To assist the House, I will rephrase. The Sinn Féin Deputy sitting beside Deputy McDonald appears in a video on the plinth offering to close open borders.

I want to know which open borders were meant, because we cannot go around-----

In a desperate attempt to keep Sinn Féin's coalition of opposition together, it is trying to play to people's worst fears. We need an honest debate around migration-----

-----and that is what we are actually going to have. Regarding the triple lock legislation, the Ceann Comhairle might advise, but I do not believe there has ever been a Bill before this House that was not debated. That is not how this House works. Of course, there will be plenty of debate. There is no legislation to share with the House yet, as the Tánaiste only got permission to draft legislation. We are happy to have a debate on migration, but the next substantive debate-----

-----should be on the migration pact. I look forward to that, too.

I thank Deputy McDonald. As I have said in exchanges with her in the House before, the health service is funded to grow the number of staff this year and to hire more nurses and doctors. Yes, it has to live within its overall workforce ceilings. Of course, it does. All public agencies are meant to. However, funding has been provided for 2,200 new people to work in the public health service, and that number increases to 3,000 when disability services are included. I have also confirmed in the context of UHL emergenc…

It is a very important issue because we are seeing more and more people cycling, including more younger people and more people cycling to work. Schemes such as the bike to work scheme have worked very well. There are also bikes people can rent across this city and in other places. It is a good way of getting around, it is environmentally friendly and it is good for one's health, both physically and mentally. We are investing a great deal in cycling infrastructure but I will ask the Minister for Transport to specifi…

We will certainly take a look at the Bill and engage in good faith on it. We have brought in a number of measures to try to ensure vacancy is addressed and that renters are protected through RPZs and other measures. We will look at the Bill in good faith. I am happy to engage and will ask the Minister for housing to do that.

I will not comment on any individual protest but, more broadly, our universities should reflect on links and divestment. I note that a number of them are now doing so, which is important. I do not buy into the idea that this House or this Government has done nothing on the Palestinian situation. I do not believe the Palestinian Authority, and certainly not the Israeli Government, think that is the position of this country either. Whether it is through supporting UNRWA with additional humanitarian aid, whether it is…

This is a very serious issue and I thank Deputy Lowry for raising it. I will continue to engage with the Minister for Health on this. There are two issues. There is obviously a very serious and acute issue at University Hospital Limerick, on which everyone in this House and most particularly Deputies from the mid-west want to see progress. We all know that. There are also the very strong views of the people of Nenagh on the community nursing unit. The proposals put forward are very much on an interim basis as a ste…

I thank Deputy McGrath. I will ask the relevant Minister to follow up directly with the Deputy on this matter.

I have just consulted the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, in real time on this issue. I thank Deputy Connolly for her acknowledgement of the Minister of State's work on this. The Minister of State and I very much accept and appreciate that there is a demand here. That excuse - insofar as it is one - does not fly. It is my understanding there is a derogation around staffing as well. The Minister of State is actively working on that and I will certainly lend my support in any way that I can to help.

I thank Deputy Devlin for raising this important matter. I understand the college currently offers three programmes: a bachelor of education in Montessori education which is NFQ level 7; a bachelor of education, honours, in Montessori education at NFQ level 8; and a bachelor of arts in psychology at NFQ level 8. I understand that arrangements have been agreed between St. Nicholas, the National College of Ireland, Griffith College, and Munster Technological University to allow learners enrolled in these programmes t…

I thank Deputy Ó Cathasaigh for raising this important matter on the joint family visa applications. I will talk with the Minister for Justice to see if it is a resourcing issue and if there is any way to assist. I will ask the Minister to come back to the Deputy directly.

I thank Deputy Farrell. I am just trying to get the most up-to-date figures and I will send them to the Deputy in writing if she does not already have them-----

From my previous role, and also from checking in on this recently, I understand that the plan is still to resolve the backlog issue during the course of this year. The Deputy will be aware there is always a wait time between each phase but when the wait time goes beyond the normal wait time then it is not acceptable. There is a well-funded plan with Solas. I will ask the Minister to come back to the Deputy directly.

The Minister had a brief word with me on this issue today. I understand she is due to receive a report next week and hopes to be then in a position to better update the Deputy. This is an issue we take seriously in terms how the rights of children are protected and how the family courts are transparent, accessible and child and family-friendly. A significant area of reform is underway with regard to this. I will ask the Minister to update the Deputy next week.

I thank Deputy O'Connor for raising this important matter relating to the Midleton flood relief scheme. The Government will certainly look at every avenue we can to deliver for the protection of the people of Midleton as quickly as possible. I know the level of fear and worry households, businesses and community groups have with regard to the threat of flooding. We have seen an increased frequency of that in recent years so we are very committed to the flood relief scheme for Midleton and I will get the Deputy an u…

I thank Deputy Bruton for raising this issue and for his own work in that Department previously on offshore renewable energy. I share the view of my predecessor that this is Ireland's Moonshot where we go from being a net importer of energy to a net exporter of it. It is a significant opportunity for Ireland, Europe, jobs and our economy. I will get the Deputy an update on the work of the cross-Government task force, particularly how we are capacity planning. From my previous role, I know the work being done on the…

I thank Deputy Nolan for raising the issue. The Minister of State, Senator Hackett, has worked really hard on this for a sustained period of time and I am really pleased we have got to the point of having a scheme to provide financial assistance. It has been a very stressful time for so many farmers and foresters. I know the Deputy welcomes the scheme. If the Deputy wants to write to me about the concerns arising in Limerick and Tipperary, I will ask the Minister of State to engage on it.