The need for short-term lets for visitors to our shores cannot be underestimated in the make-up of the ideal mix of accommodation types to ensure that everybody has a full choice and range to decide from. We need long-term and short-term lets. There is no doubt about that. We need all sorts of accommodation. Restricting any type, such as short-term lets, is a detrimental move. We should encourage more of all types. Kerry is the premier tourist county in Ireland. Killarney is the best tourist town in the country. Lo…

Without the mix in accommodation and flexibility, many people would stay away, despite our fabulous food and stunning scenery offering from Kerry to Donegal. We need to be very careful that we do not kill the golden goose by legislating tourism accommodation providers out of the market. To fill the shortage of all types of lets, we need more premises. This is being addressed with the vacant and derelict property grants. I believe this will grow and can be sped up with more supports, such as with the expected invest…

I thank the Minister. Legitimate businesses should be allowed to carry on. Other tactics need to be employed to encourage and attract people into offering long-term letting. I again call for a planning waiver. The Minister has touched on it there. Many of those with whom I deal in Killarney, Dingle, Kenmare and all of the towns in Kerry such as Killorglin, Tralee, Castleisland, Listowel and Cahersiveen, believe if they apply for planning permission, be it short-term or long-term, it could actually be refused. That …

The Minister of State, Deputy Moran, will know that I live by a lovely beach at Rossbeigh in south Kerry. The Minister of State did us the honour of visiting us on his second last trip to Kerry. We are plagued by coastal erosion, storms and damage to our coastline. Since the Minister of State was down with us, we have had a high tide and the public road down by the beach was closed off for a number of days. If we do not get funding fairly soon the play area, including the playground and the tennis court, will be da…

I was co-opted onto Kerry County Council in January 1990 following the untimely passing of my father. My very first motion was in regard to coastal erosion. That day I referenced Rossbeigh and Cromane. It is ironic that I am speaking all these years later about the same areas. I acknowledge the money that has been spent over the years, but we are talking about now. We are talking about the present and the future. It is like the old saying that a stitch in time saves nine. Again, I am pleading with the Minister of S…

I have a question about the funding of Killarney Technology Innovation Centre. The Minister or one of his officials might engage with Conor O'Leary, Sean Counihan and the team there. I acknowledge the work of the Minister on the Pretty Polly site. I ask him to ensure that in the new year, Kerry Education and Training Board will progress the project. Could he also try to resolve the green cert issue in MTU in Tralee for the students? If I may be a little cheeky, I wish the Cromane ladies team the very best in the al…

The CLÁR programme exists to support less well-off areas and remote areas. I thank the Minister for the funding he announced recently. He may have seen a recent report on RTÉ News, fronted by Marty Morrissey, outlining the effects of depopulation on local GAA clubs in remote rural areas, particularly in south Kerry where up to five clubs have to amalgamate at under age level in order to field a team. Will the Minister accommodate the immediate and timely set-up of a depopulation task force in south Kerry? I appreci…

We want to continue to win all-Irelands. The problem with depopulation is that it will filter its way upwards in the coming years, through the more senior age groups, and wipe out many locally organised volunteer sports clubs and force parents and players to travel long journeys to take part, if indeed they continue. I sincerely thank the Minister. The Minister has already helped Dingle GAA, An Ghaeltacht GAA, Listry GAA, Rathmore GAA and many more. As stated by the Kerry GAA county board demographics officer, GAA …

I urge the immediate initiation of a task force and I again call on the Government today to set that up with strong guidelines and short timelines to put the expertise of the hand-picked members to work as efficiently and quickly as possible to identify the many causes of depopulation and find solutions to it. In that news segment, south Kerry was highlighted not only by the Kerry county board demographics officer, Michael Murphy, but also by the south Kerry GAA board chairperson, Joe McCrohan, and of course one of…

I ask the Minister to outline the measures in place to ensure timely Garda statements and preservation of evidence in suspected spiking incidents where a victim is incapacitated. What measures are in place in Garda stations to ensure suspected spiking incidents are treated as crimes and investigated promptly? Are these measures supported by appropriate policing protocols? Will the Minister make a statement on the matter?

I thank the Minister for his detailed response and I welcome everything he said. I believe the numbers involved are increasing. I am basing that on reports coming to my constituency office, and telephone calls and meetings I am having with young women and, on occasion, young ladies with their mums. Sadly, the Minister is correct in saying that many of these suspected spiking incidents involved rape. I believe we need to protect our women. We need to do everything humanly possible. Of course, it is difficult to prov…

I believe toxicology reporting and testing in these cases is critical and it should be carried out in all suspected cases. Will the Minister commit to establishing a clear national pathway across all hospitals and Garda stations to ensure suspected spiking incidents are treated and investigated promptly and supported, as I said, by appropriate clinical and policing protocols? I cannot emphasise strongly enough how serious this matter is. I genuinely fear that the number of such instances will increase. It is a sly …

Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has been campaigning along with Kerry County Council for a CCTV system to be provided in Killarney town for over 20 years. Promises have been made and repeated time and time again. Promises were made that camera systems would be installed at several locations in the town centre and in key areas on the outskirts. The matter has topped the agenda of both the council and the chamber on a constant basis. Apparently, funding had been provided yet no progress has been made. I wis…

I am anxious to get to the root of the numbers of respite beds not only available but also those required to bring us to a position whereby all families can avail of this vital service monthly. Respite is an extremely vital service and a survival requirement for many families, carers and patients. When dealing with patients with special needs, many carers and loved ones have to be available 24 hours a day to attend to all the needs of their charges. Respite gives all involved an opportunity to recharge the batterie…

I thank the Minister of State. We have to do more. These families in Kerry are suffering every single day of the week because of the chronic lack of respite for both children and adults with profound disabilities. They have been let down by the State. We have to help them and if we do not, we are all failures. Obviously, I welcome the fact that the Taoiseach has made disabilities a priority for this Government, and rightly so. The bottom line is that we have to deliver an adequate number of residential respite beds…

We need to help them. There is a fabulous facility at St. Mary of the Angels in Beaufort. There is already residential care there. There is St. Francis Special School there. There are a lot of facilities. There is a special swimming pool there.

If I can finish, the land was donated by the Doyle family many years ago for children with special needs and it should continue to serve that purpose.

I am begging. I will keep hammering this. I am a member of the health committee.

I will be raising it again down there shortly and in the disability committee.

I am begging the Government and the Minister, my own party colleague, to act here, please.