As was said, the first priority should be ensuring people are cared for in the home and in the community. The difficulty is that many older people are waiting for intensive home care packages. In the previous term and the previous programme for Government, the then Government promised a statutory home care scheme. It never saw the light of day. I am not sure when that will ever come. I suspect it has not come because we simply do not have the capacity in home helps, home care hours and home support hours to deliver…

At a time when rents are at record levels the Tánaiste's Government has come up with a new solution: to hike them up even further. Its proposal to effectively remove rent controls from new tenancies signals disaster for renters, especially young people, students and their families and anyone who moves to a new rental home. The reality of the Government's plan was always clear, but now it is not just the Opposition saying it. Despite all the spin and bluster from Government and the Tánaiste over the last few weeks, …

Again the Tánaiste's response is all spin, bluster and blaming everybody else-----

-----but his Government for the fact it is bringing in policies that will drive up the cost of rent for many people. Students will not buy his line of argument. They will see through his spin. Many students are going to see their rent and the cost of their accommodation increase. They know it. They know the Government does not have their backs. The Tánaiste talks about a balance, but the balance here is tipped in favour of the vulture funds, cuckoo funds and the investors.

It is more money for them and more profit for them, which is always the case under Fine Gael, which represents a cosseted, privileged class, from my perspective.

Ordinary people who have to pay increased costs on groceries, insurance and now rent are the ones who are paying the price. The Tánaiste should stand up once and for all. He should not be blaming Sinn Féin for something we did not do and take responsibility for his actions. The Central Bank made it clear today this will hurt those same people. Take responsibility for it, stop it, scrap it, do not put institutional investors first and do not again screw those renters who are already paying high rents with even highe…

More spin, more bluster.

People are not buying any of that bluster.

The high energy has fizzled out. Gone.

We know that, and you are not doing it. It is just spin, spin, spin.

Well, now.

I have lost count of the number of times I have raised the need for funding for Waterford Airport in the House. In fact, I have raised this several times with the Tánaiste – almost a dozen at this point. I have also raised it several times with the Taoiseach and the relevant Minister. Despite all the personal statements of support I have received, more of which I have no doubt I will hear from the Tánaiste, what I request has still not happened. A commitment was given in 2019 but there is still no funding six years…

I too have been contacted by the Waterford-Wexford ETB. The issue seems to relate to the contract training programme for apprenticeships. My understanding is that previously there was a bid process, known as a funding allocation request to the then Department of Education, based on the number of apprenticeships an ETB would fund and they would get the funding on that basis. Apparently, this year or last year, there was a shift and now there is an allocation as opposed to a bid. There is also an issue due to the fac…

The Minister has acknowledged that a funding pressure has been identified so we know there is an issue. The question then is how it will be resolved. I welcome that the Minister said no class or apprenticeship will be either suspended or cancelled. I have been told by the Waterford-Wexford ETB that many of the phase 2 classes for July have not been called, which could affect up to 500 apprentices. It covers very important trades like carpentry and the other trades and skills we need, for example, to build houses. I…

The Waterford to Glenmore road scheme is an important scheme for the south east. Residents in Wexford, Waterford and Kilkenny are concerned. A public meeting has been organised in a couple weeks’ time in June in Kilkenny. It has been organised by a nurse from Wexford and other local community members because they are so concerned about the fatalities that have happened on this stretch of the road over the course of the past number of years. I engaged with officials in Waterford City and County Council but also in K…

In the Minister of State's response she said TII has identified three high-collision sites. That in and of itself tells us how important this road scheme is. Three high-collision sites have been identified because, I would imagine, of the number of fatalities that have happened since 2022. We also have local authorities in the area telling the Minister for Transport very clearly that the road is operating beyond capacity. We have very concerned motorists and very concerned members of the community who are raising t…

The Minister will agree that the cornerstone of our health service is trust. I am not a clinician, and I do not think she is one. Although some are clinicians, most Deputies in this House are not, but we depend on clinicians to guide us when we develop specialist services, for example, and when we get sick. That came into very sharp focus during Covid when people tried to sow mistrust about clinical advice. I have always been of the view that if I get sick, I go to my GP, thank you very much, for medical advice. We…

No, there was an internal one that the story this broke in the media. I assume it is the same for the Minister, which is unacceptable. I know further investigations into this matter are taking place. I am making the point that we have a system in this State where someone goes to a GP, is referred to a consultant and is then on that consultant’s list. There are bespoke options in some hospitals and some now operate what is called a centralised referral system. However, it was not the case in every situation and it d…

A number of weeks ago, Deputy Conor McGuinness and I met representatives of Comhairle na nÓg who had travelled from Waterford to submit a petition they had compiled. They met the Minister of State the same day. I know she is aware of this issue. Waterford is the only city that does not have a Jigsaw service. I know the Minister of State would join me in supporting Jigsaw as an organisation for the wonderful work it does. It is really important that young people who have a mental health difficulty get every opportun…

I agree with all of the points the Minister of State has made. As the father of a son who is doing the leaving certificate at the moment, I know about the stress that many young people face. I also agree with the Minister of State's comments regarding the LGBTI community, the trans community in particular, and the work being done by the various groups in Waterford. Obviously, people need mental health supports for a whole range of reasons. There is no family or young person who does not have a mental health difficu…