I am asking this question on behalf of Deputy Cannon. We must make every effort to ensure that students can remain in college, even when they are facing financial difficulty. Many of their part-time employment opportunities were removed as a result of Covid-19 and we now see the impact this is having on their personal finances. It is important that we have a clear picture of where funding is being allocated under the student assistance fund to ensure it is protecting those who need it most.

I thank the Minister and acknowledge the great strides he is making in ensuring that people have access to further and higher education and the options he has put in place over recent months. The recent reform of the SUSI grant and the CAO process are very welcome developments. I would appreciate some further information on the breakdown of the student assistance fund. The Minister gave us some figures. I understand it is being divided up and has a baseline core funding of €8.1 million. I see that was doubled as pa…

I note there is a comprehensive list of approved institutions that can access the student assistance fund. I am seeking clarity on some of the plans progressing in the Minister’s Department. Several technological universities already exist and, as the Minister mentioned, the new Atlantic technological university, ATU, is coming on stream, driven by the Minister’s excellent work. In that regard, I wish to confirm that the tools are in place to ensure that this funding can be accessed by the students attending these …

I am asking this question on behalf of Deputy Carroll MacNeill. As the Minister will recall, Speak Out is an online, anonymous reporting tool for incidents of bullying, harassment, discrimination, assault, sexual harassment and sexual assault. It is being led by the Psychological Counsellors in Higher Education Ireland, PCHEI, group. Following the Minister’s launch last month of Speak Out, I am hoping to get an update on its roll-out and operations to date.

It is a great initiative and it is fantastic to see a national roll-out of this tool. That is certainly aligned with the ethos of cross-institutional collaboration in response to misconduct in the higher education institutions. This aspect is very welcome. Depending on the impact of the initiative, and its success in combating this behaviour, I hope that we will see the number of institutions using the tool grow beyond the current total of 18 that have signed up so far during this roll-out. I am conscious that the …

I thank the Minister. We must ensure that the Speak Out tool will be therapeutically beneficial to those speaking out. The hope is that engagement with the tool will encourage those using it to seek support. Support and intervention in this regard are crucially important. Most important of all, however, support services must be provided to those speaking out, once they have submitted a report, to assure them that we believe them and that we stand with and support them. I understand that these support services are b…

I concur with my colleagues in the Chamber. The measures in budget 2022 will bring about positive change to the carer's allowance. Family carers are truly the forgotten front line of this pandemic. This reform to the means test for carer's allowance is a significant step forward. I commend the Minister on introducing this change which will potentially see thousands of family carers qualifying for the payment for the first time. Those in receipt of a reduced rate of carer's allowance due to means should also see the…

There is an urgent need to revisit the requirement for physical distancing in our school transport system. We know that five- to 12-year-olds are now the group with the highest Covid incidence rate. I have been contacted by a local private bus operator providing school transport services who has raised serious concern about the removal of physical distancing requirements. The operator carries out hundreds of school bus contracts daily and has seen an increasing number of bus drivers testing positive for Covid-19. N…

That is correct.

We now have a blueprint to take real and meaningful action to ensure Ireland becomes an international brand leader in how we approach climate action. We have seen so many areas of focus within this climate action plan, but I wish to focus on some practical issues that will make a real difference in rural constituencies. Our green image historically stems from our agricultural sector. I want to ensure that this continues well into the future as we move towards greater production of organic and sustainable foods. If …

I joined many nurses yesterday who were members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, at Mayo University Hospital as they took part in a lunchtime protest outside the hospital to highlight what they termed excessive workloads and staffing pressures. These nursing staff outlined that they are unable to take adequate breaks or use annual leave due to their excessive work conditions. Despite formal grievances previously raised with the Saolta University Health Care Group, no improvements have been made …

A date that will live long in the memory of the people living and working in Crossmolina is 5 December 2015. For the second time in three weeks, the town centre of Crossmolina was devastated by floodwater sweeping through by the River Deel. It is coming up to the sixth anniversary of this event. I want to know when the scheme will be granted final approval to give certainty to the people of Crossmolina.

I thank the Minister of State for his response. What I say is not a criticism, but local residents are seriously frustrated with the situation that they find themselves in six years on. I take on board what the Minister of State said around the confirmation process, but this community will have to endure another winter of high water levels. Unfortunately, residents are extremely concerned and stressed out every winter because the necessary works have not yet been completed. What can we expect to unfold in the weeks…

I appreciate the Minister of State's visit to Crossmolina last May to meet the members of the Crossmolina flood relief scheme, staff of the local OPW and members of Mayo County Council. The people of Crossmolina need progress on this scheme. We have to get the ball rolling on the construction. This is a €13.5 million project to protect 116 properties. The Crossmolina community has waited patiently following the initial delays due to design and environmental challenges and I ask that the Minister of State and the De…

I have been banging the drum about dereliction since I was elected and it could make a real difference in bringing people back to our streets outside normal business hours. In Mayo we have seen much-needed funding coming on stream, such as the urban and rural regeneration funding in Castlebar and Westport. It would also be very useful to see such funding have a greater emphasis on putting vacant units back into residential use. Dereliction is a scourge on the areas it infests. Considering our efforts to boost housi…

While I welcome some features within the Housing for All plan, including the planning exemption for above-shop conversions and streamlining the protective structures system, as well as the new Croí Cónaithe fund to promote development within our regional towns and villages, we need to be more proactive on this issue and make use of vacant properties and convert them back into residential usage. One need only walk along Main Street, Castlebar, Pearse Street, Ballina, or Bridge Street, Westport to recognise the vast …

I seek the Minister's support to develop additional opportunities at Ireland West Airport Knock. I have in mind areas within the Minister's remit in his respective Departments such as developing an Air Corps presence for training purposes or utilising the airport to support the work of Irish Aid being undertaken overseas. If we are serious about increasing activity at regional airports in the wake of the pandemic, we should identify Departments with the potential to increase their operations at Knock and counter th…

As no other speakers are offering, I call the Minister of State.

I certainly welcome the opportunity to contribute to today’s important debate. As a STEM ambassador and as someone who has worked within the life science sector, within med tech and the pharmaceutical biologics industry and also as a former science teacher, it is great to be able to highlight Science Week, which aims to celebrate science in our daily lives, in our national Parliament. Science, technology, engineering and maths are all areas which play a key role in each of our lives, oftentimes without our recognis…

I raise the issue of the Crossmolina flood relief scheme. I note that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy McGrath, and the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Deputy Patrick O'Donovan, are in the Chamber. The people of Crossmolina need progress on this scheme as we enter the winter months. I understand final approval is due to be decided on within days. We need to get the ball rolling on the construction phase. This is a €13.5 million project that will provide pr…