Is that agreed? Agreed.

I rise, first, to welcome the fact that the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, has announced additional beds for hospitals, and especially the 184 beds that are being announced for the mid-west, specifically UHL, Nenagh Hospital, St. John's Hospital and Ennis Hospital. These beds are certainly most welcome. They could not come at a better time, where Limerick, especially UHL, is in the news every day of the week, realistically, with regard to bed numbers and people waiting on trolleys.

I welcome the Minister and thank her for coming to the House take this important debate.

I thank the Minister.

When it is proposed to take Committee Stage?

Is that agreed? Agreed.

When is it proposed to sit again?

Is that agreed? Agreed.

I thank the Minister of State for coming to discuss this issue. It is not her direct area of responsibility but I appreciate her addressing it. The Limerick to Foynes railway line is a 42 km stretch that was opened in 1858 and closed in 2001. Now it is being reopened, which is leading to the expansion and development of the port and which is welcome. I call for extra funding for national, regional and local roads and the provision of sound barriers to protect the estates of Glencairn, Ballycummin, Slugaire and Spri…

I thank the Minister of State for setting that out very clearly. There was considerable confusion and passing from Billy to Jack going on between the three organisations. This written answer clearly lays out the criteria involved. While I understand that TII has said it helped with the noise barriers, Iarnród Éireann then came along and removed those noise barriers. There is no joined-up thinking between different organisations. The residents' quality of life has greatly deteriorated. We will go back to Limerick Ci…

I welcome the €6.8 million announced by the Government to tackle assessment of need places. I know from dealing with families in Limerick that the number of people on the waiting list locally and nationally is very large. The €6.8 million is due to cover 2,500 children nationally and it is most welcome that private assessments will be paid for by the State. I understand families will not have to pay out in advance and that the State will pay the private provider directly. This is really welcome because I work with …

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, for engaging with this all-important motion. I thank my colleagues in the Labour Party for bringing it forward. Illegal dumping is something we all face, in both urban and rural areas. It is not confined to either but occurs in both. Living in a city centre, I see a large number of public dustbins being used for domestic refuse. I have seen people posting small bags through the hole in the bin. Even though the holes are now quite small, people still manage to get …

I welcome the announcement by the Land Development Agency and Limerick City and County Council earlier this week regarding the 183 affordable homes that will be provided in Mungret College. They have gone out to tender and the process is starting. They expect to be on site before the end of the year. This is certainly a good news story for the area of Mungret, which is expanding quickly. A number of companies have located within the Mungret area in recent times. These 183 affordable homes is good news for the peopl…

I welcome the Minister here today to discuss this all-important Bill. It is very important because it is about future-proofing. It is not just for us, it is for our children and our children's children. It is looking to the future. The fact is that while finances are good we are looking at putting away money so that in the future if any recessions or other events occur there will be no slowdown in State services. That is very important. Everybody talks about the current housing crisis, which is a fact, but we are t…

Next Tuesday.

Does the Minister of State wish to respond?

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

Would the Minister of State like to respond?

Amendments Nos. 18, 21 and 22 are related and may be discussed together, by agreement. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Is the Senator pressing the amendment?