I want to raise the issue of how people with asthma are not properly cared for. Asthma is seen as an acute illness rather than a chronic condition. That needs to change. We have one of the highest rates of asthma in the world. Some 450,000 people in the country have asthma, and it is predicted that this could rise to 900,000 at some stage. Fifty per cent of those people do not have the condition under control. We also have the second highest asthma mortality rate among the 27 EU countries. It is predicted, on the b…

The Trading for Impact policy recognises the huge contribution of social enterprises. These are businesses that put people and communities before profit. They create jobs, support the most marginalised and drive local development and climate action. The policy sets out welcome goals on awareness, sustainability, the green transition, engagement and impact measurement. The policy falls short, however, as there is no clear legal framework. It leaves social enterprises in a grey zone. There is no long-term funding mod…

The Minister of State must visit Cavan too.

I second the amendment. Like my colleague, there is nothing in this motion I would oppose. I generally support it. I want to concentrate my remarks on the Mercosur deal. Trade deals between the EU and other countries continue to threaten Irish agriculture. That is particularly true of the Mercosur deal, which will see the importation of South American beef into the EU. That will have a negative effect on Irish beef farmers and Irish exports. Irish agricultural produce is recognised as being of the highest quality a…

They would probably be in a better place.

I move amendment No. 2: After the words “calls on the Government to:” to insert the following paragraph: “- implement the Bovine TB Action Plan while taking into consideration the concerns of farmers in relation to the Plan; - provide funding to increase the maximum valuation for TB reactor cattle to provide adequate compensation to farmers; - oppose the Mercosur trade deal and defend the interests of Irish family farms;”.

I start by being associated with the condolences to the family, friends and former colleagues of Dr. Martin Mansergh. I acknowledge his significant contribution to the peace process which led to the Good Friday Agreement. I also want to be associated with the condolences to Senator Clifford-Lee and her family on the untimely death of her mother. I raise the issue of the global summit flotilla on which my party colleague, Senator Chris Andrews, is aboard. They are now within two day's sailing from Gaza. He and the p…

The review of the school transport scheme that happened a few years ago was very welcome. It was badly needed. It did take a long time, but it was eventually published about 18 months ago. It made a number of recommendations about reducing the distance people had to live from their school to avail of school transport and that they had to attend their nearest school. I was expecting that some of the recommendations might have been implemented for this school year and maybe we would not have the same number of proble…

I thank the Minister of State for taking this issue. I am conscious that we are almost at the end of September so school is back about a month. There is a situation in St. Bricin's College, Belturbet, County Cavan that has not yet been resolved. I am seeking clarification and what the intention is going forward. I was contacted by the principal to say there are 32 students enrolled in St. Bricin's school in Belturbet who live in Cavan town or its environs. There are secondary schools in Cavan town but they are all …

I thank the Minister of State. I understand that would normally be the case, but in this circumstance, their nearest school is full. Even Bus Éireann has said that if the Department of education is satisfied that the nearest school is full, parents must then provide directly to the Department of Education and Youth evidence of an application for enrolment that was made within the deadline, a letter from the school authorities confirming that the school was full and, if necessary, a copy of any appeal. Bus Éireann i…

I welcome this motion. There is nothing in it that I disagree with. I welcome and want to see the amended version of the motion passed here today. It needs to be much stronger than it is. While I welcome that Fianna Fáil is bringing forward this motion at this late stage, part of me is cynical and wondering if this is an effort to counteract its presidential candidate Jim Gavin's disgraceful remarks last week when he said it was "unconscionable" that the bombing is still taking place and that he believed the Israel…

I attended a pre-budget submission presentation by Rehab yesterday in the audiovisual room. I commend the work it does through its various entities: Rehab Enterprises, RehabCare and the National Learning Network. The speaker who was due to deliver the first speech, Padraig, is a wheelchair user. He was taking the train from Cork, where he lives. He had booked a wheelchair-accessible taxi from the train station to Leinster House. The taxi arrived on time and was wheelchair accessible but when he saw that the wheelch…

I want to concentrate on a couple of issues. The first is third level student accommodation. At the moment, it is reckoned that we are short 25,000 to 30,000 beds. This means students are forced to compete with workers and families in the private sector. As a result, they are paying extremely high rents. The rents in some student accommodation are becoming very high. The Higher Education Authority, HEA, projects that the gap could grow to 68,000 by 2035. That is an alarming figure, so we need to see increased inves…

If I may start by joining my colleagues in wishing Martin Hughes the best of luck in his new position and congratulating him on it. I am sure he will carry it out in a professional way just as Martin Groves and Bridget Doody did. I thank them for their courtesy, support and professionalism and wish them long and happy retirements. I wish to raise the issue of children and safeguards for children in our country and ask for a debate on it. A number of issues occurred over the summer that are of huge concern. The firs…

This discussion is on migration, which covers both immigration and emigration. As a state, Ireland is no stranger to emigration. We have had millions of people leave our shores over the last couple of centuries. Unfortunately, we still have quite a number of young, highly skilled, highly qualified people leaving our shores. They are going to Australia, Dubai and various parts of the globe, some for the experience and to travel the world but many because they cannot afford to live here and they see no prospect of ge…

I wish the Minister a good afternoon. I welcome the commission of investigation into the handling of historical sexual abuse. I welcome the fact it is day and boarding schools and that it is religious and non-religious and it covers all schools. It is not before time. There are many people waiting a long time to air their stories, to be listened to and importantly, to be believed. It is really welcome there is now a format for doing that. I commend all those who bravely spoke out. It cannot have been easy for them.…

I come from County Cavan. We have no rail network and nor do Monaghan, Tyrone, Fermanagh and Donegal. The entire area has no railway. We did but the Government at that time, some 60 years ago, had no foresight and decided to end the rail service to Cavan. Not only did it do that but it allowed people to build over the rail line, take it up and sell the sleepers. I know Cavan is included in the all-island strategic rail review, and there are proposals for a connection from Portadown to Monaghan and Cavan but it is w…

Last week, I received an email about student accommodation from a third level student who was from County Cavan and studying in Dublin. In the email, he stated he had a savings fund that was supposed to cover his housing for the four years he would be studying. He had entered into a year-long rental contract at €1,000 a month. The place was in shambles with broken furniture, and he felt he had very few rights and supports. He then had to move to digs where he had no renter's rights or access to a kitchen and had to…

The Pregnancy Loss (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025 is vital and well-drafted legislation. I commend my colleague, Senator Ryan, on all her work on the Bill and for sharing her personal story. I also commend other Members who have done so. That is not easy. I come from a family of ten. I am the second youngest and I was an adult before my mother admitted she had a miscarriage on her fifth pregnancy. She lost twins. She and my father talked about it then. I should have had two more siblings. The impact it had on…

I live in a rural area of County Cavan, about 3 miles from the village of Kilnaleck. Some 12 or 13 years ago, there was a branch of Ulster Bank with an ATM that was open all hours, a branch of Cavan Credit Union and a post office in the town. Now, there are none of those. There was an ATM service provided through one of the shops when the ownership changed, so at least that is there during opening hours. The post office there was one of the 257 that have closed in the past decade. It is one of seven that closed in …