Michael Healy-Rae

I welcome the passing of this resolution in a very special way. At this time, we need to continue these supports as they are very important. If we look at the bigger picture and the future fuel needs of the country, the fact is that an awful lot of activity, including agricultural activity, is based in rural areas. So much needs to be moved around this island every day by large trucks and we do no…

This motion is timely because, with the massive increases for people running their homes and businesses, people who are working have never been at more of a disadvantage because of the high cost of going to work, childcare and fuel. What we need is a more targeted approach by the Government. It will never be more important or timely than in the upcoming budget to make sure that the supports that w…

I sincerely thank Deputy Charles Ward for bringing forward this important motion. It is a reasonable motion. I acknowledge the work that has been done by people from the Government and the Opposition in securing the situation with IS 465:2026. Large sums of money have been put forward to help the affected families. I have spoken to many of them over the years. The one thing of paramount importance…

I urge the Government to outline its position on the EU lead ammunition proposal. This is the proposal to take lead out of ammunition, which could have a negative effect on 150,000 licensed shotgun owners in Ireland. There seems to be a problem in government in identifying which Minister and Department is actually going to be responsible for this. I would like a bit of effort to be made in that re…

Yes, but the Minister seems to be saying it is not his responsibility.

The Minister knows my views on this whole matter. Like Deputy Toole, I would like to think that I am coming at this from a sound and sensible perspective, not like the motion we had here last week where we had people who were against economic activity, building roads and everything we are trying to do from a common-sense point of view. We need roads and houses. A term used in the motion last week …

Is my time up?

Sorry. Regarding many of the estates that are built there, the airport was there before the houses, and they knew where they were going to live.

This motion is mad. It states that Dáil Éireann recognises that the Government will further increase carbon emissions by lifting the Dublin Airport cap, promoting unsustainable housing and economic development and by no longer prioritising public transport and active travel investment over road construction. The message must go out loud and clear from here today that the Labour Party is against to…

"Safe, legal and rare" was the line in 2018. HSE data shows that between 2019 and 2024, 10,426 women who attended an abortion appointment did not return after the three-day cooling-off and waiting period. That proves that those ladies took time to reflect and made a different decision to what they might have made if they did not have the cooling-off period. The waiting period was presented as an i…

141. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to update the house on the short-term letting Bill 2025 coming from his Department. [45285/26]

I ask the Minister to give confidence to the sector - the long-established self-catering operators who have been operating legally for many years - that they will not be forced out of business as a consequence of the new short-term letting regulations?

I thank the Minister. I know his heart is in the right place on this matter, which is the reason I am asking him the questions. What communications has he had on the national planning statement? Will the statement be made available for consultation with stakeholders before implementation? What would the Minister like to see in it?

I welcome the statements from the Minister, Deputy James Browne, the Minister of State, Deputy John Cummins, and the Tánaiste on overhauling rural planning. This is an issue the Taoiseach feels very strongly about himself. Kerry has been severely impacted. Places like Kilcummin and Beaufort are effectively sterilised, as is the Ring of Kerry route. Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, has questi…

In regard to the package put in place, I want to thank the Minister, Deputy Heydon, the Ministers of State, Deputies Dooley and Grealish, and the Minister, Deputy Darragh O’Brien. I also thank the team who worked to put it together. Of course, I would welcome the package because I worked on it too. Like every package put together, the one thing you would always ask is whether it went far enough. T…

We should all recognise the value of short-term letting to rural economies. Of course, the Government should also recognise this. I appreciate the work that has been done in this regard by the Ministers involved. There are 1,800 short-term lets in Kerry worth over €17 million to the county's economy. On the Wild Atlantic Way between Kerry and Donegal, there are over 6,800 short-term lets all in ru…

I acknowledge that the minimum figure of 20,000 for towns was a put in place. I had lobbied strongly for that because we want to protect the tourism capital of the western world, which, as everybody knows, is Killarney, County Kerry and there is no doubt about that. However, I am worried about people in towns and areas with a population of less than 20,000 where the planning guidelines will be put…

I thank the Government, particularly the Minister of State, Deputy John Cummins, and the Minister, Deputy James Browne, for the excellent work they have done in progressing planning exemptions on modular homes. I take issue with some political commentators and people in the media who refer to them as beds in sheds. This is highly insulting to the excellent and reputable Irish companies that are pr…

I have listened to the protestors. I have listened to the workers. I have listened to the people of Kerry - the canvassers who soldiered on long days and bad nights with me over the years. I have listened to my family and my friends, to the office staff in Kerry - Fiona and Kevin - and to the Department of agriculture people, such as Jacquie Casey and all of the people I adore. I have listened to …

Sorry, just one second. It is a lesson for people in the future. I adored being a Minister of State in the Department of agriculture because I felt I was able to do good and I was passionate about my job.

I am sorry, and I thank you all very, very much.

I thank Deputy O'Donoghue for the question. The Government fully recognises the importance of the horticultural sector to the economy and its contribution to food security in Ireland. My Department is closely monitoring developments regarding input costs. The current conflict in the Middle East is putting upward pressure on energy and fertiliser prices. The Strait of Hormuz is currently closed, le…

Deputy O'Donoghue is so correct in everything he says. If we take the events of last week, one of our highly respected carrot producers went into liquidation. That is a situation I, the Department, and the Government find very concerning. It drives home now more than ever before that the customers - the people who go into shops - should be looking to try to buy Irish produce. We are better at prod…

What we are hoping for is that the situation will not be a repeat of 2022.

The Government will, of course, continuously assess the situation and try to respond in the most proactive and helpful way we can. It is too early to assess the full impact of increased energy and fertiliser costs but any spike in those prices obviously will have an impact on farmers' margins. The impact on fertiliser price will depend on how long the disruption lasts, whether physical energy prod…