Give us the date.

It will be the 29th.

What has this Government of Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Green Party got against the people of Kerry? For a number of weeks the ophthalmology unit in Tralee general hospital has been closed. There are over 800 people waiting on different lists to be seen in the eye unit in Tralee. It has been there since the foundation of the State and it is closed down now. We are doing our best to take what we can of the people to the North of Ireland and it is an awful long journey. There are other things that happen to people…

This has gone on long enough now. It has gone on nearly a month.

You have actually cancelled-----

We do not listen to rubbish.

I am glad to get the opportunity to speak in favour of this important proposal. Overall, the horse and greyhound industries are integral to the economic and social fabric of rural Ireland. With continued support and strategic improvements they can continue to provide significant benefits to the economy and social benefits to communities across the country. Indeed, going back more than 40 years, I remember one man who farmed sheep under Mangerton mountain. His one big event every year was to get my father's hackney …

In debates here about housing, I have several times asked the Government to afford the same concessions to our people as it is giving to Ukrainians. It is giving €800 tax-free to landlords housing Ukrainians. What hope do Irish and Kerry people have of getting a house to rent when that concession is being offered to the Ukrainian people? What is good for the goose is good for the gander. Irish people should be getting the same concession. I must tell the Minister of State there is no such thing as an affordable hou…

She would not build a henhouse.

Tell the people the bloody truth and give up the codding with these figures.

I am glad of the opportunity to contribute. I too compliment all the traders from Kerry and from all around the country who were outside the gates of Leinster House yesterday to highlight their concerns about what has been happening. The fact that VAT has not been reduced to 9% is ensuring that more places will close, following those that have already closed. That is what the Government of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party is trying to do. By not reducing the VAT rate, the Government is ensuring that more …

I am glad to get the opportunity to say a few words about the missed opportunities in this budget. There was very little in it for farmers. I have been on about solar panels for a number of months and perhaps years. There was a promise that farmers would qualify for a 60% grant to put in solar panels, which could produce anywhere between 60% to 80% of their overall power on farms. However, the system sizes accepted by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine are being rejected by the ESB, causing farmers …

I raised the issue of a pathologist for Kerry on 19 June. There has been no improvement since. Last week we had a delay of eight days for a Rathmore man. On Sunday evening my long-time best friend and neighbour, Tim John Healy, passed away and there is no account of his post-mortem yet. When a sudden death happens and the remains go away to the morgue, all people want to do is to get the body home and have a dignified funeral. I wish to sympathise with Tim John's wife, Noreen, and their children Siobhán, Geraldine,…

The undertakers in Kerry are quite prepared to bring the remains there to do it.

All that is happening in Kerry at the minute is that Margot Bolster, the State Pathologist, is doing her level best. She comes on Saturdays, Sunday mornings, bank holiday Mondays.

Aisling Quilter and Helen Lucey in the-----

They look after the post mortems and do great work.

They are being hindered in this regard and I ask the Taoiseach to do something about it.

I am glad to get an opportunity. I regret that this debate is taking place around this political row that is going on. I do not think it is right. It does not sit right for me. The timing of this does not appear to be right. No one of us here would stand for the abuse or neglect of children. They are the most vulnerable in our society and we must seek to protect them at all times. I also have questions about Tusla. I also have questions for the Minister, Roderic O'Gorman, about children who are missing and not acco…

We welcome social welfare increases for the people who benefited but one group for whom we are all disappointed is carers. They do such Trojan work minding an elderly or disabled parent or sibling, for example. They do great work but because their husband or wife works, they do not qualify for the carer's allowance. We are disappointed about that for so many people. We all supported the motion to abolish the means test. The Government did not oppose it and everyone assumed there would be a change to it in the budge…