2026-05-12

I move: Tuesday's business shall be: - Statements on International Nurses Day (not to exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes) Tuesday's private members' business shall be the Second Stage of the Electricity Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2026, selected by Sinn Féin. Wednesday's business shall be: - Statements on the National Safety Camera Strategy (not to exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes) (Dept of Transport) - Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) (Amendment) Bill 2025 (Report and Final Stages) (to be taken no earlier than 4.30 p.m. and to conclude within 2 hrs) - Motion to Instruct the Committee on the Criminal Law and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 (to conclude within 1 hour and any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Critical Infrastructure Bill 2026 (Report and Final Stages) (to conclude within 1 hour) - Motion re Presentation and Circulation of Further Revised Estimate for Public Services 2026 [Vote 26] (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately) Wednesday's private members' business shall be the Second Stage of the Reproductive Rights (Amendment) Bill 2026, selected by Social Democrats. Thursday's business shall be: - Industrial Development (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 (Second Stage) (if not previously concluded, to adjourn at the end of the first speaking round) Thursday evening business shall be the Second Stage of the Sanctions against the State of Israel Bill 2025, sponsored by Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett. Proposed Arrangements for this week’s business: In relation to Tuesday's business, it is proposed that: 1. notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders: . (a) the time allocated to Government business shall be extended in accordance with the arrangements for that business and the Dáil may sit later than 10.48 p.m.; and (b) private members business shall be taken on conclusion of the Statements on International Nurses Day, with consequential effect on the commencement times for the items following in the ordinary routine of business; 2. the Statements on International Nurses Day shall not exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply: (a) the statements, not including the Ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the sequence contained in the table immediately below (to be read across); (b) following the statements, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and (c) members may share time; and 3. notwithstanding anything in Standing Order 177(2), the proceedings on Second Stage of the Electricity Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2026 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 2 hours. In relation to Wednesday's business, it is proposed that: 1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the following extent: (a) in the event that the Statements on the National Safety Camera Strategy conclude before 4.30 p.m., the sitting shall stand suspended until 4.30 p.m., when the order of business shall resume with the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) (Amendment) Bill 2025; (b) any motions to be taken without debate shall be taken on the conclusion of proceedings on the Critical Infrastructure Bill 2026; and (c) the weekly division time shall be taken on the conclusion of proceedings on any motions without debate, and the Dáil shall adjourn on the conclusion of the weekly division time; 2. notwithstanding anything in Standing Order 177(2), the proceedings on Second Stage of the Reproductive Rights (Amendment) Bill 2026 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 2 hours; 3. the Statements on the National Safety Camera Strategy shall not exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply: (a) the statements, not including the Ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the sequence contained in the table immediately below (to be read across); (b) following the statements, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and (c) members may share time; 4. the proceedings on the Report and Final Stages of the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) (Amendment) Bill 2025 shall be taken no earlier than 4.30 p.m. and shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 2 hours by one question which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration; 5. the proceedings on the Motion to Instruct the Committee on the Criminal Law and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 60 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply thereto: (a) the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows:- — opening speech by a Minister or Minister of State – 10 minutes; — speeches by representatives of Sinn Féin, the Labour Party, Social Democrats, Independent and Parties Technical Group, and Independent Technical Group – 7.5 minutes per party or group; — speeches by Other Members – 7.5 minutes in total; and — a speech in response by the Minister – 5 minutes; (b) members may share time; and (c) any division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately; 6. the proceedings on the Report and Final Stages of the Critical Infrastructure Bill 2026 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 1 hour by one question which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation; and 7. the proceedings on the Motion re Presentation and Circulation of Further Revised Estimate for Public Services 2026 [Vote 26] shall be taken without debate, and any division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately. In relation to Thursday's business, it is proposed that: 1. notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, topical issues may be taken earlier than 7.24 p.m. with consequential effect on the commencement time for Second Stage of the Sanctions against the State of Israel Bill 2025, and on the time for the adjournment of the Dáil; and 2. the proceedings on the Second Stage of the Industrial Development (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 shall, if not previously concluded, be interrupted and stand adjourned at the end of the first speaking round and the following arrangements shall apply: (a) the first-round speeches, not including the Ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the table below (to be read across); (b) where speeches conclude before the 3 hours and 24 minutes have elapsed and no other member is offering, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and (c) members may share time.

