that we are bringing greater transparency. We want to give greater emphasis to the challenges faced by the primary producer in the costs of production and so they can get a return. We want primary producers to sustain. The sector has been very strong the last couple of years in areas such as dairy and so on-----

Yes it has.

Perhaps it is not a bad time to set up a farmers' party, but that is not the point.

I will raise this with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, if the Deputy could bring the specific example. Sometimes specific examples can illustrate a wider systemic problem, or could be the catalyst for a new policy proposal. There are always these issues between thresholds and repayment capacity and so on, but I would err on the flexible side right now. People are paying very high rents and whatever loan they would receive from the local authority to enable them to purchase a house would probably mean them paying less in a mortgage. We should examine that. I will ask the Minister to talk to the Deputy.

I wish to speak on a very local issue, which is nevertheless a very important one. The Tánaiste will be aware that St. John's Hospital was instrumental in helping out with the winter health crisis we had in Limerick. That assistance should be repaid by support for its capital plan. It wants to increase the bed capacity there by 90 beds. My sense is that the University of Limerick Hospitals Group is favourable and warming towards the plan but I think it needs the support of the Government, and indeed of the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly. I would welcome if the Tánaiste could speak with the Minister, Deputy Donnelly. The tendency nationally in the past decades has been to build hospitals, and indeed schools, at the edge of urban centres. I am referring here to a city centre hospital and it ticks every box from a sustainability and good planning point of view. It really makes sense that we as a Government - and I believe all parties in the House - would support St. John's Hospital. I do not expect the Tánaiste to know the ins and outs of the particular project but I am confident that it makes sense and that it should be supported.

I am familiar with St. John's Hospital. It plays a very important role in the overall provision of services in the mid west, and especially in Limerick city. I remember many years ago visiting probably one of the first minor injury clinics there, which was an innovation that St. John's pioneered at the time and which became quite the norm afterwards in other hospitals.

I am not aware of the specific project. Subject to it being consistent with the clinical safety issues - the right type of medicine at the right time and in the right place - we have to support facilities such as this because they can take a burden off the major acute hospitals.

Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) is a commercial state body, established under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry. RCÉ is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

The question raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for RCÉ and, therefore, the question has been referred to the body for direct reply.

I thank the Deputy for his continuing advocacy on this case. It has prompted me in my engagement with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The Department is updating the housing adaptation regulations now to include hoists. Engagement is ongoing with the HSE on what its role is, if any, regarding the training that may be required. It is imminent.

The heartless and serious persecution of women in the family law courts continues unabated in the State with cases dragging out for years at different courts and at different levels. It appears to continue regardless of what anybody thinks. There appears to be no way of doing anything about it by anybody. I have raised this previously. The Ceann Comhairle has thankfully and correctly facilitated me in raising the matter for consideration. Everybody has expressed concern but the concern now is there is a contention that will go away and eventually it will be smothered, that we will have some distraction and it will go on into next year or the year after. This is not good enough. There is a situation now whereby some women and their children have been deprived of meeting each other, only talking by telephone, with an accused person overseeing the telephone calls. This can go on for more than one year. This abuse cannot continue. It is authorised abuse by the State of individuals.

My understanding is that the Deputy may be referring to a specific case. I do not know whether that informs the general but the Government is committed to reforming the family law court system for stronger protections, supports and empathy with all concerned, particularly children and women. The Minister for Justice is alert to Deputy Durkan's concerns.

There are several cases.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 311 and 312 together.

The large-scale rollout of badger vaccination commenced in late 2019. Every year more and more of the countryside is designated as vaccination zones.

This is reflected in the numbers of badgers captured for vaccination in these zones rising from an initial figure of 1,937 badgers in 2019, to 4,698 badgers in 2020. This figure rose again in 2021 to 6,586 badgers, with a further 7,244 badgers captured for vaccination in 2022.

Table 1: The number of badgers captured under the badger vaccination programme from 2019 to 2022

Estimated badger populations have been suggested by research conducted by the NPWS and other scientific investigations. Unfortunately, there is a wide variation in estimates for the size of the badger population in Ireland.

A recent study in 2021 suggested that the mean estimated population size was 92,096 badgers (5–95th percentile, 67,188–118,881). While a previous study carried out by the NPWS, 1995, suggested a badger population of 200,000 animals.

The wide variation in badger population estimate is most likely due to several factors. The badger itself is a highly secretive and nocturnal mammal making direct sightings and individual population counting impractical. Methods of population estimate include indirect wildlife modelling techniques. Badger sett identification is an important element of an estimated population count. Typically, a mean average group size within the sett is determined depending on habitat quality.

Unfortunately, with such a wide variation in the estimated badger population figures, it is difficult to offer a percentage of vaccinated badgers in relation to the total population, with any degree of accuracy.

