I feel that I am in a midlanders’ get-together today. It is the first time I have had the pleasure to meet face to face with the Minister of State, Deputy Troy, who I think hails from Ballinacarrigy, County Westmeath. Am I right? I am. It is not too far down the road from the village of Ardagh, County Longford, where I was born and raised, and from Colehill, where I lived for a little while. Of course, I also see Senator Flaherty here from Longford, who is another doughty character in the Seanad.

I will get down to business. Ireland is confronting a significant decline in its staffing representation in European Union institutions, a trend that poses a threat to its influence and the status of the Irish language itself at European Union level.

Approximately one third of Irish officials in EU roles are expected to retire by next year, 2026, yet the pipeline for replacements is seriously deleterious to efforts to deal with this attrition rate. For every four Irish officials retiring from high-ranking Commission positions, only one has succeeded in passing the EU recruitment process. This shortage is particularly acute among Irish-language professionals. Since our language achieved full official and working status in the EU in 2022, there has been a surge in demand for Irish-language interpreters, translators and lawyer-linguists. However, our European Union institutions report a critical shortage of qualified Irish-language professionals. As the Minister of State and the Members know well, the recruitment process for EU civil service roles is rigorous and requires proficiency in at least two EU languages with a third language often necessary. For Irish-speaking roles, total fluency rather than just proficiency in both Irish and English is essential. The pool of candidates who possess perfect Irish and another EU language to a high level as well as the requisite skills, which often include legal qualifications, and who are willing to relocate to Brussels is exceedingly small. It is a lot of qualifications. We are probably talking about a figure in the low double digits, approximately 10%.

Our Government's policy compounds this problem. Irish civil servants have been denied the opportunity to take up EU roles on secondment, forcing candidates to decline positions for which they are well qualified. Moreover, the Government has not implemented strategic initiatives to upskill individuals to take up these roles such as promoting secondment from the existing ranks of the Civil Service or training Irish speakers in a third EU language. This lack of strategic foresight risks an irreversible erosion of Ireland's influence at EU level. That is particularly true in the wake of Brexit. I contend that this has already diminished Ireland's soft power in Brussels. The Government's recent failure to nominate both a male and female candidate for the role of EU Commissioner, despite the Commission's request, has further damaged the State's credibility.

As Ireland prepares to assume the EU Presidency in 2026, this diminishing presence in the EU institutions reflects poorly on the nation's commitment to and presence in the EU. After these sins of omission, as we once called them in the catechism, what of our purpose of amendment? At the stroke of a pen, the Government could go some way towards alleviating the shortfall by enabling and promoting Civil Service secondments to EU institutions and upskilling workers in EU languages. Why is the Government neglecting to do this basic work?

I thank the Senator for highlighting our home area and the beautiful villages of Ardagh and Colehill. While he may have left those areas, I can report that they are ably represented by Councillor Mick Cahill and Senator Joe Flaherty.

I thank the Senator for raising this important matter. Ireland faces a challenge at present in maintaining its internal influence in the EU. The reasons for this include but are not exclusive to recent and upcoming retirements of Irish officials at the most senior levels within the institutions. While I thank the Senator for raising this issue, I refute the statement that the Government is doing nothing. In fact, the programme for Government commits to deliver on plans to increase the number of Irish people applying for positions in the institutions of the EU, including through a communications campaign targeted at school leavers and graduates highlighting the opportunities available and a partnership with third level providers to do the same.

In recognition of this dual challenge, a strategy to increase Irish representation within the EU institutions and agencies, A Career for EU, was launched in May 2021. Through this strategy, the Government actively promotes EU jobs and aims to increase the number of Irish people employed within EU institutions. The strategy, which is managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, includes a number of elements aimed at encouraging Irish citizens to apply for posts in the EU institutions.

It also offers direct assistance for competitions, including dedicated training for assessment centres. The strategy aims to significantly increase the number of Irish officials in both permanent and temporary positions within the EU. This is done through increased promotion and outreach to secondary and third level students to raise awareness of EU career opportunities. A dedicated EU careers portal accessible on ireland.ie/en/eu-jobs provides information on EU jobs and the supports available to all Irish applicants.

The Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs, Deputy Thomas Byrne, who leads on the EU jobs strategy working with officials in the Department, has been proactive in driving this agenda forward. The Minister of State raises the issues regularly with senior EU officials to see what more can be done to increase the Irish uptake of positions in the EU institutions. In a recent meeting with the Commissioner with responsibility for these issues, Commissioner Serafin, the Minister of State raised the issue and discussed options for increasing the level of Irish staffing. In recent months, he has met with the director general for human resources of the European Commission and the director of the European Personnel Selection Office, EPSO. He has engaged with Irish staff working across the institutions to update them on the Government strategy and to hear from them on how Ireland can further assist them in their careers. The Minister of State will continue to champion this issue in meetings with EU counterparts.

The Government invests significantly in the support of EU representation through central funding for seconded national experts and the EU jobs campaign. We are backing our ambitions with concrete support. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade offers candidates assistance at all stages of the recruitment process, including assistance with preparing for preliminary tests and the provision of training packs for EPSO competition reasoning tests in partnership with EU training and the Irish language supports. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade also facilitates secondments under the seconded national experts, SNE, programme when vacancies for positions in the European Commission and across the various EU institutions arise. Currently, there are more than 40 officials from almost all Departments as well as a number of agencies whose placements are supported under the SNE programme. We aim to increase this to 50 in the next year or so. The Department also facilitates the annual seconded national experts return conference to discuss the work of Irish SNEs and to support them in engaging with their home Departments and to update them on current Irish Government priorities.

The national experts in professional training, NEPT, programme and the Erasmus for officials programme are short-term training schemes that provide officials with first-hand experience of working in the European Commission and other EU institutions. I will provide the Senator with the remainder of the reply.

I am charmed and warmed by the Minister of State's outline of where they are going forward. It sounds like a to-do list,and when people are coming up with to-do lists, it usually implies that people have been asleep at the wheel.

The Irish versions of the new EU legal materials are being produced in real time. However, the EUR-Lex website, where EU law is published, has most important historical EU legislation, for example, the working time directive, and this is not available in Gaeilge. They are available in every other language, including those with far fewer speakers in the EU such as Maltese. This is invariably and solely down to the lack of translation staff at EU level. What is being done or what is being proposed to be done by the Government to obviate these failures and shortfalls? It is not good enough. It is a catalogue of being asleep at the wheel.

I reiterate once again this Government’s commitment to increasing the number of Irish officers in EU institutions, as outlined in the programme for Government. We have maintained a strong focus on the implementation of the career for EU strategy to support Irish officials working in EU institutions. The strategy was published in 2021. It was not a to-do list that we are doing now. It was renewed in 2024 through the launch of a new EU recruitment portal for Irish applicants. The Government has dedicated significant resources to supporting Irish representation in the EU institutions, including through central funding for seconded positions and a range of training supports and information sessions for those seeking careers in the institutions. Outreach at career fairs at both secondary and third level, and public advertising for career opportunities, including on social media, have also been a focus and have been successful. I assure the Senator this outreach will continue.

We are committed to ongoing engagement and building close relations with the Irish in EU institutions, including a regular programme of outreach in Brussels and events such as the annual SNE conference in Dublin which took place earlier this month. I will also take back some of the suggestions made today to my colleague, Minister of State, Deputy Byrne.

I warmly welcome the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell. I understand he is staying with us for the next three Commencement matters.

I thank the Cathaoirleach and welcome the Minister of State here today to discuss this important issue.

I speak on behalf of the board of Cluain Training and Enterprise Centre in Clonmel which is located across from the courthouse in Nelson Street. The Cluain Training and Enterprise Centre provides specialist training supports and employment services for adults with mental health needs, acquired brain injuries or who are on the autism spectrum. Services include rehab training focusing on positive health and social inclusion, vocational training focusing on preparation for and progression to employment or further education, day services, and social enterprise activities. It also provides employment for people with numerous other issues who are living and working in and around Clonmel and south Tipperary. It allows them to integrate within the community to reach their full potential.

The centre provides support to more than 70 trainees through a variety of programmes and employs 21 staff, full and part time. Since 2019, however, the centre has struggled financially to maintain its current level of service provision. This is primarily due to a change in the funding model which supported service delivery in the centre. While much of the funding has been provided through the disability budget, the mental health budget must also meet its responsibility to provide funding for this excellent training centre facility.

