Following his return from London, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar fielded questions about scoliosis waiting lists, the housing crisis and future referendums.
Leo Varadkar was in London yesterday where he was meeting with the British Prime Minister Theresa May and also taking part in Ireland’s bid to host the Rugby World Cup.
Catch up here:
Micheál Martin is on his feet and talking about the delays in the waiting lists for children with scoliosis.
He says children have to wait in pain. Last month it was revealed that the target to get waiting lists down was missed.
Martin raises the case of one child, whose doctors said the case is urgent.
Humanity empathy and compassion need to be taken into account when dealing with her son’s case, Martin said his mother told him today.
What has been going the last three or four years has been a disgrace, he said.
We’ve highlighted a number of these cases:
Leo Varadkar said it is an issue “close to his heart”.
there are far too many people waiting too long, people are well aware there are 600,000 people on form of a waiting lists.
He said he doesn’t want to see people waiting more than six months.
He said there is a scoliosis action plan in place, and said the new theatre in Crumlin Hospital is now open.
He said the number of operations have increased, but said some are still waiting a long time. Varadkar said he would be calling on the HSE to deliver on the four month waiting list.
The Taoiseach said a treatment plan will be offered to all, but said it may not be possible to carry out all operations in Crumlin. Others will be given option to have surgery abroad if they are waiting more than four months.
Martin said the government were simply shamed into setting the four month deadline, stating that it is only when headlines are visible or their high profile programmes are on television do they take action.
Varadkar said the number of operations have increased this year, with 236 operations taking place in Crumlin and Temple Street Hospital.
He said they are “pulling out all the stops” to get the waiting list down, and reiterated that families will be offered treatment abroad if they are on the list more than four months.
Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald highlights her party’s new plans to bring about affordable childcare, stating that young families are hanging on by a thread.
Varadkar said the government will find a way to increase the take home pay for those that work.
He is now listing off the improvements to childcare announced by Minister Zappone. “What has Sinn Féin ever done for young families?” asks the Taoiseach.
He says all the parties here in the chamber have done things for young families.
He says Sinn Féin’s rhetoric “is totally bogus”.
“You made a choice to not be in government,” he said, adding that as far as he can see SF do not want to be in government in Northern Ireland either.
“You are the only party that has never done anything,” he said.
I am actually raising two young children, says McDonald.
She said their plan for affordable childcare would cost €116 million. She says it would be money well spent.
“McDonald reminds me more and more of Marine Le Pen,” said Varadkar, who said that no matter what is said, she goes back to her script.
“That is not the kind of leadership we need in this country,” he adds.
Mick Wallace is up now and he wants to talk about the housing industry.
He wants to know what the Taoiseach is going to do about land banking.
Wallace said the government can’t rely on the private market, and said Nama has no expertise or skill to deal with the housing crisis, and said they helped create it.
He said it is time that this land be handed over to the local authorities.
Varadkar said who he listens to the most is his own constituents, particularly those in their 20s and 30s who can’t afford to buy their home.
He says he expects 20,000 will be built next year – 15,000 by private sector, 5,000 by local authorities.
In terms of land hoarding, and vacant sites, he said there is vacant site levy of 3% on vacant sites. “It certainly isn’t working yet,” he said, stating that you need to give those that own the land an opportunity to build on the site.
You have got to use the local authorities a lot more than you are now, said Wallace.
The 2,400 houses will be built by local authorities this year, said Varadkar.
Wallace said housing prices have sky rocketed, and the new houses coming online are not affordable.
The Taoiseach said student accommodation, hotels and next up, more social houses are being built.
Social Democrats Roisin Shortall is now talking about the raft of referendums that are coming down the line.
It’s been in the headlines today, but the Taoiseach has been speaking about them a lot over the summer:
She said there needs to be a referendum tackling Article 43 of the Constitution relating to property rights.
Varadkar said there will be a referendum on the Eighth Amendment in May or June.
Others are going to be held in winter 2018 in tandem with the presidential election, if there is one, he adds. Referendum on blasphemy and women in the home will be held then.
Then in Summer 2019 there will be a referendum to extend citizen’s abroad voting rights and also liberalising Ireland’s divorce laws.
He said he doesn’t like the term property rights, and said they are dealing with the issue of housing with legislation and new measures being introduced.
How many homeless people does it take for you to realise the Article 43 is an issue, she asked. She said it is an impediment to the housing crisis, and asks him to reconsider his priorities.
He said he is listening, that doesn’t mean he agrees. He says property rights are limited by the public interest, which he said has been used to bring in rent caps, and compulsory purchase orders.
Varadkar said the government does not have a majority and if she has wording she would like to bring forward, she is free to do that.
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