In order to reach the ambitious climate action targets, it is going to be a case of every shoulder to the wheel. Many householders have raised with me that they want to play their role but they are finding it difficult. It is more than just insulation and they want to be able to change the heating system in their homes despite the cost of it. There is a real opportunity staring us in the face with regard to HVO fuel replacing fossil fuels. Unfortunately, there is a policy choice whereby HVO fuel is being steered mo…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Taoiseach as ucht an cheist seo a fhreagairt. Last week saw the publication of the report of the Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use, which included wide-ranging recommendations. The general thrust was around having a health-led response to the possession of drugs for personal use. As I understand it, the next stage is for the report to come to the Oireachtas. Will the Cabinet committee on health discuss the report and prepare the various next steps in terms of legislation arising out of it, or…

I will ask the Taoiseach about competitiveness and the great struggle many small local businesses right across the country are experiencing in that regard. I refer particularly to businesses in the hospitality sector that provide many younger people with their first jobs, that sponsor community events and that employ a great many people. These are often family run enterprises. I am talking about cafes, pubs, shops and restaurants, many of which are under phenomenal pressure and having to close their doors. This is …

An estimated three quarters of the northern hemisphere's undersea cables pass through Irish waters. We are very much at the crossroads between the EU and North America, with significant traffic over and back along those cables. Will the Tánaiste outline the measures being taken to ensure that they are not interfered with?

The efforts to get the two new naval vessels and the aircraft and to have them deployed have been helpful, positive and a constructive step. Another step would be to identify what underwater capabilities are needed. I understand that the development of advanced capabilities in that respect is a big job, as it involves getting people trained and acquiring hardware. What measures are being taken to advance our subsea capabilities as a supplement to our other work? What engagement has the Department had with other org…

Typically, these cables are privately held by various organisations. Those organisations will obviously have an interest in ensuring the security of the cables. I imagine that they will also have capabilities and be monitoring their cables. Is there a sharing of resources and information in that regard and, if so, how helpful is it? Obviously, there is a State responsibility at play in any of this infrastructure, but I am trying to get an understanding of the link-up between private enterprises – the owners – and t…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Athbhlian faoi mhaise di. The use of artificial intelligence in healthcare settings can offer very exciting possibilities, and also present challenges and various considerations. Will the Minister give an outline of the use of AI in medical settings throughout the country, as well as the various considerations he has had of its use?

I note the Minister referred to the Mater. I understand it was one of the first, and probably the first, to integrate AI in its radiology department. I understand it allowed the hospital the opportunity to go through large numbers of results very quickly, and possibly not just to identify different issues but to get people additional tests while they were still on-site. There are real possibilities in that regard. If there are other examples of where AI is being used in a healthcare setting in Ireland, I would be v…

I understand that AI can also be used to customise care plans for people, looking at how they may respond to different therapies and customising the treatment or medicine from there. Have such considerations been looked at in any settings in the country? I return to the huge issue of consent and the whole ethical question. If we are looking at having a huge store of people's data and running AI over it to predict where different populations might be impacted by various conditions, we need buy-in from people, trust …

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCeann Comhairle agus guím athbhliain faoi mhaise dó. Táim ag fiosrú faoin mBille maidir leis an toghchán d’Údarás na Gaeltachta. Cuireadh stop le toghchán Údarás na Gaeltachta roinnt blianta ó shin agus is mór an chailliúint a bhí ann. D'oibrigh sé sin nasc idir mhuintir na Gaeltachta agus an údarás agus tá contaetha nach bhfuil aon ionadaíocht acu ar feadh roinnt blianta. Thosaigh an tAire Stáit deireanach ar Bhille nua a thabhairt chun cinn agus tá an coiste Gaeilge tar éis é sin a phlé …

I raise the situation in which staff at Ballincollog-based VMware find themselves as they face into Christmas. The company announced in recent weeks that it is restructuring and that there would be job losses, and that negotiations would be going on during December and January. Earlier this week, the company announced that 360 people will lose their jobs in the new year. That is a massive blow to the people themselves and the wider area, but especially to the 360 staff. That is more than a number. Those are real pe…

For nearly six weeks, residents in Macroom and Carrigadrohid have endured another boil water notice, similar to last year, and again due to turbidity. At that point it was lifted and modifications were made to the system that were to make it more resilient, yet we are back in a situation with the same problem again this year, with the associated costs for residents who are having to boil water. Is there a way of raising it with Irish Water to have it get on with the large-scale modification and upgrade of that plan…

I move amendment No. 2: In page 8, between lines 5 and 6, to insert the following: “ Universal Social Charge 3 . Within 3 months of the passing of this Act, the Minister shall lay a report before Dáil Éireann on the current position regarding the Universal Social Charge, the number of taxpayers paying Universal Social Charge at each band and options to further reduce the Universal Social Charge burden for middle income earners in the years ahead.”. This amendment is about getting a report on the current position in…

I thank the Minister for the overview. There is a considerable volume of information already available on this and I am conscious of duplicating that. The amendment also seeks to get some kind of overview or plan on the possibility of further changes in the years ahead, particularly for middle-income earners. I want to maintain the focus on that, particularly as there is extra momentum given a change was made for the first time in five years. Perhaps further visibility into the future could be addressed in such a r…

I thank the Minister for the overview. Reducing the 4.5% USC rate to 4% is a positive move. That it is the first move in five years is significant as well and I very much welcome that. I take the point on duplication of information. I am very much conscious of that and want to avoid any such duplication. I want to ensure we are in the most informed position to be able to make a decision to minimise the burden on middle-income earners. Glacaim leis an bpointe a bhfuil á dhéanamh ansin, go bhfuil an t-eolas céanna an…

I am sorry about the mix-up. There were two amendments in my name and one of them has been ruled out of order. This amendment is aimed at a report on indexing and the opportunity to ensure that people who are on those lower and middle incomes would get the maximum benefit from any budget move. On the indexing of credits and bands, it is always unclear what it would be indexed to. I want to get an understanding of what the options might be as people will see modest increases in their incomes to cover the likes of th…

Briefly, I want to keep the focus on those on middle incomes, the middle four deciles of people on average incomes, because for many years they felt they were not getting the benefit of various budgets. I am anxious that any taxation measures or changes are of benefit to them. This is especially important if there are changes to their income. We do not want to see small cost-of-living related improvements moving them into a higher tax bracket. I want to keep the focus on them and ask the Minister to make every effo…

The free energy upgrade scheme is a very valuable scheme for supporting people, especially lower income households, by putting in insulation and helping them reduce costs. It takes some time to process those applications and to give householders the benefit of those schemes. Will the Minister outline the measures that will bring those schemes and deliver them in a more timely manner to needy households?

I thank the Minister. As he has said, there is quite a strong demand for the scheme, which reflects the need in so many households to carry out the works. It is positive that additional contractors are now involved in it. From dealing with the different applications, I can see that the big issue is more at the processing stage of the application. At this stage it is in the region of ten months to get a BER inspection. That only opens up the opportunity thereafter to get the survey of the different works required. O…

I readily acknowledge the huge improvement it makes for those 6,000 homes and families and that there is substantial funding in place for the scheme. There is great demand for it and it will be very successful when households get the work done. The issue is getting approval and moving through the process. Getting the BER inspection done can take up to ten months. People who made applications in February of this year have still not had a BER inspection. After that, a survey is needed to determine the extent of works…