I thank the Deputy. I am obviously not familiar with the specifics of the case or the particular structure of that company or how it is funded through the respective Departments. I will reflect on what she has said to the line Ministers who may provide funding to that particular entity. They will obviously have to judge what is appropriate in the context of what the service level agreement might be. It is important in our economy that we protect workers and the WRC plays an important role in that context. I will re…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. Trí phróiseas an bhuiséid, bhí an tAire Stáit, an Teachta Byrne i dteagmháil leis an Aire, an Teachta Donohoe, maidir le gach rud sa Ghaeltacht agus tá níos mó tacaíochta á tabhairt chun Údarás na Gaeltachta a fheabhsú maidir leis an obair thábhachtach a dhéanann sé. Tá an buiséad do 2025 6.3% níos fearr nó don bhliain seo agus beidh an tAire Stáit, an Teachta Byrne, ag obair le gach duine sa Ghaeltacht, i gcontae an Teachta Doherty agus sna contaetha eile, chun níos mó a dhéanamh …

I thank Deputy Smith. The reason we are putting €1 billion into Irish Water, in additional funding for 2025, is to support many of the schemes where there have been funding constraints. I do not have the specific operational plan here with me but we set out clearly is that €1 billion is to ensure that Irish Water can move on many of the projects across the country where there have been concerns about its ability to deliver. This is only the start. We have said that the proceeds of future AIB share sales will be pri…

Look at the very significant investment the Minister, Deputy Ryan, and the Minister of State, Deputy Lawless, have advanced through budget 2025. We are retaining the fare reduction, for example, which helps commuters right across the country with affordability.

There is also the development of much greater public transport. This Government over the last four years has advanced unprecedented investment in public transport but also in the development of the capital investment in public transport across our country. There are very ambitious plans to continue delivery on enhancing the network through capacity improvements which the Minister, Deputy Ryan, is advancing with the delivery agencies. If the Deputy looks at the overall allocation for transport in gross voted expendi…

This Government has brought unprecedented investment our health system. There is over €25 billion for next year.

As part of that we have increased the workforce the Deputy speaks about by almost 28,000 additional staff since 2020. We have increased our acute bed capacity as well with over 1,100 beds. The workforce plan for next year is for additional recruitment within the health system of 3,400 staff.

Obviously, the HSE manages the priorities required from a recruitment perspective, but this Government has increased staffing by nearly 28,000 up to now and a further 3,000 staff next year.

That will make a difference and it is making a difference when it comes to the results in our acute hospital system.

I thank Deputy Fitzpatrick. I am aware there is an issue with the shortage of dentists, especially those providing community dentistry across our country and the Deputy has referenced Louth and east Meath as an example. To address that we have a lot of plans ongoing on increasing the supply of qualified healthcare graduates in dentistry and the respective therapy disciplines, so we have increased the pipeline of workers who can provide that service. That is something that has been ongoing between both the Departmen…

I thank the Deputy. I am familiar with how FND or fibromuscular dysplasia has an impact on a lot of people across our country. I do not have the specifics of the wider service plan within the HSE but I acknowledge the impact for families and for people and communities across our country. The specialist care for neurology may be based in St. James's Hospital, so I will ask the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, to respond directly to the Deputy to set out what the wider plans are on supporting patients and those who live wi…

I thank the Deputy. I appreciate her raising this important issue and stress the immediate need for a ceasefire and a de-escalation in Lebanon. I repeat our call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. We are all deeply concerned about the surge of violence in Lebanon, the continued violence in Gaza and the launch of an Israeli ground incursion. Ireland has been clear in our international commitment in terms of our support for Palestine and wh…

I acknowledge and thank the workers in Kerry and elsewhere who provided unprecedented public service at a time when we needed all workers on the front-line. We have a long-standing policy on abatement of pay for people who come back to the public service. The Minister, Deputy Donohoe, co-ordinates wider pension and pay policy so I will reflect the matter raised by the Deputy with him. We have to have consistency with wider abatement policy within the public service and that is probably why this issue continues for …

As a Government TD, the Deputy will be aware of the unprecedented investment in education, healthcare and wider supports for the Waterford and south-east region. There was a positive result when it came to the veterinary college and I know from speaking to the Minister, Deputy Butler, and others that there is ongoing engagement when it comes to further supports or broadening out the education provision for the south-east region. I will ask the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, to update the Deputy on what further progres…

I think it is very unfair that the Deputy has made such a personal attack and used such violent language, talking about stabbing people in the back.

The Deputy should not be using language-----

Yes, you have. You talked about him stabbing someone in the back.

That is beneath this House.

It is beneath the Deputy to refer to a colleague in the House in that way. The LGMA and SIPTU retained firefighter representatives will meet shortly to consider the outcome of the ballot and the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, will work constructively with them. He has been very clear in acknowledging the important role they play in communities across the country. He has been very engaged in this-----

-----both in his own community and indeed in meeting retained firefighters right across the country. He will engage constructively on that-----