Just transition is a phrase which has been and continues to be used by the Government and activists when it comes to becoming more environmentally sustainable. However, as I have said when I have spoken on the matter, I believe our transition is unjust. Just last week we saw the latest contradiction put forward by Government. On the one hand the Government pressed ahead with increases in the excise duty on petrol and diesel and then on the other hand, a Government agency, the NTA, released proposals which would dis…

I have not gone soft or anything but, as we are ahead of time, I allowed Deputy Ó Murchú a little leeway.

I thank Deputy Connolly.

I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 37 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Verona Murphy - To discuss reviewing the current system of roads funding. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú - To discuss the implications of the imminent retirement of the retained fire station officer at Dunleer, County Louth. Deputy Neasa Hourigan - To discuss multidisciplinary support services for defendants with major mental illness who are before the courts.…

I want to talk about the condition of the 3,522 km of non-national roads in County Wexford. I will give some background. We have the tenth greatest length of non-national roads in the country, just after counties Cork, Clare, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Limerick, Mayo, Roscommon and Tipperary. The non-national roads network is broken down into four separate categories: regional roads; local primary roads; local secondary roads; and local tertiary roads. In County Wexford, the breakdown making up the 3,522 km is: 529 km…

That is probably what is required. I appreciate what the Minister of State read out and that he is standing in for the Minister. I will give him some examples of where it seems Wexford is being disadvantaged vis-à-vis other counties. This is how rural counties fared in the 2011 road conditioning survey. At that point, the percentage of roads in Wexford to be reconstructed stood at 29%. Other counties with fewer than 10% of roads to be reconstructed received much the same funding. The rates wee 2.6% in Louth, 9% in …

It gives me no pleasure to stand up here and address the children's disability network teams, CDNTs, again. I received a very distressing telephone call from a mother this morning whose beautiful daughter has not received any speech and language therapy since 2019. She said she is absolutely at the end of her tether. Her daughter is suffering with mobility issues because her physiotherapy sessions are few and far between. To put it very simply, the CDNT in New Ross is just not fit for purpose. There is no speech an…

Thank you, Cheann Comhairle. I nearly called you Leas-Cheann Comhairle for a minute such is the excitement.

I, too, wish all my colleagues, fellow family members and all females today a very happy International Women's Day. In particular, though, I thought about coming in here year after year to talk about International Women's Day and about what changes. I want to mention two very special women today, Rita and Caitlin Gaffney, whom I spoke to, and I have their permission to divulge this story and information. Rita is Caitlin's mother and she was married to Lar Gaffney who was a wonderful man by all accounts. Unfortunate…

I never correct Deputies but I do think it is important to reiterate that the Constitution does not say that a woman’s place is in the home. I will leave it there. This week and this past month, I have been advocating for two ladies of 85 years who are entitled and eligible for a home care support package. One lady is in receipt of some hours five days a week, but she is now entitled to and due seven-day care. Her family are currently looking after her and we cannot get an increase in the service from five days to …

I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 37 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Brian Stanley - To discuss the need for an increase in ASD units in primary schools in Laois. Deputy Matt Carthy - To discuss the need for a special needs school in County Monaghan. Deputy Michael Moynihan - To discuss the use of existing CCTV in towns in County Cork. Deputy Dessie Ellis - To discuss GP and other medical services in Finglas. Deputy Mic…

Last week a disturbing article appeared in our local newspaper regarding South East Technological University, SETU. The article discusses a conversation that took place at a meeting of Wexford County Council between the now retired chief executive and a local councillor, in which it was alleged that SETU and the Department of higher education are dragging their heels. I am a graduate of what is now South East Technological University. We have a very limiting campus whereby we cannot expand and certainly not into ST…

I thank the Minister. I am glad to hear him reaffirming the endorsement of a new campus for Wexford and the people of Wexford will be very glad to hear it. These allegations made at a public meeting of the county council are not helpful. The article also states that while the CPO process was invoked in January, it was completed in March. Intelligent people will know this was not the case. The notice to treat was served but the process is anything but complete. I do believe that what people want is a timeline. I ask…

There are 3,500 km of local and regional roads to maintain in County Wexford. We have funding that takes care of 200 km. Back in 1995 and 1996, in one of the first reports on roads, County Wexford was number five, which was worse than anywhere in the country. We came in at number five for the worst roads in the country. In 2022 we actually reached the bottom of the list and we have the worst maintained roads in the country. Yet, since 1995 there has never been a review to address the imbalance of funding. There are…

That is what the report says.

I will send on the report.

I will send the report to the Minister.

I welcome the opportunity to raise the issue of reasonable accommodations for State exams. There are obviously a large number of students who have recently arrived to Ireland. They have rightly been encouraged to engage in our education system. Many of these students fall into the category of learners of English as an additional language, EAL. I think primarily of students from Ukraine, but also those who recently arrived from other places and whose level of English would not be sufficient to succeed in the State e…

I appreciate that the Minister of State is here to answer on behalf of the Minister for Education. We are approaching the second anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. More than 100,000 refugees fleeing that war have come here, 18,000 of whom are students in our schools. Would it not be an appropriate tribute to say that we recognise their pain, that they have left their friends and families behind and that their worry is our worry. We can make life safer and easier. Maybe that would send a message that …

I thank the Rural Independent Group for tabling this motion. I also offer my sympathies to Deputy Michael Collins on the loss of his nephew. Where to start? The reality is we have a very serious problem within our GP sector and within rural Ireland in general in the provision of healthcare. Our GPs do not feel supported, as we have heard a number of times. I noted the comments of the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, in respect of the number of GPs who will qualify in the next three years. There is no guarantee tho…