I thank Minister of State, Deputy Butler, for recently visiting this centre and taking the opportunity to see first hand the great work it is doing, the training provided and the beautiful arts, crafts and products made by the users of this facility. I also acknowledge the great work carried out by the board and ask the Minister of State to engage positively in providing funding to ensure the sustainability and ongoing services in this centre and to ensure they are secure.

I thank Senator Goldsboro for raising this important matter in the Seanad this afternoon. I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Butler.

As the Senator stated, just last month, the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, had the opportunity to visit Cluain Training and Enterprise Centre in Clonmel. It is a model of best practice on how we support people with disabilities, acquired brain injuries and mental health challenges. The centre provides a wide range of services, including many different training opportunities, day services and activities to foster social enterprise. These programmes are free of charge to participants and, crucially, are tailored to meet the needs of each person who attends the centre.

During the Minister of State's visit, she was struck by the centre's deep commitment to person-centred support. Staff worked closely with each trainee to identify their goals and aspirations, including progressing to further education, preparing for employment or building confidence and social skills. Training programmes on offer are accredited at QQI level 3 and provide a clear pathway for participants to move forward in their lives with dignity and purpose. The Cluain centre also plays an important role in promoting positive mental health and inclusion in the local community. Anyone who attends the centre is seen, heard and supported. The centre’s social enterprise activities, in particular, offer meaningful engagement and a sense of contribution to the wider community. It is a place of hope, opportunity and real transformation.

Following the visit, the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, asked her officials in the mental health section to engage directly with the head of disability services in the region, who was also present on the day, to develop a joined-up, comprehensive plan for the centre’s future, which is what the Senator called for in her contribution.

The Cluain centre has historically been funded and managed through HSE disability services. HSE disability services are actively supporting the Cluain training centre in relation to funding and quality standards for new directions. In addition, in 2024 and for the majority of 2023, disability services have also provided a full-time staff resource to enable the Cluain training centre to meet day service standards and sustainability. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, firmly believes the mental health budget must also contribute. The programmes delivered by Cluain reflect our shared responsibilities to the people participating in them and we must reflect that in how we resource services. Centres like Cluain are the backbone of community-based care. They deserve our full support.

I thank the Minister of State for that very positive reply. I look forward to seeing the outcome in the coming weeks and I hope we will be able to give good news to those in this facility. I note that the reply refers to a place of hope, opportunity and real transformation. For those who have issues, it gives them an opportunity to get up in the morning. It gives them a sense of purpose, meaning and belonging in today's society to see the work that they have carried out. Most importantly, it is free of charge. For those service users such a service is priceless. I welcome the great news and look forward to relaying to them that the funding can be sourced to sustain this wonderful facility.

As stated, I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health, Deputy Mary Butler. I thank Senator Goldsboro for raising this important matter. I assure the House that we understand the value of work being done in the Cluain centre. It is a good example of person-centred community-based care at its best, offering a pathway to greater independence and inclusion by ensuring that no one is left behind.

As I said in my opening statement, while the majority of funding comes from the disability budget, the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, is committed to ensuring the mental health budget also plays its part. She will be working to secure a service level agreement in the context of the upcoming Estimates process to make sure that the Cluain centre receives the sustainable multi-stream funding it needs. The Minister of State will also meet with the integrated health area manager for Tipperary next week in Clonmel and intends to raise the matter directly with them during the meeting. I assure the Senator that the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, fully supports the Cluain centre and is determined to secure the sustainable funding it needs to continue its vital work. I again thank Senator Goldsboro for raising this important issue today.

The Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, always seems to pull the short straw when it comes to me and my being angry about decisions that are made.

It is always a pleasure and an honour.

Let us hope we will both be smiling when I get his response today.

The issue I am raising is a really important one for older people. I know that the Minister of State is passionate about supporting older people in their communities and helping them survive and thrive in their communities. The area that I am talking about is Kilcullen in County Kildare, a beautiful town known to many of us. It has a population of almost 4,000 people and an incredible community spirit that has been there for many decades and many generations. Because of that community spirit, we see excellent sports facilities and a wonderful town hall, along with a thriving Kilcullen community action group and Tidy Towns group.

