Tá ceist curtha síos agam mar gheall ar an ngéarchéim tithíochta sna ceantair Ghaeltachta. Ar ndóigh, tá an ghéarchéim tithíochta fud fad an Stáit ag cur an-chuid daoine, go háirithe clanna óga, i gcruachás ach is bagairt eiseach nó existential threat í dár bpobail sna ceantair Ghaeltacht. Cad atá á dhéanamh ag an Rialtas? Cathain a bheidh toradh ar an méid sin?

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as an bhfreagra sin ach ní inniu ná inné a thit an ghéarchéim seo amach. Táimid ag feitheamh le freagra agus le gníomh ón Rialtas agus ón Rialtas a bhí ann cheana féin. Is athrá ar na geallúintí a bhí sa chlár Rialtais deireanach atá sa chlár Rialtais reatha. Tuigimid go bhfuil na treoirlínte pleanála Gaeltachta seo dréachtaithe. Tá siad i scríbhinn ach níl siad feicthe ag aon duine. Níl siad feicthe ar an taobh seo den Teach. Ní fheadar an bhfuil siad feicthe ag cúlbhinseoirí an Aire …

An bhfuil an tAire ag rá go bhfuil an srian agus an bac ar fhoilsiú na dtreoirlínte pleanála Gaeltachta bainteach leis an Roinn tithíochta agus nach bhfuil sé ag teacht ó Roinn na Gaeltachta? Is nuacht é sin domsa. Mar dhuine atá ag maireachtáil sa Ghaeltacht agus a bhfuil clann á thógáil aige i nGaeltacht na nDéise, feicim mo chomharsana, mo chomhghleacaithe agus mo chairde síos leis an ngéarchéim seo. Ní féidir leo maireachtáil, clann a thosú nó a bheith ina gcónaí ina bpobal féin. Tá sé sin ag cur todhchaí na Ga…

What are the Minister's views on the worry and deep frustration of families and individuals in County Waterford, and rural Ireland more generally, about the shortage of GPs, and the consequent difficulties experienced by many patients in accessing timely GP care, the distance they have to travel to access it, the delays in accessing it and the impact on their health and well-being?

These measures are not being felt in the communities I represent in towns and villages from Tallow to Dunmore East, Portlaw, Dungarvan, Lismore, Cappoquin and Kilmacthomas. Capacity is not keeping pace with demand for GP services. Retirement, as I know the Minister is aware, creates difficulties and has created particular difficulties in west Waterford for people accessing GP services. The Irish College of General Practitioners said late last year that 25% of GPs currently working are aged 60 or over, so this probl…

To pick up on what my colleague, Deputy Cullinane, said about Cappoquin, this is a case in point. We are trying to get GPs into rural communities. This GP practice is seeking to become a training centre for GPs. Because of the delays with this, it is unable to do that. That is creating downstream issues. Dungarvan lost a GP to retirement a number of years ago. I, the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, and others worked very hard to get appropriate care for many of that GP's patients. Many of them have been forced to…

Tá cathú orm chuir isteach ort. Ní dóigh liom go bhfuil córam againn.

An bhfuil córam againn? Tá mé díreach ag iarraidh a chinntiú go bhfuil córam againn sa Teach.

Tá cathú orm chur isteach ort, a Aire.

Okay.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach. Tá sé de phribhléid labhairt inniu faoinár dteanga náisiúnta, an Ghaeilge, teanga an oileáin seo agus teanga na nGael. Tá mé mórtasach agus bródúil go bhfuil mo theanga féin á labhairt agam anseo inár bParlaimint náisiúnta. Labhair le haon Gaeilgeoir agus déarfaidh sé nó sí an rud céanna faoin mhothúchán a mhúsclaíonn sí ionainn agus sinn á labhairt. Is teanga bheo í an Ghaeilge, teanga a mhair trí na céadta bliain de dheacrachtaí agus dúshláin, teanga a d’fhan díl…

Tá an Ghaeilge fite fuaite lenár n-aitheantas mar náisiún agus mar phobal. Is teanga bhríomhar bheo í le stair ársa agus todhchaí gheal. I mo chlann agus i mo phobal, is í an Ghaeilge ár dteanga laethúil, ár dteanga chumarsáide, ár dteanga thuisceana, ár dteanga ghrinn agus ár dteanga ghrá. Is fíor seo i ngach ceantar Gaeltachta agus, ar ndóigh, in an-chuid clann fud fad na hÉireann. Is ceart bunúsach é an t-oideachas agus, i gcomhthéacs na hÉireann, is ceart bunúsach é an t-oideachas lánGhaeilge ó luathbhlianta go…

Notwithstanding what the Minister and my colleague Deputy Cullinane said, Waterford feels like the poor relation when it comes to roads funding if we consider active travel in the county, moneys for road maintenance across the city and county, the N24 and the R672 that Deputy Cullinane also mentioned. The N25 is widely regarded as the most dangerous national road in the State and is in dire need of funding for safety works. Will the Minister ensure that it is prioritised for funding under the NDP as a matter of urg…

I wish the Minister and Minister of State well in their roles, especially my constituency colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins. The Report of the Housing Commission declares the current housing situation a crisis of unprecedented scale that demands immediate and decisive action. It identifies the significant and sustained shortfall in housing supply as a core issue requiring a substantial increase in delivery not just in our cities but in our rural communities and remote Gaeltacht areas. On affordabilit…

As the newly appointed Sinn Féin junior spokesperson on rural affairs, community development and an Ghaeltacht, I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. As most speakers will have mentioned already, our agrifood sector is the backbone of rural Ireland and rural communities but the industry faces real challenges from market volatility, disastrous trade deals like Mercosur coming down the tracks, unfair fish quotas, tariffs and climate change. Government, in that context, must support and empower famil…

I want to start by sharing the experience of a constituent of mine who has travelled from Waterford today, alongside other mams and dads, to be in the Public Gallery as we debate this motion. Her name is Rebecca and she is the mother of Jay, one of 20 children in west Waterford who have been left without a special school space. I raised this previously with the Minister of State and twice in the Chamber in recent weeks. Rather than simply repeating my call for urgent action to add capacity in this area, I want to g…

Hear, hear.

Gabhaim buíochas leis na hAirí. Déanaim comhghairdeas leo beirt ar a gceapachán. What plans, schemes or supports do the Minister of State and the Office of Public Works have in place to offset the real risk of damage to life and property in areas prone to flooding in severe storm conditions, such as Tallow, County Waterford? I reference Tallow because during Storm Babet in 2023 flooding occurred there that had a very serious impact on homes, families and businesses in that area. Thanks to representations from my co…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as an bhfreagra sin. I thank the Minister of State for that answer but it will be cold comfort to residents of West Street in Tallow who are grappling with the fact that no structural works are proposed by the OPW to the Glenaboy and the Bride rivers. We are all aware that the ferocity and frequency of these winter storms and severe weather events are increasing. People on West Street have begun to put their lives, businesses and homes back together after that flooding event in l…

I welcome the commitment to keep an open mind on these things. I think we all acknowledge that local authorities are the first port of call, especially for minor works. I understand from the representations I have received that Waterford City and County Council wants to do these structural works. However, the Office of Public Works has not recommended structural works at this location. That is incorrect. I urge the Minister of State to visit the location as soon as possible to see how things are on the ground and s…