2015 to 2023, taken out in 2024, back in 2025, off in 2026.

Figures I received in reply to a recent parliamentary question show that HSE west-north west accounted for 1,263 delayed transfers of care from hospital into the community due to lack of access to residential care, care in the community and rehabilitation. That accounts for one third of the national average in spite of HSE west-north west looking after less than one fifth of population. Of those delays, 938 related to residential care, which is roughly half the national figure for that category. This is the region …

As a small country we are living in a time of flux and realignment. Because of our size and open trading economy we have to, as we have in the past, be prepared to navigate uncertain times. If we ever needed reminding, we need to use our position in the European Union to negotiate with a block that has heft and power in an age where it appears might equals right and supersedes international law. Those who say our foreign policy should be solely values driven are out of touch. As a small trading nation, we need to p…

We have ten speakers and we are tight on time. I ask people to make their points in maybe 30 seconds, starting with Deputy Séamus McGrath.

I take your point. I have just come into the Chair. We could start with-----

-----Deputy Ryan O'Meara.

I support the Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill 2025 because it addresses a regulatory gap that now carries real, not abstract, consequences for health, the environment and the coherence of our public health and environmental policy. Disposable vapes occupy a peculiar position in our regulatory framework. They are legal and widely available, yet they combine elements we would rarely tolerate together, namely, an addictive substance, electronic waste and a design that actively discourages responsibility for resp…

Will new consideration be given to the upgrading of the N61 road to a national primary route in view of its strategic importance for Athlone, Roscommon and Boyle and the role such an upgrade would play in supporting balanced regional development, inward investment and improved road safety? Will the Tánaiste outline what steps have been taken by the Government and the Department of Transport to advance this designation? The N61 is a strategic road which links Athlone from the M6 to Boyle and onwards to Sligo. Athlon…

I thank the Tánaiste for his considered response. I reiterate the importance of this N61 route in County Roscommon, which also serves parts of east Galway and south-east Mayo, to make connectivity to the motorway at Athlone as well as the interconnection with a number of other national routes east-west along its route. I would also point out the very significant heavy volume of traffic especially between Athlone and Roscommon through the villages of Knockcroghery and Kiltoom, which represent a safety issue. There a…

When we talk about online safety, we usually think about passwords, scams or stranger danger. However, there is a different kind of danger, one that lives quietly in our social media feeds, namely, impossible to imagine beauty standards resulting in body dysmorphia which is shaping teenage mental health. Studies show that 97% of young people from the age of 12 upwards are on social media, often for hours a day. The impact is stark. By the age of 12, three out of four children already dislike their own bodies. Many …

I add to Deputy Crowe's congratulations to the Ceann Comhairle on the manner in which she hosted the visit of President Zelenskyy and his entourage yesterday. Rising energy costs in Ireland seem as if they are inexorable and progressive, without restraint or any hope of correction. They are punishing and unsustainable. They affect families, businesses, the economy and competitiveness. While I accept this is an international problem because of the rapid economic recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic, reducing investm…

It is always worth listening to Deputy Connolly on housing. He made a lot of good points.

I welcome the plan. The housing crisis is a societal blight. Owning a home is part of the social contract in Ireland, yet for many young people, that remains a dream. Housing supply and affordability are international problems, such as in the UK, Australia, Canada and in the European Union. The first ever housing Commissioner has been appointed because of these issues. One in 10 people in the European Union cannot afford to pay their mortgage or rent on time. The price of houses in the Union has gone up by 60% in t…

I want to reflect on the Bill, which I fully support it. It is vital that we maintain community rating through a risk equalisation scheme and the stamp duty paid. I also want to ask and reflect on why 46% of people feel they must insure in this country. As a practising GP who has been involved in medical politics for many years, it is my view that one third of people cannot afford insurance and are covered fully by the public system. One third of people may always insure, no matter what public system we have in pla…

The question is in the context of significant additional funding for mental health services over the past five years, resulting in a €1.6 billion investment in mental health services for 2026. For the sixth year in a row, there has been an increase in staffing. I would like the Minister to make a statement on the funding provided for mental health crisis supports and suicide prevention in 2026.

I thank the Minister of State. It is extremely important that we continue to progress investment in our mental health services. We still lag behind the internationally accepted norms for spending on mental health as a proportion of our budget. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, has done some tremendous work in this regard. We have identified the tsunami of mental health issues that have arisen since Covid. As a practising GP, it is important to me that when we refer people who are in crisis that there are adequa…

I welcome all those initiatives. It is really important that they are integrated with existing mental health services. Initiatives must be even and consistent throughout the country, with adequate access. In addition, we need to look at acute mental health capacity in its totality in terms of beds. In the acute psychiatric unit in Roscommon University Hospital, up to a third of beds are taken by people who would be better served in supported situations in the community. In County Roscommon, there were many communit…

I apologise to the Minister as this question contains incorrect information. I contacted her team to convey that message. I will ask the question and she might get back to me on it. I gave her short notice in respect of it. Romosozumab is a licensed treatment for post-menopausal women with advanced osteoporosis that does not respond to all other therapies. I have had a representation from a young middle-aged man who has a rare form of osteoporosis that has rendered him disabled. He does not have access to this drug…

I appreciate the Minister's answer, which is given at short notice. I am glad I raised the question on the floor of the House. The young man I mentioned is in difficulty. He is a self-employed businessman and is now disabled with multiple non-traumatic fractures. He asked whether there was a possibility he might be reimbursed for this medicine. However, it is down to the company to apply for a licence, as the Minister said. I accept that completely. We will have to revert to the company. I appreciate her reply.

Every one of us in the House has met families whose lives have been shaped by scoliosis or spina bifida. These are families who do not have the luxury of waiting until next year for improvements. They need treatment now. As a GP, I have seen how timely spinal care can change the entire trajectory of a child's life, and that perspective shapes what I want to say today. Yes, progress is being made, but we have a long way to go before any of us can be satisfied. We need to be honest. Too many children have waited too …