I also add my congratulations and thanks to the committee. It is a great committee and does fantastic work. I call Deputy Toole.

The Deputy's time is up.

I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Health Act 1970 and to provide for related matters. I will share my time. The Bill amends the Health Act 1970 to ensure the effectiveness of the provision without charge of drugs, medicines or medical or surgical appliances to persons suffering from the precise disease or disability of a permanent or long-term nature through a review every three years. The long-term illness, LTI, scheme has been a success since its establishment and has …

I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

Very slowly.

Applications for the very much-needed special school that is due to open in Balbriggan closed on 29 May. It is very likely to be oversubscribed. As the Taoiseach can imagine, there is quite a number of anxious parents wanting confirmation that this school is going to open. I am concerned at the fact that I have now been contacted by SNAs who cannot find any information about the recruitment process, which leads me to believe it may not open in September as has been promised. I am not expecting the Taoiseach to have…

I thank my colleague, an Teachta Cullinane, for bringing forward this legislation. I look back on the speeches given on the day the post-repeal legislation was introduced here in the Dáil. The three-day wait was opposed by Sinn Féin, the Labour Party and People Before Profit, PBP. I have to say that we were right to oppose it. I am glad to say that other parties that did not take the opportunity that night have come to the same conclusion. The three-day wait is nothing more than a political construct. It was not re…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill this afternoon. An Teachta Ó Broin has outlined in detail the Sinn Féin position on this legislation. I will say one thing, and this is more of a general point than a specific one, that at this early stage in the legislative process, the tabling of pages and pages of ministerial amendments is a little bit concerning. That is no disrespect to the people who put the work into drafting them, but it indicates a little bit of confusion, chaos and unpreparedness - I do not …

I thank the Minister of State for being here to take this Topical Issue. I will talk specifically about a school but a school that illustrates a broader problem. I will refer to one school but I am referring to a broader issue with the school summer programme. There was a delay, and the Minister of State is aware of this, in releasing the programme. Only in the past few weeks have schools been able to apply. I will speak about Gaelscoil Baile Brigín. It applied for two special classes and three mainstream classes, …

That is fair enough. I thank the Minister of State.

That would be very welcome. The Minister of State said, and we agree on this, that the programme has a positive impact on the many children and young people who have taken part, and that parents, staff and the children themselves report improvements in confidence, attitude and readiness to return to school in September. There is nothing wrong with that. It is fantastic and a sign of something that is working. It is very natural and normal that I would come in the House and say, on behalf of my constituents, that if…

Go raibh maith agat.

I thank the Deputy. He is taking time from his colleagues. I call Deputy Ó Muirí.

For the supplementary questions to the Minister of State, each Member has 24 seconds. I remind them that I have no latitude to give additional time. Members all know that. I remind them that if they exceed their time, they will be taking time from one of their constituency colleagues. It is 24 seconds each.

Le bhur dtoil.

I am going to stick with the same order, so I call Deputy Brabazon.

Before I ask the Minister of State, Deputy Ardagh, to address us, I extend my congratulations to her on her recent appointment and to wish her all the best in her role.

Loyalists.

The Bill the Government has published is a hollowed-out version of what people want and expect. The Minister has not advanced a legal argument because there is not one. She should be honest with people and say that this is purely and simply a cowardly political decision. For eight years we and the Government have talked about and around the occupied territories Bill. The Minister knows that including services gives this legislation teeth but she has chosen to propose a hollowed-out version. She clearly does not wan…

Hear, hear.