The Government will crucify them.

If we talk to anyone in Kerry today about football, they are all happy about that. They thank the great Kerry team for that. However, if we talk to them about health and the regional hospital, they will not thank the Government for that. If we talk to them about the cost of fuel, diesel and petrol, they will not thank the Government for the extra tax it is taking from them for that without giving back hardly anything. If we talk to the people about turf, they will not thank the Government for what it is trying to d…

I thank Raise the Roof and compliment it on its efforts. I hope I can add to its call to help. The Government's focus at present seems to be totally on Airbnb. The Government thinks that will sort out the issue. There are people who want to let their houses short-term and they will not let them long-term. The Government cannot make them do otherwise with any law it brings in. The fact that in our local authority last October we had 162 vacant houses, many of which have not been brought up to the standard at which t…

I thank Deputy Cairns and the Social Democrats for bringing forward this most important motion in such a timely fashion. In particular, I wish to highlight the plight of the Kerry Parents and Friends Association, which is based in the Old Monastery in Killarney and which is run by Ms Marie Linehan. I pay tribute to Mr. Tony Darmody, who gave so much of his time to the organisation over the years. I am asking for the immediate publication of the action plan on the disability capacity review and its inclusion in budg…

He is a showman.

I congratulate and thank our Defence Forces for the great peacekeeping work they have done over the years. They have served with distinction. They are recognised all over the world for the great work they have done and people thank them for that. I am in favour of our neutrality. Generations that came before us were in favour of our neutrality and we all want to thank Eamon de Valera, who was Taoiseach at that time, for the stance he took during the Second World War to ensure our neutrality. That is the way we shou…

I will not take much time. We read that EU law precludes national legislative measures which provide, as a preventative measure, for the general and indiscriminate retention of traffic and location data relating to electronic communications to combat serious crime. What we are really talking about here is the Graham Dwyer case. He was convicted in this country with all the means, and I believe rightfully, that the Garda used. We must ensure that the Garda will be able to do its job into the future to convict murder…

I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire and Sinn Féin for bringing this important motion before us. It is very timely in light of the fact that the Dáil will be rising in a week's time and we will not be back before the children go back to school in September. We appreciate that the Government has made some announcements in recent hours, but we have to drive home to the Minister that parents face a summer of dread as they struggle to deal with primary and secondary school charges of up to €1,500 to send their little ones back t…

I thank the Labour Party for bringing forward this important Bill. We all know young couples for whom it is a very tough cross to bear when they find out their child has a problem. It certainly places strain on them because they want the best for their child or, in some cases, children. The situation is no different in Kerry. We have our share of families that include children with autism. Parents are looking for assessments and placements and they see their child is being neglected. The first point to make is that…

I am glad to get the opportunity to raise the issue of the cost of fuel, which is impacting on everyone on the road, whether it is the man going to work in the car, the mother taking children to school or the man filling up his lorry to transport goods or filling a construction work vehicle. Kerry is far away from everywhere and is impacted more than many other places. The increase in the cost of fuel is massive. The pumps along the road tell the story, with prices at €2.15 or €2.20 a litre. People are at their wit…

I thank the Minister for his reply but he has not given much comfort to people who are struggling out there today. I accept and acknowledge what the Government has provided already but it is just not enough. The Minister must admit that the Exchequer has taken in a massive increase in taxation. In the past two weeks alone, fuel prices have increased by 20%. That is coming out of people's pockets. They are on the road and trying to pay for the fuel. I recognise what the Minister said about hauliers but to qualify fo…

Give them vouchers. Do something for them.

Thank you, Chair. I am very grateful. Regarding the Special Criminal Court, I would much prefer we had trial by jury but I will not be the one to compromise the Garda if it wants to bring to justice druglords and criminal gangs. If the only way to deal with them is the Special Criminal Court, so be it. They have to be dealt with because our towns and villages are ravaged by drugs. The usual story now is that someone will walk up to you, not knowing you at all, and ask you if you want a bit of stuff. That is what is…

In Kerry, we are waiting for the upgrade of several treatment plants and towns and villages are waiting for new treatment plants. We cannot build houses. The building of houses is stymied. The Government needs to talk to and work together with Irish Water to ensure the treatment plants are brought up to standard so that we can build houses.

It is very clear to me and many others in this Chamber and around the country that the Minister of State's Government is running scared. This is a Bill to try to ensure we do not have blackouts. The Government has paid €450 million for gas generators but where will it get the gas? It could get cornered with that because the Ministers do not want to listen to anybody. We have an opportunity in Kerry and a very worthwhile company has had a proposal in the offing for many years at Shannon LNG, where we could source ga…

I am glad to get the opportunity to speak. I thank Sinn Féin for this motion to give us the opportunity to talk about these very important matters. Everyone understands the rise in the cost of living is caused by the cost of fuel. The men and women on the road are suffering, whether it is driving a car or a lorry, and the farmers driving tractors and jeeps are all suffering because of the extra cost of fuel. Whatever about the budget, and you can put whatever name you like on it, I am calling on the Minister to hel…

I, too, thank the Independent Group for bringing this very important motion before us today. I hope the Government will assist in doing something about the position of carers. It is very important for carers to get some respite so they can keep the family member in the home for as long as possible. I know an old gentleman, and he is a gentleman, of 86 years of age who is trying to care for his son who is 46 years old alone. He has been sanctioned for respite care since January but still has not received it. This ma…

I am glad to get the opportunity talk about this very important matter. The claim culture, awards by judges and no competition in the market certainly are combining to make insurance more costly than it should be. Our culture is being threatened and many festivals and events are being cancelled because they cannot afford the cost of insurance. Some horse hunts did not operate last winter because they could not get any quote. There was only one company doing it and it would not quote at all. Places like Castleisland…

It is clear that many sections of our community are suffering daily because of the significant increase in fuel prices. For people on the road, petrol costs €2.20 per litre and diesel costs €2.15. The total tax take on diesel is now 92.5 cent. When diesel cost €1.20 per litre in January 2021, which was only a little over a year ago, the tax take was 53 cent.

The Government has wriggle room. It is taking in 40 cent extra.