I welcome the approval by my colleague, Norma Foley T.D., Minister for Education of a new PE Hall for the Royal School, Cavan.

This will be a very welcome addition to the school’s accommodation and will enhance considerably the facilities at The Royal School.

I am glad to have supported the application and I compliment the Principal, Mr Padraig Corley, and the Board of Management on their successful application. Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board – CMETB will deliver the project as they will with the recently sanctioned PE Hall for Monaghan Collegiate School.

Cavan/Monaghan Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith has welcomed the approval by his colleague Ms Norma Foley, T.D., Minister for Education of a PE Hall for Monaghan Collegiate School.

“This will be a welcome development enhancing considerably school facilities and I congratulate the School Principal and Management on submitting the successful application”, stated Deputy Brendan Smith.

Cavan/Monaghan Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith has again appealed to the Minister for Education to progress without further delay a proposed building project for St. Aidan’s Comprehensive School, Cootehill.

Deputy Brendan Smith stated that the application is in respect of the provision of additional permanent accommodation  and the upgrading of existing accommodation.

“I outlined in detail to the Education Minister, as I did to her predecessor, the need to have these additional facilities progressed without delay in view of the substantial growth in enrolment in St. Aidan’s over the years and also the increase programme of school activities.  This was one of the first Comprehensive Schools built in 1966 and having had improvement works and additional accommodation provided some years ago there is still a  need to have enhanced facilities provided to cater for the needs of the school.  This much needed project needs to be prioritised by the Department”, stated Brendan Smith TD.

Below is the reply by the Minister to my Parliamentary Question tabled in Dáil Éireann –

______________________________________________
For Oral Answer on : 14/10/2020
Question Number(s): 74 Question Reference(s): 30281/20
Department: Education
Asked by: Brendan Smith T.D.
______________________________________________


QUESTION

To ask the Minister for Education when a proposed building project at a school (details supplied) will proceed to the next stage in view of the urgent need to upgrade existing accommodation and provide new accommodation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. (Details Supplied) ST AIDAN’S COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL, COOTEHILL, CO CAVAN

REPLY

In relation to the school referred to by the Deputy, I can confirm that my Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme.  The School Authority has recently agreed to a proposed project brief, which includes specialist teaching accommodation, but does not include a new Physical Education (PE) Hall, as this does not fall under the remit of the ASA scheme.  

The School Authority has applied separately for major capital funding for a PE Hall.  As the Deputy is aware, the provision of PE Halls form part of the accommodation brief for all newly established schools.  These facilities may also form part of the overall accommodation brief for major capital extensions to existing schools.  Details of large-scale projects being delivered under the school building programme may be viewed on my Department’s website, www.education.ie and this information is updated regularly.

The main focus of resources over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics.  The second half of the NDP (from 2023 onwards) will see an increasing focus on the upgrade and refurbishment of the existing school stock.  This will include a PE Hall build and modernisation programme to ensure that students in all post-primary schools have access to appropriate facilities to support PE provision.

The immediate priority of my Department is providing new and replacement school places each year, to ensure that every child has a school place.

Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan-Monaghan Brendan Smith has welcomed confirmation that the National Food Ombudsman will be established, as announced in Budget 2021.  

Deputy Smith said, “For over a sustained period in opposition, Fianna Fáil’s campaign for fair prices and transparency in the food chain centred on establishing an independent National Food Ombudsman (NFO). 

“I am delighted to see Budget 2021 deliver on this explicit promise with monies allocated to establishing such an office in the coming year.  

“The Programme for Government committed to ensuring fairness, equity and transparency in the food chain by establishing a new authority called the National Food Ombudsman to enforce the Unfair Trading Practices Directive.  

“This NFO will enforce EU wide rules on prohibited unfair trading practices in the food supply chain and will have powers to enforce this Directive, penalising those who breach regulations.  

“It is also envisaged that the NFO will have a specific role in analysing and reporting on price and market data in Ireland. Such swift action from Minister McConalogue and the Government on this matter is very welcome,” concluded Deputy Smith.  

