I thank Senator Fiona O'Loughlin for arranging today's debate and for all that she, the former Leas-Chathaoirleach, Senator Joe O'Reilly, and other Senators do to represent Ireland so well at Strasbourg's Parliamentary Assembly. Fifty years ago, Ireland joined the European Economic Community. A quarter of a century earlier, however, we founded and shaped another European community. In London in 1949, we were among the ten original signatories to the statute that created the Council of Europe, a community of shared …

I also welcome the Ambassador from Kosovo and thank him for his work. Last year, we marked the centenary of our State's independence. We understand how difficult the struggle for democracy can be and we also note that what is hard won is often all too easily lost. Like peace, democracy is an act; it is not a state. It is an act in which all Members of this House play an important part every single day, ensuring that our constituents feel that they have a stake in wider society and that democracy is delivering for t…

We also have to improve the road infrastructure. Regarding the offshore renewable projects, there are more than 36 new projects that are either in design or final stages. Half of them are in the Irish Sea. It is critical to meeting our obligations and reaching our target of 80% renewable energy by 2030 that we have the necessary infrastructure in the port. As I said before in this House, we have updated our legislation to provide for the planning and consent process around delivery of offshore renewable infrastruct…

We also have to improve the road infrastructure. Regarding the offshore renewable projects, there are more than 36 new projects that are either in design or final stages. Half of them are in the Irish Sea. It is critical to meeting our obligations and reaching our target of 80% renewable energy by 2030 that we have the necessary infrastructure in the port. As I said before in this House, we have updated our legislation to provide for the planning and consent process around delivery of offshore renewable infrastruct…

I thank Senator McGahon for raising the very important issue of the Carlingford Lough ferry. He has outlined the ferry's value and importance to the local community. I was delighted to be in Omeath, County Louth, with the Senator last year to mark the beginning of an €11 million investment by Irish Water to improve the water quality in Carlingford Lough. This huge investment is very important for this key infrastructure for Border communities. Transport links, such as the Carlingford Lough ferry, are key enablers f…

I fully understand where Senator McGahon is coming from and the work that he puts into initiatives such as this. As I said, the Carlingford Lough ferry is of huge value and importance to the region and, indeed, as a key North-South interconnector for tourism. The shared island unit now has over €500 million to enhance existing projects and for new projects on the Border. That may be a key initiative, through the Department of Transport. I can write to the Minister for Transport, on behalf of the Senator, on foot of…

I thank Senators Gallagher and Conway for bringing this important issue to the table and for this Commencement debate this morning, and acknowledge Senator Conway's advocacy from lived experience, which is an important value to bring to the table in a debate like this. The Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, is unable to attend this morning. He appreciates the considerable contributions of optometrists to public health in Ireland. He recognises that optometrists played a key role in responding to the health needs of…

I thank Senators Gallagher and Conway again for raising this important issue. I will, indeed, follow-up with the Minister to liaise with them on the progress on both of the initiatives that have been referenced in my opening statement. I absolutely understand the importance of sight. It is how you live your everyday life. It is critical in terms of your environment, your surroundings and to have reasonable quality of life. Both of those are important initiatives in that, as Senator Conway quite rightly pointed out,…

I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach. Well done on that milestone. I thank all Members for their contributions as well as the regular interactions with all the farm organisations the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, and the Minister of State, Deputy Heydon, have conducted. On behalf of the Government, I want to put their views on the record. As both the Minister and Minister of State have clearly outlined to the House, the Government is committed to supporting our sheep sector and has put in place a range of measures t…

I thank Deputy Durkan for raising this important issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. Under the Child Care Act 1991, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, is the statutory body with responsibility to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. The Act is the key piece of legislation whereby the State, as a last resort and for the common good, may intervene to take the place of parents, as provided for unde…

I thank Deputy Durkan for raising this important issue. I know he has raised it on a number of occasions. I will revert to the Minister with responsibility for children with his concerns because these are very serious issues he is bringing to public attention in the Dáil, which is the highest forum in the country to do so. I will refer back to the Minister on it.

I thank Deputy Gannon for raising this very important matter for his community. It provides me with an opportunity to outline on behalf of the Minister for Education, who is unable to attend this evening, the current position on the major building project for Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire on Parnell Square. The project is included in the Department of Education's construction programme, which will be delivered under the national development plan as part of the 2040 framework. The Department of Education's planning and…

I thank Deputy Gannon for his remarks. I fully accept and appreciate the urgency of dealing with the conditions his community is facing in regard to this very important project. I will relay his dissatisfaction to the Minister for Education. I understand it is very important to get these projects progressed. One special school and one secondary school in the bundle are in my constituency. These schools are awaiting news and I hope they get it in the coming days. We will all press this issue. We discussed progressin…

I thank Deputy Colm Burke for raising this issue. I apologise again on behalf of the Minister for Health. The Sláintecare integration fund formed part of the Sláintecare Action Plan 2019, which established the building blocks for a significant shift in the way in which health services are delivered in Ireland. Budget 2019 provided €20 million for the establishment of a ring-fenced Sláintecare integration fund to support service delivery with a focus on prevention, community care and integration of care across all h…

I thank Deputy Burke for his contribution and for raising awareness on behalf MS sufferers. He outlined the key metrics for GP attendances, emergency department attendances, hospital overnight stays and the number of people who suffer from MS. It should be a priority of the Government to support them in any way we can. As I said, this business case can be considered as part of the Estimates process. I will raise the important metrics the Deputy mentioned with the Minister for Health and ask him to revert directly t…

I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue. Again, I must give apologies for the Minister for Health, who obviously would be more aware of this topic and the review at the moment. Hyperemesis gravidarum is a severe form of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, which the Deputy articulated very well. It affects approximately 1% of the pregnant population and must be diagnosed and treated appropriately. The Government is keen to ensure that anyone encountering this condition receives the support they ne…

I will refer back to the Minister for Health on the issues Deputy Whitmore has raised quite rightly. I hear the Deputy's frustration in regard to this issue. She has articulated the points. I outlined the significant funding for women's health, which the Government takes as a significant priority in regard to the programme for Government. However, I will raise this with the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, in terms of the review and where it is at. I will ask him to revert back to Deputy Whitmore urgently because I under…

I thank Deputies for their statements. I will focus my remarks on energy and migration issues. Before doing so, I will briefly acknowledge the significant anniversary this year as Ireland marks 50 years of its membership of the European Union. Over the last 50 years, close co-operation with our European partners has been transformative and has accelerated Ireland's emergence as a modern, open economy and society. Ireland's membership of the European Union has had an overwhelmingly positive effect. Working with othe…

I welcome the opportunity to represent the Government in the debate on this Sinn Féin Private Members’ motion. I thank and acknowledge all Senators for their contributions on this important matter. The Government will not be opposing this motion. The Good Friday Agreement, signed almost 25 years ago in Belfast, remains a remarkable achievement. The agreement brought peace and transformed this island. It is right that we celebrate it. The agreement effectively marked the end of 30 years of bloody violence, which cla…

I am taking this Topical Issue matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, who has been concerned for some time about the congestion experienced in the emergency department at UHL, which has led to long patient experience times and patients waiting on trolleys for admission. According to the HSE’s TrolleyGAR, there were 470 patients counted on trolleys at 8 a.m. in February 2023. This represents a 25% reduction on February 2019 when it was 629 patients and a 6% reduction on February 2022 w…