I am completely opposed to this deal between Gresham House and Coillte. It is nothing other than a sell-out and a further erosion of our sovereignty. It is an absolute disgrace to see political parties in this House supporting such a deal . They are letting down their own people, farmers included. I share the concerns of Macra na Feirme, which knows that young farmers are going to be locked out in terms of land access. Generational renewal is a real issue, but the Government does not care. It does not seem to worry…

It is time to put this Government out of its misery before it puts the forestry sector out of business. It has destroyed the country and it has absolutely sold out our sovereignty yet again.

Lemass would be turning in his grave. You are a disgrace.

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill. It is long overdue. My colleagues and I in the Rural Independent Group introduced a motion as far back as 2020 calling for more transparency in the beef sector and fairness for our family farms to protect them and ensure their survival. We know the family farm got us through the bleakest times in this country. We know it certainly kept the lights on in rural Ireland. It remains the backbone of rural Ireland, but the way farmers have been treated for decades has been n…

I am delighted to speak on this important motion and I thank the Regional Group for bringing it forward. I held a very good briefing with the Irish Dental Association before Christmas attended by Deputies Verona Murphy and Matt Shanahan from the Regional Group. It was great to have so many people from different groupings and parties present. It is no shock to any of us that the dental services are in crisis. They are in deep crisis as we speak. My constituency of Laois-Offaly is one of the worst affected in the Sta…

The current deal between Coillte and Gresham Holdings needs to be stopped immediately. As a rural Deputy, I am strongly opposed to it. The Government needs to step in and show leadership, and proper leadership that we have not seen before. I know a number of organisations, whether farming organisations like the IFA or forestry organisations like SEEFA, have expressed serious concern, and they are not alone. These stakeholders need to be listened to. I urge the Government to step in immediately. On another issue, on…

I know the Government is committed to improving the situation regarding car parking charges for hospital patients but last week I was contacted by two distressed people, a husband and wife, who are both seriously ill cancer patients and attend appointments in Dublin and Galway. They were in St. James’s Hospital last week for an appointment and, even though they had a disability pass, were told they would be charged. Cancer patients are under huge financial strain. I do not think this is correct and am sure the Mini…

I begin by wishing the Taoiseach well. We have had no run-ins and we were always constructive. Hopefully, today will be no different and I will try to remain constructive. Some 100 years after the birth of the Irish Free State, this Chamber, which sits at the heart of our democracy, should be a forum in which Members are free to discuss issues which are of grave concern to the people we are here to represent. I would hope that we could do so in a sensitive but robust manner and that our Parliament can avoid becomin…

I am very aware of the horrors of war, as we all are from watching what is happening, but I made the point in my speech that there are people coming in from areas designated as safe. The number of such cases is increasing all the time. This needs to be properly monitored and there needs to be a reasonable debate on the issue. We need a proper, functioning immigration policy. I suggested to the Taoiseach that the pause button be pressed. Can a meeting be sought with representatives in the EU so we would have some me…

I am very concerned about the rushed nature of the Bill. It is important legislation but it is being rushed through. I also have serious concerns about the fact there has not been enough engagement or collaboration with the farming organisations, which have a number of concerns regarding the Bill. That also concerns me because it should be about listening to what everybody has to say to ensure we get the legislation as right as it can be and that it is robust and fair. I call on the Minister of State to have furthe…

My position on the issue of housing those seeking international protection and those fleeing Ukraine has been absolutely consistent, namely, that in responding to an international crisis, we must not create a domestic one. Unfortunately, this is clearly what is happening with the accommodation of applicants in a vast number of hotels and bed and breakfast establishments throughout this State. I seek the Minister's views on this matter. I also wish to know the level of engagement he has had with the representative b…

Rather than potential issues happening, these are real issues that are already becoming a crisis. Some 76% of hotels are being used. Yesterday, there was an article in The Irish Times on a report by the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation, ITIC, which states that the tourism industry is warning of a potential €1 billion cost if refugee numbers in hotels and bed and breakfasts continue to rise. It was also reported industry will call on Government to reduce the proportion of tourism accommodation being used to hous…

What report is that from?

For all tourism facilities, including hotels, bed and breakfast establishments and guesthouses, the figure I have is 76%.

That is fine. I am sorry. I just wanted to tease that out.

On the figure I gave of 76% of all Ukrainian refugees being accommodated in tourism facilities, that figure was supplied by the by the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation, ITIC. On the overall point, does the Minister believe it is right when March comes around and when the hotel beds and accommodation will be needed that we will have a situation where we could have more people and more than likely will have more people homeless? The Minister is talking about helping people but he is not helping them if they are g…

There is no clarity, certainty or adequate sources when it comes to peat harvesting. There is no clarity on where the authority to change the planning law resides. Is it with the EU or the Government? There is no certainty as to whether the horticulture sector can survive going forward. There are no adequate levels or sources of peat, or rather there are, but people are banned from accessing them. What has this Government got against the horticulture sector and why is the sector being made to carry the burden of un…

For the better part of the past year and perhaps more, the Government has repeatedly assured the House and the people that every measure that can be taken will be taken to tackle the extreme rise in energy prices. Families and businesses across the State need long-term and meaningful actions. They need real actions that will make a difference to energy prices. They do not need short-term, tokenistic gestures. These will not solve the problem. Businesses are still closing their doors and this Government is still sit…

The president of the Irish Road Haulage Association, Mr. Eugene Drennan, has raised the serious concerns facing hauliers and has said that many hauliers will be forced off the road due to increasing prices for diesel. This is of concern because the haulage sector is vital to our economy, including our supply lines, supporting other sectors and ensuring those sectors are allowed to function. This is a difficulty. Support packages and financial supports are urgently needed. We need to bear in mind that the haulage in…

Last week the director of the National Ambulance Service, NAS, felt compelled to outline some of the very serious challenges the service faces, including the fact it has an urgent need to recruit additional staff. Currently, recruitment efforts are being surpassed by service demands. We are told the scale of growth in demand for ambulance services is unprecedented and unexpected. Over recent days I have spoken to and received correspondence from paramedics in the midlands region and this reflects their experience. …