To deal with the important matter that the Deputy raised, I know Sinn Féin has legislation in that regard. I outlined earlier on some of the measures that the Government was taking on this important and critical issue. I will certainly discuss Sinn Féin's Private Members' Bill with the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, and will revert directly to the Deputy in relation to how the Government proposes to approach that. In fairness, everyone in this House is trying to work on this important issue in a unified way. It is critical that we do that. I assure the Deputy that we are minded of the voices of victims and survivors. Moving on to the Deputy's first point, I thank her again for her concern as to the Taoiseach's travel. I will make an important point. The Taoiseach is representing the Government. I said that earlier on. It is not unusual for a Head of Government to attend international fora.
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He is travelling back as we speak.
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I will let him know the Deputy was asking for him.
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I agree with the Deputy. I mentioned in my opening remarks earlier on during Leaders' Questions that all us share responsibility in this House but also outside the House, and that includes corporate bodies and our education system. Our teachers and our other educators are doing a lot of work in this regard from a very young age, particularly in relation to boys' and young men's attitudes towards sex, pornography and the normalisation of pornography. Certainly, the ability of companies such as Shein to sell these types of product is of concern. I know it is of concern to the Minister as well. I have noted that other countries have taken steps to ban this, too. It has to be a zero-tolerance approach. Now it is about continuing on that path of the progress that has been made. I listened to Deputy Mary Lou McDonald. We must make sure that the voices of the survivors and the victims are the most critical in this regard. Given their horrific experiences and the bravery that they have shown, it behoves us to do everything we can.
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With the young population that we have, it is important we support childcare services. I was in this House when a previous Government, in 2009 to 2010, brought in the early childhood care and education programme, ECCE. We see the advancement of that in terms of childcare right the way across the country since then. While it is fair to make constructive criticisms, it is also fair, by way of balance, to see where we have come from and where we are now. If you look at budget 2026, €1.48 billion was allocated for early learning and childcare. That is an increase of 9% on the previous year. Capital funding is rising as well, with 2,300 additional childcare places. The national childcare scheme supports 286,000 children. If we look at the early childhood care and education, ECCE, scheme nearly 98% of children are now participating in a scheme that did not exist 14 or 15 years ago.
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Hold on-----
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I think I have answered the question so if the Deputy wants to keep interrupting-----
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I was in the middle of answering it.
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I am very pleased Deputy Boyd Barrett-----
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I know that too. I have a lot of friends who are taxi drivers who work in the industry and I am a big supporter of our taxi drivers and the sector-----
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In fairness, Richard is just back, and it is good-----
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-----to see him back. I have written to the NTA on this very specific issue - I mention friends, constituents of mine and, indeed, people across the country - in my role as Minister for Transport so I want to get to the bottom of this. I have asked the NTA to look at it. I attend the taxi forum. I attended just four or five months ago and I will be attending again this week. I do not have an answer back from the NTA yet. I wrote to it on 19 November. I was at COP30 last week but I will be chasing it up this week. I will be engaged with the taxi representative bodies on this matter. I want to see what the regulatory framework is for this. It is a concern to many taxi drivers, unquestionably, and I will be working on it-----
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This is a joke.
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The first question in relation to Lariam is probably more appropriate for a parliamentary question but I will raise the matter and seek a response for the Deputy. I do not have the details or the answer to hand on that. Each Minister travels and a Head of Government has to attend international events-----
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In relation to what medication different Ministers use, I have no idea. That is a matter for those particular Ministers as well.
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I will. I know how critical this project is for Galway and Galway city. It is a matter of regret that it has taken so long. It has taken so long for many reasons. We have had serial and continuous objectors to this critical piece of infrastructure. The Government wants to see this road built. It is critical for the city of Galway and the surrounding areas. Following the Deputy's intervention today, I will seek an update as to when we can expect a final decision on it. The Government supports the development of this critical piece of infrastructure for Galway.
