There have been challenges. I was listening to previous speakers. Emergency measures are important to help people pay their bills. We have to realise that there are people who are struggling. We are aware of that. Look at all the good work that has been done in the schools and so on. A lot of work has been done but I know we have a lot more to do. Both these credits worth €250 are needed as the cost of living remains high, despite inflation easing. We need to pass this Bill and I am supporting it, so that household…

My question is similar. I want to speak about the CDNT in Carlow. Carlow has a population of more than 60,000 but in the CDNT there is one nurse manager, one dietitian, two physiotherapists, two social workers, one nurse, 1.7 SLTs and no occupational therapists. In excess of 100 children in Carlow are awaiting speech and language therapy and 170 waiting for OT. The Minister of State knows early intervention is key. There are also 282 adults who have been waiting for physio over the past year and a half. The HSE tel…

I fully support the Bill. All of us have housing issues around the country. I can only speak about County Carlow. The rents now are extraordinary and people are finding them so hard. We are looking at from €1,600 to €1,700, which is a lot of money. The reason is lack of supply. Carlow is now a university town and while this is brilliant and we welcome it, we need more houses. Recently, the county development plans were done. There were lands zoned and lands dezoned because the Department sent down a directive about…

We all realise there are many good things in the budget for parents. There is the reduction in fees through the national childcare scheme and other benefits for new parents, but my biggest issue concerns places for children. We in Carlow have children trying to get into a crèche or childcare facility and they are waiting over a year. While I welcome the funding and how hard the Minister has worked, children getting places is the biggest issue I face and it affects families and parents. An example was given to me a …

I thank the Minister. As she knows, it has been announced that we now have our site and our build in Carlow. We have an old house that is being done up. We are working with Cuan. The lead agency is Amber Women's Refuge. The Minister was on KCLR and I have been on to her about this women's refuge every few weeks for the last few years. It is a really good story for Carlow. The Minister said the refuge would open in 2025. I will keep her to that. We are working very hard. I am on the committee for this. It is importa…

I agree with the previous speakers. I see the scourge of drugs everywhere. It is about communities. Families come into my clinics heartbroken. Families need to borrow money to pay back the bills for their children who are taking drugs, which is unacceptable. We need to do campaigns and get some sort of help for these families and for the children or people who are taking the drugs. It is a scourge. If we do not get it from the community up, help these families and help those people who are taking the drugs, we are …

I wish to know the number of gardaí, as well as Garda staff, assigned to Borris, Carlow, Hacketstown, Bagenalstown, Myshall, Rathvilly and Tullow stations.

We have seen a decline in the number of gardaí in County Carlow. A few weeks ago Tullow daycare centre, which is a daycare centre for elderly people where 50 people go each day, had a break-in and yesterday there was a second break-in when the bus was stolen from this daycare centre. Crime has increased and there is no point in saying differently. We are short of gardaí. I met superintendent Anthony Farrell and I can only sing the praises of him, his team of gardaí and his staff. We need more gardaí in Carlow. We h…

I need to repeat that I have spoken with superintendent Anthony Farrell. We need more gardaí. The population of County Carlow has grown, which is very welcome. We had one of the highest growth rates in the most recent census. We do not have enough gardaí. We do not have enough community gardaí on the ground. We have seen an increase in burglaries. I spoke about one in Tullow which is an example. We do not have enough gardaí in Carlow and we need to get more. We were to look at opening the Leighlinbridge Garda stati…

Will the Minister provide further details on the veterinary degree to be provided by the South East Technological University? It is a really good news story.

I thank the Minister. As he said, I was at the ploughing and was very honoured to be there when he announced this with our higher education Minister. Giving €25 million from his own budget was so important. Everybody was working together. I know Kildalton College well. My son studied horticulture there for over three years but he is now a garda. Anyway, he loved that too. It is a fabulous college. We are so lucky in the south east that it is now a university. I congratulate the Minister and everyone involved throug…

I was at the ploughing championships when the announcement was made and a large number of families and students came to ask about this course. As the Minister said, many students left the country to study veterinary but now that we have this course, there are extra places in the south east, and I am only focusing on the south east. Information should be given to students when they are doing their leaving certificate as to when they can apply and so on. It is important that students who are interested in veterinary …

I have so many families around the county of Carlow whose children were refused places on the local school bus. For example, Bus Éireann has a private operator in Rathvilly, which is a small rural part of Carlow, but one of the buses is a 24-seater. I have asked for a bigger bus, a 52-seater, which would sort out a huge issue in that area. This bus goes from Rathvilly to Tullow Community School. I am engaging with Bus Éireann on a weekly basis. We are back now. It is the fifth week back in the school term and I am …

Every week.

This Bill prioritises the establishment of the digital health records and access to health data for care and treatment. It will make things better for patients. Previous speakers have spoken about patients. Healthcare is so important for patients. That is our priority. With regard to whatever way we can help, whether through information, addressing records or Bills, it is important that we always put the patient first. That is a priority of the Government. All patients will have access to their digital health recor…

In the Minister’s opening statement, he spoke about the SEAI. I know the Government is really encouraging these grants and work is being done through contractors, but in recent months, while we are encouraging people to take up the grants, elderly people have come to me who would have got a small grant maybe 15 or 20 years ago who now go for this grant and are not allowed to get it. The Minister knows himself that winters are getting harder. There is a lot more rain. People are now - thank God - living to a longer …

I know.

I have brought it up twice now.

I will take the opportunity to contribute in view of the fact that the Minister and Minister of State are present. It is important that everybody works together. I want to speak about the IDA Ireland park in Carlow. It is one of the most beautiful buildings in the country but, unfortunately, there are no tenants in it yet. I have been working with the chamber of commerce and Carlow County Council and I know how hard we are all working to promote the park. Carlow - I can only say this again - is an excellent place t…

Thank you. I did not realise I was sharing time.