This is the Dáil.

That is a bit unfair.

I thank Deputy O'Donoghue for the question. I also thank him for meeting me and the Minister of State, Deputy Canney and for bringing some of his constituents to see me about this issue. The stress, anxiety and worry of the people the Deputy brought to meet me are experiencing was very clear. I acknowledge that. Before we get into science, guidelines and everything else, I accept the bona fides of the people concerned and the worry and stress they have experienced. They spoke to me about the impact this was having …

I have acknowledged that this has gone on for a very long time. That is true, and there is no getting away from it. I have also tried to provide, which I accept may be cold comfort to some of the Deputy's constituents and people he has interacted with, some of the rationale behind that, including the evolving planning legislation, the national planning framework and, more crucially perhaps, the bringing in of experts to examine the issue of noise from a technical point of view to get the guidelines right. I take on…

I will ask the new Minister, Deputy Browne, to provide the Deputy with a timeline and to write to him regarding this matter.

I am conscious of the comments of the Ceann Comhairle in relation of this matter and am respectful of them. This issue was raised in the House by the Deputy's colleague Deputy Farrell two weeks ago. I commented on the matter then and I have also commented on it in the media. In doing so, at all times I have been very conscious of the privacy of the individual involved and their wish for no further public comment regarding this matter. I am also very conscious of the ongoing disciplinary process that is under way in…

I have also said that this was an incident that happened many years before my leadership.

I accept the Deputy has been constructive in her framing but I have seen very little evidence of calm in this place today or in recent days on this matter. I am always happy to engage but I am also respectful of process. The Dáil reform committee, which has representatives of all our parties, has now concluded its process by way of a democratic vote. I do not intend to undermine that or undermine my party colleagues or others who have worked extraordinarily hard - as have the Deputy's colleagues - regarding these m…

I thank Deputy Hearne for raising what is a very important matter. I spoke to the Minister for Education on this issue this morning. I met this week the Ministers for Education and Health and the Minister of State with responsibility for disability specifically on the issue of children's disability services. There was an announcement today by the Minister for Education and the Minister of State with responsibility for special education regarding additional special class capacity for the coming year. The Minister, D…

Every child has a constitutional right to a place.

On such a serious issue, the Deputy does not need to say people are rambling on. We are trying to sort this issue for parents and children, and to absolutely vindicate their rights. While every child in this State has a right to a school place, every child also needs to have a right to an appropriate school place. The Opposition can laugh all it wants; everything is not always funny.

So do I, Deputy Coppinger, very well.

I know, from a familial perspective, what it is like when you do not get that place. I know that, so do not lecture me on this stuff. We know.

We are going to address the issue. As recently as today, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, made an announcement regarding additional capacity in special education. The Minister for Education intends to engage directly with parents. Any parent would do anything for his or her child and I do not want to see any parent having to sleep out. Rather, I wish to see meaningful engagement where we can make progress on this issue.

We will engage with them.

I thank Deputy O'Connor and I will absolutely bring this issue directly, as I know he has, to both the Minister for Education and the Minister of State with responsibility for special education. I will ask them to come back to the Deputy through the NCSE regarding Youghal and how we can increase capacity in east Cork. In both the Deputy's constituency and many other constituencies, people are working cross-party to try to make progress on this important issue. We will engage constructively with everyone on this and…

I thank Deputy Carrigy for that. This is a very important project. It is a strategic corridor from Dublin to the north-west region and the Border counties. The project is about 54 km in length, connecting Mullingar and Westmeath to Roosky in Longford. The Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Canney, reminds me that his Department is well aware of this project. The emerging preferred route has now been selected and has closed out of phase 2. The route option selection, however, is ongoing. We wil…

Like the Deputy, we all have been working tirelessly on this issue and no one on the Government side is in any way dismissive about this. I thank Deputy Lawless for raising this important issue. I have spoken to the Minister for communications, Deputy O'Donovan, and I have asked him to come back to the Deputy directly today regarding more information and timelines, including for Ballinamore nursing home and other areas the Deputy referenced in his constituency.

I am due to meet shortly, along with the Minister for Health, with some people specifically on this issue. It is an area in which we need to do a lot better. I undertake to look specifically at the recommendations and suggestions put forward yesterday by Cared Ireland. Either the Minister for Health or I will come back directly to the Deputy on this.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. We continue to have a big focus on the whole issue of vacancy and how to bring vacant properties and stock back into use in general. He made the point that even within the local authority stock, more could be done in terms of funding and timelines for the conversion of that stock back into use. I will raise that directly with the Minister, Deputy Browne, and ask him to get back to the Deputy.