What planet are you living on, Deputy?

Housing remains the number one societal issue for this State, unquestionably. There is no self-congratulatory tone from the Government side. I was honest with people when I had the honour of being made housing Minister in 2020 that the Government was bringing in a new housing plan and was dealing with much unmet demand. There was a ten-year period when, for many reasons, not enough homes were being built to meet demand. There is still a legacy of that. All I state here today are the facts. The fact is that since th…

It is your legacy.

The scaling up of investment in housing is unprecedented. This year we will invest €5.1 billion in housing, which is the highest amount ever. Next year we have budgeted for over €6 billion through all the funding mechanisms. The revised targets are being worked through right now in conjunction with the revised national planning framework. I cannot give the Deputy a definitive deadline on that, but it is important we set new targets. The three parties set targets, and I am sure the Deputy's party will do so as well.…

I thank the Deputy for his questions and the points he has raised on this very important issue. He has been and continues to be a strong advocate for the expansion of clinical trials and of access to them. The Minister for Health has been very clear that he wants to double the number of clinical trials taking place in Ireland. Patients involved in clinical trials can, as the Deputy said, receive cutting-edge therapies, often years before they are widely available. Some patients can experience much better outcomes i…

I agree with Deputy Naughten. As this is, as he has mentioned, his last contribution on Leaders' Questions, I will commend him on his years of service in this House since he won that by-election in 1997. Whether in government or in opposition, as he is now, I have always found him to be an excellent and constructive colleague. First and foremost, he has the well-being of his constituents at heart but he has also driven a number of matters, including this one. He will know that we, as his colleagues, have been think…

I thank the Deputy for raising this really important issue. As she has correctly stated, it is an issue that transcends politics. We all want to see the best of education for all our children. We particularly want to see supports in place for those kids with additional and special needs. We have made significant strides in that period. I will come to the Deputy's question directly but I will first put it in context. I recall the level of special schools, special needs assistants and therapists when I first entered …

I will certainly take every point Deputy Nolan has raised and raise them with the Minister for Education and the Minister for Health. We discuss this issue at Cabinet regularly. As regards private assessment of need, that is, being able to utilise the private sector to work through the private assessments, we allocated just under €7 million in May 2024, as the Deputy will be aware. That will fund approximately 2,500 private assessments of needs for long-waiting families - families who have waited too long. I want t…

First, the Government does not set the tolls. The Deputy knows that, too. Let us be straight, clear and honest with people. I have to say, though, and it is not often I agree with Deputy Doherty, the proposed toll increases are far too high, particularly at this current time. For example, there will be an increase of €1 to the peak-time rate on Dublin Port Tunnel’s southbound carriageway. Apparently, TII and Dublin Port Tunnel are saying it is to help with the flow of traffic. Anyone in this city or county who sees…

This situation in the area, not just in Gaza, is absolutely despicable. It is a wasteland where thousands and thousands of people have been murdered by the Israeli army. I do not call it the Israel Defense Forces anymore because this is not a defensive action. Let us not forget about the West Bank and what is happening there, with attacks by settlers supported by the Israeli army, and the ongoing brutal attack on Lebanon, and not just south Lebanon. We have seen an expansion of that and bombings in northern Lebanon…

Deputy Boyd Barrett will know this. All of us share the revulsion at what is happening there. I cannot and do not set the times or dates for committees to meet. Deputy Paul Murphy can shake his head all he likes.

I am trying to be constructive with Deputy Boyd Barrett on this. I take his point and will raise it directly. I cannot give a commitment because it would be unfair of me to do so. I will, however, raise the point directly with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, who, as the Deputy knows, is in Paris today representing our country in connection with the situation in Lebanon and the Middle East. Ireland has led. It has been one of the leaders in the European Union with regard to ou…

We had a good debate this morning and during the week about housing output. The solution is supply, and we are increasing supply substantially. In Louth, the Deputy's county, he sees that and he sees the new builds, cost-rental and affordable homes for the first time and very impressive social housing output. I want any specific example the Deputy has. There is capacity in our emergency accommodation, and it is good-quality emergency accommodation. I do not want people to be in it, but when they are I want them to …

That is a fact. That is what I was going to say. The planning Act precludes me from doing that.

I saw that programme as well. It is unquestionable, as the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, has said, that we have seen a significant increase in eating disorders. We are able to see the impact that has on the individuals themselves and their families. In April of this year, as Deputy Pringle will know, the Minister of State announced additional funding for the eating disorders programme of €1.3 million, which included €700,000 in funding for a new adult eating disorder team which is based in CHO 7, out of Dublin …

I was not aware of that. On a personal level, I wish the Deputy and, obviously, his daughter in particular all the very best for a speedy recovery. I am sure that was a traumatic event for her and for the Deputy's family. I do not have the numbers to hand. The Deputy has referred to 30% of children in Wicklow waiting six months or more. I cannot back that up here. I could go through with Deputy Brady all the different investments in health. I am not going to do that. Obviously, physiotherapy post an event like that…

Go raibh maith agat as ucht an cheist ar an ábhar tábhachtach seo. It is good to hear the report is concise. I guarantee the Deputy that, on receiving it, the Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, and I will review it. The Minister of State has delegated responsibility in this area. I am pleased that our capital budgets for the provision of Traveller accommodation have been fully spent every year in which this Government has been in place. There is an issue and I know the caravan loan scheme and other matters are being…

I agree with the Ceann Comhairle. It is appalling and tragic to think we only know now about a child who has been missing for two years. It really beggars belief. I join Deputy O’Dowd in urging anyone with information to contact An Garda Síochána, regardless of whether he or she believes the information is of any or of little significance. I have read the media reports on this case. I am concerned by many aspects of it, including interagency approaches and how it could be the case that a child could be missing for …

The Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the Cork event centre. That is an important part of the decision it made this week. The Taoiseach and I submitted a memo on it to the Cabinet and it had the full support of all its members. We will see an expedited and truncated procurement process. Costs have increased. The Government has already committed €57 million in grants for this project. That will increase. The facility needs to be built. I assume the Deputy supports it. I do, too. The Tánaiste does, too, and…

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of special needs school bus escorts. I will raise it directly with the Minister for Education, having regard to the rates of pay, and then revert to the Deputy directly.