I first congratulate Deputy O'Reilly on her appointment as Chair of the petitions committee. I served on that committee for eight years and I wish her well because it is an extraordinarily important committee of the Houses. I hear the Deputy's concerns and I thank her for raising the matter. As the former chair of the health committee, I understand fully the Deputy's articulation of the issues surrounding the provision of primary care and healthcare. The Minister for Health has asked me to convey to the Deputy her …

I understand the Deputy's frustration. Primary care and the utilisation of the centre are perhaps matters that the HSE is best placed to tackle. Equally, the local regional health forum is a forum where the Deputy and other public representatives can put pressure on the HSE. However, I take the Deputy's point. Again, on behalf of the Minister, I wish to reassure the Deputy and I thank her for raising this important issue. The Government is as committed as the Minister is to the development of primary care and commu…

I join the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach in welcoming the Deputy's kids, Aisling, Erin and Caolán, to the House. I thank the Deputy for raising the important matter of Beaumont hospital and in congratulating and thanking the staff of Beaumont hospital on International Workers' Day for the work they do. I do not have the answers to some of the questions raised. However, if the Deputy supplies the details, I will pass them onto the Department and get an answer for him. I welcome the opportunity, on behalf of the Minister, …

I thank Deputy Hearne. It is about dignity, which I fully accept. As a former Chair of the health committee and as a TD, I am very much aware of this. People are waiting for too long for procedures and outpatients appointments, not just in Beaumont Hospital but across our hospital network. The Government is committed to addressing these issues. It is a priority of the Government and of the Minister for Health. The importance attached to reducing waiting lists is demonstrated by the level of investment over the last…

I congratulate Deputy Cahill on his appointment. He is a very fine ambassador for the tourism sector not just in Kerry but across the country. I wish him well on that. I heard him raise it this morning with the Tánaiste during Questions on Policy or Legislation. First, to briefly put context on it, the Office of Public Works conserves and manages Ireland’s national heritage estate, which comprises 780 national monuments and 32 national historic properties, with over 5,000 acres of designed landscapes and parks. Thi…

I again emphasise that I hear Deputy Cahill. Sceilg Mhichíl is a site of extraordinary significance and the OPW is seeking to carefully manage the built and natural heritage of the site for the enjoyment of current and future generations. The OPW recognises the significance of the Skelligs with regard to tourism and the economic activity of Kerry, as articulated by Deputy Cahill, and in particular the Ballinskelligs region. The OPW has worked collaboratively with local stakeholders for many years to ensure this sit…

I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health. I congratulate Deputy Ward on his appointment as Chair of the European affairs committee and wish him well in the role. He has raised a very important matter regarding women's health and the healthcare provided to them. The urogynaecological transvaginal mesh is used in the surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse in women. Such mesh devices have been widely used to treat those conditions over the past two decades. For …

I thank Deputy Burke for raising this matter in the House this evening. I am taking the matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, who shares Deputy Burke's concerns in relation to the current cost of shingles vaccination in Ireland. Varicella is a common, highly infectious disease caused by the varicella zoster virus. The virus is associated with two distinct clinical syndromes, varicella, known as chickenpox, and herpes zoster, commonly known as shingles. Primary infection with the varicella zoster virus result…

Deputy Burke made some very valid points. He is right about the long-term effects of shingles and the ageing population. I thank him again for raising this important matter. He is right that we should be forward thinking. Vaccination is regarded as one of the most effective, cost-effective and successful public health interventions that exist, saving many lives every year. As has been highlighted, shingles can impact anyone who has been infected with chickenpox during their life, leaving a significant proportion of…

I thank Deputies O'Hara and McGrath for raising these important matters tonight and for allowing me, as Deputy McGrath said, to respond on behalf of the Minister. I say to Deputy O’Hara that the Department recently announced that 98 beds for families seeking international protection will be provided at the Merriman Hotel in Kinvara. The property was previously used to house people who were beneficiaries of the temporary protection directive due to the war in Ukraine and was also used as an international protection …

