I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Canney, to the Chamber. Before we proceed with the statements, I welcome those in the Public Gallery who are looking down at us today. I particularly welcome Councillor Mick Delaney from Tullaroan. Joining him are active retirement groups from Kilkenny and Laois. You are all very welcome. I hope you enjoy your day with Councillor Delaney here at Leinster House. The group members had a lot of questions for me on the statements we are about to make. I was questioned sensib…

I thank the Deputy. I understand Deputy Ahern is sharing time.

The students from Wexford are very welcome.

I want to immediately draw the Minister of State's attention to some of the issues that are faced in my constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny. I feel that is the most effective way of contributing to this debate. Earlier, I had the privilege of welcoming a group from Tullaroan with Councillor Michael Delaney. Councillor Delaney and that group discussed in great detail the matter that we are now discussing. They brought to my attention a number of concerns that they had. They wondered, and rightly so, if the technology wa…

Amendments Nos. 1 and 4 are grouped together.

Amendments Nos. 7 to 9, inclusive, are related and may be discussed together, by agreement. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Amendments Nos. 10 and 11 are related and may be discussed together. Amendment No. 11 is a physical alternative to amendment No. 10.

The Minister should just continue.

My concern around the issue we are debating now is the rights and supports that are necessary for local communities when they make their objections and when they are pitched against big companies that can steamroll their way through the planning process and onwards. The reason they take judicial reviews is because they feel that they are failed by the process itself and that they are being ignored by the political process. We have been promised, for example, onshore wind regulations in this House since 2006. We hav…

Can I mention before I sit down that the construction of a ring road around Kilkenny is another issue which was held up.

I have shown the Taoiseach some latitude.

We now will move on to statements on International Nurses Day.

I thank all of the nurses and midwives we are speaking about this evening. I certainly appreciate them. I thank them for their passion for the job, and for their commitment and dedication. I also recognise that we stood in this House and applauded all of the front-line workers and made comments and statements about nurses and others. Yet, we did not fulfil what is necessary, which is pay and conditions, the proper number of staff and allowing them to perform their functions, which they are very good at. I stand in …

Deputy Ó Fearghaíl indicated that he wished to ask a supplementary question.

The Deputy to conclude.

Order, please.

Deputy Doherty, allow the Minister to respond.

I thank the Minister.

The Minister should conclude. Deputy Nash is next.

I thank the Minister, Deputy Nash to respond.