There are a huge number of opportunities for all-island co-operation. This Government has led on the first all-island university in the partnership between DkIT and Queen's. We work together, study together and live together and all along the border it is seamless. However, when it comes to healthcare there are a lot of barriers. There are examples of where you can get dialysis in the North if you are a southern patient. Increased co-operation can only be good for Border communities. If we are looking at furthering…

It is great to be here to acknowledge and mark National Biodiversity Week. It is clear in this House that there is huge interest in this as an environmental issue. It is all around us, in our hedgerows, boglands, rivers, coastlines and the native trees that have shaped the story of this island for centuries. Biodiversity is our national heritage, particularly our native Irish trees. That is not just for their environmental value, but for the history, folklore and identity attached to them. That interest has led me …

I ask the Minister to outline the actions being taken by his Department to protect young people online.

I thank the Minister for that overview. As a parent, I am supremely worried about online technology harms. To a person on the street, it seems we have a wait-and-see approach. I feel child welfare is quite often dismissed due to our dependence on technology companies in the Irish economy, not by the Government but that is what it is seen as quite regularly. We see younger and younger children accessing mental health supports. We have to acknowledge the correlation between social media and online harms and our child…

I appreciate the strong line the Minister is taking on this. It is positive that this will be the single line of importance for his Department during the European Union Presidency. It is important we take a zero-tolerance approach to this and that we look after our children. As I said, it is a public health issue. The damage it has caused to our children will stay with them. I also extend that to online social media in general for all of us in the country. People would not dare say the things they say online to peo…

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy O’Donnell, for being here today. I welcome the opportunity to speak on the long-awaited and much-needed scoping exercise on the disgusting paedophile Michael Shine. He abused his position. In a depraved manner, he took advantage of his perceived respectability, and the trust we usually place in the medical profession, to abuse hundreds of patients. Today, I acknowledge and pay tribute to the courage of those victims – the survivors who have carried this burden for decades and w…

I welcome the establishment of the offshore wind energy clearing house. This shows how important the Government thinks energy security is and how important it is that we achieve it. As we all know, Ireland is dangerously exposed when it comes to energy. We are still far too reliant on imported fossil fuels, leaving our citizens and the economy at the mercy of global volatility. We have seen the consequences of that in recent weeks with soaring bills, uncertainty and pressure on households and businesses. We must mo…

It is great to have an opportunity to speak about the European Council meeting. The message could not be clearer from Europe and Ireland that we are operating in a far more volatile and uncertain world. Conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine are driving our instability, and that instability is driving directly into energy prices and supply chains. People are facing the consequences of that in the form of cost-of-living increases. Energy is right at the centre of that. The Council has acknowledged as much. When fo…

In what ways is Ireland working with EU partners and international organisations to ensure trade flows, market access, and regulatory stability are maintained during the global economic uncertainty? Will the Minister make a statement on the matter?

I thank the Minister. It is really good to hear about all the work that is going on in Ireland and the EU. We know the Minister is in agreement that our economic future and our social cohesion really depends on how we maintain those strong trade relationships and how we respond to real pressures that people are facing on the ground with energy costs and food security. I am very glad to hear that the EU Presidency has a clear focus on this. We need a strong focus on diversification to cushion our economy from shocks…

It is important that we do. With the EU Presidency, Ireland has a real opportunity to be a leader. Ireland is an economic success story, but with Ireland's Presidency of the EU let us make sure that we are cushioning ourselves and that we have a strong Europe, a strong Ireland and a strong economy.

I acknowledge the temporary measures that have been introduced to help address the rise in fuel and energy costs. They will offer some short-term support at the time when many households and businesses are feeling real pain. I have spoken to many Louth hauliers, coach operators and households who are desperately worried about what is to come. This conflict in the Middle East is the latest supply chain shock for energy markets. Uncertainty around supply chains is creating real fears about what lies ahead. In Louth a…

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this important discussion on scoliosis services and the wider need for accountability within our healthcare system. First and foremost, I must acknowledge the frustration, anger and stress experienced by children and families waiting far too long for spinal surgery. Every child deserves timely care when clinicians determine it is needed. While additional investment, increased theatre capacity and the outsourcing of procedures have helped to reduce waiting times, we must be…

Across this House we are incredibly impatient and adamant that this committee at the Department of the Taoiseach must deliver for disabled people. Right across the country, every single day, many of us speak to people with disabilities, and families who have children with disabilities who are caught up in not getting access to education, housing adaptations, timely assessments or transport in their communities. There is a cost-of-living crisis as well. There is an incredible number of issues. This committee has to …

The well-being framework shows the overall national progress on, in particular, incomes, job quality and mental health indicators. However, it makes clear that progress is not evenly felt. Single-parent households, unemployed people, renters and young people continue to experience lower well-being outcomes. We need to have more community-based supports for mental health. I believe in social prescribing. We can do more to support people beyond clinical services. What will be done to provide for initiatives such as s…

I would like to ask about this from a cultural point of view. There are a lot of things that we can benefit from that can come out of the British-Irish Council. I see local opportunities, particularly in County Louth, to enhance our Irish language, arts and music between communities. Omeath District Development, for example, has led a project. It is doing incredible work unveiling and celebrating our last Gaelic speakers in north Louth. The last native speaker was Anne O'Hanlon who died in 1960. She was from Lislea…

We have a grant-----

It is great to have this debate in the House. As the Minister of State knows, fishing is a very important industry for County Louth. It is a working industry, from Carlingford Lough right up to Port Oriel and at all the small landing points along our coast. These businesses are employing local people, sustaining families and contributing directly to the regional and national economy. The reality is that, in many ways, we have let down our fisheries in this country, and that is exactly how our fishing communities fe…

The findings of the north Kerry CAMHS look-back review are deeply concerning. Potential for harm was identified in respect of over 200 children’s files. Behind each number is a child and family who trusted the State. In too many cases, their trust was not upheld. While the review relates to Kerry, the prescribing safeguards must be a national priority. A young man recently came to me about his experience. He was prescribed risperidone at just seven years of age and remained on it for 15 years, with increasing doses…

I highlight and press an issue in County Louth, namely, the inadequate school accommodation across the entire county. In recent weeks, I have spoken to many principals and school communities in the county. Most recently, I met with St. Mochta's National School and Monksland National School. Their classes are being squeezed into spaces that were never intended for teaching children or learning. These include converted rooms, cupboards, shared areas and halls, as well as temporary solutions that are just not fit for …