People who were in first year of college have had an unusual experience and are not facing into a normal second year. That needs to be considered. What engagement has the Minister had with the colleges to ensure they are not falling off a cliff? They have a different experience of learning, accommodation, being on campus, engagement with friends and so on. It is important that this is taken into consideration and that they get the necessary supports.

I thank the Minister for the overview. It will be a different experience for people returning to college. We know from the USI's mental health survey before the pandemic that 38% of students were already anxious, with 29% experiencing depression and one third having a formal diagnosis of mental health difficulties. That was before the pandemic. When the pandemic, the remote experience and the return to college are laid on top of that, an additional mental health challenge is placed ahead of colleges, students and t…

There is already a shortage of accommodation for students. I acknowledge the efforts that are being made with legislation. Prioritising accommodation for first years recognises the change for them coming into college. People who are going into second year this year have not had the opportunity to live away from home, make friends, get a network, book accommodation and so on. They are facing a situation that will be different from previous years. Reserving accommodation for first years does not acknowledge that. Peo…

The close connections between the gardaí and the community are key to policing by consent. The community garda really promotes this. It is very important that as gardaí in those roles move on, they are replaced as quickly as possible. We have been very fortunate across the west Cork Garda division to have had Garda James O'Mahony working so closely with young people right around the area. He established the Garda youth awards to promote connections between younger people and to recognise the huge efforts of many yo…

As we move to a larger county model, these gardaí will be more and more stretched. It is very important that roles would be backfilled as quickly as they become vacant. We would almost need a number of gardaí to replace the work of Garda O'Mahony. The deep-rooted connection to the community, working with younger people, is something that would be lost very quickly if gardaí did not maintain it. We must ensure those resources are available so gardaí can work proactively. I encourage the Minister of State, in every w…

Respite and day services are so important to families of children and adults with intellectual disabilities. This was further reinforced during the pandemic, when those services were not available. In Macroom, the Cope Foundation ran services for five days a week, which was hugely valuable for local clients and their families. There is always an ongoing need to extend that to a seven-day service for Macroom. Will the Minister engage with Cope and the various authorities to ensure a seven-day and seven-night service…

Population growth in Ballincollig has required two new schools to be established recently, Gaelscoil An Chaisleáin in 2017 and, more recently, Le Chéile second level school which is due to open its doors next September. Can the Minister outline the efforts being made to get permanent homes for these schools and advance buildings for them on a permanent basis?

I acknowledge that Le Chéile is newer and due to open its doors in September. The population projections for the school predict an increase from 600 to 1,000 students so a larger site is required. The gaelscoil has been in temporary accommodation since its establishment in 2017. It is outgrowing its site and its temporary planning. There is increasing pressure. Due to the fact a larger footprint is needed, is the Minister engaging with the development plan which is going to public consultation shortly to request ad…

I seek to clarify two points on the two potential sites that possibly are being advanced. The Minister indicated the campus option is being considered. Is the campus option for both of those potential sites or is there still a possibility of one site for each of the schools? On the city development plan, which is going to public consultation shortly, is the Department requesting that either additional or new sites be zoned? The site that would be needed for either a campus or for a 1,000-pupil school would be much …

I concur with the Deputies' comments on the huge work CE schemes have been delivering in our communities for many years. Running in parallel with CE schemes is the rural social scheme, RSS. While I acknowledge that the cases highlighted focused on the CE scheme, the RSS engages in similar activity in rural areas. I seek clarification on whether the work towards a solution will also address the case for RSS supervisors who are effectively in the same situation or if that is possible.

