Another area that I believe could benefit from this Fund is the development of enterprise centres/ workspace on a cross- border basis. Glad that Taoiseach has agreed to engage further on this proposal.

Cross-Border Co-operation

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday – 9 July 2024

Brendan Smith

Question:

13. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach for an update on the work of the shared island initiative. [29134/24]

The Taoiseach

I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 to 15, inclusive, together.

The Government continues to prioritise and progress the shared island initiative. Our commitment is to work with all communities and political traditions for a shared future, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement. On 20 February, the Government announced the largest ever package of funding for cross-Border investments. This included a commitment of €600 million for the A5 north-west transport corridor and for progressing linked road projects in counties Donegal and Monaghan. The Government also made allocations this year from the shared island fund to contribute to the redevelopment of Casement Park in Belfast; to introduce from this autumn an hourly rail service between Dublin and Belfast; to move ahead with construction of the landmark Narrow Water bridge; to create a renewed visitor experience at the Battle of the Boyne site and; for new cross-Border co-operation schemes on enterprise development and tackling educational disadvantage.

I was delighted to be in Omeath, County Louth, on 4 June to mark the commencement of construction of the Narrow Water Bridge, a transformational project for tourism and the region, and to be in Clones, County Monaghan, on 19 June to visit the stunning new canal basin marina at an event to mark the completion of phase 2 of the Ulster Canal. The shared island fund is helping to facilitate the delivery of these landmark cross-Border infrastructure projects, both of which were commitments under the programme for Government and in the new decade, new approach agreement. These and the Government’s other shared island investment commitments are taken forward by Ministers working with their Northern Ireland Executive and British Government counterparts and with local authority, education and civil society partners across the island. A full list of shared island funding projects is available on gov.ie.

The Government is also working to develop more investment opportunities with the Northern Ireland Executive, through the North-South Ministerial Council and with the British Government to deepen North-South and east-west relationships. I look forward to working with the new British Government in this regard, and, as co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement, to further developing connections between people across these islands. My Department’s shared island unit co-ordinates a wide-ranging research programme, the output of which will be very interesting. We are fostering inclusive civic dialogue on people’s common concerns across the island for the future in the areas of our economy, society, culture and in political terms.

The most recent ESRI shared island research report was published on 10 April on gender and labour market inclusion in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Further work by the ESRI has been commissioned on income distribution levels and tackling child poverty across the island. Both are due to be published later this year. The shared island youth forum, which I launched last September, brings together 80 young civic representatives aged 18-25. The forum has met nine times to develop an overall statement of its vision and values for a shared island, to be published in the autumn. A brilliant group of young people will share with us their views for the future of the island. The shared island dialogue series will also continue in the autumn, with contributions from people from a range of different perspectives on what achieving a more reconciled island requires in societal terms in the time ahead.

Through the shared island initiative, the Government is investing in quality of life and opportunity for people, North and South, and interacting with all communities on how we can better share this island we all love, however it may be constituted, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement.

Deputy Brendan Smith

I very much welcome the strong message that the shared island initiative will continue to identify more investment opportunities on a cross-Border and all-Ireland basis, and quite rightly. The Ulster Canal project would not have proceeded without funding from the shared island initiative. We have so much potential in the whole area of waterways development, allied to the Shannon-Erne Waterway.

About two years ago, the then Tánaiste launched a number of feasibility studies that are currently under way by local authorities North and South; for example, Cavan and Monaghan county councils are working with their counterparts north of the Border. Much of it is based on enterprise: the development of enterprise centres and the development of innovation hubs. I am very anxious that this particular study within the shared island initiative would be advanced. One thing we need in the Border counties, and particularly in the areas where local authorities have a very poor rates base and are not able to raise revenue themselves, is to get some assistance towards the development of workspaces in enterprise centres. Quite regularly enterprises talk to me about the need to get more space which they cannot afford to provide themselves. I would love to see the enterprise initiative advanced within the shared island initiative.

The Taoiseach

Deputy Brendan Smith raised a very good idea about workplace enterprise centres, which somewhat ties in with Deputy Ó Murchú’s question on whether we can use the shared island initiative and the Northern Ireland Executive to look at issues around workers, enterprise, co-working spaces and cross-Border workers. I will engage with both Deputies on that.

