I thank the Minister. The town and village renewal scheme's funding is the type of practical and tangible support that communities need. At a time when rural areas have been significantly impacted by the pandemic, the scheme is not only helping us to adjust, but is offering a lifeline for main street shops and other family businesses. The two schemes have cost just over €6.1 million so far this year, which is an investment that will pay back manifold for the communities concerned. However, the town and village rene…

The scheme is welcome and has helped, which I appreciate. However, villages have tended to lose out. These communities, which often live in the shadow of regional towns, could do with a crucial boost this year. For example, Ballydehob in west Cork put together a fantastic application reimagining the whole village as an inclusive social space where locals and visitors could avail of refreshed spaces, outdoor seating and new facilities for community events. That is one example. Other villages such as Eyeries, Drimole…

Last week, I raised the issue of varying restrictions in maternity hospitals across the country. After an exchange with the Minister of State and the HSE management for the Cork-Kerry region, I am even more unsure about how the decisions are being made. The Minister stated it is based on an individual hospital and the HSE stated it is based on the region the woman is in. I wonder which is it. The programme for Government commits to excellence in maternal healthcare but at present women in some areas are going throu…

Is it regional, hospital by hospital or nationwide at present?

When people can attend a wedding with 49 other people, they cannot be with their partner.

I congratulate the Minister of State on her appointment. I welcome change in this Department because it is much needed. I wish the Minister of State lots of luck and I look forward to working with her. The past few months have been an incredibly challenging time for people with disabilities and their families. I refer to the issues of underlying health concerns, the absence of day and respite services for months, a lack of therapeutic services and uncertainty about work and the list goes on. The pandemic has highli…

One of the main barriers for students in rural Ireland is broadband. With most courses involving blended learning now and some courses and institutions going exclusively online, now more than ever it is essential that as many students as possible have access to broadband. Will the Minister provide targeted funding for colleges and universities to establish hubs or micro-satellite campuses to enable rural students to complete courses online? Will he consider providing funding for students to access existing digital …

I am delighted to see the Minister's enthusiasm and I hope he will be as enthusiastic in funding this. A network of hubs and satellite campuses would not only be important during the pandemic but would also enable greater participation more broadly. Considerable accommodation and living costs are a barrier for some students, and mature students, part-time students and parents would benefit from local facilities as well. Through their links with universities and colleges, hubs and campuses could also facilitate more…

That would be great. I know the hubs in my area are very enthusiastic about remote campuses. In addition, students are concerned about committing to accommodation and other costs associated with moving when it is uncertain how much classroom learning they will be doing or how much will be online. The provision of additional places is welcome but it puts further pressure on institutions to implement social distancing, which will inevitably push more courses online. Waterford Institute of Technology has already annou…

New mothers and their partners are understandably very angry about the ongoing visiting restrictions in maternity hospitals. Some maternity hospitals in Dublin have eased restrictions, yet elsewhere the opposite is the case. Women are alone until they are in active labour. I spoke to a woman this morning who endured 23 hours of labour without support from a loved one. I know that public health is a priority, as it should be, but it is difficult for people to understand why someone is allowed to attend a wedding wit…

I completely understand what the Minister of State is saying about the necessity of reducing the footfall but, respectfully, that is not what we are asking about. We understand that and so do all the mothers who have been in touch with us. Trust me, that is really not the point. If, as the Minister of State says, there are different circumstances in different hospitals, people need to accept and understand why. Across society, we have seen revisions in so many sectors and an easing of restrictions. Has the maternit…

While I agree with some of the sentiments raised by the members of the Rural Independent Group, I would like to know why they did not raise this as a general motion. This motion will not solve the problem they seek to address. They are trying to alter measures that are based on a statutory instrument, not on last week’s Bill. The regulations they are seeking to overturn are not connected with last week's legislation which they have referenced. That Bill still has not been passed into law and is only due before the …

I congratulate the Ministers on their appointments. It is exciting to see a focused new Department and I look forward to working with the Ministers, especially with regard to the shocking rates of sexual assault and rape in our third level and further education institutions in Ireland. There are many other issues and today I will focus on the reopening of colleges in these unique times. The reopening of third level education will be as challenging as the reopening of schools. Colleges and universities are doing the…

In 2017, a Bill was introduced to provide paid maternity leave for city and county councillors, which, incredibly, does not already exist. This Bill has since lapsed. When I tell people this, they do not believe me. Maternity leave is not a perk or a pay rise but a human right. Female dominated sectors are often undervalued and underpaid. They including professions such as nurses and carers but I could go on. We must ask whether, if more women were at the decision-making table, this would be the case and, if there …

While I welcome some aspects of the Bill's in regard to tourism, representatives of the industry in west Cork have pointed out that it does not go far enough to help the sector, which is one of most impacted by the pandemic. Tourism and hospitality is one of the main industries in west Cork and throughout rural Ireland. These small, often family-run, businesses provide vital employment and services in towns and villages, as well as being an outlet that local farms, fishing communities and food producers supply and …

I get reports of wildlife crimes and habitat destruction on a regular basis. When I contact the National Parks and Wildlife Service the response is that an investigation will be carried out but very few investigations result in prosecutions. Recent successful prosecutions range from five in 2014 to 21 last year. Clearly, these rates are not a deterrent to people who illegally hunt, poison raptors and damage habitats. Why are there not more prosecutions? The programme for Government commits to reviewing funding for …

Since I was elected, wastewater treatment is a recurring issue raised by communities in Cork South-West. I am focusing on the cases of Belgooly and Shannonvale tonight but I will send details to the Minister of State about issues in areas from Bandon to Goleen on the Mizen Peninsula. From an environmental and health perspective, the very least people should expect is the proper treatment of wastewater and household sewage. However, years of under-investment in water infrastructure has left communities and areas exp…

That is precisely the response that I did not want. I know it is Irish Water's responsibility but there seems to be some confusion. The Minister of State says it is all Irish Water's responsibility but I know that Cork County Council is responsible for desludging, for example, so there are grey areas. When it affects people's quality of life, at what point can the State intervene if Irish Water continually fobs off communities? I said it was affecting people's lives, which included not being able to take children o…

Does the State have any role to play in Irish Water?

Can the State intervene at a certain point? Does it have a role?