Croí Cónaithe is an amazing initiative. I have seen it make a difference already on the ground for constituents of mine. Deputy Conway-Walsh said we are not listening to constituents. I have seen constituents avail of schemes like Croí Cónaithe and turn vacant derelict houses into beautiful family homes. It is an incredible initiative-----

-----and the recent increase has been welcomed. Furthermore, the grant is bigger again for people who live on islands and there are a lot of habitable islands off west Cork. It is making a difference and we are seeing it in the constituencies. We have also recently seen the change in the rules around the local authority home loan, which will mean more people can access it and avail of it. We are certainly not running out of ideas. As I said at the start, the renters' credit has offered breathing space for a lot of …

I recently introduced a Bill in the Dáil around the whole area of anaerobic digestion. Anaerobic digestion is the really cool process where organic material is turned into biogas, which can then be used in energy or electricity production. When we think of anaerobic digestion we think of the bigger-scale anaerobic digesters, ADs, taking inputs from the agri-sector and from industry but less well known are the small, miniature ADs. There is an excellent company based in west Cork called MyGug. The website is mygug.e…

I will send the Taoiseach the details.

I thank the Minister of State for being here to take this Topical Issue matter on the ambulance service in the west Cork area. The service is stretched and we urgently need extra ambulances to serve the people of the region. It is important that I explain the geography of west Cork. It is a huge area, bigger than most counties. For example, from the edge of Cork city to the Dursey Sound takes well over three hours to drive, and that is at a good speed. Travelling from somewhere like Clonakilty in the southern part …

I thank the Minister of State. It is important that he mentioned the Government-funded air ambulance helicopter service. It is an extraordinary service, which ran on voluntary donations and charity fundraising for years. It is important that the Government is now backing it because without it we would be in dire straits. Even with that addition, it is still not enough. There are still parts of west Cork that are not being served properly by an ambulance service. We need to bolster the service. We need extra ambulan…

I appreciate that the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, is here. It is disappointing that the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, is not here. The last time I raised the early years sector under Topical Issues, he let me know he would not be available. We then waited until he was available to submit this Topical Issue and he was able to take it himself. He is the most relevant person to hear the struggles that the early years sector is going through, particularly in my constituency, and especially the smaller providers. T…

I thank the Minister of State. I appreciate her reply. I expected that the first response would relate to the increase in funding. That was why I acknowledged the increase at the start of my contribution. It still does not help the small providers in my constituency. The Minister of State mentioned the efforts to create a 3% increase in capacity. That is fine and it may work in Dublin. There may be increases in capacity in Dublin and other urban areas where the big chains are benefiting from core funding. However, …

I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to make provision for a national anaerobic digestion strategy and to provide for related matters. I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for allowing me to introduce the Anaerobic Digestion (National Strategy) Bill 2023. At the outset, I wish to state that what this Bill does is very simple. It creates a mechanism whereby the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications can develop and publish a strategy for anaerobic digestion right across Ir…

I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

I appreciate the response. In a way, we in Glanmire are lucky in that the schemes have commenced. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for my colleagues in east Cork who are still waiting on the Midleton scheme. That said, as the Minister of State acknowledged in her response, her constituency was impacted. I know she will take what she has experienced over the past week back to the Ministers concerned. I again stress the urgency of the situation. Businesses and livelihoods have been lost. Family homes have been de…

I have heard the Taoiseach condemn the killing spree carried out by Hamas in Israel, and rightly so. I have also heard him condemn the nightmare being visited on the people of Palestine and Gaza by Israel, and rightly so. I am very proud that Ireland, as a country, has the conviction to call out war crimes, including those being committed by Israel, while other nations declare their support for these actions. The question people ask me most often is what we, as a country, can do to stop this murder and slaughter of…

I want to speak on behalf of the foster carers right across Ireland less than a week out from the budget to make a case for improved weekly rates for foster carers. The rate has remained the same since 2009, despite the incredible level of care that they give to young people under their care. They clothe them, they feed them and they bring them to sports activities. They give them such a high level of care, it is about time that we improved the conditions for these foster carers. They do not even have access to bac…

Fifty seconds is all I need and that will give Deputy McGuinness ten.

When it comes to school transport and the review, we need to over-provide. This whole eligible versus concessionary thing has to go, within reason. It has to go for so many reasons, including for climate action because we need to get cars off the road. Traffic is clogging up our towns and villages. The busiest time, which people try to avoid, is during school times when the traffic is delayed. Parents are having to spend hours upon hours in cars when they should not have to. Then of course, we need to do it for the…

It is well known that Cork has the longest road network in Ireland. A statistic that is probably less well-known is that last year Cork had the highest number of road fatalities. There were 14 fatal incidents in Cork last year with 11 of those in the western division in west Cork. Despite those alarming statistics, Cork ranks third lowest in funding for the road network. On average it has €1,000 per kilometre less than the average for other counties. It is high time that Cork started getting the investment in its r…

The issue of nitrates derogation came up. I understand the Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries has been invited to Ireland by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, to learn about the dairy sector. I understand he has accepted that invitation. I ask that we go further and bring the Commissioner, with the Taoiseach, if he wishes, to west Cork. It is one of the areas most impacted by the new nitrates rules, nitrates derogation and the reduction to 220kg N/ha. There h…

I am waiting for my mic to be turned on.

I thought that was the Ceann Comhairle's idea.

I claim a bit of credit for it as well. I thank the Taoiseach for outlining the actions that are to be taken. It is heartening to hear his personal commitment to tackling climate change as well as investing in and supporting climate action measures. This is the first Government to put in place legally binding limits and targets and it has taken many progressive steps to tackle climate change and take climate action seriously. What is being done to ensure school transport plays a part in reducing emissions, particul…