Patrick O'Donovan

This has been said time and again. Sorry, I do not know who the questioner is supposed to be here.

Time and again Sinn Féin brings up the Government's issues with regard to cost of living. I will put it on the record of the House again because the Deputy has already said something that is clearly not true. We are introducing the largest ever child support benefit. We have introduced-----

-----back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance. We are increasing the domiciliary care allowance and, as late as yesterday, one of the Deputy's own party colleagues asked me to hike up the charge for people's Netflix accounts. Had I done that yesterday, Deputy Carthy would be in here today with the same old cant as always, that we are not taxing enough.

If I can answer Deputy Carthy, he wants to have his cake and eat it.

He wants to tax everybody and pretend he lives in a world where everything is free.

I thank Deputy Sheehan for raising an issue that is very important to both of us, the current situation in University Hospital Limerick. Deputy Sheehan was at the opening of the 96-bed block with me and others. He would agree that there have been substantial improvements made in University Hospital Limerick over the past number of years. It is starting from a really low base, there is no doubt abo…

I do not need to be reminded of my duties to the mid-west. I have been here 15 years, thanks be to God and to the people of County Limerick for returning me. It is a great honour and I work very hard, not only on my national duties, but on my regional and county duties, also. UHL is a concern to all of us and the one thing it does not need is politics. The Deputy is right as regards the flu. We a…

I thank Deputy Coppinger for raising what is an important issue, particularly at this time of year. We should all be cognisant and reminded of the great work taxi drivers and hackney drivers do all over the country in bringing us home safely in communities across the country, particularly when we are all so anxious to ensure that people do not drink and drive. We want people to go out and enjoy th…

The Deputy will be aware that the NTA is an independent transport regulator of the taxi sector. It is not for the Minister for Transport to intervene in the day-to-day operations of the sector, no more that it is for any Minister who has set up, or has under their remit, a regulatory authority, be it in health, my own Department, justice or wherever. It is not within the ambit or the remit of the …

In his intervention, Deputy Fitzmaurice mentioned Lough Funshinagh in County Roscommon. I know that area intimately, unfortunately for all of the wrong reasons. The poor misfortunate people there had to put up with years of torture, for want of a better word, because an attempt by the Office of Public Works and Roscommon County Council to relieve flooding was held up and objected to. As Deputy Fit…

I omitted to say in my original response that I think the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, was not referring to the ECJ during the week but to the European Court of Human Rights, but I know the point Deputy Fitzmaurice is making, which is the same thing. It is about EU simplification. Whether it is in relation to potable water or being able to flush the toilet, it is taking too long. It is not down t…

I thank Deputy Healy-Rae for raising this. There are more times we agree on things than we disagree. Especially as a neighbour's child, I would like him to think that. On this, I agree with him. If you travel the road from Abbeyfeale to Duagh - I am sure he knows that road very well - there is part of that road in Kerry where there is a very well-developed group of houses with a single entrance ou…

The same happened in Limerick, Waterford and everywhere else. The local authorities built what were called council cottages. In many cases, they were on farms. You gave the council half an acre or an acre. That land was transferred to the council. In return, the council built the house and you rented it and later got the option to buy it back if you were a farmer. If you were not a farmer, the cou…

I join the Deputy in saying that it is awfully sad when a provincial newspaper closes. Unfortunately, many of them have closed in recent years. The Deputy knows as well as I do that media platforms have changed. People's connectivity to local papers has changed. National papers are also under enormous pressure. My Department has in recent years responded positively, within the rules laid down for …

The Deputy should reflect on that comment, to be honest. I have been here a long time and have heard some personal comments. What the Deputy said is beneath her. I take offence.

I am not dismissing anything. My Department has not been approached formally by anybody with regard to this.

The Deputy has already insulted me. By the way, my parents lived next door to Michael Hartnett. I know him and his legacy quite well. There are two methods by which properties are acquired by the State. One is through the local authority. The Deputy is a former member of Dublin City Council. The other method is through the Office of Public Works. I mentioned this issue last night to the Minister …

I take it she does not want to come back. She will not apologise.

That is fine.

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I speak to it not only as the Minister deputising today but as a parent and teacher. The Minister, Deputy Foley, raised the matter at Cabinet and spoke publicly to the media about it. I reiterate that as a Government, we must ensure that the needs of children are identified at an early stage and that they receive supports to meet those needs, wh…

I am not sure what the question is there in relation to NATO and Donald Trump. There was a conflation of a lot of issues.

The Minister for foreign affairs has outlined the Government’s position as recently as the last few days with regard to the occupied Palestinian territories Bill and the prohibition of doing trade with that geographical area. The position of the Government has not changed.

As the Deputy knows, there is a separation of powers in this State with regard to the role of the Executive, the Oireachtas, the DPP and An Garda Síochána. On the more substantive issue the Deputy raised, I will ask the Minister of State with responsibility for the marine to respond to him.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I know the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, are working with regard to rail. DART+ South West, which forms part of the broader DART+ programme, involves an extension of the DART from the city centre to Hazelhatch and Celbridge. The programme will increase train capacity from 12 to 23 trains per hour. An Coimisiún Pleanál…

I understand the Deputy's concern with regard to rural GP practices. It is an issue for all of us who represent rural areas. On the specifics of this issue, I will have the Minister for Health, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, who, unfortunately, is unable to be with us this week, revert to the Deputy directly with a specific response.