Yes, but I have not mentioned anybody by name.

I will not mention anybody's name. I well know the rules and regulations here. This morning, after 14 years, she got a call to say the bank was repossessing her home - the home she owns and lives in with her child. This is only one of many stories. There is much more involved in the case than I have the time to relate to the Minister of State here today. The banks and others need to give honest answers in respect of this case but they will get away with it. I was talking to another lady, a constituent of mine, toda…

I know that, but I am engaging here and the least the Minister is supposed to do is to engage with Deputies when they are speaking. When I was elected to Dáil Éireann I believed I was entitled to that much anyway, but if I am not, that is fine. If the Acting Chairman thinks differently-----

I sincerely hope he does because I want to know whether he knew about the banks becoming cashless. Did the Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath, or the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, know about it? Nobody in this Dáil has come before the people to say they knew and they made a mistake. The decision to try to make AIB cashless was reversed but it was a shocking decision in the first place.

Zenith Energy Bantry Bay Terminal Ltd. proposes the redundancy of its entire permanent employed maintenance workforce at the Whiddy Island oil terminal, comprising three plant operators, three craft positions and the only higher craft role in health, safety and environment operations, to be replaced with outside contract workers. The breakdown of much of the work being done by the existing excellent permanent workforce can be emergency maintenance to include but not limited to the loading and off-loading of cargo, …

And of course west Cork. I am glad to have an opportunity to speak about the Bill. I met the Minister several years ago in Ballydehob. I hope she enjoyed her break in west Cork at the time. A holiday in west Cork is a unique tourism experience. We have places such as Kinsale, Clonakilty, Bantry, the Beara Peninsula, Baltimore, Union Hall, Schull, Skibbereen and the stunning islands. We have Dursey Island, Bere Island, Whiddy Island, Long Island, Sherkin Island, Cape Island and Hare Island. It is a unique experience…

The most frightening thing for families is not being able to pay a bill, especially an electricity bill. Not paying such a bill could lead to the power being switched off in anyone's home. In these times of bills being recklessly foisted upon households due to the Government not taking control of the problem from the word go, €200 here and €200 there is not going to solve this crisis. It is only kicking the can down the road. The hotel and supermarket sectors are also at a crisis point and do not know where to turn…

With fuel prices at an all-time high, many in urban areas like Dublin and its surrounds have turned to public transport, since the costs of owning a car have gone out of ordinary earner's reach. This cost has multiplied considerably in rural communities, especially since the introduction of carbon tax. Owning and running a car for young people, in particular, has become the same as owning their own home. It is not an option in rural communities. The expectation when carbon tax was forced on the people was that we w…

I thank the Tánaiste for his reply. He stated that half of carbon tax revenue comes from fuel, but 90% of that has to be coming from rural Ireland.

Is he saying that there is no difference between somebody coming in from Wicklow to Dublin and an individual travelling from Goleen to Cork? There is a massive difference. There has to be. However, we have a serious crisis on public transport west Cork. It is astonishing that for some reason the NTA refused the offer of an on-the hour service from West Cork Connect, thus leaving adults and students on the roadside due to overcrowding. The erratic decision-making of the Minister for Transport is damaging the new rou…

A 96-year-old lady my constituency was admitted to Bantry General Hospital on 9 September after a fall. Prior to going to hospital, this lady was receiving 8.5 hours home help a week with no cover at weekends. She was ready to be discharged two and a half weeks later. It was recommended by the hospital that she would require additional home support from the HSE. The family was told that this support was not available due to a shortage of home support. I am now advised by the HSE that the additional home support was…

I was talking to some of my constituents in recent days and they are furious at the rate of pay for CE supervisors, which has not been revised for more than 15 years. The Government and the Dáil are aware of the contribution that these projects make to CE participants and communities throughout Ireland. Generally, a supervisor needs a car to complete his or her work on a daily basis. It is the supervisor's responsibility to ensure the smooth payment of all benefits - fuel and bonus payments - to CE participants wee…

Some of them are only getting €20 more a week for working in their local community. I know that myself. In Goleen we have CE workers in community and voluntary organisations, and with the Goleen and District Community Council. We have rural social workers, Tús workers and HSE employees in section 39 organisations, who are providing meals on wheels. These workers are carrying out invaluable work. I give great praise to the supervisors of CE schemes, the rural social scheme and the Tús scheme. I also praise the worke…

The explanatory memorandum states that: "The purpose of this Bill is to consolidate and update the legislative provisions that regulate the Employment Permits system, namely the Employment Permits Acts of 2003 and 2006". I want to take the opportunity to thank the staff in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. I do not want to single out anyone but there is one specific lady who is outstanding in her job and bends over backwards in every way, shape and form to help us get permits for doctors, chefs an…

Households are facing annual gas and electricity bills of €6,000 from early next year if prices keep increasing at the current rate. The Government, which has a controlling shareholding of 95% in the ESB, fails to protect consumers by explicitly directing the ESB to either cap prices or not proceed with any price increases at this time. Such action by the Government is possible. It would also send a clear message to other price-gouging electricity providers, as the ESB is the benchmark price-setting organisation fo…

We never said any such thing.

The shortage of respite services for children and adults with disabilities in west Cork is having an impact on carers who have had no break in recent years since the onset of the pandemic. Carers go through hell a lot of the time. The budget has let carers down. In what world should it be acceptable that someone who works and cares for another person should be means tested? After all, these people are doing a job. Surely anyone who does a job should get paid for it. Families are forced to watch key milestones in th…

I thank the Independent Group for an excellent discussion this morning, and for the motion. A few months ago, the Minister continuously announced a decrease in the cost of transport services, mainly in and around Dublin. That suits his constituents, but we have to drag him here tooth and nail through the Dáil to give that 20% decrease that he gave to the people of rural Ireland using the private bus operators that are out there trying to deliver a service to rural Ireland. Now the Minister has announced that he wil…

The Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Bill 2022 was published on 16 August on the Houses of the Oireachtas website. The Bill seeks to amend existing legislation in respect of registration-related issues which affect certain cohorts of registrants with the Medical Council and the health and social care professionals council, CORU. I know that the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, is not here but I thank him. I talked last week in my budget speech about getting neurologist nurses, especially…

The Minister of State has spoken about Housing for All. One of the previous speakers on the Government side said that housing completions are up, and I will not argue with that. However, the problem is that the number of evictions is up. I know that for a fact because I am the only Deputy in west Cork who has clinics 52 weeks of the year for two or three days a week. I meet people from Kinsale, Bandon, Clonakilty, Skibbereen and Bantry who tell me they are being evicted from their homes. They do not have a house an…