I want to raise with the Tánaiste the very sad news that we got this week about the closure of the Irish Wheelchair Association centre in Cavan. When I say “closure”, it has not closed its doors but has had to end its in-person service for the 40 service users who very much depend on that service. It had a minimum of staff to begin with. It had only two part-time and one full-time, and with that staff and the support of CE staff, it has been providing an incredible service to over 40 service users. I have spoken wi…

This is kind of on the same matter. I want to raise with the Taoiseach the issue of Bailieborough Community School, which was built many years ago but for 600 students. Back in September of 2022, it was approved to almost double the footprint of that school. That school currently has 740 students. I am going to cut to the chase. The board of management, the principal and I have made many requests to the Department of Education on this. We are simply seeking to move from design stage 2A to 2B. It has been stuck at s…

I believe there is a logjam in the Department of Education and I want to use two examples. Mullaghoran National School has been approved for a special educational needs, SEN, base. It was approved in March 2022 and has progressed to stage 2B but the principal there is at her wits' end and totally frustrated waiting for that next piece where it can move to tender. She has been trying since very early on this year but has gotten no further. The second example is Bailieborough Community School, which was approved to a…

I will also bring up the issue of public transport in County Cavan and the 109 bus, as presented by my colleague. It is not just a capacity issue. We have seen situations where buses do not show up at all. I have written to Bus Éireann, which has stated to me it has an increased number of cancellations as a result of having insufficient mechanics available at its Broadstone garage. This is a huge inconvenience to people. The 109 is the one route we have to Dublin. I ask the Tánaiste to do something to try to addres…

Perhaps the Local Link service as well.

There was an announcement yesterday by Lakeland Dairies that it is to close some of its plants in the Border area, including in Monaghan. It is a huge blow to the constituency, and the Border area, that two plants will close in the coming years as part of a strategic plan by the business, which will lead to the loss of jobs. Lakeland Dairies is one of the significant employers in the region. Any job losses in any area, particularly in rural areas such as mine, are very impactful in a very adverse way. Will there be…

I fully support the work the Minister is doing on this Bill. It is immensely important. I want to highlight my own area. I am very conscious of the fact that a large amount of the work the Minister has been doing over the last number of years is around providing, developing and investing in women's refuges and safe homes for women and families who find themselves in a position where they need a safe haven and an environment in which they can be protected. What is also really important is that wraparound services ar…

I welcome Lucia, Jim and other members of the O'Farrell family to the House. Sadly, they have been here on many occasions previously. The reason we stand here 12 years on from Shane's death is that this family feel they have not had answers or accountability. Until they have those, they cannot have closure. That is what this House is for - to give the general public confidence in our justice system. This family certainly have not received that yet. Speaking on behalf of the O'Farrell family, the reason for this dis…

I thank the Minister of State at the Department of Transport for being here tonight to answer this question. He will be familiar with the N3 route I am talking about. Unfortunately, the motorway takes a sudden stop at Whitegate and we have a truncated version of that N3 all the way to Cavan town. I am incredibly proud and supportive of the work the road section of Cavan County Council is doing to develop that into a motorway through County Cavan, as we deserve and as County Meath has all the way down from Dublin in…

I welcome the news that TII is working with Cavan County Council and that three areas or locations have been identified. I want to take this opportunity to thank Paddy Connaughton, our director of services, with whom I know the Minister of State will have worked closely, and John McKernan, our senior executive. I know they feel passionately about this. If there is money to be got, they are always front and centre in seeking it. Whitegate is the most obvious and evident location where there is an issue. There is not…

I raise the issue of school transport. Since the Dáil resumed, it has been a bone of contention with many colleagues around the House. I want to raise in particular Tunnyduff National School. I am using it as an example. It is a rural school and there are 42 kids to this day without their school transport. The Tánaiste and I both know that 42 kids in a rural school is a significant proportion to be without their school transport. It is two classrooms. Joe Finnegan has spent the last three weeks highlighting many ot…

I will direct my question to the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health and older people. As she knows, I have for a long time implored the Government to deliver on more services for young people around mental health issues. The reason I say that is I am very sadly confident that Cavan-Monaghan is a black spot when it comes to suicide among our very young population. I really want us to look at prevention, ways of reaching out to young people, and ways of allowing them the space and time to relieve…

I welcome the announcement the Minister, Deputy Foley, has made about a €5 million pilot project for counselling and mental health support services in primary schools in Cavan-Monaghan. We are thrilled about that and we know it is much needed. I take the opportunity to ask the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, whether she will consider my plea for a Jigsaw service for Cavan-Monaghan. I acknowledge the incredible work of Mr. Martin Tynan in Virginia, who has raised funds for SOSAD. As the Minister will be aware, Cav…

I would like to raise with the Taoiseach the matter of the N2, Ardee to Castleblayney road scheme, which is a critical piece of infrastructure under way by Monaghan County Council. The design process commenced in 2018. We have spent €5 million on it to date. Some €600,000 was allocated to the project this year for 2023 which Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, stated was intended to meet current project commitments but due to the ongoing changes within policy and design standards, additional design works are req…

It is lovely to see a woman, Deputy Verona Murphy, in the Chair for this debate. I wish her and everybody in the House a happy International Women's Day. I also acknowledge one of the male parliamentarians in these Houses, Senator Mark Daly. Today sees the historic unveiling of busts of two trailblazers in this country, former Presidents Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese. I have sat on the paintings and portraits committee for the past two and a half years with Senator Mark Daly and he has been forging the way for fe…

I will speak on assistive technology schemes which support children with complex disabilities who require essential specialist therapy in order to access their curriculum. The recommended application rate is between 70% and 73%. In Cavan, however, the figures are starkly different. In 2018, we were at 70%. In subsequent years, we have fallen well below the average, as the following percentages prove: 65% in 2019; 53% in 2020; 48% in 2021; and 65% in 2022. Looking at figures for 2020 and 2021, we see that 50% of app…

I congratulate the Minister and Minister of State on their new positions. This is my first opportunity to ask them questions. I wish them the best of luck. Will the Minister provide an update on the implementation of the recommendations of the retail banking review and make a statement on the matter?

I thank the Minister. I am delighted to hear that a team is in place to examine this matter more closely. The retail banking review pointed out that, primarily due to technological developments, the main way that consumers and SMEs engaged with and accessed banking services had changed rapidly in recent years. Covid accelerated this trend. While the use of cash and visits to bank branches have been in decline in Ireland and elsewhere for some time, the review team noted that the ECB survey found that a majority of …

I welcome the Minister's reply. One thing that struck me is that many of the GAA grounds have moved to digitalisation in allowing people into the grounds. There has been huge kickback. Again, I maintain it is particularly from rural parts of the country. It is important we do that. I acknowledge the high cost of providing cash services and the move to a more digitalised banking model have incentivised banks to move away from the direct provision of cash services. I am someone who comes from a rural area and busines…

I welcome the Bill. It marks a new departure in policing in Ireland, giving effect to the recommendations made by the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland. It provides a comprehensive and robust framework of accountability, governance, oversight of policing and security and a new approach to community safety. The Bill embeds the key principle from the commission's report that preventing crime and harm and making our communities safer does not rest only with An Garda Síochána and the Department of Justice…