I am glad the Minister of State is in the Chamber. I know from having been contacted by representatives from WALK that there have quite a few frantic telephone calls since I tabled this Topical Issue matter and since the board of WALK took the decision to close its residential service. That is what it was moving towards. WALK is an organisation in Walkinstown that is aimed at empowering people with disabilities, many of whom have quite complex needs. Its aim is to try to ensure that people live a self-determined li…

Go raibh maith agat. I think WALK will be happy with the contribution and the commitments that have been given. There is an urgency about this. One of the facilities, which has seven beds, is not available at the moment because WALK could not wait. It has seven places available and the other seven places may come back in the near future. As I said, WALK could not wait on the HSE to take that up. The cost of living needs to be addressed by a higher allocation per resident than is currently the case. The allocation n…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Creidim gur píosa reachtaíochta rí-thábhachtach atá anseo agus, mar a dúirt mo chara díreach romham, tá fadhbanna bunúsacha ann. Ní hé go bhfuilimid ag cur ina choinne ach ní fiú reachtaíocht a rith anseo ar an nós seo maidir le trácht sa chathair seo nó timpeall na tíre mura bhfuil An Garda Síochána chun a dhéanamh cinnte de, má tá daoine ag briseadh an dlí, agus dlí na mbóithre go háirithe, go bhfuil an Garda ag cur an dlí sin i bhfeidhm agus go bhfuil sraith pionós…

Níl muinín ag pobal na hÉireann in RTÉ, faraor. Ní raibh muinín ag pobal na Gaeilge in RTÉ riamh. I bhfad sular tháinig an cur amú dochreidte airgid chun solais anuraidh, bhí daoine ann a dhiúltaigh ceadúnas teilifíse a íoc toisc go raibh RTÉ ag brú an Béarla amháin ar mhuintir na hÉireann seachas an Ghaeilge. Ach go háirithe, bhí sé á bhrú ar cheantair Ghaeltachta. Chaith leithéidí Brian Ó Baoill, Íte Ní Chionnaith agus Seán Ó Dálaigh seal i bpríosúin toisc nach raibh sé sásúil dóibh nach raibh ach 2% de chláir RT…

I refer to everybody who is struggling and has been crippled by the huge increases in costs for small businesses, including staff costs, energy costs and professional costs. The Minister mentioned the rates. There are also higher maintenance costs and higher entertainment costs for small, non-chain pubs. There needs to be a look at the rates. The Minister is correct that €5,000 would be welcomed by any small business that is struggling. Yet, for many of those businesses, this will not ensure they will be open this …

It is good that the Minister acknowledges the huge costs being faced by small retail businesses, especially cafés and similar. Some of these costs have hit them quite suddenly and while they can plan for some, many small businesses are only surviving at this stage because the owner is not taking a full wage or has a second job. As Deputy Crowe just mentioned, in small villages, owners have a loyalty to their community and they try hard to stay open. They need to know that there is an intervention coming down the tr…

Seanad amendments Nos. 18 and 19 are related and may be discussed together.

Seanad amendments Nos. 21 and 22 are related and may be discussed together.

Seanad amendments Nos. 26 and 27 are related and may be discussed together.

Seanad amendments Nos. 29 to 33, inclusive, are related and may be discussed together.

Baineann leasuithe 49 agus 58 le chéile agus féadfar iad a phlé le chéile.

Baineann leasuithe 51 agus 52 le chéile agus féadfar iad a phlé le chéile.

Agreement to the Seanad amendments is reported to the House and a message will be sent to Seanad Éireann acquainting it accordingly.

The Select Committee on Health has completed its consideration of the following Revised Estimate for Public Services for the service of the year ending 31 December 2024 - Vote 38. The Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach has completed its consideration of the following Revised Estimates for Public Services for the service of the year ending 31 December 2024 - Votes 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18 and 43.

Amendments Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, 5, 6, 9 to 16, inclusive, 18, 19, 22, 24, 25, 71 to 73, inclusive, 75 to 78, inclusive, 88, 89, 91 to 93, inclusive, 96, 99 and 105 are related and will be discussed together. Amendments Nos. 10 and 11 are physical alternatives to amendment No. 9, amendment No. 11 is a physical alternative to amendment No. 10, amendment No. 13 is a physical alternative to amendment No. 12, amendment No. 15 is a physical alternative to amendment No. 14, and amendment No. 78 is a physical alternativ…

Yes.

My question relates to the failure of the Government to include in the most recent legislative programme the Bill promised to give effect to the central recommendation of the report of the working group to examine the disregard of convictions related to consensual sexual activity between men, which was welcomed last June by all, namely, that the legislation should be passed to allow for the disregard of those historic convictions. Despite the passage of nearly 30 years since the repeal of the laws that criminalised…

I have a number of issues with this proposal. I only have three and a half minutes, though. I agree with Deputy Howlin that this is not the proper way to deal with this. One of my issues is that the Tánaiste and the Department, which may be under investigation by the tribunal, are the ones drawing up the terms of reference. It seems slightly bizarre. Previously when a Minister or Department was to undergo scrutiny by an investigation, another Minister took the lead. Maybe that is what should have happened in this c…

It has happened in the past. The Tánaiste may need to read the history of it. He was in the Dáil at the time.

If the Tánaiste wants, I can debate it with him afterwards. The terms of reference deal with complaints. I have met those in the Public Gallery. I welcome and support them and they are very courageous. In many cases, they did not make complaints because they could not. If they made a complaint, they were bullied, sidelined, attacked or drummed out of the Defence Forces. That is one of the key issues. Perhaps the Tánaiste will say there was no complaints system, but these complaints date back years. From 2017 onward…