The way in which this case was handled points to the wider issue of a culture problem, the same culture problem that we have seen play out in RTÉ and the same culture problem that saw €19 million of funding redirected from vital children’s services, and we still do not even know where that went. The pattern is fast emerging. The Government spent a record €2.4 million transporting students to school by taxi in County Clare last year but cannot put timetables at bus shelters. The Government cannot afford a 90-minute …

In my limited time I will only get the opportunity to raise two substantive points, one being the major gap for those children who are not yet two years and nine months but who have additional needs and whom the Minister has locked out of vital supports, ECCE and AIM. I am aware the Minister knows of a particular case in Clare which has been brought to his office. He has not taken action and, importantly, has not yet responded. I ask him to prioritise this case immediately. On Friday, I will visit the Kidz Haven cr…

I submitted a similar question to the Minister. Along with the points that have been mentioned, another point to note is that more than 700 students are in Gaelscoileanna in County Clare, over 200 of whom are in areas outside of Ennis, in Shannon, Moy and Kilrush. As the Gaelcholáiste is still just an aonad, all those students have been deprived access to the free transport scheme, which must be taken into consideration. On 2 October 2021, the Minister was considering the transition of Gaelcholáiste an Chláir from …

I did not think this was going to be reached. I am very happy that it was. It is to ask the Minister for Education to provide an update on the progress of granting independence to Gaelcholáiste an Chláir.

I thank the Minister. I did not expect this question to be reached. It concerns a matter very close to my heart. There is an opportunity now to address it, with the principal of Ennis Community College moving on from that post. Gaelcholáiste an Chláir has been seeking stand-alone status for 30 years. The Minister said the Department has an openness to addressing the matter. That is great to hear. What is the status of the application that was submitted in March 2021? In response to a previous parliamentary question…

It is great to hear an acknowledgement of the issues in Clare and that there is a commitment to resolving them. County Clare has the second highest number of Irish speakers in the country. We have a great history of and love for Irish culture. There is huge potential there that has been missed. Gaelcholáiste an Chláir has done its very best. In some respects, it is a miracle it has survived. Most aonaid close a few years after establishment. Aonaid such as those in Kilkenny and Tralee, both of which had lower numbe…

I thank the office of the Ceann Comhairle and the Minister of State, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, for facilitating this debate as it is the last Topical Issue debate before the recess and we will not return until September. I wish to raise the important matter of regulation for renters. The Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 mandate a proper state of repair and adequate ventilation for all properties regardless of their use as social housing or private rental accommodation. However, we also know tha…

The work the Minister of State has done on this question is highly interesting and I appreciate it. She has even formulated a bit of a solution to the issue of private rental accommodation. A huge amount of inspections have been done by Clare County Council. I rent and my property has been inspected. I was impressed by how quickly the council conducted the work. There is an issue with failure rates and getting landlords to comply, which the Minister of State touched on. Going back to social housing, our climate is …

I thank the Social Democrats for this important and thoughtful motion. It provides us with a further opportunity to highlight the blight of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in our society. I again pay tribute to the fantastic Natasha O'Brien, Bláthnaid Raleigh, the courageous Women of Honour - and men - and the many others we know who have been, and still are, suffering in silence. It was important yesterday to hear the Taoiseach speak about the need to change the culture. That much is true, but we also n…

I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to facilitate the making of standing orders in relation to certain absences from each House of the Oireachtas, to amend the Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Secretarial Facilities) Regulations 2021 and for that purpose to extend the entitlement of members to additional secretarial facilities in certain circumstances, and to provide for related matters. At the outset, I thank the OPLA for its assistance in putting this Bill together…

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

I wish to raise the issue of access to risdiplam for adult spinal muscular atrophy, SMA patients. Risdiplam is a lifesaving drug that stops the progression of SMA. It reduces required hospital time, restores motor neuron function, gives back strength and breath control and gives people back a full life. We approved the equivalent Spinraza two years ago, two years after the rest of the EU, and we are still behind the curve with our arbitrary cut-off for over-18s which is not based on clinical reasoning. There are cu…

I thank Deputy Carthy for this important motion and for the opportunity to add my name. I commend the O'Farrell family for their steadfast determination, their tenacity and their outright dignity. They are an inspiration to us all and I have no doubt that they will keep going completely undeterred and unwavering until they get what Shane deserves, which is to rest in full peace with his dignity restored. I wanted that to be said here. I listened to what the Minister had to say and I am perplexed. The scoping exerci…

I acknowledge Deputy Chambers's recent elevation to the post of Minister for Finance and I wish him well in his new role. I have been raising in the House a particular case for the guts of two years. William cares for John in Kilkee, but purely on the basis that they are not related, they have been deemed ineligible for the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme. This has had detrimental effects on John’s health and access to treatment, as he cannot get into William’s car. Kilkee is a long distance from Un…

I will send on the information about the case I mentioned. I heard in one of the responses earlier that another group will be established and it will report in the autumn. People watching at home will see another group and another report and will ask whether it is absolutely necessary. In a response I received in February, the Minister's predecessor outlined to me that he submitted a proposal for a replacement scheme for the DDS which would be a needs-based grant-led approach for necessary vehicle adaptations. In r…

I put it to the Tánaiste that 27% of those who are hospitalised for eating disorders, which is the deadliest mental illness, were in hospitals with no eating disorder trained staff and 83% had no access to a therapist or a psychiatrist after their discharge. Is it any wonder that 41% would be re-admitted for the same problem within two years? Last week we heard from a number of speakers who painted the devastating picture of the black spots of access with 85% having difficulties. I know the Tánaiste knows this. Cou…

I commend the Labour Party on bringing this well-thought-out motion before the Chamber. It allows us to pay tribute again to the fantastic Natasha O'Brien regarding the focus she has ensured has been placed on this extremely important societal matter. I also pay tribute to all the victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. I commend the great courage and bravery they have shown in surviving. I listened to the Minister earlier and it was important to hear that there is a greater need within the criminal …

I want to focus my speaking time on the high levels of demand on refuge centres such as Clare Haven Services in County Clare. In June alone, it received 54 requests for refuge for women, and for every single woman and family in refuge, there is another at risk in the community pleading to gain access. Currently, the service can only accommodate six families at any one time and the point and the purpose of their services is to provide, as the service itself has pointed out, short-term crisis refuge. As I heard that …

I wish to raise the issue of the co-ordination of Ukrainian refugees in County Clare. For the past 18 months, 21 refugees have been located in Loop Head. Loop Head, by the admission of Clare County Council, is a community in terminal population decline. It has seen 21 individuals being integrated into that very peripheral community, six of whom are children in school and four are pensioners. There are 11 others, of whom two have work. Others are taking English lessons in Kilrush. All involved are deeply upset by th…

I ask the Tánaiste to set out the reason US planes stopping at Shannon Airport are not searched to see if they are carrying arms for use in Palestine; his views on whether these actions are compatible with the historical and foundational Irish position of neutrality; and if he will make a statement on the matter.