Are the proposed arrangements agreed to?

Not agreed.

We have had three Leaders' Questions in relation to the National Ambulance Service strike. Given the gravity of this industrial relations dispute, we need to have a debate in the Dáil on this matter.

Half a billion euro has been left unspent when it comes to climate action measures. We are in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, in the middle of incredible energy shocks, where people cannot afford to pay their electricity bills. We need to have a debate on how the Government is going to spend that money. The Social Democrats have proposed a solar-for-all scheme and a targeted energy scheme. We need to see some movement on this. Can we have a debate on the matter?

I agree with my colleague, Deputy Duncan Smith, that we need to have a focused debate on the National Ambulance Service. The fact that ambulance workers across this country are on strike today says it all. They do not feel valued and we need to deal with that in these Houses.

We need to hear from the employers of workers in the National Ambulance Service, because that is what the Government is. We need to hear from the Minister for Health to explain why ambulance workers feel they have not choice but to go on strike because of the failure of the Government to recognise they are vital healthcare professionals.

I was going to mention the short-term lets and the legislation and the looming date of 20 May, but the advanced paramedics are out on strike today. I refer to the disrespect that is being shown to them. It is a long-standing pay dispute, going on since 2020. We need an urgent debate on it today in the House.

I thank the Deputies for all of their comments. They have been noted. The Order of Business stands.

Are the proposed arrangements agreed to?

They are not agreed.

The question has been agreed. We move to-----

Vótáil.

Vótáil.

I had said already-----

Vótáil.

I had said the question was agreed.

I said "Vótáil".

We said "Vótáil".

The bells will ring for ten minutes.

For decades, the residents of Oliver Bond House have lived in some of the most appalling conditions in our city. Decades of neglect have left these families living in damp, overcrowded, rat-infested homes. In April, the Department of housing wrote to Dublin City Council refusing a funding request to deep retrofit and amalgamate 74 homes in the flat complex. The rationale was that the council's proposal would see a reduction in the number of flats. The Department set out an alternative approach and requested that the council submit a new proposal. Today, it is revealed that the Department's proposal would result in an even greater reduction in the number of people living in these blocks, with a bed space reduction of 41% compared with the council’s proposal of just 26%. In light of this significant development, will the Taoiseach ask the Minister for housing to revisit his decision? Dublin City Council's plan is the best proposal to bring these homes up to modern standards while retaining the right number, size and mix of homes for singles, couples and families.

At the outset, I welcome and congratulate three students from Mullaghbuoy National School and the green committee there. Donal McMorland, Jason Woods and Jack O'Neill were the regional winners of the award for global citizenship today in Tullamore. They are very welcome to Dáil Éireann. The Minister, Deputy Browne, did not make that decision, but there was a communication from Department officials to Dublin City Council in respect of the matter. The Minister will engage. He is of the view that this matter can be resolved satisfactorily. Funding has not been refused. Funding has not been withdrawn. It remains in place. There has not been a refusal of regeneration for Oliver Bond House. Engagement is going to be key here. Hopefully, we can get this resolved very quickly.

This week is national bike week. As conveners of the all-party Oireachtas cycling group, Deputy Ciarán Ahern and I were delighted to host a cross-party cycle around Leinster House today, and thanks to all the colleagues who took part. We need to see the Government step up and provide proper investment for cycling infrastructure. I ask that colleagues commit not to buy into an anti-cycling narrative. There has been a lot of talk recently about the cost of bike sheds, but we need to put that in perspective. The cost of building a single basement car parking space, for example, is between €50,000 and €70,000, and €1.2 million is being spent every year by the OPW on leasing car parking spaces for civil servants. In a climate crisis, while we of course need value for money in all our projects, investment in cycling is not a frivolous extravagance. In a climate crisis, we need to support people to make the transition to cycling in order to help reduce emissions from fossil fuels and reduce dependence on private cars. I ask the Taoiseach and those on all sides of the House to commit to supporting cycling.