Cavan-Monaghan Fianna Fáil TD, Brendan Smith, has been informed by the Minister for Education, Norma Foley TD, that her Department and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) continue to monitor and review the need for further new special schools and the expansion of existing special schools in all areas of the country including County Monaghan.

Minister Foley was responding to Deputy Brendan Smith’s Parliamentary Question in Dáil Éireann when he asked if urgent consideration would be given to the establishment of a special school in County Monaghan in view of the well-documented need for such school provision. 

In response to Deputy Smith’s Parliamentary Question, Education Minister Norma Foley said:

“Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

“The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.

“My department and the NCSE continue to monitor and review the need for further new special schools and the expansion of existing special schools in all areas of the country including County Monaghan.

“In planning for increased special school places, the department and NCSE review all of the available data on the growing need for special school places across the country. This involves a detailed analysis of enrolment trends and the potential for existing special schools in a region to expand.

“My department and the NCSE are progressing this review work ahead of determining where additional capacity is required in existing special schools or in what regions a new special school may need to be established for the 2025/26 school year.

“It is estimated that a further 300 new special school places may be required nationwide each year for the coming years. When looking to provide additional capacity the department’s preferred option is to increase provision in existing special schools if possible.

“An important consideration when deciding to establish or expand provision in an existing special school is the distances that some students are travelling in order to access a special school placement.

“My department and the NCSE are continually reviewing where additional capacity is required in existing special schools or in what regions a new special school may need to be established over the coming years,” concluded the Minister in her response to Deputy Brendan Smith.

Deputy Smith said: “There is a clear need for a special school in Monaghan. The need is well documented and I asked Minister Foley if urgent consideration could be given to the establishment of such a school, given how it would help Monaghan pupils with special educational needs and their families achieve the best possible outcomes.

“The Minister and her Department along with the NCSE are continuing to monitor where new special schools can be established and I will continue highlighting the need for such a school in Monaghan.”

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors

Below is the reply to the Parliamentary Question from Minister Norma Foley. 

______________________________________________
For Written Answer on : 11/07/2024
Question Number(s): 211 Question Reference(s): 30762/24
Department: Education
Asked by: Brendan Smith T.D.
______________________________________________


QUESTION

To ask the Minister for Education if urgent consideration will be given to the establishment of a special school in County Monaghan, in view of the well-documented need for such school provision; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY

Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.

My department and the NCSE continue to monitor and review the need for further new special schools and the expansion of existing special schools in all areas of the country including County Monaghan.

In planning for increased special school places, the department and NCSE review all of the available data on the growing need for special school places across the country. This involves a detailed analysis of enrolment trends and the potential for existing special schools in a region to expand.

My department and the NCSE are progressing this review work ahead of determining where additional capacity is required in existing special schools or in what regions a new special school may need to be established for the 2025/26 school year.

It is estimated that a further 300 new special school places may be required nationwide each year for the coming years. When looking to provide additional capacity the department’s preferred option is to increase provision in existing special schools if possible.

An important consideration when deciding to establish or expand provision in an existing special school is the distances that some students are travelling in order to access a special school placement.

My department and the NCSE are continually reviewing where additional capacity is required in existing special schools or in what regions a new special school may need to be established over the coming years.

22/07/2024

Below is a report of Parliamentary Questions I put to the Minister for Transport regarding the need to introduce appropriate financial supports to enable the establishment of hackney services in rural areas where there is no public transport and particularly to meet the needs of people who do not have their own transport.

Public Transport – JULY 4 2024

Brendan Smith
Question:
12. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Transport the progress in rolling out
the local area hackney scheme; if further consideration will be given to the provision
of hackney services in rural communities where it is not feasible to have a bus
service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28640/24]

Deputy Brendan Smith

It is very welcome that there has been a substantial increase in Local Link services
throughout rural Ireland in recent years. The Minister has placed a particular
emphasis on public transport, and I welcome that. There are areas where it is not
feasible to have a bus service. There are people – many elderly people and so on –
who do not have immediate family support and do not have their own transport. They
have to get a hackney or a taxi to go about their weekly business or whatever.
If a system was brought in to partially grant-aid local hackney services, it would be a
big help to many people on low incomes who do not have their own transport.

