I welcome the Minister of State's commitment in this regard.

I welcome the much-needed additional investment in special education and the establishment of more special classes for children with additional needs, as well as the commitment of the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Moynihan, and the Minister, Deputy McEntee, to this very important area of education. I previously raised with the Taoiseach the inequity existing in the disadvantages suffered by smaller schools due to their difficulty in reaching the required enrolment threshold for special classes. This inequity al…

As the Minister is aware, because he represents a rural county, like the two rural counties I have the privilege to represent, the CLÁR programme has been particularly important since it was first initiated by our former Oireachtas colleague, Éamon Ó Cuív. It has been particularly important for ensuring the provision of community facilities and for enhancing public facilities such as schools. I hope the Minister has a good allocation for the forthcoming year to continue the good work of recent years that was undert…

I thank the Minister for his response. I know of his commitment to this programme, both from serving in opposition as a spokesperson and government, where he has continued his good work. I also recognise the work of my former constituency colleague, Heather Humphreys, in enhancing the CLÁR programme. I am sure the Minister will continue to enhance that programme. We all know that the provision of facilities nowadays for communities or small schools is costly, be they playgrounds or other much-needed facilities. The…

With regard to Storm Éowyn, many of the services that were put in place, such as meals on wheels and the provision of vehicles, as well as a community facility and some of the hubs that were used during the storm, would not have been there were it not for CLÁR grant assistance. The Minister will often have heard me speak in this House and within the party about the importance of cross-Border funding, the former INTERREG programme and the current PEACEPLUS programme. I want to record my sincere appreciation of the M…

As the Minister knows, the PEACEPLUS programme is a successor programme to INTERREG and the various PEACE programmes. As we have discussed often in this House, they have been particularly important in bringing new facilities and amenities to and stimulating economic development in areas like my own along the Border, which suffered so much due to the Troubles over a protracted period of time. The PEACE programme goes back to the mid-1990s and I am glad that the Irish and British Governments, the European Union and t…

I thank the Minister. As I said here earlier, I appreciate the support of the Minister, Deputy Dara Calleary, in different meetings with me, and also the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, who has spoken about the importance of shared spaces and providing sport and recreation facilities. I appreciate the positive response of the Special EU Programmes Body to the Cavan regional sports campus application, with the €15 million approval this morning. It is great to work on a project and see a good conclusion to it.

I have previously had the opportunity to mention to the Minister my serious concern about the ongoing delays for children with additional needs accessing therapies in Cavan and Monaghan. The delays that are occurring are absolutely unacceptable. Some children are assessed and do not get follow-up therapies and there are even delays in getting assessed. We need more clinicians in the Cavan and Monaghan area. I sincerely hope that additional efforts will be made to recruit more clinicians across particular therapy ar…

I very much appreciate the Minister's determination to deal with this issue once and for all. At my clinics last Friday night and Saturday, there were a number of young parents with children who have not got assessments or therapies. One parent spoke to me about her son who got a speech and language therapy appointment in June 2021 and has not got one since. That child got an occupational therapy appointment in 2022 and 2025. Another of that young mother's children was assessed and diagnosed 18 months ago and there…

I thank the Minister. Another difficulty is that the CDNT in County Cavan is led by Enable Ireland. We know it has difficulties with recruiting and retaining staff because of the issue around section 38 and section 39 workers. I know that is a broader Government issue but it needs to be addressed. Have the universities and colleges made enough places available to ensure we have the professionals to deliver healthcare and meet the ongoing and increasing demand for different healthcare services across our country? I …

There are unacceptable delays in children and young adults accessing orthodontic care in Cavan and Monaghan. This morning, again, I spoke to a young mother whose 14-year-old son, with a category 5A classification in relation to provision of dental braces, was told he would be lucky to be seen in another year. Oftentimes, in relation to healthcare provision, we are told that a lack of capacity, both public and private, is the problem. This is not the case for orthodontic treatment. A welcome initiative by the HSE wa…

Whatever obstacle there is, funding or administrative, must be removed without further delay and appropriate and timely orthodontic care must be provided for patients needing this essential treatment.

The different cross-Border programmes have been important since they were first initiated by then Taoiseach, Albert Reynolds, in the mid-1990s. There were the PEACE I and PEACE II programmes and INTERREG programmes. As the Minister, Deputy Chambers, will be aware, the PEACEPLUS programme is very important for all the Border counties, north and south of the Border. I am particularly anxious that we build on the great potential of the PEACEPLUS programme and I hope the Minister will be able to implement even more col…

I thank the Minister sincerely for his reply and the particular interest he always has in cross-Border projects. It is heartening that the shared island initiative has been warmly welcomed by people of all political traditions. Different projects I have been involved in, if they have been cross-Border projects, have been funded by the shared island fund, such as the UNESCO Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark. I had the opportunity recently to meet the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and Ms Gina McIntyre, the CEO responsible for …

I warmly welcome the Minister's comments and his confirmation of his Department's co-operation with the Special EU Programme Body. In all my dealings with it over the years, Ms McIntyre and her colleagues have ensured that the best value is given to the taxpayer for the major investment that has occurred and that particularly disadvantaged communities benefit from that investment.

I raise again the totally unacceptable delays for children with additional needs in Cavan and Monaghan in getting an assessment of need and follow-up therapies when required. Daily, I listen to parents who are very concerned, worried and absolutely frustrated that their child or children needing supports are on long waiting lists with no signs at all of early appointments. We all know how important it is to have early intervention and of providing therapies and supports in a timely manner. I am talking in many inst…

I appreciate the Ceann Comhairle giving me the opportunity to raise this important issue. I also appreciate that the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Canney, is here to reply. Bus commuters on the Cavan-Dublin route were absolutely shocked to learn on 16 June of a massive increase in fares from that date. A daily return ticket from Cavan to Dublin was increased from €18.50 to €27.30, an increase of almost 50%. I was not aware of the proposed increase and I know from regular commuters on that…

I thank the Minister of State for the reply. The figure I have been given, and the fare I know people are paying, is the return fare, which increased from €18.50 to €27.30. That is a somewhat different percentage increase than that for the single fare he cited. He quite correctly said the intention is to have a fair charging system. That is not applicable in the case of the Cavan route I referenced in my introductory remarks. One issue I have been raising since before the Minister of State was appointed, during the…

Primary school principals across Cavan and Monaghan have raised with me consistently the ongoing challenges they face in meeting day-to-day expenditure requirements. There have been improvements in recent years in capitation payments and I hope that budget 2026 will provide for a further increase. School principals and boards of management outline clearly the need for further financial assistance. Energy costs, including for electricity and oil, and insurance account for a substantial proportion of the overall capi…

-----and local businesses to meet day-to-day expenditure and annual costs.