-----based on funding schemes.

There is nobody else here.

I thank the Minister for his remarks. That is the most positive reply I have received since I became a TD. It looks as though we only have to put in the submission and the Minister will look after us reading between the lines. The Dunamaise Arts Centre can serve its community for the next 25 years as it has for the past 25. I acknowledge the exceptional work of the team there including Ciara O'Connell, the CEO, Nick Antonm the technical manager and all the front-of-house, administrative and technical staff. This co…

There have not been many who have spoken here this morning so I should be at the top of the list.

It is the same question.

I put in a parliamentary question and received a reply on the 14 October, outlining exactly what the Minister of State has said. Funding of the sum of €23.7 million was allocated for a 130-bed facility in St. Vincent's in 2016. The project is being carried out in phases, including work on a new 50-bed unit. Will the Minister of State give a firm commitment that the overall capacity will be a 130-bed unit when all phases are complete? I refer to the existing facility in St. Vincent's in Mountmellick, which I know ve…

Following the recent withdrawal of strike action by school secretaries and caretakers represented by Fórsa, can the Taoiseach provide an update on the current status of the negotiations regarding pension parity, pay frameworks and other employment conditions? Will he outline the timeline for implementing the commitments agreed through the Workplace Relations Commission? Will he list measures the Government is taking to ensure the negotiations are concluded promptly? I thank the Taoiseach for his work in convincing …

I am glad to have an opportunity to say a few words this evening. I completely stand behind the farmers on this one and I am delighted there are so many of them here in the Public Gallery this evening, and rightly so. They are absolutely worn out between being in Newbridge or Naas a while ago and they are here again this evening. This Mercosur thing is a very bad deal for this country. I am sorry that I am here on my own from Fine Gael but that is neither here nor there. I thank everybody who organised the motion a…

I have no problem with that. I know more about farming than you do, I can tell you that. What do you know about farming?

You have a pair of wellingtons that never got dirty. I can tell you that.

I welcome the opportunity to raise this important question with the Minister. Ireland's success in attracting world-class investment has depended on our ability to offer fully serviced, high-quality industrial and enterprise sites. As we look to the next generation of investment in manufacturing, green energy and digital innovation, we must ensure that every part of the country, including the midlands and County Laois in particular, is ready to compete. My question to the Minister is what the Department's timeline …

I thank the Minister for his response. The next generation sites initiative represents a real opportunity to prepare Ireland for the industries of tomorrow. In Laois, we have the location, the infrastructure and a workforce ready to go. What we need now is clear prioritisation and early investment so that we are fully prepared to deliver for the new enterprises of the FDI projects that come on stream. Laois, as the Minister knows, is strategically positioned, with the M7 and M8 motorways, strong rail connectivity a…

We have the lowest rate of job creation from IDA Ireland in the State at the moment. I wanted to talk to the Minister about Leprino. I thank him for visiting Leprino in Portlaoise and working with me and the other people. The announcement that Leprino Foods will close its facility in Portlaoise is a huge blow to us in Portlaoise, to County Laois more widely and to the 130 skilled workers who are working in Leprino, their families and the wider local community. We need urgent and co-ordinated action on this. Will th…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the important topic of men's health, an issue that touches every parish, home and family in Ireland. Today's debate is a milestone for the House. It is the first time that men's health is the sole focus of statements in Dáil Éireann. Often, men's health is discussed when it is too late, such as when a neighbour is ill, a farmer collapses or a family grieves a father, brother or son who did not put his hand out for help. Men's health matters not just to men but to their families…

I welcome the opportunity this evening to speak on the tillage sector. I thank all the tillage farmers in County Laois who voted for me in the general election. The tillage sector is a vital and strategic part of Irish agriculture, the rural economy and our environmental ambitions. It is a cornerstone of our agrifood system. Across Ireland, 344,000 ha are devoted to tillage, supporting around 7,000 farm families and 11,000 full-time equivalent jobs in contracting, machinery, haulage, storage, and processing. Our ti…

How does the Taoiseach propose to support workers and families who do not qualify for affordable housing, HAP, cost rental or any of the other schemes provided by local authorities when their income is simply not sufficient to secure an adequate mortgage to meet the current market price? Every week I meet people in my constituency of Laois: SNAs, nurses, gardaí, teachers, administrative and healthcare assistants, hospitality staff and many others - all hard-working people who contribute so much to our communities. …

The cheapest house in Portlaoise is €500,000.

I thank the Minister for the opportunity to raise the issue of a new courthouse for County Laois. They requirement for a new courthouse has long been recognised. The National Development Plan, NDP, 2018-2027 identified the need for new courthouses in a number of locations with substandard facilities, including in my hometown of Portlaoise. The current facilities in Portlaoise are substandard and require updated, modernised, efficient, accessible courthouse facilities for Laois. They are just not fit for purpose at …

I thank the Minister for his response and his commitment to meet a group of stakeholders to discuss the urgent need for a courthouse in Portlaoise. The immediate priority is clear. We need funding for the development of the new courthouse in Portlaoise and a clear and definite timeframe for commencement and completion. As the Minister mentioned, an important first step has already been taken. I was a member of Laois County Council when it purchased the site in Kylekiproe almost five years ago to ensure that it woul…

-----that the existing courthouse is no longer fit for purpose. It causes congestion, which has a negative effect on businesses and residents in the town. There is a lack of privacy and dignity for those attending the court-----