The issue I wish to raise relates to the continuing dramatic increase in the price of building material, including the price of timber, steel and insulation material. Builders are unable to stand over quotations for anything more than a few days. While it is an issue for all those involved in construction, from big road projects down to individual house construction, it is particularly difficult for older people who are building extensions for bathrooms, including the installation of walk-in showers and so on. Thes…

Page 76 of the programme for Government recognises a range of needs of the new Irish, yet at the same time there are ongoing difficulties and delays in processing naturalisation applications. Some of the applications that we have been dealing with are extending into their third year at this stage. Through that time, the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, INIS, is holding original documentation. It becomes very difficult for applicants to do ordinary things when they need that documentation, such as openi…

People want to be able to finalise their applications and have their documentation to move on with their lives. What target or plan is there to have more timely processing of naturalisation applications?

There are people aged between 60 and 69 who have received an initial dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine and they are very concerned that they remain exposed and not fully vaccinated, especially as they have seen the Delta variant ravaging the UK. These people have been very careful during the various lockdowns but are very concerned they could be exposed. They are asking for this concern to be recognised so they could be prioritised to be fully vaccinated. Changing the interval between doses would be helpful but it st…

The leaving certificate and leaving certificate applied, LCA, classes will start their exams next week. I wish all classes every success with their exams. They have had a very tough, twisted and dizzy road going through both fifth and sixth year to arrive now at exams that they thought might never have happened. Go n-éirí go geal leis na daoine seo atá ag déanamh na scrúduithe ardteistiméireachta agus LCA an bhliain seo tar éis dhá bhliain aisteach a bheith curtha díobh. There is an increased number of CAO applicat…

On the same issue, it is hugely important that learner drivers can get the opportunity to do their theory tests and get on with having lessons and enjoying the summer. Overall, almost 150,000 people have had their tests repeatedly rescheduled throughout the year. Facing into the summer holidays, there is a real opportunity for people to take the test or have driving lessons and get the on-road practice. There needs to be a reopening of in-centre testing. A date must be set for that as quickly as possible. The openi…

Climate change is a hugely significantly challenge for humanity and there is a real urgency in dealing with it. This Bill sets out to take on the challenges. People are making efforts in their everyday lives and there is goodwill there in taking on those challenges. The burden varies from person to person but it is appearing to fall disproportionately on some people more than others. This is a real concern. Any transition must be a just transition and the State has its role to play in that just transition as well. …

Covid has affected many people, but the pandemic has affected many more. Mental health and stress affected people across all age groups. This morning, I want to speak about older people and their families who have raised concerns with me. Social networks and human interaction was severely curtailed, be that meeting for coffee, dancing, bingo, mass, matches, marts and the pubs. The isolation and disconnection from family and friends hit people hard, particularly those who had maintained their independence only to fi…

Tá an-tábhacht le cúrsaí samhraidh i gcomhair cothaithe teanga agus cúrsaí eacnamaíochta sna Gaeltachtaí. Tá sé soiléir nach mbeidh na gnáthchúrsaí á reáchtáil arís i mbliana ach go bhfuil seans go mbeidh cúrsaí laghdaithe ann. An bhféadfadh an tAire Stáit a léiriú cad é an teagmháil atá aige leis na páirtithe leasmhara? Cad iad na hullmhúcháin atá déanta i gcomhair na bliana romhainn agus i gcomhair na gcúrsaí más rud é go mbeidh cúrsaí in aon chor ann? Má tá siad laghdaithe, cén saghas tacaíochta a bheidh ar fáil…

Fáiltím roimh an gcomhairliúchán atá ar siúl agus don teagmháil. Tá sé sin an-dearfach agus tá sé tábhachtach go labhrófaí leis na páirtithe leasmhara éagsúla. Tá an-tábhacht leis na coláistí sna ceantair Ghaeltachta agus i measc an phobail chomh maith. Ní hamháin go bhfuil tábhacht leis an gcoláiste féin, leis na daoine a bhíonn ag obair ann agus leis na mná tí ach tá sé an-tábhachtach chomh maith i gcomhair na siopaí, na mbialanna, na n-óstán agus mar sin de. Cé nach bhfuil siad bainteach go díreach leis an gcolá…