I welcome the Minister. It has never been harder to be a renter in this country. In Limerick, like across the State, rents are soaring, supply is vanishing and behind each number is a person - a student, a lone parent or a young worker barely scraping by. There were over 16,000 eviction notices last year. In my county, rents are at record highs. Student accommodation is oversubscribed and people are commuting from towns like Newcastle West and Rathkeale because they cannot afford to live near their colleges or work…

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I welcome the Minister of State. I want to raise the issue of ash dieback, which is of deep concern to farmers, landowners and rural communities across Ireland. Ash dieback is not just a crisis for forestry; it is an environmental, economic and cultural disaster. For generations, ash trees have been a defining feature of our landscape, vital to biodiversity and central to our rural heritage. Since its introduction, the disease has devastated our woodlands and up to 90% of our ash trees are expected to succumb to it…

I thank the Minister of State for his response. The crisis did not happen by accident. It was due to Government failure to address the lack of good import controls. I am concerned about where the costs will land. Plantation owners who applied for the grant will get it back but it will come in staged payments, so they will be out of pocket until they have the trees planted. What about the landowners who have ash trees in hedgerows or elsewhere on their land, who did not apply under the scheme? I hear it said all the…

I welcome the Minister to the House. I wish to raise a significant flaw in the NCS which is creating financial hardship for childcare providers and placing an unfair burden on parents. Under the current rules, if a parent collects their child early from childcare, the provider is financially penalised. It must either refund the portion of the subsidy it received from the NCS or absorb the financial loss itself. The reality is that most providers who are already under immense financial pressure cannot afford to take…

I second the motion.

I welcome the Minister of State. For too many families in my area, securing an appropriate school place for a child with additional needs is a battle. It is a battle against waiting lists, inadequate resources and a system that often places too much bureaucracy ahead of children's rights. In County Limerick, the reality is stark. Parents of children with autism and other additional needs are struggling to find suitable school places. Mainstream schools are under pressure and struggling to provide proper support due…

Sorry, is this on all amendments?

I will speak for a second, if that is okay.

Amendment No. 10 is to ensure there is ongoing training and professional development for our investigators. Maritime technology, safety regulations and accident investigation methodologies are consistently evolving. Investigators must receive continual training to ensure their work remains aligned with international best practice. This amendment would place a legal obligation on the Minister to ensure this happens. Amendment No. 11 would enhance accountability by requiring that the MAIU's annual report include upda…

I move amendment No. 7: In page 10, between lines 8 and 9, to insert the following: “(a) staff should be qualified master mariners, ship surveyors and/or marine engineers and their competencies should include marine engineering, naval architecture and seagoing experience; (b) appointment of staff should not be at the sole discretion of the Chief Investigator; (c) necessary staff qualifications should be outlined in a protocol between the Minister and the MAIU.”.

I move amendment No. 8: In page 10, between lines 8 and 9, to insert the following: “(2) The Minister shall ensure the investigations must be held by suitably qualified persons who have appropriate working knowledge and practical experience in the subject matter of the safety investigation they are conducting.”.

I move amendment No. 10: In page 10, between lines 16 and 17, to insert the following: “(5) A person who holds, or held at any time during the one year period immediately before the relevant date— (a) an established position as a civil servant as an officer of the Minister, or (b) an unestablished position as a civil servant as an officer of the Minister, shall not be eligible for appointment as an investigator under subsection (1).”.

I move amendment No. 11: In page 13, after line 39, to insert the following: “(3) The Minister shall ensure all investigators undergo training and continuing professional development programmes in order to ensure standards in investigations are fully compliant with best practice.”.

I move amendment No. 12: In page 14, between lines 19 and 20, to insert the following: “(4) The annual report will also identify the safety recommendations issued and action (by whatever body or authority) taken or planned in accordance with recommendations issued previously.”. Amendment No. 12, is all about strengthening co-operation between the MAIU and other authorities. When a maritime accident occurs, multiple agencies may be involved, whether it is An Garda Síochána in the case of criminal investigations, aut…