There are various regulatory frameworks governing food products, both on the price side but also in terms of standards. We have a regulator to protect the consumer. These issues should be raised, first and foremost, with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, CCPC, because there are issues that need to be monitored on a constant basis in terms of shrinking the volume of a particular pack or whatever.

I know.

There has been fairly significant expansion in the rural transport programme from 2022 to 2025. Some €84 million has been invested in the rural transport programme, and €116 million has been allocated to regular rural services and almost €40 million has been allocated to new services, including Connecting Ireland, new town services and BusConnects. In Carlow, Kilkenny and Wicklow, funding increased by 46% between 2023 and 2024 to more than €3.5 million. The passenger numbers on these routes in counties Carlow, Kilk…

I thank the Deputy for raising what is a very important issue for many people. Ensuring that the enduring power of attorney application process is a user-centric and accessible one is a priority for the Department and the Decision Support Service. The Minister has informed me that there is ongoing engagement between the Decision Support Service and the Law Society to ensure the smooth running of the service. This is the beginning of a series of engagements between both parties underlining our commitment set out in …

That money would have to be replaced from somewhere.

Yes, it is funny money; it is magical tree money.

Services can be seen. I have seen the correlation between proper application and ringfencing of local property tax revenue to services.

If you have a proactive council and public representatives, people will see the benefits of it. We are constantly being told that we need a broad revenue base to sustain public services. For example, this budget expanded public services very significantly, over and above what was a high base over the past number of years.

There are challenges in certain areas but the bottom line is that for well over two decades now it has been advocated that we need a broader base in terms of raising tax.

It is the intention of the Minister to give legislative authority to the national review panel and to amend legislation. I understand a Bill is on the way that will enable the Minister to do that, but I will get the specifics for the Deputy in respect of that in the next day or two.

There are two aspects here. First of all, there is the interim works. I did see some progress on those when I attended - I think it was earlier this year - Midleton where there were embankments and, on the main street, protective gates were put in. My understanding is that the council has had procurement issues in terms of some of the materials that are required for the interim works. In terms of the flood relief scheme more generally, that is going through a process. I wish it could be speeded up as quickly as pos…

The Deputy is as aware of these issues as I am.

In terms of the council, some people are now saying that the council should not have got the job to do the interim work but I think the council is probably best placed to do interim works in terms of any given department.

I thank the Deputy for raising what is a very important issue. I agree with her. I think there should be a basic protocol between the local authorities so that when a person who is a victim of domestic violence and her family move from one council area to another, they should take their record in terms of length of time with them.

I will. I will pursue it.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 14, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on infrastructure last met on Thursday, 17 July and is scheduled to next meet on 3 November. The Cabinet committee works to drive infrastructure delivery and the implementation of the revised national development plan. We are prioritising the delivery of critical, growth-enhancing infrastructure, as outlined in the programme for Government. We have a responsibility to invest in the future and delivery of modern, sustainable and res…

I thank the Deputies for raising these issues. I appreciate the focus from Deputy Cleere on Kilkenny City Vocational School and Coláite Pobail Osraí. I visited these schools many years ago with the late Bobby Aylward. I think his son was working there. I will certainly keep an eye on those and will talk to the Minister for education in respect of them. It is important. Substantial funding has been made available for education on the capital front. If we look at capital, we keep saying that delivery is not happening…

Where we have implemented flood relief schemes, for example, Bandon, which I would be aware of, Fermoy and Clonmel, the impacts have been very significant in protecting those towns. The public good has to take precedence. Deputy McGreehan raised the growth in population and the issue around wastewater treatment and so forth. Deputy O'Rourke raised the topic of school buildings, including a number in his area, creaking water infrastructure and the Kells wastewater treatment plant. We will be engaging with Irish Wate…

We need the private sector as well, in addition to the huge unprecedented public sector investment. Deputy Paul Murphy raised public transport and the state of the bus services. A lot of investment has gone into the bus services. BusConnects has been slower because there has been huge consultation with people, residents and communities who had issues with BusConnects - let us be honest - and those were legitimate issues. We will continue to prioritise public services. It is not a privatised bus service. There is a …

I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 to 23, inclusive, together. The coalition of the willing is a group of more than 30 countries committed to strengthening support for Ukraine. I have attended leader level meetings of the coalition since it began its work in March. Over the summer, in July and August, US engagement aimed at ending the war in Ukraine led to increased diplomatic activity. A summit was held between Presidents Trump and Putin in Alaska in August. A meeting between Presidents Trump and Zelenskyy, toget…