On the front page of my local newspaper, the Roscommon Herald , this morning, the owner of a retail business spoke about the deep impact a burglary has had on his life and his business. No one deserves to feel unsafe in their own workplace. I am hearing about retail crime and shoplifting and about businesses not chasing people they catch stealing in their shops because of the cost of doing so and the poor likelihood of a conviction. We are failing businesses if that is the way we are leaving things and we do not pr…

The Tánaiste is very welcome. I welcome his comments on the supply chain. Supply chain disruption will have a big impact on Ireland, and I would like to work with the Tánaiste on that. I also welcome the Tánaiste's comments on small business, and the knock-on effect of the tariffs on small business and the multinationals. Last night, I did a little research on some of the multinationals based in rural Ireland. One of the key issues many of them cite as a reason for locating here is quality of life. We should not lo…

In light of the impending announcement later today which poses uncertainty for businesses throughout Ireland, I wish to highlight the student enterprise programme run by local enterprise offices. The national competition has been taking place, with the national final due to take place in May. On the way to Dublin yesterday, I had the pleasure of dropping in to the Athlone Springs Hotel, where the Roscommon final, run by the Roscommon local enterprise office, was taking place. You would be enthused and encouraged to…

I reiterate the goodwill to Jeremy. Like Senator O'Donovan, I did not have an opportunity to enjoy his hospitality during his term but I hope I will have a good working relationship with George. I want to raise the issue of dentistry services for medical card holders. It is something I raised at recent regional health forum meetings. I would like an idea of the availability of dentists providing a service for medical card holders. I was told that for my home county of Roscommon, four dentists are participating in t…

The Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, is very welcome here. I welcome Sinn Féin's motion today as it is a matter that lies at the very heart of society: our commitment to ensuring every child receives the education they deserve. I formally second the Government's amendment to the motion. Education is not a privilege but a fundamental right enshrined in our Constitution. Under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, every child must have access to education on an equal basis withi…

The Minister of State is very welcome once again. He is quickly becoming one of the most regular attendees in this House. I thank him once again for gracing us with his presence. On the programme for Government and recent announcements, I welcome the allocation of €713 million for regional and local roads. Coming from a rural part of the country, I know that investment in improving that infrastructure will have a massive impact on the safety of the people who reside in rural areas. I also welcome the Government's c…

The Minister is very welcome this afternoon. I wish him well in his term and look forward to working with him and helping him to deliver for the west, specifically Roscommon. For generations, agriculture has been the backbone of life in the west. Our rolling green fields, rugged landscape and close-knit farming communities define our region's identity; however, economic pressures, environmental regulations and an increasingly competitive global market pose serious challenges to farmers. Without targeted support, sm…

Like my colleagues, I acknowledge all of the community groups nationwide that put on such wonderful parades over the weekend to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and also the public representatives who travelled internationally representing us and promoting our country and our culture. I also wish to raise the issue of the passenger number cap at Dublin Airport and how we are limiting the potential of our country at present by inhibiting people visiting it. Dublin Airport is an outlier among other European countries at p…

I want to discuss something that I imagine affects everyone in the Chamber, namely, school bus routes. It was brought to my attention again this morning. I am looking for Bus Éireann to review bus routes and change them to accommodate the increasing populations of areas like Ballymoe and the townlands surrounding it. At the moment, two buses travel the same route for large parts of their journeys. The village of Ballymoe and its townlands are no longer being serviced. Bus Éireann has agreed to this and has come up …

I welcome the Minister of State. It is timely to have this discussion with St. Patrick's Day coming up. I will reiterate what my colleagues have said. It is often said that the Irish are a global people, with our diaspora reaching every corner of the world. This vast network of individuals, bound together by shared heritage, represent one of Ireland's greatest strengths. Supporting and seeking support from the Irish diaspora is not just about maintaining these connections; it is about fostering a sense of community…

It is not rugby. There is the Roscommon Association in London and a Roscommon association in New York. It is great to see that the emigrant support programme is there to support those organisations.

I am sharing three minutes with Senator Brady. I welcome the Minister of State. I did not have the chance to thank him for the work he did in Lough Funshinagh in Roscommon in his previous role, so I thank him for that. It is a privilege to speak to the Minister of State today on an issue that affects every family and community in Ireland, namely, the care and support of our older citizens. As a society, we have a duty to ensure older people can live with dignity, security and independence for as long as possible. W…

I propose that we suspend until 3 p.m.

I welcome the Minister. The senior alert scheme aims to support older individuals living securely and independently within their communities by providing free, personal monitored alarms. These alarms offer reassurance and immediate assistance in emergencies, enhancing the confidence and peace of mind of the elderly population. While the senior alert scheme has been instrumental in promoting safety among older adults, the effectiveness of the personal alarms is contingent on reliable network connectivity. Following …

I thank the Minister. Even though multinetwork SIM cards are being provided, there are still legacy models in the marketplace. Maybe something needs to be done regarding communication with the people using the systems at the moment in order to help identify the ones most affected by this problem. It is great to see the engagement. I welcome all of the Minister's remarks. With regard to the networks, we need to emphasise the social responsibility that is required. Be it the Government, the Department, Pobal. or, as …

I call on the Minister for Health to support the people of Ballaghaderreen in west Roscommon because, on Tuesday of this week, we received the disappointing news that the primary care centre that was promised for Ballaghaderreen, initially mooted in 2012, was not going to happen. It only came to light on Tuesday in the regional health forum when a former colleague of mine, Councillor Sean Moylan, brought the question up, as he had done in November and in September previously, asking for progress reports on the prim…

The Minister of State is very welcome. It is great to have the opportunity to have this conversation. I will not go on about what happened during the storm. If anybody is looking for an insight or to get a snapshot of what it was like in my constituency of Roscommon-Galway, an article by the editor of the Roscommon Herald stated, "as [Storm] Éowyn swept in ... [I] prayed that the roof would remain on the house." I encourage people to look it up just to get an idea of the storm. In responding to Storm Éowyn, I would…

I welcome the Minister. A lot of what I was going to say has been said by other Senators, but An Garda Síochána adheres to the ethos of the first Commissioner, Michael Staines, in policing not by force of arms but on its moral authority as servants of the people. The preservation of this unique and special bond is built on a strong tradition of policing by consent of the communities they serve and protect. That is very important about our police force in Ireland. If I had been standing in this Chamber six months ag…

I call on this House to request the Minister for public expenditure, national development plan delivery and reform attend to provide an update on the national development plan, specifically on the court services. In my area, the courthouse in Roscommon was moved to a temporary premises in 2022 to enable work to start on the courthouse when funding became available. The temporary courthouse was furnished to house the court sittings but always with the view that it was temporary. Since then, a number of issues around…

I thank the Cathaoirleach. I am very proud to be here today. I am very proud to be, I believe, the sole representative of Roscommon in the Chamber. I want to acknowledge the Trojan work of two former Senators, namely Eugene Murphy and Aisling Dolan, in the House in the past term. I would like to acknowledge my family, my wife Nicola and my daughters Kate and Abbie, who accompanied me yesterday and turned the Seanad office upside down, with Martin's help. I did not bring them with me today to avoid a repeat of that.…