To refresh memories, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, DMD, is a progressive neuromuscular disease that causes the weakening of muscles over time. It almost exclusively affects boys, with symptoms typically appearing between the ages of one and three. In Ireland today, around 110 people are known to be living with DMD and most of them are under 18. A child living with DMD struggles to walk, run or jump like their peers. They have difficulty standing up and need help to climb stairs. These children can also suffer with d…

I thank the Minister of State for his answer. With regard to the questions that I asked, is the pathway through the North a realistic option? It has been flown, so to speak, as a bespoke pathway. At present, there is a delay somewhere because the NCPE is waiting for a HTA to be submitted while the manufacturer is telling me it has a meeting next week. These are children whose parents sat in the room with the Minister. Those children will not qualify for this drug if this takes the timelines it normally takes. Even …

I welcome and support the Bill, which represents an important opportunity to modernise our mental health legislation and strengthen the rights of people who access mental health services. It is the most comprehensive overhaul of our mental health laws in more than 20 years. The Bill builds on the foundation of the 2001 Act but goes much further in ensuring our mental health laws reflect a rights-based and person-centred approach. The Bill introduces significant reforms, including revised criteria for involuntary ad…

Yes, I am not finished. I was acknowledging numbers have decreased but it is still far from ideal and runs contrary to international best practice. While the Bill sets out new safeguards, it does not appear to explicitly prohibit admission to adult wards. My worry is when Deputy Butler is not the Minister of State and another person is her post who may not have that focus whether he or she will be as passionate about keeping those numbers as low as she is? I worry about when the Minister of State is not in the role…

Next Tuesday.

Tomorrow at 9.30 a.m.

I raise a matter of urgent public health concern, which is the continued use and abuse of sunbeds in Ireland. Last week, the Institute of Public Health published a troubling report that provided an overview of sunbed use in Ireland and policy options to reduce skin cancer risk. I will take this opportunity to commend the institute on its critical work and to acknowledge the depth of research and analysis that went into this publication. The findings are stark. Ireland has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in …

I welcome the opportunity to raise the matter of ExWell Medical. It is a transformative, medically supervised exercise programme supporting people right across our communities. ExWell was founded in 2019 by Dr. Noel McCaffrey, following on from an initiative at Dublin City University. Since then, it has grown and now serves more than 7,500 participants weekly across 48 centres nationwide, including several in south Dublin. The programme often operates in community centres and local authority venues. Its aim is simp…

I thank the Minister of State for his response. In the next iteration of the national physical activity plan I would like to see a focus on exercise for older people. The benefits to people of being more active are a no-brainer. People in my community are worried about being able to afford their ExWell sessions. They are living on a pension and trying to make the positive change we all talk about. Cost is a barrier. The Minister of State mentioned that the HSE has occasionally established formal working and funding…

I thank the Minister of State for coming in. As we approach the final year of this strategy, it is essential that we reflect not only on progress made at national level but also on how the strategy is functioning on the ground in communities like Tallaght, where both the promise and the pressure of the strategy are visible every day. The current strategy rightly prioritises a public health approach to drug use and outlines five strategic goals, namely, prevention and early intervention, access to treatment and reha…

This week, I attended the Irish Cancer Society pre-budget launch. As always, I had the privilege of speaking to cancer survivors and listening to their lived experiences. One issue that was raised with me, not for the first time, was the lack of adequate supports for women who have had breast cancer and are now facing menopause. For many of these women, menopause is not just a natural transition; it is a really difficult side effect of a life-saving treatment. Hormone replacement therapy, HRT, is often not an optio…

Today marks 15 days since families with children affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy and I held a demonstration and information briefing in the audiovisual meeting room. We were supported by all parties and none. Fifteen days may not seem like much time to you and me, but to people whose children have DMD, that time flies by, and every day their children’s strength and abilities are failing. To refresh memories, it is a progressive neuromuscular disease that causes the weakening of muscles over time. It almost …

A recent "RTÉ Investigates" documentary exposed substandard care in nursing homes operated by Ireland's largest private provider. What we saw was a litany of repeated failings, chronic staff shortages and residents left unsupervised, denied basic care and, in some cases, subjected to outright neglect. The most disturbing part was the complete lack of dignity shown to vulnerable people in their final years. Deciding to move a loved one into a nursing home is never easy. For most families, it is a last resort and som…

From the outset, I wish to be clear that I fully support and commend all Government schemes and funding streams aimed at anti-littering efforts and environmental awareness. These initiatives have a huge impact in local communities. I have seen this first hand in Tallaght where there has been an impressive growth in Tidy Towns groups and community clean-up initiatives, supported by South Dublin County Council. Currently, applications are open for the 2025 anti-litter anti-graffiti awareness grant, which is a good su…

I thank the Minister of State. If it is receiving funding, its methodology needs to be reviewed and scrutinised. This is the comprehensive litter management plan South Dublin County Council has implemented. I really have no concerns about the standard of work from South Dublin County Council with regard to litter management. I am very proud of the volunteering that is done by our community. What I am concerned about is the misrepresentation of my community. When I asked a colleague on my way down whether he thought…

I will speak about the Bohernabreena Classic Car Show, which took place in Bohernabreena on Sunday. In only its second year, this event was co-ordinated as though it had the assistance and expertise of an event management company, but that was not the case. It was down to the time and dedication of the committee of local volunteers, including Paul Barnes, Jeff Bibby, Myles Murphy, Brian Tyrell, John Anderson, Declan Webb, Fergus Walsh, Ryan Barnes, Joe McManus and Mick Brett, and the wider community of Bohernabreen…

I am happy to support this extremely important motion calling on the Government to take strong, proactive steps to reform and modernise dental services in Ireland. I lend my support to the call for the Dentists Act 1985 to be updated. The legislation is now four decades old and no longer reflects the realities of a modern dental profession. We need a framework that supports high standards of care, ensures accountability and gives regulators the tools they need to protect patients and support practitioners. Updating…

Will the Acting Leader move the suspension of proceedings until after the vote in the Dáil?

Is that agreed? Agreed.

I am raising this issue today for the first time in this House but it is not my first time to raise it as a public representative. During my time on South Dublin County Council, I highlighted my concerns in regard to this issue. I was prompted to raise the issue as I was contacted many times by people who were deeply torn when they received an offer of housing as it was under the condition that they could not bring their pet. One of my last motions as a councillor proposed that South Dublin County Council engage wi…