Certainly I will, but I am-----

-----very disappointed at their non-attendance.

Bus Éireann has the contract for delivering the school bus transport system, which takes all of our national and secondary school children to schools. It is a fact that there is a scarcity of school bus drivers. However, drivers of 70 years of age are no longer considered by Bus Éireann. It will not allow them to drive buses. Of course the safety of children is of paramount importance. There is discrimination against men and women when they become 70 years of age. They can drive lorries and buses all over the count…

They can drive in a private capacity. I will say one thing: it could be a condition that they would be medically assessed by doctors appointed by Bus Éireann.

Well, the lads are supposed to come. I do not know if they will turn up.

I raised this issue with the Tánaiste, Micheál Martin, a number of weeks ago. I said it was totally unfair to give one section of the people in the country an advantage over another section of the people, those being private renters, our own people. It is grand for the Government to give what it wants to Ukrainians but it must do the very same thing for our own people. How can the Minister expect any person who is trying to live and has a house to rent to rent that house out at €800 to local people or our own peopl…

I am humbled to get to say a few words about Michael O'Regan. First of all, I want to pass my condolences to his family and, indeed, to all of his friends and colleagues and all the people who admired him for almost 30 years on Kerry radio. In the past few nights, I have been around different parts of the county and everyone is so saddened by his passing. He was a giant among journalists. His interpretation and analysis of what was going on politically was listened to and adhered to because people believed in him. …

I am glad to get the opportunity to speak and I, too, thank Sinn Féin for bringing this very important motion here before us tonight. I actually raised the issue of scoliosis and funding almost two years ago with the then Taoiseach, Deputy Micheál Martin. He actually got very agitated and cross when I had asked him because he had made an announcement of €5 million. This was a number of months afterwards because people were still ringing because their children were in pain, they were waiting and they wanted approval…

This is to discuss the long-awaited N22 Killarney bypass from Lissyviggeen to Farranfore and from Lissyviggeen to Castlelough on the Muckross Road, the N70, and that this be prioritised to be progressed in this year's programme. I attended the Oireachtas transport committee last Wednesday evening and when I asked Peter Walsh, a senior official of Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, whether this project was on the programme, I learned from him that it was not on the national development plan for 2024. To say the …

I thank the Minister of State for the reply. If I understood her right, she said funding would be made available to ensure the route selection. I hope this happens. She mentioned all the other projects and I am sure they are all very worthwhile, but this project has been awaited for almost 25 years, which is a quarter of a century. We have waited long enough and people have lost their lives. The Government is talking about road safety and how it is going to do drastic things to try to curb the number of accidents, …

I am sorry, but I just have one query. The Minister of State said the funding is in place. I am advised it is not and €500 million is needed to get the project rolling.

I thank the Regional Group too. First of all, one size does not fit all. Increasing the VAT for restaurants, pubs and some hospitality sectors is not fair. Many of them are crying like they never cried before, especially in places like Killarney, where footfall is falling because of an increased number of beds in hotels in that sector being handed over to asylum seekers and refugees. Some 36% of the bed nights have gone to those. Places like Killarney have to be treated specially to reduce the VAT to 9% and do some…

I, too, am glad to have the opportunity to say a few words on this very important development where the parties have come together to operate the power-sharing assembly in the North. For too long, they had not been agreeing or working but we are glad it is happening now. I appreciate both sides - Sinn Féin and the DUP - coming together. We wish Michelle O'Neill all the very best as First Minister, and give our best wishes to the DUP as well. We hope they continue to work together. Similar to those we represent down…

I am glad to get the opportunity to speak on this Bill. I too want to commiserate with all the families who lost family members in recent times or in the past in Kerry or right around the country. It is something no family will ever forget. We all sympathise and empathise with them. I too am very disappointed that the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, is not here to listen to this debate. Of course, he is the kind of Minister who knows it all. He does not want to listen to the views of Members. I am sad and disappointed…

I want no impudence from Deputy Ó Cathasaigh. This is absolutely ridiculous. What the Government is proposing to do to people that have to travel in motor cars day in and day out is the height of blackguarding. It wants to reduce the speed limit on the road from Mallow to Rathmore to Killarney and back around the Ring of Kerry from 100 km/h down to 80 km/h. It wants people driving up against each other and rear-ending each other. As Michael said, they will be frustrated morning, noon and night. It is absolutely rid…

I am glad to have the opportunity to say a few words about the licence fee. I believe we are putting the cart before the horse. As I understand it, RTÉ came to the Oireachtas committee to look for approximately €60 million to keep going, and that is only some of it. We have no plan or transparency available from RTÉ or the Government as to what is going to be the case with RTÉ going forward. We have to talk about the people who have been taken to court day after day to pay the licence fee, and for what? Yes, we get…

I am very glad to get the opportunity to raise a number of concerns people in Kerry and Killarney have in regard to the massive number of Ukrainians who have been placed in hotels and guesthouses around the county. Over 35% of hotel beds in the town of Killarney are being taken up by refugees. People in Killarney, and all Kerry people, worked together for almost 150 years to bring the tourism product to where it was. However, as a result of a shortage of beds there has been a serious reduction in footfall. Many sma…

I have no problem with the Ukrainian people or any people from any other part of the world. Do not any one of you over there or over here behind me say that I have any gripe with any of them. The gripe I have is with the Tánaiste and the Government. If the Government is able to give €800 tax free to one section of society, it should be able to do it for the others as well. Irish people, Kerry people, cannot compete for a private house when the house owner is going to get €800 tax free. How could that be fair? On th…

Can the Tánaiste not see it going on in County Cork? Maybe he cannot because he is all over the world, and maybe he has to be-----

-----but I can tell him it is happening in Cork the very same as in Kerry.