The Israeli state should face international sanctions for crimes against the Palestinian people, Sinn Féin Leas Uachtarán Michelle O'Neill has told the Assembly.
The Deputy First Minister was responding to a question on last week’s successful Sinn Féin motion in the Dáil which led to the Irish government becoming the first in Europe to declare that Israel’s actions amount to the illegal annexation of Palestinian territory.
“It is important for democrats to speak out against the crimes that are being perpetrated on a daily basis in Palestine, not least the recent onslaught against Gaza which resulted in such horrifying loss of life and destruction,” she commented.
“International solidarity played a key role in defeating apartheid in South Africa and the same is needed to defeat apartheid in Palestine.”
Michelle O’Neill added: “As members of the international community, we have a responsibility to demand that international law is upheld.
“At present, it is clear that the Palestinian people continue to be denied equality and rights while Israel continues to flout international law through its illegal occupation of the west bank and siege of Gaza.
“The UN and the EU should uphold their own rulings by ensuring Israel faces sanctions for its actions.”
Mary Lou McDonald TD has criticised the government's decision to start cutting the Pandemic Unemployment Payment from September.
Describing the decision as premature and reckless, Teachta McDonald told Taoiseach Michéal Martin that it is deeply unfair to punish those who remain locked-out of work due to necessary public health restrictions by cutting what are lifeline income supports.
The Sinn Féin President said:
"People want and need to be back at work. This is exactly what happened last year when 400,000 people went back to work as restrictions were lifted.
"Workers don’t want to be on the PUP. We all hope that these supports will only be required for the shortest time possible.
"However, the reality is that come September, some people will still be locked out of work due to public health restrictions – people in aviation, in hospitality, in events, those whose jobs depend on international and many other sectors.
"The economy will not be operating at full tilt come autumn. The Taoiseach knows that and yet the government is choosing to cut the very supports that these workers and their families rely on.
"Government is walking away from its responsibility to these workers and their families, Taoiseach. You will cut their income by a third. This is huge. It is the difference between surviving another few months and not.
"For the vast majority, the need for the PUP will fall away naturally as their sectors reopen. That is what the evidence tells us. But what your decision to cut the PUP does is ensure that those who remain locked out of work are made poorer.
"They still have to pay their mortgages, their rents, their childcare and their utility bills. Cuts of €50 will be devastating to their efforts to make ends meet.
"Everybody wants to get back to work as quickly as possible but the government has to make provision for that section of workers who will not return by September or even in the course of this year. It is wrong to punish these workers by removing their supports.
"The fair thing to say to every worker is that we want to return to work, to return safely, to return quickly but for so long as you cannot return due to public health restrictions the government will support you.
"I am asking you not to push ahead with these cuts on which people will need to survive through September and indeed through the rest of the year."
Sinn Féin MP John Finucane has said the Irish government need to catch up and listen to the growing demand for constitutional change across Ireland.
John Finucane said:
"The conversation on Irish unity is well underway across the island and there is place for everyone in that discussion.
"Today at the Oireachtas committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, representatives of the Ireland's Future group made a presentation to the committee of MPs, TDs and Senators about the increasing demand for constitutional change.
"More and more people from all backgrounds are looking to a better future in a new Ireland beyond Brexit and beyond the union.
"What was clear from today's meeting is that Fianna Fáil need to listen to the people, catch up, become involved in the conversation and begin preparing for unity.
"We now need to see the Irish government stepping up its preparations for constitutional change and a new Ireland. A citizen's assembly, inclusive of the island, should now be convened, a white paper on Irish unity should be brought forward and a ministerial portfolio created with responsibility for Irish unity."
Sinn Féin MLA and spokesperson on workers' rights, Jemma Dolan, has said she is bringing a motion to the Assembly on the British government's EU Settlement Scheme.
Jemma Dolan said:
“The negative effects of the Brexit agenda are again evident as we approach the deadline of 30 June for the British government's EU Settlement Scheme.
“EU, EEA and Swiss citizens have made invaluable contributions to our society, health service and economy in the north of Ireland. As a result of Brexit they must now apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to safeguard their rights to live here.
“While many EU citizens have already signed up, the British government has failed to reach all affected communities and citizens. In particular those who do not speak English have been left behind by the British government communication of the scheme.
“On top of this, there have been significant backlogs in processing applications by EU citizens who have already registered with the scheme.
