Politics « Thurles Information

Dedicated State Agency To Oversee Dramatic Increase In Refuge Accommodation.

Agency to have wide responsibilities – including enhanced research and delivery of services
New Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence agency to be established by 1 January 2024
Agency will bring expertise and whole-of-Government focus to tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV), with all public service bodies co-ordinating to change societal attitudes and achieve ‘zero tolerance’ to DSGBV

The Minister for Justice, Mr Simon Harris TD, has secured Government approval for the drafting of legislation to create a statutory agency dedicated to tackling and reducing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

It follows the Government’s decision last June that an agency should be established under the remit of the Department of Justice to deliver on commitments under Zero Tolerance, the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence.

One of its key responsibilities will be overseeing and supporting the provision of refuge accommodation for victims to help deliver on the Government’s commitment to double the number of refuge places and increase the number of safe homes and other accommodation over the duration of the Zero Tolerance plan.

However, the establishment of the agency will also ensure that there is permanent structure to help deliver further refuge accommodation over the long term.

To assist with this, the new agency will prepare and publish standards for service provision and governance in respect of the DSGBV services and accommodation, and monitor adherence to those standards.

Minister Harris said: “This new agency will be tasked with ensuring the delivery of services to victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, and with driving and coordinating the implementation of the Third National Strategy across Government.

It will bring the dedicated and expert focus that is needed to tackle this serious and complex societal issue. The agency will be up and running by next January. Publishing the General Scheme is a significant milestone on that path, and I wish to thank colleagues and the sector for their support for this important work.

This sends a clear message from Government that domestic and gender based violence will never be tolerated. I want to thank my colleague Minister McEntee for leading on this, as part of the Zero Tolerance strategy.”

The core functions of the agency, as set out in the newly-published General Scheme include:

planning, commissioning and funding DSGBV services;
overseeing and supporting the provision of refuge accommodation for victims;
setting standards for services and refuges, and monitoring adherence;
disseminating information on DSGBV, and leading and supporting awareness-raising campaigns;
conducting, commissioning and supporting research;
supporting, co-ordinating and reporting on the implementation of the Strategy;
assisting the Minister in developing future DSGBV strategies.

The agency will have a key role in engaging and consulting with stakeholders in the DSGBV area.

The new legislation – including the core statutory functions set out for the agency – has been guided by the Strategy, and by positive engagement with relevant Government Departments and State bodies, including the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and Tusla, from whom the new Agency will take over the provision of services to DSGBV victims.

There has also been significant consultation with the non-governmental DSGBV sector under an agreed principle of ‘co-design’ with those delivering frontline services.

The work of the Agency will be overseen by a non-executive board which will oversee the internal governance of the agency, adopt strategic and annual business plans for the Minister’s approval, and manage and appraise the performance of the Chief Executive of the Agency.

The General Scheme of the Bill will now be referred to the Justice Committee for pre-legislative scrutiny and once their report is received, work on finalising the Bill will be prioritised so that it can be published and begin its progression through the Houses with a view to enactment before the end of the year.

The General Scheme can be read in full, eventually HERE

Electric Ireland Calls A Halt To ‘Hello Again World’.

The Chief Medical Officer has urged, older people in particular, to reconnect with the rest of the world, some three years on from the first case of Covid-19 having been confirmed in Ireland.
In an open letter addressed to older people in Ireland, as part of a multimedia campaign ‘Hello Again World’, Professor Breda Smyth addresses the isolation and loneliness experienced by older people during the pandemic, saying: “If you haven’t yet returned to doing the things that you love, I am encouraging you to do so now.”

By this latter remark, we must assume that Professor Smyth would like older people to get out, buy a coffee; buy a lunch; visit the cinema; go to a show; attend a football or hurling game, buy a pint in their local licenced hostelry, etc.

No doubt Professor Smyth is correct, however obviously, this very capable lady has not seen her ESB bill so far this month.

The ‘Electric Ireland’ bill shown above was forwarded to us by a 76 year old male pensioner and same should help to explain our headline above.

But first, who is ‘Electric Ireland’?
Electric Ireland is the retail division of ESB (Electricity Supply Board). ESB was established in 1927 as a statutory corporation in the Republic of Ireland and the majority of shares are held by the Irish Government.
Previously known as ESB Customer Supply and ESB Independent Energy, the retail division of ESB has been rebranded to Electric Ireland in 2012. Recognised as Ireland’s leading energy provider, Electric Ireland supplies electricity, gas and energy services to over 1.2 million households and 95,000 businesses in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Ireland – No Country for Old Men or Women

