I tabled this question last Thursday before the events transpired in Cashel. I want to ask the Minister about the current pressures on the numbers of asylum seekers entering this country. Recent statements were made by An Taoiseach and, indeed, by the Tánaiste in the last ten days, but more importantly the Taoiseach when he was in Korea. He spoke about the pressures we have here and the pull factor that is coming from other European countries where people are coming over here because they feel it is a nicer place a…

I thank the Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy Joe O'Brien, for their engagement with us on Cashel over the weekend and particularly with me last night. We have done our fair share, of course we have. The Taoiseach is making these soundings as is the Tánaiste, but we all know we just cannot cope. Why did the Government feel it necessary to send out a tweet in numerous different languages to get people to come here? We are certainly the land of the céad míle fáilte and we want to be, but when it came to Cash…

We welcome that. We will not get back into the tweets and will leave them for another day, but I will get back into realpolitik . The Minister says his Department will not take away housing or shelters, but this is what is happening in Cashel. Officials from the Minister's Department told me they want accommodation and their duty is to get it from wherever, whoever and whatever, so we need to be very realistic. I salute the people who took Ukrainians into their houses and homes. It was the spirit of the meitheal an…

What is the number?

It is.

The Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, has issued another report today. Its last report blamed farmers for polluting our waterways. Farmers have implemented huge mitigation measures and are continuing to do so but need time to show results. I have been raising the issue of sewerage plants in every part of the country. This EPA report does not mention one plant in County Tipperary. In my own area, I could name the lovely village of Caisleán Nua, Burncourt, Grange, Mullinahone, Grangemockler, Lisvernane, Golden an…

It is the EPA. It is not doing its job as regards the public authorities, Uisce Éireann, looking after treatment plants.

It has not been to any place in Tipperary. Tá an map anseo agam.

That is a glib answer.

It is not.

There are 226.

I, too, compliment, ar an gcéad dul síos, an Teachta Connolly agus a grúpa for putting the motion forward. I know how passionately she feels about this topic, on which I listened to her speak many times here. I put it to an tAire Stáit that this motion is very important. Since the outbreak of the Ukraine war, we have diminished, damaged and almost destroyed our neutrality and our record. We have had this debate previously and the Minister of State got annoyed with me. The Tánaiste has said our neutrality is an outd…

There is.

I am glad the Taoiseach and Ministers were able to visit Midleton and other areas. This problem is going to keep going on. I totally sympathise with the business people for the devastation they faced. We have flood defences in Clonmel. I salute my former colleague, Martin Mansergh, who played a big role in obtaining these defences. They are 90% successful. We keep building flood defences and planning them but we refuse to clean - dredge - our waterways, rivers and ports. The port of Waterford into which the Suir fl…

I am glad to be able to speak today in advance of the European Council meeting at such an important time in the world with what is going on in Gaza and in the Middle East in general. Like most right-thinking people, I was horrified to hear the comments of the European Commission President, Ms von der Leyen, at the outset of this. I listened to the Taoiseach on Leaders' Questions yesterday responding to an Teachta McDonald. He was giving her a kind of tuition as to how, if she were in his shoes going to these meetin…

I wish to support this amendment because language is very important in all legislation but "as far as practicable" was not good enough here because we know some of these big companies are very hard to engage with and they are intimidating, not deliberately, just by the fact of what they are. It is important for customers to be able to engage with them and get a timely response and a review when they feel they are unfairly treated. Therefore, I am supporting this amendment as well.

We accept that the Bill went through speedily and everybody supports it. We welcome the payments, supports and mechanisms for people to get the payment. While it is an effort, we are not tackling the elephant in the room, which is the exorbitant prices being charged in this country in comparison to our EU colleagues. We have the highest prices by far. We can blame the climate crisis or whatever but the Minister's actions in shutting down peat stations and the bogs-----

Yes, I know. I have acknowledged the Bill has its supports, which are acceptable, good and positive, but we are just fooling around with people's money. We are taking money off people and literally robbing Peter to pay Paul and allowing the big moguls to gouge all they like.

A recent European report found that three in every four people suffering with their mental health face huge issues in getting services in Ireland. The report also found that three quarters of the individuals grappling with mental health issues find it almost impossible to access services. These statistics are not just numbers; they are our people. Families and the young and old have mental health issues and need timely services. The budget barely mentioned mental health. It is vital that we have a debate in the Hou…

Adult education tutors are campaigning for a public service contract with a common sector-wide incremental salary scale. There are approximately 3,000 adult tutors who are public servants but who do not have public service contracts or access to an incremental salary scheme. This means that they have to sign on when they are off during the summer, at Christmas and at other times. They need to be treated fairly. The adult education sector is vital. I salute these tutors. They love their work, give their time willing…