I support the motion. It is a fact that emergency departments across the country are overburdened. In Mayo, there are significant delays in waiting times and so on. For individuals suffering from mental health difficulties or suicidal ideation, I do not believe an emergency department is appropriate or the best place. Every year, 51,000 people access mental health services for the first time through an emergency department. That is an extraordinary figure. It is extraordinary for the individuals who have to go into…

Domestic violence and abuse is a major issue and a scourge on so many households across this country. What is the Department doing to reduce domestic violence in terms of prevention initiatives, supports for victims and reform of the judicial system in light of the recent case of Margaret Loftus in Mayo?

The case of Margaret Loftus exposes very deep structural problems in An Garda Síochána but also in the judicial system. Her story shows how a victim has been failed, in the first instance by An Garda Síochána and then by the judicial system with regard to how slow and opaque it has been and how that system was weaponised, particularly with regard to the disclosure that was consistently sought by the perpetrator. She stated recently that the judicial system was as traumatising as the abuse itself. Margaret endured o…

I very much welcome the movement in terms of more judges. That is crucially important. We also need to ensure there are statutory timelines for these cases. We cannot have a situation where a victim has to go through the courts for more than a decade. It is unacceptable. Domestic abuse is such a horrendous violation for any individual. We should restrict the use of disclosure orders in domestic abuse cases. There is movement on that Bill and we certainly welcome that. This case presents a particular issue in terms …

Yesterday the European Parliament voted to pause the Mercosur deal. No sooner had that vote taken place than the European Commission and many senior members and politicians, including the German Chancellor, effectively stated that they wanted to proceed provisionally with the implementation of Mercosur. The position of Ursula von der Leyen and the Commission is very clear in relation to this but our position has been ambivalent at best. During the last round at the European Council, you really came in at the eleven…

This Bill is a mixed bag. There are some positive changes and some technical ones that will add efficiencies and so on, but we have some serious concerns about it. I commend Margaret Loftus from County Mayo on her bravery. Margaret suffered horrendous domestic violence. She stated to the media this week that the judicial process was as traumatising and damaging as the abuse itself. She is an incredibly brave woman who endured up to 58 court hearings over 13 to 14 years. She fought over so many years simply to have …

I am just off a plane from Strasbourg. Over the past number of days, I met many MEPs who were wavering and on the fence in relation to this issue, who abstained in the previous vote and who said "I hear your prime minister is against Mercosur, but where is he? How come he never reached out to us?" How is it the case that the programme for Government explicitly states that the Government will work proactively. It took the Opposition, smaller parties and Independents to lead the charge on this, not the Government wit…

I will not interrupt the Minister of State.

The fact is that farmers are bound to the land. In other circumstances, larger corporations, etc., where regulatory burdens become significant, can migrate and relocate. They can create shell companies. Farmers are bound to the land. A farmer in Ballyhaunis, Castlebar, Louisburgh or anywhere across the country is farming that land. The Government is putting him at a significant disadvantage. It is a significant anti-competitive practice to allow a product with an inferior standard to compete in the same marketplace…

I ask the Minister of State. If a small party like Aontú can do it-----

When is the Government going to get off the fence and come out against this Mercosur deal-----

-----and not just in relation to the programme for Government but actually-----

-----proactively oppose this deal?

Your MEPs did not vote against it.

Where are your MEPs?

I want to raise an important issue that does not relate to Uisce Éireann or group water schemes. It is about houses that are not supplied on the public system or group water schemes. There are quite a number of such houses around the country. I believe there are around 100,000. In the valley of Glensaul in Tourmakeady, County Mayo, are 15 houses. I have been working with this community to try to get water into their homes. One man in that valley has a makeshift water connection from the local stream and on a stormy…

I welcome the Bill and the emphasis it places on safety and prevention. This legislation is incredibly important. As we know, there have been many very serious and tragic explosions here and, indeed, internationally. Some of these explosions have resulted in the loss of life, such as the Creeslough tragedy in County Donegal. My thoughts and prayers are with the families affected in relation to it. This would obviously provide a statutory duty to ensure gas infrastructure is designed, built and maintained in a way t…

MKO is the consultant representing four companies seeking to construct wind farms in Belclare, Cooloo, Clonberne and Killimordaly.

We can see from the documents on the website of An Coimisiún Pleanála that, on 19 November 2020 during the pre-application consultation phase of one of the proposed development sites in Galway, a meeting took place between the prospective applicant, the design team and Galway County Council. A certain individual is listed as present at that meeting representing the wind farm company. Luke Silke has declared and shown me documents that this individual is now working for An Coimisiún Pleanála. Is there not a huge con…

The point I am making-----