As someone who is leaving the House, I can say that the unfailing constant in this House is the ushers and the friendly way they deal with us as we go from the front to the back benches and places in between. It is important that we acknowledge that. I also acknowledge the catering staff, cleaners and people you meet every day. This place could not work without them. They are absolutely fantastic. I have raised many issues over the years. I welcome the module in the Covid inquiry that will deal with the approach to…

Would you recommend that it would?

It is the only one the HSE took over. That is the point.

Will you say yes?

That is not good enough.

As a TD for County Louth, I share the views of all my constituents on the appalling vista facing us, whereby an eight-year-old boy has disappeared without trace, having been missing for at least two years. I was shocked and horrified by this. We urge anybody with information to go to the Garda immediately and urgently. It is entirely unacceptable that, in the modern world, a child can disappear into thin air. In addition to speaking as a TD, I speak as a parent, grandparent and teacher. It is essential that mandato…

Absolutely.

It does not make sense.

In the past four years, 9,500 Irish people have died from Covid, of whom 89% were aged over 65. Countries such as Italy, France, Sweden and the UK are working on their inquiries into Covid, how it happened and how to prevent it from happening again. The Tánaiste said yesterday that the Government had unfinished business. Indeed it has, and he referred to it in his answer to a question from Sinn Féin. Will the Government commit to publishing the terms of reference of the Covid inquiry into those deaths in Ireland be…

I would welcome that very much. It will not happen though.

I call on all the people who have any knowledge of the disappearance and murder of that young boy in Drogheda to co-operate fully with the Garda. It is very important. What we have been told today is shocking and traumatic and everybody who can help should. I welcome this budget. There are many important things in it, which I welcome. In particular, I will talk about older people. Being in that cohort myself, I am probably more aware of the issues that arise among people who I know very well. I particularly welcome…

I have a short time. I welcome the budget and especially the work the Minister has done over the years. It is a fact that the Minister is hardworking, efficient and effective. I also pay tribute to her staff around the country. As a TD and public representative for 50 years, and I suppose I drive everyone mad by ringing up about clients, but I have to say on the record that the Minister's Department is the best there is. It gives instant responses and the Department comes back straight away. It looks after people e…

Covid has taken the lives of over 9,500 citizens to date in our country. It was a shock and an appalling vista to all of those families who lost those loved ones. As a supporter of the Government, I want to know what we are going to do in relation to learning the lessons from the deaths from Covid. Ninety per cent of those deaths were people aged over 65. Older people are queuing up now in doctors' surgeries right around the country to get their welcome Covid injection to help them if and when it comes again in a p…

I recently met with representatives of Dignity for Patients. They represent an increasing number of people who are coming forward who were abused by the convicted criminal paedophile Michael Shine. I support their demand for a commission of investigation into all aspects of the abuse they suffered and other issues we have privately advised the Taoiseach of. I support what the Taoiseach has said so far. It is an evil that has been perpetrated right across the country and we have to make sure that people are still he…

As Chairman of the Good Friday Agreement implementation committee here in the Oireachtas, I warmly welcome the reset of relations between Britain and Ireland and, in particular, the Taoiseach's immediate engagement with the British Prime Minister on how fruitful, I hope, their meeting next week will be. I also welcome Hilary Benn's appointment as the Northern Ireland secretary. He has been a frequent visitor to this House and we, Members of the Oireachtas, have met him in the United Kingdom Parliament as well. His …

Becton, Dickinson and Company has had a factory operating in Drogheda since 1964. Generations of Drogheda people have worked there. Unfortunately, the devastating news yesterday was that 170 people will lose their jobs over the next two years. There seemed to be no early warning system to the Minister - the Department was only informed the evening before. There was no opportunity to intervene and support this company, if it can be supported. I know the Minister will travel to New York next week to discuss issues wi…

Not yet.

I welcome the Minister. Many good things are happening in Drogheda with IDA Ireland. On 26 June, permission was given by Louth County Council for an advanced unit for new industry to come in. IDA Ireland owns 45 acres of land in Drogheda. There is the recent development of two data centres. Many good things are happening, but bad things are happening as well. The bad news for us is that 170 people, 110 early next year, will depart from Becton Dickinson and Company, which is a fantastic company. It is one of the lea…

It is a shocking blow to the town. I accept the Minister's bona fides in trying to address the issue at this late stage. The fact is that the Taoiseach has promised a task force for Drogheda, which is what I want. I have met with him and we have discussed it with his staff. It will be broader, but will include this as a key issue. Very shortly - around 16 July - I expect the Taoiseach to meet with people who are interested in this matter to discuss how we do that. The task force is very important. This decision was…

This is a very important debate and I congratulate the Minister of State, who is an advocate for the care of older people. She has a difficult job and she fights her corner, and I will certainly always stand up for her in that respect. I have great admiration for her. The care of older people is critical, but the way they have been treated is appalling. If we look at the facts that Alone put into this debate with a report regarding people who are at home and need their homes to be adapted for their care, the Govern…