While I welcome the actions the Minister has taken and in particular, the prioritisation of applications through the implementation board to the separate Departments for the local community, there are problems and they need to be addressed further. It is true that the Department of Justice has been exemplary in its commitment to change and its response to people through organisations such as the Red Door Project, as mentioned by the Minister. However, that is not universal. The difficulty is that the HSE has not en…

As I said earlier, I acknowledge the fantastic job that has been done by the local Garda and the Department of Justice. There must be improvement in communication between the HSE and the Red Door Project. Action on the part of the HSE speaks louder than words. The other issue is that there must be community representatives on the implementation board. I have looked at the Dublin north east inner city implementation board, which is in a similar situation to the Drogheda implementation board. There are two community …

I welcome this debate and the commitment by the Government to raise very important issues, such as energy prices. I welcome also the attempt throughout the EU to mitigate the impact of the price fluctuations and huge increases on vulnerable citizens and businesses. I am all for dealing with climate change, but I am concerned there is a rip-off in this country, especially in the sale of petrol and diesel. I had to visit Kerry over the weekend. A litre of petrol there was €1.64 but it can cost €1.70 in north County D…

Sixteen years after Leas Cross, seven years after Áras Attracta, we now find sustained sexual abuse of more than 18 residents was known to the HSE for over 13 years in a particular home. Will the Taoiseach make sure mandatory reporting legislation is introduced as a matter of urgency to protect vulnerable people in homes and care situations? Will he have a public inquiry to support the needs of broken-hearted families who lost loved ones in nursing homes like Ballynoe in County Cork and Dealgan House in County Lout…

I ask the Minister the status of funding awarded and applications under consideration in counties Louth and Meath in respect of support for walking infrastructure such as greenways and trails. Many in County Louth have been successful.. I thank the Minister and we have to make sure the funding is spent. I will wait for her reply and debate further with her, especially about the Mell Greenway.

I thank the Minister for her reply. She has a grasp of all the issues in her brief. I congratulate her on that. She put her finger on it when she referred to the actions of local authorities in making applications that her Department funds them, which I welcome, but it is not always the case that funding that is granted to local authorities is spent. Indeed, there was a case in Louth County Council last year with the Mell Greenway where the funding for it was not spent. I know the Minister is working with the counc…

I thank the Minister for her time and for being on top of all the issues. I welcome her working with Louth County Council to ensure the funding that was allocated two years ago is now actually going to be spent. Substantial progress has been made in County Louth. If you go north, the Cooley walk in Omeath is fantastic, as is the greenway to Carlingford. We have a proposal of a greenway from Oldbridge to Navan. We also have the Mell Greenway, which are talking about. At the moment, there is a plan with An Bord Plean…

I welcome this debate and budget. There are many good things in it, and I refer in particular to tangible improvements, especially for families who are caring for very sick children in acute and long-term care for a significant period of time. Up to now, you would get your three months' carer's allowance but this would be cut after three months, and your three months' domiciliary allowance would also disappear. These are parents or guardians of children who are very ill, in acute hospitals, often far away from wher…

I welcome the support the Minister is providing in her Department to victims of domestic violence, particularly on rent supplement flexibility. The facts are that, since 1996, 209 women and 16 children have died as a result of domestic violence. Women's Aid tells us that last year over 29,000 contacts were made with the organisation, an increase of 43%. Serious and absolutely appalling crimes are being committed and the Minister's support must continue. What does the Minister intend to do about increasing flexibili…

I welcome the Minister's comments on her commitment to continuing supports. The facts are absolutely shocking. Women's Aid tells us that 24,800 women contacted the organisation last year about emotional, physical or sexual abuse. It is absolutely appalling. I know from its annual report that three women died violently last year as a result of domestic violence, 709 women were faced with the threat of murder, 148 pregnant women were abused and there were 28 miscarriages. This is an appalling situation, and we cannot…

I welcome the Minister's commitment to this issue. Earlier, I heard a discussion on "Morning Ireland" about a regional rape crisis centre that is looking for a significant increase in funding. It is well worth supporting people in that situation. Indeed, we cannot do enough to help those voluntary organisations. I appreciate ad fully respect the work the Minister is doing. We must all act together in a stronger and more cohesive way to support all the people in these terrible and appalling situations. Last year alo…

I agree with much of what Deputies Carroll MacNeill and Bruton said. Listening to "Morning Ireland", I heard the sweet, melodious voices of the members of the Loving Life Choir in Drogheda, which is made up of people from a community like the ones we are discussing. Among those who sang were Kara, Kate and Teagan. A former local councillor, Mr. Ken Ó Heiligh, is the person who organised them. It is from an area that has seen the most abuse, criminality and appalling violence. My town has suffered greatly in that re…

I strongly oppose the motion. By its nature it wants to stop the clock and stop development in the country. I accept there is clearly an issue with energy supply in the future. The research the Social Democrats allege they have done has been very poor and needs to be informed far more constructively. For over 30 years, technology successes in Ireland have made our country the destination of choice for leading technology companies. The IT sector accounts for €52 billion, which is 16% of the gross added value in our …

You want to put the clock back. You want us all to go back to using-----

I did not interrupt you so please shout somewhere else. The point is we have to examine this issue fairly and objectively. The Deputies must talk facts not fiction. We must deal with the energy supply issue and-----

I am very disappointed in the Social Democrats' one-sided illogical attack-----

-----on a modern economy that is providing hundreds of jobs in my town.

I know I am but I have to get my points in.

Deputy Shortall will not be able to use her computer or do her videos if she wants to stop data being processed. That is the reality.

They barely use water.