Mattie McGrath

-----and people in rural Ireland are completely disenfranchised without access to driving tests.

I wish both Ministers of State well. There is a big job of work to be done here. Mental health is just the poor relation. There are so many problems. CAMHS services are non-existent in Clonmel. Where services exist, some consultants - not a lot - are exploiting the situation by not treating patients in the public service and instead forcing them into the private service. Much investigation needs t…

The Tánaiste visited Clonmel some months ago when he met with Nora O’Dwyer and Andrea Crowe regarding Dundrum House Hotel and its use as a refuge for hundreds of people from Ukraine. They have been settled in and integrated into the community. Many work in the community. The Tánaiste made commitments that day to get back to them but they have not heard a peep since. Now we understand that this ref…

People need to be consulted.

Before the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, starts, I take this opportunity to wish him, the Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, well in their portfolios.

Bogfaidh muid ar ais go dtí an Rialtas leis na Teachtaí Barry Ward agus Peter 'Chap' Cleere.

Ar an gcéad dul síos, gabhaim buíochas leis an gCeann Comhairle, an Teachta Ní Mhurchú. I thank the Ceann Comhairle for choosing this Topical Issue this morning. The power up grant was introduced following budget 2025 as an apparent replacement for the Government's refusal to reduce VAT rates. However, the criteria the Department laid down to local authorities for this grant have proven unworkabl…

I welcome the positive response from the Minister of State, but it needs to be dealt with. It is simply unfair that, for instance, the post office in Clonmel is getting the grant, while those in Fethard, Ballingarry or Killenaule are not. Small businesses in Ardfinnan and Clogheen might be getting it while those in Caisleán Nua, Ballyporeen and Cahir are not. I welcome the amount of money involved…

Anois, bogaimid ar aghaidh chuig Páirtí an Lucht Oibre. An chéad cainteoir ná an Teachta Ciarán Ahern.

Go raibh maith agat. Well done Deputy on your first speech. Bogfaimid ar aghaidh anois go dtí Sinn Féin agus an Teachta Ó Broin.

Deputies, please.

We all know the song "It is a long way to Tipperary". I know it was a British World War song. It is a long wait for the people of Tipperary town, muintir Thiobraid Árann, for the bypass and for some measures to alleviate the huge problem of mainly trucks congesting the town on a 24-7 basis. We had hopes with the then Minister, Eamon Ryan, that this section of the N24 would have been completed arou…

Ar an gcéad dul síos, ba mhaith liom comhghairdeas a dhéanamh leis an dá Aire. I wish them well in their new portfolios. I listened to the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, with great aplomb because he has stated quite clearly he is going to support An Garda Síochána and do a lot of work there. We all - every man, woman and child - must support An Garda Síochána. We need them so badly. Under the carer…

-----but that is not acceptable and we will not be silenced.

Ar an gcéad dul síos, ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis an gCeann Comhairle, an Teachta Ó Murchú for choosing my Topical Issue. I wish the Minister of State well in her new role, together with my good wishes to all of the Ministers who have been appointed, and I look forward to working constructively with them. However, there has to be a change in the practice of Ministers not coming to …

I never suggested that the water in Monroe treatment plant was in any way unsafe. My office in Clonmel is on the Poulavanogue supply, the soft water. I think I look healthy enough. The water is perfect. It is State vandalism to dismantle a perfect scheme. It is a backup and it is being dismantled altogether. The pump supply had an outage this week. Clonmel was without water for nearly 50 days last…

And the well will run dry.

I, too, thank and praise the emergency workers, from all over the country and from overseas and Northern Ireland, but especially from the ESB. Those in the ESB always do their best in all kinds of trying situations. We will have to seriously examine this. I have spoken to the Taoiseach about it, regarding having hubs set up. Most villages have a GAA hall, a community hall or rudaí mar sin. Many o…