“This means that after June, many EU citizens could face uncertainty as to their legal status and, potentially, the threat of deportation so the scheme should be extended.
“Brexit was wrong on so many levels but the uncertainty and possibility of deportation for citizens who are valued members of our community is particularly abhorrent and should be lifted.”
Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly will raise allegations of UDA intimidation and attempts to influence the outcome of the DUP leadership contest with the PSNI chief constable at the Policing Board.
The North Belfast MLA said:
“Allegations of UDA intimidation and influence in the DUP leadership contest are deeply concerning.
“The PSNI have confirmed they are now investigating these allegations and what can only be described as subverting the democratic process through intimidation.
“I will make it clear to the PSNI Chief Constable at the Policing Board that this investigation must be thorough and transparent given the clear public interest on this issue.
“I am also calling on the DUP to clarify the nature and extent of the alleged intimidation and to make a clear statement that there is no role for any illegal paramilitary in the decision-making processes of the DUP or in society as a whole.”
The latest report into the education system here has provided further evidence on the need to scrap academic selection, Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan has said.
He was commenting after an expert panel set up by the Education Minister Peter Weir published its findings into the links between persistent educational underachievement and socio-economic background.
The Sinn Féin Education spokesperson said:
“The report has made a number of welcome recommendations including around the need to invest heavily in early years education, youth work, extended schools and enhanced support for families.
“However, while the minister commended these recommendations, it was telling that he ignored the panel’s findings on the role played by academic selection in creating what they called ‘systemic inequality’ in our schools.
“That may not suit the minister’s political agenda but he is supposed to be the minister for all children so he cannot put his fingers in his ears and dismiss it.
“The panel were clear on the evidence that academic selection skews teaching at Key Stage 2 and that transfer outcomes for children on free school meals are significantly lower that their counterparts who aren’t.
“If the minister is genuine about wanting to tackle educational under-attainment, then he cannot ignore that.
“The panel also welcomed the fact that transfer arrangements will be examined as part of the independent review of education agreed in the New Decade New Approach deal.
“However, the minister doesn’t need to wait until then. Report after report have consistently concluded that academic selection drives educational inequality and harms children.
“The minister should take his fingers out of his ears and act in the interests of our children by taking steps to end the use of academic selection and rejection once and for all.”
Flynn welcomes court action on Mullaghglass landfill site
Sinn Féin MLA Orlaithí Flynn has welcomed initiation of court action to compel the responsible agencies to take action on an odour from the Mullaghglass landfill site.
The Sinn Féin MLA said:
“Confirmation that legal action has been taken by residents in West Belfast and Lisburn to make the Environment Agency and the Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council act to address and eradicate an odour from the Mullaghglass landfill site is welcome.
“The inaction of the responsible agencies is disgraceful.
"It is unfortunate that this inaction has now left local people with no other option but to take legal action to compel them to do their job.
“Sinn Féin will continue to support the right of local residents to live in a clean environment and to enjoy good air quality.”
Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin TD has made a detailed submission to the Minister for Housing’s new Housing for All plan.
The Sinn Féin submission prioritises a doubling of capital investment in public housing from €1.4bn to at least €2.8bn.
Teachta Ó Broin said:
“Sinn Féin welcomed the opportunity to a make a submission to the government’s new Housing for All policy.
“This new plan should be radical, ambitious and prioritise the delivery of genuinely affordable cost rental and purchase homes, as well as ramp up the real social housing delivery targets to 20,000 per year.
“This can only be done by doubling capital investment in public housing to at least €2.8bn per year.
“The delivery of affordable purchase homes and cost rental homes at scale will help alleviate some of the pressure on the private rental market. This approach should be accompanied by a three-year ban on rent increases and a refundable tax credit.
“The government must also do more to return vacant homes to use. Refurbishing and retrofitting vacant properties is both better for the environment and cheaper than constructing new builds.
“We also need to see a firm commitment within the new plan to implement the Traveller accommodation report and a deadline set to end the need to sleep rough.
“This government has a chance to implement real change in housing policy and I hope that Minister O Brien will grasp it.”
Sinn Féin’s Housing For All submission is available to view online at this link
Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald has said we need to use all the tools available to protect jobs and create new ones in economic recovery from Covid19.
Speaking on forecasts which show the north's economy approaching recovery by 2023 but not seeing jobs lost as a result of the pandemic replaced until 2024, the party's economy spokesperson said:
“The focus of the economic recovery needs to be on jobs which are secure and well-paid; businesses need to be supported to protect existing jobs and create new jobs.
