I want to speak once again about givinostat and the urgent need for Irish boys living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy to finally gain access to that drug. Tomorrow marks an important point in the reimbursement process and on Thursday, 11 June, it will be exactly one year since the day we gathered outside and inside Leinster House to explain and show the reality for people living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Those families are still waiting for access to givinostat. Duchenne is the most common and one of the m…

In the past week, I attended two very different but equally inspiring events that highlighted the importance of investing in our young people, not only financially but with time, and the impact that can have on their lives and communities. The first was Citywise Education awards night in Tallaght. It was a celebration of achievement, commitment and community spirit. A special mention must go to Elizabeth Valentine, who was recognised as volunteer of the year. Her award reflected the incredible contribution voluntee…

I thank the Minister for taking this. I want to raise the growing issue of the lack of car parking spaces in newly built apartment developments, particularly in areas like Tallaght and Citywest. I am not the first to raise this in recent times and I will not be the last. We all know how desperately we need these new developments. We welcome them. I am delighted to see my constituents getting their forever homes. It is brilliant in south Dublin each week to see so many homes being advertised on choice-based lettings…

I thank the Minister. I think there is an awful lot of messing going on with parking. I refer back to the car parking spaces that have been in situ for 50 years in Tallaght village. They want to remove them. Recently up in Marlfield a management company tried to impose parking charges for people who had car parking spaces outside their houses. This is absolutely unacceptable and ridiculous carry on. If there is a call five minutes down the road for additional car parking, there should not be a removal of car parkin…

I want to commend Senator Boyhan on his motion. I do enjoy our chats about all things agriculture. The Senator is always very generous with his time and knowledge. As a member of the agriculture panel, I am often asked how a Tallaght girl made it onto the agriculture panel. What would a Tallaght girl know about agriculture? The answer is because my family roots are in Bohernabreena, just a brief ten minutes from the hustle and bustle of Tallaght village, where urban life fades into farmland, rivers, fields, forests…

Last weekend, we had a wonderful celebration of the centenary of Fianna Fáil. I am a bit disappointed about Senator Keogan running down our party, which is a progressive party. I got into politics in 2019. My only real understanding of politics before that was that Seán Walsh of Fianna Fáil got us our first ever house. Fianna Fáil is a party of community. We are inclusive and we care. An example of an issue I noticed was in the election when Opposition parties canvassing against me told people not to vote for me. T…

I thank Senator Andrews for raising the issue of car parking. Hopefully he will speak to his colleagues in Tallaght where they are supporting the removal of on-street car parking spaces that have been in situ for 50 years in the area. That is actually a concern. It would be great if Senator Andrews could pass that message on.

That is absolutely no problem.

I want to update Senators on the status of what is happening with givinostat because people care and I know Senators all care about this. I am told the company has submitted all required documentation and a final offer is on the table. Most importantly, this drug will now come before the drugs group at its June meeting. For those unfamiliar with the drugs group, it is the body that reviews medicines and makes recommendations to the HSE on whether treatments should proceed towards reimbursement and access for patien…

I welcome the Minister of State. I am raising this Commencement matter because we are in May 2026, and the current national cancer strategy, covering 2017 to 2026, is entering its final months. It is essential that we receive a clear update on the development of the next cancer strategy that will guide cancer services over the next decade. I acknowledge the significant progress made under the current strategy. The National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026 has delivered real improvements in prevention, screening, diagnosis…

I thank the Minister of State for his response. I want to drive home my message about the machinery. As I said, if an office was operating with a photocopier that was not working to the proper standard, it would get rid of it. This is life-saving technology. I want to know what is going on in procurement and I want to be a part of the national cancer strategy. I want to be a part of what is going on. I am a stakeholder. People who are sick or dying are sharing their stories because they know what a harsh illness ca…

I welcome back the Minister of State, Deputy Kieran O'Donnell.

I welcome to the Gallery a group of students and their teachers from the Harold School, Glasthule. They are guests of the Minister, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. As is customary in Seanad Éireann, there will be no homework for the students today. I hope they really enjoy their visit to Leinster House.

I thank the Minister of State.

I want to speak about the area my family are originally from, namely, Bohernabreena. Less than a ten-minute drive from The Square, you enter a place that has a proud agricultural heritage and some of the richest natural landscape. It is just so beautiful. Its farmlands, rivers, waterworks and mountainous surroundings are not just a part of our local economy, but a part of our identity and a way of life. It frustrates and annoys me that this beauty is being damaged by the ongoing scourge of fly-tipping. Illegal dump…

Anyone who watched "The Late Late Show" on Friday night will have seen an interview with two brothers, Jordan and Cian Adams, known as the FTD brothers. They are undertaking an incredible challenge in memory of their mother, Geraldine. They are running 32 marathons in 32 days across Ireland, or 33 if we count the fact that Jordan began this journey by running the London Marathon with a fridge strapped to his back. What a way to start this campaign. The mission is simple, namely, to raise awareness about and funds f…

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. I want to highlight an issue that was brought to my attention at a recent meeting of the health committee. In Ireland, over 160,000 people are affected by food allergies. By my own admission, until I sat in that meeting I never thought about the impact that a food allergy could have on people, how serious it can be and the difficulties they face. It is a serious public health concern. Allergies affect up to 6% of children and 1% to 2% of adults. They are chroni…

I thank the Minister for State for her understanding on this matter. I was struck by the lived experience of people who said they were not being reimbursed. If it was something that was not available and they were going abroad-----

Then they were opening themselves to allergens. As the Minister of State said, she had that similar experience on the plane. I would be really grateful if she could bring something back to the Minister on that and maybe we could it flesh it out and be a bit of help to these people, advising them on a way of possibly getting reimbursement for this.

I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Data Protection Act 2018 (Section 60(6)) (Scoping Exercise in Response to Requests from Dignity4Patients) Regulations 2026, Data Protection Act 2018 (Section 51(3)) (Scoping Exercise in Response to Requests from Dignity4Patients) Regulations 2026, Data Protection Act 2018 (Section 60(6)) (Children’s Health Ireland Inquiry into Spina Bifida and Complex Scoliosis Services Scoping Exercise) Regulations 2026, Data Protection Act 2018 (Section 51(3…