The fingerprints of Fine Gael are all over this budget. From here, it looks like Fianna Fáil has given Fine Gael free rein. Yesterday I looked back over the Fianna Fáil election manifesto, entitled, "Moving Forward. Together.". It contains promise after promise to the electorate. There are promises about addressing the cost-of-living crisis, a promise to reduce energy prices, a promise of progressive tax changes to put money back in workers' pockets. The Government promised to make services, including healthcare, c…

Before I start, I extend my solidarity to the people of Palestine at this terrible time for them. What we have witnessed in the Palestinian territories over the past 24 months has been genocide - the wanton destruction of the territories, the murder of men, women and children in the most horrific air and ground attacks, and the blockading of a people. The denial of humanitarian aid to those who need it, including starving people, reminds us of our own Gorta Mór here in 1847. We have seen the denial of journalistic …

As we talk about the sporting landscape, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the tragic passing of a well-known Limerick sports fan, Luke Grimes, who passed away in recent days at the tender age of 24. Luke was an infectious personality and a regular attendee at junior soccer matches across Limerick. It was fitting on Sunday that clubs across the county observed a minute's silence in his memory. I extend my sympathies to Derrick, Noreen, his sister Danielle and the rest of his family and friends. Luke's fu…

First, I wish to put on the record my disappointment, to put it mildly, that there is nobody here from the Department of Health. The Minister for Health is not here and neither are any of the junior Ministers. I do not believe they are all abroad. They could be here. They will be here in the morning as well. It shows utter contempt for the people of Limerick. This is an important day, 30 September. It is the end of September, which has been the worst month ever for people on trolleys in University Hospital Limerick…

I am conscious that, while we debate tonight, there are 133 people on trolleys in UHL today. When I speak on this issue in the Dáil, I am always mindful of the families who have lost loved ones in UHL due to this issue of excessive overcrowding. Unfortunately, the report has come too late for them. I know the Minister of State is not the Minister for Health or in a health Department, and he probably just read out his response. He has probably never been in University Hospital Limerick in his life. The 96-bed unit w…

I did not disagree with anything.

We just want the three recommendations implemented as fast as possible.

I am pleased to speak on national social enterprise policy. The purpose of social enterprise organisations is to sustain the social and economic well-being of people living in our communities. They are essential in delivering social inclusion and the provision of opportunities to some of the most marginalised groups in our society, such as the long-term unemployed. Across the State, they represent almost 4% of the workforce, with over 84,000 people in employment, the vast majority of whom are women. We often talk a…

Families from all backgrounds are struggling. I meet people all the time, especially in my clinic and when I do my weekly grocery shopping. They tell me they are struggling with the high cost of groceries, the cost of housing and the high cost of utilities, such as electricity and gas. The cost of these utilities is not sustainable for hard-working families. The prices consumers are paying are rip-off prices and, despite the desperate need of citizens, the Government parties fail to take on the energy companies and…

I welcome the publication by the Government of The National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030. It has been suggested that this is a roadmap for inclusion of citizens who live with a disability. We have been down this road before and without a legal framework, I fear this strategy will not have any meaningful impact at all on the lives of those living with a disability, but I might be wrong. Each pillar title of the strategy represents an area where this Government and its predecessors have failed …

I raise the lack of gardaí in Limerick city and the perceived lack of a Garda response. In recent days, I have spoken to many community leaders who have all used the same words - "tense", "fear" and "dread" - to describe the situation. It is not fair that communities are left like this. This week alone, I was contacted by several constituents. One said a car was speeding around the area all day and there were no gardaí about. Another resident said that five motorbikes were speeding around doing wheelies since that …

I thank CAB for the work it has done over the past number of years. I really want to talk about the community safety fund and how that can be enhanced. The aims of the Bill are positive aims that my party and I support. Any efforts that attempt to deny criminals their ill-gotten gains are welcome. The message must be delivered loud and clear that crime does not pay. We have to make that a reality. In my home city of Limerick, we have a number of ongoing feuds between criminals and criminal gangs and it is almost in…

I mean no disrespect to the Minister of State, Deputy Collins, but I would have hoped somebody would have come from the Department of Health. At least they told us it was going to be the Minister of State. I appreciate that we were told, at least. The last time I had a Topical Issue it was on crime and nobody came from the Department of justice. I want to put that on the record. I will write to the Ceann Comhairle about it because it is bad road to be going down. We are trying to raise important issues to us and we…

The Government did not oppose that motion and we await a response from HIQA.

I thank the Minister of State, but it does not give me any confidence. In the last line of his response he said, "I would like to reassure the Deputy, and all patients... in the mid-west, that this Government is fully committed to improving health services in the region." I have received the same reply since 2016 when I first started raising this nine years ago. The fact remains that we have record numbers of people attending University Hospital Limerick, with June of this year having the highest June number ever. …

I agree.

I said no recent progress.

We had the last Dáil motion on UHL which was passed.

We are the only party that actually called for-----

Yes, we have.