I welcome the ambassador to the House. I hope he enjoys his stay.

I thank the Minister of State for taking this Commencement matter. I raise the proposed primary care centre for Cahersiveen in deep south Kerry and seek a clear and detailed update on its current status and the next steps. This project is of major strategic importance to the Iveragh Peninsula. The centre will bring a comprehensive range of services together under one roof, including GP care, public health nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, psychology, mental health supports, dental and disability services and a social inclusion and Tusla hub. In a rural region like south Kerry, this integrated model of care will significantly enhance access and reduce the need for long journeys to larger centres. The new primary care centre will also complement the local ambulance base for which funding has been secured. Together, these developments will strengthen the emergency response capacity and create a more co-ordinated, modern healthcare system for the area.

Progress has been made. The design phase has been completed. Planning permission has been granted. The project is clearly advancing through the required stages. What is now required is clarity about the remaining steps. Has the full feasibility assessment for the Cahersiveen primary care centre been completed? If so, will the Minister of State outline its key findings? If any elements of that assessment are outstanding, it would be helpful to know what they are and when they are expected to be finalised.

Will the Minister of State provide clarity on the funding position? Has capital funding been formally allocated for the construction phase within the current HSE capital plan or through another mechanism? If funding has not yet been set aside, I call on him to indicate when that decision will be made and whether the project will be prioritised in upcoming capital allocations.

The big question people have in the Iveragh and Cahersiveen area is when construction is expected to begin. The community, the local healthcare providers and all the stakeholders need certainty on the feasibility, funding and timelines so this important project can move forward without any hassle.

On behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, I thank the Senator for the opportunity to update the House on the HSE primary healthcare centre for Cahersiveen.

The programme for Government commits to opening more primary care centres. Providing a home first approach to healthcare will empower people to receive integrated healthcare in their communities in line with the Sláintecare objectives. The primary care centre programme consists of a network of circa 300 projects being delivered through the operational lease model 2 or traditional means of a HSE build. In addition, 14 programmes were completed through public-private partnership. Under the programme, 181 primary care centres are in operation, 51 of which have been open since 2020.

The majority of primary care centres are delivered via the operational lease model. Over the period of the Department of Health’s sectoral plan from 2026 to 2030, primary care centres will continue to be delivered under the primary care centres programme by the HSE by traditional means through the operational lease model.

With specific regard to Cahersiveen, which is the area the Senator is raising today, HSE capital and estates has reviewed a number of potential sites in the environs of Cahersiveen and has shortlisted suitable options. Initial due diligence is nearing completion to assess the feasibility, constraints, suitability and deliverability of a primary care centre, as well as to identify the preferred location. As part of this assessment, the HSE is also considering a development-led proposal from a private entity that has been granted planning permission by Kerry County Council in Cahersiveen. This proposal forms part of the overall appraisal process, which is focused on determining the most suitable and sustainable option to meet the healthcare needs of the people of Cahersiveen and the wider surrounding area.

Health infrastructure investment policy aims to ensure that Sláintecare reforms are achieved and that they improve the delivery of capital healthcare projects and achieve value for money. The HSE capital approvals process provides a structured and objective basis for assessing health infrastructure proposals. It examines service need, projected demand, value for money and alignment with national and regional health service priorities.

The proposed Cahersiveen primary care centre is intended to support the delivery of integrated, community-based healthcare services, including GP services, primary care centres and other multidisciplinary supports locally. Subject to completion of the assessment and the receipt of the necessary approvals, a capital submission will be developed and progressed through the HSE approval process. This submission will outline the preferred location, proposed scope, next steps and indicative timelines for delivery of the primary care centre. A final decision will be made once all viable options are given full consideration.

I thank the Minister of State for taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. Indeed, I compliment the response. I look forward to the completion of this process. Obviously, the assessment is the outstanding aspect. I again ask the Minister of State to contact the Department and the Minister to double down on this and bring it to fruition. The next step for the people of Cahersiveen and the Iveragh Peninsula is to find out where this primary care centre will be located. If that assessment is completed sooner rather than later, we can move on with it.

From the many conversations the Senators has had with the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, on this, I know this is an issue about which he is very passionate in supporting on behalf of the people in his area. Of course, I will relay his views and comments to the Minister. She will engage with him further in that regard.

