I thank the Ceann Comhairle.

Hear, hear.

I move: Wednesday's business shall be: — Motion re Withdrawal of the Mineral Oil Tax (Emergency Cost of Living Reduction) Bill 2026 ( without debate ) — Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill 2026 [ Seanad ] (Second Stage) ( to conclude at the end of the first speaking round; not to exceed 3 hours and 34 minutes ) Wednesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Neutrality and Triple Lock, selected by Sinn Féin. Thursday's business shall be: — National Vehicle and Driver File, Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2026 (Se…

I have listened to the five requests from the Opposition benches. The Government time this week is allocated to two important pieces of legislation. The Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, will take the Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill 2026 this afternoon and tomorrow the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, will take the National Vehicle and Driver File, Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2026, Second Stage, for over three and a half hours. The Opposition is entitled to put down whatever it wants under its own Private Members' busine…

The Taoiseach has answered.

It is not opposed.

It is not opposed.

I move: Notwithstanding anything in Standing Order 217, in relation to the Financial Motion by the Minister for Finance [2026], the following arrangements shall apply: 1. the proceedings on the motion shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 60 minutes: Provided that where any amendments are not disposed of within the 60 minutes, the question put on the motion shall also dispose of any amendments tabled to that motion; 2. the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows: …

I have heard the contributions from the Members opposite. Every single Member of this House agreed to the recess. There was not one person who objected to it, just for the record of the Dáil and so people listening will know. To be clear, we are here today to ensure excise increases on petrol and diesel do not go ahead next week or in October. There is a single financial resolution before the House today. The time allocated for debate, one hour, is exactly the same as we had for four previous financial resolutions …

I thank the Senator for the way she has portrayed this in relation to welcoming the positives because we have made a lot of changes in the past six years especially. I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. I thank the Senator for the opportunity to update the House on the third women's health action plan that was launched on 8 July. To be fair, the Senator asked about 25 questions, so there is absolutely no way I will be able to get through them all. I hav…

That is where I do not agree with the Senator. I believe €180 million of funding ring-fenced for women's health, when we have come from a low base, is absolutely unbelievable. If you look at the women's health action plan for the period 2026 to 2027, you see it is all about listening, investing, delivering and repeating in respect of women's health. We are listening to women, investing, delivering and repeating. The plan runs in two-year cycles, ensuring targeted actions and continued momentum for improvements to t…

I thank the Senator for raising this important matter in the House today and for her consistent and persistent advocacy in support of expanding youth mental health services in Kildare. This is not new to the Senator. She has been doing this for as long as I have known her, over her ten years in these Houses, in advocating for positive youth mental health supports, positive well-being and those crisis interventions when they are needed most. In developing child and youth mental health services, the HSE aims to promo…

I am hearing the Senator loud and clear. There is only a short time but there are two things I want to address now. The reply that has been provided also outlines the supports that are available in Kildare, which I will put on the record of the Seanad. Kildare In Sync provides a wide range of youth and family services. The Naas Child and Family Project is part of In Sync youth and family services. In Sync also provides youth counselling service to 11 to 25-year-olds, and supports the LGBT community. It is important…

I thank the Deputy for his support for CAST. I am extremely proud of this pilot project, which we started working on in 2022. I compliment Superintendent Andrew Lacey, who has done phenomenal work on this for many years. At our initial conference in UL, we heard from police forces from Canada, elsewhere in North America, Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The pilot has been really impressive. As the Deputy has said, it has resulted in 133 people being deflected away from emergency departments. For anyone who does …

Deputy Cairns took 30 seconds.

This is so unfair.

It is completely unfair.

I move: Tuesday's business shall be: - Motion re Appointment of Ordinary Member of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission ( without debate and any division claimed shall be taken immediately ) - Motion re Fourteenth Report of the Standing Committee of Selection ( without debate and any division claimed shall be taken immediately ) - Motion re Report of the Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform Establishing Special Committee on Preventing and Responding to Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence ( without…

As Deputies know, at the Business Committee last Thursday morning at 11 a.m., which the Ceann Comhairle chaired, two requests were made. One related to statements on the fiscal implications of a united Ireland. A request was made for additional time, and that was facilitated. Requests were also made for statements on Bessborough. I checked with the Minister. She is away on Government duty and it is not possible to have those statements this week. We have a huge amount of legislation to get through this week before …

As part of budget 2026, €15 million in additional funding was provided for a crisis response. We are starting with ten hospitals, namely nine model 4 hospitals and one model 3 hospital. The model 3 hospital is the Mercy hospital in Cork, which had 1,200 presentations last year. Teams of nurses will be put in place to help non-consultant hospital doctors during out-of-hours periods. What I hope to do, with the help of the Minister, in budget 2027 is expand it to the model 3 hospitals. Sligo is very lucky because it …