Copies of the Minister's speech have not been circulated. Perhaps that could be rectified before the end of the debate. The cause and effect of why we are debating this matter are clear, namely, a lack of political leadership over many years, almost a disdain for retained fire services, a model of delivery that is broken and now the fact 60% of firefighters intend to leave with many of them planning to do so within the next year. I am somewhat perplexed by the Government amendment in which the Minister sees fit to …

We now move to the Regional Group and to Deputy Tóibín.

Speaking as a Deputy for a very vibrant constituency, one that has a multitude of nationalities, from one end of Longford to the far side of Westmeath, I have seen hatred. I know that my constituents have received abuse and physical assault because of hatred. This is not a new phenomenon. Hatred has been in our communities for much longer than we are comfortable acknowledging. There is now, thankfully, a broad consensus that hatred needs to be reflected in law, that incitement to violence and hatred needs to be hel…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this issue on behalf of my constituents in Longford-Westmeath. One thing that is very clear is that the approach to water policy in this country needs a drastic realignment. As well as the communication and engagement issues that have been spoken about, the very basics need to be got right. Today, in Westmeath, there is an 81-year-old man who lives alone in a rural area and has never had a water supply. I have dealt with a hospitality business in Longford whose supply is so bad…

Some of the Covid testing centres are due to close on 22 November. That will leave the entire midlands area without a dedicated testing service. I have been contacted by staff in Mullingar and by members of the National Ambulance Service, NAS, who are deeply concerned by this move and, in particular, the additional responsibility it will place on the NAS. Concerns relating to the NAS have been raised already today in the Chamber. I ask the Minister, Deputy McGrath, to take those concerns on board, particularly in l…

As part of budget 2023, the temporary business energy support scheme was announced. I am sure the Taoiseach read the media coverage late last week like the rest of us. The scheme is limited to businesses that have profit from trade but excludes those that have profit from professions. There is already a shortage of dentists in my constituency. That will worsen if dentists are forced to close their doors permanently of to reduce their hours because of the rising cost of energy. They have no option but to absorb thes…

Along with my colleagues, I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion this evening. I too congratulate and praise Deputy Tully on her tireless work in the area of disability services. The statistics and the lives behind the figures for disability services are truly stark. Some 17,000 children are waiting on initial contact with a children's disability network team. Some 2,500 are overdue for an assessment of needs. Accompanying that is an archaic IT system, which means none of us knows the true extent of the …

That the Government hopes to raise €80 million a year from this levy to part-fund a scheme by placing the burden on people who had no hand, act or part in creating these defects is deplorable, particularly as all of us know that those who were responsible were there because of a lack of regulation or light-touch regulation under previous Governments. In the midst of a housing crisis when the Government continually pays lip service to its plan to make housing affordable, it expects the public to believe the way to d…

I am very pleased to hear the Minister use the word "context" in respect of the defence budget because that context needs to be put on the record of this House. The context is one of where funding was coming from an abnormally low base to begin with. I am also concerned the Minister only made a brief passing reference to the Commission on the Defence Forces in relation to culture but not on the level of ambitions. While the infrastructure budget is absolutely welcome for Galway, the Curragh and other facilities, so…

The Minister has heard from my colleagues about the failures to date. I will list another one. In early August 2020, Kevin and Yvonne Conroy left their home just outside Mullingar to have a deep retrofit programme done. Today, almost 26 months later, they remain out of their home. Words cannot describe the severe emotional and financial distress experienced by this family, whom members of the Government, including the Minister, and the SEAI are aware of. Their experience has been nothing other than utterly horrendo…

I am, for the next couple of minutes anyway. Parents up and down the country are feeling badly let down as thousands of children have been left without a place on school transport. Many parents who relied on this service have been left high and dry after being told their children no longer have seats on the school bus. Incredibly, the public and Deputies are being told by Bus Éireann that additional capacity is not being sought for pupils who did not secure a ticket for this school year. Meanwhile, other parents wh…

I echo the Tánaiste's expression of sympathy regarding Mikey and Thelma. Our thoughts are with the passer-by who came to their aid, those in the medical services, the staff in the hospital and all those first responders, as well as with the children of St. Cremin's National School and the Montessori institution that the children attended. Their loss has left an indelible mark, not just on Multyfarnham and Rathowen, but extending to the wider community and across the country. The Tánaiste mentioned the importance of…

A response to a parliamentary question put by my colleague, Deputy Ward, showed yet another increase in the number of children awaiting psychological treatment. Of the 13,000 waiting on treatment, more than 11,000 of them are children, almost 4,000 of whom have been waiting over a year for an appointment. This represents a 7% increase between January and May this year. This is not sustainable and immediate action is required. There seems to be a persistent crisis in the provision of mental health services across th…

Am I to take it that the Tánaiste is saying that the HSE did not provide accurate content in the reply to that parliamentary question?

No doubt the Taoiseach is aware that the Fleadh Cheoil will return to Mullingar at the end of July. There is great excitement, and preparations are under way the length and breadth of the town and beyond. One of the issues that arises relates specifically to the first responders and the ask that will be placed on them for the duration of the event. For almost a year, the Order of Malta in Mullingar has repeatedly sought engagement with the HSE and Department of Health. Applications have been sent, calls have been m…

-----and fit for them to do their job and for the town to be able to benefit from their expertise.

The figures speak for themselves and they are absolutely damning. During the Minister’s time in this Government, rents have increased by 15% and house prices by 22%. It is disgraceful. Homelessness has increased 19% in the lifetime of this shambolic Government, particularly considering there was a moratorium on evictions during lockdown. For ordinary workers and families, having a decent home at a decent price is a goal that has been ripped from their lives because of decisions by others and policies of successive …

I am delighted to introduce this Bill along with my colleague Deputy Ó Laoghaire. As we know, the cost of children returning to school is multifaceted. The most significant cost is the cost of school uniforms. Year in and year out, one consistent theme from parents across my constituency is that a white T-shirt is a white T-shirt regardless of what crest is put on the front of it. There are practical steps that can be taken to reduce this financial burden on families and they need to be taken as a matter of urgency…

I have many issues with this motion regarding PESCO. The most pressing, which is directly related yet unaddressed, is the absolutely abysmal timing and the disregard for more urgent issues relating to the Defence Forces at this time. It would be significantly more appropriate and beneficial to debate the Government's proposals on the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces. That report needs, as a matter of urgency, to come back from Cabinet with a definitive and clear commitment from the Government in respe…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. I will first address the manner in which this Bill has been introduced. It has long been known that this area needs to be addressed. Yet again, the Government has been found wanting. A proper approach to law reform does not involve sticking one's head in the sand and hoping that things will work out. There is no doubt that great complexities exist around data retention but they are not resolved by being ignored. Now, in a sense of heightened urgency the Government is seeking to addres…