What I am giving is a commitment that we will take this to Uisce Éireann. If there are any other issues or other areas that I have not mentioned here that Uisce Éireann is working on-----

-----the Deputies should please bring them to us, and we will bring them back to Uisce Éireann.

No.

I thank Deputy Kenny for raising this matter. It must have been a frightening incident for the people of Leitrim. I thank the Deputy for providing me with the opportunity to update the House of the current position. I will begin by clarifying that the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is designated as lead Department for co-ordinating the response at national level to several scenarios including severe weather and flooding. The national director for fire and emergency management within the Depart…

I commend the work of the local authority. I am not at all surprised that it responded so well. In my previous dealings with Leitrim County Council regarding the bog slide at Drumkeeran, the response was phenomenal and well targeted. It was lucky that the Minister of State, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, addressed the first question. She has raised the issue of insurance with the relevant companies. She stated that they have engaged quickly and that any specific problems should be brought to her. I will come back regardi…

I thank the Senators for raising this issue. Amendment No. 1 proposes to amend section 3(2) by substituting An Coimisiún Toghcháin for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Amendment No. 2 similarly seeks to amendment section 3(2) by inserting "following consultation with An Coimisiún Toghcháin" after the reference to the Minister. Section 3(2) is a standard provision that has been inserted into constituency revision Bills dating back to 1923. It provides a means of resolving disputes over which …

I will address some of the points raised by Senator Garvey before coming to the amendment, in particular the voting age. My view is that I would like to see the voting age in Ireland reduced. It is included in the draft research programme for An Coimisiún Toghcháin. I am more than happy to consider the issue once the recommendations have been issued by the commission. I hope the research comes back in a timely manner ahead of local and European elections so we can make an informed decision on it. We want to examine…

Amendment No. 6 proposes to insert a new section 5 into the Bill to require the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas within a period of one year from the enactment of the Bill, setting out the impact that the number of Members allocated to each Dáil constituency may have on delivering a more balanced representation in our Dáil Chamber. Essentially, the proposed amendment would require that the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to …

I would like to do so and I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach. I know we are discussing an amendment that was ruled out of order but it is important to spend a bit of time on the matter. I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiment behind the amendment. The Bill is to carry out a specific function, which is to address the boundaries and give effect to the recommendations of an coimisiún in its boundary review. Notwithstanding this, the issues raised by Senators are of paramount importance. I have stood in several electora…

The Department. The vagueness about addresses could mean that a constituency office or party headquarters could be used. There is flexibility already there about what can be included with regard to the address on a ballot paper. The Department will issue a circular to returning officers to ensure that if this flexibility is required by a candidate, it will be given effect to and supported. That flexibility already exists in terms of what can be put on a ballot paper with regard to address. I hope this gives some as…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir as an gceist seo. I thank Senator Boyhan for raising this matter which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for agriculture, Deputy McConalogue. Just this morning we announced a new environment scheme for breeding waders, €25 million from my Department via the National Parks and Wildlife Service and €5 million from the Department of agriculture. That is hugely important. As Senator Boyhan said, farmers and landowners want to participate in these schemes and that is why they have …

Absolutely Senator, I can bring that back to the Minister, Deputy McConalogue. As the Senator can appreciate, the Department took in all applicants, given that there was such an uptake and such demand for the scheme, which is fantastic. It is brilliant that it has happened but it has created significant additional pressure, not to mention in particular on the co-operation project side of it. Every effort is being made to try to address it. Again I will flag that our new breeding waders EIP scheme opened today. Peop…

I thank Senator Gavan for raising this issue. I take this question on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Harris, and regret that neither he nor the Minister of State, Deputy Collins, is available this morning. Like the Senator, the Minister is well aware that insecure employment can and does have a detrimental impact on individual well-being and people's ability to plan for the future, as highlighted in the recent report from IFUT. Beyond that, it is also important to acknowledge that precarity can impact higher educat…

I will take the opportunity to highlight that the IUA has been very clear that universities are committed to providing stable and fulfilling careers for staff. The IUA strongly rejects any suggestion whatsoever that deliberate attempts were being made to circumvent employment legislation. As I have spoken about measures taken by the Department to address precarity through increased funding and staffing, reform of the ECF and supports for researchers, it should, therefore, be clear that this Government shares the co…

Yes.

I thank the Senator for her question regarding the Phoenix Park. She mentioned Fingal County Council and I was there yesterday launching its biodiversity plan. The county council has done fantastic work and great credit to them. As the Senator will be aware as a regular visitor to the park, recent years have seen a significant increase in recreational visitors. The OPW faces a difficult challenge in balancing the need of all visitors and users of the park with differing requirements while also providing vehicular a…

It sounds to me like the Senator is saying there needs to be ongoing collaborative engagement. There was a non-statutory consultation process and 9,000 submissions were received. I absolutely take on board the points the Senator is raising and they will be brought back to the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan. Eco-toilets are a good idea. I have seen them in operation in other parks across the country and they are very good and effective. Ongoing engagement, particularly with elected Members, on the important poi…

I thank the Senator for raising this question on the planned new ambulance base for Gorey. Since 2016, the National Ambulance Service, including the south-east region, has undergone significant reform and modernisation, involving the prioritisation of investment in new service developments, including increased workforce, fleet and improved technology. NAS staffing resources nationally have increased from 1,694 as at December 2015 to 2,279 at the end of October this year. That is an increase of 585 whole-time equiva…

I will do that. I have given an outline of the fact that it has been included in the capital plan for 2023 and the pathway by which it can then progress through the national capital and property steering committee. The response is the response. I note the Senator's concerns and the fact that he is dissatisfied with the response and I will certainly take this back directly to the Minister on the Senator's behalf.

I will respond to some of the points raised by some of the Deputies. A number of Deputies, including Deputies Mattie McGrath and Danny Healy-Rae, raised the issue of water and wastewater infrastructure and, certainly, on the capital side, Uisce Éireann is fully funded to continue its work. It has a very ambitious programme of work to address water and wastewater infrastructure, including in rural areas across the country. That work is progressing, albeit that there are delivery challenges but that is recognised. De…