The recent EPA report on water quality outlined how ground waters continued to be under pressure from human activities. The EPA states there was no significant change in the biological quality of rivers and lakes in 2022, with some deterioration being offset by improvements in others. The role of those bodies has been long established. Take Irish Water’s role in water pollution. Look at how Ballingarry is discharging into the River Lee. The EPA report seems to take a soft enough approach to Irish Water and its poll…

Will Irish Water be allowed to continue polluting or will it be put up to it to get on with putting a new sewer in Ballingarry?

I thank the Taoiseach for his response and the overview he outlined. He mentioned the expansion of the GP card. Budget 2023 committed to expanding the GP card to people on median incomes, that is, some 400,000 people or thereabouts. It is a very welcome and positive measure, especially in a climate where people are finding costs so much more difficult right across their lives. That measure has not been implemented, but there was an expectation it would be earlier this year. I understand discussions are under way wi…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Taoiseach. Has he discussed with the various Departments the proposed nature restoration laws and plans currently being drawn up at EU level? As they currently stand, they are of major concern for many farmers who fear their lands might be flooded and not available for food production. The recent demand for environmental schemes clearly demonstrates the willingness of farmers not just to be part of but very much central to climate actions, where more than 46,000 applicants applied for ACRES…

Irish farmers produce food of the highest quality. They have a clean and green image. One of the outputs of that is the infant formula that is produced and traded across the world. Has the Minister engaged with various markets, Bord Bia and the industry about the pressure the industry is feeling as its output to China, for example, is diminishing?

China represents a significant part of the infant food market – I understand more than 26% globally. Its population is changing significantly. In 2016 there were 17 million or 18 million newborns; that figure is now closer to 10 million when it would have been expected to be almost double that. It is very much a moving target for enterprises selling into that market. Of course, there is also growing confidence in its own product internally, which is being restored after an issue some years ago. The share of Irish p…

These exports are built on the efforts of our farmers producing a quality, traceable, high-standard product. It means we hold a significant portion of a valuable market. It is diminishing for the various different reasons. Bord Bia is a significant player in communicating a message to the customers on the quality product we have. Does it have a particular campaign to take on the pressure that the infant formula and dairy industry is feeling from that area? Is a campaign being lined up with Bord Bia to ensure the Ir…

UCD recently conducted a survey of farmers and, unsurprisingly, found very high levels of stress among farmers, with over half reporting extremely severe depression. I am not sure if the Minister of State is aware of the survey and the causes. If he has an action plan for the stresses on farmers, I ask him to outline it to us.

The UCD survey identified 55% farmers with moderate to severe mental health issues and 40% with moderate to extreme anxiety and stress. It also drilled in to look at the sources of those different stresses. Some of the top three included not just the farm and ordinary farming activity but the perception that farmers are the bad guys in climate change and the enemy of so many people. This causes great anxiety for farmers. They are the custodians of the land. They know they are not going to be taking the farm with th…

I very much agree with the Minister of State about the perception and the fact that there were no major surprises in that survey. Farmers feel very much under siege from climate activists, unfortunately. It is not about a blame game. We need to know that everybody is in it together and farmers are very much to the forefront on that. After the marts closed down due to Covid and a lot of the trading was online, when they reopened, people returned to the mart not just for selling. The engagement at the mart is not abo…

The 2023 tourism season is well under way at this stage. There are beds that are not available for tourism due to State contracts. The absence of those tourists has a direct knock-on effect on so many other support businesses, such as restaurants and bike hire companies, which are a central part of the tourism offering. Does the Minister have a plan for supporting them in the absence of that income?

I thank the Minister for the overview and for her detailed response. Phenomenal pressure is growing on many smaller businesses. The 2023 season is now well under way and in the absence of those beds and the tourists that would occupy them, and their subsequent spend, there is increasing pressure on smaller businesses. Those businesses are scattered right across the many rural areas of the country. For many, this is their main opportunity for income. Many of those smaller businesses give our younger people their fir…

Tá an séasúr turasóireachta faoi lán seoil agus tá brú ollmhór ar an-chuid gnóthaí toisc nach bhfuil lóistín agus na turasóirí a bheadh ann ar fáil. Táim ag caint faoi ghnóthaí a bhaineann le busanna, zip lines agus gníomhartha uisce, pet farms agus go leor eile. Tuigim go bhfuil Fáilte Éireann ag féachaint ar phlean chun tacaíocht a thabhairt ansin. An bhfuil béim ar thacaíocht do na comhlachtaí sin nó an bhfuiltear fós ag féachaint ar shlí chun lóistín a scaoileadh? Is there an emphasis on a support package or is…

To meet our climate change targets, plans are advancing to change the biofuel content in petrol for cars from E5 to E10. That is very much needed and most cars will be able to cope with the change. However, older cars will find it difficult and motorists are very concerned about this. What consideration has been given to meeting the needs of drivers of older vehicles? It is not just vintage cars but many of the older cars that are on our roads daily that will be affected. Their metal tanks, fuel lines and rubber se…

The start of the leaving certificate exams is only a few weeks away. The focus will then quickly shift to correcting and getting results out. It was early September last year before leaving certificate students saw their results and nearly December before junior certificate students saw theirs. The later the results, the more difficult and stressful it can be for students. There is knock-on pressure in terms of getting college offers and accommodation. The availability of correctors contributed to the delay last ye…

Last year saw a great deal of pressure on getting people to correct exams, which contributed to the delays in issuing results as well as other issues. I understand that the SEC has undertaken a promotional campaign and that there are additional payments and so on to attract people to take on correcting work this year. Have more correctors been recruited this year than last year and how many correctors are there now? Last year saw 131,000 leaving and junior certificate students sit exams. This year, that number will…

Getting results out in a timely manner is important for students. Despite the recruitment campaign, though, it is not clear that there are additional correctors. What numbers have been recruited? Are there particular subjects at issue? Regarding the new art exam, teachers have told me of their concerns about getting marking schemes and even sample questions that they can sit down and review with their students. Will a marking scheme and sample questions issue to art students and their teachers ahead of this year's …

Numerous sports fans have raised with me, and I am sure have raised it with other Members, the issue of the digital lockout they are experiencing with GAAGO, where they are unable to watch key games due to not being able to set it up and due to poor broadband and so many other issues. RTÉ and the GAA have provided great coverage of our national sports over many years but they do not seem to be using all the available capacity and TV channels. They seem to be opting to put some of the key games behind an online payw…

The TBESS was being reviewed every three months. The most recent review of that was at the end of last month. Can the Minister give an outline of the issues in the scheme at that stage and of the outcome of that review?

The introduction of the business energy support scheme was a very strong move by the Government to help businesses with their energy costs. The scheme was helpful to many, even though there were issues initially. In fairness to the Government, the Department identified this issue and took measures to make the scheme more accessible and to support businesses better with the scheme because of the low take-up. We recognise as well that there was an issue with people who did not have access to the gas network. There is…