Vol. 274 Monday, No. 4 8 February 2021 DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SEANAD ÉIREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Insert Date Here 08/02/2021A00100Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 227 08/02/2021C00050Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 229 08/02/2021C00100Local Government Reform� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 229 08/02/2021E00250Planning Issues � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 231 08/02/2021G00300Planning Issues � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 234 08/02/2021J00350Primary Care Centres � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 237 08/02/2021L00400Institutes of Technology � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 239 08/02/2021O00100Apprenticeship Programmes� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 242 An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 246 08/02/2021HH00500Criminal Procedure and Related Matters Bill 2021: First Stage � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 263 08/02/2021HH01400Dumping at Sea Act 1996 (Section 5(12)) (Commencement) Order 2021: Motion � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 263 08/02/2021NN00100Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage 264 08/02/2021LLL00100Special Education Provision: Statements � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 296 08/02/2021HHHH00100Free Provision of Period Products Bill 2021: Second Stage � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 316 SEANAD ÉIREANN Dé Luain, 8 Feabhra 2021 Monday, 8 February 2021 Chuaigh an Leas-Chathaoirleach i gceannas ar 10�30 a�m� Machnamh agus Paidir. Reflection and Prayer. 08/02/2021A00100Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad 08/02/2021A00200An Leas-Chathaoirleach: I have received notice from Senators Ollie Crowe and Eugene Murphy that, on the motion for the Commencement of the House today, they propose to raise the following matter: The need for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to make a state- ment on the future of Galway city and county councils� I have also received notice from Senator Robbie Gallagher of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to make a state- ment on the implications of the Flemish decree judgment on the national planning frame- work and county development plans� I have also received notice from Senators Marie Sherlock and Ivana Bacik of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to implement a ban on the development of co-living schemes where construction has not yet commenced� I have also received notice from Senator Mary Seery Kearney of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health to make a statement on the redeployment of staff in primary care centres as a result of Covid-19, and to outline the measures in place to mitigate the reduction of services� I have also received notice from Senator John Cummins of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide an update on the further capital development of the campus of Waterford Institute of Technology in the context of the proposal for a new technological university for the south east� 227 Seanad Éireann I have also received notice from Senator Sharon Keogan of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to establish a scheme of funded apprenticeships through local authorities� I have also received notice from Senator Fiona O’Loughlin of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to designate the Curragh, County Kildare, as a national heritage site� I have also received notice from Senators Malcolm Byrne and Barry Ward of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Foreign Affairs to make a statement on the detention of pro-democracy and human rights activists in Hong Kong and on the operation of the na- tional security law by the Chinese Government in Hong Kong� I have also received notice from Senator Victor Boyhan of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the roll-out of An Bord Pleanála’s e-planning system� I have also received notice from Senator Paul Gavan of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Transport to make a statement on the sign-off of the tender process for the completion of the Coonagh to Knockalisheen road which would be of benefit to the communities in Moyross and the wider north Limerick and Clare areas� I have also received notice from Senator Gerard Craughwell of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Foreign Affairs to provide an update on the provision of an overseas allowance for Irish citizens who represent Ireland as secondees on the Organiza- tion for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OCSE, special monitoring mission to Ukraine� I have also received notice from Senator Fintan Warfield of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht to introduce a policy on the repatriation of cultural objects� I have also received notice from Senator Emer Currie of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Transport to provide an update on the development of an N3 to N4 link road� I have also received notice from Senator Lynn Boylan of the following matter: The need for the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to make a statement on plans to ban the importation of fracked gas� The matters raised by the Senators are suitable for discussion and I have selected those raised by Senators Crowe and Murphy, who are sharing their time, Gallagher, Moynihan and Bacik, who are also sharing their time, Seery Kearney, Cummins and Keogan and they will be taken now� The other Senators may give notice on another day of the matters they wish to raise� 228 8 February 2021 08/02/2021C00050Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters 08/02/2021C00100Local Government Reform 08/02/2021C00200Senator Ollie Crowe: I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Lo- cal Government and Heritage, Deputy Peter Burke, to the House and I thank for his time� He is familiar with Galway and I am hopeful that will help the case� In Irish terms, Galway is a massive geographic county, inclusive of four offshore islands. It is the second largest county by land mass in the country� It takes two and a half hours to travel from west Connemara to the county border in Ballinasloe� It is too large an area to be served by one council� This will result in less connection with people of the county and diminish the importance of current electoral areas� The needs of Connemara and Galway city are very dif- ferent and neither will be best served by a merger� My colleague, Senator Eugene Murphy, will elaborate further on that in his contribution� International research of mergers of councils in other countries, primarily the UK and Aus- tralia, shows that bigger does not equal better� Irish local authorities are already large in size and they constitute some of the largest local councils in the OECD� Prior to the 2014 local government reforms, Ireland’s average local authority size was approximately 40,000 residents� Now, with 31 local authorities, the average size is 150,000 residents, with the EU and OECD average less than 140,000� The population of County Galway is well in excess of 250,000 people� When combined with the geographic area already mentioned, it is clear both councils are required to serve the people of the county effectively. The staffing and resources issue identified by the 2018 review, which found that both coun- cils were significantly underfunded in comparison with other councils across the country, is a far more important issue to resolve� The advisory group stated that this funding shortfall must be addressed before any discussions regarding a merger could commence� 08/02/2021C00300An Leas-Chathaoirleach: I remind Senator Crowe that as he is sharing time with Senator Eugene Murphy, his time is almost expired� 08/02/2021C00400Senator Ollie Crowe: The Leas-Chathaoirleach is taking up my time� An allocation of €1 million was assigned to Galway County Council last September� In areas where syner- gies and savings can be made, for example, library services, fire services and salaries, this is already happening and this can continue in other areas, if justified, on a financial basis without the need for a merger� In the consultation process there was an almost united front on the part of elected representatives that this merger should not proceed� Aside from local representa- tives, the overwhelming