Tá fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to answer this query. I have asked for an urgent update on the establishment of a hospital board, on the expansion of facilities at UHL and on what other measures can be taken, including recruitment of additional consultants to meet demand and population levels in the mid-west. At the outset I acknowledge and thank the Government and the Minister of State for last December bringing clarity and direction to the healthcare and hospit…

I thank the Minister of State for mentioning CAST and I sincerely thank her for her leadership on that initiative. It was an initiative, as I understand it, that was proposed from within the ranks in Henry Street in Limerick. The Minister of State really supported it. It was in danger of getting stuck, but she unclogged it and allowed it to move forward with her personal support. That project is getting strong feedback across Limerick. I know the final report has been prepared and submitted.

She will be making her deliberations based on that. I thank her for her support. I also thank her for listing out and reminding us of the progress that has been made. It is important to point out that all the recommendations from Mr. Justice Clarke’s report into the death of Aoife Johnston have been implemented. It is also important for the people of the mid-west to hear that. The reality is that we have huge distance and ground to make up and I acknowledge her commitment to helping us to do that. I turn to the iss…

I rise to raise the issue of the proposed wastewater treatment on the Dunlicky Road in Kilkee, County Clare. Kilkee is a beautiful spot on the Clare coastline. It is beloved by both Clare residents and people from all around the country, but it is particularly beloved by Limerick people, as the Leas-Chathaoirleach will well know. I have been contacted by councillors in County Clare and the chair of the Dunlicky Road residents association to raise concerns. I am conscious that this matter is before the courts. Clare…

I just want to wish them all well in their new secondary schools in September. This is a sixth class group, so they will be breaking up in a couple of weeks' time and moving on. We hope to see some of them back here in the future, either as staff members of the Oireachtas or some of them may choose to stand for election themselves.

I thank the Minister for his time. I am delighted to welcome him back into the Seanad on the occasion of this important debate on student accommodation. I acknowledge the very significant progress that has been made under his leadership in the Department. Sometimes in politics we focus solely on problems and do a disservice to the taxpayers and citizens by failing to recognise the actual progress that is being made and the genuine delivery and reform. Since taking office, the Minister has pursued an ambitious agend…

I raise the issue, once again, of dental care for children of schoolgoing age in the mid-west. I asked two weeks ago if we could have the Minister for Health in for a debate on healthcare in general but there are a number of issues specific to Limerick that I would like to raise with her. It has come to my attention that Limerick children are now leaving primary school without ever receiving dental screening. The legislation provides that primary school children are supposed to be offered free dental check-ups in s…

I move: "That Committee Stage be taken now."

There are a number of speakers who want to come in. We can allow three minutes each. Is that agreed? Agreed. We will start with Senator Fitzpatrick.

The Minister of State is very welcome to the Chamber. I thank our Fine Gael colleagues for bringing forward this motion, which I wholeheartedly support. I thank them for this opportunity to discuss matters as they pertain to the Garda and recognise the strong and good work that is being done right across the country, and, in particular, to recognise the work and innovation that I see in the Garda force in Limerick. I congratulate everyone involved on the success of the high-visibility policing initiative that came …

Is that agreed? Agreed.

When is it proposed to sit again?

Is that agreed? Agreed.

I thank the Minister for coming to the House for this important debate. I support many of the views expressed across the House today and thank my colleagues for bringing the issue forward. I thank the Minister for the work he has done on Jennie's law, Valerie's law, the reform of the use of therapy notes and the expansion of refuge places. I would also like to commend the fine work being done by those in the protective services units right across the country, who are dealing with this issue day in, day out in a ver…

Will the Acting Leader please write to the Minister for Health and ask her to come to the Chamber so that we can have a debate on all matters of healthcare? I am particularly interested in receiving an update on the development of the new hospital site at Raheen. It was announced a number of months ago that we had purchased the site but I am eager to know what further progress has been made. As the Acting Leader knows, we have a chronic need for expanded healthcare facilities in Limerick and the wider mid-west, wit…

The Minister of State is welcome. I thank him for giving us his time this afternoon in the Chamber. I compliment the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, on the comprehensive and informative update he gave us. I support the comments he made about disinformation and the cyber war that is going on at the moment, which we believe is predominantly propagated by Russian actors, who are minded to sow division in peaceful democracies such as ours and will use opportunities of internal conflict and protest to sow further se…

I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber. I echo the sentiments that were so eloquently delivered by my colleague Senator Casey recognising the significant suite of measures the Government has brought forward in response to the unforeseen and outside-of-our-control war instigated by America and Israel on Iran and the knock-on impact that is having around the world, and particularly here in Ireland, on the cost of energy and, in the first instance, fuel. If the fuel protests and the blockades were instructive …

I welcome the Bray School Project primary school group. They are guests of Senator Craughwell. Enjoy your visit to Leinster House. It is tradition in Leinster House that visiting school groups get the day off from homework, so enjoy your evening as well.

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Murnane O'Connor, to the Seanad.

Before Senator Tully recommences, I welcome to the Public Gallery the students and teachers from St. Mary’s Holy Faith school, who are guests of Deputy Johnny Guirke. They are very welcome and I thank them for joining us. I call Senator Tully.