Indeed.

Before I commence the debate, for the information for Members, the following are the arrangements for this debate: the financial motions by the Minister for Finance and any amendments thereto will be grouped together for the purposes of debate and brought to a conclusion after 90 minutes. If the debate concludes and any question is to be put before the 90 minutes expires, that question will be put on a single item, that is, either on an amendment or a financial motion. However, after the 90 minutes expires, a quest…

I have to mention that there is a Waterford film at the Oscars as well and not only one from Achill. Beidh a fhios ag an Aire Stáit go bhfuil dúshlán faoi leith do mhuintir na tuaithe, do mhuintir na Gaeltachta agus do mhuintir na n-oileán maidir lena gcuid astaíochtaí a laghdú. Conas a thacófar le hathrú aeráide agus le hoiriúnú aeráide sna réigiúin Ghaeltachta chun na deacrachtaí áirithe seo a leigheas?

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. Aontaím go bhfuil deis ollmhór i gceantair Ghaeltachta ó thaobh fuinnimh in-athnuaite ach tá a fhios againn go léir go mbeidh an próiseas dícharbónaithe níos dúshlánaí ar cheantair áirithe. Ag féachaint ar na ceantair Ghaeltachta, mar gheall ar nádúr scaipthe na tithíochta atá ann, beidh dúshlán faoi leith ag baint le dícharbónú córas iompair. Tá dea-shampla againn i nGaeltacht na nDéise sa Local Link atá ann. Tá seirbhís beagnach gach uair an chloig ansin. Ar na hoileáin, is ba…

Is cinnte go bhfuil ról faoi leith ag Údarás na Gaeltachta ó thaobh na ndúshlán seo ach ní féidir linn a bheith siloed laistigh de na Ranna éagsúla. Bheadh sé oiriúnach dúinn labhairt leis an Aire, an Teachta Eamon Ryan, agus a rá leis go bhfuil sé níos costasaí a leithéid d'iarfheistiú a dhéanamh ar na hoileáin agus go bhfuil sé níos dúshlánaí seirbhísí iompair phoiblí a chur ar fáil do mhuintir na Gaeltachta toisc go bhfuil an tithíocht atá ann scaipthe. Caithfimid níos mó infheistíochta a dhéanamh sna seirbhísí …

Baineann an cheist seo le toghcháin d’Údarás na Gaeltachta. Ba mhaith liom a fhiafraí den Aire Stáit conas atá sé i gceist aige cothromaíocht inscne agus cothromas a chaomhnú ar bhord Údarás na Gaeltachta i bhfianaise na moltaí reachtaíochta nua.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as an bhfreagra sin. Ceann de na fáthanna a raibh daoine i bpobal na Gaeilge diongbháilte go bhfillfí ar thoghcháin d’Údarás na Gaeltachta ná chun guth an phobail sin a chur i gcroílár an phróisis cinnteoireachta inár gceantair Ghaeltachta agus do mhuintir na Gaeilge ar fud na cruinne agus ar fud na tíre. Leis sin, ní mór dúinn a chinntiú nach díreach réigiún tíreolaíochta atá i gceist leis an ionadaíocht seo ach go mbeadh dearcthaí éagsúla le cloisteáil ar an mbord agus eispéire…

Aithním go bhfuil jab deacair le déanamh ag an Aire Stáit. Caithfidh sé a chinntiú go mbeidh guthanna éagsúla ó na ceantair éagsúla ar an mbord, ní hamháin ón nGaeltacht ollmhór sin i gContae na Gaillimhe ach fós féin na Gaeltachtaí beaga cosúil le Gaeltacht na nDéise atá againn i bPort Láirge. Leis sin, caithfimid a chinntiú freisin go bhfuil guthanna éagsúla ann ó thaobh an experience atá ag daoine sa saol agus go mbeadh cothromaíocht inscne ann freisin. Dúirt an tAire Stáit go mbeidh cothromaíocht inscne ann ó t…

The Ombudsman and the Ombudsman for Children appeared before the Joint Committee on Autism this morning, as did representatives of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, IHREC. Among the many issues that were raised around the provision of services for autistic people, a recurring theme was the need to revisit the Disability Act 2005. The Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, recently presented our fifth and sixth periodic reports to the Committee on the Rights of the Child at the UN, the response to which issued jus…

I will make it a hat-trick of Tipperary Deputies.

The Minister will not be surprised to see me coming in on this. He rightly referenced that Waterford has built on-campus student accommodation. There has been welcome Government interventions on student accommodation, particularly in the case of technological universities, which will be allowed to borrow in order to fund student accommodation for the first time. However, it means we are a little behind. The pipeline the Minister referenced consists wholly of universities that are in train. In the context of South E…

I wish to discuss the Youth Arts Now report commissioned by the local authority arts services of Kilkenny, Carlow, Wexford and Waterford, together with Creative Ireland Waterford, and facilitated by Waterford Youth Arts. It was launched this day last week in Smock Alley Theatre. It was fantastic to see so many young artists there doing exactly what young artists should, expressing themselves, finding meaning and making art. The report provides a clear-eyed overview of the current context in the youth arts. While it…

I very much agree with that final sentiment. This has to be about facilitating children and young people and having that space to make art. Just in listening to the reply, however, we heard references to the Department of Education, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, …

I raise the issue of cohabiting couples, on which a number of constituents have been in contact with me. Very often at a time of bereavement, people who have made a decision not to get married or enter into a more formal arrangement and who may have lived together for many years and have property or children together often find themselves dealing with complicated legal issues relating to access to pensions, inheritance, etc. Does the Government have any plans to legislate for cohabiting couples to make it easier fo…

Deputy Devlin is first.

I have limited time to contribute. I welcome the many provisions in the Bill that will support the work of An Garda Síochána and the essential duty it performs in this State. We are lucky to live in a democracy where there is policing by consent and the police force is, in general, held in such high regard. It is, of course, imperative that the State provides all the safeguards it can to best protect members of An Garda as they daily place themselves in the line of danger while performing their duties and, therefor…

I would prefer it if the Deputy did not mention specific names.

I am delighted to have an opportunity to contribute to the debate. I thank the chair of the committee, Senator Carrigy, and I thank Deputy Buckley for moving the motion. The committee took the decision to issue an interim report because it was important that enough lead-in time be given for the recommendations laid out in the report to be implemented ahead of this summer. I echo what Senator Carrigy said about the Business Committee expediting the matter and allowing for a longer debate than is normal on a Thursday…

Very briefly.

Amendments Nos. 4 and 15 to 19, inclusive, are related and may be discussed together by agreement.