There was very good news today for 35 children in the State who live with cystic fibrosis. The families and Cystic Fibrosis Ireland have fought very hard on the injustice of these 35 children not having access to certain drugs. There are huge lessons to be learned, not only with regard to reimbursement but also around companies like Vertex International, the pharmaceutical company that is based in Dublin. This company has made a grotesque amount of profit, particularly on this drug. These profits run not into milli…

I did not say that.

Deputy Shortall is next.

I, too, welcome this Bill. It is quite progressive and long overdue. We always said that inpatient charges have not been conducive to a universal public health service. This has been very contentious in the last number of decades. We have always argued that inpatient charges have been a barrier to many people gaining access to healthcare. Even the collection of these charges is an onerous and bureaucratic task. I do not think a public health service should be chasing after people for inpatient charges. Obviously, t…

A number of days ago, I received a very difficult email from a mother who experienced bereavement of her baby girl, Izzy, who was stillborn. Pregnancy after loss is deeply profound. In this email, Celine states that her healthcare professionals, had they known prior of her stillbirth, would have provided a much better assessment and aftercare for the trauma she experienced. Celine proposes that a specific sticker can be placed on the chart of the bereaved mother. Celine says this would make an enormous difference t…

I move amendment No. 2: In page 8, between lines 2 and 3, to insert the following: “Report 9. (1) Within 3 months of the passing of this Act, the Minister shall report to Dáil Éireann on— (a) the projects at Shannonbridge and Tarbert generating stations (or at any alternative appropriate sites), and (b) the operation of the alternative assessments for these projects by the Environmental Protection Agency. (2) The Minister shall further report on Government proposals to delete the relevant sections of this Act once …

That is disappointing. It is a rudimentary amendment. It is disappointing that there would not be a report on the passing of the legislation. The substantial issue was not dealt with in the Minister’s response. It is disappointing he has not accepted this amendment on the report on the issue of the committee.

Some weeks ago, I was invited by the principal of St. Ronan's National School in Bawnogue in Clondalkin, which is a couple of minutes from where I live, to visit the school. It is a fantastic place for the young people of the area. It is a DEIS school. Several prefabs were built there in the 1990s and to say they are in a state of disrepair would be an understatement. In fact, last year the school commissioned a report on the state of the classrooms and forwarded this to the Department of Education. It found they w…

I will send the Tánaiste the report and I will ask him next week if he thinks these conditions are acceptable. If this was a more affluent area, it would not be accepted.

No-----

I will send the Tánaiste the report.

Just look at this report.

I will send the report to the Tánaiste.

It has.

I know.

Yes.

This has been going on for decades

The school is----

Yes, I understand. The Tánaiste does not know this area.

I would like to thank the Regional Group for this important and timely debate on emergency services. I commend the emergency services, which continue to provide everybody with emergency cover. We all have emergencies during one part of our lives. The services do a crucial job in protecting us and our families and friends. That has to continue. The pandemic has thrown up a significant number of challenges with healthcare. During the pandemic, emergency services, paramedics and the fire brigade were pinned to their c…