I want to raise again two hugely important education and economic development projects for County Kerry and ask that every effort be made to expedite both. The first is the proposed hospitality education college at the former Pretty Polly site in Killarney. It is a transformative project not just for Killarney but also for the wider south-west region. Hospitality and tourism, as the Minister is well aware, are the backbone of our local economy, and this project would create a state-of-the-art training campus focuse…

I again raise the issue of inheritance tax and the anomalies that exist for parents and their children on the one hand, and childless adults, their brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews on the other hand. Currently children inheriting a family home from their parents are exempted from tax on inheritances of up to €400,000, which, considering the price of homes currently, is undoubtedly far too low. However, a major anomaly exists when it comes to childless couples and individuals who often decide to leave their hom…

I thank the Minister of State for his detailed response. I mentioned the case of the civil servant who passed away. His partner was refused the widow's portion of his civil servant pension as they were not married. This was also found to be unconstitutional. Contrast this with the current taxation system where partners are treated as strangers for capital acquisition tax purposes. This is wide open to a constitutional challenge to the current legislation. Obviously, I am aware that during the past week, the State s…

I call on the Government to urgently address the anomaly that exists with the current taxation system in respect of capital acquisitions tax when applied to partners in comparison to married couples. Current legislation means that a partner, even a lifetime partner, is regarded as a stranger for capital acquisitions tax purposes. Therefore, the current threshold limit of €20,000 applies and anything over that amount is taxed at 33% whereas married couples are tax exempt. Partners are now entitled to a survivor's pe…

-----the current legislation and needs to be addressed by the Minister for Finance.

I welcome the opportunity to again raise this important issue and to request that the Minister for Education and Youth provide additional funding for significant improvement and refurbishment works in schools. What is happening in my county of Kerry is simply not acceptable in 2026. We have a systemic problem of underinvestment and as I outlined about two weeks ago in this Chamber, it is very obvious in Scoil Iognáid Rís in Daingean Uí Chúis-Dingle. Conditions there are "outdated and dangerous", yet the school is t…

I thank the Minister of State for the response but I have to say it does not match the reality being experienced by many schools across County Kerry. This evening, I have raised consistent and repeated concerns from multiple school communities and I would like to return briefly to a few of them. Scoil Iognáid Rís, Dingle, has a building that is fundamentally unfit for purpose. This is not a minor works issue; it is a full redevelopment issue. In the case of Scoil Réalt na Mara, the funding model is clearly broken i…

I raise this issue at a time of growing uncertainty for Ireland's tourism sector. In counties like Kerry, the uncertainty is very real. What is the Minister's Department's current assessment of the likely impact of these aviation challenges on overseas visitor numbers in 2026? Specifically, what contingency planning is under way to protect regions like Kerry? What actions are being taken to safeguard air access, support regional tourism and ensure counties like mine are not left exposed?

Tourism in Kerry is the lifeblood of our local economy. From Dingle to Cahersiveen, from Killarney to Ballyheigue, from Kenmare to Ballybunion, from Glenbeigh to Listowel, from Valentia Island to Tralee and right across the county, thousands of jobs and small businesses depend directly on a strong and stable flow of overseas visitors. That stability is under threat. We are seeing the early impacts of global aviation disruption, driven by the conflict involving Iran and rising jet fuel costs. Airlines are already sc…

I appreciate the Minister's response but I want to press the point about regional impact. This cannot be approached in a one-size-fits-all way. Kerry and the wider south west are particularly vulnerable to any reduction in air capacity. If flights are cut or become more expensive, visitors do not just delay; they often choose alternative destinations entirely. While there is a suggestion Ireland could benefit as a safe destination or from increased domestic tourism, we need to be realistic. Domestic tourism will no…

What is happening in schools across County Kerry is simply not acceptable in 2026. I wish to be clear from the outset that we do not have a minor works problem; we have a systemic underinvestment problem. Nowhere is that clearer than in Scoil Iognáid Rís in Daingean Uí Chúis. The school is located in what is considered to be one of the most affluent towns in the country, yet the conditions in the main boy's national school are, in the words of the principal, "archaic". We are talking about children tripping on brok…

I again raise the CAMHS scandal in Kerry. Will the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, provide updates on the north Kerry look-back review and the compensation scheme? I thank the Minister of State for visiting Kerry recently and meeting with individuals and their families. She has always made herself available to the families. I was in Leinster House on a number of occasions over the years when the Minister of State met with them and listened to their concerns. I want to ensure that all of these children, many of wh…

A new permanent oncology and haematology unit at University Hospital Kerry is vital to the people of Kerry. Cancer patient numbers in Kerry are continuing to grow, with many needing to travel from all over Kerry to a hospital, such as Cork University Hospital, the Bon Secours, the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, the Mercy Hospital in Cork, and with many others travelling to Limerick, Dublin and elsewhere for intensive treatments. The travelling involved is an extra burden on all those patients, and a …

There is no doubt that the rising cost of energy is placing enormous pressure on households right across County Kerry and, indeed, the entire country. For many families, it is a weekly decision between buying food, heating the home, filling the car or meeting other essential costs. In a rural county like Kerry, where people rely heavily on their cars and on home heating oil, these increases are being felt particularly sharply. It is a very genuine frustration people are feeling and while there may be differences in…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the vital role of our post office network, particularly in counties like Kerry where our post offices are the very heartbeat of our towns and villages. I sincerely thank the Government for its continued commitment to this network, in particular the approval of €75 million over the next five years. That investment sends a clear and strong signal that this Government recognises the social and economic importance of post offices in both rural and urban Ireland. In Kerry, from larg…

The post office network is a national asset. With the right vision and continued support, it can remain at the centre of community life for generations to come.

In the west Kerry Gaeltacht, Gaeltacht Chorca Dhuibhne, we have the linguistic town of Dingle - An Daingean, Ceann Trá, Dún Chaoin, An Fheothanach agus Baile an Fheirtéaraigh. In Gaeltacht Uíbh Ráthaigh, we have the service town of Cahersiveen, Baile an Sceilg, An Dromaid, An Ghleann agus An Caladh. These are the two main Gaeltacht areas in County Kerry. There is a strong need to increase the number of Gaelic speakers in these regions. The two regions are suffering from depopulation. There is a need to incentivise …

A new stand-alone oncology unit for University Hospital Kerry is vital for all cancer patients and their families in Kerry. I impress upon the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health the urgent requirement to have a stand-alone oncology-haematology unit on the grounds of UHK to provide Kerry patients with the dignity, privacy and comfort they deserve during one of the most challenging periods of their lives. The Comfort for Chemo Kerry committee, a wonderful organisation, has already raised over €1.5 million in funds…

At the outset, I acknowledge the tremendous work the Minister of State is putting into this area at a very difficult time. He has visited every single fishing community at this stage. He is working night and day on this, meeting all the people involved in the industry, visiting fishing communities, meeting fishermen and fisherwomen, and owners of processing plants which export our fish and shellfish all over the globe. This is an extremely difficult time. The Minister of State has inherited a problem. The industry …

I am raising the matter of funding for a host of locations across County Kerry, including Rossbeigh, Cromane Lower, Killorglin, Whitestrand, Cahersiveen, Waterville, Ballinskelligs and the major flood relief schemes there for Tralee and Kenmare.