I thank the Ministers of State for allowing me the opportunity to speak on the debate. As public representatives, we meet people in a very distressed state from time to time. The anxiety in our communities is at an all-time high following the very difficult year we have had with the Covid pandemic and everything else. We need to accept the real challenges that we will be facing with the effects the pandemic has had on mental health. Much good work has been done to try to reduce the waiting lists for CAMHS, which I …

In light of the fact that the Dáil is going into recess this week, is it possible to extend the time allocated for questions on promised legislation?

On the issue, there are post offices in every community. In the context of the digital hubs and the remote working that is envisaged by the Government, has the post office network been factored in as a focal point around which to build digital hubs?

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in this debate. I watched the programme at 11 p.m. on Thursday last when I got home from Dublin. I was absolutely horrified and disgusted by what I saw. We have had many platitudes and heard talk about trying to ensure that every citizen gets the best possible start in life and the best from the State. Let us consider this arm of the State. The issue I have is that the arm of the State had endless resources in terms of correlating and putting together a file or legal case …

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. This matter is extremely important to me. It is crucial that we send out a clear signal that the carers who provide such great care in our communities are valued and supported. I wish to address a number of issues in the short time available. The first of these is the means test for carers, a matter about which I have spoken many times in the Dáil. I refer to cases where people give up full-time jobs in order to care for an elderly relative, a sibling or a chi…

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. We are at a critical stage. The challenges that have been with us over the past three months have been aggravating and the public mood is very concerned about this and the issues involved. We need to be very fair in our comment on this. Europe has been behind the curve on this and we, as a result, have been taking the flak. When European Commission officials were looking for vaccines, were they considering the price rather than the supply and did they put price before supply? I al…

I want to ask the Tánaiste about the commitments in regard to agriculture and rural communities. Following on from the announcement of the Kerry Group in regard to job losses in Charleville and Naas, particularly the outsourcing to third countries, has the Tánaiste, as the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, or his Department, been in contact with the Kerry Group in regard to those job losses? The concern locally is that this is only the thin edge of the wedge. Can the Tánaiste provide an assurance that …

I will take Deputy Calleary's slot, if the Leas-Cheann Comhairle does not mind. I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate. Alas, we are speaking in the aftermath of Bank of Ireland's decision to close two branches in Duhallow, those in Millstreet and Kanturk. That is a damaging step to the barony of Duhallow and the neighbouring region on the Kerry side. A whole raft of countryside will be left without an operating branch of Bank of Ireland. The Duhallow region has been very supportive of Bank of Irelan…

I welcome the opportunity to put a few points to the Minister and perhaps he will respond in writing. I would like to articulate the issues and concerns I have. The people running childcare facilities throughout the country have to be commended for the amount of work they are doing. As a society, we have to acknowledge and accept that this is the very foundation on which the State will be run. We are starting with childcare facilities and the various schemes being run for very young people in their very formative y…

We are going to try to make it that. We could talk about every village and community in my constituency but we are in negotiations on digital hubs and we know the way the world has changed over the past year or so. For rural communities, I believe this is for the better but the great enabler is broadband. The difficulty we have in Kiskeam is that Eir broadband is coming almost to the edge of the village on both sides, but not through the village. It is hugely important that it is brought through the village as a ma…

The frustration in the community of Kiskeam is that broadband was initially supposed to be provided by Eir but, for some unknown reason, the village was taken out of the plan. We were told at the time that villages would be on the Eir priority scheme. The Minister of State mentioned that the surveys had started in Ballydesmond, Kiskeam, Umeraboy, Knocknagree, Rineen, Cullen, Coolinarna, Millstreet, Hollymount and Caherbarnagh. Have those surveys been completed and, if not, when will they be? What is the envisaged t…

I intend to use my four minutes to make statements. Then, in his wrap-up at the end of the session, the Minister might address my comments. I am here as a Member of Dáil Éireann for Cork North-West. I am here because of events that took place 100 years ago and I pay tribute to those who were in Tureengarriffe on this morning 100 years ago. My community and family were closely involved in that. We have fierce challenging times in respect of Covid-19 and with the management of the vaccine. Yesterday, Deputy Canney at…

We are debating a report about an intolerant Ireland and a very dark period in our past. I have not read a whole lot of the report, but from what I have read of it, it smacks of the intolerance of society. We can blame many factors in society for that, but that is what comes through. When I am looking at reports of this nature, I am taken back to July 1989, when I was working on my uncle's farm with John Joe Bradley. He left school at 13 years of age and worked on farms all over the place. He talked to me about his…

It is important that we expand the number of digital hubs. We have submitted a detailed proposal on a digital hub adjacent to the post office in Kiskeam, County Cork. The Ministers, Deputies Humphreys and Eamon Ryan, have been helpful with our proposal and I thank them for that. It would supply a high-speed broadband connection to the community as well as a digital hub, which would boost footfall and engage the post office. The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, has been engaging with An Post and officials in other Depart…

I wish to ask the Minister about the rural development fund. An application has been submitted by the county council and the local community for development in Charleville in County Cork. Will she make statement on the matter?

This is an innovative application for Charleville town centre. It comprises the existing plaza and connectivity with the town park to make it accessible to all generations of people, not just the young. A fantastic playground has been developed over many years and it has been refurbished in recent years. There is therefore much going on in Charleville. This project is aimed predominantly at bringing life back into the town centre. It is on the M20 and, of course, we hope the road will go ahead to give breathing spa…

I can assure the Minister that if this project is successful, we will invite her to visit it and to look at the way it will re-energise Charleville town. It is a retail and commercial town with a huge amount of employment; it is a great town. It needs this to expand and develop it further, however. Councillor Doyle has been working closely with the county council to get it this far so we hope it will be taken a step further. I can assure the Minister that if we are able to deliver this through the Department, she w…

I raised this briefly in the previous round of questions. The Departments and the Government need to look at remote working and encourage more people to do it. The pandemic has provided a once in a lifetime opportunity with people working remotely and from home. There is an opportunity here. I ask the Minister to make a statement and I will come in then with a supplementary question, if that is okay.

I thank the Minister for her commitment to this and for her engagement with me on it. I have given a proposal to the Minister, which her officials have been dealing with, on putting these digital hubs next to rural post offices. Many debates have been held in the Dáil over the years on the future of the post office network. In recent months, the issue of urbanisation and the drive to the cities has been completely turned on its head. There is scope for this now. We have a proposal to put a digital hub adjacent to a…

It is true that one can work remotely just as well in Ballybay, Ballsbridge, Duhallow or Dublin. The Minister is dead right about that. This has challenged policymakers to make the decisions on remote working, smart working or working in communities. I want to take the Minister back to the proposal we have. I cannot emphasise strongly enough the gains that are there for everybody who is working at home and for those who are within the communities as well if this project is taken up. It is a pilot project that is we…