I want to acknowledge the point made by the Minister of State on the time capsule. I think it is quite fascinating that it will be done and I welcome it. It will be interesting to see what each of us will put into our individual time capsules. I look forward to that measure. We are watching the census with real interest in Cork, particularly from a democratic and political perspective, due to the rapidly growing population. I live in one of the fastest growing metropolitan regions in the country. We are seeing sign…

My apologies; I have just come from a meeting of the Committee of Public Accounts. I wish to ask a quick question regarding the post office network. As a rural Deputy, I acknowledge the tremendous work the Minister has been doing for rural affairs. However, in improving our rural post office network, what additional services can her Department work with An Post to provide across so many rural communities to strengthen the existing service and secure its future?

Gabhaim buíochas leis an t-Aire. I am delighted to hear of the return of the jobseeker’s payment to the post office system. It is worth putting on record that what happened in the banking sector in rural Ireland is a cause of worry. Services were stripped away and, unfortunately, many banks throughout rural Ireland became untenable. It is very important that we continue to support and bolster any degree of activity that goes on in post offices, from which departmental payments and grants can be administered. Of cou…

Tá sé sin ar fheabhas ar fad agus gabhaim buíochas mór leis an Aire. I must return now to the Committee on Public Accounts. I thank the Minister very much for answers.

I acknowledge the extraordinary effort and work that has been put in at all levels of our health service. I am sure the Ministers of State will join me in paying tribute to those who have been working on the front line of the Covid-19 situation in our hospitals, especially in intensive care units given the stress and strain on workers in that setting. The National Ambulance Service has also been absolutely extraordinary. I have worked hand in hand with the Ministers of State, Deputies Butler and Rabbitte, throughou…

I am delighted to have an opportunity to make a statement on New Decade, New Approach. I was recently in Northern Ireland and I found it extraordinarily interesting getting the different perspectives of people in the Northern Ireland business community through the Ireland's Future event which I attended. I also found it extraordinarily interesting how deeply felt the frustrations are among ordinary people, often outside of political circles, from the engagement I have had with people. New Decade, New Approach enabl…

I appreciate that, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

Tuigim, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Go raibh maith agat. I broadly support some of the points that were made by Deputy Doherty to say this is an enormously important issue. Under the current criteria, it is an enormous problem, particularly in the east Cork area with reference to Youghal. It faces enormous economic hardship but is not being included in DEIS, which is of huge interest to local schools. I have met with many of the local principals. I would appreciate if the Minister would look at broadening the economic…

I thank the Minister of State for being in the Chamber to answer questions and listen to statements on this issue.

I have just come from the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications, where we were discussing the contribution NBI is making. Subsequent to some further information that was brought to our attention today, there are some issues I want to highlight. The Government put a strong focus on rolling out broadband services to areas of the country that had a severe lack of any type of infrastructure around broadband. Community centres, with which the Minister of State would be familiar, primary schools and even some p…

In the very limited time I have, I want to outline some of my own concerns as a young person of 24 years of age. I have discussed this issue with both Ministers of State previously. I have a strong degree of concern about the rapid increase in cocaine consumption in Ireland, and the knock-on impact this is having on the mental health of so many young people. Within this debate there are many different factors that feed into people's mental health and their self-esteem that can cause increased anxiety and pressures …

My question is on the all-important haulage sector in Ireland. What supports are under consideration by the Department? What work is it doing to help the sector to transition to a more carbon-friendly model? This is a huge issue that we must deal with and on which we must work directly with the sector.

I thank the Minister of State for her response. It is interesting to hear the initiatives that the Department is bringing forward. There will be many challenges before the haulage sector. Internationally there has been much difficulty in logistics, which is the Minister of State's area of responsibility. We have to be conscious that there is another key demand on the whole industry where it is expected to try to reduce its carbon footprint. If the Government is going to insist on that, and if that will be insisted …

I want to add my words on the very hard work that has been done throughout the pandemic. That is important to acknowledge. It has been one of the areas that we relied on. New additional pressures have been put on. On emissions, the Minister of State has said that the Department will do more public consultation, which I welcome. It is important that there be a grassroots level engagement also. As we have seen recently, there has been a great degree of friction between the Government and hauliers in Ireland. That mus…

I apologise; I am coming directly from the Committee of Public Accounts. This an important issue. I do not, for one second, underestimate the challenges that have faced the Department of Foreign Affairs and the passport unit. Between Brexit and Covid, it has not been nice and we need to acknowledge that in the House. An important issue is there will be enormous growth in the number of passports which will be issued next year - just shy of 2 million. That is approximately double what we have issued this year. With t…

This is a very important topic and I thank the Minister of State for facilitating it. My question relates to the sports capital grants. Throughout my constituency, Cork East, as he will know from his visit, many clubs are hoping to get positive news on the increased investment for new capital infrastructure works. Given the two years we have had with Covid-19, investing in sports clubs and allowing them to continue their planned developments, as a type of reward given back to the communities as a consequence of wha…

It is important to take an in-depth analysis of the individual projects. Major schemes have been proposed, such as for Fermoy GAA, and the Minister of State has been in close contact with Youghal GAA and a number of soccer clubs within the constituency. It is important also to recognise on the floor of the House that Midleton FC is seeking significant investment. There are major capital developments, therefore. The increase in construction costs is causing significant difficulty. It is important that context be giv…

I thank the Minister of State for yielding some of her time. I appreciate that. I am here this evening as a Deputy from Cork East, a constituency that has a very large amount of forestry and timber processing. I have often discussed these with the Minister of State. I compliment the Chairman of the joint committee, Deputy Cahill, and Deputy Flaherty, who are Fianna Fáil members, on the work they have done to bring this report to the House for discussion. It is extraordinarily prudent to consider this subject given …

I thank the Chair for the opportunity to speak and I thank Deputy Durkan for bringing an important question to the House. I would like to speak in support of the points that Deputy Durkan is making. On the new 2:1 ratio of expenditure on public transport to expenditure on roads infrastructure, it is important that we prioritise many of the vital smaller schemes around rural Ireland. In my own constituency, as the Minister of State is familiar with, I have been seeking to have the Castlemartyr and Killeagh scheme pr…

I thank the Minister for being here today to discuss the potential for the extension of the emergency powers that were enacted to try to protect people from contracting Covid-19 and to deal with the ongoing crisis that faces the country and the rest of the world. It is important to acknowledge the extraordinary efforts of healthcare and other workers who have been working on the front line of the Covid-19 crisis in different sectors. In particular, I mention An Garda Síochána, the HSE and hospitals. We are in a pre…