John McGuinness

Deputy Gould----

You asked a question-----

That brings an end to Questions on Policy or Legislation. Before we break for a sos, I will mention the death of Philippa Bayliss, the internationally renowned artist. She was born in Kilkenny in 1940. She lived in Myshall and died tragically during the week as the result of an accident. I join with the world of art in sending my condolences to her family members.

Last Sunday, I and a number of other public representatives met a large group of parents of children with Down's syndrome. They were frustrated and angry at the lack of general services for their children, particularly speech and language services. They pay for these services themselves, up to €40,000. Is it not time that all of these services were made available directly to these children in orde…

The Deputy should conclude.

I thank the Minister of State. That concludes statements on online safety.

Seanad Éireann has passed the Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Bill 2025, without amendment.

Thank you, Deputy.

Thank you, Deputy. Please conclude.

Seanad Éireann has passed the Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2025 without amendment.

I call Deputy Ahern.

I call Deputy Ahern.

Deputy Doherty, you have asked your question. The Tánaiste has answered. Can we move on to Deputy Ahern please?

Order please, Deputy Lawless.

Allow Deputy O'Meara-----

Deputy Lawless, order please.

Deputy Tóibín, allow the Tánaiste to answer.

Since this is a Private Members' Bill, Second Stage must, under Standing Orders, be taken in Private Members' time.

Deputy Ahern and Members of this House are absolutely correct to call out the energy companies and we should call them out every single day where we believe it is necessary. There is no doubt that they are having a very negative effect on people in their own homes and indeed small businesses. Every small business I go to to discuss their circumstances in Carlow and Kilkenny will, first, highlight …

Sinn Féin is next.

You should conclude, Deputy.

In the short time I have, I would like to raise a number of issues that have been raised here before, but I would like to see them addressed. In Kilkenny city over the weekend, a family - a husband and wife and two children, one of the children a special child - became homeless. They rang all of the telephone numbers to seek help and there was no answer. That is the basic failure of bureaucracy, o…

In accordance with Standing Order 87, as the required number of tellers have not been appointed for the Níl side, I declared the question carried.

I must now deal with a postponed division relating to Second Stage of the Wind Turbine Regulation Bill 2024, which took place on Thursday, 27 November 2025. On the question, "That the amendment to the motion be made", a division was claimed, and in accordance with Standing Order 85(2), that division must be taken now.

I must now deal with a postponed division relating to Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks (Amendment) Bill 2025, taken on Tuesday, 2 December 2025. On the question, "That the Bill be now read a Second Time", a division was claimed and in accordance with Standing Order 85(2), that division must be taken now.