I thank the Minister for his reply. The reply prepared by the Department is somewhat inaccurate in that the backlog does not go back to 2008; it began in 2012. The Minister and I were members of a Government that, until 2011, provided very substantial funding for the local improvement scheme. I agree that we need huge investment in our regional and local network. When the Minister met Fianna Fáil Oireachtas Members with me, he may recall that I highlighted the need to maintain investment in the non-national road ne…

I welcome the funding that has been provided through the Department of Rural and Community Development. In the past, as the Minister will recall, when the Department of Rural and Community Development had a CLÁR programme, it used to involve a top-up to the line Department's funding. The people I am talking about live down small local roads where no public transport goes but they are entitled to a proper standard of road leading to their homes. The policy is contradictory. We want people out of the major urban area…

Will the Minister give me a commitment that he and his Department colleagues will carry out an analysis of the capital spend throughout the year? If there is a slowness in drawing down some of the capital funding under any given heading, will he give due consideration to providing funding that is not drawn down by other sections to the roads section specifically for the local improvement scheme?

There was a horrific and despicable assault on a young member of An Garda Síochána, Padraig Scott, early last Monday morning near Blacklion which has shocked the local community. This was a serious and concerning attack involving the use of an accelerant and possibly a gun. Physical injuries were inflicted on this young garda. Sadly, there has been an increase in the number of vicious assaults on members of An Garda Síochána recently. This attack could have had serious consequences. The Tánaiste will have heard me …

I am glad we are having this debate again, having had one just a number of weeks ago following the commemoration of the awful atrocity in Derry on Bloody Sunday. I am glad Deputy Gannon referred earlier to the work of people like Stephen Travers and Eugene Reavey. In fact some Deputies and I had an opportunity earlier today to have a very long and detailed conversation with Stephen Travers. I know both Stephen and Eugene over many years and I know they have drawn much of their inspiration in the great work they do …

As the Taoiseach will know, the Northern Ireland planned healthcare scheme was put in place last year to replace the EU cross-Border directive following Brexit. As we know, large numbers of patients, typically those on long waiting lists, have obtained treatment and-or procedures in Northern Ireland, Britain and elsewhere, which were then paid for by this State. People have accessed treatment and procedures in a variety of areas such as orthopaedics and, in particular, for cataracts. The scheme has been of great im…

I welcome the Taoiseach's engagement with representatives of the agrifood sector. I am thinking in particular at this time, unfortunately, of the very serious crisis in the pig meat sector. This sector is suffering huge losses at present, which threatens the viability of some pig units and farms throughout the country. A number of factors are contributing to these difficulties. First, during Covid-19, there were staff shortages, which led to backlog in processing. Brexit has impacted very severely the value and vol…

What about the pig meat sector?

I hope that on his visit to the United States the Taoiseach’s will be able to again raise with President Biden the need to appoint a special envoy to Northern Ireland. Obviously, the issue of the undocumented Irish, to which my colleague, Deputy Haughey, referred, is of extreme importance to probably about 10,000 Irish citizens in the United States. This would be an opportune time for the President of the United States to appoint a special envoy to Northern Ireland. In the past, very eminent persons, such as Senato…

The development of enterprise centres and the development of workspace through enterprise centres has been particularly important in supporting the creation of employment. The counties I represent, Cavan and Monaghan, have benefited from such developments. We all know of one- or two-person businesses that went on to be major national and international companies. We now need a new approach to the development of workspace and enterprise centres. We need a dedicated fund and we need substantial support to be channelle…

I thank the Minister of State. We had very good meetings with the Cavan and Monaghan LEOs and the local authorities as well. The Minister of State knows the topography of Cavan and Monaghan and knows that the development of sites there is very expensive. I and other public representatives supported Cavan County Council on one particular project. The council drew down limited Government support to develop a site, service it and make it accessible through building access roads, just to enable buildings to be put in p…

I thank the Minister of State for his response. In respect of the provision of workspace in enterprise centres, there is a market failure in that developers will not construct such workspace in areas such as counties Cavan and Monaghan because they will not get the rent return. That is the information available to me and that analysis is supported at official and private sector level too. We need to support the local authorities to a much greater extent in opening up lands and developing services. Then we need a de…

Cavan and Monaghan are two of the counties without a dedicated refuge centre. Tearmann services do a very good job locally in the two counties supporting people, both women and men but predominantly women, going through such trauma. Tearmann recorded a 35% increase in 2021 in the number of people seeking support since 2019. They support families along with the local authorities through HAP and rent supplement programmes. It is very urgent that a dedicated refuge centre be established in Cavan-Monaghan because if pe…

As the Minister knows, there was a welcome commitment in the national development plan to increase capital investment in the further education sector. I had the opportunity to speak with him on a number of occasions regarding the needs of Cavan Institute and the welcome increase in demand for places in the further education sector. I hope the Minister is in a position to announce a substantial investment in the provision of upgraded accommodation at our colleges of further education and also new build projects.

I thank the Minister for his positive message regarding increased investment. A new building complex was completed in Cavan in 2005. Cavan Institute was the first dedicated post-leaving certificate college in the country. I and other public representatives were very much involved with the local authority in the transfer of substantial lands at that location to enable the building of the college at that time. There is an increased demand for space and accommodation. I want to see new permanent accommodation. As a la…

I thank the Minister for his reply. Very high standards were set in Cavan Institute from the word go. I had the privilege of being the first chairman of the first board of management of that college. It has carried on a very fine tradition in ensuring that any public representative who visits to college gets a very warm welcome, in particular a Minister making an announcement of major investment in the future. There will always be a strong céad míle fáilte. The money would be put to good use. Cavan-Monaghan ETB in …

I am glad of the opportunity to contribute to these important statements on such important issues. Over the past 12 or 18 months, I have asked the Taoiseach on a number of occasions in this House if the Government would ensure that in every communication, both verbal and written, with the British Government it reiterates the total opposition of the people of this country to the proposed amnesty. It is an amnesty for murderers, be they state forces or people from paramilitary organisations. That is totally unaccepta…

On 21 October last, I spoke in the House about a young man who at that time had recently lost his life. That fine young man was Eden Heaslip, who was 18 years of age. He lost his life following persistent bullying. At the time, Eden's parents, brother and sister spoke on our local radio station about how their family member had been subjected to persistent and different forms of bullying and that they were anxious for the statutory agencies and Departments to take a new approach to the whole crime of bullying. They…

As the Taoiseach is well aware, since 2016, the European Commission and individual member states of the European Union have been supportive of Ireland's interests in the Brexit negotiations. Some difficulties have emerged regarding the operation of the protocol and concerns have been expressed by the British Government, but I hope whatever obstacles exist can be removed. From speaking to my constituents as well as to people north of my home area, businesses there want to ensure there are no impediments to trade or …

It is evident that we need an immediate strong, political and societal response to the increasing rates of violence against women in this country. I welcome the statements by the Taoiseach and the Minister, Deputy McEntee, last week in regard to a new strategy, new administrative structures and additional supports. When I attended the vigil in memory of the late Ashling Murphy in Cavan town, I saw at first hand the groundswell and passionate support for a proper, full and comprehensive response to this pressing soc…