The reality of the crazy decisions that this Government has taken is hitting home with people now. With the whole energy issue we have, the fact is that people are facing a winter where a bag of coal could possibly cost €45 or maybe even €50. The Government should not be telling people to go and retrofit their homes. These people do not have €20,000, €30,000 or €40,000 underneath the bed to produce before they can avail of the grant that is being provided. There is a craziness to what the Government has done. I hav…

I highlight how disappointed, shocked and upset I am at the manner in which the guillotine procedure is being used today. There is a lack of confidence in the whole planning system and the process around the granting of planning permission that is compounded by a number of factors. On top of everything else, the manner in which this legislation is being passed is going to further erode people's confidence in the system. If the Government seriously believes it is right and proper for us to come in here and to have l…

First, I will declare that for many decades I have been involved in the rental market. That puts me in a good position to talk about this very important subject. I welcome the debate, but some of its content will not help to solve the problem. What we have heard from an awful lot of the Deputies to the right is the demonisation of people who have properties they rent out. They are doing nothing wrong. The majority of people who own property are highly respectable, and this is a highly regulated sector. They pay mor…

Over the weekend, I met with members of the Kerry wing of the Irish Farmers' Association, IFA, Mr. Kenny Jones, chairman, Ms Mary Fleming and Mr. Darren Sheehy, to discuss the sector emission ceilings for the agricultural sector. Irish agriculture is one of the most sustainable in the world despite media commentary suggesting otherwise. Irish farmers produce food of the highest quality with a low environmental footprint. Farming and the wider agrifood sector are the backbone of economic activity in rural Ireland. I…

I also wish to point out that 2,000 ha of land was planted last year – it should have been 8,000 ha. There is over a two-year delay in getting planting permits due to a backlog in the felling licences being issued. Farm forestry nationally has collapsed. Recently, Deputy Cahill, who is an excellent Chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, told members that the Government would be lucky if it hits 20% of its own planting targets. This is absolutely ironic, as the Green tail is shaking the Fi…

Between all of them, they are doing nothing positive for the forestry sector. I am delighted that the Taoiseach thinks it is funny. The foresters and the people who want to plant land in Ireland do not think it is one bit funny. They think the Taoiseach and the Minister of State with responsibility for forestry, Senator Hackett, are failures. They think they have done nothing positive for their sector, and they actually have not.

First, I would like to raise the energy cost crisis going into the winter time. If we will have an over reliance on England and France for gas at a time when a bag of coal here could be easily facing into €40, €45 and going on to €50 at Christmas time, people will go cold in their homes this winter because they will not be able to afford to keep themselves warm. There is none more urgent crisis than that and that is certainly something that needs to concentrate the minds of all of us. Another issue of great importa…

The Minister never mentioned forestry.

What did the Greens do for forestry?

1946 was the last time that forestry was as bad as now.

Some 900,000 people are waiting for operations, including 100,000 children and cancer patients. I have no confidence in the Government because of that. Patients are having to go to Belfast every month to save their eyesight. I have no confidence in the Government because of that. People, including young people, and families in Kerry are having to go into, or are already in, homeless accommodation. I have no confidence in the Government because of that. The Government did a massive U-turn on a promise it gave before…

The Cabinet has approved this motion and it is now before the Dáil for consideration. Following the Cabinet's approval, the Tánaiste cited space as an area of growing importance for Ireland, with the number of companies based here and engaged with the European Space Agency having grown by almost 60% in the past five years. The outer space treaty sets out the key principles of international space law, from prohibiting the placement of weapons of mass destruction in outer space to ensuring that nations cannot make a …

I compliment the umbrella group, Raise the Roof, comprised of trade unions, housing and homeless charities, women and Traveller groups, and others, for the excellent work it does on a continuous basis. I want to speak about the elephant in the room. I do not want this to be twisted or for anyone to say that I am saying anything wrong. The elephant in the room is the very sad and tragic situation facing Ukrainian people coming to this country. The Ceann Comhairle visited Ukraine and will appreciate what I am saying.…

I thank the Ceann Comhairle and his office for selecting this matter. I also thank the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, for being here, but I must ask where the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, is. Where is he and could he please come out? He came to County Kerry like a thief in the night. He stood in for a couple of quick pictures and then disappeared. He did nothing for University Hospital Kerry, UHK, when he came and did nothing for it when he left. Why is it acceptable in Ireland that if a cow, a…

Because he is both ashamed and a disgrace.

Tell that to the people waiting in-----

I thank the Minister of State. I again ask what the Minister has done for the hospital since the day of his visit, when he came to stand for silly, stupid picture. What actions has he taken to improve the situation for people in accident and emergency? I will ask and ask until this stops. Why is it acceptable for people to say to a person who has gone to accident and emergency: “How many hours or days were you there waiting to be admitted?” That is wrong. That is not the fault of the staff who work so diligently an…

Ms Marie Linehan, the excellent CEO of the Kerry Parents and Friends Association, contacted all of the Oireachtas Members in County Kerry with regard to this much-needed action plan, which the Minister of State knows needs to be published as a matter of urgency. The roadmap and schedule of works, as it were, must be published. It is urgently needed for both the service users and the parents of service users in County Kerry. I wish to highlight the excellent facility at St. Mary of the Angels in Beaufort, and the fa…

The Minister recognises that County Kerry is definitely the tourism capital of Ireland. That is an undisputed fact. Yet, we have a problem at the moment, which is workers. Businesses, in particular, small businesses in our tourism sector, such as in pubs, restaurants, shops and hotels have a difficulty. I am sure that difficulty is probably reflected throughout the rest of the country, but I am talking about County Kerry. It may be the cost of going to work that has gone wrong or it may come down to the availabilit…

Call it out.