First, I offer our deepest condolences to Harvey Morrison Sherratt's family. It is a very serious case. A memo to the Government recommending a statutory public model of inquiry into spina bifida and complex scoliosis services at CHI was approved by the Government, but considerable work will be required. There is a time-bound scoping exercise to happen first. A facilitator will be appointed to scope potential terms of reference in collaboration with all involved, including advocates, parents and others. It is proposed to appoint an independent person, a senior counsel, following that consultation, and it will also involve the Office of the Attorney General. Concluding terms of reference, the modality of an inquiry and the costs associated takes time, but we want it time-bound so it will be as efficient as it can be.
Sentiment score: 0.10
I think I have answered the issue in terms of the inquiry. With inquiries, the terms of reference are very important because there needs to be some timeline to it, for the sake of all concerned. That is an issue to be worked out. About 446 spinal procedures were completed so far this year to the end of October. That is up on last year, but there is rising demand and, over the same timeframe, a total of 462 procedures were added to the waiting list. At the end of October 2025, about 68% of patients on the active list were waiting less than six months, an improvement from this time last year, when about 56% of patients were waiting less than six months. There are improvements happening, notwithstanding the very serious issues that we have to deal with. Some 6% were waiting over 12 months, which is a significant improvement against this time last year, but, of course, that is too high.
Sentiment score: 0.16
I could go on, but I do not have the time as I have only one minute to respond.
Sentiment score: 0.00
In the budget, we took significant measures to particularly target resources at low-income families, such as those on the working family payment, for example, in terms of their inclusion in the free fuel allowance. There is also the children's support payment for those over 12, which is up to €16, the highest ever, and for those under 12, it is €8. This is the point. We have been targeting our resources at the lowest income groups. That is why we took the decisions that we did in the budget. We did not go for universal payments, which some Deputies wanted us to do. We targeted resources at those most in need, and likewise in terms of free schoolbooks and hot school meals. That is all to reduce costs for families, and it particularly helps families on low incomes. There are other measures that we have taken, such as extending the VAT reduction on fuel costs, which will go out to 2030, and many others.
Sentiment score: 0.15
I empathise with the Deputy. I fully agree that flooding schemes take an inordinate length of time. We have improved. We have resourced An Coimisiún Pleanála and it is now statutorily bound to give timelines for the issuing of decisions. The Minister for public expenditure is coming to the Government in the next number of weeks in respect of measures that will accelerate the infrastructure development in the country. To me, flood protection is a key infrastructure that is required. Where we have implemented flood relief schemes, they have been very effective. In fact, the report on Storm Amy was that the flood relief schemes, where they have been constructed and built, worked, by and large. There is an urgency, but everybody wants to have their say, as the Deputy knows, and we end up in An Coimisiún Pleanála.
Sentiment score: 0.30
The Government has responded in an unprecedented way to the pyrite issue and to defective concrete blocks more generally. The State is taking up the issue where, originally, insurance companies or bonds should have. The State has intervened in an unprecedented way in terms of the amount of funding that has been allocated, and we are doing that to help the homeowners involved. I cannot speak on individual, specific cases. We have extended the scheme beyond Donegal in terms of the defective blocks. The pyrite scheme has been ongoing for a decade or more. The schemes are not never-ending. There have to be clear protections. I do not know the engineering-----
Sentiment score: -0.04
I do not know the engineers' reports and cannot comment on individual cases.
Sentiment score: 0.00
I thank the Deputy. I know he has raised this issue consistently. I have spoken to the Minister for housing about it and will do so again. The Deputy has summed up exactly what needs to change within the delivery of public services. He stated that Tailte Éireann’s process could be faster and more efficient. I will engage with the Minister on the nature of the issues and whether more resources are required, and also consider the possibility of different models of delivery and efficiency.
Sentiment score: 0.24
Certainly, there is an issue with age verification for those who present as minors when they come into the country unaccompanied. Tusla has articulated that concern. It is not a simple issue to resolve because the initial response has been a humanitarian response. If someone presents as an unaccompanied minor, the obligation on Tusla is to make sure that they at least receive accommodation and some shelter. Tusla is criticised if something untoward happens and so on. It is a very serious issue. I will talk to the Minister for justice in respect of it. Again, it is in the context of migration and possibly trafficking. We do not always know what is occurring, but there is certainly an issue regarding the potential mixing of adults with young minors. That is a problem. Other issues can also arise.
Sentiment score: 0.12
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an gceist a ardú. Gan amhras, ó thaobh an rud atá á rá aici – go bhfuil stáisiún dóiteáin á lorg ag muintir Monasterevin – níl aon easpa tola polaitiúil ann. Ní fheadar cad a tharla leis an suíomh. Níl a fhios agam ó thaobh an suímh de ach tá mé sásta labhairt leis an Aire agus déileáil leis an mbardas nó an gcomhairle áitiúil chun an fhadhb a réiteach maidir leis seo. I do not know whether a site has been identified.
