I thank the Minister for his response. I agree with him on one point in that the paramedics are doing an excellent job, but they are being put in an unfair situation. He did not address the deficits in counties such as Laois and Offaly where ambulance shifts are not being covered, for example. This is concerning and this is putting lives at risk, while also putting massive pressure on paramedics who were being pulled across the country into the east, south east, and Wicklow. The Birr ambulance crew has been called …

We still have huge issues in the constituency of Laois-Offaly in regard to home help. I am aware of many cases where an elderly person is trying to care for a son or daughter and a home help is out sick. We can all be out from time to time but when there is no replacement for the home help, people are let down very badly. Something needs to be done in regard to recruitment and retention. If we are to address recruitment and retention issues for home carers, we need to offer better pay and conditions. Mileage, which…

This debate should be accurately referred to as "Statements on Energy Security". We have a serious crisis, which is concerning to families and businesses throughout the State that are already grappling with the costs of their electricity. Many small businesses have closed their doors. They have given up because they have been unable to meet the costs of electricity and utility bills. Only last week, I heard of one business in Portarlington, County Laois, a fish-and-chip shop that has been operating in the town for …

We do not need extreme policies to take action. We could all take action.

He is taking what I said out of context.

He is taking what I said-----

This is the hysteria that his party whips up all the time.

It is nonsense.

I thank Deputy McNamara for sharing time. In principle, this will be a very worthwhile Bill if it results in the strengthening of the capacity of Fáilte Ireland to support, promote and create employment actively in the tourism sector within the regions. There has to be balance and fair play. Some regions are certainly still developing their tourism strategy. They are very much in the early stages and need more assistance. One region is my own region in the midlands where there is huge potential to be tapped into bu…

Tá áthas orm labhairt ar an mBille seo. Mar is eol dúinn, tá formhór na dteaghlach ar fud an Stáit seo ag fulaingt. Caithfidh an Rialtas seo a sheacht ndícheall a dhéanamh chun cabhair agus tacaíocht a thabhairt dóibh chomh luath agus is féidir. It is vital that all the necessary steps are taken to prevent households from sinking under the weight of energy price debt this winter and into the new year. In that respect, I see that the Bill provides for a benefit payment in each of the periods, namely, November to Dec…

The lack of access to basic services for children with a disability is shameful and inexcusable. I am particularly struck by a reference to the employment vacancy rate across the children's disability network teams, which now stands at more than 28%, as well as the fact there are more than 17,000 children waiting for initial contact with a children's disability network team and 2,500 children whose assessments of need are already overdue. HSE services that deliver high levels of complex care to children and young a…

The programme for Government makes reference to supporting our healthcare workers, which is only right. In January of this year the Government announced a bonus payment for the healthcare workers who did Trojan work during the pandemic. I want to know when the workers will receive this payment and if the Taoiseach will ensure all healthcare workers are included in it.

The student accommodation crisis has become something of a permanent issue for students who are trying to access third level education in this State. The Union of Students in Ireland, USI, has said that the situation is the worst it has ever been. Students in Galway are sleeping in tents and are protesting not just at the deficit in accommodation, but also at the absolute absence of student accommodation in this State. Last September, representatives of USI were outside the gates of this House, protesting at the fa…

I acknowledged the measures that were brought in to alleviate the pressures. However, it is not enough. This crisis has been years in the making. We have all met USI representatives. We have all met college and university representatives, who have told us about this and said quite clearly that this crisis would become worse. I would like to know if the Taoiseach will answer the question. This is a real barrier for students now and it will deter many students from going to college. Unfortunately, college and third l…

We have a very serious situation. We are hearing about Housing for All but we are not seeing delivery for all. We have more and more homeless people. Without a doubt, there are more homeless people in my home county of Offaly and, indeed, in neighbouring County Laois. It is a very worrying trend. People are at their wit's end. In addition to that problem, many young people and couples who work hard and go to college are locked out of the housing market completely because there are not enough affordable housing sche…

As the Minister is aware, there are ongoing concerns regarding the cost of the national children's hospital. Has his Department flagged any of those concerns with the Department of Health or any other Department?

I thank the Minister for his response. He mentioned oversight and his Department but have specific concerns in respect of the cost and rising expenditure on the hospital project been flagged? As he is aware, in March 2017 and March 2019 the Rural Independent Group, of which I am part, gave the previous Government openings to change course in respect of the national children's hospital when my colleagues provided opportunities for a radical reassessment of the project. The then Government failed to take those opport…

I again thank the Minister for his response but surely there is some intervention he can make with the Department of Health given that €1.1 billion has been drawn down and there are endless problems with the whole project. To be constructive, I suggest that we have a debate on the real cost and service implications of this train wreck of a project. Will the Minister commit to that? It is very important that we have that debate when such a level of expenditure is being reached and it is obvious that the project is h…

I welcome the opportunity to speak in this important debate on budget 2023. I will try to be as constructive as possible and to recognise those few positives that have been announced and the long-sought supports that have been introduced. However, I will also highlight some of the areas in which lost opportunities have clearly emerged. For example, much has been made of the fact that the budget provides for €600 in electricity credits to be applied to all bills in three instalments but the policy direction of Irela…

Before I begin, I thank our administrative assistant Brian Ó Domhnaill for all his work in putting this motion together. The Rural Independent Group has been very consistent and we have also put forward a number of solutions to the Minister, Deputy Ryan, and to the Government. We do not see any Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael Deputies flanking the Minister this morning. They were there, however, to endorse the reckless policies and they signed off on the policies. That must be remembered by the people. The truth needs to …