That is out of order.

It absolutely is.

You are an absolute disgrace. So much for democracy.

You could learn a bit

This motion makes it very clear the Government has lost all control of housing. In Offaly there are just 11 homes available in the entire county and most of those are outside the reach of what most people and, indeed, families can afford. In a town the size of Tullamore, with a population of approximately 14,600 people, there are just three houses for rent at present. In Birr, which has a population of almost 6,000, there are just three properties to rent. People are in desperate need and the same is true in neighb…

I want to raise with the Taoiseach the lack of services for neurology patients. Before I begin, I acknowledge the great work that has been done by an advocate and, indeed, a patient of neurology herself, Dr. Rosie Mangan, from County Offaly. Rosie attends hospital, and has to travel to Dublin four times a week. She is an advocate, as I say, and has launched a campaign, Right to Rehab. I acknowledge that lady's great work, some of which I am sure the Taoiseach will be aware of. Indeed, I am sure the Taoiseach will b…

I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. I want to acknowledge the work done by Senator Victor Boyhan, who brought forward an excellent motion on this issue in the Seanad. There is cross-party support. Deputies in all parties, as I said, have raised this, as have Senators. It is something that has to be got to grips with. The Taoiseach mentioned that the budget provides for funding for neuro-rehabilitation teams. CHO 8, which includes Laois-Offaly, is without doubt one of the worst. It has to be prioritised because pat…

I have been raising matters related to the issue we are discussing, veterinary medicines, for a number of years. My concern has been that it would damage the rural economy if the proposal not to allow responsible persons to prescribe all medicines were to go ahead. That system has worked well for many years given that the responsible persons were knowledgeable and understood farmers' needs. My colleagues and I in the Rural Independent Group had hoped the Minister would move faster to provide assurances to licensed …

As the Minister knows, many families are grappling with the cost of living, especially the cost of fuel. There is huge anxiety and concern about the fuel costs that motorists, farmers and hauliers, who cannot plan for the future, are paying at present. Will the Government extend the excise duty reduction we currently have? We are hearing mixed messages from the Government. It appears the Green Party is of a different opinion to Fianna Fáil, from what is being reported in the media. Will the Minister give certainty …

I welcome the opportunity to speak during this important debate. I support the call in the motion for Government to introduce timely, targeted and temporary mortgage interest relief to support homeowners facing significant increases in their mortgage costs. I also support the call on Government to work with the Central Bank to enhance the supervision of vulture funds in the interests of struggling borrowers. This is an issue that my colleagues and I in the Rural Independent Group have been to the forefront on. The …

Last August, I engaged with the Minister to seek clarification on a timeframe in respect of a school, Gaelscoil na Laochra in Birr, County Offaly. I would be grateful if she could give me an update on this project, which is long overdue and which needs to be brought to a successful conclusion at this point.

I thank the Minister for her detailed response and welcome the fact that progress is being made. However, this has been frustrating for all involved in the school community, including teachers, students and parents. The school opened its doors in 2015 and while the Minister has outlined the progress that has been made, which I welcome, we owe it to the school to make sure that there is constant monitoring of progress and a timeframe is put in place for each step that will follow after the planning process has concl…

I thank the Minister for her response and her commitment to ensuring the project gets over the line. As she stated, conveyancing is at an advanced stage and that is certainly welcome. I have been raising this issue on the floor of the House not just last year or the year before that but for many years and I am committed to seeing it over the line. However, an information vacuum still exists at times in respect of timeframes and how things will move after the planning stage has concluded. An Foras Pátrúnachta, the E…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important issue. The report by the Mental Health Commission should be the line in the sand that we need in improving acute psychological and psychiatric services. Unfortunately, there is nothing in our history in terms of the response of the State to reports of this kind that gives me or others any hope in this regard. We need only to look at the "Grace" case in that regard, and in particular what happens to whistleblowers within State-run organisations who attempt to high…

The land grab and shameful deal between Gresham House holdings and Coillte is an insult to people the length and breadth of this island. It is yet again another attack on our sovereignty as a republic. A halt should be called to this deal without delay. I ask the Minister of State to do the right thing. People have expressed serious concern right across the party spectrum. The Minister of State's job should be to listen and engage. The Minister said this is not the preferred deal. If it is not the preferred deal, w…

The Minister of State need not put her hands in the air. I expect her to come back with a good answer as to why she is treating people this way, along with the Minister, who is an absolute disgrace and could not answer any of the questions I asked him during last night's meeting of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The statement goes on to say that Irish taxpayers' money will be: paid in forestry grants and premiums to investment funds to purchase 100,000ha of our sovereign Irish farmland to …

I hope this motion will generate cross-party support across this House. We know the sector needs protection and it certainly needs its unanswered calls answered, however late in the day it may be. I commend my colleague, Deputy Collins, for all his work and the passion and leadership he has shown with regard to having fishermen's and fisherwomen's issues addressed in this House. It is high time the Minister took notice. I hope we can get support across the House. As my colleague has noted, the Irish inshore fleet c…

I will not withdraw that comment. It is my view and my perception that they are traitors.

All we have to do is look at our forestry.

As the Taoiseach will be aware, scenes emerged last week of horrific animal cruelty to a defenceless donkey in my county of Offaly. Since then, I understand the animal, along with others, has been rescued. This clearly shows our animal welfare laws are not being obeyed and that we need a more robust regime to deal with animal welfare. We also saw the case of a sheep farmer who had 50 lambs destroyed by dogs in Moneygall in County Offaly. Will the Taoiseach commit the Government to setting up a regime that will be f…