The proposal to meet with Fáilte Ireland is both positive and one we should take up. There are a number of stakeholders involved. Having ESB, which is the landowner, participating in such a meeting would be very important, particularly as it owns the Gearagh area, which is part of the Lee reservoir. While they have done some work on bird hides, walkways, etc., many feel that there is a lack of energy or interest on the part of the ESB in advancing and promoting the Gearagh. There is limited signage on site for inte…

China is the sixth largest destination for our agrifood exports, worth over €613 million, and pigmeat is a huge part of that trade, at €102 million last year. The imposition by China recently of what it considers anti-dumping tariffs will really challenge that trade. What efforts are being made to end those tariffs?

These tariffs are a huge burden on the export of pig products to China. Two obvious supports are needed: first, the ending of the tariff and allowing free trade and, second, alternative markets. It is reasonable to expect that China will build its own pigmeat businesses and will be able to satisfy its own market more in the years ahead. What particular efforts are being made to find alternative markets for Irish pig product across any other parts of the globe, whether South America, North America or wherever else?

To return to the earlier question, this relates to the efforts to end the tariff and to reopen the opportunity for trade. I understand this investigation has been ongoing for some time, with the expectation of an outcome later this year, or possibly by the end of the year. Is there any evidence emerging of dumping going on? Where do things stand at the moment on this? I know that it was raised by the agriculture Minister at the recent AGRIFISH meeting as well with his EU colleagues. Is there any evidence, or is the…

Tá Foras na Gaeilge ag freastal ar phobal na Gaelainne ar fud an oileáin ar fad. Tá an-bhuairt ar na heagrais éagsúla a bhfuil an foras ag freastal orthu nach bhfuil an maoiniú oiriúnach ar fáil dóibh. Cén teagmháil a bhí ag an Aire leis an bhforas go dtí seo chun a chinntiú go mbeadh an maoiniú oiriúnach acu?

Is maith é go bhfuil an teagmháil á brú ar aghaidh ag an Aire. Tá buairt ar phobal na Gaelainne agus ar na heagrais éagsúla. Teastaíonn uathu a chinntiú go mbeidh maoiniú oiriúnach ar fáil do na heagrais ar fud an oileáin ar fad. Tuigim go bhfuil an Rialtas ó Dheas sásta a chuid mhaoiniú a chur ar fáil ach gurb amhlaidh go bhfuil an brú ag teacht ón bhFeidhmeannas ó Thuaidh agus nach bhfuil an DUP agus Sinn Féin ag cur a sciar den airgead ar fáil. Is é sin an áit a bhfuil an deacracht. An féidir brú a chur ar an bh…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. Ar an gcéad dul síos, caithfimid díriú isteach ar riachtanais phobail na Gaelainne ar fud an oileáin ar fad. Más rud é nach bhfuil an Feidhmeannas ó Thuaidh ag freastal ar phobal na Gaelainne agus ag cur maoiniú cuí ar fáil - chonaiceamar anuraidh an tslí ina bhfuil sé ábalta maoiniú a chur ar fáil - an féidir an córas a athrú gan teacht salach ar Chomhaontú Aoine an Chéasta? An bhfuil slí eile chun é sin a láimhseáil más rud é nach bhfuil an Feidhmeannas ó Thuaidh in ann freastal ar …

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Nuair a bhí scéim na mbóithre áise ag feidhmiú cheana féin, bhí sí an-chabhrach do phobal na Gaeltachta. Déanadh athchóiriú ar bhóithre ar fud na nGaeltachtaí. Cén dul chun cinn atá déanta anois chun an scéim sin a oscailt agus a chur ar fáil do phobal na Gaeltachta arís?

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. Bhí an scéim an-úsáideach i gcomhair phobal na Gaeltachta mar rinneadh athchóiriú ar an chéad píosa den bhóthar ar a raibh siad ag tiomáint ar maidin agus an píosa deireanach sa tráthnóna ar a raibh siad ag taisteal agus iad ag filleadh abhaile. Tá sí dírithe ar bhóithre a bhí fágtha ar leataobh go minic ag an gcomhairle contae de bharr go raibh siad ag díriú ar bhóithre níos gnóthaí. Tuigim nach mbeidh an scéim tosaithe thar oíche agus go mbeidh roinnt oibre sa chúlra i gceist. Cad i…

