Caithfimid Gaeilge a labhairt. Tá an ceart ag an Seanadóir ansin. I will bring that back to the officials.

I thank Senators very much for the invitation.

Respect democracy.

He would if they stopped interrupting.

On behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, I thank Deputy Byrne for raising these important issues. The Government continues to prioritise increased investment in the National Ambulance Service with an allocation of €285 million in 2025. Investment this year includes €8 million for new service developments to deliver 180 additional posts. This will help to support capacity building in our front-line emergency services, further expand NAS alternative care pathways and help to further develop NAS …

I thank the Senator for her passionate plea this morning on this issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Education, Deputy McEntee. Reduced school days, RSD, is a transitionary arrangement which should only be put in place in exceptional circumstances and for very limited and time-bound circumstances and only with the consent of the parent or the guardian. It is designed to assist the student to attend for some part of the school day along with his or her peers where it is not possible at a point in …

I thank the Deputy. In my opening statement I focused on the specific issues she raised concerning the National Ambulance Service station in Drogheda and the status of the rapid response vehicles at the station. I will now speak more generally about the National Ambulance Service's urgent and emergency ambulance performance and reiterate this Government's continued investment in this service. Demand for our urgent and emergency ambulance services rose significantly in 2024 with almost 430,000 calls received from th…

I thank Senator Flynn for what she said and I hope her message will get back to the Minister. I thank her for raising the matter and giving me the opportunity to assure the House that the Department of Education, TESS and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential. They assure me they will continue to support children and their families, providing informa…

I have been asked by the Minister for Health to respond on the Senator's Commencement matter this morning. I thank the Senator for the opportunity to address the House on hospital provision in the mid-west region. The mid-west currently has one model 4 hospital, namely, University Hospital Limerick, and three model 2 hospitals. In 2013 the smaller hospitals framework defined the activities that can be performed in the smaller model 2 hospitals in a safe, sustainable, and efficient manner. The framework ensures that…

The people of the mid-west region deserve access to responsive and safe urgent and emergency care. The Government is delivering improvements through a combination of increased capacity and reform. These reforms are seeking to increase acute capacity and, where appropriate, divert people away from the emergency department to more suitable services. Overall, 572 new inpatient beds will be delivered in the mid-west region from 2020 to 2031. Site works have been commenced on the new Limerick surgical hub for elective p…

I thank Senator Kennelly and I have been asked by the Minister for Health to respond to his Commencement matter. I thank him for facilitating this opportunity to discuss this important matter of cardiac screening for young athletes. Ireland has very robust procedures in place for the introduction of new screening programmes. Any proposed changes to Ireland’s screening programmes will be facilitated through established evidence-driven protocols. The national screening advisory committee, NSAC, is the independent exp…

I am only here delivering the reply from the Minister but, as an avid GAA man myself, unfortunately I have come across these cases. I came across a case where a young person collapsed on the pitch and the ambulance could not even get in with how the barrier came across at the gate. It was terrible to see what happened that day. I agree with the Senator and I hope the Minister and the officials within the Department will listen to what he has to say. I know he is passionate on this issue. As I said, I am an avid GAA…

Cash payment has an important role in society and it is essential it remains readily available. Immediately prior to the pandemic, just under €20 billion was withdrawn annually from ATMs in the State. While this declined to approximately €12.8 billion in 2024, cash still has a role in our society and economy. It is important to consumers in all walks of life because it is a private, secure and instant form of payment. It is a budgeting tool for many and allows individuals to maintain their financial independence. C…

I thank Senators for their warm welcome. I was in the House yesterday and am here again today so I hope it will be my last time today to come in. I am covering for the Department of Finance. I thank the Senators for their constructive engagement and support of this important legislation. As I set out in my opening remarks, the purpose of this Bill is to put in place a framework in order that the future evolution of the cash infrastructure will be managed in a fair, orderly, transparent and equitable manner and to r…

I thank Senator Clonan for raising this issue. As he knows, I am taking it on behalf of the Minister for Health. I also welcome Louise, Caitlin's mom, to the Visitors Gallery. The Senator has raised a very important issue. I will read the statement given to me by the Minister. The Government considers matters of safeguarding to be of paramount importance and values and appreciates people coming forward to report safeguarding concerns to the appropriate professional bodies and authorities. Although Senator Clonan re…

I realise the passion with which the Senator raises this issue, which is serious for the people involved. I will give the Senator one assurance, that what he has raised here today will be brought to the attention of the Minister. I will do it personally to ensure all proper procedures are put in place to ensure the issue the Senator raised will not happen again and this case is dealt within the proper procedures within the Department. I cannot talk specifically about the case but the Government recognises the funda…

I thank the Senator for his very kind words. I look forward to working with him over the next four and a half to five years, I hope. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Education. As the Senator is aware, the school transport scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year, more than 172,500 children are transported daily in approximately 7,900 vehicles across 10,300 routes to primary and post-primary schools throughout …

I do not. I spoke to the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, about this when I saw the notice of Commencement matters. I will raise it in every avenue I can. We will hopefully see light to it. I think people can drive an ordinary bus until the age of 90 in the private sector, but not for Bus Éireann. Talking to the Senator, he mentioned that there is a completely different system in place in the UK. Maybe we should look at that. I would like to see something happen. I will raise it with the Minister of State and come…

I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to speak on this matter, especially in the context of my role as the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for new markets and food promotion. Ireland and the US have a significant and mutually beneficial economic relationship. Within this context, the US is a key market for the Irish agrifood trade. It is our second largest market after the UK, with exports valued at almost €2 billion last year. Our dair…

This is my first day as Minister of State in this Chamber. I thank the Senator for his warm welcome and also for the congratulations on the Galway win. I congratulate him on a great win in London also. It is leading up to a great challenge on Sunday week. I am sure I will see him in Pearse Stadium. I am taking this debate on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. I thank the Senator for the opportunity to address the issue of dental services and recruitment of dentists for medical card holders.…