The Deputy is simply ignoring the record level of investment in our health service, which is €27.4 billion in funding in 2026. If she compares 2020 to July 2025, there are over 29,000 more staff, which is a 28% increase in staffing across our health system. There are over 10,000 more nurses and midwives, 5,000 health and social care professionals, 1,400 consultants and over 2,000 doctors and dentists, all of whom are making a really positive contribution with changed demographics, increased demand and pressure across our health system. Even with that occurring, we have had a 12% reduction in patients on waiting lists exceeding 12 months and a reduction in the average waiting time from 7.2 months to 6.5 months, and that is against a backdrop of a 9% increase in outpatients and a 5% increase in inpatient and day case attendances. I regret whenever there are cancelled appointments for anyone across our hospital system but we are staffing and resourcing our public health in an unprecedented way-----
Sentiment score: 0.18
-----to respond back to the pressure and the changing demographics we are seeing.
Sentiment score: -0.30
That is why we took measures in the budget to support families and households. As I said, the response around the VAT on gas and electricity was a measure that came with a cost. It was important to prioritise that in the context of the tax package. In addition, as I said, the social protection package we introduced will mitigate costs in the context of the changes we have made to the fuel allowance. Increasing the eligibility for households will help to support families most in need. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, is examining the overall regulatory framework as it exists for energy providers. We need broader reform of regulation across our economy in energy and in other areas. There is a need for this to be seriously reformed in the interests of affordability but also in the interests of having balanced regulation and quicker decisions in terms of driving wider economic growth, which is something we are all working on.
Sentiment score: 0.32
I thank Deputy Murphy for raising this issue. My thoughts are with all those workers affected by this receivership. I know how concerning it is for each of them. As the Deputy knows, a receiver is individually appointed by a lender to take control of a company. Its role is to secure the assets in that respect. The receiver is independent in its role and the Government cannot intervene in how the receiver approaches the position. However, I understand the Department of Social Protection is engaging directly with the receiver and the affected employees in this case to provide the necessary information and support during this time. There are robust protections in place for employees of an insolvent employer and the receiver submitted a collective redundancy notification to the Department of enterprise on 31 October. It is currently undertaking the 30-day consultation with the employees' representatives. I will reflect the concerns the Deputy has raised. I know there are significant concerns across the House for all of the employees involved but there is a formal legal mechanism in how this operates from a legislative position.
Sentiment score: 0.19
I thank the Deputy. I know, as constituency TDs, it can be difficult to get particular feedback from some State bodies and they reference GDPR or ongoing formal or legal proceedings. I will ask the Minister for housing, who obviously oversees the RTB, to reflect on what the Deputy has said and if there is a way of providing some level or layer of communication so people have a sense of where something is within a particular process. I will ask the Minister to revert to the Deputy directly.
Sentiment score: 0.03
I thank the Deputy. I regret that Irish Water has not properly communicated with her constituents, businesses and critical services in Enfield and beyond. When we are investing in Irish Water, there will be a focus on the importance of public service performance. As €12 billion is allocated to it over the next five years, it needs to ensure that customer service, communication and engagement are critical parts of its wider investment programme. When it is doing overall capital investment in the community, there will be disruption at times. It is important that it can be planned for and that there is much better engagement. We will ask the Minister, Deputy Browne, to engage with Irish Water and properly respond to it to ensure there is better engagement going forward.
Sentiment score: 0.27
At the outset, I commend the family of Ashling Murphy and everyone in the community in County Offaly who have shown such incredible resilience, strength and dignity while dealing with the most horrendous circumstances that any family could ever experience. Ashling's murder shocked the nation. Everyone in this House and throughout our country offers them nothing but our love, support and deepest sympathies. Regarding the Deputy's question, from a policy perspective the removal from the State of convicted criminals and those who are a danger to public safety is a priority for the Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, and for the Government. The removal of individuals is actively managed by the Department of justice in close consultation with An Garda Síochána and the Irish Prison Service. There has been a large increase in the number of removal orders under the freedom of movement directive, from 24 in 2024 to 99 so far this year. Under the 2015 free movement regulation, orders can be made for the removal and exclusion of European Union citizens, or their family members, in certain circumstances. There is a particular threshold, grounds and a bar upon which that is set. That is the basis. I cannot speak about particular people other than to say that is how the directive works.
