I thank the Minister of State. I always say here that every day is a school day. The €11 million PSO levy being returned is most welcome. I do not wish to be cheeky but I would welcome a response from the Minister of State on whether the transfer of leases has or does not have an impact on price? I appreciate that the Minister of State is deputising. I highlighted the average price versus the real price and the gap in the middle. I know the patterns in my area. In one instance, a farm was bought by a business perso…

The highest priority within the programme for Government is the whole area of special education, and the work that has been done to date by special needs assistants, special education teachers, the whole school community and indeed the parents and guardians supporting children throughout. It is fair to say that listening did need to improve and that is happening. It is of the utmost priority to find a way for SNA alternative circular to be integrated into the NCSE review of the role of the special needs assistant. …

It can be done in the short term.

Cosúil le Contae Chill Mhantáin, tá a lán fadhbanna á réiteach againn i gContae na Mí. Prior planning prevents poor performance. You cannot manage what you cannot measure. We are snowed under with data sets. Yet in Meath East, parents are alternating between commuting to work and campaigning alongside public representatives for childcare and school places. Students switch from study to work to keeping social connections trying to navigate disconnected, under resourced modes of transport. Examples include the 103 bu…

I welcome the update that the Minister, Deputy Chambers, will be in contact with me. Another point that is related is the different Cabinet committees across those key areas I mentioned. I ask for an update in due course. It is interdepartmental and intergovernmental communication. Are there changes taking place from the perspective of team training? Knowledge, skills and attitude are one part of running a business. I consider running the country is effectively the most important business to be run. Taking people o…

As others have said, the crisis and the knock-on cost of living, which has arisen because of variables completely outside of our control in this country, have brought us to this point. They have also brought us to the point where we have to collaborate and co-operate, and engage in serious problem solving across the Chamber to try to alleviate the stress, anxiety and financial pressure that everybody is under at this point. There has been criticism of tax breaks. I point out that excise duty on petrol is down by 36…

Similarly to an Teachta Ó Murchú, I commend the Minister of State and her team for the work that has been done to date. I laud the fact that the review process will be brought forward. That is important. I will not be pedantic and repeat what has already been said. There has been that offer of collaboration from Professor O'Flynn in University of Galway. I have passed on the details of the relevant person in the Department. We would have received some correspondence from Justice for Wards. The review process will b…

As a proud member of a primary care team for 36 years, I greatly value the relationship among the primary care community of GPs, practice nurses, administration teams, OT, gerontology teams, etc. I am wary though of an increase in access at this point in time. The investment recently is most welcome. The additional places for GP training are absolutely most welcome, but if we refer back to Sláintecare and the tenets of that, there is more than just the GP piece. We have already seen a commencement and advancement i…

Like all Members who have spoken before me, I too wish to express my gratitude to SNAs and, indeed, the whole school community team members, including the special education teachers. As a granddaughter, daughter and niece of primary teachers, I understand very well the complexities of what is involved in the State and the school community trying to meet our objectives under Articles 42 and 42A of Bunreacht na hÉireann, that is, to create an environment to enable learning by all children in the State at their level.…

I welcome this opportunity to address the subject of flooding. I want to express my absolute gratitude to the Minister of State. He was everywhere in all parts of the country. We look forward to imminently welcoming him to County Meath. I express my sincere gratitude to the engineers and outdoor crew of Meath County Council, particularly in the municipal districts of Ashbourne, Laytown, Bettystown, Kells and Ratoath. I also express my gratitude to the farming community. I do not know of one farmer in our area who w…

My question is quite straightforward. It relates to the establishment of an independent, non-statutory Covid evaluation committee. Why was that route taken, rather than a statutory inquiry similar to other jurisdictions like the UK, Australia and America? Everybody in the House would agree that the greatest wealth we have is health. In this week of the World Economic Forum at Davos and the concerns over Mercosur, we must not forget the people. We are human beings, not human doings. Up to 100 years ago, anecdotal ev…

Go raibh maith agat, a Thaoisigh. I thank the Taoiseach for the comprehensive reminder of the evaluation committee and the members thereof. I have the height of respect and admiration for Professor Anne Scott, who is quite near me, and has vast years of experience across a broad range of medical disciplines. My question is quite simple. If there is not an inquiry, will the Government expand the scope or terms of reference? This is in relation to the protected disclosure, in particular. As I raised previously, it wa…

I am thankful for the opportunity this evening. I commend the Minister of State and the Minister, Deputy Browne, in particular for the initiative to work with developers on wastewater and to accelerate the delivery of housing. That is something that we would have raised in Meath in various meetings with Uisce Éireann over the years. I also commend the water caretakers in Meath County Council, who have done sterling work, often bridging the gap in terms of communication with residents. I wish to flag a couple of poi…

My question relates to the health costs report on aircraft noise from Dublin Airport, which was submitted in April 2025, and estimated costs per annum of €800 million. They are significant health costs. How and why is that being ignored in light of the European Environment Agency report in the European Heart Journal of 9 January this year?

I acknowledge the opportunities to meet the Minister. The findings of this European report are stark, estimating 16 premature deaths per 100,000. The information in that report of April 2025 is vitally important. As a matter of correction, in April 2024, ANCA sought noise data information from DAA. It was declined, citing judicial review proceedings, which is wholly inaccurate. That information is vitally important relative to the April report and the more recent report. As the Minister and I both know, there actua…

Go raibh maith agat arís for the reply. This is a matter of absolute importance. There is no denying the economic benefit and employment opportunities for an island nation in connecting people, goods and places. The good neighbour policy and the mission statement of the DAA board is being completely ignored when there is a viable solution. The capacity for flight path resolution is probably not within AirNav, but Bratislava is well capable and is amply employed by other jurisdictions in constructing flight paths. A…

I will try to pick up where I left off. I was commending the recommendations of Meath Comhairle na nÓg. In the realm of drugs of addiction, alcohol, vaping, etc., the feedback from that and other youth groups around the country is that education is key. They want to know about the harms of different products on the market. I sat in on the Joint Committee on Drugs Use a couple of weeks before Christmas. I am not a member of that committee but there was a very insightful and encouraging presentation by Ms Leanne Mahe…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Cheann Comhairle agus an Aire Stáit. I am going to take a slightly different approach here as a healthcare professional and also as a farmer’s daughter. It is not going to change the current position but it is just to make the case that essential food molecules, including protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, minerals and water, are the very things that constitute beef, chicken and grain. Maybe not so much honey, although it primarily has a high carbohydrate content. Essential nutrien…

I welcome the introduction of this Bill. I concur with colleagues. The willingness to accept amendments on Committee Stage will be most important. If that can be enabled, it would be a move in a strong and positive direction. This is something that parents, children, teenagers, teachers, Tidy Towns volunteers and public health professionals are strongly in favour of. I commend the Minister of State on the work that has been done to date. The devil will be in the detail. Nicotine, no matter what way it is dressed up…

I so move.