Sentiment score: 0.00
It is very hard for the Government to act until a proposal comes from the local authority.
Sentiment score: -0.10
I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. In many ways, the growth of Castletroy owes a lot to Deputy O’Dea as he was the first to approach me, when I was Minister for Education, to get Castletroy College built. At the time, he helpfully pointed out that the civil servants were working off the wrong census in identifying the demographic requirements for a new school in Castletroy. Anyway, we went ahead and built the new school but the population has grown exponentially. I will endeavour to turn the liaison between the OPW and An Garda Síochána into a more mature contract but I take the Deputy’s point that the station is required. I will talk to the Minister for justice to determine whether he can move this on and I will also talk to the Minister of State responsible for the OPW, Deputy Moran. He tends to get things done.
Sentiment score: 0.25
I thank the Deputy for his kind remarks. I will talk to the Minister for education about an update in respect of a resolution for school secretaries and caretakers. I will also speak to the Minister for public expenditure to see where we are in bringing the process to completion. It is a significant issue and a lot of people are awaiting the outcome. I will come back to the Deputy on that. I thank him for his remarks.
Sentiment score: 0.29
I am sure the Deputy will accept that the Minister will work with absolute bona fides in this regard. Any decision the Minister makes, on foot of advice, will be in the best interests of the safety of women and also for the best outcomes in terms of the delivery of their babies and children. I will ask the Minister to engage with the Deputy. The Minister has a lot of issues on the table at the moment. This is an issue the Minister has discussed with us, but I will ask her to engage with the Deputies locally. I understand the issues of concern, but please accept that everything is motivated by safety and best outcomes.
Sentiment score: 0.55
Nationally, CDNT waiting lists have fallen by 18%. More importantly, workforce growth is a priority. Despite recruitment challenges, staffing across the 93 CDNTs grew by 26%. That is an extra 415 people between October 2023 and 2025.
Sentiment score: 0.06
The vacancy rate has come down. It now stands at 18%, down from 29%. What the Deputy has outlined in Tipperary is a very serious issue. I think the Deputy said the vacancy rate will be 72% by the end of the year. Something is wrong there. I do not know what-----
Sentiment score: -0.10
We will engage with the HSE to try to get to the bottom of that.
Sentiment score: 0.34
First, the north-east inner-city task force has been very effective and impactful. We salute the extraordinary performances of Troy Parrott, Kellie Harrington and many others. A person on the radio the other day listed all the internationals in one street alone, as well as the local football clubs and so forth. In fairness to the sports capital grant, it has funded a lot of facilities. When I was Minister for education, we built Larkin Community College, which has been an impactful resource to the locality and so forth.
Sentiment score: 0.18
I have asked successive Ministers for sport about this. Some issues in the boxing area relate to the administrative capacity to get the applications in and get them done. There is no want of political will to support boxing and boxing clubs. There is a bit of work in that regard. I just spoke to the Minister for sport last evening about the next capital grant. For those people who get to the Irish team or whatever, we have a high level of elite sporting supports and grants. We are trying to improve them for those who graduate and are in development squads or development teams. We are developing the league academy in the League of Ireland. A total of €3 million was provided to try to home-grow a competitive League of Ireland and have a pipeline of young talent who can develop in Ireland. All of that is going to be built on and will grow. There is an issue in Dublin. The local authorities need to be engaged with when it comes to the provision of sporting facilities. Other local authorities around the country do it far better.
Sentiment score: 0.25
We have had a lot of action, actually. I would question some of the premises on which we base all of this talk. First, I accept that there is a big overcrowding issue.
Sentiment score: 0.13
I accept that fully, Deputy. I take that on board, but we have a lot of youth diversion and school completion programmes. We have the highest school completion rate in Europe, so we need to do a bit more analysis-----
Sentiment score: 0.13
I am just talking about society in general. The Deputy spoke generally about overcrowding and how it is a failure of the criminal justice system, but I am not sure it is. We need a broader analysis of the forces that are giving rise to some people ending up in prison who, perhaps, should not have ended up in prison. I refer to the whole addiction issue, the issue around drugs, drug trafficking and all of that. It is a bit more complex than just blaming the system. A societal response is required. The Minister has come up with short-to-medium-term measures to try to deal with overcrowding and get buildings built. Youth diversion programmes, alternative rehabilitative pathways and alternatives to custodial sentences are also being perused.
Sentiment score: -0.20
I fully accept the appalling situation in Rathmolyon, County Meath. It is a very distressing situation facing a number of individuals and families who entered into contracts in good faith for the purchase of their houses and homes in the Ringfort development. I understand the frustration and the anger. I will talk to a number of Ministers. Again, this is the behaviour of companies and individuals. There are legal frameworks governing all of this. I do not want to comment in terms of where this might go but my ultimate priority is to try to see how we can help the families concerned. Again, the State is not responsible for what has transpired here.
Sentiment score: 0.03
It is unacceptable and a terrible imposition on the families concerned.
Sentiment score: -0.73