The first question in relation to Lariam is probably more appropriate for a parliamentary question but I will raise the matter and seek a response for the Deputy. I do not have the details or the answer to hand on that. Each Minister travels and a Head of Government has to attend international events-----

In relation to what medication different Ministers use, I have no idea. That is a matter for those particular Ministers as well.

I will. I know how critical this project is for Galway and Galway city. It is a matter of regret that it has taken so long. It has taken so long for many reasons. We have had serial and continuous objectors to this critical piece of infrastructure. The Government wants to see this road built. It is critical for the city of Galway and the surrounding areas. Following the Deputy's intervention today, I will seek an update as to when we can expect a final decision on it. The Government supports the development of this…

The summer works scheme is important for schools and there will unfortunately be some that fall outside the boundaries of it. I noted the announcement last week by the Department of education relating to moneys allocated through the climate action fund to allow energy upgrades for schools. Specifically on Our Lady's Girls National School, I will raise that matter directly with the Minister, Deputy Naughton, on Deputy Brennan's behalf and seek a written and direct response to him.

In the review of the national development plan, we secured that €1 in every €4 invested between now and 2030 would be in transport and transport measures. That is just short of €25 billion, which is the largest investment ever made in public transport and transport infrastructure. I intend to publish the sectoral NDP tomorrow. Details of projects of €200 million or more will be published tomorrow. Separate road allocations will be done in December and January. We will publish the sectoral NDP tomorrow afternoon.

The Deputy must wait until it is published.

This is an awful situation, which the Deputy has also discussed with me directly. I am familiar with it. I will raise this matter directly with the line Minister. I think this will cross over between the Departments of justice and Finance. It is an horrendous situation that these prospective home buyers find themselves in. It is something I will discuss directly with the Tánaiste and the Minister for justice. I thank the Deputy for raising this. Where we can help, we will, but I need to ensure that we have direct e…

Sport has the ability to lift the nation. The Deputy mentioned the boys in green. The girls in green came through against Belgium. We have seen some great sporting events recently. We will not talk about the rugby at the weekend, but I blame that on the referee and a poor refereeing performance. Alex Dunne, who is driving Formula 2 at McLaren, is unquestionably an incredible talent. I am a fan myself. I am not aware of the structures that Sport Ireland and Motorsport Ireland have to ensure he is supported. I can ra…

Caredoc across the country is critically important, particularly at weekends and out of hours. I will raise that matter directly with the Minister for Health on the Deputy's behalf. I will ask the Minister to respond directly to him about the situation he has articulated here as it pertains to Wexford.

It is an area that is growing greatly. Lots of young families are moving in there. I have had the pleasure of being in the Deputy's constituency on a number of occasions recently. You can see the development happening there. A great frustration for me is unreliability of public transport. This ghost bus phenomenon on certain routes is not acceptable. From time to time, things happen. Drivers can be sick, and people understand if this happens now and again. However, the increased prevalence on certain routes is a ma…

I agree with the Deputy. It is a clear danger. I chaired the north Dublin regional drugs and alcohol task force for about ten years and we saw the increased prevalence of nitrous oxide or laughing gas, the small canisters which are being used for recreational purposes by a lot of our young people. It is a matter that the Department of Health and the Minister of State with responsibility for the drugs strategy are aware of. It is a legal product when used correctly, so there are complications in that regard, but I w…

I know Inistioge well. I was with the Deputy all the way through until he got to "Circle of Friends" in the end. As regards this wastewater treatment plant, the Minister, Deputy Browne, has brought forward new measures to allow us to accelerate delivery of wastewater treatment plants above and beyond what the capital programme might set out through Uisce Éireann. I will speak to the Minister directly about Inistioge. I know Deputy Cleere has been advocating for this himself. It is critical to allow that town to exp…

I thank the Deputy for raising the case of Roxanne and the situation she is in. I will raise it directly with the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. The Deputy has said she has corresponded with the Minister. I thank Deputy Newsome Drennan for raising it here. I will speak to the Minister directly post this and make sure that she responds directly to the Deputy and to the family.

Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Chathaoirligh. I thank you and your colleagues for the opportunity to come before the Seanad. I am pleased to address the House on the Second Stage of the Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Bill 2025. The Bill before the House today will provide the legal mechanism for the payment of €1.5 billion of equity investment in the ESB as committed to by the Government under the national development plan. I will open the debate by setting out the broader context for why Government equity investmen…

I thank all Senators for their contributions. There are general points and a large degree of commonality within specific points. First, I thank Senators for their support and understand about the urgent nature of this legislation to be passed. Senator Clifford-Lee said that this investment will enable the development of critical infrastructure to underpin the NDP delivery across all our different areas of delivery. She is absolutely correct that we have to look at transport, housing, water infrastructure - all of t…

I am very sorry but I thought it was 10.26 a.m.

Deputy Ahern should not really have given way. I thank Deputy Daly. First, this is an interim report. It outlines a lot of actions that are to be taken. Many have been taken. It was published in advance of the budget so that we could look at the short-term measures we could take. We acknowledge the increased energy cost pressures on businesses and households and commit to bringing forward measures to contain energy costs and, importantly, to also tackle energy poverty. We have already acted on that commitment. The …

I have detailed some of the initial supports, which are targeted at households that need them. The retrofit programme is critical in helping us to decarbonise and making permanent savings for households and businesses. That programme will ratchet up even further. We established a task force in June this year. I always said there would be an interim report in advance of the budget to inform budgetary measures for this year. That is not all of the work required. Energy prices are too high. There are reasons for that …

I think we agree this is an issue. I know this is an issue and the Government is aware this is an issue. We have already taken measures, which I outlined in my initial response, but we have to go further. Work is happening at an EU-wide level. We have to look at the electricity market design and the Regulation on Wholesale Energy Market Integrity and Transparency. They are matters I have raised at European Council meetings. There are discussions at European level. We need to expand renewables and ensure the househo…

I thank the Deputy. The programme for Government, Securing Ireland’s Future, recommitted to the national land use review. The first phase, led by the EPA, was published in March 2023 and focused on evidence gathering. The final report for phase 2 - the report the Deputy referred to - is entitled A Living Land and has been received by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Heydon; the Minister of State with responsibility for housing, Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan; and myself for consideration. I …