That is because of the helicopter service.

Twelve months later Frankie gave-----

I will be brief, a Cheann Comhairle. There is huge anxiety out there among leaving certificate students. The way they were informed last night, namely, via social media, was not the way they should have been. This Chamber, Dáil Éireann, should have a proper debate. Let the Minister for Education come and outline exactly the detail that has been presented to her and let us explore some of the practical options that could ease the anxiety for students. As I said here last week, we should be looking at an alternative …

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, is travelling to Ros an Mhíl to announce a very welcome €25 million investment to help capitalise on our massive offshore energy opportunities. While the Russians are holding the EU over a barrel regarding gas supplies, thus taming the EU approach not just to Ukraine but to war games off our own coast, we in Ireland are sitting on enough offshore electricity to power more than 64 million homes across the European Union. As I pointed out in our P…

As the Ceann Comhairle will be aware, as a member of the Business Committee I supported the taking of the questions and answers session earlier in the debate on the structure and roll-out of the NBP. I also called for it in the House before Christmas, as Members are genuinely concerned by what the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, called earlier, "a complex corporate structure". We have heard of references to holding companies, entities and subcontractors. It is mesmerising. I reiterate that the Minister of t…

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for giving me the opportunity to raise this important issue. Long Covid has been called a hidden iceberg of long-term illness, yet the HSE has been slow to acknowledge the condition or provide clear care pathways, which could have serious long-term implications for those with the condition, as well as for our health service more generally and for our economy. Various studies give different incidence rates of long Covid. A research paper produced by the Oireachtas Library and Research Ser…

I thank the Minister of State for her reply. The difficulty with the reply is that I do not see the sense of urgency about this in the HSE. As the Minister of State says in her reply, the HSE is setting up working groups for clinics over the coming weeks. As I have pointed out, it is only when these clinics are operational that referral pathways will be put in place for GPs. The Minister of State is advising people to go to their GPs but the GPs are not being given the tools or the referral pathways for those parti…

I move: That Dáil Éireann shall take note of the Report of the Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands entitled "Examination of Bogus Self Employment", copies of which were laid before Dáil Éireann on 16th June, 2021. I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to debate this motion on the report of the joint committee on bogus self-employment. I will share my time with Deputy Ó Cathasaigh. I would like to thank Members for their attendance this evening and committe…

I thank all of the Members who have contributed to this debate. I thank those who contributed not just at our own joint committee but also, as was pointed out earlier, the members of the previous joint committee who held the hearings on this issue. They did the heavy work in their hearings. I thank Deputy Joan Collins who was able to bring that together working with Mr. Jack Savage and who produced the recommendations of the report that we are discussing. I want to acknowledge the work done by the former Cathaoirle…

Scientific research has been a key plank of Ireland's economic and industrial policy and it has also been vital in enabling us to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. That is down to our scientists, many of whom were inspired to go into research through their engagement with Science Gallery Dublin. Science Gallery Dublin has gone international, with offshoots ranging from the United States to Australia. Next month, however, the original gallery here in Ireland is set to shut its doors for the last time, undermining ou…

Everyone accepts we cannot have the traditional leaving certificate examination we had in 2019 and in previous years. However, it is also important students quickly get absolute clarity on the format of this year's leaving certificate examination. They acknowledge the provisions that have been made in the form of more choice in the examination papers. They do not feel it is enough to reflect the additional challenges they face as a result of Covid-19, which they experienced throughout their senior cycle. It is impo…

As the Minister of State knows, the home relocation scheme - it was the second such relocation scheme that I secured to take families out of homes where there was no solution to their particular flooding problems - was introduced in 2017. However, a number of families failed to avail of it at the time even though they were eligible and they should not be excluded.

I thank the Minister of State for that information. I have been dealing with three families, two of whom live in the catchment area of Lough Ree. We are never going to be able to hold that back regardless of whatever remedial measures are put in place. The two families naively believed that the Government's announcements after the 2016 flood regarding water management measures would address their problem. They did not want to leave their homes, so they did not apply at the time. They were marooned again some years …

I have brought the case to the attention of the chairman of the OPW and have engaged directly with him on the matter. I have also brought it to the attention of the local authority. However, I will take up the Minister of State's offer and provide him with the details. We successfully secured the home relocation scheme but there was also a scheme for farmyard relocations. This is not under the Minister of State's direct remit but it is something in which I know he has an interest. Will he provide the House with an …

I welcome this legislation and the transposition of the audiovisual and media services directive. I was involved in the negotiation of that directive, which also contains measures to protect children. The Minister is to be commended on securing the commitment to appoint an online safety commissioner. It was clear to me, prior to any of the controversies, that this was urgently needed in this country. I had hoped to do it back in 2018 but due to circumstances outside my control, that did not happen. It must be prope…

The reality is if we do not get this right here, there will be a push at EU level to have an EU-wide regulatory regime, so it is in the interests of the technology industry in Ireland to ensure there is a robust, transparent and well-resourced system in place in this country. That sector should proactively work with the Minister in that regard. I put it to the Minister again that if the HSE in Ireland got a commitment from all the tech companies after the outbreak of Covid-19 that they would proactively take down d…

It is 416 days since the project was announced. We need some indication of the available funding and possible timeline through to allocation because there is considerable anxiety out there. On average, clubs across the country have sought approximately €67,000, some of them substantially more than that. In a High Court settlement in April of last year, €300,000 was paid in a case where a defibrillator failed to operate. This has implications for every sports club across the country. The Department needs to set out …

My understanding is that when questions are grouped the combined total is 18 minutes. Therefore, the Minister of State has three minutes.

We need to provide a mechanism that protects community groups and individuals regarding defibrillators. I actively encourage their availability. However, individuals and community groups could be exposed if the defibrillators are not checked at least once a month, if the batteries and pads are not being replaced as specified by the manufacturer, if they are not housed in heated defibrillator cabinets as specified by the manufacturer or if they are out of the manufacturer's warranty. We do not want sporting clubs or…

The Minister of State might as well announce it while he has the floor, but only to the Members who are here.