“We need to be using all the tools available to us to drive our economic recovery which means maximising the benefits of our unique status under the protocol and continued access to the EU single market.
“Reports that references to the opportunities of the protocol were dropped from an initial draft of the Economy Minister's '10X Economy' strategy show a blinkered and insular approach which is not what is needed in driving the type of recovery we need.
“It is simply not good enough for any Economy Minister to ignore opportunities which exist because it doesn't fit their political narrative.
“There needs to be a change of approach from the DUP in the economy department to build on the potential that exists under new the trading arrangements, to support businesses to respond, and to create jobs and investment opportunities.”
Speaking this morning, Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Enterprise, Trade, and Employment, Louise O’Reilly TD, has said the available data does not point to staff shortages due to workers abusing the Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
Teachta O’Reilly said:
“For a number of weeks now Government politicians and business, aided by some in the media, have been spreading a narrative that tens of thousands of workers receiving the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) are living it up and refusing to return to work.
“Over the weekend political commentators, politicians, and businesses ramped up these claims. The reality is these claims are not supported by data. As the saying goes – everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts.
“In recent weeks only 75 employers have notified the Department of Social Protection that they are experiencing difficulties getting staff to return to work.
“The reality is over 100,000 people have gone back to work since reopening began this year. Indeed, as Dr Laura Bambrick of ICTU outlined, last summer over 400,000 workers willingly closed their PUP claim when the economy partially reopened.
“Those in receipt of the PUP are workers who saw their workplace closed because of the public health restrictions introduced by the Government to tackle Covid-19, therefore it is unacceptable for these same politicians to now come out accuse them of not wanting to return to work.
“As is ever the case, Fine Gael have been to the forefront of these lazy and predictable accusations, but their agenda is clear – create division and confusion and cut the PUP.
“As has been the case throughout the pandemic, the number of people on the PUP falls naturally as people return to work in line with economic reopening and the success of that reopening.
“However, not everyone will be able to be back in work by September due to restrictions, so to cut the PUP based on dates and not data is foolish in the extreme.
“It would serve the Government better to expediate the vaccine roll out and introduce the necessary economic supports to get society and the economy reopened instead of demonising workers and cutting PUP supports.”
Sinn Féin spokesperson on Agriculture Matt Carthy TD has said that the confirmation from the Department of Agriculture that over €3.6 million in direct payments went to just 20 farm enterprises in 2020 highlights the ludicrous position of Minister McConalogue, who has been fighting against any redistribution measures in CAP negotiations.
CAP negotiations that were expected to conclude this week ended without agreement on Friday due to resistance from the Irish government on redistributive measures.
Teachta Carthy said:
“Irish family farms are being put to the wall because Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael agreed to an EU budget that reduced the proportion spent on the Common Agricultural Policy from 37% to under 30%.
“Farmers are being asked to do more for less money in real terms. All the while Minister McConalogue is fighting tooth and nail against any proposals aimed at bringing fairness to the payments system.
“Department of Agriculture figures now show that two farms associated with Larry Goodman received €414,900 in 2020, an increase of almost €15,000 on 2019. €15,000 is more than many farmers receive in totality.
“A single stud farm owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum received €222,300!
“These are obscene amounts of money that are directed to a very small number of elite farm enterprises. That these figures are released just days after Minister McConalogue jeopardised CAP negotiations in opposition to redistributive measures will come as a slap in the face to the majority of Irish family farmers that would benefit from such moves.
“Sinn Féin wants CAP payments to be redistributed. We believe that there should be a maximum upper limit payment of €60,000 and we believe that payments should be front-loaded to protect small and medium sized farms.
“The Minister is fighting tooth and nail in Europe against any redistribution - he is demanding ‘flexibility’ not to implement measures aimed at delivering fairness.
“Charlie McConalogue has joined a long line of Irish Agriculture Ministers who have been opposed to the redistribution of CAP funds that would benefit small-to-medium farmers.
“In light of these new most shocking figures, it is an absolute necessity that the Minister appear before the Dáil this week to explain his position.”
Sinn Féin Senator Lynn Boylan has called on the government to urgently undertake a review of how the HAP penalty for civil legal aid has impacted on survivors of domestic abuse.
Senator Boylan’s legislation to end the HAP penalty, which had been particularly impacting on survivors of domestic abuse accessing the courts fairly, is due to go before the Seanad this evening.