Deputy Eamon Ryan

The regulation of the small public service vehicle, SPSV, industry is a matter for the
independent transport regulator, the National Transport Authority, under the
provisions of the Taxi Regulation Act 2013 as amended by the Public Transport Act.As Minister, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of the industry.
While transport service provision has improved in both rural and urban areas, it is
recognised that public bus transport cannot meet the travel demands of many people
in rural Ireland. Taxis and hackneys therefore have an important role to play in
meeting travel demand in rural areas. The NTA issues local area hackney licences
where applicants can show that there is a need for this part-time service and that it
does not displace or replace current SPSV providers. Both driver and vehicle
regulatory requirements and costs pertaining to LAH licences are lower than those
under the standard hackney regime. A resident of the area where the LAH licence is
sought is not required to undertake the industry knowledge or area knowledge tests
that normally apply to those seeking SPSV driver licences. LAH drivers must be
licensed and their vehicles must be licensed and insured. There are 21 licensed LAH
drivers and 25 licensed LAH vehicles active nationwide as of 31 May 2024.
The LAH pilot scheme launched by the NTA in January 2023 was a €6,000 grant-
aided initiative to support rural transport needs where existing transport services
were found to be lacking. A local area hackney may only pick up passengers within a
designated area of approximately 10 km from a chosen point and may not pick up a
new fare at a drop-off point or any other point outside its designated area. Despite
significant work by the NTA, only two operators were licensed under the pilot, which
ended in May this year. The NTA is currently reviewing the outcome.
Separately, the NTA is currently procuring a digital platform for access to rural open
public transport, the smart DRT pilot, as part of Connecting Ireland. This platform is
expected to both improve people’s access to open public transport and provide
automated and optimised bus service routing and scheduling in rural areas.

Deputy Brendan Smith

I thank the Minister for his reply. It is clear the pilot programme that was rolled out
was not very attractive. It has obviously been a complete failure. The Minister
mentioned the transport regulator. Over the years, successive Governments have
given far too many powers away to entities and statutory agencies. We need to
make decisions at the political level. Most of the Minister’s constituents can access
light rail, the DART or the Luas, and other public transport options. A hell of a lot of
my constituents, decent people, have a free travel pass but may never have availed
of it in their lives because they are neither next nor near a public transport service.
On a Friday morning, I may meet people who have got a taxi to my town to collect
their pension, do some shopping and so on. If those people have to take a taxi a few
times a week, it will cost them a big portion of their pension payment. Surely it is
within the capacity of the Government and the Oireachtas to devise a system that
would provide some assistance towards local hackney or taxi costs to assist people
who have never had the opportunity to make use of their free travel passes. That is a
great initiative introduced many decades ago but a large cohort of our pensioners
are not able to avail of that particular facility. Consideration should be given to
providing some help for those people when they have to go on their weekly or twice-
weekly trip to the local village or town, sometimes to go to mass, church or whatever.
I again emphasise that, for pensioners on a small income, paying for hackneys or
taxis can mean that a substantial slice of their income for the week is gone.

Deputy Eamon Ryan

I absolutely agree. We have to provide good quality public transport and transport
services for all our people. I deeply regret that the local hackney pilot scheme was
not successful. The Deputy is correct about that. The uptake was far lower than we
wanted. We will review that and come back with further iterations. When something
does not work, we can at least learn why it did not. Although the review is ongoing
and I do not want to pre-empt it, I get the sense that the conditions were probably too
restrictive as regards ability to pick up other passengers and so on. Those conditions
were imposed out of a desire not to undermine the business case for other taxi
drivers in rural areas. We will make adjustments and try again. In the meantime, we
have introduced an incredible increase in rural public transport services through the
Connecting Ireland system. It is not as if this is the only solution. However, we do
need a better taxi service in rural areas. We absolutely accept that and will do
everything we can to improve it. As to how to do that, I believe it is appropriate for
the Government to set policy and provide funding but also to work with agencies like
the NTA. I find the NTA works very well. The system is working for us in this iterative
way. We try things and, if they do not work, we come back and try again.

