Before I begin, I want to extend my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Noel Bourke. Noel was a former councillor in Edenderry and a former cathaoirleach of Offaly County Council who passed away last week. Noel was a dedicated public representative and a proud community man. His passing is a great loss to Edenderry and the county of Offaly. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam. I raise the issue of the closure of the courier company Fastway, which has caused enormous hardship for employees and franchise owners r…

It is great to hear of all the services the Government will provide and that it is working with the employees and franchise owners. I suppose the franchise owners are left on their own. There is not an awful lot of help for them. Unfortunately, in a lot of cases, they are not able to apply for social welfare payments. Given the scale of the collapse and the severe impact on employees and especially on franchise owners, many of whom have lost their livelihoods and are now facing debt and insolvency, will the Governm…

The issue of a new school building for Ardscoil Chiaráin Naofa in Clara has been raised in the House in past. This project has been on the agenda for several years and has recently reached stage 2a of the design process. This is something I have been pushing for since I was elected. The people of Clara have been hearing about this new school for far too long. The students and teachers are working in buildings that are long past their best and they deserve a modern, fit-for-purpose facility that meets educational an…

Our national success in enterprise depends on our competitiveness and our competitiveness depends on reliable energy infrastructure. In County Offaly we have a great energy infrastructure that is close to capacity. EirGrid is under real pressure to expand it. Offaly’s central location and long history in energy generation means it is ideally placed to help to meet that challenge. Bord na Móna, with its expertise and local presence, could play a key part in strengthening grid capacity across the midlands. I urge the…

Earlier this year, I raised concerns regarding the capitation grant and was told it would be considered in the upcoming budget. With the budget approaching, I want to return to the issue. I have been speaking with school leaders across County Offaly, including St. Broghan's National School, Scoil Mhuire in Tullamore and Offaly School of Special Education. They are managing rising costs with a grant that simply has not kept pace. Fund-raising is now covering essential non-extras and that is not sustainable. It is pu…

The SEAI better energy warmer homes scheme is crucial for tackling climate change and energy poverty but in Offaly and across the country families are waiting up to two years for works to be completed - 12 months for a BER assessment, 14 months for a survey and further delays for retrofitting. Could the Taoiseach outline what steps are being taken, be it increasing the number of assessors and surveyors, streamlining the process or boosting delivery capacity to shorten waiting times so households can benefit much so…

In the past ten years, IDA Ireland has made 240 site visits to Westmeath but only 45 to Offaly. That is a more than five to one imbalance between two neighbouring counties in the midlands. IDA Ireland is also overnighting most of these itineraries in Athlone, where it wines and dines potential clients and, therefore, has a better chance of landing them in the area. The people of Offaly will not stand for being ignored or pawned off by a State agency that is supposed to treat all counties equally. Does the Minister …

I thank the Minister of State for the offer of a meeting. Unfortunately, when I have had meetings with IDA Ireland, I get very little information because it is withheld due to it being of a sensitive nature. IDA Ireland-supported employment in the midlands fell last year by 0.45%. Offaly’s only IDA Ireland business park is already full. We need another park. Without new sites and investment, Offaly simply cannot compete with neighbouring counties. What commitment can the Minister of State give today that Offaly wil…

I welcome the introduction of auto-enrolment and the new My Future Fund. This is an important reform, as too many workers today have no pension savings beyond the State pension. People deserve peace of mind that, when they retire, they will not face a big drop in their standard of living. With contributions from employees, employers and the State, auto-enrolment is a fair way to achieve that. I wish to highlight the series of challenges for small- and medium-sized businesses. SMEs are the backbone of our economy. T…

Yesterday on Eden Quay, a 17-year-old boy was stabbed by a group of four or five men. Disturbingly, those involved used e-scooters as getaway vehicles. They were dressed in black clothing and were able to leave the scene quickly. This is not an isolated issue. Across the country, e-scooters are increasingly linked with antisocial behaviour, drug activities and reckless use on footpaths, creating a real risk for families and especially older people. We also know from Temple Street hospital that 20 children under the…

I ask for an update on the programme for Government commitments on insurance reform under the remit of the Department of Finance.

I thank the Minister of State for the update. I was speaking with business owners whose premiums have gone up exponentially over the last four years, even without any claims. It is hard for them to see the impact of the reforms on the ground. Could the Minister of State outline how his Department is working to make sure reforms generally bring premiums back to sustainable levels for businesses like that?

I appreciate the Minister of State's answer. One business owner even told me he is considering not paying insurance at all. Smaller businesses like landscape gardeners, plumbers and electricians are in the same position. This is all because they want to keep the doors open. That is how desperate some SMEs feel. How can we reassure these small employers that there is a plan to make insurance both fair and accessible so they are not forced to consider such risks?

In County Offaly and across the country, farmers are increasingly alarmed by the spread of bovine TB, with one in five farms nationally now affected. Given the established role of badgers and deer in transmitting this disease, what specific measures is the Department taking to prevent further outbreaks, particularly in high-incidence areas like Offaly? How can we ensure this does not become a bigger problem for Irish agriculture and a threat to long-term food security?

I thank the Taoiseach for his update and welcome the reconvening of the Labour Employer Economic Forum under his chairmanship. It is clear the forum plays a vital role in bringing Government, employers and unions together, especially in times of uncertainty. As someone who engages regularly with small business owners and retailers across the country and in my county, Offaly, I welcome the recognition of the need to support sectors most exposed to global pressures. SMEs and retail businesses in our towns are the hea…

I thank the Minister and compliment his Department for all its hard work. We are in an economy with full employment. That does not happen by chance. I refer to all the work that has been done in the past and needs to be done in the future. We are in uncertain times. We are looking at tariffs. We are working with our European partners to negotiate tariffs with the United States. Now, more than ever, we need to be supporting our smaller businesses. I welcome the supports mentioned, but many small businesses in County…

I now turn to the issue of high-street retail, which is in serious decline. In towns like Tullamore, Birr, Edenderry and similar towns all over Ireland, we see more and more shops closing. Footfall is down, rent and staffing costs are up and the result is that once thriving town centres are slowly emptying out. This is visible, urgent and deeply worrying. The reality is that this cannot be solved by one scheme or Department alone. We need a national joined-up plan that looks at how to bring life back to our high st…

I welcome the Department's leadership in advancing the national disability strategy. The shift towards to a whole-of-government approach embedding the UNCRPD into policy across Departments is critical to making rights real for people with disabilities. The move of disability policy from the Department of Health to the Minister of State's Department was a significant step towards a right-based model and the upcoming strategy is a real opportunity to build on that momentum. However, the key to this success will not j…

I appreciate the update on the Department's engagement with the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The UNCRPD is not just about legal commitments; it is also about meaningful lived change for people with disabilities throughout the country. The first report in 2021 was an important step but real transparency and accountability come from continuous engagement with the committee and stakeholders here at home. Organisations like the IHREC and the disabled persons' organisations, DPOs, have a crit…

The capitation grant is no longer fit for purpose. I know it has been brought up in the House quite a lot, even earlier today, but I add my voice to that. I have met with the INTO and spoken to principals from Bracknagh National School, High Street National School in Belmont, Scoil Mhuire in Tullamore and the Offaly School of Special Education, to name but a few. Schools are under serious financial pressure just to meet basic running costs. Fundraising, which should be for extras like trips, equipment and enrichmen…