I raise an issue that has been raised by me and other Waterford Deputies over a period, namely, the Waterford Crystal pension fund. The Minister is well aware these workers were excluded from a future pension annuity and essentially it was said they had signed their rights away. That has been vehemently denied, as the Minister knows, by the workers by affidavit and in 30 years no corroborative paperwork has been provided to support that position. Anyway, because of the ongoing pressure the Minister and the Taoiseac…

I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach pursuant to Standing Orders 95(3)(a) and 178(1). Many people will be aware that I have spoken many times in this House on the need for transparency in Government spending and also the need to deliver fairness and equity in Government decision-making. My entry into politics has largely been generated from my awareness of a continuing lack of balance and fairness in regional infrastructure spend and soci…

I concur with my two colleagues. The Bill before us today may be progressive, but again, we are tinkering around the edges regarding the whole issue of construction in this country. As I have said in this House before - others have said it too - at some point we are probably going to have to call the issue of housebuilding in this country a crisis. It has to be treated like a crisis. Unfortunately, we have not done that. We have loaded bureaucracy onto the system over the last ten years. We are seeing it now right …

I am sure the Minister of State is aware of the old adages of "The easiest way to make a pound is to spend a pound" and "Mind the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves". It is fair to say that during the Celtic tiger, the realisation was made by many that many poor investments are made when an abundance of money is there and money is plentiful. It is also fair to say an abundance of money is often also inversely proportional to the care with which it is spent. We have wide evidence of that at the moment…

In 2020, the people of Waterford placed their trust me, many driven by a single issue, namely, the undelivered promise of 24-7 cardiac care in University Hospital Waterford. This is a critical service and a matter of life and death for the 600,000 people in the south east who rely on University Hospital Waterford. We have seen the tragic consequences of this unmet need through stories like that of Tom Power and Una McDermott, and the data exposed by the "RTÉ Investigates" team. An entire community marched in protes…

Yesterday, the Government announced a budget of €10.1 billion and yet in the south east at this time, we can only treat heart-attack patients in a cath lab for 60 hours per week. I remind the Taoiseach that Katie Hannon's RTÉ report showed that only 3% of heart-attack patients were getting out of the region when the Waterford lab was closed. That report was from five years ago and I hardly imagine that ambulances transfer times have improved since then. Four families living within a five-mile radius of me have had …

I support what Deputy Berry said about the Mitchell scholars. The unprecedented €10.5 billion budget announcement reflects a heady mix of previous decision-making bearing fruit, good fortune, but also the pain and discipline of the austerity years. The measures announced offer a reprieve from the merciless grip of inflation, rising prices and the diminishing purchasing power facing families. For these many reasons, and the temporary relief it offers, I feel compelled to support it. People need this relief, but let …

The next slot is the Government's and I ask the Minister of State would she prevail to allow Deputy Durkan contribute for a few minutes.

The Deputy has five minutes.

I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 37 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Gary Gannon - To discuss the potential Summerhill primary care centre. Deputy Neasa Hourigan - To discuss expanded access to Naloxone medication. Deputy Claire Kerrane - To discuss falling Garda numbers in Roscommon and Galway. Deputy James O'Connor - To discuss the withdrawal of funding for national roads by Transport Infrastructure Ireland. Deputy Jo…

First, I commend Cáit Nic Amhlaoibh, our Regional Group parliamentary assistant, for her help. The Regional Group previously brought forward a motion on these issues in February. We continue to press for the rights of family carers and for carers to be formally and properly recognised for the value, contribution and intrinsic good they offer our State. Would the Minister of State be shocked if someone accused those in charge of our State of using familial love as a form of coercive control? He might wonder how coul…

I congratulate the Minister, Deputy O’Gorman, on becoming leader of the Green Party. Approximately a fortnight ago, on Damien Tiernan’s show on Waterford Local Radio FM, the Minister pleaded ignorance on the status of the Waterford Airport business case but promised to look into it. The Green Party considers politics to be an honourable profession, but the people of Waterford are aggrieved in respect of the Waterford Airport business case. We are not being spoken to honestly on this matter. Even Government TDs have…

Last week on Leaders' Questions the Tánaiste expressed exasperation at what he sees as a false narrative I am laying concerning his support for Waterford and the south east. He mentioned University Hospital Waterford so I will put some figures on the record. The current staffing level at the hospital is 2,800 whole-time equivalents. Its peer model 4 hospitals of Limerick, Cork, Galway and St. Vincent's average 4,850. There head count at Waterford hospital is 2,000 less. The budgets for Limerick, Galway, Cork and St…

Talk sense.

Of course, because I am a gracious person. Of course I did.

That is €100 million less than its peers.

Because it was the lowest in the country.

The main provisions of this Bill relate to the creation of the agriculture appeals review panel, independent from the agriculture appeals office. That is to be welcomed. As the Minister stated, it is part of the programme for Government. It is envisaged that this office would be responsible for undertaking independent review of the decisions of officers of the agriculture appeals office. It also further seeks to facilitate decision reviews in an accessible manner, leaving the option open for High Court appeals and …

Tá sé nóiméad ag an Teachta Bríd Smith.

Tá brón orm. Níl mo chuid Gaeilge an-láidir. B'fhearr liom mo chuid a rá as Béarla. I believe the Minister of State said previously that the success of Údarás na Gaeltachta depends on its alignment with the needs of the Gaeltacht communities which are constantly changing. I would concur. The needs of our Gaeltacht communities are constantly changing for certain. Their needs are getting more urgent as communities such as the smaller ones in Cork, Meath and Waterford are being left behind. They feel it too. They feel…