-----helicopter maintenance, short-term staff unavailability etc., these interruptions are to be expected in the normal course.

The resilience of the four-base strategy has been well proven over the years.

The base location also provides-----

-----for a geographic distribution of skilled local employment.

I apologise to both Deputies for not having time to give them an oral response in full, which they also now have. I recognise their concerns. Following on from what I said, I will be bringing this to the attention of the Minister. I also understand the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach's time constraints. The Department of Transport is prioritising the safe and effective transition of the aviation contract, without the interruption of services, and is ensuring that the two contracted operators, CHCI and BIL, are providing su…

I thank both Deputies. I acknowledge their commitment and support for the previous debate with regard to the N24 and N25. On behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth, Deputy Naughton, I am taking this debate. The Department of Education and Youth has a strong record of delivering the Government's school building programme. Since 2020, more than €6 billion has been invented in schools across the country under the national development plan, NDP, involving the completion of over 1,300 school buildings. In July, …

I again thank the Deputies for raising this important issue. The Department of Education and Youth capital investment programme helps to ensure that close to 1 million primary and post-primary students in schools across the country learn in fit-for-purpose buildings. This includes many thousands of children with additional needs who are supported in special schools and classes across the country. Funding under the NDP for 2026 to 2030 will allow the Government to continue to prioritise the effective use of the exis…

I sincerely thank Deputy Danny Healy-Rae for raising this very important issue for farmers in Kerry and throughout the country. I have the exact same concerns with regard to badgers and deer and their role in spreading this disease. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in bovine TB, with levels nationally causing an economic and emotional burden for farmers, their families and rural communities. Bovine TB is a difficult disease to control and eradicate but it can and has been done in other countri…

I thank the Deputy very much. On the names of cows, the Deputy may recall that our late father had a cow, and he called her Thatcher for some reason only known to himself.

Current TB levels are leading to stress for farmers who have had a bovine TB outbreak. For those who are living in fear of having TB outbreaks and are worried about the impact it would have on their livelihoods, we need to ensure that all necessary measures are taken to reduce disease levels and ultimately take the stress associated with bovine TB out of farmers' lives. The aim of the action plan is to reset the bTB programme in the context of putting in place measures necessary to tackle the current disease situat…

I once again strongly reiterate the Minister, Deputy Heydon's personal commitment to making sure that during his tenure as Minister for agriculture that he, the Department and all of us will work together in reducing the TB outbreaks. I thank the Deputy for raising this most important matter on behalf of the people of County Kerry.

I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health. At the outset, I sincerely thank the Deputy and his party for their commitment to the radiology services in County Louth and giving me the opportunity to speak on this important issue. Louth County Hospital is part of the HSE Dublin and North-East health region. In conjunction with Our Lady of Lourdes, Drogheda, these hospitals operate with an integrated managerial and clinical governance system, care pathways and support functions. …

I want to once again recognise Deputy Ó Murchú's work and commitment to this very important issue. I thank him again for raising it on behalf of his constituents. It is important to recognise that significant investment has been allocated to both LCH and Drogheda hospital in recent years, which has uplifted capacity, staffing and bed numbers in each of the hospital sites. These two hospitals operate conjointly and provide a comprehensive suite of services for the people of Louth. The Minister for Health acknowledge…

I can assure the Deputy that I will bring that to the Minister.

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all the words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "notes that: — the Protected Disclosures Act 2014, protects workers from penalisation for speaking up about wrongdoing in the workplace; and — persons who make protected disclosures or 'whistleblowers' should not be treated unfairly, lose their job or face legal proceedings because they have made a protected disclosure; recognises that: — the enacted Protected Disclosures Act 2014, was further enhanced by the Protecte…

I acknowledge the Minister's commitment to the horse and greyhound racing industries and to ensuring they achieve their maximum potential. The world-class reputation for excellence in horse racing, greyhound racing and breeding that Ireland enjoys today has been enabled by the support provided through public funds. I thank the Minister, the programme for Government and previous Governments, which have ensured that public funds to into these two important industries. I also recognise the Minister's requirement that …

It means nothing.

I also welcome the visitors in the Gallery. I very sincerely thank Senator Paul Daly for initiating this debate today. I thank all the Senators for their very valuable, sensible and sound contributions. I also acknowledge that I am accompanied by Mr. John Canny, who is an inspector with the Department and is in charge of the farm safety division. A debate like this in the Seanad is very important because farm deaths are something that affect everybody. I took very great notice of people explaining situations they h…

We never thought we would miss you so much.

I am thankful for the opportunity to provide an update to the Chamber on the progress being made with responding to the significant damage caused by last winter's storms, particularly in forestry. The volume of timber normally felled over a 2.5-year period was blown down overnight during Storm Éowyn. The latest damage assessment maps show that 27,000 ha of forests were windblown, with 11,400 ha impacted in private forestry. This equates to approximately over 40 million trees blown down by that storm. Counties Leitr…