Tá an chéad ábhar eile in ainm an tSeanadóra Cosgrove. Ní mór dúinn fanacht leis an Aire Stáit.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Higgins. The timing of my Commencement matter today could not have been more appropriate because this Saturday is World MS Day. This is observed worldwide, including in Ireland. World MS Day raises the awareness of the needs of people living with multiple sclerosis and their families. It is an opportunity to highlight the work of the professionals who work with and care for people with multiple sclerosis. It is also an opportunity for those with multiple sclerosis and their loved ones to acknowledge the full lives they still enjoy through events that will take place are all around the county. A lot will be happening all around this country this weekend.

I raised this a number of months ago. MS Ireland organised a briefing in the audiovisual room in Leinster House yesterday. I do not know whether the Minister of State was in attendance. There were many representatives on various different issues present. Two representatives were from Sligo, where there is a continued absence of services. Sligo and Leitrim are the only counties that do not have a dedicated multiple sclerosis community worker. This is alarming because Sligo, Leitrim and that region have the highest rate of multiple sclerosis in the country. Yet, they do not have a dedicated community worker.

It is estimated that some 300 people in Sligo and Leitrim are living with multiple sclerosis. This is an estimate because most people become known to MS Ireland through a community worker who works on the ground. A total of 122 individuals have made themselves known to MS Ireland. They have been accessing services through neighbouring counties, such as Donegal. Donegal has been particularly generous with its resources to help these people.

Everyone’s experience of living with multiple sclerosis is different. There are different levels of support based on the different needs. The role of community workers - I know this from working as one - is pointing, directing and signposting people with diagnoses to available services and assisting with grant applications. Their role is important.

One of the first representations I received as a Senator was from a young woman in Sligo who has multiple sclerosis. She needed an adaptation for her car. As there is no dedicated community worker in Sligo, she reached out to me and I was able to link in with Donegal. There is a real absence in this regard. MS Ireland submitted a business plan to the Department in 2025. I wish to find out what stage that business case is at and whether there is any update on it. These people are being discriminated against based on their location, especially given that Sligo and Leitrim have the highest incidence of multiple sclerosis. The estimated cost – this has not increased in the year since it first submitted it - is €72,997. That is all it is looking for. Its role is vital in people’s lives, particularly when it comes to the initial diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. I am seeking an update in this regard.

I thank Senator Cosgrove for raising this important issue and giving me the opportunity to respond. I met MS Ireland recently and we discussed the prevalence of multiple sclerosis in Sligo and Leitrim. The Senator is correct that an updated business case was submitted by MS Ireland for the recruitment of a multiple sclerosis community worker for the Sligo-Leitrim region. This was received and reviewed by local disability services management on 10 October 2025. The proposal was subsequently escalated to the head of service for disability services for consideration. At present, however, there is still no specific funding allocation within the HSE disability services’ budget to support the establishment of this post. It has not, therefore, been possible to progress recruitment at this stage.

Notwithstanding this, a range of supports are currently in place for individuals with multiple sclerosis in the Sligo-Leitrim area. The HSE physical and sensory disability service provides case co-ordination and social work support. While the case co-ordinator has been on statutory leave, it is anticipated that this leave will be ending shortly. Full case co-ordination service should resume from July.

The HSE physical and sensory disability service also provides for the delivery of home support and personal assistant services, based on assessed individual need. The MS North West Therapy Centre is funded annually by the HSE through a service arrangement. It delivers a comprehensive range of supports, including individual physiotherapy; telehealth consultations; exercise and rehabilitation programmes, including online classes; equipment assessments; psychological and well-being supports, including counselling and meditation; alternative therapies, such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy and reflexology; and peer support and foot care services.

In addition, individuals may access a range of HSE community services, including occupational therapy and orthotics, as required.

I thank the Minister of State for the response. It is disappointing to hear that the role has not been prioritised. Is it because we have such a wonderful MS therapy centre in the north west? It is fantastic. It is an amazing centre. It is a very different role from that of the community worker. Not only is the community worker's role about signposting and looking at resources; a community worker is also in charge of fundraising. The north west - Sligo and Leitrim - is missing out on significant funding. This weekend in particular there will be loads of fundraising activities happening all across the country, but because we do not have a community worker in Sligo we are going to miss out on that. It is a double whammy. I reiterate the importance of the community worker's role. I accept there is a physical and sensory disability team and the MS therapy centre but they are very different roles. I wonder if the Minister of State could do anything at all to push it up. It was very evident in the presentation in the audiovisual room yesterday how much of a disadvantage we are at in Sligo and Leitrim by not having someone in this role.

