While the pay and conditions of staff are incredibly important, the physical buildings in which they operate are also important. While I particularly welcome the building blocks programme which was an important initiative, the Minister and I know the limitations of that. We could do with a few more bob from the Department of public expenditure - if it was giving it to the Minister - but also for the cap on it. Unfortunately, in Dublin, the €750,000 cap prevents some of the really good, experienced, community-led ch…

I recently met with the Neurological Alliance of Ireland who raised a number of questions with me. They were specifically interested in the programme for Government commitment, which seeks to put in place community neuro-rehabilitation teams. I was particularly concerned when they alerted me to the fact that north Dublin, the area that covers my constituency, does not currently have a community neuro-rehabilitation team. Will the Minister update the House on the matter?

I agree with the Minister of State that these services are incredibly important. The multidisciplinary nature of the teams provides intensive neuro-rehabilitation at critical times and they assist with acute hospital discharges. Studies have shown that, on average, they save up to three days per patient, but they are also a critical intervention. Any multidisciplinary approach to patients can improve patient outcomes. I was pleased to see the additional four areas, particularly in south and west Dublin, being alloc…

I encourage the Minister of State to engage with the Neurological Alliance of Ireland. It is a strong organisation. I know the Minister of State has met its representatives. Tomorrow she will visit my constituency and a member organisation of the Neurological Alliance of Ireland, An Síol, which deals with longer term treatments. It is keen to get a permanent home. It has identified a site with Dublin City Council. In the HSE capital plan, money has been put in place to do the feasibility study for that. The directo…

Deputy Cummins helpfully asked the question I was due to raise on school funding and I re-emphasise that point. Given the news breaking on the plane crash in India, which I believe involves 169 Indian nationals, 45 Britons, seven Portuguese and a Canadian, will the Tánaiste as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade do everything in his power to provide consular assistance to any Irish citizens and families that may be impacted and provide humanitarian aid from within the Department? There is a great degree of exper…

Like many in the House, my heart was breaking when I watched the programme last Monday. The Beneavin nursing home is literally five minutes from where I live. There are neighbours and friends who have relatives in Beneavin nursing home. However difficult it was for any of us to watch the programme, I cannot imagine how difficult it was for them. I know many people could not bring themselves to watch the programme. Having watched the programme, there is one area we have to call out very clearly, namely, those with d…

First, I will respond to the thousands of emails I have received and make it clear that I, my party and the Government do not support the genocide taking place in Gaza. We do not support the genocide, the starvation of Gazan citizens or the current actions of Hamas or Israel. We believe those actions are undermining the stability of peace in the region and of the ultimate solution, a two-state solution. Ireland has taken strong action on this. In fact, we have been one of the loudest voices in the global community …

The Minister is one of those people who was certain about CERN a long time ago. While that organisation might operate at the speed of light, the implementation of our associate membership, unfortunately, did not. This is a small step in some ways but it also represents an important underlining of the investment by Governments over many decades in education and research, which has put Ireland and the Irish population in a place where we can benefit from international investment. All of that has helped to create jobs…

I welcome the amendment because it opens the discussion on dual diagnosis, which is incredibly important. I was lucky enough to be part of the DCU Finglas Addiction Support Team, FAST, peer-reviewed research on dual diagnosis. There were a whole range of recommendations included within it. One of those was an amendment to the Mental Health Act that would ensure a no wrong door approach. Of course, the no wrong door approach applies not just to those with dual diagnosis but also to those with other complex needs in …

I see the specific issue with trying to include a particular condition because there are many others that could be. I have reminded myself of the specific request in the DCU FAST report, which is to do with people being committed to psychiatric institutions when they are under the influence. There is a difficulty with doing that. The way we might deal with it on Report Stage is that rather than looking for dual diagnosis to be included and named specifically, perhaps I will try to address it by way of an amendment …

Hear, hear.

I spent five years on the housing committee during the previous Dáil, and I learned fairly quickly that there is no silver bullet to solve the housing crisis. It is by turning on the supply in multiple different streams that we will be able to reach that. Despite what previous speakers said, we cannot ignore the fact that we are now at the stage where we are building more social or public housing than we have done since what might be called the golden age of social housing in the sixties and seventies. Let us be cl…

I move: That, pursuant to Standing Order 205, the Bills which lapsed on the dissolution of the 33rd Dáil and are set out in the Schedule to this motion, shall be restored, at the stage specified in the Schedule below and notice of them shall be published pursuant to Standing Order 37. SCHEDULE

I want to ask the Tánaiste about the policy of first-time passport applicants requiring gardaí to verify their identity. Every Deputy in the House will have been frustrated by cases where a passport could not be issued because a name could not be found in a book in a Garda station or a contact not made. One can imagine the frustration of my constituent, Sinead, who has had her application rejected twice because a name could not be found in the book. In six counties on the island it is not the police service alone t…

A few weeks ago, I raised the issue of Gaza here on the occasion of statements in respect of the European Council. I noted that we needed a united European voice in response to the conflict. Unfortunately, across the Continent we have not seen that united voice. I certainly welcome yesterday's news regarding the review of the trade deal but, sadly, since then the situation in Gaza has not changed. In fact, it has worsened, with fears of more deaths, starvation and destruction. It was reported this morning that 93 t…

I thank the Minister for her statement. As Fianna Fáil spokesperson on disability, I attended a fairly powerful workshop held by the Independent Living Movement Ireland and the Dublin City Council public participation network. There were adults with all ranges of impairment. That was the word they used. They spoke about three things, namely, their freedom to make decisions, choice and labels and being defined by a label. Each of them is a person who has lived experience of disability. Interestingly, when they spoke…

I want to raise the issue of the proliferation of gaming arcades, a phenomenal number of which have opened in recent months. From her time in the Department of Justice, the Minister will know that the establishment of the Gambling Regulatory Authority was an important step forward in terms of supporting people with gambling addictions. I want to see the authority take further steps in respect of these gaming arcades. In many cases, we are not just talking about adults; these arcades are attracting children into a g…

This is one of the things that utterly frustrates me as a Member of the House. Dealing with the delays in the driving system is not rocket science. It is about scheduling appointments for testing, resources being in place and the testing taking place. Perhaps I am oversimplifying it but it is not something that is beyond the realms of the delivery of a public service. I have to ask the RSA why it is tolerating the excessive delays. The excessive delays we are speaking about in my constituency are up to 31 weeks, sl…

I reject the dark image of Europe mentioned earlier. Consider what Europe has done collectively by agreeing to pool sovereignty. A decision was made by the Irish nation to pool its sovereignty with that of other European countries. We have done amazing things in Europe. We have increased our living standard since after the Second World War, when the entire Continent was lying in poverty and dishevelled. We have introduced incredible social protections right across the Continent and have done amazing things together…

I thank the House for allowing us time to continue the debate on the Farrelly report, which began last week. A number of commissions have reported to this House in my time as a TD. Certainly, a number of them have left the victims or the people at the centre of those reports very dissatisfied with the outcome. We have to ask ourselves a question about the independent commission model. It is important to repeat that the commission is independent of Government. It is essential that we re-examine whether that model of…