The Minister is not ruling out another venue.

It is absolutely mind-boggling this Government has turned down the opportunity to host the World Rally Championships in Kerry, Waterford and Limerick over the next three years. Motorsport Ireland has been forced to decline the invitation due to lack of funding coming from Government. An event screening application was submitted to the Department back in October. We had the chance for a relatively limited amount of money of €3 million to €4 million per year for three years to showcase the whole of Munster to viewing…

It is very rare that, the week before Christmas, a meeting would take place on the Tralee campus of MTU at which members and representatives of Tralee Chamber Alliance, nearly all of the local councillors and all of the Kerry TDs were present. That shows their enthusiasm when they saw an opportunity to bring a major event such as this to County Kerry in the coming years. I note the Minister of State's reply. I will be speaking to local representatives of Motorsport Ireland on committing to a separate economic analy…

Before I address the matter at hand, if the Minister of State does not mind, I wish to raise an issue. While it is covered by a couple of other Departments, it may also be of concern to the Department of Justice. Significant concerns are being raised by the Law Society of Ireland in relation to enduring powers of attorney, EPA. Since the system was changed last year, it is almost unworkable. Many solicitors are refusing to become involved in it. At a recent CPD lecture, they were actually advised that it is not a g…

It is not quite relevant, but the Minister of State, Deputy James Browne, who is present, may be able to have a function in addressing some of the concerns. For vulnerable people, it is practically impossible to create an EPA in ordinary circumstances. The Minister of State might have a look at it.

He has agreed that he will look at it.

We will have to wait and see about that. While the old system needed reform, it is obviously something that is not working well, because prior to the new Act coming in, some 1,500 EPAs were being registered per year. However, in the past year, fewer than 100 have been registered. There is therefore a serious concern, especially for people in the early stages of dementia.

I will move on. I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach for the time. The importance of international co-operation in the fight against crime cannot be overstated. I agree with what the Minister of State said in his opening statement about the exchange of PNR data. It has to be balanced with the protection of privacy and other fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals. We will not be opposing these motions. I agree that the processing of PNR data has become a widely used law enforcement tool in the EU and beyond t…

This is an important debate. We have reached a watershed moment. I commend my colleague Deputy Martin Kenny on his work in this area. I hope we will see action from the Government and the RSA soon. One of the interesting parliamentary questions submitted by Deputy Kenny was on the number of gardaí involved in roads policing. In 2017, there were 623 gardaí in roads policing according to the reply to that parliamentary question. Seven years later, there were 627, meaning there was only an increase of four gardaí invo…

This motion is coming fairly late to us given that the deadline is approaching very soon, on 16 April. I would have preferred that we would have had more of a lead-in time. I accept what the Minister said in her opening statement. We note that smuggling networks generate €4 billion to €6 billion every year. While people are paying the smugglers, there is great personal risk attached to that and there is a threat of violence. The Minister attended the Ruhama briefing. We know the good work Jackie Blanchfield and her…

There is no doubt that this motion is very relevant for the whole of the State but it is particularly relevant for County Kerry. The primary care facilities in Kerry, particularly in UHK, are under severe pressure. Before Christmas, there was a lot of talk about elective surgeries being cancelled for three days in Limerick. Elective surgeries in UHK have been postponed since 15 December last. There has been a lack of surge capacity in that hospital for years, and whenever there is a winter flu or the hospital comes…

Coicís ó shin, bhuaileamar le mic léinn taobh amuigh de na geataí anseo. Bhuaileamar le Bláithín Nic a' tSithigh agus a comhghleacaithe in Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn. Bhí siad i mbun agóide taobh amuigh de Theach Laighean mar gheall ar an tábhacht a bhaineann leis an nGaeilge a choinneáil beo laistigh de pholasaí tithíochta na Gaeltachta. Tá a lán teaghlach le Gaeilge ag fágáil ceantair Ghaeltachta toisc nach bhfuil siad in ann tithe a cheannach nó a thógáil iontu. Tá géarghá leis na treoirlínte pleanála Gaeltac…

I have one question. Does this apply to random drug stops? That is one query. I extend sympathies and condolences to people whose lives have changed due to loss of life on Irish roads. Sinn Féin will not be standing in the way of the Minister of State's Bill, but we do feel there are some glaring inadequacies in it. The Minister of State must surely accept that the Bill does nothing to address the enforcement of road safety work being undertaken by the Garda and the Road Safety Authority, RSA. The Government in its…

I want to acknowledge some proud Kerry people today. I want to acknowledge Jacqui Harteveld and Mary Ellen Browne, the community development and social prescribing co-ordinators in Listowel Family Resource Centre; Toni Clarke, the family support co-ordinator; and Jackie Landers, who runs the show there. They are building communities and supporting families in north Kerry. I want to acknowledge Sheila O’Donnell in Knockglossmore in Camp who is a driving force in every local event and a pioneer in providing a defibri…

In 2011, there were 3,800 people in emergency accommodation or homeless. There are now 14,000 people in this situation. Like other counties, people who have been made homeless in County Kerry, whether through relationship breakdown or for whatever other reason, want accommodation close to services and close to home. Currently, though, there is no emergency accommodation in west, mid, south or east Kerry. There is only such accommodation in Tralee and Listowel. The county council is doing much work, but it is only p…

Níl mé á roinnt. Tá an Teachta O’Reilly ag déileáil leis an reachtaíocht ina dhiaidh sin. It is interesting what the Minister of State said on the 32,000 work permits that were given last year. I understand it was much higher than that the year before. It is interesting to take that into account when considering the number of applications to the international protection accommodation services, IPAS. Far more people are coming in through work permits and, as the Minister of State said, they are going to work in hosp…

The Minister of State says that is why.

I did not mention rents.

The Minister, Deputy McEntee, mentioned the spread of hatred and there is a problem in the community with people looking at material online, not only on the social media platforms but also on WhatsApp and forwarded messages. It is depressing to read messages that have been sent to me containing not only disinformation but also misinformation, hearsay and opinions that are taken as fact. There is a lack of critical thinking not just among young people but among people in their 40s, 50s and 60s in that messages are b…

Work should have been done on this a long time ago. While regulatory powers are important, material resources are also key. The system that developed in Kerry, not just in south Kerry CAMHS, was a product of pressure, carelessness and a lack of oversight, where medication was the only solution provided, and the psychological therapies and behavioural, developmental and other issues were not focused upon. The persistence of families and young people, many now adults, through the reviews is a case study in dignity an…