It gives with one hand and takes with the other.

What is this charge?

What is this charge?

Answer my question.

What is this new charge?

Earlier this month, I raised the issue of the outrageous waiting times for people waiting for DEXA bone scans at Tipperary University Hospital. This is an essential procedure used by doctors trying to assess patients' needs. It is very serious in the context of the risk of osteoporosis and many other issues. The scans are crucial for doctors to know how to deal with patients yet a reply I received on 13 November informed me the waiting time in Tipperary is 22 months. That is outrageous. It is beyond belief. How is …

Through the Chair. This is not questions and answers.

Go raibh maith agat, a Theachta.

It is not a question and answer session Deputy.

Tá an t-am caite anois. Go raibh maith agat. It is not a question and answer session, unfortunately. It is statements and does not allow for this. Bogaimid ar aghaidh leis an Páirtí an Lucht Oibre agus an Teachta Howlin.

Táimid ag dul ar ais go dtí an Rialtas. An Teachta Cathal Crowe has 11.5 minutes. Is he sharing time?

We will give him a bualadh bos.

I was going to say that I welcome this report, but I do not because this consultative forum should never have been engaged with. There was a four-day roadshow and fanfare for the Tánaiste, Deputy Micheál Martin, 16 panels and a dame from the House of Lords to chair the forum. Was there no one fit to chair it in an tír seo? This man is running it by himself. I know now why he appointed Deputy Lawless chair of the committee on foreign affairs. He is another supporter and cheerleader of damaging our neutrality. He can…

Hear, hear.

Around the House and mind the dresser.

I, too, want to speak to the amendment. I have listened to Deputies across the House saying that there are so many initiatives coming from the Department that we cannot keep up with them. I am not saying it is devoid of ideas but it certainly needs to do an impact assessment on many of the schemes it has brought out. I welcome many of the schemes, but the councils do not have the staff to deal with them. The flow of information back and forward is too slow and untimely. On the proposal for renters, the cost of rent…

In six days' time, the window for Ireland to opt out of the amendments made to Article 59 of the international health regulations will close. This amendment was adopted by the World Health Assembly, WHA, and slashes the periods of time for which future amendments can be made from 18 months down to 12. It also cuts the time during which a member state like Ireland can exercise the right to reject the amendments from 18 months to 10 months. This is a fierce piece of legislation. There are 307 amendments brought forwa…

Not agreed.

Farmers need certainty in their businesses, like any other business. The change to the nitrates derogation, which is going from 250 kg N/ha to 220 kg N/ha, was announced last September but farmers, both dairy and beef, had to have their animals impregnated and their cows and heifers in calf before then. Now they face a situation where they are going to have to slaughter these in-calf animals, which is wilful and totally wrong. It is obscene and grotesque. I am asking that the deadline be extended to allow farmers t…

I am delighted to welcome this legislation, which comes before us annually. Ar an gcéad dul síos, ba mhaith liom a rá libh that I have private health insurance. I had it ever before I came into this House, unlike Deputy Boyd Barrett. I have had ongoing difficulties with my eye and want to salute Professor David Keegan and his team in the Mater Hospital and Dr. Dervan in Bon Secours Hospital who looked after me very well. I took ill over a year ago and was brought into St. Vincent's Hospital in Dublin, a public hosp…