I support investment in cycling. The greenways, cycleways and active travel programme have represented a transformation over the past decade in particular. It has been fantastic. People are voting with their feet in places where safe cycleways can be provided. Obviously, we need more sensible arrangements in terms of bike sheds, if I am honest. People did seek that here in Leinster House and we saw what happened afterwards. More generally, investment in cycling is a good thing. It is healthy, and it has implications for less congestion and so on, but we need to provide very safe routes. A lot of that has happened over the past number of years. We will continue our investment in active travel, cycling, pedestrian walkways and so forth.

Parent across the country are desperately trying to secure appropriate school places for their children. There is still huge uncertainty around the level and scale of unmet need. Transparency is really important. The Department of Education and Youth, working with the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, should be able to give us that data. I am suggesting that it publish that on a monthly basis, like the Department of housing publishes the homeless figures. That is to show transparency. We want to work constructively with the Government and the NCSE to quell the amount of panic that is going on. If the NCSE and the Department were able to publish on a monthly basis the number of students who were yet to get an appropriate school place, we would be very clear on what that would be. The data is there. It is just not being published. It happens in the Department of housing with the homeless figures. This is a way of showing that transparency and quelling that panic that is going on.

I think what we need is all of our officials in the Department working flat out to make sure that every child gets an appropriate place next September. That is where we need staff deployed. We do not need new units to start producing data. There is a balance to be struck in terms of the deployment of public servants. We are increasing the number of public servants on an annual basis. The increase has been significant over the last number of years. To be fair to the Minister, Hildegarde Naughton, and the Minister of State, Michael Moynihan, their focus has been very much on securing additional resources and working with the National Council for Special Education to get the places. They opened the portal early in October. That has resulted in far more significant numbers. I think about 6,000 children in existing mainstream classes have now been identified as needing additionality in terms of supports. That is happening. The Department is flat out on that with the NCSE.

I have just come from the picket line on Davitt Road, where National Ambulance Service workers are on strike for 24 hours because the HSE has failed for six years to implement a 5% pay rise that they are due under benchmarking. It is not just the HSE, though. The Government is their employer. They are public sector workers and they are calling for the Taoiseach's intervention. The HSE has accepted upskilling and increased responsibilities for ambulance workers, so why is it a conscious policy to not reward essential workers, whom we absolutely need for front-line services? The stress, the burnout and the tragedy that these workers see and deal with daily is horrific. Why has the HSE not been engaging with them? Will the Taoiseach call for that? Will the Taoiseach directly intervene? These workers do not want to be on strike. The last thing that they want to be doing is not providing an essential service. The last time they-----

Time is up, Deputy. The Taoiseach will respond.

-----refused a pay rise it was because it was a deterioration in the service.

There is absolutely no point in you and I talking over each other.

I have already spoken on this earlier in the House. I accept the workers do not want to be on strike. It is wrong to say that the HSE or the Government does not want to reward front-line workers. There were good faith negotiations entered into. The unions recommended the outcome of those negotiations that came out of the WRC to the workers. The ballot was negative. The HSE is saying it is available for discussion and engagement with the unions. I think that is what should happen.

Ambulance response times are getting longer in this country. Handover times for ambulances in hospitals are getting longer. Six months ago, 12 ambulances were stuck at Drogheda hospital for hours. At the same time, no ambulance was available in Cavan, Monaghan, Meath and Louth at all. In 2016, there were 657 deaths before ambulances arrived. In 2023, that increased to 1,108 deaths. This February, I asked the National Ambulance Service the same question. It refused to answer the question. It is an accountability-free zone, refusing to answer TDs' questions on the number of people who have died waiting for an ambulance to come. We know that there is an intense strain on ambulance services at the moment and that it is leading to death and injury. Will the Taoiseach resource these services properly? Will he make sure that the workers have their pay rise implemented? Will he sit down with the workers to negotiate the implementation of that pay rise?