-ENDS-  

I welcome these approvals as it will relieve flooding at those locations benefiting householders, farmers and local residents. I was glad to raise these specific cases directly with the Minister.

Minor Flood Mitigation Works & Coastal Protection Scheme

Appendix

Approved funding to Cavan County Council  

From: Department of Health
Sent: Tuesday 13 October 2020 09:56
To: Brendan Smith <Brendan.Smith@oireachtas.ie>
Subject: HEA-MO-03397-2020

HEA-MO-03397-2020

13th October 2020

Dear Deputy Smith,

Thank you for your recent correspondence regarding restrictions in maternity services.

With regard to the presence of husbands or partners to maternity appointments, labour wards and delivery theatres, it is of course desirable that the impact of Covid-19 on the pregnancy and birthing experience of women and their families is kept to an absolute minimum.  In that regard the National Women & Infants Health Programme has provided assurance that the midwifery and obstetric community are acutely aware of the important support provided by partners or companions and that they wish to facilitate this as far as possible.

Maternity services are a core, essential service and as such need to be able to provide 24/7 care to all women requiring it as the country continues to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic. However, it should be noted that in the context of the current public health emergency, each of our 19 maternity units/hospitals are facing significant challenges. Such challenges may vary considerably between units and, indeed, over time as the situation evolves. In that context, and in line with clinical advice issued by the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, an individual unit or hospital may, under certain circumstances, be forced to restrict access of partners to maternity appointments, labour wards and delivery theatres.  It is important to remember that these restrictions are put in place to minimise the risk of spread of Covid-19 in the community and to protect hospital staff and patients as much as possible.

Decisions on any restrictions in hospitals are made, implemented and reviewed at hospital level and, while any restrictions are very regrettable, are necessary to protect the safety of patients, the wellbeing of staff and the operability of our maternity services. However, you can be assured that in the context of what is a rapidly evolving situation, such restrictions will be frequently reviewed and reversed as soon as possible.

In that regard, restrictions have eased somewhat in certain hospitals in recent weeks and it is hoped that this will continue.  However, the recent rise in the numbers of people infected with the virus, including healthcare workers, is very worrying and may impact on the pace of the easing of restrictions.

Additionally, the National Women & Infants Health Programme has developed a guidance document on restrictions in maternity hospitals/units and this has recently issued to all maternity services. The paper seeks to ensure a consistent national approach to visitor restrictions, as far as is practicable and having due regard to local circumstances.   Each maternity service/network has been requested to review visiting arrangements on a weekly basis, in the context of the issues and factors identified in the paper.

I hope this information can be of assistance to you.

Yours sincerely,

Stephen Donnelly T.D.

Minister for Health

Tuesday, 6th October – Voids Housing Programme

Local Authority Housing

Question:

33. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if it will be ensured that substantial financial provision is made for the voids programme in 2021 due to the valuable and important work being undertaken under the programme in 2020 and the need to make further progress in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28448/20]

Deputy Brendan Smith

It is disheartening to see council housing stock that is vacant, boarded up or both, when many people remain on our local authority housing lists. I compliment the Minister on making two substantial financial allocations to our local authorities for this year’s voids programme. Those allocations will make a real difference in the two local authorities in the constituency I represent, namely, Cavan County Council and Monaghan County Council. Bringing houses back to habitable use will make a difference to each estate. Most importantly, it will give individuals, families or both a new home before the end of the year. I am anxious that the voids programme will be strengthened even further for next year.

Deputy Darragh O’Brien

I thank my colleague, Deputy Brendan Smith, for raising this matter and agree with him completely. It is a frustration for all of us to see housing stock that is not in use and that is why, in July this year, I announced €40 million in funding and a targeted approach for all 31 local authorities to bring voids, which are vacant stock, back into use. We set each of the local authorities a target and asked them to make their submissions to the Department.