Speaking this afternoon, Senator Boylan said:
“On Friday evening, reports emerged that the government has instructed the Legal Aid Board to change its interpretation of current rules to remove this HAP penalty ahead of my legislation coming before the Seanad.
“It shouldn’t have taken my Bill to force the government’s hand on this, after so much inaction and indifference from them on this vital issue.
“It is clear that the government made the last-minute decision to change their stance because they knew that they could not defend the indefensible during this evening’s debate on my Bill. It should not have taken them so long to do the right thing.
“While this development is a step in the right direction, many questions remain unanswered.
“This evening when the Minister comes before the Seanad, I will be seeking clarity about how this can be resolved urgently for the women affected.
“Women affected by the HAP penalty could have lost custody of their children after difficulties representing themselves in court. Others could have been forced to turn to loan sharks to raise funds for private solicitors and are still struggling with huge debts with sky high interest rates as a result.
“These women need to know what will happen now to address what has happened to them and ensure these injustices are put right.
“I am calling on the government to commence an immediate review of all HAP recipients affected to ascertain the consequences of this penalty and what steps need to be taken now to put this right quickly.
“The government must have a clear strategy and reach out to the women affected.
“I want to again commend all the survivors who have been speaking out about this important issue and advocating for change.”
Sinn Féin spokesperson on Public Expenditure and Reform, Mairéad Farrell TD, has welcomed a new OECD report which has revised their growth forecasts for Ireland in 2021 from 3% up to 4.2%. The report also forecasts growth to increase to 5.1% in 2022 as pent up consumer demand is released.
However, Teachta Farrell noted that the report also states that ‘the global economy remains below its pre-pandemic growth path and in too many OECD countries living standards by the end of 2022 will not be back to the level expected before the pandemic’. The OECD say that the ‘exceptional support for households and firms’ can begin to be withdrawn once ‘the recovery is underway’ but should avoid an ‘abrupt ending of support programmes that could induce a macroeconomic shock and derail the recovery’.
Teachta Farrell said:
"First of all, I welcome the OECD’s latest report. They are estimating that the Irish economy is set to grow by 4.2% this year, and increase to 5.1% next year.
"This is welcome and reinforces the arguments that me and my party colleagues have been making since the outset of the crisis. Namely that austerity is the last thing we need to be thinking about.
"By preserving jobs and ensuring the viability of as many businesses as possible, and then through the stimulus measures arising from increases to capital expenditure, we will grow our way out of the current crisis. With economic growth set to increase, we will shrink out debt/deficit as a % of GDP/GNI*.
"Secondly, it is welcome to have the OECD joining the ranks of the IMF and many others, who have been warning about the withdrawing of income supports like the PUP too early.
"Over the weekend, we heard calls from certain sectors and media commentators that the PUP is acting as deterrent from people returning to work, and thus needs to be cut early. Only anecdotal evidence has been offered to support these claims.
"We need to be cautious here. I recall hearing anecdotal evidence about a supposed widespread problem of ‘welfare cheats’ cheating us all, and yet when the matter was properly investigated it proved to be something of a non-issue.
"Calls to have the PUP cut in this regard may have good intentions, but would surely have negative implications for our recovery."
Sinn Féin spokesperson on Finance Pearse Doherty TD will bring his Bill to force insurance companies to pass savings to their customers to the Dáil tomorrow, 1st June.
The legislation would require the insurance industry to provide information to the Central Bank outlining how the cost of claims have reduced as a result of the new Personal Injuries Guidelines, and how they have passed those savings to their customers, euro for euro, for each of the next four years.
The Judicial Council (Amendment) Bill 2021 would hold the insurance industry to account and pressure them to reduce premiums for customers.
Teachta Doherty said:
“We must end the insurance rip-off and reduce premiums for consumers.
“The Personal Injuries Guidelines have been in place for over a month now.
“These guidelines significantly reduced the cost of claims for insurance companies.
“But we must ensure that all of these savings are passed on to customers in the form of lower premiums.
“A survey by Sinn Féin has found that 58 percent of respondents who received their renewal since the new guidelines came into effect actually saw their premiums increase.
“Only 22 percent saw their premiums fall.
“The insurance industry promised to reduce premiums for motorists and businesses significantly as a result of these guidelines.
“They are not keeping their promise and consumers cannot afford to wait any longer.
“The government’s policy is to cross their fingers and hope the insurance industry will do the right thing and reduce premiums.
