Last Friday, the family of Scarlett Faulkner brought her remains to St. Munchin's Church in Clancy Strand in Limerick and they said their goodbyes. Tragically, two days later, the body of her brother, Jason Faulkner, was recovered from the Abbey river in Limerick. It is a second devastating blow for the family and friends of the tight-knit community and I would like to extend my deepest condolences to them. The HSE Mid-West is very involved in supporting the wider group and family group. The local resource officer …

I once more raise the issue of trolley numbers at University Hospital Limerick, UHL. Today, according to the INMO, there are 105 patients in UHL who do not have beds. That is double the number in next nearest hospital, University Hospital Galway, where 54 people are waiting for beds. Unfortunately, the numbers in this regard have been tracking upward again in recent weeks. I ask that the Minister for Health come before the House to provide an update on the welcome news regarding the site that has been acquired near…

I rise to raise the important issue of funding for local authorities' cleansing departments. Throughout the course of my duties, I am in contact with our councillor colleagues around the country and I am also out on the doors in Limerick weekly meeting people. One of the more frequent requests I get is for a new bin or for a road to be swept or general concerns expressed to me about rubbish, including disposable vapes, which have recently been found around people's otherwise lovely estates. I am in regular contact …

I welcome the students from Donabate Community College to the Seanad Chamber. They are very welcome and I hope they enjoy their visit to Leinster House today. They are just arriving as we are concluding what we call the Order of Business. It happens on every sitting day in the Chamber. At the beginning, the Leader of the House comes in and sets forth what Senators will be discussing and debating for the day. We then usually have an hour assigned to allow Senators to come into the Chamber to raise any other matter t…

Fáilte go léir to the representatives of Ireland South. On behalf of Fianna Fáil, I thank them for their addresses. I look forward to continued engagement as the afternoon progresses. I wish to raise three issues that touch upon contributions some of the MEPs made. The first is the pressing matter of social media accounts and instant messaging platforms, particularly with regard to our young people and our children. The single biggest pressure facing parents today and their greatest worry is the moment they feel co…

We will pause for a moment while the Minister departs and the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Moynihan, takes over. He is very welcome.

Is that agreed? Agreed.

I advise the Minister of State that a vote has been called in the Dáil. There are just three minutes left in the debate.

I call Senator Stephenson. Is Senator Stephenson sharing time?

Did he?

Is that agreed? Agreed.

When is it proposed to take Committee Stage?

Is that agreed? Agreed.

When is it proposed to sit again?

I raise my very serious concerns about the lifting of the passenger cap at Dublin Airport without parallel measures to divert non-core traffic and develop new routes into regional airports and in particular into Shannon Airport. Dublin now accounts for the overwhelming majority of passenger traffic into the country. In 2025, Dublin handled 83% of all flights into the country in quarters 1, 2 and 3. We do not have the final statistics in quarter 4 yet. Some 8% went to Cork and only 5% went to Shannon. Shannon Airpor…

I have been contacted in the last 24 hours by a number of businesses in Limerick that are having difficulties with fibre installation in the city centre, which is surprising given that the city has a significant amount of infrastructure already invested in it in this regard. While the businesses I have spoken to have their contracts with different service providers, whether Eir or another private telecoms provider, it would appear that the work to install the fibre line has been subcontracted to the same company an…

Curaim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I thank her for coming in to the Chamber today and for taking the time to listen and engage with us on this really important topic. I commend the work being done in the Department and the work she has been leading on in the area of apprenticeships since her appointment. As a parent and the Fianna Fáil spokesperson in the Seanad on further and higher education and skills, I am very interested in this area. It has been a thrill and a real eye-opener to learn over the past year, in d…

The Irish Dental Association has described the dental situation in Limerick as in a state of total collapse. At a recent Oireachtas health committee meeting, and indeed on our local media in Limerick, the Irish Dental Association CEO, Mr. Fintan Hourihan, has said that if the figures he is seeing are accurate, less than one in five children in Limerick is getting the preventative visits to which they are entitled. Government policy is, as Members will know, that primary school children should be seen by a dentist i…

I add my condolences to all those who loved and worked with Brian Crowley. Unfortunately, I did not have the pleasure of knowing him but from hearing party colleagues speak about him, he sounds like an incredible person. I know that his loss is deeply felt. Thank you for your lovely tribute, a Chathaoirligh. Unfortunately, I also have to voice my deep sympathies and absolute regret and horror on the passing of the teenage girl, Grace Lynch. On Sunday just gone, while she was walking, minding her own business - we b…

I commend the work of the men and women of An Garda Síochána in Limerick over the Christmas period and January. I have been speaking to members and representatives of the business community, shoppers, and residents in Limerick city. I am hearing positive feedback to the Christmas policing plan that was put into place by the local Henry Street gardaí over the Christmas period. We had increased visibility of gardaí on the street in the city centre, which really demonstrated the commitment that the gardaí had made to …