Senator Cosgrove is right. There are wonderful supports available through MS Ireland in her region. It provides a range of supports in the community for people with MS, but also for their families, which is really important too. MS Ireland plays an important role when it comes to supporting, educating and advising persons with MS and their families from diagnosis right throughout their journey. Specifically on the north west and Sligo and Leitrim in particular, I confirm that the HSE does remain committed to working with stakeholders, including MS Ireland, to explore opportunities that would enhance service provision for people in the region with MS. That is subject to the availability of resources.

I will just take a moment to wish people a very happy World MS Day on Saturday. I thank all of the volunteers and community support workers up and down the country who have given so much of their time to organise events that will be happening throughout the weekend in many counties. I wish them the very best of luck, every success and hopefully a little bit of sunshine for their events.

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, for coming to the House. He is deputising for the Minister, Deputy Peter Burke. The Minister could not be more ably deputised.

What I am looking for this morning is that Ireland would open an office in Taipei. It is not setting any precedent. It is only reopening an office that was closed in 2010 or 2011, prior to the crash. We must bear in mind that we have a very similar history to Taiwan in the sense that we were colonised for 800 years. Taiwan has a gigantic neighbour in China, which has made no secret of the fact that it believes Taiwan belongs to it. Yet, Taiwan is a democracy. It has a democratically elected government and has operated as a democracy for a long time, similar to ourselves. The similarities between Ireland and Taiwan are very strong, not just in terms of our history but also our economy. We have a very skilled high-tech workforce. Eight or nine of the top international tech companies have their European headquarters in Ireland. Similarly, Taipei is one of the world's leaders when it comes to semiconductors. It has a very advanced tech industry. Its population is something around 24 million or 25 million. Economically it is one of the top performers in the world. It does not make any kind of economic sense that Ireland and the IDA do not have an office in Taipei. As a country we should be trying to attract industry and business from Taiwan to Ireland. We must bear in mind that 16 of our European colleague countries have offices in Taipei, all co-ordinated under a European office. Similarly, our nearest neighbour, the UK, has an office in Taipei. Switzerland has an office in Taipei, yet Ireland does not have an office there.

Many delegations have gone from these Houses over the years to Taiwan and have benefited enormously from their very generous hospitality. There has been an awful lot of talk and commitments by people who went there that a lot would be done to open an IDA office in Taipei. I was there once. Members of these Houses were there on multiple occasions, yet we have not seen any delivery of the one simple ask of the Taipei ambassador to Ireland and his team and the government in Taipei when the delegations visit, which is that we would open an office there. It is a simple request. It makes economic sense and it is the right thing to do. I hope the Minister and the IDA would see the economic merit and the business case for opening an office. It has been sought many times. I would like to know the reason for it. I sincerely hope the reason is not because pressure is being put on by the Chinese ambassador and government not to do so. That would not be appropriate and it would not chime with our history as a small nation that was colonised by a big country for many years. Of course, it would never be officially said but I sincerely hope it is not the reason either officially or unofficially, covertly or overtly.

I thank the Senator very much. On behalf of the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Deputy Peter Burke, I am delighted to take this matter and to have the opportunity to reply to the Senator.

Foreign direct investment, FDI, continues to be one of the key components of the Irish economy. The Minister is determined that Ireland remains a leading location for FDI. The IDA's mandate is well-known and can be summarised as attracting and retaining mobile foreign direct investment to Ireland in support of well-paid employment opportunities across the country. The IDA's 2025-2029 strategy, Adapt Intelligently, aims to safeguard and grow Ireland's existing FDI alongside a continued focus on winning new investment. This dual focus on partnering with existing clients and attracting new first-time investors is an important context when considering trade development and market diversification. In this regard, the strategy seeks to build on the IDA's success to date, supporting continued long-term investment through the transformation of the existing client base and leveraging new opportunities associated with FDI growth drivers of AI and digital, semiconductors, sustainability and health. They echo the focus and ambition of the programme for Government in addition to the national strategy on semiconductors and the forthcoming life sciences strategy, which are all designed to underpin the future of these key sectors and position Ireland for new investment opportunities.

