I thank the Labour Party for bringing forward this very important motion. If you can get a vet into your yard within an hour or an hour and a half, but if your grandmother goes to an emergency department she might have to wait for 24 hours to see a doctor, that is a bad sign for the health service. We are spending billions of euro on that service, but you can get a vet quicker than you can get a doctor. The money is being spent but it is not hitting the right place. Our lovely young girls and boys who are educated …

She is not looking for a second bike shed any more.

She gave up on the second bike shed.

Cataracts.

Why were they protesting in Tralee at 1 o'clock today?

I am not shouting at all.

They protested outside the hospital in Tralee at 1 o'clock today. Why did they do that?

They came out of the hospital in Tralee today to protest. Why? It was because of the Minister's failure.

We want the respect the people.

I warmly welcome the Government's proactive approach to this issue because it is something I have dealt with in my work in recent years. One thing I was very grateful for were the specialist clinics for treatment of complex cases. Unfortunately, the law of averages pertains to all issues in life, and the whole issue of menopause can have varying degrees of complex cases. I acknowledge the work that has already been done and I appreciate what is going to happen going forward regarding State-funded HRT treatments. It…

While I always welcome a debate here on housing, this motion is being brought forward by Sinn Féin, which has more serial objectors than people would have cornflakes in the morning. It is ridiculous that people are using their positions as parliamentarians to object not to one or two houses but, in many cases, to thousands of planning permissions. This has been done by those elected to represent people and then they come in here at the same time talking about housing. At the same time, in their constituencies, one …

It is one TD. It is not normal, right nor logical. I call it out for what it is. You cannot be an objector to and a proposer of building houses. You cannot make an omelette without cracking an egg, and here we have this type of ridiculous behaviour. I will call it out, whether it is being done by Sinn Féin or anyone else who comes in here. We have another Deputy who is not here either and who, at her party's Ard-Fheis, said she was going to build a million houses.

Exactly. The same person would fail to build a henhouse. At the same time, she is saying that a million houses will be built if she is in government. For God's sake. The rubbish we have to listen to here about housing is frightening. At the same time, I will make things very simple. If we do not build more local authority houses, we are going to fail the people. One thing that is happening is that we have the voluntary housing agencies and all these different associations building houses. What is not being built at…

I thank the Independent Group for bringing this important motion before the House. I thank the businesspeople, workers from around the country, who left their businesses yesterday to come to Dublin to outline their concerns. I thank the deputation from Kerry, which was led by Mr. Christie Walsh from Listowel, the chairman of the Vintners' Federation of Ireland. Also part of that deputation were Councillor Liam "Speedy" Nolan, Councillor Niall "Botty" O'Callaghan from the Fáilte Bar in Killarney, Mr. Seán Murphy fro…

I am grateful to have the opportunity to speak on the Bill. I said in my contribution on the budget that it was a budget of choices. I believe many of the choices made were poor. There was plenty of money but no plan. I have continuously said that. The changes to the relief on inheritance tax, for example, do not reflect the situation on the ground or the value of land. I continuously say the value of a farm is immaterial. When it is transferred, the value of that land is totally immaterial because nobody is sellin…

It is wrong that the issue of the protection of children is being used as some sort of vehicle for getting at Sinn Féin. I am no spokesperson for Sinn Féin but I do not want to this being used in the way that I feel it is being used. I do not agree with that. It does not sit well with me. Child protection in Ireland has been a critical issue especially in the light of recent scandals which have highlighted the major failures and the urgent need for reform. The protection of children is a fundamental responsibility …

I am glad to see the Minister is present because as she knows, she is one of the few people in government in whom I have faith in. I am disappointed with the issue concerning carers and the continuation of the means testing. I am upset on behalf of the people who give such great service to this country because they deserve better. Also, today, as the Minister may be aware, thousands of people came up to the Dáil, not just vintners and restaurant people and hoteliers but from all strands of business life in Ireland.…

I sincerely thank Deputy Tully and Sinn Féin for bringing this important motion tonight. I thank the Minister of State for being here, but I put on the record that I think it disrespectful to the party and the Deputy who has worked diligently to bring this forward. I mean no disrespect to the Minister of State, and I know there are probably other pressing matters for a senior Minister, but when there is a debate of importance like this the Minister for Health should be here. I really believe that. Over the past dec…

We are. People might deny it, but from 2011, policymakers decided to decongregate settings like that.

We have always said that one shoe does not fit all sizes. I believe there are cases of those who I call special people, whether they have intellectual or physical disabilities. Special people are located there. They take them out of there or put people who should be going in there into what in many instances are what I call small prisons. By that I mean a house is bought, rented or leased by the HSE to put one or two persons into. I have seen this at first hand. There is a big fence put around this small location. …