I oppose the proposal to approve without debate the additional borrowing facility at the International Monetary Fund. Countries most vulnerable to climate change face not only devastating floods and other disasters but also crippling debt. These financial burdens are nearly impossible to escape, leaving little room to address the pressing needs of their populations. Without significant debt relief, these countries will struggle to provide basic services, let alone tackle climate change. Targeted support from nation…

Last week at a Cancer Trials Ireland event, patient advocate Patrick Kivlehan spoke out about how participating in a clinical trial probably saved his life. He highlighted that delays in opening clinical trials to Irish patients could be a matter of life or death. I acknowledge that access to clinical trials is a Government priority. The current national cancer strategy aims for 6% of cancer patients to participate in clinical trials. Unfortunately, we are far short of this target, with only 1.5% of patients on int…

In what is my last-ever intervention during Leaders' Questions, I return to the issue of genomics and cancer. Today there 2,435 people on the waiting list at St. James's Hospital for hereditary cancer tests, including for breast cancer. Some of these patients are mothers of young families waiting over 18 months to access a potentially life-saving test. Cancer genetic counselling is essential to access these tests, but there are only six counsellors at St. James's Hospital and we fall short of the 20 needed to meet …

Yesterday, the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform said education was one component in ensuring a thriving population, as is feeling supported in times of ill-health. As many Members know, I have been consistently raising questions about the planned relocation of the children's hospital in Crumlin to the national children's hospital site, bizarrely without the transfer of the genomics lab. The genomics service is vital for children with rare diseases, 30% of whom will neve…

According to an Irish Examiner -IPSOS poll that was published last week, 70% of people who live in rural Ireland do not believe that there is a visible Garda presence in their areas. Members of the public believe that improved visibility can deter crime. How does the Government propose to increase visible rural policing?

The move regarding the LCSPs is positive. I welcome it. When the Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris, came before the justice committee last year, he pointed out that rural policing is done with the active support of local communities. We can only have the active support of those communities if we have gardaí engaging with them. The difficulty is that if people in rural areas throughout the country are asked who their local garda is or who would they contact in the local Garda station, which may be located may be 20 or…

There are more gardaí going through Templemore and more are being recruited. That is very positive. However, the reality is that they are not coming to Roscommon, Longford or Mayo. We can designate gardaí all we like, but they are not there. In addition, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, is aware of cases where gardaí are stationed in far-flung parts of the country. They cannot get back to anywhere near County Roscommon or counties in the midlands. As a result, gardaí are being forced out of the force because there is …

They are not coming to Roscommon or Galway.

A bit of luck money.

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill. Its aim to ensure effective access to cash across the State is a very welcome proposal. It will set criteria for the accessibility of ATM and cash service points so that no region is left behind. It is important that people have access to cash. It is not just older people; there are many people who are quite concerned about issues regarding online fraud, and this is a way to avoid it. We must also remember that organisations like MABS and other advisers are advising p…

Clarity of focus.

We have moved this motion to recognise the invaluable contribution of carers to Irish society. We want to acknowledge the fact that there are half a million carers right across this country who are providing vital care daily, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. These carers deserve recognition not just in words, but through practical support. The introduction of a non-means-tested carer’s allowance that would focus solely on care needs rather than on financial status would help to provide that recognition to many of t…

Is it me or Deputy Flaherty?

I must stick by my neighbour.

I am sharing time with Deputy Verona Murphy. Ireland is a very modern country. We are one of the global exporters of software but, unfortunately, when it comes to the adoption of digital health, we are a laggard. It is important that we acknowledge that part of that problem is down to us in this House and the way we, as politicians, handled the whole PPARS debacle, which had a chilling effect on the development of health services and digital health services in Ireland. I will flag a few issues but I will also do so…

As the Minister knows, I have raised the bizarre situation whereby there are no plans to relocate the genomics lab at Crumlin Children's Hospital when other services move to the St. James's Hospital site. It has now come to my attention that we are sending Irish samples to the United States, the UK, France, Spain, Germany and Finland for genomics testing. There are concerns about how the data on Irish patients' genetics is being handled. This issue could be addressed and the tests returned quite quickly - in a frac…

I want to raise the issue of long Covid with the Minister. During the summer, an academic report review article was published on long Covid, covering the science, research and policy. It made quite a number of recommendations, some of which are applicable to the Minister's Department. It was published in Nature Medicine . It is talking about taking a more adaptive and flexible approach to support long Covid patients so they can come back into the workforce.

I refer to the publication last August in Nature Medicine by Dr. Al-Aly and his team. He works in Washington University with veterans. They looked at studies all over the globe on long Covid. They made the point that recovery rates are extremely low after one year. Medical officers in the Minister's Department based in Longford have been taking a flexible approach in relation to patients with long Covid symptoms. I acknowledge them in relation to that. I carried out poll research, which is sadly the only evidence b…

I will come back to the report again. One of the points made in the report is that there needs to be streamlining of disability benefit processes. I accept that schemes are available from the Minister's Department but it would be better if it was clearly defined on the Department's website, "If you have the symptoms of long Covid for a period of time, these are the options available to you", rather than people having to piece them together individually. That is the issue I want to bring to the Minister's attention.…

It is like a dose of Epsom salts at the moment. I have taken up with the Minister before the issue of the 18.5-hour cap on someone in receipt of the carer's allowance. I have given examples of cases in which the child for whom the carer is caring is in education and the carer could work for more than 18.5 hours a week. The Department should allow flexibility in that limited number of cases for such circumstances.