The badger vaccination programme is operated by badger vaccination teams that work on a geographical area. The vaccination areas continue to expand, so that an increasing number of badgers are captured and vaccinated under the programme. Within the vaccination areas, two badger sweeps are conducted each year. This is to ensure that we capture and vaccinate as many badgers as possible within each area.

The badger vaccination programme is dependent on finding badger setts and the vaccination of badgers from within these setts. It is therefore hugely important that farmers assist my Department and report any badger activity or badger setts on their farms. My Department have developed the Badger Activity App available to download from www.bovinetb.ie which enables farmers to notify the department about badger setts and badger activity on their farms. Badger sett notification by farmers and landowners will enable the Department to effectively vaccinate even more badgers throughout the country.

It has been an outstandingly successful programme which has benefited clubs in all localities and clubs in disadvantaged communities even more, from my long association.

They cannot afford to draw down the money.

It happens in other Departments.

I have raised this question many times but no progress has been made. Another long, cold winter has gone by. I raised the issue of Travellers living in totally unsuitable mobile homes and caravans. The only response was an inadequate pilot caravan loan scheme that only reached a tiny fraction of the people who urgently require proper accommodation. When will we be able to say each and every Traveller family who lives in a mobile home or caravan has adequate accommodation? It is a simple ask. It does not involve a huge amount of money or that many caravans. Can this matter not be put to bed once and for all? What is happening is cruel. People are sleeping in damp, wet and cold caravans in this climate.

In 2018 as part of the Government’s enhanced commitment to eradicate bovine TB by 2030, a bTB Stakeholder Forum was established tasked with proposing policies to help achieve eradication within this timeframe. Following detailed discussions informed by available scientific evidence and stakeholder perspectives, the Forum reached agreement on recommending a selection of policy options which should have a significant impact on the reduction of bTB in the years ahead.

As a result, in January 2021, I launched a new Bovine TB Eradication Strategy 2021-2030. The implementation of this strategy is overseen by the established TB Forum along with support from three working groups on science, implementation and finance, which will ensure that all aspects of the Strategy are addressed. As we are dealing with an infectious disease, the strategy is not set in stone - it is a living document which will be subject to amendment and refinement on an on-going basis. This new TB Strategy is available on www.bovinetb.ie

It has been agreed by all stakeholders within TB Forum that extensive consultation within three working groups will develop a shared understanding of how collectively we can reduce TB incidence along with implementing the new TB Eradication Strategy. I remain fully committed to reducing and, ultimately, eradicating TB in Ireland.

Most actions set out under the current TB strategy have either been implemented or are advancing well towards implementation. To make substantial further progress on TB in the 2023-2025 period, additional steps to build on the current strategy will be needed. The Bovine TB Stakeholders Forum has recently agreed to implement further actions and discussions are on-going on the implementation of these actions.

I am committed to reducing TB incidence rates across the country. We have made good strides since I launched the new TB Strategy in 2021 with all stakeholders working collectively and collegiately to reduce TB rates. Our TB herd incidence level for 2022 has improved slightly with a decrease from the previous year 4.33% to 4.31%. We must keep this going with the ultimate aim of eradicating TB from the herd.

Attaining TB-free status remains critical from a farm family profitability and sustainability perspective and from a trade perspective at national and at international level. I am acutely conscious that every TB restriction represents a significant emotional and financial challenge to the farm family concerned.

I will work with all stakeholders in ensuring fewer herdowners experience the challenges associated with a TB restriction and that the target of achieving TB eradication by 2030 is achieved.

On Tuesday last, Palestinian political prisoner Khader Adnan died in an Israeli prison. He was on hunger strike for 87 days and was held in what the Israelis called administrative detention, in other words, internment. The blame for his death lies solely and squarely with apartheid Israel. We should know about the long history of fighting colonialism via hunger strikes. When will the Tánaiste contact the Israeli ambassador to state his outrage about this issue? When is the time to cut diplomatic and foreign links with apartheid Israel?

We are in constant contact with our European partners and American Near East Refugee Aid, ANERA, about the escalation of violence in Palestine. We have frequently condemned all killings in Palestine and attacks by the Israeli forces in certain towns and villages in the West Bank of late. We called for de-escalation of the violence. Cutting off diplomatic relations would achieve very little. It would marginalise Ireland even more in respect of the-----

Why did we do it in the 1980s?

-----Middle East process. We want to continue to contribute to a resolution of the issues there, which we do as a country in our supports to ANERA, non-governmental human rights organisations in Palestine and our support more generally for the Palestinian National Authority.

Why would the Tánaiste want to deal with a murderous regime such as Israel? The Tánaiste is yellow.

