Is that agreed? Agreed.

I thank the Minister of State for coming here today to discuss this all-important topic. Coming from a small business background and with my family having been in the hospitality trade for many years, I am well aware of the issues faced by people in that trade. I have received local communication from the chair of the Shannon hotels group, which operates in the mid-west, the Irish Hotels Federation, the Restaurants Association of Ireland and small businesses. There is growing concern among small businesses after Co…

I am glad to see Senator Conway as the Acting Chairperson. I thank the Minister of State for her comprehensive response. I acknowledge all of the supports that have been given to small businesses and businesses in general. There is a case to be made, and I am glad to hear, that the Government is monitoring it and will be looking at it. That is a positive step. I encourage the parties involved when sitting around the table in the Department to think of the 280,000 people and their families, who are reliant on their …

I wish to raise two very local issues. First, I received communication from some fifth year students regarding leaving certificate 2024 and the fact that they were out of school an awful lot during second and third year. While dispensations are being made for the current cohort of leaving certificate students, it does not look like there will be any for those coming up behind. Those students were missing from school for a long period. I am going to write to the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, but I would appr…

I rise today in a celebratory mood. First, I congratulate Limerick's West End Youth Centre on taking first place in the Pride of Place awards a few days ago. The creativity aspect of its youth programme was acknowledged in granting it the overall award. Congratulations to West End Youth Centre. In addition, Limerick Youth Service is celebrating 50 years in operation this week. It was started by the late Sr. Joan Bowles, working with many other visionaries. It was about laying out a pathway for youth and putting a p…

I thank the Minister for coming in today to discuss this all-important issue. It will not be the first time he has heard from me regarding hospital waiting lists, and specifically those in UHL. I acknowledge the staff of the hospital and the patients and families who have gone there to access services. It is certainly a fine hospital. I also acknowledge that between 2020 and 2022, the Government invested in the region of €95 million in the UHL Hospitals Group. This must certainly be acknowledged. The fact that so m…

I follow on from Senator Dooley with regard to University Hospital Limerick, UHL. I was going to let my comments wait until tomorrow when we have the debate on hospitals in general. Some 11,000 people took to the streets of Limerick last week. We need the Minister to come here. We need a debate on the future of UHL. We need to ensure patients and staff are going to a safe environment. I acknowledge that considerable work has been done on the hospital over the past couple of weeks, especially since the emergency day…

I thank the Cathaoirleach and also the Leader, Senator Chambers, for coming today. It would be inconsistent if I did not raise the march last Saturday in Limerick of more than 11,000 people, and the concerns around the hospital. We will have the opportunity to discuss that situation during statements later in the week. However, I want to raise the issue of 140 children in community healthcare organisation, CHO, 3 in relation to the child and adolescent mental health service, CAMHS. The Minister of State at the Depa…

Today is the Cathaoirleach's day and I congratulate him on it. I am delighted for him. I knew him long before he was elected to Cork City Council in 2004. We worked together as Fine Gael colleagues before that and we have been very good friends down through the years. I am delighted his family members are here today, including Conchobar, John and Mary, as well as his supporters and friends. I wish him all the best in office. I thank the outgoing Leader and Deputy Leader, who are swapping roles, and the outgoing Cat…

The Minister of State is very welcome to discuss this all-important issue. Congratulations to him and his officials on all that was involved in coming to this day, from LAMA to the AILG, to various councillors and various organisations, such as Women for Election and the Fine Gael women's group, which contributed to this. Well done to all who are out there promoting women. I served on my council for 17 years, and during 15 of those years there were no more than three females on the council, and they were all older …

I wish Martin Groves, Bridget Doody and all the team in the Seanad Office, and all my colleagues in the Chamber, a very happy Christmas. I agree with Senator Murphy about the collegiality and the way we work together effectively for the betterment of others. I wish everyone a very happy Christmas. I also wish to be associated with the remarks in respect of Private Seán Rooney. I pass on my own sympathies not only to his family and friends, but also his colleagues who were present in Lebanon with him. I wish the sol…

I would like to raise a number of issues. First, I would like to join with colleagues in complimenting our colleague, Senator Seery Kearney, on her work on and dedication to the issue of surrogacy over the past number of months. I congratulate her. It was a great day for an awful lot of families. The fact that there is now certainty and light at the end of the tunnel is a great compliment. I say, "Well done" to the Senator. In the lead-up to Christmas, Senator Conway raised business supports and local businesses. I…

I thank the Minister of State for coming in to discuss this all-important issue. We are all concerned and extremely aware of dog welfare and animal welfare. I wish to follow up on some of the previous points made about control. Wardens are very scarce in some local authorities and, therefore, I am concerned as to whether there is full control. Do wardens follow up on licence to make sure that people obey the law? I understand that a person cannot let one's dog off the lead outside of one's own property so I wonder …

The Minister of State is welcome to the Chamber. More than 100 children and young adults have been waiting for more than a year for mental health appointments in Limerick and the mid-west, and this is not good enough. I am aware there are many problems recruiting consultant child psychiatrists. While some have been recruited in recent times, there are six teams and they are in the process of developing a seventh but it has not happened to date. It was reported in the Limerick Post that 371 children and young adults…

I thank the Minister of State. I apologise because I meant to acknowledge the work she and her team have done to date. The situation has improved a great deal, but we also have a long way to go. I welcome that Limerick is going to be used for a pilot scheme, as the Minister of State highlighted. When I see the figures in this regard, they are stark. I refer to the number of young people needing support and care. Good work is going on in the primary care centres and with different teams. The major issue, though, is …

I thank the Minister of State.

I congratulate the Cathaoirleach and staff of the Oireachtas on the celebration yesterday. It was very appropriate and lovely to see so many former Members in attendance. I congratulate all involved in such a lovely occasion and we are all honoured to be a part of it. Yesterday the people of the mid-west got good news with the announcment that there will be a new route between Shannon Airport and Liverpool, which will commence in March of next year. I wish to compliment the team in Shannon Airport on the hard work …

Now.

I wish to raise two issues, one of which is to welcome the €6.8 million funding Shannon Airport received yesterday from the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, for which I thank her. I wish to pay compliment to the CEO of Shannon Airport, Ms Mary Considine, and the staff and team for their wonderful work on promoting Shannon as a regional airport. The Minister of State visited many times and certainly saw what Shannon could contribute. I thank her and Government for that funding. I ask the Minister of State with re…

Yes, if that is okay, a Leas-Chathaoirligh. I had to speak on something elsewhere, so I apologise I missed the tributes. I welcome Terry's family and friends. I knew Terry well. I served on the Committee of the Regions with him and he was a very fine representative, not only as a councillor but also as a Senator, and so committed to the work in which he was involved. There have been many compliments made about him here today and I would like to be associated with them. Thank you for including me, a Leas-Chathaoirli…