When it floods in Crookstown, it floods people's homes and businesses and it blocks off the R585, a key artery in and out of west Cork, the Bantry line. It becomes impassable and the centre of the village quickly becomes flooded. What plans are in place for flood defence works in the village of Crookstown?

There is no quick and easy solution in Crookstown, given the way the flooding occurs. A big aspect of it is the junction at Clifford's and the way that gets inundated and flooded. I understand plans are being advanced with the council on a sump and pumping out. It has been conducting some of that work. It is looking around at a checkerboard of funding options, including climate change adaptation and resilience works as well as its own funding. It impedes any kind of a job being done when it is spending more time hu…

I thank the Minister of State. First, I acknowledge the co-operation and the back-and-forth with regard to the work that has been done there. We saw it further up the Lee recently, with funding made available in Ballingeary and Inchigeelagh. I acknowledge that and thank the Minister of State. I acknowledge also the co-operation that has been going on in Crookstown. There is definitely no quick or easy answer in Crookstown and if it means engaging with the Department of Transport, I am pretty sure the council will b…

The recently published national development plan update sets out an ambitious plan for key infrastructure for the years ahead. Many of the capital works are due to get under way by 2030 and others thereafter. Having a pipeline of projects ready is vital because there is so much background work involved with them. I am particularly focused on the ones after 2030. We have seen how the N22 Macroom bypass took many years to advance through the earlier stages, such as the background works, planning and design and so on.…

Guidelines need to be put in place for the development of biogas plants and they need to be advanced as soon as possible. Community groups have raised a range of concerns with me about the development of biomethane gas plants in their locality. They have questions about whether land should be used for food production or energy crops. They also question whether guidelines could be established about the types of feedstocks used and how locally they need to be sourced. Setback distances are a point many communities ar…

Communities are concerned that biomethane development is going to happen in a disorderly way and that developers are going to walk over communities to make money. The communities need to know that the Minister of State has their back. Does the Government have the backs of the communities on this? They are worried. The Minister of State outlines where visual impact, land zoning plans, ecology and various other aspects are already covered in existing legislation and in existing policy documents. Yet, communities rais…

Last year more than 11,000 people applied to join An Garda Síochána. It was a very successful recruitment campaign. At this point, how many of those people have come through Garda training? What is the capacity of the centre to train and put gardaí on the street?

I thank the Minister. Over 11,000 is a huge number and a very strong statement of interest and of the appetitive for joining the Garda. It is a very positive sign. That recruitment has reached out to various communities. What particular efforts have been made to reach different groupings for recruitment? What is the capacity to bring people through the training centre? Some 794 entered last year. That is a very big number and possibly the largest in some time, but how many at a time are coming through there? How so…

Leis an dá shruth gur tháinig isteach anuraidh, bhí 245 duine a tháinig tríd an sruth Gaeilge i mí Feabhra agus 128 tríd an sruth Gaeilge san fhómhar. Is léir go bhfuil laghdú ann i líon na ndaoine atá ag teacht tríd an sruth Gaeilge. Cad iad na hiarrachtaí faoi leith atá á ndéanamh chun Gaeilgeoirí a mhealladh isteach tríd an sruth Gaeilge agus chun neartú a dhéanamh ar an líon Gaeilgeoirí laistigh den chóras? Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil iarrachtaí faoi leith á ndéanamh le fógraíocht, ach an bhfuil aon rud breise á …

With the increasing incidence of bird flu in the wild bird population and, more recently, a fourth turkey farm, it is a concern for flock owners and people who have an interest in wildlife. Will the Minister give an outline of the level of testing that is being conducted and the support that will be there for people whose livelihood has been impacted by the restrictions and the outbreaks?

Poultry farmers are obviously concerned. Where there are outbreaks, even where there are restrictions, it is challenging and very difficult for poultry farmers. There needs to be a realistic support or compensation package in place. As the Minister said, Fota Wildlife Park has been closed since October. It is losing out on income. It has also lost some of its birds. The impact on staff, people around there and the wildlife is significant. Has the Minister engaged with them? What kind of support will be available an…

The compensation package is very focused on the commercial sector where a cull has taken place. The example I outlined of the wildlife park does not fit neatly into that situation. Thankfully, a minimal number of birds will be lost there. However, there are many other instances where the restrictions themselves are putting a cost on the likes of poultry farms. They have to keep a house warm when they do not know how quickly a new flock will be coming in. There are costs associated with the restrictions. The Ministe…

I took the opportunity yesterday to meet with Macra na Feirme to discuss its concerns around the new CAP and the impact it would have on farmers and on rural communities. Its members were particularly focused on generational renewal and knowledge transfer, and the CAP was key for funding generation renewal plan. Will the Minister give members of Macra na Feirme assurance that funding will be available for generational renewal and that action will be taken on implementing that plan?

Farmers are very keen to improve water quality. The recent oversubscription of environmental schemes reflects that appetite. Our grass-based system differs very much from what would be found across Europe. Family farms right across Ireland need to be able to plan for the year ahead and the nitrates derogation is very much part of the planning for the day-to-day operation of the farms. Farmers are really keen to know where they stand and they are going to need to know that for the start of the year. Retaining this d…

The cost of energy, oil, gas and home heating oil is a huge burden on so many people. I am conscious that the Minister has been advancing a plan on energy efficiency and affordability in particular. The Minister has already started implementing some of the measures ahead of publishing the plan. One issue that is starting to bite - it is very difficult for people - is the retrofitting and home upgrade area whereby the council grant for older people has been changed so they are not able to get a grant for the oil hea…

The village of Cloughduv has grown dramatically again in recent years, with many new homes built in Ryecourt Woods, River Meadows and the new Páirc Brouen, which is currently under construction. Parents and grandparents of children around Cloughduv are very anxious about losing a teacher in the school at a time when the village is growing and classes will end up being larger. The school had a developing post up to October based on the growing numbers of children and the expected enrolment. The enrolment increase ha…

I need to raise with the Taoiseach the drug Veoza, which is a non-hormone-based therapy aimed at supporting people with menopause. It is particularly useful to cancer survivors who would have HRT contraindications and who cannot use hormone-based therapies. This drug has been going through the process of qualification for some time. At this stage, the manufacturer has responded, and the ball is very much with the pharmacoeconomic centre to carry out the assessment. I would ask that this be prioritised to get it thr…

I very much welcome the opportunity to have this debate on a hugely important topic, namely, the tillage sector and the phenomenal pressure the people who make it up feel under. It is a sector that is critical to our agrifood sector. It produces quality animal feed, bedding, ingredients for our food and drink sector and contributes over €1.3 billion annually to the agrifood sector. It is hugely important. The tillage sector feels under great pressure, especially over the last two to three years, which have been ver…

I must tell the Minister about this magnificent place, the Gearagh, which is right beside Macroom. It formed after the last Ice Age. It is the remains of a post-glacial alluvial rainforest. It is a magnificent place. Migrating birds have nested there for many generations as they travel north to south and back again. People, whether local or international, may not know it well. We want to bring this wonderfully magnificent place to the attention of more people in order that they can share and enjoy it. Can the Minis…

I acknowledge the huge work that has been done in developing the west Cork and Kenmare development plan. As part of that, there is work also with Údarás na Gaeltachta on developing the Muscraí plan. Muscraí is very much focused on the Gaeltacht area. There is an amazing offering between food, culture, language, the landscape and so much more. The Gearagh is right on the edge of this; it is not the central focus of that plan. It is an amazing nugget on a corridor between the large population centre in Cork, the airp…