Approval and use of rodenticides in Ireland are regulated under the EU Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR - Regulation (EU) No 528/2012). The regulatory process is based on EU-harmonised guidance and decision-making criteria and involves Member State competent authorities and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). Products must be authorised for specific uses in a Member State before they can be made available for sale and use, with strict mitigation measures specified where required to protect human health and to minimise potential impacts on wildlife.

The product referred to is currently authorised in Ireland for use as a rodenticide by Professional and Trained Professionals only, in indoor and outdoor areas around buildings, for the control of rats (black/brown rat) and mice (house mouse) to protect public health, stored products and materials.

The authorisation is based on an in-depth evaluation in accordance with the Biocidal Products Regulation, which concluded that the risk for birds and mammals may be considered minimal when the product is used with appropriate risk mitigation measures, such as protected bait points and detailed restrictions on baiting.

The product is not currently authorised for the control of field/wood mice in Ireland. Applications to extend the authorised uses of any biocidal product are carefully considered by my department.

This Department recognises the importance of birds of prey and is mindful of the need to ensure a very high level of protection for them and other wildlife. Officials from the department also engage actively with relevant stakeholders, via the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU) Ireland, to promote best practice in relation to rodenticide use.

We are expediting the process. The Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Chambers, has facilitated a significant expansion of testers and instructors. By the end of the year, there will be up to 200. The solution is higher volume to do more testing and deal with the backlog.

There has been a welcome and much-needed increase in Government funding for the non-national road network in the last few years. Unfortunately, those increases have been more than offset due to the substantial increase in the costs of road construction and maintenance since 2021. The costs of bituminous overlay pavement products, concrete and aggregates, the main products used in roadworks, have risen dramatically. I would like assurance that in the mid-year review of the 2023 capital programme, priority will be given to a further allocation to local authorities of grant aid for regional, county and local roads. The councils in my constituency, Cavan and Monaghan county councils, have the capacity to put such funding to good use in the best interests of rural communities. This road network needs additional investment this year. Heavy rainfall over the last few months has caused further deterioration and damage to our local road network.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, which he raised previously on the non-national roads sector. There is no doubt that inflation has eaten into the available resources. The total allocated this year for regional and local roads is approximately €626 million, €46 million of which is current expenditure and €580 million of which is capital, compared to €597 million overall in 2022. There was an increase this year in capital funding but as the Deputy said, much of that has been absorbed by inflation in the cost of materials in construction more generally. We take on board what the Deputy said about mid-term reviews and to examine what we can do this year regarding different stages of capital being deployed and whether we can deploy more capital for it this year.

I want to raise housing adaptation grants for older people and people with disabilities. The grants were announced last Monday, 1 May. I heard that this was waiting on the Minister's desk for eight weeks before it was signed. The grants have increased by 2.3%. According to today's newspaper, construction costs have gone up 30%. The same paper stated that 32.5% of the housing budget was not spent in the first four months of the year. How could it be spent if money was not even allocated to these grants for older people and people with disabilities?

I am dealing with a woman who has a 30-year-old disabled daughter. She is lifting her in and out of the bath. This is going on since late last year and I have called the local authority about these grants several times. It could not give the money because the Government had not released the funds. That is a disgrace, a pure and utter disgrace. All things to do with older people, people with disabilities and housing are a pure disgrace and do not seem to be priorities for this Government. When will these funds increase in line with construction costs?

We have delivered ahead of targets in respect of adaptation grants and we continue to invest significantly in this area. I do not accept the argument that the local authority could not release a specific grant to a specific individual because of such a lack. I do not buy that.

I have called the local authority several times.

There has been a consistent annual allocation and an increase in the annual allocation to this area. Local authorities know full well that there is a follow-through in funding which will enable them to deal with cases, such as the one Deputy Guirke raised. It did not stay eight weeks on anyone's desk.

Dairy farmers are struggling to make ends meet with the price of milk and dairy products starting to reduce while their costs are still increasing. This is a fight they can take on, but the fight they cannot take on at present is the dropping of nitrates from 250 kg per ha to 220 kg per ha. I attended a farm walk in Farnanes where I met a typical Irish farmer who has 71 cows. He is a married man with four young children. He has run his farm environmentally meticulously for many years. He has proper slurry spreading equipment and has done every other thing he had to do. If the nitrates drop from 250 kg per ha to 220 kg per ha, he will have to drop his number of cows from 71 to 55, 56 or 57 cows. If this is the case, he will face being wiped out and that is the case for many farmers. Will the Government plough ahead with the 250 to 220 nitrates drop?

I propose to take Questions Nos. 317 and 318 together.

I wish to advise the Deputy that the information requested is set out in the attached table.

As regards the 12 State Bodies under the aegis of my Department, the information requested is an operational matter for the State Bodies themselves. I have referred the Deputy’s question to the Agencies and have requested that a response should issue within 10 days.