Deputy Brendan Smith

I am glad the Minister agrees that we need to address the issue of there not being a
public transport service for those people living in remote areas who do not have a
family member or even a neighbour next to or near them. They need assistance.
That must be driven politically. It will not be driven by any statutory agency or
Government Department. I appeal to the Minister to make use of his political power
and to give instructions to the relevant agencies to come up with a realistic hackney
option rather than the ludicrous one that was tried already. That pilot scheme was a
total failure and needs to be totally overhauled. I appeal to the Minister to put his
political capacity behind such a proposal to ensure it is implemented before this
Government leaves office next year.

Deputy Eamon Ryan

I absolutely commit to Deputy Smith to making all political efforts to improve rural
taxi, hackney and, indeed, BusConnects services. This includes looking at the digital
online app as part of Connecting Ireland. That will bring about improvements. It also
includes working very closely with the likes of Local Link, which also provides a very
significant local drop-off service. There is a whole variety of different services.
Deputy Ó Cuív is correct. The pilot scheme is only starting but, in reviewing it, we
can see that it was too restrictive as regards the places in which it could be applied.
That was done for a good reason in terms of not wanting to undermine existing
services. As we come back for a second iteration, we might look towards a much
more open scheme. As the Deputy has said, there were other conditions to the
scheme to prevent competition with long-distance taxi services. That is an issue we
should look at. We need to be much more open as regards the areas it may apply to.

Cavan/Monaghan Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith has welcomed the introduction of emergency legislation aimed at stopping student accommodation providers from forcing students to pay for housing during the summer period.  He added that accommodation costs are a huge burden on students and their families and all malpractices by landlords should be adequately addressed.

This very welcome legislation bans accommodation providers from only providing 51-week leases to students.

Deputy Brendan Smith said that the legislation, which has been signed into law, was expedited by his party colleague, Minister Darragh O’Brien, due to a recent increase in student accommodation providers only offering 51-week leases for students.

“I want to recognise the efforts made by my party colleague, Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien, in speeding up this legislation and it has now come into effect in time for the new academic year starting this September.

“This welcome ban on students being forced to pay for 51-week leases for student accommodation is necessary as a result of that practice becoming more and more common. Those practices created unnecessary hardship and additional costs for students and their families.  Paying for accommodation for the academic year is more than a burden for most families.

“Fianna Fáil in government is committed to removing barriers to education wherever possible and there is a need to introduce further supports for students in Further and Higher education due to increased costs over recent years.  Minister O’Brien is to be complimented on this initiative”, concluded Brendan Smith TD.

Deputy Brendan Smith has welcomed the establishment of seven new special classes in Cavan and seven in Monaghan.
Every one of these special classes will have six pupils, one teacher and one special needs assistant.
Deputy Smith has welcomed confirmation from Minister for Education Norma Foley that this budget funding has been used to provide seven new special classes each in Monaghan and Cavan for the forthcoming 2024/2025 school year.
“I welcome the news that there are going to be seven new special classes each in Monaghan and Cavan in September. I want to thank all our local schools who are working so hard to make this happen in conjunction with the Department of Education and the National Council for Special Education. This is a sign of this government’s commitment to delivering an inclusive education for all our children,” the Deputy said.
In total, over 375 new special classes will be delivered in September for around 2,300 children with additional educational needs. Additional building work is being carried out in schools across the country to provide either new classrooms or refurbish existing classrooms for the new special classes.
Minister for Education Norma Foley TD said: “The new special needs classes coming on stream will bring the overall number of special classes in our education system to more than 3,000 nationwide. This will provide places for over 20,000 students. I want to thank all those involved in delivering the new special classes, including the schools, the staff and the building firms.”
“We now have more than 40,000 professionals working in special education – over 21,000 special needs assistants and over 19,000 special education teachers. That is the highest number of SNAs and teachers ever working in the area of special education. We have also delivered 11 new special schools during our term in government so far.”
The Department of Education and the National Council for Special Education are actively engaging with school patrons and a small number of schools to finalise the arrangements necessary for the remainder of special classes to open for the coming school year in the areas where they are needed. The number of Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) who help parents to find school places and health services for their children has increased from 73 to 120.
Minister Foley said: “I know that there are still challenges delivering school places for children with additional educational needs in their nearest school. It is my absolute aspiration that it will, in time, come to a point where every child with additional educational needs will be able to attend their local school and that there will be no distance for them to travel. We are making progress in that respect, but there is more to be done.”

