I raise the Garda Commissioner's decision to remove a chief superintendent from Tipperary as part of its amalgamation with Clare. Unfortunately, we are seeing a very significant increase in crime in our county. In the last week or ten days, representatives from community groups in four towns - Ballina, Nenagh, Thurles and Cashel - have reported very significant increases in antisocial behaviour. The activity of rural gangs is again on the increase. One constituent whose house has been called to three times is now s…

I raise the situation of families with incapacitated children. I have a family in my constituency whom I know well, whose child, due to the exceptional care she has received, has reached the age of seven years and made her first communion earlier this year. This child cannot walk, cannot talk and she has no swallow but due to the exceptional care her mother has given her she has managed to survive. However, this family are under huge financial pressure. Earlier this year the husband received a bonus at work and bec…

I wish to raise the issue of means-testing carer's allowance for the parents of incapacitated children. A case has been brought to my attention where the mother of a nine-year-old girl who cannot walk, talk or eat gave up her job to look after her child full-time. This woman left a very well-paying job to care for her daughter. The means test for carer's allowance is now affording her €46 per week for what is a 24-7 caring role. The family's mortgage repayments, health insurance, increasing expenses and the cost of…

It is a real pity that it took a war in Ukraine and the misery that has been inflicted on the citizens of Ukraine to bring food security back onto the agenda. Unfortunately, people who should have known better forgot about food security and thought that modern economies such as those in Europe had full energy security and food security. The realisation that food security and energy security are two of the top components of a country's security has been brought home to roost in recent months. Unfortunately, food pov…

Next week we have a number of initiatives coming into play that will reduce the cost of travelling on public transport. This will help greatly with reducing its cost. However, there is an issue where the introduction of this scheme for commercial service will have a detrimental impact on services where a public service obligation, PSO, competes directly with a commercial service. I give the example of the Naas to Maynooth route. For someone with a student Leap card, the old PSO fare was €4.30. This will now be redu…

Does the Minister expect there will be Supplementary Estimates in view of the recent measures to tackle the cost of living, and will he make a statement on the matter?

I thank the Minister. He mentioned the emergency support scheme for licensed hauliers. I have been contacted by hauliers who transport livestock and, therefore, are exempt from having to have a haulier's licence to operate their business. Accordingly, they are not able to access any of the supports they have been given by the Minister towards the daily expenses of running their business. Obviously, they have all the same expenses as other businesses, with the increased costs of fuel and of running their business. T…

I appreciate that answer. Livestock hauliers are exempt from having to have a haulier's licence, and I am sure the scheme was not designed to exclude them from the support, which is needed. I appreciate the Minister's indication that he will raise the matter with the Minister for Transport and I hope we can get it sorted as quickly as possible. These businesses are under extreme pressure travelling throughout the country and hauling livestock, an essential part of the infrastructure for our agrifood industry. I hop…

I ask the Minister to give details of the new external assurance process for major capital investment projects, and to make a statement on the matter.

The Minister has the responsibility to ensure the Exchequer gets value for money. I fully appreciate and understand that he must do that. I want to raise one major infrastructural project that is in my constituency, the Ballina to Killaloe river crossing. This project has been long in the offing. There have been a number of false dawns for this bridge, which is vital for this major tourism area. One has to go into Ballina to cross the historic bridge because it is the only crossing for miles. There could be an hour…

I would appreciate if the Minister could come back to me with an update on the Ballina-Killaloe river crossing. As I said, it is an essential piece of infrastructure for that part of my county. I appreciate he does not have that information at his fingertips now, nor would I expect him to. I appreciate he will come back to me with an answer on this. As I said, I respect that the Minister has to ensure the Exchequer receives value for money, but we want those major infrastructural projects to proceed as quickly as p…

I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine pursuant to Standing Orders 95(3)(a) and 178(1).

Unfortunately University Hospital Limerick is making headlines for all the wrong reasons. Last week a national record for the number of people on trolleys was set in the hospital. There has been a very significant amount of investment in the hospital but it does not seem to have reaped the dividends one would expect. Numerous front-line staff have contacted me. They are working in intolerable conditions and are extremely worried about the treatment patients are receiving and the standards pertaining in the hospital…

The war in Ukraine is something we thought we would never see again in 21st century Europe. We thought the modern EU had brought peace to the Continent but the current position is very similar to what happened in the Second World War. Our hearts go out to the people of Ukraine because we see the huge hardship and casualties being inflicted upon them. I know this country will do its utmost to help to relieve the people of Ukraine and offer them sanctuary. Each night on news bulletins we see further loss of life and …

I also wish to raise the issue of Ukraine. Our people are extremely concerned and worried about the safety and welfare of the people of Ukraine. There would be huge public support for terminating diplomatic relations with Russia and sending the Russian ambassador home. The fast-tracking of Ukraine’s entry into the EU would also be greeted with great relief and support among all people.

That is no bother. Last week the Supreme Court upheld An Bord Pleanála’s decision on Glanbia's plant in Belview. Unfortunately, the continuing objections to the plant have cost farmers countless millions of euro. I would like an update on the meat plant proposed for Banagher, Offaly. Offaly County Council granted permission for it in July 2020. When will a decision be made on that? Will farmers again have to spend countless sums of money on endless appeals in respect of this meat infrastructure, which would bring g…

I thank the Cathaoirleach for the invitation to speak today. After the election in 2020, several stakeholders in the forestry sector told me their industry was in crisis. In the previous Dáil, attempts were made to introduce legislation on the appeals process, which was causing great delays at that stage in the issuing of licences. Thankfully, we got that legislation through early in the lifetime of the current Dáil. The committee decided it would have a series of meetings on the forestry sector to determine what i…

I thank the Minister of State for her extensive reply. I will pick up on several issues, starting with ash dieback. I have been going on about this matter for a long time, perhaps even before I was the Chairman of this committee. Forestry is a farming activity. In my long experience in farming and in farming politics, this is the first time I have ever seen a response like this to a disease, and that is what ash dieback is, occurring on farms and that is completely outside farmers' control. The disease came from a …

I raise the issue of the horticultural sector and the harvesting of peat for 2022. Stakeholders have issued a report that was signed off by them and by the relevant Departments that put recommendations in place that would allow for the issuing of licences for the horticulture industry to harvest peat. I met with representatives of the industry last week who are extremely concerned that the relevant Department has issued a template for the securing of those licences that is unworkable, impractical and will not allow…

The pig sector is in crisis and there is a support package urgently needed for the pig sector. Since mid-2021, pig farms have been under serious pressure. Losses are escalating by the day. There are a number of circumstances. There is a perfect storm there at present for pig farmers. Whether it is Covid disruption, Brexit or the Ukraine dispute, it is all having a severe impact on pig farms. The first impact of Covid was to reduce the number of staff in processing facilities. In particular, where pig farmers are se…