Deputy Conway-Walsh has a supplementary question.

A supplementary from Deputy Neville.

Deputy Doherty, the Tánaiste, without interruption please.

The Tánaiste, without interruption please.

We are out of time.

Deputy, please address the Chair.

I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Sean Fleming - The transfer of patients from Erkina House in Rathdowney, County Laois and the future of this facility. Deputy Rory Hearne - To discuss changes to bus networks in Dublin north west. Deputy Jen Cummins - To discuss public transport improvements in Chapelizod. Deputy Barry Ward - To discuss qualification for carer's leave for teachers. Dep…

To clarify, the Deputy can defer it until the next day.

Will we defer it until tomorrow morning? Yes. We will put it to the Ceann Comhairle's office for the Deputy.

Okay.

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, and I thank all Deputies. That concludes the Topical Issue Debate for today.

I thank the Minister. It is great to see that so much progress has been made on the local improvement scheme since it was re-established in 2017. The 5,000 improved roads in many rural parts of the country are very important to many of our constituents. I welcome the fact that the Minister has doubled the funding this year to €30 million, representing one of the largest increases for the scheme in the history of the State. It is great to see that Cork County Council has expended over €14 million on the scheme since…

I thank the Minister. It is good to see that Cork County Council is getting a lot of praise here this morning for its participation in the scheme and for ensuring many roads will be done this season. A total allocation of €2.33 million for 2025 is very welcome. I am sure many roads in my area, Cork North-West, and right across the county will be done. It is great that many roads on the islands off the mainland of Cork County have been done also. It is important to get the allocations out early in the year so we can…

I want to raise the issue of home support with the Taoiseach today. Home support, often known as home help, is one of the most essential person-centred supports provided by our health and social care system. It is a service that allows older people and those with additional needs to continue living safely, comfortably and independently in their own homes and communities. For many families across Cork and throughout the country, home support is not just a convenience but a lifeline. Every single day, home support wo…

I thank the Taoiseach. I agree with him that the resources are there; the problem is in recruitment and ensuring we get enough staff in place to continue. Our population is ageing and needs are increasing. The State must respond proactively, not reactively. The principle here is simple. People should be supported to live at home for as long as possible. The State must ensure the supports required are available when needed, not months later. Home support is one of the most empowering, cost effective and socially val…

I thank the Minister for his continuing engagement on this matter. As he knows, a lot of farmers in Cork North-West are involved in ACRES. I know the Minister inherited a lot these issues when he moved into his new role but he has made great strides to ensure that we are now up at over 90% in terms of payments for many of the schemes from 2023 and 2024. ACRES is not just a scheme but a partnership between farmers and the State to protect our environment, enhance biodiversity, improve water quality and ensure that s…

I very much concur with the Minister on the importance of having permanent solutions in place rather than temporary measures. That is very important. A few prepayments were made previously but getting permanent payments is what it is all about. Timely ACRES payments are not a luxury but a necessity. They uphold trust, recognise the efforts of farmers and allow the scheme to achieve its full environmental and economic potential. There is strong support for the scheme in the farming community of Cork North-West and I…

Are there plans to expand or improve dental facilities, including clinics, in north-west Cork? Are there plans for new or upgraded facilities to meet the growing demands of towns like Macroom, Charleville, Kanturk, Mallow and Millstreet?

I thank the Minister for that update on dental services, particularly in north-west Cork, north Cork and mid-Cork. Certainly, there seems to be gaps in some areas where the DTSS is not available to many medical card holders. That is a serious issue we must try to alleviate. The number of contractors involved in the scheme has increased, but only slightly. As the Minister said, it is still not enough. I would like to see more people coming into that scheme and I would like it to be available for medical card holders…

I thank the Minister for her response. I want to focus on the HSE dental services that are available to children and to adults with significant special care needs. The service provided over the last number of years has been challenged by the Covid-19 pandemic. There have been a number of challenges in terms of providing orthodontics, particularly in ensuring there are enough staff to support clinics right across Cork North-West. We have clinics in Charleville, Newmarket, Mallow and Macroom. We also have St. Finbarr…