I thank the Minister of State for attending to discuss this important issue. Senator Casey covered much of what I had intended to say. As a member of a credit union, I know credit unions are at the heart of our communities. When I joined my local credit union, it was the confraternity credit union. Applicants had to be members of the confraternity to be admitted and it was restricted to certain streets. If you lived to the left of one street, you could not join, and nor could you if you lived across the road from t…

Next Tuesday.

I rise to bring awareness to the report on autism published by Senator Carrigy and his committee today. I pay compliments to all the Members who sat on the committee, as well as the people who contributed to the report and its findings. I would like to highlight some of the key findings, which are the asks of the committee. I would like to put pressure on so that the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, will consider them. I pay compliment to her because she has done so much work in this area, but we have a long way …

I rise today to raise a number of issues. The first is that the post office in Castleconnell in County Limerick is temporarily closed but I thank Local Link Limerick Clare which is running a bus service from this Friday. It is running buses at appropriate times from O'Briensbridge past places like Lisnagry and Castleconnell to Newport where people now have to collect their payments for the month of December. If people want to contact Local Link, they will find the timetable and the times the buses are running from …

I raise a matter related to the regional hospital but this time it is not the waiting lists, though in another way it is. I refer to the long Covid clinics, which were due to open but have not yet opened. There are at least 24 people on a waiting list. While they are receiving care within the hospital and are being triaged, there are many people who have respiratory problems and other issues associated with long Covid. I call for the clinic to open as soon as possible. These people feel ill and it must be followed …

I welcome the Minister of State here this evening to discuss the all-important issue of the Finance Bill and the budget for 2023. The aim of the budget is to put more money back in people's pockets with measures, as the Minister of State outlined, such as cutting income tax, increasing pension payments and increasing welfare payments for families, people with disabilities and carers. I welcome those measures because many people are marginalised. Some people do not become ill through their own fault and end up on in…

I concur with the Senator. I mention my local authority even in respect of getting footpaths fixed for people with disabilities in wheelchairs.

I welcome the Minister, Deputy Coveney, and call on Senator Currie to raise her Commencement matter.

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to discuss this important issue. What will the Department do to alleviate the pressure general practitioners, GPs, are under, but also to improve the delivery they are able to provide? In Limerick, which is my area, many people cannot get a GP appointment. They are waiting three or four days for an appointment. I recently met a person who had to wait two weeks for an appointment. In addition, many people cannot get on GP lists. GPs are under enormous pressure. T…

I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response. He indicated that the number of GP training places will increase by 2026. We have a problem in the short term, however. He referred to enhancements that are happening in rural areas. During Covid, there were a number of mobile units. Doctors held clinics in villages one or two days a week. Many of those clinics have not reopened. That is something the Minister of State might be able to consider. The local doctor in Cappamore used to attend at the dispens…

I welcome the announcement by Shannon Airport this morning that two extra routes, one to Porto and one to Naples, will be added to its complement of flights from Shannon Airport, starting in the summer of 2023. That means people can travel to more than 26 destinations from Shannon Airport. I compliment Ms Mary Considine, CEO, and her team on their hard work that has resulted in expanding the offering from Shannon Airport. The airport can be easily accessed and can be got in and out of quite quickly. Again, I compli…

There are three issues I wish to raise today, the first of which is the welcome news that the post office is to be restored in Castleconnell in County Limerick. I wish Mr. Cunningham and his team in the SuperValu in which the post office is to be relocated all the best. Certainly, there was much unrest, especially among the older people in the community, about losing the post office. That is most welcome news. The second issue is with regard to vaping. I agree with Senator Malcolm Byrne. A Private Members' motion r…

I thank the Minister of State for coming before the House today to discuss this all-important issue. I compliment him, his staff and all in the Department on the work they have put into this. I held a public meeting on insurance with the Tánaiste in the past and addressed the issue of insurance reform in a number of other organisations. Some of the revelations by not only small businesses but big businesses were absolutely frightening. I welcome the fact that this Bill is coming forward. Senator Crowe referred to s…

It is 18 months. The intention is to ensure the Bill is working. That is a welcome commitment given the engagement with the various organisations affected and involved. The Minister of State will work with them again and he is willing to listen to their views in 18 months' time. It is good to go back and review something to see if it is working. I again thank the Minister of State. I welcome the Bill.

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, for coming in to discuss this all-important issue. My question is to set out the criteria relating to the home energy grants. I know it is not his area, and I know he is covering for the Minister, Deputy Ryan, today. I mean no offence to him but I am a little disappointed because there were a couple of questions I wanted to put to the Minister that are very relevant to the criteria. A lady who contacted me is living in a housing estate and the house next door to her ge…

I thank the Minister of State. It is good to get a clear answer and have the criteria set out with regard to the different schemes. Many small niche areas end up falling between the cracks, including cases where one household qualifies and the household next door does not. We need to address some of the issues in that regard. I will send a note to the Minister because there are a number of issues. Some people, particularly older people, find the process very difficult to get someone to answer the questions because …

I would like to be associated with the votes of sympathy to Bridget on the passing of her brother, Patrick. May he rest in peace. Our thoughts are with Bridget and her family at this sad time. I thank the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, for listening to the concerns of the Sheehy family and Tracey Tully in terms of her decision to rescind the sanctioning of transferring Logan Jackson back to the UK, who was responsible for the mowing down of her son, Kevin Sheehy, in Limerick, more than 12 months ago. The Min…

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, for coming to discuss this all-important Bill today. I compliment Senator Ardagh, Senator Buttimer, and the rest of the committee who have brought this very important Bill forward. I will follow up on a few points Senator Buttimer made. People who are cancer sufferers and survivors did not go out of their way to become ill. Realistically, financial institutions discriminate against many people. People who have cancer can make a full recovery and go on to lead very happ…

I rise to raise two issues. I welcome the Croí Cónaithe announcement. Many people in Limerick city have contacted me about derelict houses and properties that they were purchasing. It is great to see that they are now able to avail of the Croí Cónaithe scheme to bring those houses back into use. A derelict house can be a blight. I congratulate the Minister of State, Deputy Burke, and the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, on their work on this issue. I listened to people who raised the issue here. I congratulate Joh…

I want to add to the Chair's remarks in a welcoming Councillor Kiely and the guests from Limerick. It is lovely to see them in the Gallery. I thank the Minister of State for coming to discuss this all-important issue. I acknowledge the work she has done in this area and also the staff who work in nursing homes. Given the situation with Covid, we are coming out of a very difficult time and we must acknowledge the work that staff put in with regard to nursing home care and looking after people. Many people were perha…