I understand what the Senator is saying. I will definitely raise this matter with the Minister for Health in order to follow on the issues that have been raised. It is probably no good to say it in the context of the case in question, but a big lesson has been learned here. Before a report is commissioned and the terms of reference agreed and commenced, it is important that the person who makes a protected disclosure and who is part of the process will be consulted in order that they will know the outcome of any re…

I thank Senator Gallagher for raising the matter of the public pay and pensions legislation with regard to the community pharmacy sector and its future. I am speaking today on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly. The Minister recognises the significant role community pharmacists play in the delivery of patient care. Community pharmacy is often one of the most accessible avenues to receiving such care and provides a vital link in our healthcare service by ensuring the safe supply of medicines to peopl…

I thank the Senator again for those further remarks. We look forward to progress being made at the discussions which are happening today. I mentioned in passing earlier that regulations governing the pharmacy fee structure were made under the FEMPI legislation and that legislation expired at the end of 2019, thank God. Under the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 these regulations had to be replaced by 1 January 2020 in order to maintain a statutory basis for contractor payments and to prescribe the fees paya…

I thank Senator McGreehan for raising the issue of the waiting lists for therapists and assessments for children and staff vacancies in both north and south Louth as part of the children's disability network teams. As the Senator is aware, I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, and I am grateful to the Senator for raising it. First, the Minister of State wishes to be completely clear that the development of any child with a disability to reach his or her full pote…

I thank Senator McGreehan for continuing to raise this issue. I have heard her speak about it several times and not just here in the Seanad today. Ensuring vulnerable children receive assessments and therapy services is of urgent importance. As I mentioned, the issue relates directly to vacancies across the network. The issue is being actively progressed by the HSE to maximise funding allocated by the Government in recent years for over 600 additional posts nationwide. Improvements to waiting lists are dependent on…

On behalf of the Government, I welcome the opportunity to respond to what has been a very insightful and informative debate on the important issue of the cost of education. The Government is acutely aware that many Irish families feel additional financial pressure each year when they are preparing to send their children back to school or college. It is important that the Government continues to support families with the cost of education. As my Government colleagues said, it is crucially important that all children…

On behalf of the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, I thank the Deputy for raising this issue in the House. According to the Women's Aid impact report, which was launched earlier today, 12 women died violently in 2022. These 12 beautiful lives were stolen and 12 families were forced to suffer immeasurable grief. I can assure the Deputy that the Government is utterly focused on delivering a society that does not accept this brutality or the attitudes that underpin it. It is coming up on 12 months since the Minist…

I again thank the Deputy for raising this issue. We all understand, and I think the figures show, but I am subject to correction on this, that in 90% of the cases where women suffer domestic violence, the perpetrators are known to them. We must start on this basis. It is not a random issue. We must take it that something of a more insidious nature is happening behind the scenes before it comes to light in many of these situations. I agree with the Deputy on the interim measures. Some of these refuges were built thr…

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of the N17 national primary route in line with Government policy as set out in the national planning framework and Project Ireland 2040. As he will be aware, I am answering today on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Ryan, who unfortunately cannot be here in person. The Minister for Transport has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding in regard to the national roads programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with Transport Infrastructure Ireland…

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue on behalf of his constituents in Sligo. There have been many accidents and fatalities on the road. One factor that is not taken into account sufficiently in these areas is the number of lives saved by improved roads infrastructure. We often talk about the cost benefit of roads, but we cannot put a price on people's lives. People are fatally injured in traffic accidents as a result of unsatisfactory roads that are not capable of dealing with the volume and type of traffic on…

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter regarding the ongoing challenges to the taxi industry posed by illegal operators, which I will answer on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan. The regulation of the SPSV industry, including enforcement and compliance in the SPSV sector, is a matter for the independent transport regulator, the NTA, under the provisions of the Taxi Regulation Acts, 2013 and 2016. The Minister for Transport has no role in the day-to day operations of the small public service vehicles sec…

A total of 65 fixed penalty payment notices were issued in 2022 and 146 prosecutions were taken at the District Court. In 2022, the NTA initiated 54 prosecutions of individuals operating an entirely unlicensed SPSV service without either an SPSV driver licence or a vehicle licence. This was in addition to its prosecution of persons operating on expired SPSV licences. I am informed that, to date this year, 30 files have been submitted for consideration of prosecution of those having no SPSV licences, which is a sepa…

I thank the Senator, who is from Navan for raising this bombshell this morning. The thoughts and first concern for everyone not only at local level but also Government level is the impact on staff, their families and local community and businesses in County Meath. Having 650 people laid off, even on a temporary basis, is shocking news. The employment situation in the country has generally been improving and has been very positive over the past couple of years. This is a phenomenal shock for people to get out of the…

I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Coveney. I thank Deputies O'Rourke and Guirke for raising this matter. I listened very carefully to what they said. I confirm that the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Department of Social Protection have not received a collective redundancy notification in relation to the employer mentioned, Rehab Enterprises. It is therefore not possible for the Department of Enterprise, Trade …

First, on Rehab, I fully recognise the work carried out by the workforce. The Deputy said they had a major role during Covid and worked extensively in that time. They have a good sewing, trimming and cutting process, producing garments of the highest quality for clients in industry, pharmaceuticals, food and transportation. They have a very good reputation. It is important that Rehab talks to its parent Department, from which it receives most of its funding, as a matter of urgency. The Deputy has mentioned the very…

The Commencement matter put in by Senator Cassells a day or two ago was to discuss the future of exploration mining in Ireland with particular focus on Boliden Tara Mines DAC. That was referred to our colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, before last night's announcement. Essentially, the script we were working on yesterday was from the point of view of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.

I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O’Brien. I thank the Deputy for raising this and providing us with an opportunity to update the House on this important matter. I assure the House of this Government’s commitment to supporting homeowners and residents of many apartments and duplexes that have defects. I fully acknowledge the stress caused when defects arise in the homes and buildings people live in. Since receiving Government a…

What makes it more perplexing is that last November, Boliden Tara Mines DAC applied for the renewal of prospecting licence 4502 at Tara Mines which expired on 29 December 2022. A permanent prospecting licence to prospect for specified materials in a defined geographic area has since been issued very recently. That will indicate the long-term plans for the area. It is not a licence to drill, rather it is a prospecting licence. To me that is a good signal for the future. In the meantime, there must be maximum support…

I again thank the Deputy for highlighting this issue. It is important to again assure the House of the Government's commitment to deal with the issue of defects in apartment buildings and to assist homeowners who find themselves in a difficult financial position. I fully appreciate that the affected homeowners want the remediation scheme to be established immediately. I assure the House that the Government shares this ambition. I did mention, however, that legislation must be enacted. Hopefully, this will get a goo…

I thank Deputy Stanton for raising this matter, which is very clear to everyone who looks at it objectively. I am taking this debate on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien. The challenge posed by rising sea levels is clear. The Deputy asked me to confirm whether the Government believes it. Yes, we do. It is clear for anybody to see. The practical implementation of measures to mitigate these risks, particularly for coastal communities, is of critica…