“That is not good enough and the insurance industry needs to be held to account.
“We cannot let them off the hook.
“My Bill, which will be debated in the Dáil tomorrow, would require the insurance industry to provide information to the Central Bank for each of the next four years outlining how the cost of claims have fallen as a result of the new Personal Injuries Guidelines, and if - and how - they have passed these savings to their consumers in the form of reduced prices.
“The legislation requires the Central Bank to report this information to the Minister for Finance with a report brought before the Houses of the Oireachtas annually.
“That way, we can hold the insurance industry to account and there will be nowhere for them to hide.
“Similar regulations came into effect in Britain following a reduction in the level of whiplash injury awards, where many insurers in this market, including AIG, AXA, Allianz, Aviva and RSA, also operate.
“They should be subject to no less scrutiny in Ireland.
“I am calling on all parties to support this important legislation that is in consumers' interests.”
Sinn Féin spokesperson on Enterprise, Trade and Employment Louise O’Reilly TD has said that a balanced approach is needed for an outdoor summer, which includes provision of additional public bins, toilet facilities, seats, litter wardens, and Gardaí.
She further criticised any suggestion to close streets or public spaces over the coming weeks.
Teachta O’Reilly said:
“The public health message for some time now has been that we will have a great deal of our summer outdoors, and yet many are now surprised at people spending that summer outdoors.
“For many weeks, I have been calling on the government, and city and county councils, to prepare for this outdoor summer by putting facilities such as additional public bins, toilet facilities, seats, litter wardens, and Gardaí in place.
“I have asked the Tánaiste directly, in the Dáil and again in the Enterprise, Trade, and Employment Committee, to ensure the government provides funding so that city and county councils can provide the necessary facilities in our towns and cities to allow people to spend quality and enjoyable time in our public spaces.
“While the Tánaiste agreed with me on both occasions, additional public bins and toilet facilities have not been delivered, and the predictable result of this is the accumulation of litter in our public spaces.
“I have been clear every time I have spoken on this subject – there is no place for anti-social behaviour in public spaces, it should not be tolerated, and it should be dealt with by properly resourcing the Gardaí to do so.
“However, most of the issues which arose in our public spaces over the weekend were due to the failure to provide the necessary number of public bins and the failure to provide public toilet facilities.
“Despite having over a year to prepare and perfect the delivery of outdoor summer, there has been little movement on providing the basic facilities necessary. Instead, we have politicians who have failed to prepare for the inevitable moralising and lambasting young people.
“The suggestion that we lock off streets and public spaces is the usual Irish solution to an Irish problem – just ban things instead of addressing the root cause. Banning people from streets will just push friends and family to socialise elsewhere outdoors.
“What is needed for an outdoor summer is the provision of additional public bins, toilet facilities, seats, litter wardens, Gardaí, and a collective responsibility to ensure public health restrictions and public order is adhered to. If we do this then we can all can enjoy a summer outdoors.”
Sinn Féin Leas Uachtarán Michelle O'Neill has said the DUP need to make it clear there is no place for violence in our society over Brexit.
Michelle O'Neill said:
"The DUP need to be honest with people over Brexit.
"Any difficulties being faced by businesses or traders are a direct result of the Brexit the DUP campaigned for, and now must take responsibility for.
"They have to shoulder responsibility for their reckless pursuit of the hardest Brexit possible, and recognise the fact that at a majority of citizens voted to remain within the European Union from across society, and were ignored by both the DUP and Tory government in London.
“The protocol, while imperfect must be implemented and no credible alternative exists which protects the Good Friday Agreement, all-Ireland economy and prevents a hard border on the island.
"Brexit is not an excuse for violence and the DUP leader and all those in positions of leadership within unionism need to come out clearly and state that there can be no place for threats of violence in our society.”
Sinn Féin spokesperson on Agriculture, Matt Carthy TD, has called on Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue to come clean on the fact that he has been arguing against the interests of the majority of Irish farmers during CAP negotiations in Brussels.
He accused the Fianna Fáil Minister of jeopardising CAP payments for farmers at the behest of vested interests and has said that the position of Minister McConalogue was in stark contrast to his pre-election commitment to deliver fairness in CAP.
CAP negotiations that were expected to conclude this week ended without agreement on Friday due to resistance from the Irish government.
Teachta Carthy said:
“The fundamental problem with the next CAP is the EU budget; a budget agreed by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael which will see funding for the Common Agriculture Policy drastically cut while Irish farmers will be expected to do more for less.