One of the key initiatives that the people of Kilcullen decided they wanted to have was a daycare centre. Although it is a town that certainly has a substantial population of older people, it does not have a daycare centre. At this point, well over 20 people travel every day to Newbridge, which runs an excellent programme. The whole point, however, is that we need to have people in their own community where they could easily access daycare, meals on wheels services and so on.

In 2015, a group of local people got together to develop an old disused dispensary on the edge of the town. At several stages I had the opportunity to see what was going on, to go inside and to support the fundraising efforts. The six people who started this were Albert Keenan, Steve Kinneavy, Jacinta Sully, Antoinette Buckley, Noel Clare and Liz Moloney and they have done amazing work since 2015. Of course, we had Covid in between. They were able to access money from grants and from fundraising. To date, €164,407 has been spent on the building, 71% of which came from grants and was, effectively, taxpayers' money. I know for a fact that the aforementioned people and the wider community relied on local people to give goods free of charge or at a reduced cost, so the actual cost would have been far more if they were paying market prices. It could have been up to €250,000.

The building was renovated and extended by volunteer labour and public grants to become a hub of social activity and day services for senior citizens. I believe that such buildings should have other components within them, and it was agreed that it could be used as a community centre in the evening. These great volunteers, who were driven by a desire to support older residents, support social inclusion and repurpose a derelict building, have done incredible work. This is about more than bricks and mortar. It is about building a future where older people can thrive.

There was an agreement that Kildare County Council would acquire the building from the HSE and help with the running of it, but the HSE made a decision to put it on the open market. After all of those years of volunteers fundraising, getting access to public money and having the lease for ten years, which they needed to acquire the money, they were told that it was being put on the open market. It is a disgrace and I hope the Minister of State has good news for us.

I thank Senator O'Loughlin for raising this important issue. The programme for Government highlights the importance of community services for older people, which assist them to remain independent and to live in their own homes with dignity and independence for as long as possible. Many older people living at home rely on the services they receive through day centres and the outreach that these centres provide, including meals on wheels. These wrap-around supports also help to reduce loneliness and social isolation.

The HSE has operational responsibility for the planning, management, allocation, delivery and funding of health and social care services such as day centres. This includes responsibility for managing the buildings and other assets used in the delivery of those services. The Teach na nDaoine facility is a HSE facility in Kilcullen, County Kildare. As the Senator said, it is on an old dispensary site that was renovated by the former lessee, Teach na nDaoine Cill Chuilinn, with the intention of putting it to use as a day centre for older people. I have made inquiries. The HSE informed the Department of Health that it had been notified by the former lessee on 13 September 2024 of its intention to commence winding down operations and formally hand back vacant possession of the property. The keys to the property were returned to the HSE on 17 September 2024.

While acknowledging that significant renovation works were completed to the building by Teach na nDaoine Cill Chuilinn during its tenancy, the HSE has stated that additional renovation works would be required to ensure the property was fully compliant with building standards to ensure safety, accessibility, sustainability and functionality. The HSE has confirmed to the Department of Health that there are no plans to complete these works and no plans to open a day centre for older people at this site. As such, the facility is now vacant and non-operational. When sites like this become vacant, the HSE conducts an internal review of potential uses. Following the review in this case, the HSE decided that the property was not required for health service delivery in the area. In line with statutory obligations and regulations, the HSE has subsequently engaged with all relevant State stakeholders, including Kildare County Council, around a potential intra-State transfer or to identify the potential for the delivery of other community services from this site.

It was confirmed to the HSE last week that no other State shareholder intends to acquire the property. In the event that an intra-State transfer does not proceed, a disposal is to proceed to the open market. The HSE will now look at the necessary steps to move forward on this basis. Senator O'Loughlin may have other matters to shed light on this issue. I asked for what the facts are as of today, and this is what I have been informed through my officials in the HSE. I recognise that there will be disappointment in the community that the HSE has decided that this is not a suitable site for development as a day centre for older people. However, the HSE has advised that older people residing in the Kilcullen area are currently availing of other HSE-funded centres in the Kildare area, including the day centre in the neighbouring town of Newbridge, approximately 20 minutes away from Kilcullen.

When this matter came to me, I made direct inquiries. This is the information I have been provided with as of this morning. I understand people's disappointment, but they are the facts as provided.

