I welcome the plans to ensure apprenticeships are respected. As someone who comes from a working-class background, I know many who work in the trades. There has been a rush away from trades and apprenticeships, and this was really exacerbated by the recession. When the economy collapsed, half a million people left the country. Many of them were tradespeople who never come back. The system was badly damaged then. We currently have 6,928 apprentices waiting to complete their off-the-job training. This is one-third of…

I bring to the Tánaiste's attention the difficulties with the housing assistance payment, HAP, scheme for those living on the border between Dublin 15 in our constituency and Meath. A constituent came forward to me who was looking at a house less than a hundred metres from the Meath border, so close that it has a Dublin 15 Eircode. The problem is that if she was on the Fingal payment, she would get €1,250. Unfortunately, with Meath it is €975. I ask that we make the HAP system more flexible when dealing with situat…

In June 2019 Jack was diagnosed with autism and sensory issues. He is four and a half years old and attends a mainstream playschool. Jack has never received any early intervention. Jack needed early intervention speech therapy and occupational therapy and has not received one hour of support. His official report states Jack must attend a mainstream school and mainstream primary school with full access to an SNA as he learns from his peers and it is critical to his development to be around neurotypical children. Jac…

On Jack's case, this is not about special needs which is a separate issue. I am talking about how his parent has been told he must attend mainstream school in September. The parent is looking for an exemption for the following year. I will pass on the details if it is possible as it may be easier.

I thought we had three and a half minutes each. I thought it was 15 minutes.

I will try and be as brief as possible because I want to try and get in a couple of answers from the Minister of State. During the past year, the most vulnerable group has been the older cohort of drug misusers. In the initial stages, many of the services were closed and some of the workers were seconded to the HSE to deal with other front-line work that needed to be done. Many of them are back, but some of the services have not reopened as drop-in services and they are working through Zoom etc. Obviously, it leave…

I also thank Deputy Doherty for his absolute determination to challenge this industry and his consistency in defending all of us who have car and home insurance, especially those who are older and vulnerable. I listened incredulously to the Minister of State's speech. He talked about underpricing and overpricing as if an insurance company would ring somebody up and offer them a product on which it would lose money. I am absolutely incredulous that he stood here in this convention centre and said something like that…

I want to raise the issue of the roll-out of vaccines for community-based services such as homeless services, community drugs teams, counselling services and services for children with autism and other disability services. Many workers in these services were seconded to the HSE during the first wave and were valued members of the HSE during that very difficult time. At this stage, many or all of them have returned to work in their services and they are dealing again with vulnerable service users. This is important …

In her statement, the Minister of State indicated the vision for care is the right care in the right place and at the right time. I refer her to a case that developed in my constituency last week. I was contacted by a mother who was upset and distraught about her son, who had a mental health breakdown. The emergency services and gardaí were called before an armed response unit was eventually called to try to deal with the case. The person was brought to Connolly Hospital, where he was told he would be admitted. Unf…

I listened to what the Minister and Deputy Bruton said, but unfortunately neither addressed the current issue of the impact of the pandemic. Under the current regulations, people must be unemployed for more than 15 months before they are entitled to financial support with their heating costs. This means that workers who lost their jobs during the pandemic and who are on the PUP are excluded from these vital financial supports. The National One Parent Family Alliance has highlighted pressing concerns about the abili…

I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend and extend the Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2020 to give Gardaí the power to seize and detain quad bikes and scrambler motorcycles when being used unlawfully including in public parks and green spaces and to provide for related matters. I wish to share time with Deputy Quinlivan.

I doubt many Members are unaware of the scourge of scramblers and quads in our communities. On a weekly basis, I get representations from my constituents, from Ongar right across to Tyrellstown and down to the Navan Road and the Royal Canal area. Many members of our community, including those who ride these dangerous bikes in our communities, have been seriously injured and, tragically, some have lost their lives. The purpose of the Bill is to extend the powers of gardaí to seize and detain quad bikes and scrambler…

I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

I want to raise the issue of supports for children with autism with additional needs. I have listened to many Ministers talk in recent weeks about the issue of children with additional needs and, to be honest, I found it quite nauseating. I worked as a child and family support network co-ordinator with Tusla for many years and I have worked with so many families who, prior to Covid-19, found it next to impossible to access services in an appropriate time. They usually waited years for assessments, early interventio…

Can the Minister of State give me a commitment to ensure that future funding commissioning models will fully support the community not-for-profit-based view of the community and voluntary sector as there is significant concern in the sector that the commissioning process is leading to a creeping privatisation of services in this sector?

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. I welcome the answer's statement of the value of communities and community development projects. I first heard of commissioning four or five years ago when I was child and family support co-ordinator for Tusla. One of the aspects of the prevention, partnership and family support, PPFS, programme at the time was around commissioning and it has its own important pillar and importance both in terms of funding and the community. The figures for the community sector, as the Minister …

Gabhaim buíochas arís. I have one concern in respect of the Minister of State's answer on the funding and funding models. I always have a great concern when we put such a strong emphasis on this value-for-money model. There is always a real concern in community and voluntary organisations around how one values the community and the work that they do. Much of it is soft and it is not about figures or people walking through doors but about the quality of the work that one does and the quality of the interaction one h…

I want to raise the issue of funding for Genesis counselling service in Corduff. It serves the entire community of Dublin 15. It is a low-cost service, with a minimum of €15 and a maximum of €35 per counselling session. It also allows for people with payment difficulties to pay what they can afford. It is an incredible service that is struggling with the volume of people coming to it at present. There is a two- to three-month waiting list for adults and a 12- to 16-week waiting list for children. I was privileged t…

I raise the issue of school buildings and the impact on school placings, particularly regarding Pelletstown Educate Together National School and the Edmund Rice College on Mill Road. Both of those are in the process of getting new school buildings, but are worried about delays, those which have already happened and any that might happen in the future. The impact of these delays on the numbers of pupils these schools can accept for 2021 will be significant. I spoke to the vice principal of Pelletstown Educate Togeth…

The income eligibility limits for social housing have not been increased since 2011. This matter was brought up recently by Deputy Ó Broin. I received representations in recent days about two families who have been on Fingal County Council's housing list for 11 and 12 years, respectively. Yvonne started on the list with two children. One of her children is now an adult and is in employment. The second has just left school and got an apprenticeship as an electrical engineering student. After 12 years, Yvonne has bee…