I take this matter extremely seriously. All of us, as TDs and representatives in our areas, see the damage that drugs can do and are doing. The Deputy has referenced specific points about Wexford with regard to policing resources. I have given examples of where those community policing teams are back in place. With regard to resourcing our Naval Service, the Deputy knows the Government is right now embarking on a significant recruitment campaign for our Naval Service. We have greatly improved the terms, conditions …

On customs, the Deputy has mentioned drug seizures. All across our State agencies they carry out really important work. Will we stop every single drug shipment coming into the country? No country can do that either. Do we need to improve and increase our capacity to protect our coastline? Yes, and that is what we are doing. That is why we are embarking on the most significant recruitment in our Naval Service and in our Defence Forces right now.

I thank the Deputy for raising this important point relating to Letterkenny general hospital. He asked about an implementation group to make sure the resourcing that is required there will be put in place, and I will certainly raise that matter directly with the Minister for Health and relay that to him. It is important we look at the overall context of where we are with health delivery and with regard to resourcing our health service. The Deputy will know that this year, we have a health budget of just short of €2…

I will raise the matter directly with the Minister for Health. It is not a question of just throwing money at it but is about getting improved health outcomes for our people, and I have given the Deputy just some examples of that where life expectancy and other rates have improved over the course of a few years. In respect of Letterkenny, since January 2020, there has been an increase in staffing of about 25%. In 2020, the hospital had a budget of €157 million and its budget has now grown by €39 million, an increas…

The matter of insurance reform is a really important one for the Government and we have been embarking on that further reform. We want to make sure consumers get proper value for money and that cost reductions are passed on to them. That is why the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, recently met representatives of the insurance sector again and they are to report back to him within two months, because we want cost reductions to be passed on to consumers through premium reductions as well. We have made significant …

I am glad the Deputy raised this issue. I met with Finola Cassidy again last week. Other Ministers, including the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, have engaged on the matter. I want the process to be restarted. Last year, the facilitation process, which is confidential in nature, made a great deal of progress. That has stalled now, however. I earnestly want to see it restarted. Finola and the members of the Irish Thalidomide Association deserve to see that happen. We have to agree what will need to happen to r…

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I will get further clarification for her directly from the Minister for Health. My understanding is that there will be 300 individual inpatient en suite rooms, each of which will include a place for parents or guardians to sleep. In addition, there will be 60 critical care beds and 20 child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, beds. That will be 380 beds. I have not seen the video. CHI may have just been referring to the 300 individual inpatient beds. I say very c…

Thank God the Deputy is not the only workers' representative here. All of us represent workers. We do so in a country where 90,000 new jobs have been added to the economy over the past year.

Éist liom.

Relax for a second. I am trying to answer. Just relax. There are 2.7 million people at work, and we have to ensure there is an economy there to support good jobs for people. I am a firm believer in and always have been an advocate for workers' rights. The decision to increase statutory sick leave is not required until quarter 4 of this year. We have already made significant changes in respect of maternity and paternity rights, as the Deputy knows, that are supported by the budgets this Government votes on and passe…

ICOB grants support small businesses that employ people right across this country-----

-----and I am assuming the Deputy agrees with me-----

As Minister with responsibility for planning, I cannot address specific planning applications in there because I am precluded from-----

I understand the Deputy's concern, particular as brought forward the Marine Planning Act that was passed by this House. The Deputy is right there are great advantages for this country. There is a real need to expand our offshore renewable energy, ORE, capability. Indeed, there are very clear benefits for our communities and for our country. Public consultation with stakeholders is crucially important, including with fishers. I know there has been consultation with the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, MARA, and o…

The Deputy may have missed my earlier response regarding the health budget. There are 3,000 additional staff being recruited this year.

I understand.

I will raise the point the Deputy raised directly with the Minister, Deputy Donnelly. Everyone understands that in order to fill posts across the sector, it can take some time because, effectively, we have full employment.

I will bring the matter up with the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, and I will ask him to respond directly to the Deputy because he has raised an important point. We want to make sure staff safety and patient safety is paramount. I will raise it with the Minister, Deputy Donnelly.

Clare County Council is the housing authority for County Clare. I am familiar with this case. Thankfully, Clare County Council is building many more homes than heretofore. I have always told all local authorities to use existing stock where they can to house people. We are doing that across the country. The decision taken in respect of that specific scheme was taken by Clare County Council. As such, this is a matter for the council.

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter regarding Carlow, which is of no surprise to me. A matter relating to Carlow is raised every day. This is a serious issue. I do not take it lightly. If the Deputy can give me the details, I will raise the issue with the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, and get him to look into it and respond directly to the Deputy.