Do not forget Kerry.

I raise the adverse affect the coronavirus is having on people with various other illnesses or health issues in County Kerry and around the country. At present there are no orthopaedic procedures being carried out in Tralee General Hospital unless they are emergencies due to fractures or something very urgent. People are being told that routine procedures will take four to five years and it is two years for elective procedures. Sick people cannot visit GPs or GPs cannot visit them. Consultations are mostly by phone…

This person has been seven times in the accident and emergency department in Cork recently and is still in constant pain and needs a procedure.

I tabled a parliamentary question to the Department of Health and the reply I received told me it is recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures have been impacted as a direct result-----

-----of the coronavirus. This is not good enough.

The Tánaiste has spoken about health service workers. A young fellow told me that he is lame since February and was told today he will have to wait three years before he is seen to. The people of Kerry and Ireland want to know who is responsible for giving the order to specialists, consultants and hospitals to cancel or defer appointments and defer elective procedures. Is it the Government, the Minister for Health, NPHET or Dr. Tony Holohan? What will these specialists be doing in the meantime? People can die from …

The Government has to recognise this and Dr. Tony Holohan has to recognise this.

Lough Guitane in Muckross, Killarney is the source of a third of the water supply in Kerry. The pipe that is delivering this water to Killarney, Tralee and Listowel, and supplying the hospital and other households, is crumbling. It has broken several times in Farranfore village which is on the national primary route, the N22. It has also broken several times in Killarney, disrupting the town. This pipe needs urgently to be replaced. That needs to be prioritised. I know, as does everyone else, that Irish Water does …

I am glad to have the opportunity to talk about this very important topic. The situation is very serious. I ask the Minister of State to listen to us as we are on the ground and we know what is happening. There is nothing more horrible than when a house gets flooded and the water comes in the door or comes up the toilets, and the mess that leaves behind is never forgotten by the family it happens to. It has happened a lot in our area. I am glad that, in one instance, after several deputations, so many motions and m…

Many young boys and girls cannot do their driver tests because of this second lockdown. They have been waiting for months, even though they have their 12 lessons done. Many who live in rural Ireland cannot go to work or to their apprenticeships. Some who have actually passed their tests cannot get their licences from the National Driver Licence Service, NDLS. Will the Taoiseach provide some exemption to allow these people to drive until they have an opportunity to do their driver tests, once they have their 12 less…

I have been requested to highlight an anomaly regarding wholesalers. Wholesalers to the catering industry will not qualify for any package. Even though the Government has said they will, that is not the case according to the Revenue. That is very unfair. It is possible for them to stay open, but what are they going to do without customers? They cannot live on the wind. Suppliers of fish, vegetables and meat and bakeries that were supplying hotels and restaurants are not functioning at all. Turning to carers, the ex…

Many people live for different reasons and look forward to different things. Gun clubs and individuals who operate game shooting live for the three winter months of November, December and January for hunting and game shooting pheasants, woodcock and so on. It makes no sense to stop a man and his dog going up a lonely slieve, bog or wide open territory. If the Taoiseach is to continue with these rules and regulations, he will lose the people. It is fine when it makes sense to the people-----

-----but when it is not making common sense, he will have to stop because he is losing the people.

They are staying within 5 km.

He would not win it anyway.

The people know and the Taoiseach knows-----

He cannot come in here-----

-----and say something like that and he thinks he will get away with it.

The people of Ireland are watching this debacle tonight and it is a very serious matter. It is clear to all of us that the Fianna Fáil leader, the Taoiseach of the country and the Fianna Fáil Deputies will bail out the Tánaiste. He will be saved by Fianna Fáil tonight. Deputies Cowen and Calleary and the former Commissioner, Phil Hogan, were not saved. The people of Ireland are wondering how there are different standards for different people. Many people would like to know who leaked the story and whether it was th…

I am glad to have the opportunity to speak on this very important Bill. I thank Sinn Féin for bringing it forward. I commiserate with the people along the Shannon and in its catchment area. Members have seen television reports showing what they have suffered and endured and continue to endure, such as their homes being flooded. There is nothing more horrible than a house that is flooded. The water comes up the toilet from the sewer and all that and the house is ruined and never the same again. It is horrible to see…