“But, the negotiations over the past few weeks have been about addressing the inequalities within CAP. At the moment different farms in Ireland receive different payments per hectare, based on production levels of two decades ago. Most EU countries have moved to a flat rate payment per hectare - a process known as convergence.
“Such a process would benefit the majority of farmers in Ireland. 72,000 family farms would get more.
“While in opposition, the Minister demanded continued convergence, even during the transition period. In power he is delaying the entire CAP process fighting against it.
“The main argument against convergence has been that it could affect farmers with small holdings but with higher hectare payments. The way to address that is through a front-loaded payment which would allow every farmer to get a higher payment for their first number of hectares. Such a process would be of great benefit to smaller farmers - but, again, Minister McConalogue has been fighting such proposals vigorously at EU level.
“Likewise, the Minister has been fighting against a robust upper-limit CAP payment which would prevent some farm enterprises draw down payments in excess of €100,000 so that more funds could be redistributed to poorer farmers.
“The Minister needs to come clean - whose interest is he fighting for?
“He claims to want ‘flexibility’ - what he is advocating for is actually prevailing the inequality within the Common Agriculture Policy.
“The outworking of Minister McConalogue’s position is that the CAP process will be delayed, putting payments at risk, and ensuring that those family farms that have been disadvantaged for the past twenty years will continue to be discriminated against.
“Unfortunately, Charlie McConalogue has joined a long-line of Irish Agriculture Ministers who have been opposed to the redistribution of CAP funds that would benefit small-to-medium farmers and, in this instance, he is willing to jeopardise the entire Common Agricultural Policy to prevent it from happening.
“Sinn Féin have sought for the Minister to come before the Dáil next week to explain his position”.
Sinn Féin Senator Lynn Boylan has welcomed reports that the government has instructed the Legal Aid Board to reform eligibility criteria ahead of her Bill this Monday.
Senator Boylan’s Private Member’s Bill is due to be debated in the Seanad on Monday evening. It would reform anomalies to civil legal aid criteria which currently unfairly penalise people receiving Housing Assistance Payment when they apply for civil legal aid.
The anomaly has particularly impacted on survivors of domestic abuse.
Speaking this evening, Senator Boylan said:
“Ahead of my Bill coming before the Seanad on Monday, I am hearing reports that the Legal Aid Board has been instructed by the Government to disregard Housing Assistance Payments when calculating the income of people applying for civil legal aid.
“This is a huge win for the people affected. No survivor should ever be denied the legal aid that they need.
“This flawed system has been dangerous and hugely damaging. It requires clear and urgent reform to remove this anomaly and ensure fair access to justice.
“The Government know that they could not defend the indefensible in the Seanad on Monday in the face of my Bill.
“If these reports are accurate, I welcome this as an important victory for survivors seeking to access justice and fair treatment in the courts.
“It shouldn’t have taken this long for this change to come about. This wouldn't have happened without my Bill and the Government should not have waited until my Bill forced their hand on this vital issue.
“While this is an important first step, I will continue to press the Government and hold them to account on this to ensure that we deliver the necessary change. I will continue with my Bill to remove any scope for doubt or delay. We need to see clear, unequivocal commitment from the Government that they will deliver on this.
“I stand with all survivors who seek justice and fair treatment. I want to commend everyone who has been campaigning to highlight this important issue and bring about this much-needed change.”
Sinn Féin spokesperson on Health David Cullinane TD has said that the HSE needs to support patients affected by the publication of sensitive data.
Following the confirmed publication of files relating to 520 patients, Teachta Cullinane has called for a national helpline and a public information campaign to ensure public awareness.
Teachta Cullinane said:
“The publication of patient data is regrettable and very serious.
“The HSE needs to do everything it can to support, protect and inform the affected patients, and those potentially affected.
“While difficulties will remain for the HSE in assessing the extent of the data breach and accessing patient files, everything that can be done needs to be done.
“Where the HSE can and know or suspect data has or may have been compromised, they need to be contacting patients directly to inform them.
“Where patient or staff data may have been compromised, advice needs to be given on how best to protect their security going forward.
“There needs to be a dedicated phoneline for affected patients and a public awareness campaign about potential scams or abuse of data.
“Proper supports need to be in place to ensure that people know what they should - and shouldn’t - do if they are affected.
“There needs to be full transparency and open disclosure about stolen or lost data.”