Sentiment score: 0.05
As I have said to a number of colleagues today, I am shocked and appalled by what happened in Drogheda. I heard many people from the Deputy's community express how appalled they were about that particular incident. We all condemn it. To the Deputy's question, I am not aware of the particular circumstances in which the contract for this property was entered into. Perhaps the Deputy can provide the details to the Department of justice or to the Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, and he can assess that. Because of the changes in the wider migration pattern into our country across the last number of years, there has been a response to try and find accommodation for people under particular criteria who have come here. I will ask the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, and the Department of justice to respond to the Deputy’s particular concerns.
Sentiment score: -0.05
I thank Deputy Roche. I am familiar with the funding needs of many roads and the road network across east Galway. One thing the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, is doing as part of the sectoral investment plans for the road network and investment in public transport is to give better funding certainty to TII. As we know in recent years there was a difficulty in funding certain roads projects and maintenance, which the Deputy has referenced. The overall distribution of the €22 billion is being developed as part of the sectoral investment plan in transport. That is due to be agreed by Government in the coming weeks and will set out the broader trajectory of funding for transport infrastructure, and indeed better funding certainty for TII when it comes to responding to the needs of projects the Deputy has referenced in east Galway. I will ask the Minister to reflect on what the Deputy has said today in the context of the work he is doing.
Sentiment score: 0.23
I thank Deputy Crowe. I am not familiar with the contribution he made a few weeks ago but what I would say is An Coimisiún Pleanála is independent in its functions and around its assessment and evaluation of planning considerations and decisions. I do not know the direct circumstances the Deputy has referenced, but there may be difficulty in taking someone out of the Irish Aviation Authority and bringing them into An Coimisiún Pleanála if it is doing an independent evaluation or assessment of a particular planning matter. The priority we have in the context of investing in public services is to support recruitment across our public service. That is reflected across our agencies, regulators and Departments in building expertise and that is reflected in the growth of public sector numbers in recent years. There may be a particular case where contracts have to be entered into if temporary expertise is required in a particular regulator or agency for a temporary period. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Browne, to assess what the Deputy has said, respecting the fact An Coimisún Pleanála has to operate independently and separately to all of us to uphold the integrity of the planning system.
Sentiment score: 0.21
I absolutely refute and reject what you are after saying there. All political parties and many politicians who are not part of one receive media training. It has been a matter of public record that Ivan Yates was providing media training to various politicians within Fianna Fáil over a series of years. Fianna Fáil has every right to hire contractors or media trainers as it sees fit. It is a matter for Ivan Yates to disclose any potential or direct conflicts of interest in his interaction with or contribution to media organisations or as a commentator. I am sure Sinn Féin hires media trainers. It spends a lot of time hiring expert lawyers down in the High Court when it comes to defamation actions.
Sentiment score: 0.11
Something you prioritise around your funding is to take defamation actions against many members of the media.
Sentiment score: 0.00
That is how you prioritise your resources. We are able to hire media trainers and we have every right to do that. It is for Ivan Yates to respond to any issue in terms of his own conflicts of interest.
Sentiment score: 0.03
I thank the Deputy. I know from engaging with the Ministers of State, Deputies Christopher O'Sullivan and Moran, how seriously they take the issue of flooding in terms of capital allocations for the OPW. I will ask the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, to respond directly to the Deputy. He wants to accelerate many flooding schemes and, as part of his capital settlement for the OPW, has prioritised flood relief schemes across the country. Uplift for the OPW is being prioritised to respond to the needs across communities. I will ask the Minister of State to respond to the Deputy on the timeline and the urgency in terms of Bantry. I appreciate the Deputy raising the issue.
Sentiment score: 0.20
I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The Taoiseach met with the survivors. I understand there was a plan to have a mediator in place. Due to the personal circumstances of the mediator, that was not possible today. The mediator who was due to be in place has recommended an alternative. I understand the intention is that the meeting could go ahead as proposed and an email will issue to that effect. That is the latest update, as of the past couple of hours. I understand the sensitivity and urgency of having engagement on this.
Sentiment score: 0.13
I thank the Deputy. I go out to Portrane-Donabate and know the area very well. There has been a wonderful transformation in terms of housing, construction and work happening across the community. I will ask the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, to respond directly to the Deputy on the increased demand for public transport and, in particular, the bus service that has been mentioned. I understand the acute need and demand in that area.
Sentiment score: 0.26