I thank the Minister. We have challenges and we are very aware of that. Building houses is a priority for this Government. The more houses we deliver the better. This is about the families, communities and people who need housing. In my area of Carlow, for example, through our local authority, we are looking at land that has been serviced. We need to look at serviced sites. That is really important. I am going to raise a few issues I am very mindful of within my area. There was to be the extension of the wastewater…

I thank the Senator for raising this important and sensitive matter concerning the treatment of children who resided in mother and baby homes and the testimonies in relation to unlawful or inappropriate committal to adult mental health institutions. I thank Patricia and Bryan for being here. It is important that we remember Carmel and highlight the concerns that Patricia and the family have brought here today. I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, and the Minister …

This is really important. As the Senator said, the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, was apologetic that she could not come today. She is aware of this. I thank Patricia and Bryan for being here to highlight this. Everybody is affected as we know from anyone we have spoken to who has been in mother and baby homes. It is important that we work together on this new Bill. Concerns relating to historic inappropriate or unlawful detention of children are among the most serious that can arise in the context of our health…

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "That" and substitute the following: "Dáil Éireann resolves that the Sale of Nitrous Oxide and Related Products Bill 2025 be deemed to be read a second time this day nine months.". Following on from my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan's earlier remarks, I too commend the Deputies on their Bill, which attempts to address the scourge of nitrous oxide misuse and its damaging effects on public health, communities and young people in particular. While we s…

I thank the Members of the House for their contributions to the debate today and I look forward to their support as this Bill is further considered on Committee Stage. The range of measures that we have developed to address the problems caused by vaping are the result of thorough consideration. This Bill has one purpose, which is to ban single-use vapes, but we are soon bringing in the legislation to address the many other issues around these products. We are moving ahead of some EU counterparts with some of the me…

On behalf of the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, I thank Deputy O'Hara for the opportunity to respond on the topic of a 24-hour NAS rapid response vehicle at Tuam ambulance base. I assure Deputies the Government remains absolutely committed to investing in increasing capacity in our National Ambulance Service. The NAS allocation for 2025 includes €8 million for new service developments to provide up to 180 additional staff. This investment is focused on the provision of additional front-line emergency ambulance …

I was looking back through the Deputy's parliamentary questions and, in fairness, he is working with ambulance paramedics on the great work they do. I know the Deputy will be committed to doing this. This will be looked at in 2026. I thank the Deputy for highlighting it. It is important we recognise the work ambulance paramedics do around the country. They do great work. The Government remains committed to investing in increasing capacity in our National Ambulance Service for patients in County Galway and across th…

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am delighted to be here to introduce the Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill to this House. This is a short Bill with a single purpose. That purpose is to ban the sale of disposable electronic cigarettes or vapes. Like all public representatives, I regularly hear from parents, teachers and coaches who are concerned about the impact that vapes and nicotine use are having on children's health. The sight of discarded vapes littering our towns and villages is also …

I thank the Senator for raising this matter and for giving me the opportunity, on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, to clarify the position on the phased dispensing and monitored dosage system, which is also known as blister packs. I wish to clarify that phased dispensing and monitored dosage systems and blister packing are not the same thing. While the State has supported phased dispensing under the community pharmacy contract since 1996, it has never supported monitored dosage systems. The State su…

We do need to clarify this. As the Minister said, it will be quarter 1 of 2026. She has said the community pharmacy agreement 2025 does not remove the phased dispensing. We will check what is on that list. The rule changes around phased dispensing were introduced to deal with a situation where significant expenditure was being incurred by the State. It was not intended for purposes outside the contracted arrangements, with limited evidence of effectiveness. In her statement of 12 December, the Minister noted the co…

I thank all the Deputies for their contributions today, particularly Deputy Toole for her knowledge. What she spoke of was very informative for me. I know some pharmacists in my own area of Carlow and I can only say their work and commitment to the people in the area is brilliant. First, I thank Deputies again. I know that the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, has outlined that the proposed changes to phased dispensing have been paused until the end of quarter 1 of 2026. This pause was agreed to allow the IPU and …

I thank the Deputy for bringing this to the House and raising such an important matter. It gives me the opportunity to acknowledge the extraordinary role our healthcare workers played during the pandemic. They went far beyond the call of duty, working on the front line, treating Covid-positive patients and doing so in those early days when the protections we now take for granted were not yet in place. Their courage and commitment can never be forgotten. In July 2022, a special scheme was introduced to provide suppo…

I thank Senator Ryan for raising this important issue. I see it in my area of Carlow-Kilkenny. Carlow is now a university town and county and that brings challenges. It is important we have transport for students, and I am mindful of that. As the Senator knows, I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Darragh O’Brien. If I do not have some of the answers today, I can go back and look for the clarity the Senator seeks. Some of the issues she raised will be important. The M…

I will go back to the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, with the Deputy's concerns. It is so important that we acknowledge the extraordinary services of healthcare workers during the pandemic. They did a marvellous job and their work was incredible. They would have seen people dying during their work and, as the Deputy said, that probably has affected them. It is important that we work together on this. I will certainly raise the Deputy's issues. As I said, the scheme is concluding on 31 December 2025, but I assur…

I thank the Senator for highlighting it. Public transport for any age is in the programme for Government and there has been a lot of investment in it. I understand the Senator's own area. I can see it in my own constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny. I am always working to see whether it can be changed and if we can look at train times or get extra carriages. I see the need for that. The one thing I can assure the Senator is that the Government is committed to working on the areas we need to address. I will definitely go …

I thank the Deputy. The Minister thanks Deputy Cahill for raising this important issue and for offering her the opportunity to respond. Respite is a vital support for families and service users and potentially helps prevent out-of-home full-time residential placements, preserves the family unit and supports family stability. In regard to respite services within Kerry, the situation is as follows. HSE South West has made significant additional investment in respite provision in recent years. In 2024, regional health…

I thank the Senator for highlighting this very important issue. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. Varicella is a common, highly infectious disease caused by the varicella zoster virus. This virus is associated with chickenpox and shingles. Primary infection results in chickenpox, after which the virus becomes latent in the body’s nervous system. The virus may reactivate, sometimes decades later, resulting in shingles. Approximately one third of people wh…

This is something we need to look at. As the Senator said, we are talking about elderly people who are our most vulnerable people.

I assure the Senator that I will speak to the Minister for Health about this. The Department has indicated that the introduction of the single vaccine to the immunisation schedule in Ireland can be reconsidered if and when the cost-effectiveness of the vaccine is confirmed as being more favourable. I give the Senator my word that I will go back to the Minister because this matter is important. Over the years, I have known people who got shingles. They were very sick and suffered a lot of pain so I understand the im…

Yes, I agree. As the Senator said, Active Retirement Ireland does great work. Well done to it.