To Deputy O'Hara, I repeat that those people from Ukraine who remain in the property will stay at the Merriman Hotel and will be accommodated under new arrangements. That is fairly black and white. I take on board the comments of both Deputies and will bring them back to the Minister. The Department has been working with communities all over Ireland to source and provide accommodation for people applying for international protection. Emergency centres have been opened in all parts of the country. This is part of Ir…

I thank Deputy Ó Muirí for raising the matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister. The Deputy is right that we are not immune to extreme events and he rightly illustrated and highlighted our vulnerability in terms of 2.5 times our usage having gone in five seconds. He is bang on. It is important to note that we do not yet know the causes of yesterday’s event. This kind of cascading event has happened to power grids before. We remember the north-east of the US in 2003, when 55 million people were affected, …

I again thank Deputy Ó Muirí for raising the matter, which is of critical importance. The Deputy is right that there must be learnings from what happened yesterday, whatever the cause of the Iberian blackout is, and that has not been confirmed yet. The authorities in Portugal and Spain are continuing to assess the cause and it may take time. The point the Deputy makes is that we must take learnings from this. In Ireland, EirGrid recently published a resource adequacy assessment, which has forecast a significant imp…

I thank Deputy Geoghegan for raising this very important matter, which I am taking for the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. Deputy Geoghegan has raised this matter before. There is huge merit in what he has proposed, and I commend his contribution because it is about joined-up thinking and ensuring we are ready for the next phase of the area he mentioned. As the Deputy knows, improving public transport services and infrastructure is central to improving citizens' quality of life and achieving our decarbonisation goals. Th…

I thank Deputy Geoghegan for his contribution and ongoing interest in this very important issue. The Deputy is correct. As a member of Dublin City Council, he championed the 15-minute city concept. I fully subscribe to what he said about capital investment in infrastructure, housing and transport, as does the Government. On the current developments, the National Transport Authority has instructed Transport Infrastructure Ireland to undertake a pre-feasibility analysis of the Luas to Poolbeg project. This analysis w…

Chuala muid an díospóireacht. Déanaim comhghairdeas leis na Baill a thug páirt sa díospóireacht iontach sin agus gabhaim buíochas leo. Go mórmhór, gabhaim buíochas le Sinn Féin as an rún a chur os comhair na Dála. Déanaim comhghairdeas leis na hoifigigh agus leis na baill den phobal a thug cuairteanna agus tacaíocht dá gcomharsana tar éis na stoirme agus gabhaim buíochas leo. I begin by congratulating the Ceann Comhairle on having the confidence of the House and wish her well in the term ahead. It is important to t…

I thank the Senator for raising this important issue relating to Kilmessan. I am taking the matter on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy O'Brien, who sends his apologies. I fully understand where the Senator is coming from. I assure her that the Government, road safety partners and all the agencies are working to address the alarming trends in road fatalities and serious injuries and continue to focus on priority actions. I will bring the Senator's request to measure and collate data and to use it as a pa…

I thank Senator Nelson Murray and I reassure her the Government is fully committed to providing a safe and secure transport network - Kilmessan is very much a part of this - that will help to serve the needs of all members of society. From my perspective in government, the Government's road safety strategy is the bible we use to improve road safety and make our roads safer for all. The strategy is about delivering Vision Zero, with zero deaths on our roads by 2050. It is also about ensuring, in the case raised by S…

I thank Senator Clifford-Lee for her contribution and for raising very valid points, in particular on the price differentiation. She is right about the Dublin commuter zone. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. I thank Senator Clifford-Lee for her constant advocacy for public transport and for the people in Balbriggan and Skerries. I will take the Senator’s points back to the Minister. As Members will know, the Minister for Transport has responsibility for policy and overall funding in…

I again thank Senator Clifford-Lee for her contribution. She makes valid points regarding the people of Balbriggan and Skerries. I will bring them to the Minister on her behalf. As the Senator said, the Department of Transport has been working with the NTA over recent years to simplify fares across bus, rail and light rail services and introduce a fairer distance-based structure. The programme for Government is committed to review existing fare structures so that we can ensure that public transport is as accessible…