It is a massive, state-of-the-art radiation oncology project. It is a very positive thing. I have met with groups. There needs to be proper engagement with the Saolta University Health Care Group and the HSE-----

-----in respect of how we put additional bed capacity in the cancer care centre and work out a quick-----

-----solution to this from a design perspective. It seems people are working in silos.

CoAction made the decision. Is that correct?

It was not the HSE.

The Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, is aware of this matter and we will engage with CoAction. What is the purpose of this? Does the Deputy know the reason?

I will follow through on the matter with the Minister.

I also welcome the Deputy's aunt and godfather. In the first instance, in terms of the lending rules, there has been engagement over the past year and a half with the Central Bank in respect of this issue. It is an important issue because many people feel that people have been paying rent for a considerable length of time and have demonstrated an ability to pay on a regular basis amounts far higher than a mortgage would entail. The Central Bank recently took its decision in respect of macro-prudential rules. Notwit…

I will speak to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform on this. The Government does not deal directly with the pay issues of organisations. Progress has been made on a number of fronts with regard to community employment schemes and supervisors. I will come back to the Deputy with a note from the Minister.

I am not responsible for what gets said in any newspaper by various individuals. There is a public expenditure code to which Ministers must adhere. There will be a memo before Government next week in respect of this. The Deputy knows my views on it.

There are issues which the Deputy has highlighted. We have already taken some action on people coming from some EU countries with documents that were dispensed with when they arrived here and then they applied for asylum. This is particularly with regard to European refugees. We disapplied some aspects of the European Convention in this regard because an abuse was identified and highlighted. We have to be vigilant that there is not this level of abuse of existing systems.

It is a very sad and distressing case and our sympathies go to his family on the tragic loss of their son while visiting Ireland. It is a terrible and devastating loss to the family. We owe it to the Deacy family and in terms of their frustration at the perceived lack of progress we will provide every resource possible to An Garda Síochána. It is an operational matter for the Garda so we cannot intervene in this aspect. I hope the Garda will be successful in bringing the person or people culpable to justice.

I thank the Deputy for raising what is a very innovative approach by the Gaelscoil. The National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, programme has been expanded and additional resources this year will increase the numbers by approximately 54 psychologists. This is my understanding. At a meeting of Fianna Fáil councillors at the weekend the issue of counselling in schools more generally was identified. Teachers have told me there is huge anxiety and well-being issues more generally after Covid in many of our sc…

I remind Deputy Guirke that throughout my political career, I have consistently condemned the murder and assault of gardaí. I condemn unreservedly what happened last week. We are increasing Garda numbers. I do not know from where the Deputy gets his figures.

There are 14,318 Garda members across the country, an increase of almost 12% since 2015. We are committed to delivering 15,000 members, for which we have activated training and so on. We are very consistent in wanting to improve the numbers. I take Deputy Brendan Smith's point on the need for supports for small and minority religion schools, in particular. We will do our utmost in terms of the cost-of-living crisis and the significant increase in energy costs. All recognised primary and post-primary schools in the …

I wish to make two points. Farmers are rarely castigated in this House. We pay tribute to the farming community for the effort made to reduce emissions. Last week, I was in Devenish Farm in Dowth, which is carbon-neutral. The Deputy made a valid point in terms of a national-based survey of soils so that we have a basis from which we can assess the progress being made in becoming carbon-neutral. Many farms are not carbon-neutral at the moment. Very few farmers will say they are.

In terms of the use of a whole lot of stuff, they are not but they are making very good progress. Some farmers are-----

-----doing very good work. What I saw in Devenish Farm points to the direction and it is doable. The Deputy's point on the need for a national-based survey is valid. I am not disputing that.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 8, inclusive, together. The Government has been working hard to implement the commitments in the programme for Government, supported through the co-ordinating mechanisms of the Cabinet committee process. The 11 Cabinet committees established by this Government reflect the broad range of policy areas it will work on during its lifetime, as set out in the programme for Government. Cabinet committees meet regularly to continue this work. Strategy statements, which have been prepar…

Deputy Ó Murchú raised the issue of the transfer of the disability section from the Department of Health to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The transfer is ongoing but I hope we can bring it to a conclusion very quickly. It has not stopped the Minister of State with responsibility for disability, Deputy Rabbitte, from being very proactive on disability issues more generally. I pay tribute to her in that regard. However, I accept the issue needs to be brought to a conclusion.…