The Deputy makes a very fair point and I pay tribute to Shaun for his resilience and his family for their care and nurturing. We provide supports for disabilities within third level education and that helps but we must do everything possible for people with disabilities to enable employment. I am 100% in agreement with him. We have increased the thresholds for the medical card significantly now. I am not sure of the specifics of the case but the Deputy could follow up with the Minister for Health regarding the new …

It depends on the nature of the employment obviously. I recommend that the Deputy speaks to the Minister.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and it is something to which I am very committed. As Taoiseach, I was anxious to promote the idea that there would be a recognition and an acknowledgement of the role that many communities the length and breadth of the country have played in welcoming Ukrainians who were fleeing from a most vicious war perpetrated by Russia and Putin. There was a €50 million community recognition fund that was administered by the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and her Department. We will be in…

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I know this is an issue for which he has advocated for quite some time. Some funding was provided last year to facilitate the progression of those projects. There are huge pressures on the capital budgets because of the inflationary cycle we have experienced. Most road projects now are turning out, after tender, at significantly higher cost than the original estimates of such projects so we have to take that on board. However, I understand the critical need for the Mallow r…

The freedom of information legislative framework is a very comprehensive one. It allows for appeals in respect of decisions to refuse information. We have always supported the fullest co-operation at all levels of Government with requests for information. Government does not intervene in local authorities all of the time because, if it did, the Deputy and others would be the very first people to say we were interfering in the work of local authorities. I am not clear how a CEO can disallow a councillor's motion. Th…

I can say that in my early time as a councillor, I was refused an FOI for two years with regard to a dump that I wanted closed. I eventually got the information and I then realised why I did not get it two years earlier. Now it is an amenity park, and a wonderful amenity park for the area. FOI has its role, and we want to see it adhered to.

The Deputy has clearly nailed his colours to the mast, although that is the wrong analogy with regard to this Castlemartyr bypass. I now note that he has enlisted the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, onto his team to increase pressure in respect of that project. It is very serious for the people of the area, and I hope that within the next number of weeks we can bring clarity to the whole roads programme, including the Castlemartyr bypass.

Is the Deputy is referring to Fórsa's decision not to progress correspondence because of the current situation in the HSE?

I do not condone it. I think it is wrong, and Fórsa should desist, in the interests of democracy. There is also the fact that, as I said earlier, €7.1 billion has been allocated to health since 2019. We can have arguments and debates about whether we need to do more, and I accept that, but we need a sense of perspective on these issues as well. That is my view on it. Above all, the right of the public to information is something that should not be undermined.

I appreciate Deputy Harkin raising the issue, and we certainly will. I will say again that we are doing everything we possibly can to get Irish citizens and their dependants out of Gaza. We have succeeded in getting quite a number out. Our ambassador, Sonya McGuinness, is working very hard. She is based in Tel Aviv. There are Members of the House who want us to expel ambassadors and pull our ambassador back. It is an interesting point because Deputy Boyd Barrett had a very sincere case this morning in respect of a …

I had not heard that. The bowel screening programme has been cut back?

No, that is not the case. I will check that with the Minister. That is the first I have heard of that. On the endoscopy unit, in which hospital?

The Deputy is saying that is closed, is it?

I will talk to the Minister for Health on that and come back to the Deputy.

I thank Deputy Griffin for raising this issue. The Minister, Deputy Foley, was in touch with me as well. I take the Deputy's point. Yes, the industrial relations processes should be used. I will talk to the Minister for enterprise in respect of that. Kerry Group is one of Ireland's most successful global multinational companies, starting with very humble beginnings in Kerry and Tralee. I ask that the company would engage and have a fair outcome to the situation.

In 2019, I worked from the Opposition benches with the then Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, on the setting up of a scheme for medical cannabis use. That scheme now operates through licences issued by the Minister. I favour anything that has an evidence basis to it, including when it comes to expanding the medical cannabis access programme. However, it needs careful consideration and good evaluation. The Deputy indicated that nerve pain and pain generally is the area people are suggesting for expansion. It certa…

Deputy Kenny has left the Chamber but I put on the record that a clinical review group is being established to follow up on the HRB report. I thank Deputy Dillon for raising what is a very important report. I am a passionate believer in school completion and have been all my life. We have very high rates of school completion in Ireland but the school completion rate of the cohort referenced in the report, that is, young carers, is affected by their caring duties, as are their school performance and their progressio…

I move: That Dáil Éireann: bearing in mind the serious allegations of discrimination, bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct in the Defence Forces; noting the decision of Government, in January 2022, to establish an Independent Review Group (IRG) to examine such issues and provide recommendations and guidance to the Minister for Defence on measures and strategies required to underpin a workplace based on dignity, equality, mutual respect, and duty of care for every member of the Defence Force…

No, they do not.

We said that already. The judge will deal with it.