Fáiltím an méid a dúirt an tAire sa mhéid go bhfuil sé sásta é seo a phlé agus an comhrá seo a bheith againn mar is rud casta é conas is féidir é sin a chur síos i reachtaíocht ionas go bhfuil sé féaráilte agus cothrom. Deirimse i gcónaí go bhfuil na toghthóirí géarchúiseach nó i mBéarla "the electorate is very discerning". Beidh a fhios ag pobal na Gaeltachta agus iad ag caitheamh a gcuid vótaí más interloper atá i gceist nó más duine atá ag cur amú ama agus níl suim acu ionadaíocht a dhéanamh thar ceann na Gaelta…

Tairgim leasú Uimh. 8: Ar leathanach 13, idir líne 1 agus líne 2, an méid seo a leanas a chur isteach: "(1) Leasaítear alt 8 den Phríomh-Acht, i bhfo-alt (3A), tríd an méid seo a leanas a chur isteach i ndiaidh "eacnamaíoch na Gaeltachta": ", lena n-áirítear saoráidí sóisialta, cultúir agus gnó agus, chuige sin, beidh an chumhacht ag an Údarás chun leas i maoin agus i réadas a cheannach nó a fháil ar cibé téarmaí, agus faoi réir cibé coinníollacha, is cuí leis". I dtús báire, ba mhaith liom gearán a dhéanamh nó mo …

Is géarchéim eiseach - an existential crisis - í an géarchéim tithíochta sa Ghaeltacht. Ní bheidh ceantair Ghaeltachta againn, nó pobal labhartha Gaeilge againn, muna bhfuil réiteach ar an ngéarchéim seo. Tá sé sin ag teacht ó na saineolaithe agus na pobail. Tá sé istigh sna pleananna teanga atá faomhaithe ag Roinn an Aire le blianta anuas. I bplean teanga Ghaeltacht na nDéise, tá sé an-soiléir: is í tithíocht an cuspóir is mó inár bplean teanga. Tá an Stát agus an Rialtas ag infheistiú sna ceantair Ghaeltachta i d…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an méid a dúirt an tAire agus roimh an tairiscint chun bualadh go neamhfhoirmiúil chun é seo a phlé níos doimhne. Is maith an rud é go bhfuil an tAire sásta cluas éisteachta a thabhairt dúinn. Is léir go bhfuil suim ag na daoine sa Seomra seo san ábhar seo. Tá moltaí suntasacha againn. Is maith an rud é go mbeidh deis againn iad a phlé. Mar sin, táim sásta na leasuithe a tharraingt siar go foirmiúil.

Le leasú Uimh. 15, táimid ag iarraidh go mbeadh straitéis daonra agus tithíochta curtha le chéile do gach limistéar pleanála teanga. Is é seo bunchloch na pleanála teanga sa Ghaeltacht. Tá cuid den obair seo déanta cheana, in ainneoin an Rialtais i slite. Nuair a bhí na pleananna teanga á gcur le chéile tráth dá raibh, chuir an-chuid de na comhlachtaí forbartha míreanna isteach mar gheall ar chúrsaí tithíochta agus daonra. Is iad an tslat tomhais atá againn i dtaobh an phleanáil teanga agus sláinte sna ceantair Gha…

Aontaím le mo chomhghleacaí, an Teachta Ó Snodaigh. Tá muid ag bogadh sa treo ceart, cé nár glacadh lenár moltaí i dtaobh an toghcháin. Tá muid ag bogadh go dtí eagras a bheidh – cuid de ar a laghad – daonlathach. Leis an daonlathas, tagann an trédhearcacht. Ní féidir, is dócha, aon sampla a thaispeáint d’eagras, eagraíocht, fóram, bord nó aon rud atá tofa ag an bpobal trí toghchán nach bhfuil na cruinnithe den eagras sin oscailte don phobal. Leis an toghchán, tá muid go léir mar dhaoine tofa. Tá muid freagrach dár…

Is bord Stáit agus údarás tofa atá ann. Mar sin, caithfimid féachaint ar na rialacha timpeall air seo. Ní féidir a rá gur dhá rud atá ann agus, mar sin, cloímid leis na rialacha a bhaineann le rud amháin. Dá mba rud é go bhfuilimid chun glacadh leis mar bhord Stáit le baill ceaptha agus tofa, agus is cosúil go bhfuil, is fóram daonlathach de shaghas éigin a bheidh san údarás agus mar sin caithfimid riail hibrideach a dhéanamh. Má tá ballraíocht an bhord chun bheith curtha le chéile i slí hibrideach, caithfimid rial…

One hundred and twenty adults in County Waterford are officially recorded as homeless, according to the latest figures published by the Department. There are 109 children in emergency accommodation across the wider south-east region. The Minister and I both know that is just the tip of the iceberg. A whole generation has been locked out of home ownership and it seems is fated to a lifetime of paying exorbitant rents or leaving Ireland altogether to live, work and raise their families abroad. Not only is this housin…

Hear, hear.

The world waits with bated breath to see what the announcements from Washington will be. Workers and families across the State and in my constituency of Waterford are anxious. They are wondering about their jobs and the impact of these tariffs on the wider economy, particularly the pharma sector. The pharma sector is incredibly important in Waterford city and county and across the wider south east. We have the likes of Haleon in Dungarvan, Pinewood Healthcare and JB Pharmatron. Many companies and firms are directly…

Any discussion about community safety, crime or youth diversion must take into account the wider context of the absolute failure - let us call it what it is - of the Government to adequately resource public services within communities all across the State. There is the failure to invest adequately in community infrastructure, social and outreach services, drugs and alcohol strategies, youth justice and diversion programmes and An Garda Síochána. Garda stations have been closed right across rural Ireland during the …

It is the English for "bréag".

Tell the truth then.

Who was the Minister for housing?

And housing second.

Says the man who presided over the housing crisis.

Deputy Connolly mentioned slippage, and it is something we must all guard against. I wish both the Minister and the Minister of State well in their briefs in the time ahead and I look forward to a constructive working relationship. I ask the Minister for an update on both the veterinary and the pharmacy courses at South East Technological University. These are crucially important. They were announced last year to great fanfare and after much anticipation. Are we still on course for those courses to begin in Septemb…

We are on the theme of slippage.

This is a very serious issue. My question relates to the situation of young adult carers in higher and further education. We had a comprehensive debate on the more broad topic of young carers and young adult carers in this House last week. My question relates to the Department's efforts, schemes and steps to support young carers and young adult carers to access education, stay in it and benefit from it.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as an bhfreagra sin. I thank the Minister for his response. The most recent census in 2022 tells us that there are almost 5,000 young carers in this State. Undoubtedly, the number of young people and young adults providing care is much greater as it often goes unreported, unsupported and unacknowledged. By unsupported I mean people who do not avail of many of those payments. The number of young people providing the highest level of care, more than 43 hours a week, doubled between…