I recognise that there is some good work being done; it is a matter of trying to develop it further. There are many large companies that are still aloof in that they lack a connection with local suppliers and other small local companies. Many of the services and goods needed by various companies can be sourced in the country. If not, there are small firms that can work to provide them. It is important that we develop a policy of active engagement by IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, whose representatives I have m…

I welcome this Bill and thank my colleagues for tabling it. Year after year, families and farmers across west Offaly have had to deal with the devastating effects of flooding along the Shannon. This is having a significant impact on residents in west Offaly and those trying to farm on the Shannon Callows. People from Clonmacnoise to Lusmagh have raised this issue with me. In 2020 alone, there have been floods in February and July, and as we speak, areas have flooded and are under threat of flooding along the Shanno…

I welcome the opportunity to address the House on the budget. We face the double whammy, indeed we are in the middle of it, of Covid-19 and Brexit, possibly a no-deal Brexit, but the budget falls short of what is needed to respond to this double whammy. While there are some positive measures which Sinn Féin has looked for over the years, such as the equalisation of tax measures for the self-employed, funding for deep retrofitting of homes and extra money for health, it simply did not address many key areas sufficie…

The question relates to the position of school secretaries. Currently, they have to sign on the dole during the summer, at Easter and at Christmas. They do not have set rates of pay, sick pay or pensions and they are left in a precarious position. The previous Minister agreed that they would use the facility of the Labour Court to resolve these disputes and try to find a way out of this but that has changed. What will be done for school secretaries who played a crucial role over the past seven months in terms of ke…

There is a crisis in the forestry sector and it needs to be urgently addressed. This is an industry in which thousands of jobs are at risk in rural areas where there is little or no alternative employment. In Laois-Offaly alone, for example, almost 100 workers are reliant, either directly or indirectly, on the forestry sector in timber production, sawmills and so on. Some of these workers are already on short-time work due to the crisis. The crisis is very real for sawmills in the likes of Coolrain, Mountrath and P…

We have not accepted all pay rises in the past four years, or the past three years. That is a fact. I have proof on my phone and I will show it to the Taoiseach after the session if he wants to see it. The issue I want to raise concerns increasing our ICU capacity, which is the lowest in the European Union. On page 47 of the programme for Government, there is a commitment to increase that capacity. We need to do so within the public system. There was a temporary increase owing to bringing private hospital capacity …

I raise the matter of matches and games and the capacity of stadiums. I understand that we have to reduce the risk and that it is a balancing act but the rules set out that 100 may attend matches outside Dublin and in a stadium of over 5,000 capacity, up to 200 can attend. That is less than 1% capacity, that is one person seated where there is capacity for 100. At the same time, we allow 50 to 100 people for indoor gatherings. There are stadiums such as O'Moore Park in Portlaoise and O'Connor Park in Tullamore whic…

It is a capacity of less than 1% at the moment.

The HSE is forecasting that it will spend more than €1 billion this year on PPE. From Sinn Féin's point of view it is essential that we retain as much of that money as possible in the Irish economy. This means purchasing as much PPE as possible from businesses in Ireland and developing domestic capacity over time. This will help to relieve pressure on the Exchequer, it will stimulate job creation and it will allow us to recirculate a significant amount of money within the Irish economy. Prior to Covid-19, the HSE t…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the motion brought forward by my colleague, Deputy Cullinane. For people who may have symptoms of cancer, it has been a stressful time waiting to be screened. The Minister acknowledged that it is a traumatic time for people who are receiving treatment as well. We all acknowledge that. I welcome the fact that we will soon have BreastCheck, CervicalCheck and BowelScreen services all open this month. That is important. In the first six months of 2019, some 248,223 people were scre…

I ask about the new school for Scoil Íosagáin in Portarlington, County Laois, which takes in a significant catchment area of north Laois and east Offaly and what the progress has been made with that?

I thank the Minister for her reply and I welcome the fact that she has confirmed that the option of a new building is being explored. This is an issue upon which I and my colleague, Deputy Patricia Ryan, who also covers that area, receive many representations from parents. If one looks at that school, it has come from the amalgamation of Scoil Mhuire and the Christian Brothers school in the late 1990s and it opened in August 2001. St. John’s vocational school joined it at that stage, so it is an amalgamation of thr…

I thank the Minister for the reply. It is good that it has been accepted that a school population of 1,300 must be catered for. I accept that interim accommodation has been provided but it is very cramped. There are problems in how the school must operate, and even before the onset of Covid-19, it had to operate a one-way system. Covid-19 has brought new pressure and the Minister announced a capital programme for internal works in schools. The Minister should try to prioritise this school within the national develo…

Like the previous speakers, I welcome the fact that we finally have the roadmap. It is late but we have it now. I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire for tabling the motion. While the roadmap deals with the immediate issue of the Covid crisis, I also wish to raise the need for new school buildings in Laois and Offaly, some of which are pressing issues, and more pressing now, given the demands on the system. The plan the Government has presented includes 1,080 new secondary teaching posts to be filled, 200 substitute staff pos…

It sure is a long distance. For our part, Sinn Féin is committed to establishing a healthcare system that is free at the point of delivery and available when people need it. Despite the fact that we put more money per head of population into health services than any other European country, we still have a dysfunctional two-tier system. That is despite the best efforts of the front-line staff. Sinn Féin has a plan to move healthcare away from a system based on what is in one's bank balance or pocket towards a Europe…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill. The past five months have been a very difficult time for the economy and people of Ireland. Covid-19 has brought with it unexpected and unprecedented financial issues for many businesses which would otherwise have been sustainable. Many workers have been left in limbo, not knowing whether they will have a job to go back to. Sinn Féin therefore welcomes the Government's credit guarantee legislation which will make it easier for SMEs to access affordable credit. In May…

On page 114 of the programme for Government there is a commitment to tackle inequality in the third level sector based on socioeconomic background, but the income assessment criteria for the SUSI grant is based on 2019. Many families have seen huge changes in their financial situation since the start of this year, which the Taoiseach will appreciate. There are workers without employment for the first time in their lives. The assessment criteria does not correspond with the reality of people's lives and they need to…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this matter and I join in the congratulations for the new Minister of State, Deputy Feighan. I would say that at one stage he felt he was down, but he was not out and he made a great comeback, and I congratulate him on his appointment. I am disappointed that the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, is not here. This is an important issue with regard to the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise. Page 47 of the programme for Government states additional capacity is required throu…

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I welcome the fact there has been increased funding and I acknowledge it because I did complain in the Thirty-first Dáil about the budget for Portlaoise hospital, which was substantially reduced. I also welcome the increase in staff numbers. I report in a positive way that this has made a difference. There were investigations and reviews with regard to the maternity services. It is now acknowledged that Portlaoise has excellent maternity services and outcomes. The Minist…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the motion put forward by Deputy Ó Broin. The housing crisis is not confined to Dublin. There is a housing crisis across the country. In the midlands, including Laois-Offaly, thousands of families are trapped in the rental market often at the mercy of rack-renting landlords. This is causing huge stress. Unfortunately for many of these families, their income is just above the very low threshold above which they cannot get on the council housing waiting list. At the same time, th…