Cuirim fáilte mhór roimh an Aire Stáit chuig an Teach seo ar maidin. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Ardagh, for taking time out of her busy schedule to be here. I appreciate that the topic of roads funding is not her area of expertise. Nevertheless, I appreciate her presence here and I have no doubt that she and I will be talking to the lead Minister about this very important issue. The issue is the crisis in the condition of local roads in counties Monaghan and Cavan and, indeed, in many other parts of the …

I thank the Minister of State for her response. I made the point in relation to the funding that both counties have received - €19 million and €17 million, respectively. Unfortunately, that has been totally eroded with the inflationary costs of materials. We are actually in a deficit before we even start. It has come to a point now where the Government is going to have to give flexibility to local authorities to be able to direct funds from other areas to roads funding because it is that serious. It is hugely frust…

As the Cathaoirleach knows, coming from a rural part of Ireland, the rural pub is not just a building where alcohol is sold. It is much more than that. It is a meeting place and a social outlet. It is the heartbeat of many rural towns and villages the length and breadth of the country. Many pubs are just about surviving and no more. Something like over 2,200 pubs have disappeared in the past 20 years. When we lose them, we lose something from our rural towns and villages that cannot be replaced. That is why in the …

I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to take part in the adoption and application of the following proposed measure: Proposal for a Council Decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Federal Republic of…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire go dtí an Teach. The Minister is very welcome back to the House this afternoon. On behalf of the Fianna Fáil grouping, I am happy to support both motions as outlined in detail by the Minister. I commend the Minister on the record for the vigour and the reforms he has brought to his portfolio, particularly on this matter. The reforms are clearly working and I commend him on his work and wish him well in his ongoing reforms in this area. We all strive to see a migration system that is fair…

I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to take part in the adoption and application of the following proposed measure: Proposal for a Council Decision on the signing of the Agreement between the European Union and the Federal Republic of Ni…

I too welcome the Minister of State to the House. My comments follow on from the theme of the two previous speakers. I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this important debate. It is important to recognise what citizenship represents. Irish citizenship is one of the most important legal statuses the State can confer, and the Minister of State made comments in this regard in his contribution too. It provides a person with a permanent legal connection to this country and with the rights and responsibilities tha…

At 1 p.m. next Tuesday.

Cuirim fáilte mhór roimh an Aire go dtí an Teach. Gabhaim buíochas leis as a bheith anseo. The Minister is very welcome to the House. The topic of men's sheds is one he and I have discussed previously. We are all aware of the truly wonderful organisations they are. The sheds are a place where men can come together in a safe, comfortable environment where they can meet new friends, perhaps reconnect with old friends, learn a new skill or simply put the kettle on and have a cup of tea. It is a wonderful organisation.…

I thank the Minister for that comprehensive and clear response to my question. It is reassuring to know the Minister is a huge fan of men's and women's sheds and I know this from past experience. It is great to see so many of them springing up throughout the length and breadth of the country. I welcome the fact that proposals have come forward from the Irish Men's Sheds Association, which the Minister is looking at, and he is due to meet them again this evening. His comments will bring reassurance and clarity to th…

I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to take part in the adoption and application of the following proposed measure: Proposal for a Council Decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Korea o…

The Minister is welcome back to the House to discuss these motions. On behalf of the Fianna Fáil group, I am happy to support the motions as outlined by the Minister is his contribution. Co-operation between states is vitally important in our fight against crime. It is a common enemy for us all. I firmly believe that the more co-operation we have, ultimately, the safer our citizens will be. There are two aspects to this, as the Minister outlined, between the EU and South Korea in relation to the exchange of data, w…

I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to take part in the adoption and application of the following proposed measure: Proposal for a Council Decision on the signing of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Korea on t…

At 10.30 a.m tomorrow morning.

I want to raise an issue that I feel is having a very detrimental and suffocating effect on rural Ireland. This is the declining number of taxis available. It is so bad now that it is causing an economic bottleneck and, in my opinion, is also acting as a social barrier. The figures from the NTA released last May paint a very bleak picture in that 20 counties are seeing a decline in taxi numbers. This is despite the fact that over the past ten years our population has increased by more than 8%. The Border region is …

The sun is shining.

I too would like to raise the urgent case of the approximately 200 people in this country who are living with Friedreich's ataxia. It is a rare and progressive condition that gradually takes away a person's mobility and independence. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this condition but there is hope. The drug Skyclarys has already been approved in the United States back in 2023 and in Europe through the European Medicines Agency in 2024. It is not a miracle cure but it does slow the progression of this devastatin…

I will raise an issue that affects thousands of people in this country but, in my opinion, does not get the attention it deserves. That is the shockingly poor return Irish people are getting on their savings in Irish banks. On top of that is the fact that inflation is also having a negative effect on the few pound people have put away for the rainy day or to help them in their retirement. A recent report highlighted that and showed how over the last ten years the purchasing power of the savings people have has decr…

The Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, is very welcome. I am going to discuss a topic that the he and I have discussed on many occasions, namely the development of St. Tiernach's Park, Clones. As he knows, it is much more than a stadium; it is the spiritual home of Ulster football. For generations, supporters from every corner of the province have travelled to this unique Border town to witness some of the greatest days ever in Gaelic football. The atmosphere in Clones is unlike anywhere else. The narrow street…

I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response. I also thank him for his commitment to the development of sporting infrastructure in Monaghan and Cavan. I have seen that commitment at first hand. I thank his colleague the Minister, Deputy Calleary, for his commitment to the development of St. Tiernach's Park. The Ulster final is hugely important to Clones town. A study from 2024 estimated that the match day was worth approximately €1.5 million to the local economy and €2.1 million to the economy of th…