The IDA is retaining its focus on new growth opportunities across its core sectors and territories and continues to target investment from clients originating from North America, Europe, the UK and Asia-Pacific within technology, content, consumer and business services, international financial services, pharmaceuticals, biopharmaceuticals and food, medical technologies and engineering and the green economy. Market analysis shows that the majority, approximately 60%, of all Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, and Taiwan outward FDI is intra-Asia and approximately 60% of all FDI into Europe from the region originates in Singapore. Taiwan is a distant second. IDA Ireland actively manages the Taiwanese market from its Singapore office as part of its ASEAN market development plan. In this context, the IDA does not have any immediate plans to open an office in Taiwan and will continue to service the market from its regional office in Singapore.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. That was not the answer I was expecting or wanted. Will the Minister of State ask the Minister, Deputy Peter Burke, to review this and come back to us with the business case for not opening it? Why was the office there in the first place? When it was closed, it was simply because of cutbacks. There was no other reason. That was the reason given at the time. It does not make business sense. IDA Ireland is charged with channelling its resources in the way it considers to be most efficient, but there needs to be some ministerial intervention to ask it to review this decision and come back to us with a short snappy rejustification of why this is not required. The justification in that answer is not sufficient so it needs to rejustify it and that can only be done with a proper, effective, short, snappy review.

I thank the Senator for the strong, passionate and well-argued argument he made in favour of this. I will take the opportunity to convey his views directly to the Minister, Deputy Burke, to make sure he is aware of the Senator's contribution this morning and give him the opportunity, which I have no doubt he will take, to engage further with the Senator on this. I thank the Senator.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Christopher O'Sullivan.

I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this Commencement matter. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, is welcome to the Chamber.

In north-west Kildare - I am particularly talking about Cappanargid, Lullymore into Allenwood, around Robertstown, Caragh and so on - there have been huge issues with water shortages. People have signed up to get communications if the water is going to be turned off, as a managed turn-off. People are not getting that information at all or they are getting it four hours late. In the past week, the water has been turned off five times in that area.

This is quite a rural area. People are living on their own, including elderly people. People have small babies and they do not have access to water in this very warm weather. Some people can go quite easily to the shops to get water - that is a big expense - but many cannot get to the shops because they are older or vulnerable for different reasons. It got so bad that some individuals rang "Liveline" yesterday to talk about it. Everyone was aghast about the reality on the ground.

The lack of water is a huge problem, but the communication around it is particularly difficult. Uisce Éireann is issuing press releases about it and they are not worth the paper they are written on. There is wrong information, miscommunication and there have been strong rumours. I spoke to two local councillors, Daragh Fitzpatrick and Brian O'Loughlin. They are getting different information as well. One individual who works with Uisce Éireann told one of the councillors that the water is being turned off at the reservoir at Allenwood to protect areas of higher population. If that is the case, it is absolutely wrong. We need to have honest communication to be clear about what is happening and why and timely information needs to be given.

There was a situation last week where tankers of water came out at 8 a.m. It is always helpful to get tankers if there is no water, but people were told the water would be on from 9 a.m. without a shadow of a doubt. What happened? It did not come on. Therefore, the order to send out the tankers was correct, because there was not going to be water, but people were getting the wrong information all over again. People can make plans if they get the information in a timely way.

I had put this Commencement matter in for Tuesday, but on Tuesday morning, I met a lady from the Hillsborough area in Newbridge who spoke to me about similar problems there. That is why I added it to today's Commencement matter. In Newbridge, there are particular issues with low pressure. People are trying to have showers, particularly in this hot weather, when they come in from work and are not able to do so because the pressure is so low. Generally speaking, it is bad news all around south-west Kildare and Newbridge. We need to know what is going on. Is there any light at the end of the tunnel? We need to know what is happening and how it will be remedied.

I thank Senator O'Loughlin for raising this issue. I hope there may be something for her in the answer, certainly around the technicalities and the question about light at the end of the tunnel. There is nothing in my response about communication, but it is not good enough if communications are not accurate or are not helpful. Uisce Éireann is improving its whole communications process massively, so I will certainly reflect it back to the Department and to Uisce Éireann that better communication is needed. If people are informed, it takes away a lot of the frustration. That is a key aspect.