I am pleased to tell the Deputy that 2,411 properties have already been returned by local authorities and are currently being worked on. I have instructed each of the local authorities that, under this funding, any property that is brought back into stock must be occupied or allocated by the end of this year. Some of these properties are long-term voids that have been out of the market and out of use for over 12 months. There will be a targeted approach to this. I have a housing delivery team that I chair each week and we get a report on voids every week. Our housing delivery office is in contact with all local authorities. I know the Deputy is already doing this in Cavan and Monaghan but I ask all Deputies to be aware that this scheme is in place and to put positive pressure on local authorities to bring vacant units back into the housing stock.

We also need to look at the mechanism by which properties are brought back into the housing stock. The de-tenanting of properties needs to be looked at. We need to examine how long a property remains vacant when someone moves on or the property is handed over. We also need to look at the work that is required to give that property to a new tenant because sometimes it is far too extensive. We must look at other certifications in those situations.

We have made a good start. I am trying to negotiate funding for another voids programme for next year but I encourage our local authorities to deliver on the targets I have set this year because it will mean 2,500 families who would not get a home without this stimulus measure will get one. It is the largest voids programme that has been introduced in a long number of years.

Deputy Brendan Smith

I thank the Minister for his reply. This was the first issue about which I spoke to the Minister when he was appointed. I and Fianna Fáil councillors in Cavan and Monaghan are constantly in touch with the housing divisions in both of our councils. We are working with council officials to ensure that we get maximum turnaround.

Each of us in this House and everybody in society wants to see more public housing becoming available. There is a quick turnaround in upgrading voids because, by and large, those houses are in areas where housing is needed and services are already in place. It also helps employment, in that it makes work available for small-scale building contractors.

There can be a quick turnaround in returning these houses to habitable use. It also is important that tenants who are frustrated at living alongside dilapidated houses for some time are given consideration. We all know of the pride that the vast majority of people take in their houses and estates. When we go to the annual local authority estates award ceremony, it is heartening to see the interest that people take in their homes, estates and communities. For a quick turnaround and provision of more housing to ensure we are using existing public housing stock, the voids programme is a great investment. I sincerely hope the Minister can strengthen what has been a good programme in 2020.

Deputy Darragh O’Brien

I thank the Deputy. He has raised the important point that the voids programme provides local employment. The programme provides housing for local people and a lot of the work involves smaller local contractors. The scheme that the Government brought forward in July created 750 jobs across the country. We need that to be sustainable into the future.

I mentioned earlier that we need to revise how local authorities assess properties before they are re-tenanted. That needs to be done and I am asking officials to do it now.

I am committed to driving on with another voids programme next year. We are now in the middle of negotiations for budget allocations that will be announced next week. This has been one part of that. We have existing properties and, while we want to increase our housing stock and are committed to doing that as a Government, as am I as a Minister, we need to make sure we are using our existing homes well.

This year 2,500 people will be in homes who would otherwise not have been. That is something we need to build on, if the Deputy will excuse the pun.

We also need to make sure there is a targeted approach to this and that each local authority has a specific target. That has worked very well. They know exactly what they have to deliver, how they draw down the money and that we will work in co-operation with them. I commend them on the work they have done and the manner in which they have responded to my request to get these properties back into use.

Deputy Brendan Smith

I thank the Minister. I work closely with all of the councillors in counties Cavan and Monaghan, my Oireachtas colleagues and the officials in the housing divisions in both councils. I know they value the two allocations that were made in the latter half of this year. They have a substantial programme of work for next year once the funding is made available. It is both good value and is visible to the public at large, because nothing is more frustrating for a tenant in a local authority estate than seeing houses lying idle that to a layperson’s eye appear to be good structural homes that need very little upgrading and modernisation. We all know of top-quality young people and families who need their own homes but are living in hovels and, in many instances, are paying exorbitant rents. I have seen the quick turnaround that can be achieved through maximising the potential of the voids programme. I look forward to an even better voids programme in 2021.

Deputy Darragh O’Brien

To conclude, it is a priority. We want to build more new homes. Covid has had an impact on output this year. I mentioned to colleagues earlier that between 16,000 and 18,000 house completions will happen this year, half, or even less, of which will be local authority completions between acquisitions, leasing and builds. There is even greater pressure to use the existing stock we have in a better way.

