Yes.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I accept the basic point he has put forward. There is an issue with water treatment in many towns and villages across the country. The population is increasing, which a positive in terms of the progression of Ireland. From a demographic point of view, we are finally turning around the decline that occurred from the Famine era onwards in the context of, perhaps, the country reaching its potential. However, that means more infrastructure, more housing and more wastewater tre…

-----given the prowess of its club, which I know only too well. However, it is a problem. We need to engage again with Irish Water in respect of the allocation of funding for the future with a view to saying that it is not just the bigger cities we want prioritised and that we want towns and villages looked after in the context of wastewater treatment plants. There is a consequential benefit for water quality and a range of other issues. The zoning of land is important. Some lands are zoned but they simply cannot b…

The affordable housing schemes are making progress. A total of 21 local authorities are now actively planning, developing and delivering sustainable affordable purchase schemes with the support of the affordable housing fund. Across the board, a concept that really has only begun in the last number of years has gained traction and momentum and will continue to do so. Do not forget that 50,000 new homes have commenced in the past 12 months. This is the highest number in a long time. We had close to 33,000 housing co…

I thank Deputy O'Donoghue for raising this issue, which is causing immense anxiety, stress and trauma-----

-----for many families, particularly to the children who require surgery and treatment in a timely manner. This is being prioritised in the Government. It has been prioritised. Funding is not an issue from the Government's perspective. Additional staff have been recruited. As Deputy O'Donoghue knows, there have been issues in respect of some aspects of it over the past two years. There has been a significant increase in the number of paediatric spinal procedures carried out in 2022 and 2023. I will not go through a…

It is about capacity. In 2019 approximately 380 procedures were done. Last year approximately 464 were done. A higher number were done in 2022 with 509 spinal procedures. The hiring of more healthcare professionals has happened in Crumlin and Temple Street children's hospitals and at Cappagh. A fifth theatre in Temple Street was opened in October of last year. An additional magnetic MRI scanner was installed in October 2023. Some 24 beds were provided, which are now all operational. There has been further activity …

What I would say to the Deputy as well-----

What I would say as well is that-----

-----children can be treated overseas. It is not ideal, I understand that, but there has been a long-standing relationship between our children's hospitals and hospitals like Great Ormond Street Hospital and hospitals in the United States. That they have collaboration is nothing new-----

In a whole range of things-----

As far as I am concerned, I want every child looked after, but we have to do it in the most effective way we can. The most effective way we can do it now is a combination of building up national capacity and also-----

-----to have those children who have been waiting too long looked after in the number of hospitals that are identified in their area.

I would tell the Deputy to travel around the country and look at the new schools that have been opened and built and which he has visited. They were not a waste of money. I do not think we can extrapolate from the bike shed outside that every other piece of infrastructure represents no value for money or represents excessive expenditure. We need balance and perspective in debate all the time. Some very fine projects have been completed under the capital infrastructure programme, including schools, hospitals and roa…

-----to oversee public expenditure and the Deputy knows that. I note from Sinn Féin's budget that its confidence and capacity to spend money has not stopped it from proposing billions of euro more expenditure than anyone else is proposing.

First of all, I have met with Cara as Taoiseach-----

-----and, indeed, more recently as Tánaiste on the way into Government Buildings. I appreciate the extraordinary commitment she has shown in respect of this issue. It is important to point out the broader picture in terms of children, in particular those with special needs. More than 28,000 children are now being supported in special schools and classes. We have 10,000 more special education teachers under this Government, 5,000 more special needs assistants, 11 new special schools have opened and almost 1,300 new …

-----and I can discuss that with the Deputy in greater detail. I believe in a school delivery-based model with therapies, and I am progressing that as we speak.

First of all, there has been much work with regard to the revitalisation of Dublin and that is ongoing. For example, the revitalisation of O'Connell Street has been long on the agenda, but it has been subject to much debate, controversy and opposition in terms of the development and significant commercial development on O'Connell Street. However, we will support all of the recommendations that will emerge because the perception of city life on the streets of Dublin is that it is not safe. Many people have that perc…

There is a sense of urban living. Many young people and young women in particular will tell us they do not feel as safe in our cities and in Dublin-----