The Apple tax revenues, care for children waiting for spinal surgery and an “infamous” bike shed were among the issues first raised as politicians returned from the summer break.
There was a heightened security presence around Leinster House on Wednesday, as barriers were erected and footfall on Kildare Street was limited in response to anticipated protests marking the return of the Dáil.
There is a new bustle with the parliament’s return as the political system gears up ahead of a general election.
The selection of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil candidates by September and other factors have fuelled speculation that polling day could fall soon after the Budget is announced in two weeks.
Taoiseach Simon Harris and Tánaiste Micheál Martin have said the Government should go “full term”, and Martin said he felt February would be the ideal time to go to the people.
Ahead of polling day, the focus in the Dáil will be on housing, the details of the Budget, childcare and how to spend €14 billion in Apple tax revenues.
After politicians flocked into the Dáil chamber on Wednesday, Mr Harris faced questions on how to care for children waiting for spinal surgeries, and how to provide redress to people who suffered abuse in schools run by religious orders.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said the number of children with scoliosis and spina bifida waiting for treatment was “disgraceful”.
“The longer they wait, the worse their condition gets – a race against the clock, a race against the child becoming inoperable and the prospect of permanent paralysis. There are too many children in this awful situation.”
She raised the case of Harvey Sherratt (8), who has spina bifida and scoliosis and whose spine has curved by 110 degrees.
Harvey’s parents, Stephen and Gillian, were present in the Dáil gallery for Leaders’ Questions.
Ms McDonald said that in 2017, Harvey’s parents were told that his ribs were crushing his lungs, and in the same year Mr Harris, as Health Minister, promised that no child with scoliosis would wait longer than four months for an operation.
“Between October and Christmas of last year, Harvey was rushed to hospital five times, twice by ambulance and on one occasion, on Christmas Day. This child desperately needs his operation and yet his parents recently found out that he was silently removed from the waiting list.”
Mr Harris said that he was aware of Harvey’s case and has been in contact with Health Minister Stephen Donnelly and HSE chief Bernard Gloster, but he cannot order an operation when the decision to do so is “a clinical matter”.
“I very much regret the children can experience long waiting times for treatment.
“I’m conscious that the burden this places on them and their families, and I’m very conscious as a parent, how any of us would do anything and go to the ends of the earth if our child needed any sort of treatment or care.”
Social Democrats’ leader Holly Cairns raised the scoping inquiry into “shocking” levels of sexual abuse at 308 schools run by religious orders in previous decades, mostly in the 1970s and 1980s.
She described the Irish State’s approach to abuse scandals involving religious orders as “one of cowardice”, and criticised the Taoiseach’s comments urging “Christian values” in relation to orders’ contributions to future redress.
“Why are these orders not being raided by gardaí, why are their assets not being seized, and why on earth are they still running our schools?”
Mr Harris said: “Anyone who thinks anyone’s going to get off the hook here in relation to their responsibility and obligation, moral or otherwise, is wrong, that is a misplaced view.”
He said there was a live Garda investigation into the allegations since the report was published earlier this month.
When asked by Ms Cairns whether the Government would look at laws to constrain the use of legal technicalities to delay court action against religious orders, Mr Harris said: “Have you, deputy?
“This isn’t just a debating chamber. You’re a legislator and anybody can bring forward legislation in relation to this House. So if you have ideas in relation to how you think the law should be changed, bring it forward.”
Independent Ireland TD Michael Collins raised the lack of services by the National Ambulance Service in some communities and said morale among staff at the organisation was low.
“Heads have to roll at the National Ambulance Service,” he told the Dáil.
Labour leader Ivana Bacik brought up the record number of homeless people, including more than 4,000 children, and asked when the Government would announce its much-awaited revised housing targets.
Central Statistics Office figures on Monday showed house prices had risen by 9.6 per cent in the year to July, with reduced supply one of the main factors cited in pushing up prices.
A debate in the Dáil is being held later on what to do with €14 billion of Apple tax revenues.
