Okay, go raibh maith agat.

I thank Senator Duffy for raising this Commencement matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Canney. People resident in Ireland must have a valid Irish or other EU licence to drive here. A resident with an exchangeable licence may apply to exchange it for an Irish licence in all categories on that licence covered by the relevant exchange agreement. Ireland does not have driving licence exchange agreements with any countries in the Middle East. Entering a driving licence exchange agreemen…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir. I will bring what he raised to the attention of the Minister of State, Deputy Canney. I think the Minister of State has responsibility for driving licences. Regrettably, we are seeing an increase in fatalities on our roads this year, and we must not relax the standards required of people in order that they can be awarded licences. Accordingly, we must ensure that anyone who obtains an Irish licence has passed a practical driving test to Irish standards. Where it is not possible t…

A Cheann Comhairle-----

They do not like the truth.

That is not true.

Who wants you in government?

We hope they work well tonight.

God help us if Sinn Féin ever gets the cheque book.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir. I am taking this on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth, Deputy Naughton. It is Department policy, in accordance with the principles of inclusive education, that students with additional learning needs are supported in mainstream classes along with their peers, with additional supports provided as necessary. Schools are advised to provide the highest levels of additional teaching support for those students who have the highest levels of need, including students with li…

As I said, I am only representing the Minister for Education and Youth. I listened to the Senator and I have heard the issues she raised. If she would be willing to drop a note into my office, I will personally ensure the Minister will reply directly to her on the issues she has raised. They are very important issues. The most important thing everybody would like to do is ensure students get the right and proper services when they go into school, and support, which I think is crucial. The Senator made a strong and …

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "That" and substitute the following: "Dáil Éireann declines to give the Commission on the Future of the Family Farm Bill 2024 a second reading, on the basis that: — its objectives are already being comprehensively addressed through existing policy frameworks, in particular Food Vision 2030, the CAP Strategic Plan 2023–2027, and the ongoing work arising from the Commission on Generational Renewal in Farming; — the family farm model is central to Ireland's agri-food s…

I will return to where we began, the central importance of the family farm to Ireland's identity, economy and communities. The family farm is more than a production unit; it is a multigenerational enterprise. It is a steward of land and landscape. It is a pillar of rural towns and villages. In addition, it is foundational to our global reputation as a trusted producer of high-quality, sustainable food. Nevertheless, we also know that the model faces real pressures, demographic change, income volatility, climate obl…

Not this man, Deputy Moran. He will do his work.

I thank Senator Duffy for raising this important issue. Enduring power of attorney is a vital advance planning tool that enables adults to plan ahead for a time when they may have diminished decision-making capacity, creating a record of a person’s wishes so that they are known and respected. Ensuring that the enduring power of attorney application process is accessible for all individuals is of the utmost importance in encouraging and enabling people to put enduring power of attorney in place. The Decision Support…

I again thank the Senator for raising this matter. I dealt with a similar case in my office where an individual had to come in and go through the process with us. I know it is important. I will bring this matter to the attention of the Minister. There will be a public consultation period. I am sure people will put in their submissions, particularly those who have an issue with this. I thank the Senator for raising this important matter, which is a priority. Every adult should consider putting in place an EPA. Only …

I would like to thank Deputies for their contributions to the debate. I would also like to join with all Deputies and offer my sincere condolences to the family and friends of Grace Lynch on their tragic loss. I am also aware of the incident in Dublin city centre earlier where there was a loss of life and a number of people injured. Our thoughts are with them. As other Deputies have said, I also want to acknowledge the tremendous work of the first responders. I concur with Deputies Mark Ward and Heneghan and I ask …

I thank the Deputies for their important contributions to this debate. I acknowledge that they are genuine in bringing concerns about the cost of living to the floor of the House. These are really important issues - emotive but with very real impacts on our people. I am committed, as are all my colleagues across government, to improving living conditions for all. That is what we are doing and what we will continue to do. Fundamentally, our economy is sound and robust. The data shows we are performing very strongly,…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. She is right; I am taking this on behalf of the Minister for education. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. It gives me an opportunity to set out for the House the position with regard to school infrastructure in Dublin Fingal West on behalf of the Department and the Minister for Education and Youth. I can assure the Deputy that the provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post-primary level, including children and youth peopl…

The Department uses data from a range of sources, including child benefit data, enrolments and information on new residential developments to plan for school place needs. As has been outlined, there has been a significant investment put into schools infrastructure across the Fingal county area, including in the constituency of Dublin Fingal West. The Department is continuing to plan for an investment in existing and new schools. I can assure the Deputy that the Department will continue to liaise with Fingal County …