Over the past two years, the waiting list for children's audiology services in CHO 7 at the Russell Centre in Tallaght has been allowed to double. There are now 5,800 children on the waiting list. The response I received from the HSE specifically states that staff vacancies left unfilled due to the HSE recruitment freeze have led to these high numbers. Does the Tánaiste agree that the HSE recruitment freeze is only making the waiting list longer? Does he have any date for when this ban will be lifted? In respect of…

Some children have been waiting for two years.

I only have a few seconds. I wish the families well. My thoughts are with them and all their loved ones. I thank Justice for the Forgotten, the Pat Finucane Centre and Relatives for Justice for all their hard work over the years. They have been a long time waiting on justice. We are not supposed to have a hierarchy of victims, but clearly in this case I do not think the Irish State has treated them very well. I genuinely believe that they will get justice. I look forward to seeing them all on Friday.

I do not think anyone can legitimately stand up and say that the climate crisis is not one of the greatest threats we face but we cannot wrap up measures like this as some sort of action against climate change. It is just another tax hike on commuters and their families. The public transport network has been expanded but it is still a long way from where it should be. The rail network is creaking at the seams and capacity cannot keep up with demand. The introduction of new rolling stock is far too onerous a process…

Like everyone else, I have met families and individuals and seen the impact gambling has had on their lives. I have seen families destroyed by it, marriages destroyed, job prospects destroyed and housing applications rejected. People who are applying to borrow money are not able to get a loan because lenders check to see whether a person gambles regularly. I accept there are problems. I remember a person who needed to have a buddy system because he could not go to the local employment exchange as it meant passing t…

In 1981, I was head of Sinn Féin youth. I think I have said this previously in the House in 2017. I remember clearly the events of that time, when I issued a statement. I went into a phone box, put in the change and rang The Irish Press . Phone boxes do not exist any more, and nor does The Irish Press . I remember it clearly, even if I do not remember where I was when I heard the news of what had happened. Last week, I was privileged to go into the court and I saw the pictures of the victims on the wall. Like every…

You could but you are out of time.

People Before Profit has six and a half minutes.

The biggest concern expressed to me by older carers, but not exclusively, relates to who will look after their loved ones when they are gone. They go to bed worrying about what will happen if something happens to them, and they probably wake up in the morning with the same nagging question. Things may have improved but most of us accept we have a long road to go. A constitutional referendum that simply refers to carers and then fobs them off with no real promise of support is absolutely useless. There has been an a…

It has almost become a sick running joke at this stage that whenever a building is said to be earmarked for refugees or asylum seekers, the immediate response from some is, "I hope they have good fire insurance." There is a pattern to these arson attacks dating back nearly six years. They have only intensified in the past 12 months. More and more buildings are being burned. People are losing faith in the official response and its inability to stop these attacks. I went on RTÉ news one evening and said that I had sp…

The Mental Health Commission's report into CAMHS highlighted several issues, including children lost to follow-up, lack of monitoring of psychiatric medicines, unacceptable waiting times for high-risk referrals and many more operational issues. When I chaired a meeting of the Joint Committee on Health in January, we heard that there were 4,400 children on the waiting list for their first CAMHS appointment. This number has almost doubled in the past five years. This lays bare any attempt by the Government to pretend…

In my opinion, leaving a child diagnosed with scoliosis to languish without the medical and surgical intervention they require borders on the cruel. We know that early intervention and treatment for children with scoliosis is paramount for preventing severe complications. If left untreated, scoliosis can lead to debilitating spinal deformities, respiratory issues and chronic pain. Allowing waiting lists to get as long as they have is not only hurting children but also their families. Parents look on helplessly as t…

No one would argue that the current situation and the institutional culture in RTÉ are healthy, acceptable or sustainable. The deficit in TV licence revenue last year indicates that some 120,000 people have chosen not to renew their licence. I cannot blame them. Financial scandals at RTÉ rocked people's trust and confidence in the national broadcaster and the television licence system. Rampant misuse of funding, salary top-ups and a flagrant disregard for oversight are some of the charges that could be laid against…

What about section 31?

I have a constituent who is a farmer and lives alone. He had a prosthetic leg and, for genetic reasons, had his second leg removed. He piled on weight while he was in hospital. He was referred to the centre for obesity management on 8 September 2022 and was triaged in September 2022 as an urgent case. He was told he should anticipate an appointment in approximately five years' time. Obesity is supposed to be one of the big challenges of our time. Something is wrong. The system is broken. I have written to the Minis…

The Government is pushing the boat out every day on that.

The Tánaiste, Deputy Martin, is not renowned for his speed and action on any issues but the triple lock is to be dropped without delay, we are told. Strangely, he only said last November that he did not believe in removing it. Thankfully, opinion polls suggest that Irish people get it and treasure our heritage as a neutral country. When it has been tested by EU treaties in the past, those treaties have been rejected until assurances have been given that neutrality would remain. Now, this Government wants to bin tho…

Amendment No. 3 in the name of Deputy Nash is out of order. I am told it is a potential charge on the people.

The proposer of amendment No. 4 is not here so I will move on.

Amendments Nos. 5 and 6 are related and may be discussed together. They are in the name of Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan, but again the Member is not here, so we will move on.