I thank Deputy Connolly for raising the question. I think she will understand and appreciate that I may have to come back to her on some of the specific issues she has highlighted in relation to her constituency, as is right and proper for her to do. On a broad level, when we look at the issue of housing and balanced regional development, I accept the importance of needing to look at it in the round. I can sense the Deputy's frustration and, I am sure, that of her constituents, regarding investment in wastewater tr…

I do not have the figures in front of me - I will check - but I would imagine that housing commencements in Galway city are increasing-----

-----as they are across the country. I will check. I am not taking from the Deputy's point. Across the country, housing commencements are increasing. I assure the Deputy that when State agencies like Uisce Éireann and others make investment decisions, they do so cognisant of the national planning framework and the national development plan. A new national planning framework will be published in draft form towards the end of June. There will be an opportunity at that stage for all agencies to contribute, and for the…

There are many legitimate requests for a debate on migration. What is not legitimate is when Members of this House say things that are completely offensive and Trumpian in fact, such as things like "mouthpieces in the media" or that there has not been a debate. I am telling the Deputy that is untrue. The Ceann Comhairle can check the record of this House. There have been many, many debates. For the old social media clip, the Deputy stands up, slurs the media and calls them mouthpieces. That is kind of Trumpian and …

He then says there have been no debates.

Many Members of the Opposition have asked for a debate on migration. I am happy for there to be a debate in the House on migration. It is a matter for the Business Committee to decide when best to schedule that. We have our business schedule this week. Sinn Féin has had many Private Members' Business motions. Are there three this week?

Sinn Féin also has two Private Members' motions in this House this week. One is on a very important topic indeed. There are options for people in terms of how they wish to use their proportion of Dáil time. We are happy to have a debate on migration in this House and we are happy to engage with the Business Committee as to how best to go about that and the appropriate time for that.

Let us also have a degree of context and fairness when we have that debate. The Government met today and considered ten actions on how we can look at a variety of ways to make our migration system more sustainable. This is not a question of abject failure. It is a question of looking at how the numbers have gone from about 3,500 people a year to one where we saw 106,000 people fleeing war in Ukraine since 2022 come to these shores and where we have seen international protection numbers rise significantly and we are…

I thank the Deputy for raising the very important case of Liam. It is one with which I am very familiar because I have heard from many of Liam's family and friends. Many of them have written to me, as have many people in his community. Of course, it is a case that has garnered, quite rightly, much public attention. While I am reluctant to talk too much about any individual patient on the record of the Dáil, I do know that Liam was admitted to hospital while he awaits spinal surgery. This course of action was recomm…

The timeline for that legislation remains as was, namely, later this month. I thank the Bacik for raising this important matter. I note the judgment delivered by Mr. Justice Humphreys yesterday in the Northern Ireland High Court, which found that certain provisions of the UK's Illegal Migration Act 2023 are incompatible with the Windsor Framework and the ECHR. We are studying the judgment carefully. The Attorney General is studying it on behalf of the Government. The judgment disapplies the provisions of the 2023 A…

I certainly will take a look at the specific scenario the Deputy has outlined to the House. I had a meeting relating to CDNTs yesterday, with the Ministers of State, Deputies Rabbitte and Naughton, and others, at the Cabinet committee on disability. I received some encouraging numbers on recruitment numbers into the teams. Certainly, the word "rationing", if that is what is happening, is not one I would like to stand over in any way. If the Deputy gives me the specific details of the case she raised, I will revert …

I will do my best to give one helpful answer. I have read the report but, as Taoiseach, I wish to give it proper and thorough consideration and have the Government consider the matter. In general, my party's position has been for many years, and will continue under my leadership, to have a free vote on matters of conscience.

I assure the Deputy there is a while to go in this Government yet, so he should not get too excited. I believe the Tánaiste may have been in Waterford at a private function, possibly even a wedding. I was in Dungarvan.

No, I think he was at a private event. I was canvassing, and people were asking for the Deputy. I was also in Dungarvan. It was a beautiful day. The sun was out and we were talking about the launch of the traditional Irish music festival. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, knows about it. I was also in Tramore meeting young guys and girls in the surfing school there. I very much enjoyed my visit and I will be back shortly. In regard to the PPP, it is my intention and that of the Government, the Minister of State…

I fully agree. That is why when I was Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science - I thank the Deputy for his kind words - we set up a number of apprenticeships specifically in partnership with the haulage industry. We remain open for business in terms of doing more. It is also why migrants are good in this country, because when we talk to the representatives of that sector, it very much relies on work permits and the like as well. It is about making sure we have a work permit syste…

I thank the Deputy very much for raising the important issue of the need for a swimming pool in Maynooth. I will certainly raise the matter with the Minister of State with responsibility for sport, Deputy Thomas Byrne, and ask that he and I would revert directly to the Deputy.

That is a sensible idea relating to craft apprenticeships and the composition of the 10,000 new registrations a year that will be in this space. I will talk to the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, about that.

No. I agree with the Deputy's point about craft apprenticeships among the 10,000. There is a public sector target. The Deputy mentioned local authorities. It is to reach 750 apprenticeships a year by 2025.

The overall total of 750 apprenticeships are not craft apprenticeships, but it is the public sector target. I will come back to her specifically on the craft composition of the 10,000 target.

I thank the Deputy. I will raise the opening times of the injury clinics with the Minister for Health and ask him to revert. HIQA is now carrying out a review into urgent and emergency care capacity in the mid-west region to determine whether a second ED is required. Terms of reference will be finalised shortly. The Minister rightly wants to wait for Mr. Justice Frank Clarke to conclude his report, which is expected to happen this month. Smaller emergency departments in the region, as the Deputy knows, closed 15 ye…