On the supply and the pressure issue the Senator raised, Uisce Éireann is building capacity. We are funding it now to the tune of approximately €12 billion up to 2030. That is significant funding. Its personnel has also increased significantly in recent years. Its capacity is growing so it should be able to respond to issues like this. Wastewater can be far more problematic, as the Senator will be aware, but supply should be more straightforward, I think. I am not a water engineer so there may be technicalities there, but I will certainly bring back the message about communication.

Specifically on the projects at Allenwood reservoir, Hillsborough and Newbridge in County Kildare, Uisce Éireann has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services, including planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. Neither I nor the Minister, Deputy Browne, has operational function in such matters. We always have to introduce that caveat when we speak about these matters. However, we made enquiries for the Senator and understand that the issues impacting supply that she raised are primarily due to sustained high demand on the network, which has led to critically low reservoir levels and intermittent outages for customers in the area. Uisce Éireann has a range of measures in place to address these challenges and restore stable supply. Pressure management and network reconfiguration measures are being implemented to optimise water distribution and improve resilience across the network. In addition, leakage detection is ongoing across the impacted wider network to identify and repair leaks as quickly as possible. The network is being closely monitored on an ongoing basis, with operational teams responding in real time to changing demand and supply conditions.

Turning to Hillsborough, Newbridge, I am informed that a combination of operational issues occurred in the area yesterday impacting water pressure and supply, including unauthorised abstraction of water from the network by a third party. In addition, a leaking air valve was identified and repaired and a burst watermain in the Greatconnell area, which serves Hillsborough, was also repaired earlier that day. These issues coincided with a period of exceptionally high demand on the network, which further increased pressure on local supply. To support network recovery, Uisce Éireann plans to carry out a controlled overnight operation to optimise water levels in storage, which is not expected to result in any impact on customers.

As I said, there is nothing in the answer about the communication issues the Senator highlighted. It is certainly something I will report back.

The Senator can see that operational procedures are being carried out to improve distribution and remedy the issue around pressure and leakages. I can speak to this as it is an issue in my constituency. Where there are repeated leakages, it is almost like a patchwork that needs to be constantly fixed. If leakages are happening at such a frequent level, the best thing to do is to completely replace the pipework. In the long run, that is the way to go. I will speak to Uisce Éireann about that option. I thank the Senator for raising the issue.

I thank the Minister of State. I appreciate that he and the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, have responsibility for this but their voices are very strong in terms of the messages they can bring from the floor of this House to bodies such as Uisce Éireann. I beseech the Minister of State to use his voice, as I know he will. There is a very clear explanation for Hillsborough, which I accept.

The Minister of State said there are a range of measures in place to address the challenges and referred specifically to the Allenwood reservoir. It serves the Allenwood area, but is not a reservoir in Allenwood; it is actually in Allen, which is a different place. The pressure management and network reconfiguration measures being implemented are not giving me any peace of mind. I have written to Uisce Éireann and will do so again.

On what the Minister of State said about communication, Councillor Daragh Fitzpatrick told me yesterday that he put three CRMs over the previous three days into Uisce Éireann and did not get a response to one of them. When our public representatives, who are doing such a good job, are not getting any communication, that is a problem. I ask that the message go out loud and clear that we want honest and time-bound information, as well as a resolution to the issue itself.

Part of the Minister of State's area of responsibility is the National Parks and Wildlife Service. He does an excellent job in that regard and I admire the work he does. The Curragh Plains is something we have spoken about. We have discussed the possibility of the land being transferred from the Department of Defence to the Minister of State's Department. I hope we will get an update on that at some point.

I thank the Senator. In response to her last question on the Curragh Plains, it is an iconic and famous area for many reasons. Many of us pass through it every week. I often look at it and consider its potential from a nature and biodiversity point of view. It could be extraordinary if we managed to look after it in the right way. The Senator has actively raised this issue over the years. We are considering how to come to some type of agreement with the other Department and stakeholders involved. Obviously, the Department of Defence would be involved. We will speak to it and determine whether something can be done. There are a range of complex issues. There is incredible horse racing in the area, sheep grazing is a tradition on the Curragh and the public use it as an amenity. The Army and Department of Defence are involved. I confirm that we are actively looking at the matter. I thank the Senator for raising it.

On Uisce Éireann, I will get the message back to it that it needs to prioritise engagement and proper communication with the Senator, local representatives and, most importantly, the vulnerable people who are experiencing issues with water.