Urgent progress needed on status of Undocumented Irish in the US

Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith has said there must be a renewed effort to solve the plight of the Undocumented Irish in the US who are seeking permanent status.

The Cavan Monaghan TD raised the matter in the Dáil earlier this month during Taoiseach’s Questions.  

“We need to secure legal pathways to visas and citizenship for Irish people who are working, paying their taxes and rearing their families in the US,” Deputy Brendan Smith said.

“Unfortunately, those people are not able to come home to Ireland if there is a family bereavement or celebration. Despite their taking part in normal day-to-day activity in the US, they cannot come home if they need to, provided they do not have visa status. I sincerely hope the matter can be kept on the agenda.”

He acknowledged immigration reform in the US is difficult but he said consideration should be given to introducing an Irish-specific category of E-3 visa.

Taoiseach Harris, in response, told Deputy Smith he would continue to keep the issue of the Undocumented Irish on the agenda. He said innovative work was being done in respect of the E-3 visas and that “trying to find a way forward is important”.

Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith has welcomed the commitment to repeal and replace the controversial Legacy Act.  

The Cavan-Monaghan TD said the decision is long-overdue and that needs of the victims must be considered as part of any revised approach.

“The law is entirely unacceptable as it stands,” Deputy Smith said. “It banned the cessation of inquests, criminal investigations, prosecutions, PSNI and Police Ombudsman investigations concerned with events that occurred during the Troubles.  It is wholly inappropriate and not fit-for-purpose. It needs to be repealed immediately.

“I’ve repeatedly called on the former British Government to remove this law so I’m pleased that the new British Government, under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has committed to repealing and replacing the Act. 

“It is not compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights. There is an urgent need for a comprehensive, collective and victim-centred approach to legacy issues.” 

______________________________________________
For Written Answer on : 11/07/2024
Question Number(s): 129 Question Reference(s): 30734/24
Department: Foreign Affairs
Asked by: Brendan Smith T.D.
______________________________________________


QUESTION

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the outcome of his recent discussions with Secretary of State Hilary Benn MP; the plans for future meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY

I had a positive first call with Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn, on 5 July immediately following his appointment, to congratulate him on his appointment and to welcome his Government’s commitment to reset the East-West relationship.  We agreed to meet in  person as soon as possible.

In our conversation I expressed my desire to work with the new Secretary of State with a sense of renewed purpose as partners and guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement. A strong and visible joint approach is foundational to securing positive progress on a range of issues related to Northern Ireland. In that context I warmly welcome the new British government’s strong statement of its enduring commitment to the Good Friday Agreement in all its dimensions.

We had a constructive initial conversation on legacy issues and committed to work together on a path forward. I welcomed the British Government’s intention to return to the principles of the Stormont House Agreement. We agreed on the importance that any next steps fully respect the European Convention on Human Rights and the needs of victims and families.
The redevelopment of Casement Park was also among the priority issues discussed. On 20 February, the Government announced an allocation of €50 million from the Shared Island Fund as its contribution towards the redevelopment of Casement Park in time to host EURO2028 matches in Belfast. The Government will work with the Northern Ireland Executive and the British Government towards this objective.

I look forward to working closely with the Secretary of State, bilaterally and through the institutional structures of the Good Friday Agreement, including and in particular the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference.

______________________________________________
For Written Answer on : 11/07/2024
Question Number(s): 130 Question Reference(s): 30735/24
Department: Foreign Affairs
Asked by: Brendan Smith T.D.
______________________________________________


QUESTION

To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the outcome of his recent discussions with Foreign Secretary David Lammy MP; the plans for future meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY

I was pleased to have my first call with Foreign Secretary David Lammy MP on Friday 5 July following his appointment to the role earlier that afternoon.

I congratulated the Foreign Secretary on the Labour party’s success in the elections and on his appointment.  The focus of our call was on both the bilateral relationship and international issues.    

Reflecting on the breadth of relations between our two countries, we agreed that there is now a significant opportunity for a reset of the bilateral relationship. We agreed, in particular, on the vital importance of the two Governments working in partnership as co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement in order to safeguard peace and promote prosperity for people across these islands,

The Foreign Secretary and I also exchanged views on a range of foreign policy issues. This included the conflict in Gaza, which we agreed must end, and our continued shared support for Ukraine.