First of all, we have put significant increased resources into the ambulance service and have incrementally increased it on an ongoing basis. They have been very significant increases, which I outlined earlier to the House. I think it was a 41% increase since 2022. I can check that figure again. Deputy Tóibín needs to be careful with figures, as he knows. He tends to manipulate figures from time to time.

No, I do not.

I have noticed that in different areas. Some people's cases may have had nothing to do with the ambulance service getting there. The Deputy must acknowledge that, too.

I have not said there was no progress.

I know, but the Deputy implies it. That is the problem.

I said there was a difference. The figure increased.

We need dialogue. We need negotiations in the WRC to get this resolved.

In the past two weeks, we had some fantastic news for Galway. In our only model 4 hospital, the design team was appointed for a 300-bed block at University Hospital Galway. This is really welcome. However, as the Taoiseach knows, design teams get appointed, we go through the planning process and it can take an incredibly long time before we see a shovel in the ground. Would it be possible for the only model 4 hospital in the west to have the 300-bed block that it is seeking designated as a critical infrastructure project, cutting through the red tape and getting the project moving? This is part of a larger phased development that will transform the model 4 hospital in the west. I am conscious that the Taoiseach does not want to start producing lists of projects that are critical infrastructure but for our hospitals, for these beds and for the people of Galway, I ask that this get priority.

I am very conscious of the situation there. I have visited that hospital on a number of occasions. As a model 4 hospital, it is in urgent need of significant modernisation in terms of infrastructure and it needs that 300-bed block. It is critical to it. There has been a lot of work done already to get to this stage. One could argue that it has taken an inordinate length of time to get to where we are now. I will certainly talk to the Minister for public expenditure once that legislation is passed, given the critical nature of it to the health service across the entire north west and west. I think there is a very strong case there.

I want to raise the issue of rural planning. It is an issue I have raised here previously with the Taoiseach. I am pleased that the guidelines are to be amended and I ask the Taoiseach to support any proposed changes that will help genuine applicants. This is an important component in dealing with the housing challenge. I have worked through four county development plans in Wicklow over 20 years and made many changes but was often restricted due to national guidelines. There are many aspects that are making it difficult. I will list three of the many proposals I have made. First, social or economic need must trump views and prospects in planning decisions. Second, we need to allow people to downsize from one rural area to another. This is especially important for elderly people who live in unsuitable accommodation. Third, the national definition of "under urban pressure" should be removed. This is far too restrictive and stops many genuine applicants. I have seen applicants appealing to An Coimisiún Pleanála and being refused on that basis.

I thank Deputy Timmins very much for his constructive proposals. I will certainly talk to the Minister for housing in regard to his suggestions around amendments to the national guidelines and developing a very pragmatic approach, given the severity of the housing crisis we are facing.

There is a shortage of Gaelscoil places for September 2026 in Dunshaughlin, County Meath. There are anywhere between 15 and 30 children, some with offers from other schools but who want an Irish-medium education and want a Gaelscoil place. The demand is there. The willingness is there on behalf of the Gaelscoil, the board of management, the bishop and patron body. The Taoiseach's ministerial colleagues, Helen McEntee and Thomas Byrne, are very familiar with this issue. However, the block is with the Department, the Minister and the wider Government. They will not sanction an extra class and an extra teacher. I ask the Taoiseach to intervene and ensure that an extra class and teacher are put on for these children for September.

I cannot get involved in every single application. I am not clear about what Deputy O'Rourke is saying. Is it an application for an extra classroom?

Yes.

Teachers come automatically if the numbers increase. There is a pupil-teacher ratio that applies automatically if numbers increase in any given school. I doubt it is a question of the sanctioning of a teacher. Maybe because so many people want to get into the school it does not have the capacity right now, but that is another issue and maybe it needs to be resolved with the Department. I will raise it with the Minister.

Deputy O'Rourke can write further. I call Deputy Duncan Smith.

