Conor Sheehan

Thank you, Deputy.

We will take Deputy Bennett's question and a brief response.

Unfortunately, that concludes oral questions.

Very briefly.

That concludes oral questions.

I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh - To discuss the proposal from An Post to move operations within Mayo. Deputy Michael Cahill - To discuss the long processing times for aquaculture licences. Deputy Pat Buckley - To discuss the proposed constructi…

Thank you, Minister. That was a useful education on Dublin buses.

I do not want this plan to fail. The future of our country, particularly for people my age, depends on it. At last this morning, we have a new housing plan but I have never seen any government take so long to come up with so little. This time last year, the Government deliberately misled the electorate in terms of the housing targets. During the election, the Government never publicised its plans …

In his reply, the Tánaiste did not address any of the specific questions I asked. The fact of the matter is that there are elements in this plan that I welcome. Some of those elements are things that we already proposed, such as amending the law to ensure the best interests of children are taken into account by local authorities when families become homeless. Former Deputy Jan O'Sullivan had that …

To make them smaller and darker-----

Fine Gael's lord mayor is not in favour of it.

Your own lord mayor is not in favour of it.

That is completely disingenuous.

Last week, Limerick Chamber contacted the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, about the Mackey roundabout and the safety issues there to formally request €2.2 million in funding to advance the next stage of improvement works to the roundabout. This is a critical priority for the safety of people in the mid-west but also for our economic development. It is a key interchange in the east of the city, connectin…

A wise woman.

Ar dtús báire, gabhaim buíochas leis na Daonlathaithe Sóisialta agus an Teachta Farrelly as ucht an Bille seo a thabhairt faoi bhráid na Dála. Cuirim fáilte roimh na cuairteoirí go léir atá anseo. Is Bille tábhachtach simplí é seo. I mo thuairim, caithfidh muid é seo a thabhairt isteach, because I believe, and the Labour Party believes, that the voting age should be lowered to 16. This is somethin…

The overall time is up. I will allow the Deputy to speak if she is very brief.

I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Michael Cahill - To discuss a dedicated pilot study on all aspects of the health service in the Iveragh and Dingle peninsulas. Deputy Ciarán Ahern - To discuss issues on the BusConnects F spine and S orbital routes affecting Dublin …

I thank the Deputy.

I thank the Minister of State very much. That concludes the Topical Issue debate.

We have a number of attacks on LGBTQI+ people and community in recent months. In Cork, there was an assault on two drag performers, Krystal Queer and Lucina Schynning. In Limerick recently two young students were hospitalised after they were set upon in a homophobic attack. As a gay man, I would not feel comfortable walking the streets of this country holding the hand of a partner. I do not think …

I thank the Minister of State for that response. I am glad she acknowledged we need a step change in how we treat problematic drug users. I represent Limerick city, which the Minister of State knows well. Our city has been absolutely destroyed by drugs, whether the drug barons who prey on vulnerable communities or the crack cocaine epidemic that has ripped through our city. Limerick is unfortunate…

It is the crack cocaine capital of Ireland.

It is.

Hear, hear.