The programme for Government states under the transport heading that it will enhance the road connectivity to the north west, increase funding for roads and provide multi-annual funding. The N4 recently announced an emerging preferred route from Mullingar to Roosky through County Longford. It is the only region that is not serviced with motorway or dual carriageway access. An emerging preferred route was announced previously in 2008 before it was taken off the national development plan. It is back on the plan and a…

I also wish the Minister and the two Ministers of State well. I have every confidence in the three of them as rural TDs who will work on behalf of farmers throughout the country. I have known the Minister for a long number of years. I know from meeting with the farm organisations in my county that they are delighted to see the Minister, Deputy Heydon, appointed in the role as the Minister for agriculture. The agrifood sector has been the cornerstone of the Irish economy and rural communities for generations. It is …

The programme for Government states that a statutory home care scheme will be designed to allow people to stay in their homes for as long as possible. In my home county of Longford, numerous families are struggling to look after family members. Based on medical need, they are being allocated hours but the reality is that there are no staff employed by the HSE to provide the hours. Families are now considering applying for the fair deal scheme to allow for nursing home care for their relatives. That will ultimately …

I rise today for the first time as a Member of Dáil Éireann. I want to take this opportunity to thank the people of Longford for giving me the honour of representing them. I follow in the footsteps of General Seán MacEoin from my own native Ballinalee. I thank my family, the local Fine Gael organisation, my colleagues on Longford County Council, the members, my campaign team and those who have advised me over the last number of years and in recent times. I thank them sincerely for their support and I commit to work…

I second the proposal.

I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for taking my Commencement matter. I stand here today talking about a matter that touches the heart of every family and community. It is an area I have worked on over my four and a half years in this House. I am talking about ensuring that we give every child the opportunity to maximise their potential in life. The Government has been extremely supportive in opening a significant number of special classes, particularly in our primary school system, but the reality is th…

I thank the Minister of State for the response. It is important to acknowledge there has been significant investment by the Government in additional school places. The Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, has been extremely proactive in the role. I acknowledge the opening of classes in the county and that a new SENO has been put in place. Today is 7 November and the application process for schools is currently ongoing. The closing date for applications for September 2025 is this month. It is stated in the reply that…

I thank Mr. Martin Groves, Clerk of the Seanad, and congratulate the Acting Chair on his elevation. I echo the comments made. I thank Mr. Groves, Ms Doody and all the staff, including the ushers, throughout Leinster House, whose courtesy over the past four years has made it an honour to be a Member of the Oireachtas. We now go to the doorsteps seeking to keep our roles. My aim is to be a Member of the next Oireachtas. I look forward to continuing the advocacy work I have done over the past four and a half years for…

The Minister is very welcome. I speak on this Bill as an ex-smoker. Thanks be to God it has been 22 years since I quit them. It was 31 July 2002. I can still remember the date. I intend to continue that way and I sincerely hope my three sons never start. I wholeheartedly support increasing the age to 21 years. I have seen the damage this does to families. I have seen the cost it puts on people who are addicted. It is in reality an addiction, not a choice, as the Minister said. All contributors so far have talked ab…

I wish to raise a couple of issues. Representatives from the ICSA and IFA are outside the gates with their presidents Seán McNamara and Francie Gorman to highlight the potential knock-on effects of the Mercosur deal which may be finalised later this month. The viability of the beef sector in Ireland will be greatly affected by the deal. The agricultural sector and farmers in this country do not want compensation. They want fair market access for what is a premium product. Any party and all must make sure that we pr…

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business that No. 12 be taken before No. 1. I also wish to speak on a number of issues. This morning on my way here, I spoke to a young man, James Cawley, who has worked in the disability sector for a long number of years. He is very well known to all of us in my area who are activists and fighting for supports. There is no full-time occupational therapist in Longford at present and nor has there been for a significant number of years. The roles have been covered on a part-tim…

I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to provide for the establishment of a body, to be known as the Gasra um Plean Gníomhaíochta i leith an Uathachais agus um Chomhairle, to monitor and advise on the implementation of the Autism Innovation Strategy and any autism action plan published under this Act; and to provide for related matters.

Next Tuesday.

I wish to raise a nationwide issue regarding special school places with the Leader. We have a situation in Longford where there are families of young children looking for places in a special school. Unfortunately at this current time, that availability is not there. I call on the NCSE to put in place any measures needed to make sure that we increase the capacity within the special school we have in Longford to ensure children are not going outside their county. That is something none of us wants. We want children t…

The Minister is very welcome. I concur with Senator Wall’s comments about her staff in the Department of Social Protection. I have always found them to be extremely courteous on any issue or query we may have had and in her own office, Pauric and everyone have always been extremely courteous. I also wish to compliment the Minister on an excellent Social Welfare Bill. I know how hard she fought at the earlier negotiations to get a significant financial package put in place and to put in place a scheme that would ben…

I thank the Minister of State for taking my Commencement matter, which relates to funding for Longford County Council under the Housing for All voids programme, which has been ongoing for a number of years. I was at a meeting of the housing committee last January at which executive members from Longford County Council were in attendance. The council was challenged to decrease the number of voids in the local authority housing stock, which stood at 7.2% in 2021. It was brought down to 3.5% by the end of 2023 and wil…

I welcome all the students and I hope they enjoy their day in Leinster House. I acknowledge that Longford County Council was allocated funding of nearly €1.5 million in 2023. However, I want to highlight that in 2023 we upped the number of houses that we retrofitted to 79. The Department mentioned in its statement that this work was done to a reletting standard. Should houses not be retrofitted to a housing standard, which we now have, when retrofitting? Many of these houses are between 30 and 50 years old and have…

I, too, wish to be associated with expressions of sympathy to the Naughten family on the death of Councillor John Naughten. He was someone I knew for between 15 and 20 years. He was an absolute gentleman. He is a massive loss to Fine Gael but an even bigger loss to his family. We extend our deepest sympathies to his wife Breda, his children, his mother, and his extended family and siblings, including Denis, who we all know and have known for a long number of years. I will bring up the issue of school transport. We …

I second the introduction of the Bill by Senator Martin. I also want to pay tribute to the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, for the support she has given to the independent broadcasting sector. As a member of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media, I have worked closely with a number of my other colleagues in meeting and engaging with the independent sector to make sure financial support was given to them to be able to continue to provide the trusted broadcasting that they do. I welcome th…

I move: That Seanad Éireann shall take note of the Report of the Joint Committee on Autism entitled ‘Final Report of the Joint Committee on Autism’, copies of which were laid before Seanad Éireann on 14th June, 2023.