Bhuel, níl mé sásta.

For clarity, the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach is moving through each of the amendments Nos. 34 to 38.

I rise to oppose amendment No. 56. We are supposed to be legislating in a generous spirit, but the language of the Minister's amendment No. 56 is rules based. It requires the person applying, "within 60 days of the date on which the notice is sent to him or her, to comply with the request". I understand that if you are designing a legislative scheme, there is a lexicon around it. In this instance, however, the scheme's provisions have to be more open ended. My reasoning for this is that the persons applying to the …

I share a similar view to Deputy Funchion about the application process. I do not know if the Minister has ever spent time with a constituent filling out a medical card, invalidity pension, disability allowance, pension, community welfare allowance, supplementary welfare allowance or any other such application form, but it is quite an onerous task. I still do not understand why he is putting a sunset on the application process. I am interested in what the Minister said about the potential, if I understood him corre…

The Minister has previously addressed this but I wanted to raise again the issue of access to ophthalmology services in the CHO 4 region, which covers County Kerry, north Cork, north Lee, south Lee and west Cork, which is presenting challenges. More than €200,000 has been spent on private providers in this area in the past while and more than 3,000 children are still waiting for ophthalmology intervention in the area. It appears that recruitment continues to be a significant issue. On 2 December 2022 I received cor…

The Minister of State is sending a message back to the machine and the system. I appreciate that. I also appreciate the fact that she is taking this issue on behalf of the Minister and answers are not always readily provided to her. I take some comfort from the fact that the building in Ballincollig is operational and ready for equipping to deliver the integrated eye care service. That gives me grounds for some hope. However, there seems to be a juxtaposition in the reply because the Minister of State's next senten…

The Taoiseach is departing from his usual practice.

It is a mini-budget.

I am very happy to facilitate colleagues. If they have a system agreed among themselves, I am very happy to facilitate that.

That is okay.

In that spirit of collegiality, could I take a view from the Members as to whether we can move on?

Amendments Nos. 2, 22 to 45, inclusive, amendment No. 1 to amendment No. 26, amendment No. 1 to amendment No. 34, and amendment No. 1 to amendment No. 35 are related and may be discussed together. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Amendment No. 3 a has been ruled out of order.

I now move to amendment No. 4 on the first additional list of amendments, dated 9 February 2023. This amendment is in substitution for amendment No. 4 on the principal list of amendments, dated 6 December 2022.

Amendment No. 13 has been ruled out of order.

Amendments Nos. 15 and 50 are related and will be discussed together.

Amendment No. 16 a is out of order.

Amendments Nos. 17, 18, 18 a and 18 b are related and may be discussed together.

Amendment No. 19 has already been discussed with amendment No. 1. The question on the main amendment should not be put until the amendments to it have been disposed of.

Please proceed.