A couple of weeks ago, I raised with the Taoiseach the need to repair the swimming pool at Portmarnock Sports and Leisure Club, PSLC. The PSLC is a vital piece of local infrastructure across Fingal and 90% of its users are not-for-profit community pool or non-members of the leisure centre. Fingal County Council has stepped up to the tune of €500,000 towards the overall cost of repair, which is approximately €1 million. The Government has not yet committed funding. There is talk of about €100,000 coming from central government, but we need more. Either way, we need a commitment to ensure that this repair project can begin and end as soon as possible. This is not the large-scale sport infrastructure fund, LSSIF, or the sports capital programme. It would be through the Minister, Dara Calleary's community fund.

It is a community matter.

Yes.

I do not have the specifics of this. Is it Portmarnock community centre?

Portmarnock Sports and Leisure Club. We have spoken about it before. It is the pool there.

That could be a sports matter. I will talk to both Ministers and we will see what we can do.

I thank the Taoiseach.

This week in Spain, they have called for the creation of a European army. They argue that Europe must develop a permanent common military capacity. Many Irish people are increasingly concerned that the long-standing Irish policy of military neutrality is being eroded step by step through deeper EU defence integration without a direct democratic mandate from the Irish people. Will the Taoiseach give us a clear commitment in this House today and to the Irish people that we will not participate in, support or move towards any European army, common EU military structure or mutual defence agreement without first seeking explicit approval from the Irish people by way of referendum?

First of all, what Spain proposes or does is Spain's business. Many people hold up Spain as representing different stances internationally and so on. I am not familiar with the comments. Is the Deputy saying that the Prime Minister made them?

The defence minister.

The defence minister said there should be a European army. Well, the specific characteristics of Irish foreign policy are well known across the European Union and are cited in all documents pertaining to defence, as are those of Malta, Austria and Cyprus. Our military neutrality was decided by Government policy back in the Second World War, essentially, and has evolved since then. We are not joining NATO and we have no intention of joining a military alliance.

I call on the Government to urgently address the anomaly that exists with the current taxation system in respect of capital acquisitions tax when applied to partners in comparison to married couples. Current legislation means that a partner, even a lifetime partner, is regarded as a stranger for capital acquisitions tax purposes. Therefore, the current threshold limit of €20,000 applies and anything over that amount is taxed at 33% whereas married couples are tax exempt. Partners are now entitled to a survivor's pension if they have been living together for at least five years, or two years if they have children. This arose from a court case where it was found that to deny the survivor's pension would be unconstitutional. In another recent case, a civil servant passed away and his partner was refused the widow's portion of his civil servant pension, as they were not married. This was also unconstitutional. Contrast this with the current taxation system whereby partners are treated as strangers for capital acquisitions tax purposes. This is wide open to constitutional challenge to-----

The Taoiseach will respond, Deputy.

-----the current legislation and needs to be addressed by the Minister for Finance.

I thank the Deputy very much. He has made a very compelling case in his citing of constitutional decisions in respect of survivors' entitlements to pensions and so forth. I will raise the matter with the Minister for Finance in the context of the forthcoming budget in October to see if he will examine it because the threshold looks rather low.

Ar an gcéad dul síos, I welcome the students and teachers from Coláiste Dún Iascaigh in Cahir, including Ms McGrath and Ms Hickey, to the Public Gallery. In 2021, I asked the Taoiseach a question here about a new business charge that had been put in called the integrated single electricity market, I-SEM. He told me that he did not know what it was. At that time, I saw a bill from an excellent businessman, whom I have spoken to again today. There was a huge increase in his bill. Has the Taoiseach found out what this is? It is supposed to be looking after the integrated market, North and South, but charges and prices have only gone up since the introduction of this new body or whatever it is. Is it a body? Does it have offices? Does it have staff? Who or what is it? This is another charge that businesspeople cannot afford. At that time, the Government had the small cost-of-business grant at €250 million. That is now gone. Prices are going up incrementally every day and have been even before the war in Iran. This is another quango as far as I can see. The Taoiseach did not know then what it was. I hope he does now. He was Tánaiste then; he is Taoiseach now. I hope he has checked out what or who I-SEM is rather than robbing people, including businesspeople.

The Taoiseach will now respond.

I accept fully that there are cost-of-living pressures on families and individuals arising significantly now from the war in Iran, which has-----

Three wars.

