On 16 November 2021, the Government published An Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions. I worked closely with the Minister on progressing this action plan and I welcome the redress part of it. However, I must raise immediately the need for an interim payment for those survivors who are older. Time is not on their side. They have suffered enough, so please look at an interim payment for those survivors now. Justice is something the commission report denied sur…

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, for coming to the House. I have been given the time to raise this important issue and the people of Tullow in County Carlow are depending on me to get answers. In April 2016, a parliamentary question was submitted to the then Minister for Health, the current Tánaiste, on a proposed primary care centre for Tullow, County Carlow. In the reply, the then Minister stated: "The HSE proposes to deliver the primary care centre for the Tullow, Rathvilly and Hacketstown area us…

I thank the Minister of State. I regularly check planning applications to Carlow County Council. We have a good news story coming from Carlow. I have seen a planning application for a 140-bed hospital and I will be speaking to the Minister in respect of that matter. I have not seen a planning application for this primary care centre. While I welcome this, and I assure the Minister of State that I monitor planning applications at all time, I have concerns that the HSE has not responded to me with more information. I…

My concern is the pressure on the health system. I receive calls from people in Carlow asking what is going to happen. It is five weeks until Christmas. Are we looking at a local lockdown? Will schools close earlier? What will happen with businesses? Should people get their vouchers now? If we can, we need to give people more information about what is happening. I raised issues with PCR testing in Carlow with the Taoiseach, the HSE and the national immunisation advisory committee. At 9 a.m. today, there was not one…

I have received many calls in the last few days about schools and the hospitality sector. We have an incredible vaccination rate and boosters are being rolled out. There has been confusion about the antigen testing, which I raised with the Taoiseach two weeks ago. I am glad that much information has been provided. I am concerned about how high Covid figures are. I note there is a delay with PCR testing in Carlow and quick testing is important. The staff across the country are doing their best but it is important th…

I appreciate being given the time to raise this very important issue. I am hopeful of an update on plans to include schools in my constituency, namely, Scoil Mhuire gan Smál in Carlow and Scoil Mhuire Lourdes in Tullow in the DEIS programme. Schools that fall outside the DEIS support system are struggling. The sooner schools that qualify for DEIS are identified, the sooner these funding structures can be put in place.

I am aware of the DEIS review that is being undertaken, but I want Carlow and Tullow to be included in it. The problem is that families are moving from schools which do not have the programme, which includes hot meals, to schools that have it. That is a major issue. Scoil Mhuire Lourdes is in Tullow, but there are no DEIS schools there, while Scoil Mhuire gan Smál, the school I attended in my home town, has been looking for DEIS status for years. It is becoming a major issue because school completion programmes and…

I welcome the fact that the Minister secured the extra funding. From talking to different principals, especially in the two schools I mentioned, Scoil Mhuire gan Smál in Carlow and Scoil Mhuire Lourdes in Tullow, I am aware that our towns and villages are changing. The review process needs to be furnished urgently so that children do not fall through the cracks in their academic year, especially now, as the Minister knows, when we have public health guidelines and everybody is trying to social distance and mind the…

This wide-ranging legislation is welcome. Numerous constituents have contacted me regarding e-scooters and e-bikes and, therefore, the legislation concerning them is welcome, in addition to the newly installed traffic management system for the M50. That is very important. I understand there will be investment in improving our public transport system, which is very good news. I was very heartened this week by the great news that a long-awaited bus service for Carlow town has been given the green light, with services…

I thank the Minister of State. It is great to see her here. I am also a member of the Joint Committee on Disability Matters and I know how hard everyone works there. It is time for action and this is a call for action. Action is highlighted in the committee's pre-budget submission for budget 2022. The submission calls for the programme for Government commitments that oblige action for inclusion to be fulfilled such that the concerns and needs of people are addressed in a meaningful way and for disability funding to…

Community employment schemes are designed to help those in long-term unemployment and as we know, they are absolutely brilliant for the community. There is a deep sense of frustration felt by community employment supervisors and assistant supervisors in trying to secure an occupational pension. Promises were made but I am afraid there has been no movement on this. My understanding is the State hires these supervisors and to all intents and purposes employs them. It is my view that the State must accept a level of r…

The lack of supply is the biggest issue around the country. I am aware it is a massive issue in Carlow. However, there is a new company, CarlowBuild, that can deliver prefabricated homes. I do not know whether there are similar companies around the country but we need to consider this possibility. It could be part of the solution to the housing supply issue and the delivery of homes. The homes would be efficient and affordable and would help to alleviate the housing crisis. CarlowBuild builds modular housing, and i…

I thank the Minister of State. People smuggling is already an offence under the Illegal Immigrants (Trafficking) Act 2000. However, this Bill fulfills additional requirements on Ireland from the EU and provides for the implementation of three international legal instruments in the area of people smuggling. I am supportive of this and urge its swift passage. Ireland needs to provide an effective international response to the growing problem of people smuggling. We must be clear that people smuggling is not trafficki…

I am looking for confirmation on a situation to do with an ambulance base in Carlow town. This has been going on for a very long time. Carlow has an excellent paramedic service but it is in a building at St. Dympna's Hospital that is not fit for purpose. We were originally told that the service would be moved to another part of the building at St. Dympna's. We subsequently believed that was to be changed. According to our capital plan, which was great, Holy Angels Day Care Centre will get its new build on what is c…

I am sure he is aware of it.

I thank the Ceann Comhairle because that was my question. I always get worried when I hear about there being a list because these lists go on and on. While I thank the Minister of State for his reply it is not actually a reply. First, the remedial works that were done did not cost €50,000. I have been up in the base several times. The minimum works were done and those works definitely did not come to €50,000. I have said that and I will say it repeatedly because that information is not true. Second, I again ask the…

This morning, Irish Families Through Surrogacy gave me a letter to give to the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health seeking support for urgent legislation on international surrogacy. I have met, outside the gates of Leinster House and previously, families from Carlow and Kilkenny impacted by this issue and I support them. There are reports the Government will delay the assisted human reproduction Bill because of technical legal issues. Will this legislation recognise and allow for international and compensated sur…

We are far from being out of the woods yet. Yesterday, the Department of Health confirmed 2,855 new cases of Covid-19, which is very worrying, with 515 people in hospital, of whom 91 are in ICUs. On the previous occasion on which an extension of these powers was proposed, last May, there were 448 cases, 99 people in hospital and 44 in ICU. We are far from being in the clear. The increase in cases is hugely concerning and we must do all we can to protect people's lives. As the use of antigen testing is increasing, I…

I ask the Tánaiste to provide a report on Enterprise Ireland supports for jobs and businesses in County Carlow and to make a statement on the matter. Today we heard the great news about the technological university for the south east, which I believe is a game changer. I was involved in the process for the past few years and I really welcome this. I know it will open many doors for employment in Carlow, Kilkenny and the south east. I know this will be a priority for the Tánaiste.

I welcome the more than €4 million invested in Carlow, which is particularly important with regard to the enterprise centres. I welcome the supports being extended to businesses in Carlow. I welcome the overall budget for 2022 with up to €90 million to be invested in Irish start-ups through an extension of the innovation fund. Enterprise Ireland funding of €9.3 million has been allocated to 24 regional projects across the country with start-up grants for SMEs and to help them recover from the pandemic. The disrupti…