I compliment the team who are working to get this work done. They did not go to newspapers and publicise things. We are doing the work in the background and moving it as quickly as we can with the Department. That is what we are doing as a group. I am delighted to be working with all the different agencies to get this women's refuge through as quickly as possible.

As we mark International Women's Day, it is critically important we ensure significant and meaningful female participation at every level of society. I call on all women to look at politics. First and foremost here, I call on all women here in this Chamber to work together for a women's refuge, not go to newspapers and not make it political, and instead ensure as a team we are stronger. I am calling for this today. It does not matter what party you represent in government or out of government or that you will hold …

Next are Deputies Quinlivan and Gould, who are sharing time.

I wish to discuss accommodation for those fleeing the war in Ukraine. The Department has received 663 offers of accommodation, of which approximately one third have been rejected. I have spent months trying to get information about two suitable accommodation offers in Carlow. It is all online. There is no face-to-face contact. I have also visited the office of the Minister, Deputy Roderic O'Gorman. My understanding is that it is short-staffed. These communities and the owners of these premises are only asking for c…

My chief concern regarding children in education is the lack of supports for those going from preschool to primary and from primary to secondary. There is a facility in Carlow that looks after children with special needs and that has children scheduled to attend primary school in September who have never seen a therapist. They have not had an assessment and that is unacceptable. We await a new special educational needs organiser, SENO, for Carlow. We are seeing massive delays in assessments. Some assessments from 2…

The negative impacts of higher energy prices on consumers, society and the economy have been felt. We did good things in the budget to help people with higher energy prices. There are supports in place, but we need to reassure the public that there is energy security. We have to be able to keep the lights on. We need unbroken availability of energy sources at an affordable price and we must do all we can to ensure the most vulnerable in our society do not suffer massive energy costs or disruption of power. We have …

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, for coming in to take this Topical Issue matter. We have considerable issues in community healthcare area, CHO, 5, especially in County Carlow. The children's disability network team, CDNT, in Carlow has more than 200 children on the waiting list for autism assessments. The children are taken off the list by the CDNT, per date order, unless prioritised as high-risk. These children are getting lost and we need to do something urgently about it. A facility in Carlow, wh…

I know the Minister of State's commitment. I have worked with her for a few years. I welcome her comments and the fact she said she now has €11.5 million. She spoke about the 200 children in Carlow. I am very much aware of the cases in the county. It worries me when I look at a school such as Holy Angels that excels in the service it has for children with disabilities. Holy Angels had CE scheme workers who were doing much of the work. It is sad we do not have CE schemes anymore and we need to address that. However,…

I too pay tribute to all involved in the Wexford General Hospital fire yesterday. Well done to all. I am mindful Daffodil Day is only around the corner and we will all be doing our best to fund-raise for cancer services. However, yesterday we heard thousands of patients in the south east, including Carlow, are waiting months for cancer test results due to a major backlog. Up to 2,000 patients from St. Luke's General Hospital Kilkenny are being forced to wait up to six months, in some cases, for their results. This …

I thank the Tánaiste.

I thank the Deputy. We will go to the Rural Independent Group. Five speakers will have four minutes each. Deputy Mick Collins will speak first.

I, too, welcome the Bill. It is a long time ago that I, like my parents, became a member of the credit union in Carlow. All my children are now members as well. That is important. Credit unions have always been part of families and communities. Since I first joined, there have been great changes in credit unions but more change is needed. This is the first substantive credit union legislation since 2011. It is a first step to delivering for credit unions on a commitment in the programme for Government. It also refl…

In April 2016 I asked an oral parliamentary question in the House about a proposed primary care centre for Tullow in County Carlow. I was told "The HSE proposes to deliver the primary care centre for the Tullow, Rathvilly and Hacketstown area using the direct/own-build mechanism." The HSE said its capital plan would fund the centre. Following several parliamentary questions in six years since, the HSE told me that Tullow was the only place identified for the centre. Last year then I was told it was to begin in the …

I am taking this question on behalf of Deputy Niamh Smyth. Will the Minister provide an update on the agenda highlights of the Environment Council to be held in Brussels on 16 March 2023?

I thank the Minister of State. In December EU environment ministers held a policy debate on a proposal for the nature restoration regulation to help recover European habitats, 80% of which are in poor condition. This was a major issue. The proposal will set specific legally binding targets and obligations for nature restoration in each of the listed ecosystems. I want to speak to the Minister of State about a project in Carlow, the Drummin Bog project. It is a voluntary not-for-profit community education project to…

I thank the Minister of State. We need to ensure there is money for projects like this. Communication is important. This is a good community project. Perhaps the Minister of State would come back to me with the relevant information. He spoke about a meeting in March, which will include a discussion on a wastewater treatment plant. Perhaps he could come back to me on that. There are major issues in local authorities. There are always delays in funding. Will the Minister of State highlight that all local authorities …

I had a meeting recently with care home representatives in my constituency. I was joined by Deputy Funchion, who apologises for being unable to attend the debate this morning. I will outline the issues raised with us by the people to whom we spoke. Their biggest concern is that care homes do not get the same supports as those available to HSE-funded nursing homes. This is because the fair deal scheme covers only long-term nursing home care. It is important to note that the south east is the only area in the country…

I thank the Minister of State for her reply. I am delighted with that extra funding. It is great for the care homes, as she stated. She has visited many of them, including in Carlow, Kilkenny and her home town of Waterford. I know the passion and commitment she has to ensure care homes are the life and soul of the community and that they will always have funding to keep them open. The biggest issue at the meeting to which I refer was the need to ensure the ten care homes in the south east are secure and that the re…

It is welcome that we are bringing together a Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use. We must find a better way to meet the diverse health needs of people who use drugs and, at the same time, explore ways to prevent the harmful impact of drugs on children, families and communities. I have seen families torn apart, where perhaps a child or someone else in the family has started to take drugs and they have been crying out for help. This citizens' assembly, therefore, is going to be crucial. Looking at the Port of Rotterdam,…

I hope the Minister of State's functions are transferred to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth by 1 March. I think she will play a significant role there. I say that as a member of the Joint Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. There seems to be a significant issue with recruitment in this sector. I met with Down Syndrome Carlow last week. The group is waiting on occupational therapy and speech therapy services. I welcome the funding, but how can w…