I rise today to speak about an issue that was brought to my attention yesterday. It is do with an eleven-year-olds and basketball. I have been led to believe that the decision was made by Basketball Ireland that children can go to their basketball training, but they cannot play a match because they are not vaccinated. We have not started vaccinating that age group. This 11-year-old and friends have been training. They were getting ready for their match only to be told they can no longer have matches. Children have …

While my question is for Ms Fitzgerald, I welcome all of the MEPs to the House. I admire the work they do in representing Ireland in Europe. Ms Fitzgerald has been involved in work on gender-based crime and I ask her to elaborate on that. She has been involved in trying to make this an EU-wide crime, particularly in the context of sexual violence against females.

I raise an issue that affects many of us around the country, namely ice rinks. In many towns and cities, ice rinks appear at Christmas. Many people visit them from schools and from families who get great joy. They usually last six to eight weeks. This year, they are finding it difficult to get the insurance. Normally their insurance comes through London where ice rinks are able to get it. It is usually between €10,000 and €25,000 for the period. One ice rink operator from Limerick told me he has had no claims over …

Next Tuesday.

At 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 2 November 2021.

I rise to speak on two matters. The first relates to yesterday's announcements on reopening and the easing of Covid-19 restrictions. I am concerned about healthcare workers and particularly people in nursing homes. I call for priority to be given to healthcare workers because they are dealing with more vulnerable people in nursing homes. They should receive boosters as a matter of urgency. Perhaps antigen testing could be used in nursing homes as well when it comes to infection control etc., which is really importa…

I welcome the Minister of State. I thank her for being here for this all-important debate. I know of her passion for health. I thank her for her response to the Commencement matter I raised last week in respect of the shortage of neurology nurses, not only in University Hospital Limerick but also nationally. The Sláintecare programme has delivered 6,000 new staff, be they nurses or doctors, and 800 additional beds. I will concentrate on University Hospital Limerick in which there were 98 extra beds and then 60 extr…

I am delighted the Minister of State is here. I thank my Green Party colleagues for tabling the motion. I know how committed the Minister of State is to his Department and the work he has been doing. Where I live, I am surrounded by the River Shannon and most of my electoral area is surrounded by the river. Last May, I read in the newspapers that the OPW in conjunction with Limerick City and County Council appointed consultant engineers to work on the Limerick and environs flood relief plan. I welcome that announce…

The Minister of State is very welcome. I support the Neurological Alliance of Ireland with regard to the shortage of neurological nurses. I will speak specifically about University Hospital Limerick. The last time a neurological nursing post was advertised and filled was 2019 when a nurse was needed for multiple sclerosis. As we are aware, there are many neurological conditions. A report shows there is a shortage of up to eight nurses in University Hospital Limerick. There are three nurses there at present, along w…

That is perfect.

I thank the Minister of State for her words on behalf of the Minister but also for her own words. I fully agree with her. While it is wonderful that two nursing posts are being advertised and filled, the Government should make this a priority. I thank her for saying she will take the issue back to the Department and put emphasis on it. If the positions were filled, fewer people would be in beds taking up trolleys. University Hospital Limerick is in the newspapers every day of the week regarding the numbers of peopl…

The Minister is very welcome here today. I congratulate him on a very busy 48 hours. That is a very short time but I know the Minister put in a lot of work previously. Well done on the budget and best wishes for the future. We are here today looking at amendments to the Eurogroup agreements that were signed off on last November. These relate to the European Stability Mechanism and the common backstop to the Single Resolution Fund, which is to come into effect in January 2022. Ireland has certainly been to the foref…

I wish to bring up two issues, one of which is the takeover of Lufthansa in Shannon by the Atlantic Aviation Group, AAG. While 300 of the staff will be subsumed into the new company, it is uncertain what will happen with the further 180 staff. I call for immediate Government intervention in regard to this. The unions are due to meet in the coming hours and I hope the Government will not be found wanting, which I am sure it will not. The other issue is University Maternity Hospital Limerick, UMHL, which has gone gre…

I welcome the Minister of State to the House on this historic day. The Government has a proven track record in managing the economy and helping Ireland to recover from the economic crash. We were beginning to recover back in 2011. Then, when the pandemic struck in 2020, because our finances were in such good stead, the Government was able to bring in exceptional measures such as the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP, and wage support schemes. Many lives were lost and many livelihoods were destroyed by the pandemic…

The Minister of State is welcome to the House. He had a successful visit to the local enterprise office, LEO, in Limerick recently. When I was a member of the local authority, I served as a member of the local enterprise board, the precursor to the LEO, and saw the benefits of same to business. In recent times, however, I have become aware of the fact that the LEO mainly deals with companies with ten employees or fewer while Enterprise Ireland mainly deals with companies with 30 or more employees. I have spoken to …

I thank the Minister of State. It is welcome news that there is keen interest from the Government in that grey area. The LEOs and Enterprise Ireland are doing fantastic work. The supports, the level of support and the mentoring they give are important. However, there is a fear factor, as the Minister of State said, among people who are in the middle category. They realistically do not fit into either category, as such. In some instances, they do, although it depends on what services they provide. Certainly, I look …

I rise to agree with the national neurology strategy and that we need an extra 100 neurology nurses. On Tuesday, 16 April 2019, in this Chamber I raised the issue of neurology services in regard to University Hospital Limerick as it awaited the recruitment of three or four specialist neurology nurses. On that occasion I was told such appointments were part of the national clinical programme for neurology, and that there was going to be a model of care that would be prioritised by the Government for the next five ye…

When I raised an issue about the M20 yesterday, I called for the Minister to come to the House to discuss the important road projects in the national development plan. I will add today that a number of businesses on the south side of Limerick, including in the regeneration area around Southill, and the Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership, are hoping that as part of the M20, the artery by Carew Park that was closed up many years ago will be opened up for the survival of businesses. It is a pertinent time for…

I welcome the Minister to the House today. I support the idea of giving the Minister the option of extending the restrictions if necessary when the time comes. Certainly, we have all been through a very turbulent time. On the Order of Business earlier today, I made the point that in Limerick, as part of mental health week, people float white roses on the River Shannon on Friday to mark the lives of the 289 people who died from Covid in Limerick city alone. The fact is it is the job of the Minister and the Governmen…

The Minister of State is very welcome to the House this evening to discuss this important issue. I will begin by complimenting her on the work she has done since taking over responsibility for special needs and on her contribution to special needs schools and to children with disabilities and learning difficulties, including those with dyslexia. As has been pointed out earlier, dyslexia is not just about children; it also affects adults. I am glad to have the opportunity to speak this evening, especially as this we…