The hospital for the town of Athlone is Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe. There has been a 60% reduction in the number of buses facilitating patients and visitors attending Portiuncula as a result of the decision by the National Transport Authority not to replace the lost Bus Éireann services. An analysis of the current Citylink replacement service with that provided by Bus Éireann shows that, between 7.30 a.m. an 9.30 p.m., the service has gone from 226 buses a week to a current offering of just 84 buses a week…

I thank the Minister and welcome his comments on that. I want to put on record that we will now see a development of health services in Portiuncula with the development of a new ambulatory care centre which will expand the outpatient services available there. Someone going from Roscommon town to Portiuncula for one of those appointments at, say, 11 a.m. will have to leave Roscommon town before 6 a.m. It would take that person four hours to get to Ballinasloe travelling from Roscommon town, into Galway city to the c…

I wish to share my time with Deputy Berry. Due to the failure to progress this vital legislation over the past decade, back in 2018 I, as Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, secured Cabinet approval for the prioritisation of this cross-departmental legislation, which was driven by the Department of An Taoiseach. It was clear to me back in 2018 as a signatory of the North Seas Energy Cooperation, which was established to facilitate cost-effective deployment of offshore renewable energy, that…

Budget 2022 must be different. We have a once in a generation opportunity, as we work our way out of this pandemic, to restructure our economy. The Deputies in the Regional Group are firmly of the view that this budget cannot just be about closing the gaps that have emerged during the pandemic; it must also implement the strategy and support structures that will ensure that every person in Ireland can grow and be supported in our recovery. First and foremost, we must ensure that we have a tax and welfare system whe…

It is not all about reform. There are many supports to help people transition from welfare but they are of little use if we cannot get that message out. We need a single government interface that shows how starting work or increasing hours can increase income. Building on the Department of Social Protection's benefit of work estimator, we need an individualised income calculator that is much clearer on eligibility for a range of entitlements, which often causes confusion. We must make sure that a work always pays s…

We need to bring the Minister for Health before the House as a matter of urgency to find out why the HSE has been so slow to recognise long Covid as a condition. It is estimated that there is somewhere around 35,000 people affected by long Covid, but during the past 18 months patients have found it next nigh to impossible to get doctors to believe them, even though this condition has been recognised by the World Health Organization. The economic cost alone is in excess of €50 million and continues to grow yet our h…

Last week, the Taoiseach told the Dáil the Government is committed to recognising the sacrifices that public sector workers, in particular front-line healthcare workers, have made. Twelve months ago, I raised with the Taoiseach the need to properly recognise the Trojan work of front-line healthcare workers, in particular all those across our hospital and community health services, from cleaners to consultants. I raised it again with him four months ago. I have no doubt the Government is committed to providing recog…

Fifty-two weeks ago, I said to the Taoiseach in Dáil Éireann that if it was not possible to reward healthcare workers with pay increases or some form of a bonus system, the minimum we should offer them is additional paid leave. It would be time to spend with their families, with whom they have sacrificed precious family time, and to recover from the physical and emotional tiredness they are undoubtedly feeling. The Taoiseach was generous in his response, stating that the Government would examine my suggestion and p…

On behalf of the Regional Group, I echo the comments of the Leas-Cheann Comhairle regarding the staff working in the Houses. My colleagues in the Regional Group and I worked closely with the Government to pass the Criminal Justice (Perjury and Related Offences) Act, which sends a clear message to anyone engaged in legal proceedings that they must tell the truth. When commenced, the legislation will mean fines of up to €100,000 or up to ten years' imprisonment for lying in court. It was signed into law by an tUachta…

The approach to reopening indoor dining should not be confined only to those who are fully vaccinated. Along with my colleagues, I have pressed Government on the use of rapid antigen testing. It should be the case that antigen testing at the door is equivalent to vaccination. We have been talking about antigen testing for the past 12 months and here we are, still talking about it and thinking about introducing it but with nothing happening on it. The reason I am so concerned with the Bill before us is we are discri…

I thank the Minister of State and her officials for the briefing I got earlier today to try to go through these 20 pages of amendments. I accept that the Minister of State flagged these issues on Committee Stage and, based on the briefing I got today, I also accept that a substantial number of the amendments relate to partners. This is a complex issue to reflect in the legislation and that is why we have so many complex amendments before us. However, it is not good practice to have 20 pages of amendments with very …

If a couple are in a nursing home at the same time, that is fair enough, but what is the position when one of them enters a nursing home subsequent to the other? This has huge implications, not just for this legislation but also perhaps for women's names being put on farm deeds. It is important that the matter is clarified.

I thank the Minister of State for the clarification, which is welcome. I have one final question. The length of time a person is in a nursing home - up to three years - is taken into account in this legislation and, after that, once the successor is appointed. During the six years that the asset must be held by the successor, however, persons are not given credit for the length of time that is already in the successor's name. The example I gave the Minister of State is of someone who has had an asset in his or her …

I move amendment No. 32: In page 39, between lines 5 and 6, to insert the following: “24 . The Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 45A (inserted by section 23): "45B. (1) The Executive shall prepare, within 180 days of the Act taking effect, a report containing information in relation to the legislative and policy options available to the State for the reassessment of arrears accumulated as a result of the failure to introduce a 3 year cap on all working assets. (2) The …

I hear what the Minister of State is saying and I accept this is a substantial cost. The number of families affected by this is very small so the potential cost to the Exchequer is very small. For the individual families, however, substantial arrears may have accumulated and these will be charged against their farm holdings. The decision was taken three years ago to bring forward this legislation. That should be the date on which the provision is considered implemented, not some future date when the legislation has…

I support the amendment. The sunset clause for this legislation should be in black and white. It should be set in stone that the legislation should not be extended beyond 9 October. I genuinely believe this legislation is unworkable. It could have been workable if the provision for antigen testing was included from the start. We could be opening up restaurants and pubs later this week using antigen testing and giving people access on the exact same basis as someone who is fully vaccinated. Over the past 12 months t…

How many minutes are left?

I want to make a quick point. I acknowledge the amendments before us that talk about carbon sequestration, which is welcome, but we need to put flesh on the bones. I am glad the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has been here for this debate. What we need to do now is build on what has been developed with the smart farming initiative, expand that out and look at introducing a grassland and hedgerow management scheme, as part of the overall CAP reforms, and put financial compensation and funding directly…

Special schools reopened last February. Public transport services will be increased to 75% from 19 July but people who are fully vaccinated are still waiting on the public health advice and on Government direction in this area. This includes those in disability training centres, where there is as little as 20% capacity being provided, or older people who have had no day service whatsoever since March 2020. Why are the doors of these vital services still closed to the most vulnerable in society?

The Acting Chairman can shout for him.