Yes, we will provide that mandate. Deputy Kerrane is right to highlight this issue. These health and social care workers and others carry out an invaluable service. Our health, social care and disability services are so reliant on it. I would point out that we have made several advanced steps on this issue, including the October 2023 agreement the Deputy referenced. State agencies have worked with service providers to administer the associated pay funding adjustments. The Government offered a further 8.5% increase in funding for pay. Added to the increase in October 2023, it would have provided a minimum increase of 16.5% in pay funding over a period of three-and-a-half-year if agreement had been possible. Ministers will now be seeking an early opportunity to restart engagement with unions and employers through the Workplace Relations Commission to provide certainty and progress to the sector as soon as possible.
Sentiment score: 0.47
I thank Deputy Bacik. I agree with her comments regarding the dire humanitarian catastrophe. That phrase does not even capture the sense of destruction and loss of life, of home and of dignity that people have experienced in Gaza. I think all of us are united in working on that. I want to see what more the Government can do to help with the upscaling of humanitarian aid and assistance to the people of Palestine now and in standing by UNRWA at this challenging time too. On the Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018, it is important that the Government's position is not misrepresented. In fairness to the Taoiseach, when he was before the foreign affairs committee with legal advisers from the Department of Foreign Affairs just before the election, it was made extraordinarily clear that the Bill in its current form was not legally permissible and would require very significant changes. We had a discussion in the House last night where it was said the Opposition would be happy to work with the Government on technical changes. We must be truthful, though. If the law is to be permissible and compliant with EU law, it requires more than technical changes. I am happy to engage with the Opposition on this and I intend to meet Senator Black in the coming days. I will revert to the Deputy on a time for that.
Sentiment score: 0.23
I thank the Deputy for raising this extraordinarily important issue. It is one we have worked on across the House during the last period of time, including publishing an ambitious domestic, sexual and gender-based violence strategy, which was led by my colleague, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and establishing a new agency, called Cuan, to drive this zero-tolerance approach. When I was the Minister for Justice, I had the absolute honour of meeting Jennie's brother, Jason. He has rightly, as the Deputy said, been campaigning for what he calls "Jennie's Law". Within that is a very sensible proposal on how we get to a domestic violence register. The Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, is very committed to addressing this important issue and ensuring there are effective measures in place so the Garda can issue confidential warnings to persons who may be a risk in an intimate relationship. This is the ultimate aim of what needs to be achieved. Work is ongoing in the Department of Justice and I know engagement will take place in this regard.
Sentiment score: 0.23
It must be highly insulting to Independent TDs who are democratically elected in their own right, just like Deputy Murphy, to be referred to by someone else's surname. I think the Deputy should really stop that sort of carry-on.
Sentiment score: -0.30
No, sorry-----
Sentiment score: -0.30
There is no need for a back and forth. The last time I checked, they were called the "Regional Independents". The Minister of State, Deputy Seán Canney, sits with us in Cabinet and the Minister of State, Deputy Grealish, as well. I see Deputy Toole up there and I saw Deputy Heneghan earlier. I have also seen the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, the soon-to-be Minister of State, Deputy Harkin, the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Healy-Rae, and Deputy Danny Healy-Rae. Deputy Murphy could actually recognise them as individuals in their own right and might actually respect the mandates of their constituents.
Sentiment score: 0.08
Does the Deputy get one question or is this just to barrage me?
Sentiment score: 0.00
I thank the Ceann Comhairle. The next thing is this. The deals, if the Deputy wants to call them that, are called the "programme for Government". It is published on gov.ie. It will be implemented in full over the course of five years. There are no other deals and we look forward to advancing it.
Sentiment score: 0.01
It is the regional Independent group----
Sentiment score: 0.00
I am sorry. The groupings are for the Deputy, actually.
Sentiment score: -0.04
Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the regional Independents, the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Healy-Rae, and Deputy Danny Healy-Rae.
