The truth is that the real test is when it comes to the specific actions that have to be taken to deliver on the targets. These will present challenges and difficulties at local and national levels but we will provide leadership and we require support from across this House. I do not think there is any lack of opportunity for input from parties and Deputies in the House to allow them to contribute to how the climate action challenge can be met. The Deputy raised the question concerning wind energy. The new body, th…

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of LEADER funding in Galway. The first point I want to make is that there is no cut in LEADER funding. That is not the core point he made. The point he made is about the per capita allocation. As part of the new €10 billion CAP strategic plan, the Government has committed significant funding of €108 million to LEADER for the period 2023 to 2027. When that is taken together with the €70 million provided by the Government for last year and this year, this maintains the €250 mi…

I thank Deputy Canney. As he knows, Galway has been allocated €9 million for the period 2023-27. When we take this in conjunction with the transitional funding for Galway, which is €3.6 million for 2021 and 2022, it gives a total LEADER allocation of €12.6 million for the county for the period 2021-27. For the corresponding period 2014-20, County Galway had a core programme funding allocation of €12.2 million. I know the Deputy is not making the case it was reduced because it was not reduced. It was increased by 3.…

I thank the Deputy for raising an issue that is important to communities all over Ireland. The Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, is working closely with the head of the National Ambulance Service, Mr. Robert Morton, and they are now very much focused on the implementation of the national ambulance strategy. We have provided substantial additional resources to the NAS over the past couple of years. Record investment of more than €200 million was allocated to the service this year, an increase of approximately €3…

To be fair, the net issue leading to problems in certain cases is a lack of staff. It is not a lack of funding; the budget is there. The service is actively recruiting. It is bringing people in from other jurisdictions and trying to bring paramedics who qualified here and travelled abroad back to Ireland. However, there is a global shortage of paramedics and advanced paramedics. The service is doing all it can to make sure places are filled. Through the education system, the Minister for Further and Higher Educatio…

Deputies McDonald and Naughten raised climate action issues with regard to COP27 and so on. It makes sense to have a debate when the Taoiseach and the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, report back to the House having attended COP27. We can have an informed debate when we know the outcomes of COP27. We do not yet know what those outcomes are. I know everyone in the House will wish our delegation well in seeking to ensure there are tangible outcomes. That is my view on bring…

With regard to Deputy Barry's point on tech jobs, it is a matter of concern when anyone loses his or job, but especially when it is in the manner in which it was done in Twitter's case. There will be an opportunity for a full debate on that issue and the wider issue. IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland have briefed the Ministers in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment on the matter. I look forward to a discussion in the House on that issue and the wider economic performance which remains very strong in…

A well-resourced winter plan is meaningful action but we need to continue to increase the permanent capacity of the healthcare system and build up resilience in the system. It is the case that we are faced with an unprecedented number of presentations. In our children's hospitals, according to reports in the news yesterday, there has been, I think, a 50% increase in presentations relative to 2019, which is extraordinary. In our acute adult hospitals we are seeing more older people and people who are more frail and …

-----but I accept the point that we have to build up permanent capacity further.

To answer the Deputy's specific question, there is legislation on the way in relation to An Bord Pleanála. It is urgent legislation. Separate from that, we have the outcome of the work being led by the Attorney General and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, on the planning system generally. That will also come in the form of a new consolidated planning Bill, which I expect will be brought to the House in the coming weeks. Capacity is the issue. It is about delivery. The…

We will give consideration to the point the Deputy has made. Last year at COP26, the Taoiseach announced that Ireland will more than double its funding for developing countries to tackle climate change by 2025. It will increase from €93 million to €225 million over the next four years. We have made a start on that in the context of budget 2023, which we announced in the House in late September. Following the outcome of COP27, we will consider the specific issue the Deputy raised.

I thank Deputy O'Sullivan. I would be happy to do that. In my experience, when the frequency of a service is improved, such as the 220 service between Cork city and Carrigaline, the use increases dramatically. When the service is provided, if the need is there a significant uptake occurs. I will be happy to work with Deputy O'Sullivan in regard to the 226 service between Cork city and Kinsale.

Engagement has taken place between the Tánaiste and the Ministers of State with EI and the IDA in relation to this issue. The provisions of the Protection of Employment Act 1977 are very clear when it comes to collective redundancies, such as the requirement for the 30-day consultation period with the workers and their representatives and also the need to notify the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment of the proposals at least 30 days before the first dismissal takes effect. The Workplace Relations Commis…

I expect there will be an outcome in the coming weeks. I am aware of the application by Mayo College of Further Education and Training to the FET College of the Future major projects fund. There are two parts to the assessment process for such applications. The first part has now been completed by the SOLAS-led evaluation team and its report has been submitted to the Department of the Minister, Deputy Harris, for consideration. It is expected that the evaluation report, with recommendations, will be submitted to th…

I will do my best to go through the questions quickly. Deputy Mairéad Farrell raised an issue relating to the hot school meals programme. I will ask the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, to revert to her because it falls under that Department as well as the Department of Education in terms of the rates that are paid to contractors to make sure that vital service can continue. Deputy Shanahan has raised on several occasions the issue he addressed today. I hear what he has to say in respect of the onl…

I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Data Protection Act 2018 (Section 60(6)) (Competition and Consumer Protection Commission) Regulations 2022; Data Protection Act 2018 (Section 60(6)) (Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority) Regulations 2022; and Data Protection Act 2018 (Section 60(6)) (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Regulations 2022; copies of which have been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 18th October, 2022.

I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the Nineteenth Report of the Standing Committee of Selection in accordance with Standing Order 34, copies of which were laid before Dáil Éireann on 27th October, 2022, and discharges members from Committees and appoints a member to a Committee accordingly.

I move: That, notwithstanding anything in the Order of the Dáil of 30th July, 2020, setting out the rota in which Questions to members of the Government are to be asked, Questions for oral answer, following those next set down to the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, shall be set down to Ministers in the following temporary sequence: Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister for Defence Minister for Education Minister for …

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to have the opportunity to present this Bill to the House. Communication, dialogue and engagement are central to a well-functioning democracy and are critical drivers of trust. The Government needs to be open to outside interests and ideas. Lobbying is an essential element of the democratic process. Individuals and organisations legitimately and reasonably want to influence decisions that may affect them. In turn, the Government needs access to the kno…

I thank all the Deputies for their contributions during the Second Stage debate. Many interesting points were made by colleagues from across the House. Broadly speaking, there is good support for the Bill, but some colleagues want to go further and will table amendments, which is what the legislative process is all about. As is always the case, I will give very careful consideration to any constructive amendments that are tabled by colleagues. I thank everyone for their contributions. There was broad agreement that…