After the 15 cent reduction that it made a few weeks ago, it still has 25 cent to play with. That would mean a great deal to people on the road. Act now because October will be too late.

What about the people on those roads?

I also thank Deputy Guirke and Sinn Féin for giving us this opportunity to talk about our regional hospitals. I concur with everyone else here in asking that Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, and its accident and emergency department be kept open because it is most important. As Deputy Michael Healy-Rae stated, our accident and emergency department at University Hospital Kerry in Tralee is clogged up day after day. We have highlighted this here so many times, and the same thing is still happening. Even today we are heari…

I am sorry.

I am pleased to get the opportunity to speak on this very important motion this morning. I thank Deputy Collins for highlighting the very attractive proposal of utilising the Barryroe oil and gas field off the south coast of Cork. It is understood that 365 million barrels of oil and gas are deposited there and deeper exploration could unearth much more. At a time the country is struggling to survive because of massive increased costs for oil and gas, it would surely be helpful if we could access even some of this f…

Members of the Minister's Government have said they have secured four or five gas-fired generators to complement our capacity to generate electricity this winter. Where are we going to get the gas from? To this end, I am asking the Minister and his Government to support Shannon LNG's application for a terminal in the Shannon Estuary. The Taoiseach promised to support this application during the last election when he was canvassing north Kerry with Deputy Foley. Will he support this application or not? The position …

I am glad to get the opportunity to speak about this. My understanding of the words "just transition" is different from the Government's. As Deputy Nolan said, there are no alternatives, or very few, and we are now being threatened in here day after day. It is as if the Government is trying to muzzle us. I guarantee the Minister of State that while we are elected here we will not be muzzled or held back by anyone. We have a right to represent the people and I have a right to represent the people of Kerry. I have no…

It is not doing enough.

It is the smart answers that will finish the Taoiseach.

I thank Sinn Féin for bringing this motion for debate. It is important at this time of the year. It is the same every year. Parents are worried and anxious, ready to tear out their hair because they cannot get a place for these children with special needs. It seems to be a continuation. Some schools have benefited but more have not. I could give examples of many worried parents throughout County Kerry who are at their wits' end and simply cannot find a school place for their son or daughter with special educational…

I thank the Regional Group for giving us the opportunity to talk about this important matter. Housing adaptation grant aid for the elderly and mobility aids grants is the most important part of the housing programme in Kerry County Council. We have a very active group of people working in that department. They are doing great work for people who need adaptations and little things to make their houses more acceptable to live in and to ensure that they stay in their homes longer. I must mention people like Joanne, Jo…

One of the saddest parts of the coronavirus was when people, mostly elderly people, died alone in hospitals where they were not allowed visits. It was very sad and very bad that many people who worked hard, reared their families and brought this country to where it is were denied visits and died alone. Almost every aspect of society is open but in the area I represent, most hospitals and nursing homes are only allowing two visits per week for family members. This is not acceptable. Where is this rule coming from? I…

It is practically the whole lot and it is not acceptable.

I am glad to get the opportunity to talk about the important Bill before us. My only worry is the length of time allowed to put in amendments. Even though the Bill has been discussed for many years it is now upon us and we must deal with it. We will do so but it is only as the Bill progresses through these Houses and when we see the amendments that we will make the ultimate decisions about what the Bill will look like when the work is completed. As I said, the changes the Bill proposes to bring about have been disc…

I am glad to get the opportunity to talk on this matter because it is surely very important that the political process or the electoral process is seen to act fairly and properly. We should all aspire to get young people to vote. We hear of many youngsters who when they turn 18 years of age do not turn up on the register for whatever reason. Something needs to be done. A bit of common sense must be applied here. I know that in schools they have the dates of birth of students, and they know their ages. At this stage…

I thank Deputy Kerrane and Sinn Féin for organising this timely debate. The cost of fuel, especially diesel and petrol, is the main contributory reason for the increased cost of food. Lorry transport costs have increased significantly and farmers face increased costs to produce food. Whether they are dairy or beef farmers or tillage farmers, the savage extra cost of diesel alone and the considerable cost of fertiliser are driving production costs through the roof. The Government should and could take less tax from …

My question is in the same vein. There are still 678 roads on our list. I believe that we have the longest list in the country, but we are only getting funding for 15 roads per year. I appreciate that we got extra funding last year, when we dealt with 19 roads, but a list of 678 roads would take 45 years to get through. I do not think that any of us who are in the Chamber tonight – except for maybe the Acting Chairman, Deputy Carey, who looks young enough, and Deputy Kerrane – will be here in 45 years’ time. It wou…

I thank the Minister for her reply, but I will pick her up on something she said. She stated that they were non-public roads, but they are public. It is just that they have not been taken in charge by a local authority. They have the same status as roads that were taken in charge by local authorities. Authorities stopped doing that in the early 1980s, but these roads were left behind. They are public roads, not private ones. To qualify, there must be at least two landholdings. The council would not dream of dealing…

I am glad the Minister does.

I thank the Minister for her reply and I recognise Deputy Ring's input because it was I who asked him to bring back the LIS at the Joint Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs several times and I am glad he responded and did so. I do not mind whether the money comes from the Department of Transport or the Department of Rural and Community Development. I have a serious ask for the Minister. There are 678 roads and if we only do 19 or 20 a year, it will take us a long time, which is not fa…