Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire agus gabhaim míle buíochas leis as bheith anseo linn inniu. I also take this opportunity to commend him on the work being done by his Department. I am delighted to be speaking about balanced regional development in my role as Fine Gael Seanad spokesperson on rural affairs and community development. Coming from rural mid-Cork, I am incredibly aware of the importance of balanced regional development and decentralisation. Balanced development is not just a policy goal; it is essential if we…

At 10.30 a.m. tomorrow.

I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber. My Commencement matter is about a review of the widow’s pension and the payment of same. There is a massive anomaly in the system when it comes to the payment of the widow’s pension insofar as if someone is in receipt of the widow’s pension, that person cannot receive any sick pay or illness benefit should she need to go on sick leave from work. It is incredibly discriminatory and unfair. It needs to be addressed. Unfortunately, when it comes to bereavement, it does n…

I appreciate the Minister of State’s engagement on this matter and, indeed, the many valid points he made. We are very much on the same page on this. It must be recognised that an anomaly exists. In that context, I refer to the unfairness of the situation whereby a person who is still working and paying PRSI cannot access illness benefit. I commend the Minister of State on the work he said he did in this area previously in terms of the half-rate carer's payment. I do not see why that logic could not be applied to t…

I wish to first acknowledge the Tánaiste's statement on this matter. I thank him for being in the Seanad this morning and for his continuing commitment to peace. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, here today. Gaza, unfortunately, is now synonymous with suffering, displacement, human tragedy and genocide. Let me begin by reaffirming a belief shared across this Chamber, which is the right of all people, Palestinian and Israeli, to live in peace, dignity and security. Let there be no ambiguity here. The…

I rise to address an important and prominent issue, which is the issue of the payment of the widow's pension. Unfortunately, a person can become a widow or lose their spouse or cohabiting partner at any age and they then receive this widow's pension based on the stamps of their deceased spouse or partner. An issue affecting many of my constituents and people right across the country, and which has not been adequately addressed, is that people in receipt of the widow's pension cannot receive any other social welfare…

It is disingenuous to say the double jeopardy rule applies in this case. I call on the Minister for Social Protection to come to the House to address the matter.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. It is important that we discuss the local democracy task force today and the important role of local government across the country. The programme for Government recognises that real democracy begins at local level. It was in this spirit that the Seanad's local democracy task force produced its reports. The findings were clear: local government in Ireland is underpowered, under-resourced and in urgent need of reform. Having served as a councillor on Cork County Council from 2019 until Fe…

I thank the Minister of State for being here this morning. I want to speak on an issue of urgency and strategic importance, not just for our national climate goals but for rural communities across the country, particularly in my own county of Cork. In north-west Cork there is currently potential for the development of a biomethane plant in Kilvoultra, a rural community just outside Macroom. There is a clear and pressing need for the Minister for the environment to provide a firm commitment to publish national guide…

I thank the Minister of State for such a comprehensive response. I really welcome the confirmation that these planning guidelines are in the ether. I would appreciate hearing if there is any particular timeline. I am very much in favour of biomethane and biogas. It is well established technology in mainland Europe but it is not necessarily something we have investigated here. It has many benefits from energy, climate and agricultural perspectives. If we want to meet out targets and introduce these plants around the…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I support the comments of my colleagues regarding the unacceptable delays in driving test waiting times, particularly the extended periods which young people, jobseekers and rural residents are enduring just to sit their driving tests. As of the end of April, as the Minister of State will be aware, the waiting time for a test in Mallow and Wilton in Cork was 36 and 35 weeks, respectively. That is almost three times the waiting time in Mallow at the same time last year. This is a s…

I would like to be associated with the remarks of sympathy to the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, on the loss of his sister. It is very timely we are having this discussion today for biodiversity week as we face so many challenges in terms of biodiversity. We need a practical, future focused approach, one that respects our rural communities and values the role of farmers as stewards of the land. I say this with urgency because the evidence is now overwhelming. Ireland's biodiversity is under serious pressure.…

I rise to speak on biomethane facilities and their development throughout the country. It is an issue that has become incredibly prominent and problematic in recent months. I appreciate that the national biomethane strategy was published last year. It contains 25 key strategic actions to address the challenges and opportunities of anaerobic digestion and biomethane production. However, these guidelines completely fail to address the issue of the planning and location of these biomethane facilities. It is becoming m…

I raise the establishment of a new stakeholder forum for licensed firearms holders. Licensed firearms, namely, shotguns and rifles, have an important place in rural Ireland. Farmers and hunters use licensed firearms to control vermin and tackle predators, protect crops, livestock and poultry and protect habitats and biodiversity, including in cases of overpopulation of deer. In addition, game hunting is an important cultural and recreational pursuit in rural Ireland, evidenced by the enduring presence of more than …

I thank the Minister of State for that comprehensive response. I noted everything he said, but it still did not provide an answer as to when the stakeholder forum would actually be delivered. This has been promised since 2019. We are seeing changes in the legislation and rules regarding firearms, yet there is no consultation with those who are actively involved in this. It feels kind of remiss to note the firearms consultative panel, given that it has not met since 2019. I take the Minister of State’s reply on boar…

I would like the House to acknowledge and pay tribute to the work done by community alert groups as they celebrate their 40th anniversary. Community alert was founded by Muintir na Tíre in 1985 following a spike in rural crime, break-ins and illegal activity. For the past 40 years, community alert has not only protected communities but has also shown the importance of communities working together. It has evolved into a vital support network that helps to prevent crime, promotes social inclusion and strengthens comm…

I thank the Minister for being here to discuss this vital motion, which I fully support. I wish to focus on the call on the Government to prioritise and fund a national equipment renewal programme across Ireland's further and higher education institutions. As a nation we have long prided ourselves on being a knowledge economy and placing innovation, research and education at the heart of national development. This cannot continue to be the case if our students and researchers are working with equipment that is outd…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit go dtí an Teach. Gabhaim buíochas léi as a bheith anseo inniu agus guím gach rath uirthi lena post nua. The area of disability is one that affects almost all families in some form or other. Therefore, it is incredibly important that we are discussing it today. I wish to speak on an issue of growing importance in the area of disability services, the role of service dogs in supporting people with disabilities across the State. Currently, three organisations in Ireland provide assista…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit agus gabhaim buíochas leis as ucht a bheith anseo linn inniu do Sheachtain - nó coicís - na Gaeilge. Táimid bailithe inniu chun labhairt faoi rud atá fíorthábhachtach dúinn mar mhuintir na hÉireann, is é sin ár dteanga dhúchais, an Ghaeilge, agus í a chur chun cinn. Is cuid dár bhféiniúlacht í an Ghaeilge. Is í an nasc idir sinne agus ár sinsear, teanga a mhair tríd na cianta agus a lán dúshláin. Nuair a labhraímid í, tugaimid beocht dár stair agus dár gcultúr. Ní hamháin gur oidhr…

I thank the Minister for taking this matter, which relates to the need for an update on the status of a new building for Macroom Youthreach further education and training centre. Macroom is my hometown in County Cork. For more than 20 years, the Youthreach building in Macroom has not been fit for purpose. There is little to no insulation. The only form of heating comes from a heater hanging from the ceiling and plug-in electrical heaters. The roof is not fire-proofed. There is mould throughout the building. There a…