Sentiment score: 0.20
I thank the Deputy very much for the question. I will ask the Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW to revert on the specific project the Deputy referenced. I will point out that the OPW has assured the Government it has taken steps to enhance its own governance procedures to ensure that value for money is achieved in the delivery of projects. The Government is committed to achieving value for money in all public infrastructure projects and our programme for Government made a commitment to ensure that the OPW "and its structures deliver best value for money outcomes on all projects" it is responsible for. The OPW has implemented enhanced governance measures since issues have arisen and has commissioned an external audit to inform further measures that may be required for projects moving forward. It will be for the Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW to bring forward to Government any proposals in terms of how he is going to advance that programme for Government commitment.
Sentiment score: 0.41
It is extraordinary.
Sentiment score: 0.00
I thank the Deputy for his inaugural comments in his new role as a TD for Wicklow-Wexford. I wish him well and look forward to working with him, being from the neighbouring constituency of Wicklow. He is right that the previous Government and our colleague, the former Minister, Stephen Donnelly, showed great leadership on the issue of vaping in bringing forward very important and progressive public health legislation on this. The new Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, and the Government are committed to taking further steps. We are seeing growing evidence in respect of the public health concerns and damage, and the broader issue of litter and environmental concerns the Deputy mentioned. I will ask the Minister to revert to him with a timeline.
Sentiment score: 0.35
I congratulate the Deputy on her election to the Dáil. I wish her well. She is right to highlight the issue of University Hospital Limerick. It is a major issue for her constituents and for people in the mid-west more broadly. I could quote figures showing the increased budget, the increased staffing and the increase in beds that have taken place, but I accept there is much more to do. That is why the previous Minister for Health, as the Deputy's colleague Deputy Cullinane will know, asked HIQA last year to lead a review into urgent and emergency care capacity in the mid-west region, including consideration of the need for a second ED. An interim update is expected this month. The final report is expected in May. That will guide the Government's next steps.
Sentiment score: 0.28
I thank Deputy Ó Fearghaíl. It is good to see him back in his role of advocating for his constituents in Kildare South. I join with him in expressing sympathy to the family of the Aga Khan on his passing, and to the community he led. The Minister, Deputy Heydon, and I discussed this only yesterday. Tributes have been led by our President and throughout the country in acknowledging the huge philanthropic contribution of the Aga Khan. We think of him and his family at this very sad time. I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of the Curragh, which will fall within the remit of my new ministerial responsibilities. I look forward to a visit to the Curragh at an early stage to meet with Oireachtas representatives from County Kildare to discuss what is a very urgent issue. It was brought up with me during the canvass in Kildare. I will meet with the Deputy on this issue.
Sentiment score: 0.18
I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. It is not the first time that he has passionately raised the importance of the northern distributor road. The proposal was established in the Cork metropolitan area transport strategy, CMATS. It is seen as an absolutely essential or, in the words of the strategy, a "critical enabler" for its delivery. My understanding is that the road only emerged as a proposal in CMATS, which was finalised in 2020, and was therefore not part of the current national development plan. However, I assure the Deputy that I will work with him to seek its inclusion in the revised national development plan. I know how important it is to Cork, to the region and to investment.
Sentiment score: 0.18
Those words were clearly anything but what the Deputy has termed them. As she has rightly said, if the Deputy reads the programme for Government, and she referenced it, it commits the Government to working with the sector through the mechanisms that are available to progress the issues. As I said to her colleague Deputy Kerrane when she raised this matter, we have seen the interim agreement in October 2023. We have seen State agencies work with service providers to administer the associated pay funding adjustments. The fact is Departments offered a further 8.5% increase in funding for pay. When that is coupled with the October 2023 situation, it means that funding for pay will increase by 16.5% over three and a half years. Ministers will now seek an early opportunity to restart engagement with unions and employers through the Workplace Relations Commission. I appreciate the vital role that these workers play, but I also appreciate the number of people who depend on those services. I know the Deputy raised the matter in that spirit.
