Mary Lou McDonald

If he wishes to pursue it-----

-----I ask him to set out clearly the salary level and his justification for it.

Are there people earning €430,000? How many?

How many are there?

Almost €500,000 on a job share. That is shocking.

The outrageous salary the Taoiseach proposes to pay his new housing tsar is €430,000. It is nearly half a million euro - an astonishing amount of taxpayers' money for the salary of just one person. It is more than the Taoiseach's very generous salary. It is even more than the President of the United States is paid. It is equivalent to the starting salary of 11 new nurses, 11 new gardaí or 13 new s…

We have had the most expensive bike shed in the world, the €1 million security hut and the €9 million on phone pouches so people already know that the Taoiseach's Government is a serial waster of public money but this one really takes the biscuit. It has actually gone to the trouble of making up a job with a salary of €430,000 simply to give the appearance of Government action when it is doing not…

The Government built fewer houses last year than the year before, and the indications are that it will fail to meet targets again this year and build less. The evidence is there for all to see in growing costs and in the levels of homelessness. All the evidence and data are there. More importantly, the reality is lived every day, so the Taoiseach can stand up and spoof and shout at me and point hi…

Why does the Taoiseach have so little confidence in him?

Perhaps, in reality, he agrees with all of us-----

-----that neither he nor any Government Member is up to the task.

But I did refer to the €430,000.

What about the €430,000?

Where is the Minister?

I want to raise an issue.

Under Standing Order 35(3).

Any Member is permitted under the standing order to propose an amendment to the Order of Business. I propose that we need statements and questions taken by the Minister for Health in respect to the emerging scandal around hip dysplasia surgery and unnecessary surgeries, it seems, on very young children.

And questions.

And questions.

She will not be answering questions.

There is a shocker.

23. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the work of the policing reform implementation programme office in his Department. [15989/25]

I want to read to the Taoiseach a letter from Nikita Clarke, who is from Dublin and who I met recently. She suffers from suspected endometriosis: Thank you for taking time out of your day to read this letter. Please listen carefully, this is not easy to talk or write about. I am 18-years-old and instead of getting my driver's licence, picking out a Debs dress, studying for my leaving cert, going …

Nikita is 18-years-old. I am more than happy to forward the correspondence to the Taoiseach and the Minister. Nikita will travel to Romania to get the care she requires. Despite the assertions in his response, the fact is that the level of care here is simply unacceptable.

I know of a woman who lost a kidney to endometriosis. I know a 27-year-old who went through a radical hysterectomy because the disease, in her case, had eaten away at her pelvic organs and bowel. The services are not available to women and there should not be any attempt to dismiss or downplay the real experiences of women and girls. They are asking now for proper investment. Have a framework by …