-----resulted in a 20% contraction in oil supplies and a dramatic escalation in oil prices. That is very worrying in terms of its potential impact on the world economy for the rest of the year. Hopefully, that war can end as quickly as possible. In the meantime, we have announced, as the Deputy knows, a €750 million package-----

Freagair an cheist. Who are I-SEM?

Ná bí ag caint, Deputy.

-----trying to alleviate the pressures on families. I will have to get a look at the bill the Deputy referred to because I did not quite catch the name-----

I have it here. I-SEM.

-----of the company he was talking about, but-----

I call Deputy Johnny Mythen.

The Taoiseach told me that a few years ago.

Deputy Johnny Mythen.

I would like to raise with the Taoiseach the issue of increased funding for family resource centres around the country, but in particular those operating within my county of Wexford. The newest family resource centre is within Templeshannon Community and Childcare Centre, Enniscorthy, and is a most welcome addition to the east side of the town. Family resource centres are at the heart of our communities, from providing counselling and therapeutic supports to community inclusion and well-being, to essential front-line prevention and early intervention. However, they are under severe financial pressure. There is a steady growth in demand for their services, including a 51% increase in respect of mental health needs alone. I ask the Taoiseach to consider increasing the core funding of €180,000 per family resource unit to a minimum of €255,000 in the October budget. This would be a targeted but urgent investment in strengthening communities, particularly in rural and disadvantaged areas.

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The Minister, Norma Foley, was, to be fair to her, effective in the Estimates process in getting additional funding to establish ten new family resource centres across the country, a significant milestone in terms of what had been happening prior to that. I will talk to the Minister about core funding requirements. Again, we are anxious to give additional capacity to family resource centres. We value the role that they are playing and the challenges they are under.

While we welcome the fact that the Minister for Health has been quite proactive in following up the accident and emergency difficulties in the mid-west following the HIQA report, I nevertheless want to draw attention to the report and the statement from the medical board of University Hospital Limerick, UHL, yesterday, which pointed out that patient safety was still a huge concern. As a matter of fact, it concluded that the problems surrounding patient safety had not improved at all since the HIQA report, which is now eight months old. The board made certain recommendations as to what could be done in the interim, on a short-term basis, until the situation regarding patient safety was stabilised. One of the recommendations is that the recruitment processes in the mid-west HSE area be changed. Does the Minister for Health intend to respond positively to those recommendations?

First of all, I think the Minister is actively engaging with the mid-west university hospital and has continued to engage. I will alert the Minister to what the Deputy has said. He is speaking of HIQA's review. As he knows, the Minister did respond to that review, I think.

I am referring to the report yesterday from the medical board.

The next thing is that I will raise with the Minister the outcome of that report. In fact, the Minister discussed the emergency care situation in Limerick this morning with the Cabinet. Also, in recent weeks, there has been a 10% increase in activity levels at the emergency department in Limerick, so there is no doubt that the hospital remains under significant pressure, notwithstanding the fact that 278 new beds have opened in acute hospitals across the mid-west region. I will ask the Minister to communicate with the Deputy in respect of the matter.

Two weeks ago, I raised with the Taoiseach here a tragedy involving a young man who died in east Cork last year in the context of a prolonged wait for an ambulance to reach him and what the HSE has referred to as "omissions" in the administration of care at the scene. I followed up our exchange by emailing the Taoiseach's office with a clear outline of the efforts made by the family to secure a meeting with the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, beginning on 29 January, four and half months ago. That first request from me was acknowledged immediately by the Minister's office. Since then, three follow-up emails from me, as well as direct contact from the family, have elicited no further response. I have also not heard back from the Taoiseach's office yet. The Taoiseach and I both know that if this family were to choose to relive their harrowing experience in the national media, a meeting would likely happen very quickly. This is a devastated family seeking basic assurances that the serious issues arising from the tragedy are being acted on. Will the Taoiseach intervene with the Minister again on this issue?

I will engage with the Minister. The HSE and the hospital should be engaging with the family in the first instance. There are proper mechanisms for accountability in respect of situations like this. However, I will talk to the Minister.