I welcome the opportunity to speak on this matter. I also welcome the budget allocation of €500,000 to increase access to community-based drug and alcohol services for women, ethnic minorities and the LGBTI+ community. However, I ask myself if this Government really understands the depth of the issues facing women in addiction and recovery. Once again women, the LGBTI community and ethnic minorities are all grouped in together, despite the very different and stark challenges that each of these communities face. I h…

It is unbelievable to hear the Minister asking Sinn Féin to be honest. I will just give him a few facts and he can tell me if I am being honest or not. Fianna Fáil was in a confidence and supply agreement with Fine Gael which destroyed housing in this country. The financial crash that Fianna Fáil caused also destroyed housing in this country. When we should have kept men and women in this country to build houses, schools and roads, Fianna Fáil drove them out, in their tens of thousands, to every part of the world. …

I welcome the Minister's comments. During the summer a group of volunteers, some of whom were from UCC, carried out an audit of all of the parks and playgrounds in Cork. They discovered that the north side of Cork city has fewer parks than the south side and that the north side parks are smaller, of lower quality and have fewer amenities. Great work is being done on the south side of the city and I compliment Cork City Council on the Marina Park, the Tramore Valley Park, Regional Park Ballincollig, Bishopstown Park…

Answer the question.

My apologies to an Cathaoirleach Gníomhach and to the Minister of State but can I have a copy of the Minister of State’s speech, please?

It is just that there was no briefing today and I do not know what the Minister of State has in his speech and no details were given in the budget yesterday. I was hoping to come back to the Minister of State with a response but it may be too late for the Minister of State.

I would have preferred it beforehand but what can we do? I thank an Cathaoirleach Gníomhach and the Minister of State.

Let us start with the positives. The Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, who has just left the Chamber, outlined €6 million in funding under the national drugs strategy. I welcome that, although it is not enough. I look forward to seeing the detail of where it will be spent. I welcome also the €1.7 million provided for the HSE drug and alcohol service nationwide, which will also be used to identify under-18s and families affected by drug use. There are a few measures I can welcome, and where there are positives, I w…

Will the new hospital be on the north side?

Will the Government deliver the new hospital for the north side that has been promised for 20 years?

Fine Gael closed the North Infirmary and the orthopaedic-----

When James Reilly was Minister for Health, he closed St. Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital.

In the national development plan, there was a section hailing the delivery of a new special school in Carrigaline in County Cork. The reality is the special school is not accessible for most of the children, because 25 of the 32 children do not have school transport in place. Parents are very upset. Some parents are taking time off work. Most people cannot take time off work. Most of them are unable to bring these children to school because they have other children attending school nearer to where they are living. …

I move That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend, in the interest of the common good, the Betting Act 1931 so as to prevent the placing of bets or otherwise dealing in bets that involve the use of a credit card, and for that purpose to prohibit the acceptance of such bets or dealing in such bets by providing that no licence shall be issued by the Revenue Commissioners under that Act unless the applicant for the licence has given them an undertaking not to accept bets or otherwise deal in be…

I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

A Cheann Comhairle, my name was mentioned.

A Cheann Comhairle, my name was mentioned.

My name was mentioned. I have no problem with people knowing the way I voted. The other point I would say is that if the Member is so worried about phones, he should talk to his leader, the Tánaiste, and everyone else who has their phones in here every day of the week. It is one rule for one and one rule for all. I am not ashamed of-----

That was optimistic.

We are here today to pass even more legislation on indoor dining despite serious reservations from the Opposition. Meanwhile, we are failing to act on addiction recovery meetings undertaken, for example, by groups like Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and SMART Recovery. When I first raised this issue last year when these groups were not able to meet, the Minister confirmed that they were providing an essential healthcare service. Having spoken to people in recovery and hearing about the vital work that th…