Ruth Coppinger

He is not here now. That is not good.

He should be listening to the whole debate.

It does not send a very good signal that the Minister cares about this issue when only one Member from the Government side sat through this debate; it is actually an insult. Obviously, a few Members have come in now for Leaders' Questions. I want to run through some of the issues the Minister of State raised. Regarding the counselling notes, the Minister said earlier that there were no issues rais…

-----or the Independents who are always looking for speaking time could be bothered to be here.

They are being deported, actually.

This is Eating Disorders Awareness Week. Tomorrow, a briefing will be held by relatives about this matter. Over the past 20 years there has been an absolute explosion in this most deadly, fatal mental illness. Yet, we still only have three beds for people with eating disorders. Some 200,000 people suffer with such disorders. Eight beds were to be opened at Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown. Nothing…

Is that by the end the year?

All right, go on.

16. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Taoiseach when the next meeting of the Cabinet committee on health is taking place. [6171/25]

26. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on health will next meet. [7939/25]

I would like to raise with the Taoiseach one very important and particular aspect of healthcare and that is for trans people. I am sure that he, like me, is concerned about the demonisation and erasure of trans people that is going on worldwide. I am sure the Taoiseach would also agree that trans people have a human right to healthcare. The waiting list is a decade long in this State right now. It…

31. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Taoiseach when the next meeting of the Cabinet committee on EU and international affairs is taking place. [6172/25]

39. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on EU and international affairs will next meet. [7940/25]

I am very concerned about the plight of the Palestinian people, as I am sure we all are, but I am also specifically concerned about Irish citizens who the Taoiseach's Department helped to get out of Gaza. In particular, he may recall Ibrahim Alagha, whose family I am sure the Taoiseach and his Department officials played a role in assisting in November 2023. One of the family members got left behi…

Yes.

I am tempted to talk about child school places, but I want to talk about adult disabled people because it has been almost one year since the care referendum this Government lost because disabled people got organised online and actively and defeated the care referendum whether we like it or not. They then went on to defeat the Green Paper which was another Thatcherite plan of the previous Governmen…

77. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the minimum standards contractors engaged by his Department and its agencies are expected to comply with in terms of workers’ rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6617/25]

What are the minimum standards expected of the Minister's Department and the agencies connected to it in respect of workers' rights, union rights and the right to join a union? Government policy is now to outsource in relation to energy, waste and water. A number of union-busting companies, such as Veolia, are looking to get contracts with this State and other states. It is engaged right now in a …

Veolia is a very large French multinational that specialises in extracting money from public services in various countries. In Sheffield and in the UK, 78 workers have been laid off for their right to join a trade union and to have their union, Unite, recognised by their employer. I am hoping this means we will have no such relationship with Veolia into the future, although this State has not had …

I am sure the Minister of State will join me in sending solidarity to those workers who are making a huge sacrifice for their jobs, pay and conditions, and in calling on Veolia to clean up its act and recognise the union. I hope this State will not have contracts with Veolia. It is important to put that on the Dáil record, so this does not happen in this State.

Connolly Hospital serves a massive catchment area of about 331,000 people in Dublin west, north and mid-west and counties Kildare and Meath. These are areas where the population of this country has increased so enormously. The hospital also takes all the road traffic accident cases from the M50. Connolly Hospital has one CT scanner. It broke down last Thursday, so for six days patients were being …

-----and staff were spending money. That hospital has asked since 1998 for a second CT scanner. Will the Minister get a second CT scanner for Connolly Hospital?

Will that include the CT scanner? It would be nice if you mentioned that, the actual subject of the question.

Some Deputies have said they are not from rural areas but we all eat food so we are all entitled to speak on the topic. Also, the animals which provide the food are everybody's concern. No special privilege is afforded if you are a rural dweller or a farmer. We talk about the food economy but what about the welfare of the animals in that food economy? Nobody wants to eat food that is based on crue…

The Minister should be here.