I thank the Minister. I welcome what the Minister has done. As the Minister said, as a parent I am very mindful of social media. Everything is on social media now. It is important that we monitor it and that no child ever feels we cannot regulate. We need to make sure every child is protected at all times. I thank the Minister for her commitment.

Now we have Solidarity-People Before Profit. Are Deputies Paul Murphy and Barry sharing time?

I thank Deputy Barry. We now have the Regional Group and Deputy Lowry, who has five minutes.

I thank Deputy Lowry. There will now be three speakers from the Rural Independent Group and they will have five minutes between them.

In accordance with Standing Order 80(2), the division is deferred until the weekly division time this evening.

The 16 days of activism against gender-based violence campaign began this weekend on 25 November, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. It runs until 10 December, which is Human Rights Day. The campaign calls for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls. Everyone has the right to be free from violence. Much work is going on in the background to provide supports to women who are fleeing violence in Carlow. We are closer than ever to having a women's refuge. Carlow…

I welcome the first cross-government report on the budget measures to reduce child poverty and promote child well-being. While progress on the six areas identified in the child poverty and well-being programme has been made, there are huge issues. I welcome DEIS and huge money has been invested in schools but almost half of children living in poverty have little access to these supports as they are in non-DEIS schools. The home school community liaison scheme needs to be extended to all these schools. Children livi…

My thoughts remain with the young children and the crèche workers who were so viciously assaulted and attacked on Thursday, and the children, carers, families and friends caring for them. I welcome the swift actions of the delivery driver, the parents present, the school staff and the staff of the Rotunda. I welcome the ongoing major Garda operation in Dublin city centre, which has rightly included a significant number of arrests in the city since Thursday. More than 30 people have been before the courts, and a hig…

I know there have been challenges but I have great faith in the Minister. He has found a good balance and while there have been huge challenges, he is finding the best way forward. My understanding is that the planning and development Bill landed with the committee this week. That is a very welcome move, by the way. I will ask the Minister about capital projects and, as the Minister knows, I would not come here without asking about my town and county. What are the forecasts for the capital plan for the foreseeable …

I have been found out.

I welcomed recent developments on the retained firefighters. However, I have been contacted by several firefighters who are about to retire. They are calling for a temporary moratorium so long-serving firefighters can stay on past 60 years. Many fit and highly experienced personnel are having to retire as we speak and have to go on the dole when they should be allowed to stay on. When it has been found difficult to recruit new emergency personnel in the numbers needed to provide these important services, it makes s…

I have spoken to the Taoiseach about this issue before, as I have spoken to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. Daily, I have people coming into my clinics in Carlow who are waiting to be assessed to go on the housing list. At the moment, the waiting time to join the list is between ten and 12 weeks. That is unacceptable. I can say that the girls in Carlow County Council and the staff are excellent, but I believe that we need more staff. I know people that are waiting to be assessed and they cannot rent a property becaus…

I also want to talk about community policing, and it is one of the best examples of how our Garda force works.

Last week in Myshall, County Carlow, the superintendent and members of An Garda Síochána community policing unit met. I have concerns because the village Garda station needs refurbishment. It needs proper communication equipment, Internet and computer equipment in order for the new community Garda to be able to function properly when in the village. While I know the community Garda cannot be full-time in the village, the villagers want, as the Minister knows, to keep their Garda station open, active and a presence.…

I have huge concerns about our minor rural roads in Carlow. I am working with a group of residents in Hacketstown, where there is one such minor road, a public road, that is absolutely unfit for purpose. I welcome the Minister's funding and I know her commitment, but we are now dealing with trees falling, we are dealing with huge climate change, we have flash flooding and we have drains that are blocked all the time. We are seeing this the whole time. I also ask that extra funding come to Carlow for these minor roa…

We are doing all the counties.

I agree that the town and village renewal scheme is excellent. I sent the Minister Carlow County Council's one last weekend. Six projects went in. I hope she will deliver on the six of them because we are talking about rural areas. Like the previous speakers, I have my list. I gave her the six. I am afraid to single out any one in case one does not get funding. I am looking for the six of them to get the funding. I have sent them to the Minister. They are really important because in little villages like those in Ca…

Will the Minister consider reopening the connected hubs voucher scheme and make a statement on the matter?

I firmly believe the voucher scheme for remote workers, and what I would have classed as the hot deskers across Ireland, was hugely important. I know this from talking to people. That is why I wanted to ask whether there was any chance it could be brought back. It presents an opportunity for rural Ireland in particular, and for Carlow where I always promote it. A hub like this gives a huge presence within an area. The voucher played a huge part in this. As the Minister knows, when people are going in to a hub to wo…

As the Minister said, it is really good. It is even great for the climate because there is less traffic on the road and people are nearer to where they can work. I welcome this and the fact the hubs are doing so well and are being used. They are really positive for rural Ireland. Working with the Minister, I am always promoting broadband or different connections because it is important that everyone has proper connections. I have something to ask the Minister before she goes because I may not get to see her. I met …