I very much welcome this positive early engagement with the Foreign Secretary. Both he and I agreed on the importance of now finding an early date to meet in-person.  There is much for us to discuss, including the importance of EU-UK relations as a positive context for bilateral relations.  I look forward to working closely with the new Foreign Secretary and his Government colleagues over the period ahead.

Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith has confirmed farmers will begin to receive payments under the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme from September 18.

The Cavan-Monaghan TD also received confirmation that the Basic Income Support for Sustainability Scheme (BISS) payments will start on October 16.

Deputy Smith was informed of the dates by his party colleague, Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue TD, in response to a parliamentary question on the matter.

“I’m delighted that farmers will begin to receive ANC payments from mid-September and BISS payments in October. These two schemes are hugely important for farmers, providing direct financial aid to ensure their continued sustainability and viability,” Deputy Smith said.  

Minister McConalogue said he was fully aware of the importance of the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) and the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) schemes as for many farmers these form a significant proportion of their annual payments.

The planned 2024 payment dates for the ANC scheme and the BISS scheme, are as follows:

•     September 18th, 2024 – ANC Advance payments commence.

•     October 16th, 2024 – BISS Advance payments commence.

•     December 2nd, 2024 – Balancing payments commence.

Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) provides a direct income support to Irish farmers through CAP.

The Areas of Natural Constraints scheme provides payments to people farming land in designated areas face significant hardships from factors such as remoteness, difficult topography, climatic problems and poor soil conditions.

Asked about the planned payment dates for the Agri-Climate Rural Environmental Scheme (Acres) Minister McConalogue said for 2024 advance payments are scheduled to commence in November.

For 2023, the first payments made were in December when €88.35 million was issued in advance payments to almost 20,000 Acres general participants.

Interim payments were issued to allow other participants in Feb and March this year.

Scheme year 2024 advance payments are scheduled to commence in November 2024.

Minister McConalogue said: “My Department commenced balancing payments on the 19th of June. A total of 31,808 participants have been paid to date, with total payments made to ACRES participants since last December now amounting to just under €234 million. Further balancing payments will continue to be made on a fortnightly basis as cases are cleared.”

Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith has described the investigation into missing Cavan woman Jean Tighe as totally inadequate.

The Cavan-Monaghan TD, who is friends of the Tighe family, told the Dáil the family are distraught by her disappearance.

His remarks coincide with the four-year anniversary of Ms Tighe’s disappearance. Ms Tighe was last seen in Parede, a Portuguese holiday resort, on July 13, 2020. She was 38 years old when she went missing.

Despite repeated efforts from Irish authorities it took three years before her name was added to a missing persons database in Portugal.

“Very understandably, Jean’s loving family are distraught and have been at their wits’ end over her disappearance. Those concerns are shared by their many friends in the community in Cavan and neighbouring areas,” Deputy Smith said.

“To put it mildly, the investigation into Jean’s disappearance has been totally inadequate. It is simply just not good enough.”

Deputy Smith has raised the issue repeatedly with the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Taoiseach. As Taoiseach, Deputy Varadkar raised the case directly with his Portuguese counterpart.

“The Tighe family has got no response whatsoever as to why the Portuguese police authorities did not use modern investigative and search tools to trace Jean,” he said.

“The family is very patiently awaiting results but sadly they have had no substantive updates from any authorities.  The Government and our authorities must be robust and demanding in their ongoing contact with the Portuguese authorities to get an update on what has been done and what has not.”

Taoiseach Simon Harris in response told Deputy Smith he understood that Portuguese police have been investigating Jean’s disappearance but that sadly no strong leads have materialised as of yet.

“A member of An Garda Síochána in Portugal, the Irish Embassy in Lisbon and the ambassador have engaged with Portuguese police a number of times,” the Taoiseach said.

“The Tighe family has also been working with a family liaison officer.  In August of last year, An Garda Síochána and the Portuguese police met via video conference and Ms Tighe’s photo and profile was added to the Portuguese police’s missing persons website.

“My predecessor raised the matter with the then Prime Minister of Portugal. I will now directly seek an update myself.  I say to the Tighe family that I am very happy to raise the matter with my counterpart in Portugal and to come back to Deputy Smith directly.”

ENDS