I will raise an important issue that affects many individuals I represent as Sinn Féin spokesperson for older people, namely, the lack of adequate support for those suffering from dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. These debilitating conditions not only affect memory but also basic daily activities, communication and the ability to live independently. Despite the high number of people who are affected by these conditions, the support and resources available are often inadequate. Adding to this issue is the difficulty in acquiring medical cards which are vital for those suffering with these conditions. It is essential the Government prioritise and improve support and resources for those with dementia and Alzheimer's disease and make it easier for them to access medical cards.

I did not quite catch what Deputy Collins said. He speaks at a rapid speed that defies-----

The Tánaiste was talking madly. He cannot listen to two people at once.

They cannot deal with the nitrates dropping from 250 kg per ha to 220 kg per ha. It will wipe them out.

I understand that but it is a directive that is coming down the tracks. Work is under way.

It is a special exemption we are lucky to have.

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

We have the exemption.

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Let us not have a debate.

Discussions between the Commission and the Government are ongoing. These issues are negotiated at EU level as the Deputy will be aware.

Regarding Deputy Hourigan's case, today the Government approved a strengthening of the consultation process for redundancies to ensure companies fulfil their obligations under the legislation to engage in proper, detailed and timely consultation with workers who are going through the traumatic experience of losing their jobs, the announcement of redundancies and so forth. That is the way it should be. I take on board the points Deputy Hourigan made in her presentation.

I was taken aback by Deputy Ryan's comments. We must be fair in our commentary. When Deputy Butler became the Minister of State with responsibility for older people and mental health, she put a particular focus on dementia with significant results. The 44th daycare centre for dementia was opened this week. We now have 29 dementia advisers-----

I have been contacted about a man with no medical card.

Higher Education Institutions are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997, the Institutions of Technology Acts 1992 to 2006 and the Technological Universities Act 2018.

Under this legislation, the institutions are academically independent and are entitled to regulate their own academic affairs and administrative processes including admissions, examinations, programmes of study and awarding degrees and other qualifications. My Department has no role therefore in setting the entry requirements for third-level courses.

Matriculation requirements (or minimum entry requirements) are intended to set the minimum level of prior academic achievement, which a student must have in order to have a good prospect of completing their chosen higher education programme. Matriculation requirements in the university sector are currently determined by individual universities and vary from institution to institution. The NUI institutions (University College Cork, University College Dublin, Maynooth University, University of Galway) are the only higher education institutions with a specific Irish language matriculation requirement. Language requirements may also be in place for specific courses with a language component in other higher education institutions.Entry requirements for NUI institutions are detailed here: www.nui.ie/college/entry-requirements.asp

The facility exists to apply for an exemption regarding matriculation requirement of Leaving Certificate Irish. Further information on the process of applying for an exemption can be found on the NUI website: www.nui.ie/college/entry-requirements.asp

I will bring it directly to the Minister of State as the man has no medical card.

Some 15% of all home help hours are now dedicated to people with dementia.

He is 74.

We have more to do.

I cannot comment on individual cases.

I know. I am informing the Tánaiste.

Community centres are the cornerstone of community life in many towns, villages and urban areas around the country. This Government recognises the important role they play in community life in Ireland, bringing people together and engaging with those who may be marginalised or disadvantaged.

With this in mind, my Department has put in place an integrated programme of supports for the establishment and development of community centres across schemes such as CLÁR, LEADER, the Community Support Fund, the Town and Village Renewable Scheme, and of course the new Community Centres Investment Fund.

The 2022 Community Centres Investment Fund was warmly welcomed the length and breadth of the country. Over €45.5 million has been committed to the improvement and refurbishment of existing community centres across the country. These projects are ongoing and will be completed over the coming year.

Following on from this, I want to assist community groups striving to build their own community centre to service local needs so this year the focus of the Community Centres Investment Fund has moved to new builds.  This focus will specifically help those towns and villages that have no community centre whatsoever.

In March I was delighted to announce a €20 million Fund to support communities with ‘shovel-ready’ projects on green or brownfield sites to build new community centres. This Measure will target areas which do not have an appropriate facility to meet the needs of their area. The deadline for receipt of applications is 3rd July 2023 and I would encourage communities that have eligible projects with planning permission to submit an application under the Fund. Details are available on my Department's website.

The delivery of public library services, including the provision of library premises, is a matter for each local authority in accordance with the Local Government Act, 2001. Accordingly, the delivery of library services in Kill is primarily a matter for Kildare County Council. My Department has recently invited proposals from local authorities in respect of library building projects and mobile library services, under the Libraries Capital Programme 2023-2027. The closing date for receipt of applications is 16 June.

Sin deireadh le Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht. Aithním Lucy Webb agus Carol Cullen san Áiléar Poiblí. Leis sin, tá gnó na maidine déanta agus glacfaimid sos ar feadh 40 nóiméad.