As Senator Garvey mentioned, supports for local enterprise offices are important.

I thank the Senator for keeping to the time. As he mentioned, it is important to focus on the living wage as well and the work that has been done by the Tánaiste's office. I call Senator Casey.

I thank the Senator and wish him and his family well with the reopening on 2 June. It really is great news to hear. I call Senator Currie, who has five minutes.

Who is seconding the amendment?

When is it proposed to take Fifth Stage?

Is that agreed? Agreed.

When is it proposed to sit again?

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, for coming here this morning to deal with this matter. No schools have been assessed to be included for extra supports under the DEIS scheme since 2015 and only a small number were added in 2017. Schools are not currently being assessed. I would like an update on the DEIS resource allocation system and the timeline for its completion, publication and implementation. DEIS encompasses a number of different types of supports, including: reduced class size; additional fund…

I thank the Minister of State for the update and the acknowledgement of funding in the area. The DEIS identification process and the inclusion of schools with children who are at risk is urgently required to ensure that all schools are appropriately equipped to tackle educational disadvantage. We need that at primary and post-primary level across the country. Is there a possibility for tiered supports? I understand that the review still has to be completed. I am not clear on the timeline associated with that but is…

As co-founder, PRO and secretary of the community group, Ballinasloe says No, we have battled for more than four years against the inappropriate location of a waste transfer station in Ballinasloe town, fighting for the health and safety of families in the second largest town in County Galway, as well as the protection of the local environment. Despite that, and the fact that close to 3,000 objections were submitted by people and families over two campaigns against the granting of a permit for this type of station,…

When is it proposed to take Committee Stage?

Is that agreed?

I wish to share time with Senator Conway.

I welcome the Minister of State and I thank Senator Garvey for tabling a fantastic motion regarding our access to clean water and to sanitation. As she pointed out, this is a United Nations sustainable development goal. I support the motion, which is part of the programme for Government. It is important that we protect water from sea to source. I understand €8.5 billion has been committed from 2018 to 2027 and that a further €14 million is being provided for lead piping and so on. I welcome this commitment. We need…

I thank the Minister for the short time I will get today. I will make three points, however. First, I welcome that the notice GPs are given about the vaccines they receive has gone from one day to two days. I know from speaking to a local GP that the number was down by 120 this week. I ask for confirmation on that. We know a big surge is coming in the last two days of March. Is it the case that they will not see this drop next week and the week after in terms of vaccine doses? Second, pharmacies, particularly small…

I welcome the Minister. It is wonderful to have the opportunity to speak in this debate. We are very fortunate to have in the Minister such a strong advocate for Ireland in the EU. Officials and staff in his Department have demonstrated clearly the negative impact on Ireland of the withdrawal of the UK from the EU, as evidenced by Ireland winning over €1 billion of a €5 billion post-Brexit EU fund. The impact on our society, trade and travel is enormous. The challenges we face are clear, including the health crisis…

I raise today the issue of emergency accommodation for St. Teresa's Special School in Ballinasloe. There are only 115 or so special schools across the country. The challenge here is linked to an issue I have raised already in the House, an issue regarding Scoil an Chroí Naofa, the only DEIS band 1 school in Ballinasloe. It has no capacity to take on another special needs class so St. Teresa's, which handles children with moderate to profound complex needs, has been taking the flak over recent years. Its enrolment h…

I am delighted today with the announcement from the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Humphreys, about the outdoor recreational infrastructure programme. It is worth €6 million. It is wonderful because there is €500,000 for Mote Park in Roscommon. This shows the commitment to regional development, which is crucial. We are currently in lockdown, but we must have ways to kick-start tourism, particularly in towns and villages, when we begin to reopen in safer times. The €500,000 will be available fo…

I welcome the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Deputy Catherine Martin, to the House. I represent the region of Roscommon and east Galway where there has been fantastic investment in key tourism and recreational initiatives. I want to highlight the key role of walking, cycling clubs and volunteers in our communities, as well as Tidy Towns and the real sense of pride we have in our towns and villages, and how these actively promote and work with tourism and rural recreation officers i…

I thank the Minister. I am delighted to hear the focus on balanced regional development, particularly on broadband. It will be really important.