I appreciate that the Minister is here to answer my questions on this issue despite his busy schedule. This issue has caused great anxiety among rural people. The way the Commission has introduced this leaves a lot to be desired. Thankfully, we now see a significant pushback to these proposals, not only in this country but across Europe. Whether it will get through the environmental committee in the European Parliament now is open to question. The questions about and scrutinising of these proposals are long overdue…

First, I acknowledge the work the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, has been doing to bring commonsense to these proposals coming from Brussels. From various meetings I have had with the Minister, I know he is working hard to make sure that public lands will play a huge part in achieving the targets that will be set down for rewetting and rewilding. That is to be welcomed. On designation, the last time we had a significant amount of land designated in this country, it came in with significant fanfare. For the first num…

First of all, I recognise the significant achievement of the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, in redressing the rural imbalance. The Minister has fought hard at the Cabinet table to have a budget and she has made a vast amount of money available for different projects in rural areas. I suppose we are never satisfied as public representatives. My county is a rural county and we have a significant number of Ukrainian refugees and asylum seekers coming to our county. For example, Roscrea, a town where the schools have DEIS…

I want to raise a few issues relating to Bus Éireann's school transport five-year procurement scheme for 2023. The information was sent out to bus operators on Friday afternoon last and they were expected to have their tenders in by Monday. Bus Éireann has given a 48-hour extension to 12 noon today, but expecting operators to be able to fill out the very intensive tender document in such a short timeframe is unacceptable. The intrusiveness of the tender document has to be looked at as well. All kinds of questions a…

I raised a Topical Issue matter here two weeks ago relating to fuel merchants. I was not happy with the reply I got. Compliant fuel merchants in every town, city and village in the country are being forced out of business because of lack of regulation. The majority of coal that is being sold in the State does not have carbon tax or VAT paid on it. Those businesses that are operating legitimately and compliantly are being forced out of business. The fuel merchants want every merchant in the country to be regulated. …

I raise the issue of the HSE removing certain medications from the medical card list. One of my constituents is on Allegron, which is a medication for anxiety and depression. Unfortunately, she began to suffer from her condition due to having had an anaesthetic. This woman has very limited means and the product costs her €43 per month. The HSE is consistently taking products off the medical card list. What is the justification for this, and can the decision relating to the medication in question be reversed?

Will the Minister for Finance outline the number of homebuyers in counties Clare, Limerick and Tipperary that have availed of the enhanced help-to-buy scheme since 23 July 2020?

Does the Minister have any plans to further amend the scheme to help first-time buyers? Does he have any plans to devise a mechanism to prevent developers from refusing the help-to-buy scheme funding as a deposit for a house purchase?

Some developers will not accept a deposit from people using the help-to-buy scheme. I have heard of a few instances where developers have refused to accept it as a deposit on a new house. That is something that needs to be looked into. The figures the Minister gave for the scheme are impressive. I urge him to extend the it. Any further amendments that could improve it would be most welcome. The expenditure on the scheme fully justifies it and shows its benefit to first-time buyers.

My question, No. 65, is very similar to this one, so I will come in just to avoid duplication. I look for figures for Clare, Limerick and Tipperary. My understanding is that 37,100 claims have been approved at the time of the assessment. Does the Minister expect any more to come through the system? I concur with the points made by Deputy Moynihan. As our questions are similar, I said I would ask for further clarification.

I thank the Minister of State for being in the Chamber to discuss this issue. Last week, I met a delegation of solid fuel merchants who are members of a newly formed organisation. Every town and village in the country has a fuel merchant. Unfair competition is shattering their trade. Approximately 50% of the coal that is being used in the country is coming down from Northern Ireland. It is estimated that €100 million worth of coal products will come from the Six Counties into the Twenty-six Counties this year. For …

I thank the Minister of State for her reply. Specifically, solid fuels being brought into this State from Northern Ireland enjoy the same freedom of movement that applies to most other goods. How can she expect a carbon tax to operate in the Twenty-six Counties if we have product coming from outside the State which is coming in and undermining business here? That just cannot be allowed to continue. The estimated figures from the fuel merchants I have for loss of revenue in 2023 is €77 million. Leaving that aside, w…

I raise the issue of funding for the N24. After intense lobbying last year, we secured agreement from the Department of Transport that €3.25 million would be advanced in 2023 to progress this route. We are now told that the allocation is only going to be €1 million, meaning the planning process for the bypass of Tipperary town, which is urgently needed, will be delayed by another year. I ask the Tánaiste to use his influence with the Department of Transport and to have the originally agreed sum of €3.25 million hon…

I wish to raise the issue of forestry. Some companies will need a rescue package. A forestry programme has gone to Brussels for approval. Hopefully, approval will be issued soon. Afforestation has come to a complete standstill. It will be 2024 before companies involved in forestry will experience the financial benefit of the new programme. Contractors, nurseries, professional foresters and so on have a serious cash flow problem. It is essential that we keep these businesses afloat because, in the context of the for…

I am glad to be able to participate in this discussion on the sheep sector. I want to follow on from what Deputy Ó Murchú said about sheep kills and the legislation that is necessary to try to control dogs in the countryside. Unfortunately, in recent days we had another sheep kill in Tipperary. It is becoming a far too frequent occurrence. We are just going to have to develop a DNA-based system to identify dogs so that we will be able to prove accurately what dogs have committed the carnage. We all see photographs …

The Office of the Inspector of Prisons is a statutory body that is independent in how it carries out its work and was set up under the Prisons Act 2007. Its mission is to support excellence in delivery and outcomes of Ireland's prisons through an independent programme of inspections and investigations. The Office of the Inspector of Prisons rents an office in Dublin that will not facilitate the expansion of this body. It also has an office in Nenagh in my constituency that could easily be expanded and increased spa…

I thank the Minister for his answer. As I stated in my earlier contribution, we are aware that the role of this body will be expanded. In my view, it is not necessary to have an office in the vicinity of St. Stephen's Green to operate effectively. This important body can operate as effectively if not more effectively from a rural town location. As the question of resources and the location of this office are being discussed, it must be pointed out that we have had an office in Nenagh for the past 12 years. The oppo…

In recent weeks I have received a growing number of complaints from constituents regarding the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, ranging from a lack of communications, lengthy delays in processing applications and long waits for assessments and the appointment of contractors. The list of complaints is growing and more and more people have been affected. The warmer homes scheme is supposed to provide fully funded home upgrades for those on some social welfare benefits but we are seeing instances of pens…

I raise the issue of rural crime in my constituency of Tipperary. Unfortunately, rural crime is starting to increase. There have been a number of highly publicised incidents in the southern part of my constituency. The weekend before last, a constituent of mine noticed suspicious behaviour in her area and rang a Garda station that is supposed to be manned 24 hours a day. Unfortunately, her phone calls were not answered. We have no chief superintendent in our county. For a county the size of Tipperary not to have a …

I wish to raise an issue about protecting wildlife and keeping a natural balance in wildlife, including fish life, in rural Ireland. Last week, I met representatives of several clubs including fishing groups, angling groups and gun clubs. They are extremely concerned about mink. Mink is an invasive species that has no natural predator. It kills for fun and for sport. It is doing untold damage to other wildlife and fish life. In Lough Derg, for example, it is having an impact on tourism, as fish stocks are being ser…