I accept the Minister of State's bona fides on this matter. It is true that the facility is now vacant and non-operational. It is fair to say that the standards now are different from 2015. While the property would have been compliant with building standards in 2015, it is not now. Extra work needs to be done. I will endeavour to get a letter to the Minister of State from Kildare County Council. My understanding - this was well aired on Kfm this morning - is that Kildare County Council refutes this. The council has said that it wishes to take this over. This agreement was in place originally. I will endeavour to get the letter for the Minister of State. I ask for a stay to be put on putting the building on the open market until I can furnish it. Given the money and the love that the community in Kilcullen put into this building, we should ensure it pay dividends for the community. I am disappointed that the HSE is not going to run a centre. I feel that there are enough numbers among older people to enable it to function. If the HSE has no plans to open a centre, a joint operation with Kildare County Council is the way to go. I will endeavour to get the Minister of State that information.

I thank Senator O'Loughlin for raising this important matter. I ask her to come back to the Department on it. She has stated that she has engaged with Kildare County Council. I will go back through my Department to the HSE to advise it on what she is now looking to do. I assume that Kildare County Council and the HSE are engaging with each other. To bring clarity to light, I ask her to come back to me with an update. In the interim, I will communicate what the Senator is proposing.

I have just spotted Keith Henry in the Visitors Gallery. There might be a Ballymote bunch here.

Most people probably know that Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is spread through the bite of an infected tick. This is a potentially serious illness, but it can be prevented through a number of precautions. When Lyme disease is contracted, it can be treated with antibiotics if it is diagnosed in time. If it is not diagnosed or not treated early enough, Lyme disease can have devastating consequences for those who contract it. Early symptoms include a bullseye-type rash around the site of the bite. It is not unusually sore or itchy, but it can increase in size. Other symptoms include flu-like symptoms, headaches, sore throats and stiffness. These can become more severe if symptoms persist. Due to the similarity of these symptoms with other illnesses, Lyme disease is not always easy to diagnose and is often referred to as the great imitator. If it is left unrecognised and untreated, Lyme disease can cause harrowing severe illness and complications, including persistent fatigue, chronic pain, depression and cardiac and neurological symptoms.

Fiona Quilter is a woman from Sligo whose health has been ruined, and that is not an understatement, by chronic Lyme disease. She has taken the step of going public along with many of her fellow sufferers of Lyme disease. A very informative cross-party Oireachtas group has been set up. She has highlighted the possible consequences of Lyme disease and the failure of doctors to recognise and treat it. Fiona's condition has been diagnosed as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, thyroid disease and functional neurological disorder. Delays in recognition and diagnosis allow the disease to get a firmer grip on a sufferer's system and mean the single two-week course of antibiotics available under the HSE becomes less likely to work. This leads to further complications and to people having to seek treatment abroad in Germany. Fiona has had to retire from work. She has had to sell her house to fund her treatment. She has estimated that to date she has spent approximately €100,000 on treatment outside that available from the HSE.

Fiona and some of the other sufferers would say that not only is the tragedy of her situation that there are long-term effects, but also that it could have been prevented had there been more awareness among doctors and the general public of Lyme disease. I am aware that some county councils, including Sligo County Council, have provided signage about the dangers of Lyme disease and the possibility that people could be infected in certain areas. I am aware that the resourcing of local authorities to have these signs put up can be an issue. I would love to ensure that all local authorities would be resourced to put up signage providing reliable and easy to understand information about the causes, signs and symptoms of Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections. Sligo County Council has the signs up and I have seen them myself. Could there be standardised signage in woodland areas, public parks and on private land where people go walking? Can it be ensured that there will be regulation of signs and that the local authorities will be resourced to put them up? If the HSE is willing to be involved in the signage, can the local authorities be resourced so that there are people available to put up the signs?

Before I call the Minister of State, I welcome Deputy Feighan and his guests, and all the guests in the Gallery. They are very welcome and I hope they enjoy their visit to Leinster House and the hospitality that comes with it, too.

The visitors are in very good hands with Deputy Feighan. They are welcome.

