I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan. The help-to-buy scheme, the first home scheme and the vacant property refurbishment grants have all been very successful in supporting young people to go out and purchase their first home. These schemes have made a crucial difference to so many families since they were first introduced. The success of the vacant property grant is becoming clear every day of the week. There has been something like 8,500 applications for that grant thus far, whereby somebody on a vacant…

I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive reply. As he outlined, the schemes have been hugely successful. I compliment all the parties in government on bringing them forward. I thank the Minister of State for introducing the €5,000 grant for the conservation of farmhouses. It is very welcome. As he said, such restoration projects can be quite complex. I am heartened that the Minister has undertaken a review of some of the schemes. I look forward to some news in that regard. The help-to-buy scheme comes un…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire go dtí an Teach. I have listened with great intent to the debate today and the debate that took place in the committee room on this issue. The previous speaker, Senator O'Reilly, spoke about being a layperson. I would probably classify myself in the same bracket too. I am trying to get a handle on everything that is going on, having listened to all the contributions which have all made perfect sense to me. I am trying to get into the heads of the people who drafted the legislation in res…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach. Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit chuig an Teach ar maidin. It is easy for us to forget the dark days, the uncertainty and the fear that surrounded the Covid-19 pandemic. For most of us, life has moved on, but unfortunately not for everyone. The exact number of people with long Covid is unknown. HSE exact numbers vary, ranging between 1.8% and 8.3% of the population. As the Minister of State is probably aware, symptoms include fatigue, extreme tiredness, shortness of breath …

I thank the Minister of State for the response that he has given here on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Donnelly. We owe a massive debt of gratitude to our healthcare workers and I have outlined the reasons why. Here we have one particular healthcare worker who feels she has been badly wronged. I met this lady and it really is heartbreaking to see the condition in which Covid has left her. When I did meet with the Minister for Health in relation to this particular case, he did indicate that his office would facilit…

Now.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach agus an Aire Stáit. Tá cúpla focal le rá agam faoin uair thábhachtach seo fosta. I compliment the Minister of State and his staff on their great work in bringing this legislation forward. From a Fianna Fáil perspective, we are delighted to support it. We all know the horror that is human trafficking and unfortunately I had the experience of dealing with victims of that in my own time. It is really heartbreaking. These people are very vulnerable and it happened behin…

I propose a suspension until 6.45 p.m.

This is the first opportunity I have had to wish the Deputy Leader all the best in his new role. I have no doubt that he will be extremely successful in it. The exact number of people suffering with long Covid in this country is unknown, but HSE figures estimate that it is somewhere in the region of 1.8% to 8.3% of the population. Symptoms can be quite severe for some. We can all recall when Covid broke the dedication of our nurses, who went into hospitals to care for our sick, not knowing, first, the risk they put…

Next Tuesday.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit go dtí an Teach. The N53 road from Castleblayney in County Monaghan to Dundalk in County Louth with a section that runs through Northern Ireland is a road of strategic importance with the importance of Dundalk Institute of Technology likely to increase in the not-too-distant future. The N53 is 23.5 km long, including a section that passes through Northern Ireland. The 6 km section that passes through Northern Ireland passes through Cullaville in County Armagh where it is classified…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as ucht an cheist seo a phlé. I acknowledge the script the Minister of State has read to us on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Ryan. I appreciate that funding has been received in Monaghan for the progression of the A5 Clontibret to the Border scheme and additional funding from the EU. Now is the time that this road got similar attention. I acknowledge that the Minister of State said he would bring the matter to the Minister, Deputy Ryan, with a view to exploring the possibility o…

The Minister is welcome to the House. I too welcome this broad-ranging Bill which covers a lot of areas, as Senator McDowell outlined. I welcome the appointment of extra judges. It is important that we have a Judiciary that operates in a timely manner. There is no doubt that the appointment of extra judges would be beneficial in that regard. I also welcome the provisions on firearms. The retirement age is probably a debate for another day, but I welcome the fact that the retirement age for uniformed public servants…

I move: "That Seanad Éireann resolves that sections 2 to 4, 6 to 12, 14 and 17 of the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 (No. 39 of 1998) shall continue in operation for the period beginning on 30th June, 2024 and ending on 29th June, 2025."

I welcome the Minister of State back to the House. On behalf of the Fianna Fáil Party, I welcome the debate and support both motions. The Minister of State outlined that unless we pass both motions, they will be discontinued from the end of this month, so it is important that we pass them. They are important legislative measures and unfortunately the need arises for us to continue with them. He outlined that the advice of the Garda Commissioner, and in due course, of the Government itself is that it is necessary. D…

I move: "That Seanad Éireann resolves that section 8 of the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009 (No. 32 of 2009) shall continue in operation for the period beginning on 30th June, 2024 and ending on 29th June, 2025.”

Next Tuesday at 1 p.m.

Tomorrow at 9.30 a.m.

I, too, would like to welcome the Minister of State back to the Chamber this afternoon to discuss this topic, which she and I have discussed on a number of occasions. I know it is one she has been working hard on to try to find a resolution to. This relates to the transport charge, which is being levied on some service users who are attending day care services in CHO 1, which includes counties Monaghan, Cavan, Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim. As the Minister of State knows, where a member of a family has a disability, t…

I thank the Minister of State for her comprehensive response to me this afternoon. She used the word "inequality" with regard to this particular charge and that is exactly what it is. As she outlined, it is unfair that the people of counties Monaghan, Cavan, Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim have to pay this charge when other service users in other parts of the country do not. I commend the Minister of State on the work she has undertaken in trying to get this charge removed. We are not there yet, but we are quite close. …