I thank the Deputy again for raising this important and serious matter. On behalf of the Minister, I am pleased to hear support being expressed for the proposed new legislation. I understand the Deputy's desire to see the matter progressed as quickly as possible and I assure him that the Minister and I share his determination to get this legislation passed as quickly as possible and to ensure it is effective and addresses the key issues he has raised. Ireland has become a more diverse and welcoming country in recen…

What is the position on discussions with the Minister's UK counterpart on the issue of border checks on trucks originating here and arriving in the UK from Rosslare Europort but which plan to travel onwards to another country within the European Union? Will the Minister make a statement on the matter?

I thank the Minister for his comments. I know he has worked hard on this issue. There is now strong agreement with fellow EU countries on ensuring our goods, once they arrive on the Continent, can continue onwards quickly. The concern is what will happen in the UK, which is, to a large degree, out of the State's hands. In particular, any delays involving perishable goods would have serious consequences. Perishable items such as meat or fish that need to be transported to the Paris markets, for example, are no good …

Obviously, the land bridge is the quickest and most secure route if it can be kept open. I believe a sea bridge between Rosslare and Cherbourg or Roscoff needs to be developed and secured. Has the Minister had discussions with his French counterparts or the French ambassador about securing additional routes or creating a sea bridge between Rosslare and France to ensure there is an alternative route to get our goods to France? Even creating a sea bridge would create leverage on the UK Government to keep the land bri…

I congratulate Deputy McEntee on her appointment as Minister for Justice and Equality. I also congratulate Deputy McConalogue on his appointment as Minister of State at that Department. They are capable and able Ministers. Each year, a significant amount of money is expended on the Department of Justice and Equality and consideration of that expenditure by Members of Dáil Éireann is a critical aspect to taking account of how our Government and Departments spend money. The Department of Justice and Equality encompas…

I wish to raise the very serious issue of mesh implants. Under the heading "More compassionate care" on page 48 of the programme for Government, there is a reference to patients' voices being heard. A government report issued in the UK this morning stated that the UK Government should issue an immediate apology to those suffering due to mesh implants. Women have been traumatised, experiencing crippling pain, destroyed relationships and financial ruin as a result of paying for operations. Will there be a State inqui…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2020 and welcome the expansion in supports this Bill brings about through Microfinance Ireland Covid-19 loan funds and for the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, SBCI, future growth loan scheme. These provide vital measures and it is very important that the Bill progresses through the Dáil as quickly as possible to support microbusinesses. Public health is rightfully our most important concern at this time. However, the pand…

I am sharing time with Deputies Troy and Murnane O'Connor. I wish Deputy Stephen Donnelly the best of luck in his new ministerial role. He is a highly capable Deputy. I have been glad to serve beside him for the past number of years. I look forward to significant reform and delivery that I have no doubt he will deliver under his stewardship. I express my sympathies to the families of those who have passed away since I last spoke on this issue in the House. It is deeply difficult to lose any loved one. What some fam…

I want to raise the issue of the importance of the July provision programme, which cannot be underestimated. I have been contacted by numerous parents of children with moderate and severe intellectual disabilities, attending both St. Patrick's special school, Enniscorthy, and Our Lady of Fatima, Wexford town, on the issue of transport. A lot of parents are finding it difficult to accept that they will not be able to get transport to get their kids to the school in order that they can get to the supports they need a…

I will share time with colleagues and take two and a half minutes for questions and answers. I wish to express my sympathies and condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the couple of weeks since I last spoke. I wish to raise matter of the drug dexamethasone, which has been mentioned in the past 24 hours. It is a low-dose steroidal treatment that can be used in the treatment of coronavirus and is now being used by the NHS in the UK. It has been described as a major breakthrough in the fight agai…

I want to raise the issue of the increasingly severe conditions we are seeing year-on-year. Last night, my home town of Enniscorthy saw as much rainfall in less than an hour than it had seen in the previous month with some serious flash flooding. There is a flood relief scheme for Enniscorthy and almost €50 million was put aside by the Minister in last October's budget for same. The programme was meant to be sent up by Wexford County Council last October for approval by the Minister by December to go to tender this…

I will raise the matters of mental health and respite care. Mental health specialists are confirming an increase in the number of people presenting with depression, anxiety, self-harm and other mental illnesses. I have been warning for some time now in this Chamber the impact of the lockdown on people's daily routines, not being able to see loved ones and not being able to grieve in a humane way, as well as the loss of jobs and businesses and the effects on front-line workers of witnessing first-hand the many distr…

Let the Minister answer Deputy McAuliffe's question.

The British Government has begun its post-Brexit "Make Britain great again"-style campaigns. One of them is its "Sea for Yourself" campaign, which focuses on promoting fish and shellfish found in UK waters. It is even going so far as to urge people to change their Friday-night fish and chips habits so they are eating locally-sourced battered Dover sole instead of battered cod; a very expensive alternative as I understand it. Brexit represents an existential threat to the fishing industry in Ireland and my county of…

I ask that the Minister would answer the questions of the last two speakers before I come to mine.

I have a number of questions. First, will the Minister confirm whether the refreshed A Vision for Change will be brought to Cabinet this week for the purposes of publication? Second, has there been any progress on establishing a cross-departmental task force on mental health, which will be very badly needed? Third, can the Minister give clarity on physiotherapy? I have had a number of requests from physiotherapists, including neuromuscular physiotherapists, and those in similar professions, who seem to have a lack …

The brutal killing of George Floyd by a US police force must be condemned. It and the brutal response to legitimate protests by some US police forces and state powers are clear evidence of the institutionalised nature of racism and hatred. The violent attacks on members of the press who are reporting are shocking. Has the Tánaiste spoken to the US ambassador, Mr. Crawford, to condemn the violent response to legitimate protests, the acts of racism and the attacks on the press, and to express that Ireland too says th…

They are questions that require "Yes" or "No" answers from the Tánaiste .

I will raise a number of important issues, the first of which is domestic violence. This is a very dangerous time for anybody who is trapped at home. The advice is to stay at home and that it is the safest place to be but for many women and children it is the most unsafe place they can be. Their abusers are very often at home with them for a longer time. I ask the Minister to assure the House that the financial needs of the local authorities, the Department of Justice and Equality or the Department of Employment Af…

I first raise the issue of home support services. In recent days older people in County Wexford received a letter stating if they did not wish to restart their home support service by 8 June 2020, their service will cease and they will be placed on the waiting list for home support services - in other words, use it or lose it by 8 June. Many elderly people are concerned and have contacted me about this. They have had to rearrange their home situation, often having to move into the home of a son or daughter because …