I thank Senator Cosgrove for raising this important matter and for the opportunity to speak on the issue of Lyme disease awareness. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. Lyme disease, also known as Lyme borreliosis, is an infection transmitted to humans through the bite of infected ticks, and it can occasionally lead to serious illness. Each year, it is estimated that between 200 and 500 cases of early Lyme disease occur in Ireland. Ticks are present throughout Ireland, including both urban and rural areas. Although ticks can be active year-round, the period of highest tick activity and therefore Lyme disease is between April and October. Approximately 5% of ticks in Ireland are thought to carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. Importantly, a tick usually needs to be attached to the skin for at least 24 hours before it can transmit the infection. High-risk environments include grassy and wooded areas as well as sand dunes - places where people often enjoy outdoor activities.

The HSE’s national health protection office, through the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, HPSC, provides information on the surveillance of Lyme disease. The HPSC offers a wide range of resources to help people reduce their risk of tick bites, including seasonal updates for both the public and healthcare professionals. Each year in early May, the HSE marks Tick Awareness Day, by providing practical advice on the prevention of tick bites, which can transmit Lyme disease. This is done through website news articles, social media posts, press releases and media interviews. This initiative encourages individuals to take preventive measures during periods when tick activity is highest. Information is provided on common tick habitats, high-risk behaviours, prevention strategies, and how to safely remove and identify ticks. To further spread public awareness, the HSE provides downloadable posters and leaflets that are intended to be distributed in community centres, schools, and recreational and other common public and private spaces, especially those with an increased risk of tick exposure.

These materials are designed to inform individuals about the risks of tick bites and the importance of preventive actions. A full suite of Lyme disease resources, including posters and information leaflets, is available through the HPSC website. These posters are suitable for display on publicly accessible land, and the HPSC has actively promoted their availability to Departments and public agencies that manage such areas. Local authorities, healthcare professionals, and members of the public are encouraged to download and share these materials.

I thank the Minister of State for his response. Could I get a commitment that all local authorities will be obliged to put up signs? Some have. Kilkenny County Council is bringing it onstream as well. The long-term side-effects are so detrimental and it is something that can be prevented with a bit of awareness. For example, there are signs in Cork. There is a Lyme Resource Centre. There are two QR code on the signs. People can scan one of the QR codes with their phone and that will bring them straight to the HSE information site. The other QR code will bring them straight to the Lyme Resource Centre.

At our meeting - we have this cross-party Oireachtas group - many Lyme sufferers from all around the country came up. Their stories are harrowing. They were looking for a full public awareness campaign and that local authorities would be resourced to put up these signs. The HSE has the posters available for download, but is there any way coming up to the budget that the local authorities could be encouraged that part of the budget will be to resource staff to put these up?

I thank the Senator for her comments highlighting the importance of continued action on Lyme disease awareness. I reiterate I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health.

In 2011, Ireland became one of the first EU countries to make Lyme disease a statutory notifiable disease. The notifiable entity is Lyme neuroborreliosis, a more severe form of the disease which affects the nervous system.

Between four and 21 cases of Lyme neuroborreliosis are notified annually in Ireland, significantly less than the total number of cases of early Lyme infection and family skin infection. However, the levels of Lyme neuroborreliosis serves as a reliable indicator of overall Lyme disease activity in the country.

The HSE, through the HPSC, continues to provide a wide range of public education materials, including an downloadable A3 poster and leaflet entitled, "Protecting yourself against Tick Bites and Lyme Disease", both of which are available on the HPSC website. They are designed to be clear, accessible and suitable for use by local authorities, landowners and public agencies.

The HPSC has also highlighted the availability of these matters to relevant Departments and agencies that manage publicly accessible lands. Members of the public who own and manage land on which people can walk can display the poster in a prominent position at the entrance and exit of the land.

HSE tick-warning signage provides a consistent and evidence-based approach that can be adopted widely. This ensures that the public receive accurate and practical information, particularly in areas where the risk of tick exposure is high.

I will take back to the Minister the particular point that the Senator raises. Might I also suggest that she raises the particular question she has in terms of that issue with the local government section within the Department of housing as well, but I will bring it back to the Minister and the officials in the Department of Health.

I thank the Minister of State. I am most impressed with the Deputy's Latin.

I say "Well done", to everyone and, "Thank you." I particularly thank the Minister of State for giving us of his time. He took three of the Commencement matters. We value him coming to the Seanad. He is always welcome here, as he knows. I thank the Senators for submitting their Commencement matters.