Despite warnings from the Minister for Justice, Hallowe'en once again proved to be a torturous ordeal for many people throughout the country, including people in my county of Tipperary. Weeks before 31 October, there was an ongoing barrage of fireworks in every town, village and city across the country, instilling fear in the elderly, intellectually disabled people, those with autism, young children and animals. Hallowe'en night itself was a living nightmare in many places with our essential service providers being…

People are frightened and struggling to cope with what lies ahead. However, they will endure this lockdown. They will do so because it gives them the hope that Christmas can be saved. This is how it has been sold to them. If they focus on the fact that Christmas can be celebrated with some semblance of our "old normal", they are willing to take the darkness now, so that the lights can shimmer in December. We have been down this road before. In March, we aimed to save summer. In October, we aim to save Christmas. Wh…

I wish to speak on behalf of student healthcare nurses. We need to listen and respond when we hear words such as "discouraged", "dismay", "anger" and "injustice" coming from any group within our healthcare system. Student nurses have long felt that they have been taken for granted and exploited for the work they carry out in hospitals across the health service. These feelings are mounting. The student nurses and midwives of Ireland are taking to the front line in the battle against Covid. In doing so, they are risk…

The post office in Ireland has seen many changes. It was established in the 16th century when it served just Dublin and a small number of major towns. The postal service developed over the years from the days of the bellman and the post boy, to the mail coach, the mail train, the mail boat and eventually to airmail. Throughout its evolving history, the post office consistently played a crucial role in the development of Ireland and met every challenge with a determination to overcome it. It has never changed and it…

I thank the Minister of State for his attendance to take this question. Normally, I would deal with this issue locally but we have been frustrated in our attempts to get a satisfactory resolution from Irish Water. What is the current status of the boil water notice relating to the Galtee regional public supply in County Tipperary? The notice has been in place since 31 October 2019. Approximately 120 properties are dependent on this supply to their homes. Will the Minister of State give a full update on the steps th…

People generally understand that circumstances can arise in which services are disrupted and that this will result in inconvenience, but ten months down the line, understanding and patience have run out. It is important that this matter be treated with urgency by Irish Water. The families now face into a winter, in the midst of a pandemic, with no proper water supply. This cannot be allowed to continue, from a physical, mental and emotional perspective. The matter needs to be addressed. I accept the Minister of Sta…

My question is in respect of the proposal to grant technological university status to Athlone Institute of Technology, AIT, and Limerick Institute of Technology, LIT. Will the Minister outline his objectives and plans in that regard? I ask the Minister to look favourably on an application to establish a new technological university comprising these two institutes of higher education which incorporate the satellite campuses of Thurles and Clonmel in my constituency of Tipperary. I further ask him to confirm his inte…

I thank the Minister. As he is aware, a huge body of work has been completed by the umbrella group representing all stakeholders. This detailed process involves scoping out structures, governance, programmes and staffing. After extensive consultation and comprehensive interaction, agreement has been reached on all of these key elements. How long does the Minister anticipate that it will take his Department to analyse, assess and evaluate the proposal? Will there be a need for external independent evaluation? Does h…

The Minister can understand my particular interest in this because this is a ground-breaking initiative for LIT and the campuses in Thurles and Clonmel. There is no doubt that it would have a transformative effect on the educational and enterprise landscape of the county. It has been proven in many other cases, such as Athlone and Limerick, that a local university producing highly qualified graduates will enhance the opportunities for inward investment and job creation, and that would obviously apply to Thurles and…

No one could have predicted the reality of 2020. We are living through a time that will continue to be spoken about long after we have left this world. This year will be seen as historic for generations to come. The country's economy was in a relatively strong position at the start of 2020. We had entered the year with a budget surplus along with the much-publicised rainy day fund. Employment levels were good and people had relaxed into a sense of security for the future. More people were returning to live in Irela…

First, I welcome the fact this legislation has been fast-tracked in response to the numerous representations that have been made to public representatives, particularly those who represent rural constituencies. I hope the Minister of State will look seriously at and accept the amendments that have been put down by the Rural Independent Group because they are put forward with a view to strengthening the legislation and giving greater protection to those in the industry. It saddened me to read some time ago where man…

In recent months, we have heard impassioned pleas for assistance from almost every sector in the country. The Government, for the most part, has heard these pleas. Help has been provided that has gone some way towards easing the financial burdens of those most seriously impacted by Covid-19. While we remain in the increasing shadow of this virus, the new normal is unfolding as we find ways to operate within the restrictions and guidelines. The majority are being given some opportunity of survival to live alongside …

I thank the Minister for his response and his acknowledgement of the needs of this sector. The approach required to help must be multifaceted. Helping the entertainment industry to survive will require what the industry itself is all about, namely creativity. Financial support is crucial to it at this time. Getting the industry itself back on its feet, and therefore less dependent on the financial supports that are in place, will be a significant challenge while the necessary restrictions remain in place. I am requ…

Will the Government give a commitment to prioritise increased funding for mental health services in Tipperary and nationwide in budget 2021? I ask that question in the context that, last week, the HSE head of operations said there has been a significant increase in referrals to mental health services as a result of Covid-19. As we know, mental health services were already overstretched before the pandemic, meaning services now need substantial investment if people are to get the mental health supports they need whe…

I appreciate and acknowledge the Minister of State's commitment to improving mental health services in Tipperary and all of us recognise that. The problem is whether she has a budget to deliver. I have no doubt the Minister of State is well meaning, but I remind her that Tipperary is a large county with a population of 160,000 people. The distance from Lorrha at the northern end of the county to Carrick-on-Suir is 130 km. The mental health strategy and the policy enforced on Tipperary by the then Minister of State,…

The reality is that the mental health budget has remained at 6% of the overall health budget for many years. There are fewer staff working in mental health services than there were in 2008. In January 2020, there were 10,642 individuals waiting for 12 months or more on waiting lists. There were also 2,000 children and young people on the waiting lists. In regard to Tipperary, at a time when there are dramatically increased levels of stress, anxiety, depression, isolation and loneliness, the lack of access to mental…

Children are happy to be back in school. They are back to leading their normal lives with their friends and back to a normal routine. Both their social and developmental needs are being met. Several parents have told me that they have never seen their children more enthusiastic about returning to school, having been away from their normal routine for six months. The work and effort that have gone into preparing schools is a credit to their boards of management and their wonderful teachers and staff. The reorganisat…

In Roscrea in County Tipperary one issue overshadows all others, namely, the future of the Dean Maxwell community nursing home in the town. This vital 27-bed elderly care residential home and day facility is dying a slow death. The centre is cherished by the people of Roscrea. The management and staff of the nursing home provide an excellent service for the people of the local community. The level and quality of care are acknowledged and appreciated by the people of Roscrea. The facility is an integral part of the …

I appreciate that commitment from the Taoiseach. There are three options available in Roscrea and I would like some action on them. One is to review the current detailed plan put forward by the development company to combine a new nursing home unit on the same site as the new medical centre. The second option is to use the 3 acre greenfield site owned by the HSE at the rear of Cré House health centre and build a modern, HIQA-compliant community nursing home with a capital funding allocation. The third option is to …

When does the Government intend to review the rule regarding the numbers permitted to attend sporting events? The current restriction on numbers is neither logical nor justified. As an example, Semple Stadium in Thurles has a capacity of 48,000 and it is ridiculous that only 200 people, including players and officials, are permitted to attend a game there. This blanket approach is causing multiple problems for parent bodies, clubs and general members. The rules need to be relaxed and I suggest it would be common se…