From the 76 year old male pensioner, who wishes to remain anonymous, so we will call him Pat; we glean from him in a one-to-one discussion the following information:-
Pat lives alone in a small terraced house having worked, nonstop, all his working life since 1967.
His current income is a weekly pension of €260.10, per week, [1,040.40 per month or €13,525.20 per year].
He pays local property tax at the lower rate of €90.
He is a car owner, 08 reg, Insurance €420, Road Tax €280. He spends €20 on petrol each week to attend Mass, Shop for groceries, and for attending at a medical clinic. One car service and 4 new tyres, this year cost him €798. Seperately a set of windscreen wipers fitted cost €38.
He has no electric cooker and no electric shower. He cooks his main meal on a gas cooker which costs €540 per year.
He owns one electric heater but has not used same since electricity prices increased.
His heating outside his living room is a Superser Radiant Gas Heater, purchased at a cost of €160, [Used sparingly to heat his bedroom, the renewal of this second gas cylinder costs also €35 per month or €420 per year.
He claims no fuel allowance from the state, since he gets a gift of timber for his living room fire from a farming neighbours.
He no longer eats breakfast, eating only two meals each day; a toasted sandwich for lunch using a electric sandwich maker, or an omelette using an electric omelette maker.
His heating outside his living room is a Superser Radiant Gas Heater, purchased at a cost of €160, [Used sparingly to heat his bedroom, the renewal of his gas cylinder costs €35 per month or €420 per year.
Internet and Mobile Phone costs €40 per month.
He was forced to replace his television in the last year and his washing machine, due to their age, at a total cost of €790.
His groceries, including meat, averages around €100 per week.
Non prescription creams costs him €26 per month.
He attended two family weddings last year, on which he spent €390 to buy footwear and clothing and €300 on wedding gifts.
A daily copy of a cheap newspaper cost him €547.50.
Last Summer Pat was forced to paint the outer walls of his home. Paint and labour cost €480.
Christmas gifts to family and close friends cost €208, mostly spent on confectionary items on adults friends and cheap toys for grandchildren.

Pat admits that his current savings amount to €129.22.
His next Electric Ireland Bill is €959.72, less Electric Ireland Credit of €45.87 and less Government Electricity credit 2 of €183.49; thus leaving the total amount due on an estimated bill at €717.84 due to be paid by March 9th 2023.

We totted up Pat’s expenses, revealing annual expenditure of €12,880.50 and savings of €129.22. We asked what he had spent the odd remaining €516 on.

His reply was that €365 went on the collection plate at Mass on a Saturday night and the remainder was possibly given away on donations in lieu of flowers at a few friends funerals, in support of various charities; “Oh and I bought a 3 pack of electric bayonet led light bulbs in Dunnes Stores, last Monday; they cost €9 something”, he quickly interjected.

“So how do you intend to pay your next ESB bill?” we asked.
“I can’t, so they will possibly cut me off,” came the reply, “but candles are cheap, the Summer is coming and as long as I can afford batteries for my radio I’ll survive. As the film title said ‘This is no country for old men’ or indeed old women for that matter”, he added, “and the next General Election, will be held, at the very latest, by March 2025, if not before, by the will of the people, and if I live until then, please God, me and my likes can make a few changes with regards those who currently rule over us; holding the Irish public to ransome simply because they can.”

Ban On Cutting Of Hedgerows & Burning Of Gorse & Heather Came Into Effect Today.

From today, March 1st, a ban on cutting hedgerows and burning gorse and heather has come into effect and will remain in place until August 31st 2023 next.

Over the coming months, birds and mammals, particularly those considered endangered species, who hopefully will have found a mate; will build their nest in an effort to lay eggs and rear young families.

Above video was taken on April 13rd, 2022.

Under the current Wildlife Act, the ban on cutting hedgerows is aimed at giving all birds and other animals the best chance possible to breed successfully and share our world.

There are a number of exemptions to the ban, including the summertime trimming of hedges in the ordinary course of gardening and the cutting of roadside hedges to prevent obstruction to motorists.

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage said it is taking cases of wildlife crime seriously and has urged people to protect hedgerow and upland habitats.

Efforts last year to make email contact with Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Mr Malcolm Noonan, on numerous occasions over a two year period, while acknowledged, went unanswered.

It should be noted that the clearance of vegetation in the course of road or other construction works, or in the development or preparation of sites on which any building or other structure is intended to be provided, still remains exempt under Section 40 of the Wildlife Act. This rule therefore gives Tipperary Co. Council and Thurles Municipal Council and Developers free reign, to do whatever they wish, as we observed in April of last year, 2022.

Landmark Policing, Security & Community Safety Bill 2023 Begins Its Legislative Journey.

This Bill has four main objectives:

Making the prevention of harm and protection of people, who are vulnerable or at risk, an objective of An Garda Síochána and making the safety of communities a ‘whole of government responsibility‘.
Strengthening and consolidating independent, external oversight of An Garda Síochána.
Enhancing the internal governance of An Garda Síochána and the role of the Garda Commissioner as Chief Executive Officer [CEO or highest-ranking officer].
Improving the independent oversight of our national security infrastructure.

The Minister for Justice, Mr Simon Harris TD, is pleased to announce that the landmark ‘Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023’ is being debated at Second Stage in Dáil Éireann today, marking the beginning of its legislative journey. The Minister of State with responsibility for Law Reform and Youth Justice, James Browne TD, introduced the Bill to the Dáil today on the Minister’s behalf.

