Can I get the Minister's views on the concerning findings in the HSA reports into meat factories across the country that were obtained by the Right To Know group? Could he tell us the date on which his attention was drawn to the contents of those reports, the measures that have been taken by his Department regarding these findings, why these reports were not published at the time and his views on the overall operations of these facilities in light of these reports?

It was concerning to read these accounts in the media at the end of last month. They referred to a number of inspections by the HSA on meat factories that had not been released to the public at the time. The reports were damning - face-coverings not being used, the potential for cross-contamination, the minimal level of acceptable personal protective equipment, PPE, being in place, staff working at close quarters, and inadequate health and safety signage being in place. These concerns were all voiced by us at a tim…

I appreciate that most of the factories are doing everything above board and correctly because I have spoken to many of them. We ourselves found out that they had stopped testing in some places. The report also reveals serious health and safety problems that were not Covid related. They contained repeated concerns about bandsaws without emergency stop buttons, open effluent treatment tanks with no edge protection and, in one case, asbestos roofing being visible throughout the site. These are health and safety issue…

Survivors of Sean Ross Abbey and their relatives are concerned that there may be unmarked graves and remains at the site that have not been located or identified. Will the Minister give consideration to enabling digs to take place on land around the site? The owner of Sean Ross Abbey is willing to allow that. Will the Minister also provide me with the progress being made relating to the forthcoming report of the commission of investigation on how data contained within it will be dealt with?

I appreciate that. Some of the residents feel very let down about the lack of engagement on the treatment of their data. We have been giving the Minister an opportunity to speak to survivors and it has now been five weeks. The process needs to be completed quickly. The Minister has given a date to Deputy Funchion. Now that the report has been submitted he must not make the mistake of thinking it is all over. Many of the details of this sorry saga are still hidden from us. Survivors of Sean Ross Abbey and their fami…

I appreciate the offer the Minister has made to meet me and other groups who have not already been met. I do not doubt his commitment to it. In reality, some of the groups, particularly survivors of Sean Ross Abbey, say even on this issue of commissioning a new dig there has been no engagement, or very little engagement with them. That is all they are asking for. Will somebody in the Department or the Department of the Taoiseach let them know whether they are flying against the wind with regard to a new dig? Please…

I ask the Minister to give his views on the Facing the Future Together report, which identifies the ongoing and future needs of the survivors of mother and baby homes and those incarcerated in residential institutions, industrial schools and other places of detention. Will he also outline his plans to implement the supports recommended in this report and his views on the statistics and findings contained within the Facing the Future Together report, which looks at the impacts and consequent needs of survivors?

I thank the Minister. When this report is published, it will have huge consequences for former residents of these homes and their families. The report points out the types of abuse that the former residents have suffered in these institutions and the consequences it has had for many of those concerned. How to help them through the difficult times is the big thing at this stage. The Minister pointed out the five requests that were identified. How far along are the arrangements that would meet the requests contained …

As has been said, the consequences and contents of the report and the publicity that has surrounded it to date make it harder on survivors. It outlines what the survivors have been living with for decades and the trauma that has manifested itself through all of the impacts, in particular the anxiety, depression, drug and alcohol problems, educational disadvantage, work-related problems and homelessness that have been experienced by survivors. Will the Minister commit to taking an approach that is victim-led, not on…

I raise a problem that people with diabetes face in my area, the mid-west region. I have been contacted by a constituent with diabetes who said that services for adults with the condition in Tipperary, Limerick and Clare are severely lacking. She inquired about accessing an insulin pump but found that she would have to go to Cork to do so. I have since become aware that this is the case throughout Tipperary, Limerick and Clare because this service in the University Hospital Limerick is available only for children w…

I congratulate Deputy O'Reilly on bringing this Bill forward. It is hard to understand, however, why we find ourselves asking the Government to make Covid-19 a workplace illness notifiable to the HSA. Over the months we have been battling Covid-19, there have been outbreaks of the virus in various workplaces. Instances in meat processing factories spring to mind. For some reason, the Government resisted pressure from Sinn Féin to include Covid-19 on list of illnesses that must be brought to the attention of the HSA…

Given the dedication and hard work of our nurses during the pandemic, will the Taoiseach commit to waiving the registration fee for nurses? The attitude to nurses the Government has shown of late has been less than perfect. Earlier, when the motion on pay for student nurses and midwives was being debated, we heard how our student nurses were being undervalued, taken for granted and expected to work hard for little financial recompense. Our nurses deserve more than applause from Government. Their immense contributio…

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I congratulate Deputy Ward on bringing forward the Bill. I acknowledge his vision and understanding of an area of well-being that, as this Bill suggests, has been left behind in terms of policy decisions and access to care and treatment. In talking about parity of esteem, it may be worth talking about what represents a lack of parity of esteem. We see this with young people ending up in emergency departments or general hospitals when what they need is tailored mental health supports. In 2019, the Mental Health Comm…

I also want to talk on the Sinn Féin amendment to the motion. I assure Deputy Cairns that I have no interest in or connection with the greyhound industry, good, bad or indifferent. I must make it clear that Sinn Féin is not opposed to State support for the greyhound sector. I am from County Tipperary where greyhound racing makes an important contribution economically and socially for many families in my constituency. It is a tradition and a skill that has been handed down through the generations. Many people in my …

The programme for Government contains a commitment to ensuring that regional towns and villages act as hubs for sustainable development. Yet, towns in my county have seen the Expressway services cut, especially towns like Cashel, Cahir, Roscrea and Nenagh. When the restrictions are lifted and we beat this pandemic, my town of Cashel will be hardest hit by the withdrawals. We depend on the Expressway service to bring tourists to our town. We have no public transport. It is time the Government and the Minister for Tr…

I thank Deputies Mairéad Farrell and Doherty for bringing the Bill forward. The purpose of the Bill is to update current legislation on lobbying so that our citizens can have confidence that the political system is there to serve them and not itself. As things stand, the current legislation allows for a rather loose reading of lobbying laws which allows rules to be open to interpretation and for a revolving door between Government and big businesses to turn constantly. This is why Sinn Féin is attempting to amend t…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCeann Comhairle. I am here to talk about the need for a better service on the Ballybrophy rail line. The Ballybrophy line in my county which serves the towns of Roscrea, Cloughjordan, Nenagh and Birdhill remains undervalued and has been for years, and it is true that the potential has not been realised. If one wants to open up rural Ireland in a way that means we do not have to rely on our cars then the Minister has to act. One should listen to the North Tipperary Community Rail Partnershi…

This line has more to offer than I mentioned. It is worth bearing in mind for the future. I have given an example of how the location of the line works for the region. If services on the Ballybrophy line were aligned with those at Limerick Junction, it would yield an opportunity to link with the Dublin-Cork line. It makes sense; it is as simple as that. It opens up the region. That is what Deputy Stanley and I want, and that is what the people in the region deserve. When I speak of Limerick Junction, it should be n…

The programme for Government contains a commitment to significantly improve people's lives with reference to the neuro-rehabilitation strategy. I have been contacted by 15-year-old Eabha Mansfield, and her sister, Ciara, who in the space of just a few months this year lost their mother to cancer, while at the same time their father suffered a heart attack. Their father is in University Hospital Waterford as he requires 24-7 care and assistance with feeding and dressing and he has issues with his memory. Scans have …