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The summer works scheme is important for schools and there will unfortunately be some that fall outside the boundaries of it. I noted the announcement last week by the Department of education relating to moneys allocated through the climate action fund to allow energy upgrades for schools. Specifically on Our Lady's Girls National School, I will raise that matter directly with the Minister, Deputy Naughton, on Deputy Brennan's behalf and seek a written and direct response to him.
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In the review of the national development plan, we secured that €1 in every €4 invested between now and 2030 would be in transport and transport measures. That is just short of €25 billion, which is the largest investment ever made in public transport and transport infrastructure. I intend to publish the sectoral NDP tomorrow. Details of projects of €200 million or more will be published tomorrow. Separate road allocations will be done in December and January. We will publish the sectoral NDP tomorrow afternoon.
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The Deputy must wait until it is published.
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This is an awful situation, which the Deputy has also discussed with me directly. I am familiar with it. I will raise this matter directly with the line Minister. I think this will cross over between the Departments of justice and Finance. It is an horrendous situation that these prospective home buyers find themselves in. It is something I will discuss directly with the Tánaiste and the Minister for justice. I thank the Deputy for raising this. Where we can help, we will, but I need to ensure that we have direct engagement with the relevant line Ministers on it. I will ask them to revert directly to the Deputy.
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Sport has the ability to lift the nation. The Deputy mentioned the boys in green. The girls in green came through against Belgium. We have seen some great sporting events recently. We will not talk about the rugby at the weekend, but I blame that on the referee and a poor refereeing performance. Alex Dunne, who is driving Formula 2 at McLaren, is unquestionably an incredible talent. I am a fan myself. I am not aware of the structures that Sport Ireland and Motorsport Ireland have to ensure he is supported. I can raise that matter with the Minister for sport and the Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue. Alex Dunne is a great talent. He has reached levels we have not seen of an Irish person since Eddie Irvine. Where he can be supported, I will ask both the Minister and the Minister of State to respond directly to the Deputy.
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Caredoc across the country is critically important, particularly at weekends and out of hours. I will raise that matter directly with the Minister for Health on the Deputy's behalf. I will ask the Minister to respond directly to him about the situation he has articulated here as it pertains to Wexford.
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It is an area that is growing greatly. Lots of young families are moving in there. I have had the pleasure of being in the Deputy's constituency on a number of occasions recently. You can see the development happening there. A great frustration for me is unreliability of public transport. This ghost bus phenomenon on certain routes is not acceptable. From time to time, things happen. Drivers can be sick, and people understand if this happens now and again. However, the increased prevalence on certain routes is a matter of grave concern. I will speak to the NTA directly and TII on the Deputy's behalf about this and put forward his suggestions with regard to the C4 and the W6 services. I myself will come directly back to him on that.
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I agree with the Deputy. It is a clear danger. I chaired the north Dublin regional drugs and alcohol task force for about ten years and we saw the increased prevalence of nitrous oxide or laughing gas, the small canisters which are being used for recreational purposes by a lot of our young people. It is a matter that the Department of Health and the Minister of State with responsibility for the drugs strategy are aware of. It is a legal product when used correctly, so there are complications in that regard, but I will again refer directly to both the Minister and the Minister of State on this and let them know that the Deputy has raised this matter here and to seek an update on the progress and work on this issue.
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I know Inistioge well. I was with the Deputy all the way through until he got to "Circle of Friends" in the end. As regards this wastewater treatment plant, the Minister, Deputy Browne, has brought forward new measures to allow us to accelerate delivery of wastewater treatment plants above and beyond what the capital programme might set out through Uisce Éireann. I will speak to the Minister directly about Inistioge. I know Deputy Cleere has been advocating for this himself. It is critical to allow that town to expand and for people in the area to be able to live there. I will speak to the Minister directly and get him to respond to the Deputy.
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I thank the Deputy for raising the case of Roxanne and the situation she is in. I will raise it directly with the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. The Deputy has said she has corresponded with the Minister. I thank Deputy Newsome Drennan for raising it here. I will speak to the Minister directly post this and make sure that she responds directly to the Deputy and to the family.
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