Before I ask the Minister of State to respond, I had some oversight on this in my previous role. Certainly my understanding at the time, giving direction to the NPWS, was on the ban on use of lead over wetlands. It was quite specific and there was to be stakeholder engagement as far as I am aware.

Nollaig Shona daoibh go léir.

Last week saw the publication of the periodic Article 17 report on the status of habitats and species in Ireland. It is done in six-year cycles of reporting. Since the 2019 report, unfortunately, things have deteriorated quite dramatically in terms of our habitats. There is some better news for many species but what is critical from the Government's perspective is that the funding that was been put into the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS, over the last five-year cycle needs to continue. There are signifi…

Hear, hear.

Some weeks ago, I attended the Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board apprenticeship awards ceremony in Kilkenny. It was a proud day for those young men and women and their families. The ceremony added greatly to the significance of their collective achievements. I do not need to tell the Minister of State how much we need these young apprentices in our economy right now, an economy that is running at full tilt. I saw in a previous role, particularly in the heritage sector, young apprentices in thatching,…

Go raibh maith ag an Aire Stáit. They are great services. I totally agree.

The Department of education recently published two sister documents outlining the Government's vision for the future of Irish-language education in our schools. The action plan for Irish in English-medium schools, plean gnímh don Ghaeilge i scoileanna meán-Bhéarla, and the policy for Irish-medium education outside the Gaeltacht, Polasaí don Oideachas Lán Ghaeilge lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht. If I said these documents were met with disappointment in both education and Irish-language circles, that would imply they had be…

Féach ar an mBreatain Bheag. The ambition there is to go ó 23% go 40% faoi 2050. Sa Stát seo, áfach, tá sé thart ar 6%. The ambition needs to be there, as I said. Young people in particular feel inspired. We might call it the “Kneecap effect” but, whatever it is, we need to seize that momentum and work with it. I am fortunate that our children are being educated through Irish in Gaelscoileanna agus Gaelcholáistí i gCill Chainnigh but, as parents, we would all like to have that opportunity as well. It is about havin…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Like other Members, I started my political career in local government. I spent 16 years on Kilkenny County Council. It was not always easy being the only Green in the village. I served quite a bit of that time with Councillor Joe Malone, who is one of the hardest-working councillors in the country. The work he does in LAMA, on top of his day-to-day council work, is a great credit to him. Like other Members, I acknowledge the reforms that have taken place. I spent a lot of my Satur…

Following up on the issue of the nitrates derogation, it would be useful to have the Minister, Deputy Heydon, in here at some point. He is claiming a victory on this but it is a pyrrhic victory in many ways. We have three years now to look at the alternatives and at what the future is for the derogation in Ireland. Could it be the unthinkable, a future without derogation? What might that look like? It might look like a regenerative model of agriculture that takes into account significant changes in our climate over…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Ní féidir liom tacú leis an mBille seo. I absolutely acknowledge the intent behind it. It has been introduced by my good friend and colleague. However, I cannot support it. As has been said, the very fact that we are debating an amendment to a 90-year-old Act governing Ardnacrusha speaks volumes about the urgent need to develop a whole system plan for the Shannon catchment. The Shannon is one of Europe's most significant Natura 2000 river systems and deserves to be treated as such…

The Green Party will not be supporting this Bill either. On the point made by my comrade about the VAT rate for hospitality, there has been widespread criticism of this proposal. What the Green Party proposed in our pre-budget submission was a capped VAT and rates refund for small businesses. This is a blanket reduction from 13.5% to 9% that will support the big chains and do little to help the struggling high street. Our high streets are in trouble. I welcome some of the measures in this budget, especially a Bill …

Níl an freagra scríofa againn. We will get it for the Senator after the session.

Tá an freagra scríofa ag an Seanadóir anois.

The presentation on Tuesday, which I attended, very powerful. I congratulate the Senator on organising it.

I know the Minister of State was just handed the response, so she did really well. I note that this is the second time this has happened on my watch with a Department of Health matter. I call the Senator to respond.

It is important, when a Minister of State is on duty for Commencement matters, that the response is given to the Minister in a timely manner.

Delegates headed to the airport in Belém at the weekend after the COP30 negotiations with very little to show for it, unfortunately. We know that the COP process is the only game in town in terms of multilateral agreements and reaching consensus-based decisions on something as significant as climate. While some commitments were made in terms of funding climate adaptation in small island developing states and developing countries, it still fell well short of what was required. A last-minute scramble by the Brazilian…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit go dtí an Teach. We have all had the experience of bringing a family member to or attending an accident and emergency unit or hospital where administrative staff scramble to locate files and get files from GPs. There has been some discourse by the Minister, and it is most welcome, around setting up a system of digitised health records for members of the public and patients. We have seen that service in other jurisdictions. I have returned from attending a meeting last week of the N…

I really do welcome that update. It is certainly encouraging to see such progress being made. As I said in my opening remarks, it is critically important for the long-term health and well-being of our society, particularly for babies born after this system is up and running. That they will have the opportunity to have their health records online throughout their lives and having that integrated system that is interoperable between European countries is going to be absolutely vital. I welcome the update. Separately,…