Cloisim an méid atá á rá ag an Aire mar gheall ar an scéim feabhsaithe áitiúil, nó LIS, atá ann faoi láthair. Is scéim an-úsáideach í agus cabhraíonn sí le feabhsú bóithre ar fud na tíre. Tá sé fíorthábhachtach, pé dul chun cinn a dhéantar, go mbeidh scéim na mbóithre áise ag feidhmiú go chomhthreomhar leis an LIS agus go mbeidh deis breise ag pobal na Gaeltachta feabhas a chur ar na bóithre, seachas blas Gaeltachta a chur ar an LIS do phobal na Gaeltachta amháin agus go gcaillfidh siad amach ar an scéim eile. Tá s…

Tá an cheist seo bainteach leis an gcéim shuntasach a bhain muid amach cheana féin ag fáil stádais oifigiúil don Ghaeilge san Aontas Eorpach. Chomh maith leis an nGaeilge a bheith ag feidhmiú laistigh den chóras, an bhféadfadh an tAire a léiriú cén dul chun cinn atá á dhéanamh chun an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn san Aontas Eorpach?

De réir an embassy, táthar den tuairim go bhfuil thart ar 15,000 Éireannach sa Bhruiséil faoi láthair. Is Gaeilgeoirí iad an-chuid acu. Mar shampla, chonaiceamar an clár teilifíse “La Vie sa Bhruiséil” ina léiríodh an pobal beo bríomhar atá inti. Mar sin, lasmuigh den chóras oifigiúil, is léir go bhfuil pobal Gaeilgeoirí ann. An bhfuil iarrachtaí á ndéanamh chun tacú le pobal na Gaeilge lasmuigh den chóras oifigiúil chun go mbeidh, mar shampla, Gaeilge le cloisteáil sa Bhruiséil nó aon áit eile sa tslí céanna is at…

Céim shuntasach a bhí ann chun an t-aitheantas don Ghaelainn a bhaint amach. Sa bhliain 2005, bhí an chéim ba mhó ann. Thug sé ardú meanman. Bhí foireann mhór ateangairí agus go leor eile ag teastáil chun a chinntiú go bhféadfaí é a chur i bhfeidhm sa chóras sa Bhruiséil. An bhfuil go leor daoine ar fáil? An bhfuil an fhoireann ann? Is dócha go bhfuil an Rialtas in iomaíocht le hateangairí sa tír seo chomh maith. An bhfuil céimeanna á dtógáil chun a chinntiú go mbeidh daoine breise, ateangairí agus aon duine eile a…

I know the Taoiseach will be familiar with the huge work that is being done on reducing the waiting times for driver tests. However, I need to draw his attention to the clumsy way AXA Insurance and the Road Safety Authority have combined to cause learner drivers to fail their test, resulting in them having to wait an extra 15-20 weeks. AXA has issued black insurance discs, not the green ones we are familiar with, and the RSA fails people presenting for a test with a black insurance disc, puts them back on the waiti…

There are employers who struggle to get skilled workers in a range of different sectors. They look across the world to find people but when they are recruiting, they struggle both with getting a permit and then possibly a visa to enter the country. What is the up-to-date position on getting the single visa application process up and running?

In areas such as healthcare, farming, timber and other sectors, employers have struggled to get skilled staff. When they look abroad, it can be a slow and difficult process, between finding the person, his or her employment permit and the visa to enter. Each one after another can be a challenge. Employers could end up finding the person but not a visa to enter the country. The Minister of State outlined the plan to move ahead with the single permit. Will he outline what milestones he sees along the way? What are th…

I have two different questions on that. On phasing, the Minister of State said a 2027 completion date was being aimed for. Will a switch be flicked in 2027 and everybody will apply? Is it being phased in sector by sector from then or just before it? As regards collaboration between his Department and the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, some of the sectors will be more difficult. For example, there are a small number of larger employers in healthcare, whereas in farming or timber, there are a lot o…

Pharmacists have shown time and again their great capacity to expand services and provide more and more services to communities locally, for example, vaccinations, repeat prescriptions and in so many other different ways. Will the Minister outline the next steps in expanding the role of pharmacies in community care?

I thank the Minister. She has kind of pre-empted my next question on GPs.

They are under pressure in the complexity and range and the load of the increasing population. GPs in many places are under pressure, especially in rural communities, and medical experts are available beside them with a willingness to expand out and give support. On the common conditions, it is good to hear that the Minister is aiming to get that done in the months ahead before the end of the year. There is a limited number of conditions the Minister is focusing in on. What is the plan for expanding that out? Have …