Carlow is shovel-ready.

I would like an update on the funding for Carlow library.

I thank the Minister. She came to Carlow not long ago and visited our library. We have a beautiful library, but as the Minister knows, we need to expand it. I know Carlow County Council is promoting it and working within the community. The library is in what we know as the cultural quarter of Carlow town. The town has seen expansion, and according to the most recent census, Carlow has grown by 9%. We are one of the fastest growing counties in the country. As I said to the Minister when we met, Carlow is now a unive…

I thank the Minister. As she said, the library is the place. I have seen Portlaoise library and it is absolutely outstanding. It is fabulous. Carlow really deserves this funding. We are a growing town. Would you believe that Carlow town is now bigger than Kilkenny city? Our town has a population of almost 27,500 while Kilkenny's population is approximately 27,000. We have grown so much. The library will be a huge asset to us. As I said, Carlow County Council has been in talks with the Minister's Department and I be…

This is great; I am getting to ask the Minister all my questions. This question is about the applications received from Carlow County Council for the town and village renewal scheme.

I thank the Minister. I highlight that the scheme we are speaking about is excellent and plays an enormous role. Perhaps the Minister would look at the applications she has received from Carlow County Council.

Carlow health services are important to us all. As the Minister of State is no doubt aware, injury units treat recent injuries that are not life-threatening and are unlikely to need admission to hospitals. Such units can help with many of the injuries people go to emergency departments with. For example, with broken bones, dislocation and minor burns, patients can get treatments, X-rays and plaster casts. That is important. The HSE has advised that approximately 130,000 patients attend 12 local injury units in the …

At the end I was going to thank the Minister of State as he was in Carlow last Friday. We were delighted to have him in the enterprise board. It was great that we can show off what Carlow has to offer. I thank him for coming to Carlow. These injury clinics are so important when we now see how Carlow is growing. We have Kilkenny hospital, which is also an excellent hospital, but it would be beneficial to everyone if Carlow had its own injury clinic, and it would be great if people could go there. We have the service…

I am aware of a priest who has been living in Ireland for ten years. He is working and plays an essential role in the community. He comes from a foreign country and is still awaiting citizenship. Yesterday, I was told by the Department that it could take up to 19 months for his application to be dealt with. What is the reason for the delay? I cannot understand how there can be a delay of this length. Is the Department short-staffed? What can be done? As stated, the priest in question is working and playing an impor…

I will speak about Carlow. Adult education tutors are vital in Carlow and we have great tutors who provide an excellent service. At the moment, some of our tutors are working with the most disadvantaged and, indeed, with Ukrainian students, both young and old. It is very important that we move along with this. A 2020 Labour Court recommendation requested that the Department seeks to resolve things and place these tutors on an incremental scale. At present, they are paid hourly and they sign on during every school s…

I refer to Carlow CDNT. As the Minister is aware, the outcome for children with complex needs is far better when they receive early diagnosis and treatment. With the right treatment at the right time, such children can grow up to lead happy, independent lives. There are children in Carlow who will never be lucky enough to achieve that, however. We have to be fair. My issue is that children need to get these services urgently. I am told the issue is staffing. The 2023 staff census was conducted in December. What are…

Are farmers in Carlow benefiting from the organic farming scheme or other supports for the organic sector? Will the Minister of State make a statement on the matter?

I thank the Minister of State. I know the applications for the 2024 organic farming scheme closed on 8 December.

It is tomorrow. Perfect.

It was changed to 15 December. Lovely. I welcome that. We have a huge farmers' market in Carlow which opened in 2004. It is one of the biggest markets in the south east.

It is great to see that. I will encourage our farmers to participate in it.

I would like an update on the work that is under way by the national disability service and HSE procurement to develop a tender process and service specifications for delivery of assessments of needs from private providers to deal with the long backlog in assessments of needs.

I thank the Minister of State. As she said, we need to see this tender process. I believe we need to see the service specification for the delivery of assessments of needs. It needs to be rushed. The long waiting lists for assessment of needs, which is not a new phenomenon, should be reason enough for the national disability service and the HSE procurement team to speed up their delivery of this to ensure the long waiting lists can be tackled. I have huge issues with the staffing and so on in Carlow CDNT, which I h…

Is the Minister of State looking at plans to explore an international procurement process in parallel with the one being developed nationally? This should not be overlooked as a way to help tackle the long waiting lists. Going back to the CDNT in Carlow, we have a facility on Barrack Street in Carlow and only one room is being used at the moment. I know the staff there are doing their best and that they are understaffed but we have a beautiful facility and only one room is being used because there is no one else to…

On the same topic, when does the Minister of State expect to see the six new assessment hubs to streamline the assessment of needs process? When will they be established to relieve the pressure on service delivery as set out in her Roadmap to Improve Children's Disability Services? Will she make a statement on the matter?