Sentiment score: 0.36
I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I know it has been a source of huge frustration, annoyance and anger for people who want to know when this will become available. Budget 2025 announced the intention to fund the medicine cost of hormone replacement therapy products prescribed to women to help to manage the symptoms associated with all stages of menopause. This is for women who have been prescribed HRT by their healthcare provider. It applies to those products reimbursable by the HSE. The measure is not intended to cover pharmacy or GP fees. The Department of Health engaged with both the HSE and the IPU regarding the practical roll-out of this measure. That engagement is ongoing but I have spoken directly to the new Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, who is very determined to progress this. I will ask her to revert to the Deputy directly on a timeline.
Sentiment score: 0.14
I must say I agree with the Deputy. This is a bizarre situation where somebody over the age of 70 can drive kids in a private bus to the soccer or GAA game at the weekend but cannot drive them to school in a Bus Éireann bus. It is either safe or it is not safe and the inconsistency in relation to this is quite farcical and annoying at a time when we are trying to get more drivers. I have raised this myself. I do not mean to say this in a way that infuriates the Deputy but it is, in the first instance, a matter for Bus Éireann. My colleague, the new Minister of State with responsibility for transport, intends to pursue this. There are people who are perfectly healthy and fit and well able to drive buses and the idea that they can drive any bus other than a Bus Éireann bus does not cut the mustard with me.
Sentiment score: 0.18
If the Deputy sends the details to my office I will engage immediately with the Minister for housing in relation to that matter.
Sentiment score: 0.36
I thank Deputy O'Meara and congratulate him on his election representing the people of Tipperary North. I wish him very well. The programme for Government contains a number of commitments in relation to this. The Deputy is right that housing is the biggest challenge that our country faces and it is the biggest priority that the Government intends to address. As he also rightly highlighted, there is a number of enablers to build housing. It is not just about housing construction capacity but also about water and wastewater treatment facilities. We are going to significantly increase the amount of money available to Uisce Éireann through the capital budgets that we will be allocating shortly. What we need to see in return is a willingness from Uisce Éireann to make sure that projects that are crucial to housing get the go ahead and that projects that might be seen as smaller in scale are also addressed. I will certainly write to the chief executive of Uisce Éireann about the projects Deputy O'Meara mentioned and ask him to meet with the Deputy.
Sentiment score: 0.32
I thank Deputy Geoghegan and congratulate him on his election to Dáil Éireann, representing the people of Dublin Bay South. I look forward to working closely with him. I want to thank him for the instrumental role he played in the Dublin city task force during his time as Lord Mayor and first citizen of Dublin. We have a really good piece of work now, with very clear recommendations and owners beside each of the recommendations. The Deputy is right that there is no one issue here. Of course, we need to do more on Garda numbers in the city and we are all committed to that but there are so many other things that need to be done to create the liveable city that we all want our capital city to be. The interdepartmental group that has been established to drive implementation first met on 23 October last year. It has met four times since then including, most recently, on Tuesday of this week. It will submit its report to the Government in due course. I will seek a further update for the Deputy on that. I absolutely expect that will require funding as well and the funding will be forthcoming.
Sentiment score: 0.24
As the Deputy knows, I agree with him on this issue and I am supportive of this project. It could be a real enabler for the south-east region. The new Minister of State sitting beside me, Deputy Canney, is due to meet his officials in the coming days specifically on that issue. It is, as Deputy Cullinane fairly acknowledges, specifically referenced in the programme for Government. Once the Minister of State has had an opportunity to engage with his officials, I will ask him to engage with Waterford Oireachtas Members on the next steps.
Sentiment score: 0.27
I thank Deputy O'Gorman and wish him well in his new role over on that side of the House. I am proud of the work we did together in the last Government in terms of supporting UNRWA when other countries, as the Deputy rightly says, withdrew their support. I acknowledge the role that the Taoiseach played in increasing the level of funding that we were providing to UNRWA. As recently as this morning I spoke to officials in the Department of foreign affairs and trade about what more we can do to show, in a very demonstrable way, our commitment to UNRWA at this critical moment. I will not speak for the Taoiseach on this but I have no doubt that when he meets President Trump that he will, of course, raise Ireland's position in relation to all of these issues, including our steadfast support for UNRWA.
Sentiment score: 0.38