This Government has been very clear in stating that we need to invest more in our water system and that we need to do more to make sure towns, communities or villages which do not have access to the quality of water should get investment first and foremost. We must also ensure that sites are opened up and that in the delivery of housing in particular we have the investment and infrastructure needed to achieve the overall objectives, goals and targets we have set ourselves. For Uisce Éireann, we have set a very clea…

I will respond to both points. In relation to the storm, a committee has already been established on a permanent basis to make sure all Departments and relevant agencies are prepared should something like this happen again. As I have said, the likelihood of that is quite high. What is Uisce Éireann doing? It is purchasing more generators and making sure sites are generator-ready. It will do anything more it needs to do. Separate to that, we need more investment overall. The Government is saying very clearly that we…

I acknowledge the absolute devastation that was caused by this explosion. I met with the families because I wanted to hear from them. I wanted to meet them because I want to make sure they get the answers they are entitled to and they deserve. The number one objective here is that families get answers to the questions they have asked, as they are entitled to. We also want to make sure something like this does not happen again. I was very clear in my previous role, as was the Government, that an inquiry was never be…

I thank the Deputy for the question. He will be aware that the timelines are there to protect wildlife and certain nature.

It is certainly a question I can ask and relay to the Minister. The objective is that we do everything possible to put in place measures to prevent the type of destruction we saw in the last several weeks. I will certainly relay the specific timeline and the Deputy's request to the Minister.

I am aware that the route is closed and that this is a private contract. I am also aware that the Tánaiste has committed to writing to the NTA to see what possible measures or options could be put in place to service the towns and communities mentioned by the Deputy. Of course, I will again relay this information to ensure this happens.

I assure the Deputy it is a number one priority to ensure every child has access to the place they are entitled to, particularly those with special educational needs. I believe a great deal of progress has been made in recent years. I want to get to a point where every single child is offered a place at the same time as their sibling and every other child in their community. There is work to do in that regard, but it is my intention, along with the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Moynihan, that for this school ye…

I congratulate Deputy Neville and wish him well in the years ahead. I look forward to working with him and I know he will be a strong advocate for people in north Meath, like his predecessor.

Apologies, in north Kildare. I think we share similar challenges within our counties as well, especially with our growing population, young population and proximity to Dublin. I assure the Deputy this Government is absolutely committed to ensuring we invest in north Kildare in communities where there is that growth and increase in population. We are committed through the expansion of the national development plan and the national planning framework, which we will be sending to the local authorities soon and to whic…

It is vital that we provide many forms of transport for people through public and private operators, through buses, the Luas, BusConnects and as many different ways as possible, including the expansion of our rail lines. I am not familiar with the specific route mentioned by the Deputy, but similar to the question from Deputy Devlin, I will endeavour to ask our Minister to see if there is something that can be done to fill the gap and to respond to and support the communities concerned, as well as the drivers and a…

I wish the Deputy well and congratulate him on his appointment. I am aware of this issue. It was raised with me when I was in the constituency during the election campaign. My understanding is that this is very much on the agenda for Uisce Éireann and that work is under way and engagement is happening with stakeholders. The commitment I mentioned is that we will increase and expand the funding that is going into Uisce Éireann to make sure these kinds of developments can happen as quickly as possible. The Government…

This Government is committed to making sure we invest in our roads. That does not just mean maintenance and expansion but also making sure the roads that are committed to on our list are continued, progressed and finalised. In addition, with the review of the NDP, there is potential for new projects to be part of that expansion and list. I am not familiar with the stages and timelines for the road the Deputy mentioned but I will certainly raise the matter with the relevant Minister.

As a Deputy in a constituency that has three motorways, I am well aware of the burden that tolls place on people who are commuting to work on a daily basis. There is an overriding objective for all of us to try to ensure that we reduce the costs for people who are travelling to work. At the same time, we need to make sure that we are continuing to invest in our roads and infrastructure. I will relay the question on an actual reduction to the Minister. We would all like to see the tolls and costs reduced for all roa…

I also acknowledge the fantastic work of Local Link and the vital role it plays in our rural communities in particular. Unfortunately, I do not know the route the Deputy referenced but I will certainly raise this with the Minister for Transport and ask him to come back directly to him.

While I am not aware of the exact investment that was allocated in recent weeks, investment in road maintenance and expansion has increased across the board. It is important that this continues to increase and that every local authority gets its fair share. Speed is the number one killer. It is very important that we maintain our roads, which play a key role in keeping people safe. We must do everything we possibly can to reduce speeds on our roads and highlight where changes are taking place. Different changes are…

I thank the Deputy for his question. In the past four years, almost €6 billion has been spent on capital investment in education. This includes opening new schools, expanding existing schools and using modular buildings where required. This is in response to the demand that exists and the increasing numbers of students going into primary and post-primary schools. We are committed to making sure this expansion continues and that every child gets access to the place they deserve in primary or post-primary school. I w…

I thank the Deputy and congratulate her on her election to the Dáil. Dunboyne College has expanded in recent years and provides an outstanding education to many in County Meath and the surrounding counties. Work has been under way to acquire a new site and that is progressing. Work is under way in the Department to make sure that the new build can be delivered as quickly as possible. I and all of the Deputies involved will make sure that everything is done to ensure that can be delivered as soon as possible and tha…

I will ensure that this scheme is raised directly with the Minister. I repeat that it is a priority for the Government to make sure that we invest significantly in Uisce Éireann and its capacity to be able to do more work. We want to address as quickly as possible the challenges mentioned by the Deputy. We want to ensure that funding can be invested into communities that are experiencing these challenges. We also want to invest to be able to expand and build more and to support the expansion of newer communities.

No, it is not.

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "notes that: - a child's right to education is enshrined in the Constitution and, under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, must be accessible on an equal basis with others in the community in which they live; and - the Government is committed to ensuring that each child with a special educational need has an appropriate school place, in line with their Constitutional right and Progra…