The challenging situation at University Hospital Limerick, UHL, has been well reported over the past few weeks. Just last weekend, thousands of citizens from across the mid-west region marched in Limerick city to demand that the situation be resolved. One of the demands is that the accident and emergency departments at Ennis, Nenagh and St. John's hospitals be reopened. I acknowledge that there are competing points of view as to whether this is the correct course of action but I know the Minister, Deputy Stephen Do…

I thank the Minister of State for the reply. I acknowledge her final remark that the HSE and Department will continue to work with UL Hospitals Group. I want to make the case strongly for St. John's and believe I have done so, notwithstanding that the capital submission has not been progressed. The thinking around development in this country has completely changed. It is not acceptable that the St. John's project is not being actively considered at this time. I believe this is a misalignment with the national plann…

Assuming the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, takes the question, I want to congratulate him on his new role and his return to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, a Department he knows well. I wish to ask the Minister if he will consider developing a scheme, separate to grants provided by SEAI, to support home help, home care and domiciliary carers who are car-dependent due to their work, to purchase electric vehicles in order to support this sector and contribute to the Government's climate goals; and if he …

I acknowledge the Minister's answer. When I was seeking to direct the question I struggled somewhat, because certainly, on the face of it it does appear to be a question that would fall perhaps primarily within the remit of the Department of Transport, but as the Minister has acknowledged, it is a cross-cutting matter. Indeed, it is an all-of-government matter. Were the Government to devise such a scheme that would help this sector, it would influence the social and economic health of this country as much as the en…

As the Minister has acknowledged, the issue is something that should be on the Minister for Health's desk as well. There is a huge challenge in the recruitment of healthcare workers, particularly at this end of the sector. The scheme might be something that the Government could consider to attract people into the sector. Many of these workers are rurally-based, and that is why they are car-dependent. It certainly would help a cohort of Irish society that does not have an alternative to driving. I would not expect t…

I welcome the climate action plan. It is the first statutory plan since the adoption of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 and the agreement last year on the sectoral emissions ceilings. One of the critical pieces of the climate Act is that it provides for an annual revisable plan and should we find we are off track at any point, we can review and revise the plan such that we get back on track. That is one of the strongest elements of the Act. Achieving a decarbonised economy and a c…

I ask the Minister if he will report on the initiatives he has facilitated or plans to facilitate to encourage the engagement of IDA Ireland with Irish Rail and the National Transport Authority to provide public transport services to IDA Ireland parks, such as Raheen industrial estate in my constituency of Limerick city, and if he will make a statement on the matter.

I thank the Tánaiste for his answer. He will be pleased to know that the draft strategy is no longer a draft but has been across the line as of last week. It is a very good strategy. As the Tánaiste will know, there is a very ambitious plan for development of bus and rail networks in Limerick city as well as active travel networks. He will also know that the Government is reopening the Limerick to Foynes railway line. One of the major industrial estates in the country, not only in the mid-west, is the Raheen indust…

I agree and a train station in Raheen is in phase 2 of the plan. The question is when phase 2 will happen. We can make a case for it to begin sooner rather than later. There is a role for IDA Ireland to be proactive and work with the NTA and the local authority to make that happen. It is genuinely a very exciting plan for Limerick and the whole mid-west region. It will also help rebalance investment towards the west and mid-west, which is critically important and is supported by the Government. I realise I am the l…

In advance of the changeover in a few weeks' time, I want to raise the issue of the lack of and deficit in health services and infrastructure in the mid-west region. I believe the Tánaiste is aware of this. There is a huge demographic challenge as we look to five, ten and 15 years ahead. We have challenges at the moment but as we go forward to the end of the decade and into the next one, we will need new hospitals and new services in University Hospital Limerick, UHL, and also in other parts of the region. I want t…

What is the position on progress stemming from COP27 on climate finance for the developing world for climate mitigation and adaptation measures, including a loss and damage facility?

I thank the Minister of State for his answer. I take the opportunity to commend the Department officials on the sterling, incredible work they did in the last two weeks at COP. They are a credit to the Minister and Minister of State, to the Department, the Oireachtas, the country and the EU. They have shown the power of small countries as well. The influence this country has on the international stage is a point the Minister makes frequently, but we saw evidence of that in Egypt. It was a historic agreement and a f…

I welcome the comments about the Minister, Deputy Ryan. I share the view, and I am sure it is shared across both Houses, of the Minister's influence on this key subject. History will show that this was a turning point. COP26 and COP27 are a turning point in how we address the damage being caused to countries that have not caused this problem. We have caused the problem, in the West in particular, and it is only right that we seek to pay damages to help adapt to the serious consequences of climate change, as well as…

As the Minister knows, just a few months ago, King John's Castle in Limerick was handed over by the Shannon Group to Limerick City and County Council. What funding streams might be available for the council as it seeks to develop King John's Castle as a tourist amenity?

I thank the Minister for her answer and acknowledge the important separation between her role as Minister and Fáilte Ireland. King John's Castle in Limerick is a truly iconic structure. The word "iconic" has been overused and abused down through the years but it absolutely applies to King John's Castle, which is at the heart of Limerick city. I know that Limerick people would welcome the Minister to King John's Castle at an appropriate time in the future. As she said, the impetus in the past few months has been to …

I thank the Minister. I ask her to consider a visit to King John's Castle and the wider Limerick and mid-west area. There are many amenities there. I know she has visited already. Her officials will obviously liaise with the council as to when the appropriate time might be to visit King John's Castle. We look forward to that. On the broader issue of sustainable tourism she mentioned, Limerick and the mid-west have fantastic potential that she will be very keen to develop. One project that has been uppermost in my m…

I think Deputy Crowe is in a committee so I will keep going and if I use the eight minutes so be it. I will begin by adding my voice to those of other Members across the House, such as Deputies Howlin, Gannon and Haughey, who made strong statements about the dire situation in the Horn of Africa. We are beholden as a Parliament, a democracy and as a developed country to do everything we can that is within our power. I think the Minister of State will agree and I think the Taoiseach agrees also. I commend Deputy Howl…

I commend the Taoiseach on the genuine and effective leadership he showed on the international stage last week. He told the international community that we do not have a minute to lose in our efforts to combat climate change. There is a missing piece in this country in how we communicate the importance of climate change to our communities across the country. Climate action at ground level means bringing in different policies that affect people's lives. This may relate to land, transport, bus lanes and cycle lanes. …

I endorse Deputy Ó Ríordáin's point on the challenge in gender and science. I am an engineer by training. Engineering is where science meets pragmatic application in many ways. We have a massive challenge in engineering to get balance; we are far from it. We do not have enough young women getting into the sector. If we did, I dare say that many of the challenges we have in our society would have been solved already. I know the Minister will agree. My colleague, Deputy Bruton, and I sat through a few hours of the cl…

I wish to ask the Minister the progress which has been made by the steering group to advance the flood mitigation works at Ballycar in County Clare. My Government colleague, Deputy Carey, would like to come in on this one as well.