The frustration people feel when they see empty homes although they have been waiting for eight, nine or ten years on a housing list is palpable. I have visited many fine local authority developments that need to be refurbished. I recently visited one not too far from here, St. Mary’s Mansions, which is a magnificent scheme run by Clúid. Fifty-six 70-year-old apartments have been fully refurbished and another two floors have been added to the building to create 80 apartments. People are again living in quality public housing in the centre of the city. That is what we want to see. We need to use the existing stock we have better.

Local authorities have responded. The local authorities in Cavan and Monaghan have responded very well to this, as have others. I encourage them to do as much as they can between now and the end of the year to bring these properties back into use.

2nd October 2020

Media Release – North East Major Emergency Management Interagency Group

Monaghan can still bring the number of Covid-19 cases back under control if we all take action – a message from the HSE, Monaghan County council and an Garda Síochána

People in Monaghan have been asked to limit the number of people they come into contact with over the coming days as the county works to reverse the recent worrying growth in the numbers of Covid-19.

The HSE, Monaghan County Council and an Garda Síochána are working together through emergency management structures to co-ordinate the community response to the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.

In recent weeks, there has been a sharp increase in the number of cases detected through HSE testing, leading to the agencies to appeal to the people of Monaghan to work to reverse that trend as quickly as possible.

Dr Ian Quintyne, Specialist in Public Health Medicine in North East explained that prompt action now could bring the situation back under control.

“Monaghan has come from a low number of cases, and although the recent rise is worrying we still have time to get it back under control – if we all act right now.
The people of Monaghan have done great work over the last few months, and it’s that work which is giving us a small window of opportunity to turn things around,” he said.
 Dr Quintyne added:

“Here are the actions I am now asking everyone to take for the foreseeable future:
 – Keep numbers of contacts as low as possible. I know that we want to liveand socialise as normally as possible, but if we see fewer people now it gives us a greater         chance of reining this in.
–          Be really scrupulous about keeping your two metres distance from anyone that you do not live with.
–          If you have any symptoms or are worried at all, don’t hesitate – ring your GP and follow your GP’s advice. If your GP refers you for a test, then please isolate at home.
–          If we in Public Health advise you to stay at home, then please follow that advice.”

 Chief Superintendent for the Monaghan Garda Division, Aidan Glacken said:
“In supporting the Covid-19 public health guidelines, we need everyone to double down on the tremendous efforts they have made here in Monaghan. We need everyone to limit the contact they have with each other. Whilst you may feel safe at home and think it’s ok to have friends over or have a party, you are putting your health, their health and everyone you come into contact with afterwards at risk. It is vital that you continue to play your part by limiting contact with others – this will save lives.”

The Chief of Executive of Monaghan County Council Eamon O Sullivan said:
“In light of the increase in positive Covid-19 cases across our communities it’s more important than ever that we hold firm, protect each other and follow the public health guidelines. Social distancing, wearing face coverings and handwashing play a crucial role. Limiting our number of contacts plays a vital role in reducing the spread of this virus and help our frontline health and emergency workers respond effectively. We can get through this together if we all do our part.”
ENDS

Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan-Monaghan Brendan Smith has urged holders of UK or Northern Irish driving licences to apply immediately to exchange their licence before the end of the year.  

Currently, the UK is in a transition period following their exit from the European Union. During this transition period it is still possible to exchange a UK/NI driving licence for an Irish equivalent. This transition period ends on December 31^st 2020.  

Deputy Smith commented, “I would urge anyone holding a UK/NI driving licence who is resident in Cavan-Monaghan to immediately apply for an Irish driving licence. If resident in Ireland and holding a UK driving licence, post December 31^st it will be illegal to drive on that UK/NI licence.  

“To prevent a last-minute backlog, I would urge residents in the border region to get in touch with their local National Drivers Licence Service Office (NDLS) to begin this process.  

“As we approach crunch Brexit talks, I would urge constituents, business owners, neighbours and friends in the border region to prepare for a potential hard Brexit. I commend the work of Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD in Brussels this week and hope for a successful outcome of talks between European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and British Prime Minister Johnson this weekend,” concluded Deputy Smith.