The Bill will deliver on many recommendations made by the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland (CoFPI), marking a new departure for policing in Ireland. It provides a comprehensive and robust framework of accountability, governance and oversight of policing and security and a new approach to community safety, focused on the need for collaboration and co-ordination between various State agencies.

Speaking today, Minister Harris said: “This landmark Bill provides a new framework for policing, security and community safety in Ireland; as recommended by the Commission on the Future of Policing.

It has been developed following extensive consultation with key stakeholders, including An Garda Síochána and the policing oversight bodies, and takes into account the recommendations made by the Justice Committee in its Pre-Legislative Scrutiny Report and the submissions that were made by a range of contributors during that process.

An Garda Síochána play a frontline role in preventing and addressing crime, but the sometimes more unrecognised element of their work is the role they play in preventing harm in communities, particularly harm to vulnerable people; including those suffering from acute mental health issues, addiction issues and homelessness.

Building safer and stronger communities by preventing crime and preventing harm is not and cannot be the responsibility of An Garda Síochána alone. It is a shared responsibility across Government, and it requires the buy-in and collaboration of other Departments and agencies such as health and social services, local authorities and the wider community working together to really effect change. So while this Bill will make the prevention of harm a clear objective of An Garda Síochána, it will also set in statute the cross-Government responsibility for community safety.

The Bill introduces a package of measures to ensure that the oversight framework for policing is coherent; supporting clear and effective accountability and ultimately better policing. It provides for the establishment of a new Policing and Community Safety Authority which will merge the existing broad – ranging functions of the Policing Authority and the inspection function of the Garda Síochána Inspectorate, building on their good work to date.

The Bill also provides for reformed processes and procedures for the handling and investigation of allegations of Garda wrongdoing in a new Office of the Police Ombudsman, which will strengthen the mandate of the existing Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission.

We are also strengthening internal governance by establishing a new non-executive Board of An Garda Síochána. The Board will oversee the strategic direction of the organisation including the development of the capacity, capability and optimum use of resources and ensuring compliance with An Garda Síochána’s public sector duty under human rights and equality legislation. The Board will also oversee arrangements for managing the performance of the Garda Commissioner. However, the Board’s role will not extend to operational policing or security matters which remain within the remit and functional independence of the Garda Commissioner.
Finally, the Bill will improve the oversight of national security arrangements in the State through the establishment of an Independent Examiner of security legislation.
This was a key recommendation of the Commission’s report, which recognised that responsibility for the security of the State did not rest solely in An Garda Síochána, and is modelled to a large extent on similar oversight mechanisms internationally.
I look forward to working with all colleagues in the House to enact this important legislation this year, with a view to having it commenced in January 2024.”

When enacted, the Bill will repeal the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended) in its entirety.

Implementation of the Bill is progressing in parallel with its legislative journey. The Department is already engaged in planning and coordinating this vital work, in conjunction with our Agency partners, so that the provisions and the new bodies can be put in place promptly on the Bill’s commencement.

Call For New Veterinary School To Be Developed.

Independent Clare TD Mr Michael McNamara has called for a new Veterinary School to be developed on a similar model to the School of Medicine at University of Limerick (UL), in order to address a growing shortage of vets, particularly in large animal practices within Munster; due to the current retiring of veterinary practitioners.

In October 2022, the Higher Education Authority (HEA) sought expressions of interest from higher education colleges about creating more spaces for veterinary medicine and veterinary nursing. University College Dublin (UCD), currently, is the only third level institute, on the island of Ireland, where students can study to become a veterinarian.

Deputy McNamara said the development of a second veterinary school in Ireland is critical, as there are currently more Irish veterinary students studying in Hungary (40) and Poland (70) than there are in Ireland.

“Some 581 students had veterinary medicine as their first choice, on their CAO form in 2022, but options for progressing to a veterinary school in Ireland are extremely limited with only 85 course places available at UCD each year,” he explained.
“The proposed new school must, at its heart, be centred on delivering more graduates into large animal veterinary practices. It is important the HEA’s target of a new school being opened by September 2024 is met.” he concluded.

He continued, “Currently, students at UCD primarily receive their experience at the Veterinary Hospital in Belfield, which inevitably is attracting more students to pursue a career in similar institutes and in research after they have qualified. A new Veterinary School should instead help to steer students towards replacing the veterinary practitioners specialising in large animals, with an acute shortage arising in Munster in particular.”

Deputy McNamara, who will be raising the matter with the Minister For Agriculture, during Topical Issues in Dáil Éireann tonight, said, “The School of Medicine at UL was established in 2007, when Ireland was experiencing a chronic shortage of general practitioners. The model developed by the School whereby students primarily received experience in GP practices, meant that they were more openly disposed to pursuing a career as general GPs, which helped to maintain the overall number of GPs across the country.”