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Cork campaign. I do not understand how we have got into this position. Frequently, the House is told that we have massive budget increases for various aspects of disability services. That is true on paper, with over €3 billion now being spent on disability services annually … aged 80 or over. I am sure that the Minister of State and Deputy Ó Fearghaíl hear of people in their constituencies needing emergency care and intervention. A case came to me not so long ago where someone living in Cork was offered emergency residential care in Meath

spoke of being forced to travel abroad for medical care that should be available here. We currently invest about 6% of our health budget in mental health, far below international benchmarks and well behind countries like Finland, where mental health is treated as a priority. In real terms … self-harm and suicide reduction programme embedded across primary care and everyday clinical practice, with consultant liaison psychiatrists at every emergency department. We need an action plan to combat loneliness and isolation, which far too many of our people experience. We would legislate to obligate any Government

capacity needed to provide safe, high-quality care for a growing population. That commitment is reflected in sustained investment. The hospital’s budget for 2026 is €131 million, an increase of almost 60% since 2022. Its workforce has grown by almost 42% since January 2020, with a further … predictable working arrangements and a working environment that supports them to remain in the service. At Naas, a new 22-week rota for emergency department non-consultant hospital doctors provides greater certainty about work schedules and reduces the need for short-notice roster changes. This is a practical

withdrawn the moment the Government feels it is politically acceptable. I welcome this proposal, which would mandate the Government to outline an emergency response to such shocks. One cohort of people who are no strangers to shocks are the farming families. During the times they are receiving … decreasing funds for Irish farmers in real terms at the very time Ireland became a net contributor to the European budget. The Government wants to spin the figures but I am not sure any farmer would say that the CAP today serves them better than

need certainty that prices will not go any higher than €1.75 per litre, which is the price cap in People Before Profit's emergency price controls Bill. We first introduced that Bill during the previous energy crisis. It is even more important now when oil prices … prices are the highest in Europe. It is disabled people who had about €1,400 cruelly taken from them in the most recent budget, despite the Government having billions of euro in surplus. Now, we have the ESB announcing another 8% increase in electricity and gas prices. People

thank the Deputy. I have not said anything about a supplementary budget. That was reported based on last year's, so I have no idea where that is coming from. Taking the case of Limerick, there were 20 delayed transfers of care there yesterday. Over the past … urgent CT scan, it will not be read by the radiographer in Limerick. Instead, the patient will be transferred by ambulance to the emergency department in Limerick to have the scan there. There are still things that do not make sense and need to be fixed. Processes need

local authority wants to prevent a person or family becoming homeless, it must decide whether it is taking it out of the maintenance budget, which again results in the issue of not addressing problems like voids, and it is forced to make decisions between taking people … social housing in this country and in parts of Dublin, as I said, from Ballymun and other parts of the city. An emergency motion that was passed at Dublin City Council last night called on the Minister to reverse his decision to cut funding to these social housing

households and businesses and its centrality to Europe's competitiveness were also discussed. Leaders also considered the European Union's next multi-annual budget, or multi-annual financial framework, MFF. Leaders will return to this discussion at our next meeting of the European Council in Brussels … working lunch with the leaders of Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and the Gulf Cooperation Council, where we discussed shared challenges and emerging opportunities for co-operation. In the lead-up to Ireland assuming the Presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1 July, I have been

However, vaping still involves nicotine, a highly addictive substance that raises blood pressure, increases heart rate and affects brain development in young people. Emerging evidence also links vaping to cardiovascular risks, chronic lung disease and asthma. Studies show that people who use both cigarettes and e-cigarettes … with clear information on the risks of vaping. The new e-liquid tax of 50 cent per millilitre, introduced in last November's budget, is expected to increase the price of typical disposable vapes from €8 to over €9. That matters because young people are more price-sensitive

just in Ireland but across the European Union and large parts of the world. In an Irish context, we will have our budget next Tuesday, when we will endeavour to assist people with those bills, particularly through the winter period. The Government is conscious of the increased financial … highly interconnected nature of EU energy markets - when we acted, we did so at an EU level - and a view that an emergency intervention to mitigate the effects of high energy prices at the time could not be sufficiently achieved by member states individually. It continues

last year, the HSE's report on GP-led Chronic Disease Management found that participants in the programme had 30 per cent fewer emergency department attendances, 26 per cent fewer hospital admissions, and 33 per cent fewer GP out-of-hours visits; is concerned that: — many … constraints in daytime general practice are putting additional pressure on out-of-hours services; and calls on the Government to: — in the forthcoming budget, implement the Programme for Government commitment to expand free GP care to children up to 12 years of age; — immediately set out a clear

Minister for her reply on behalf of the Taoiseach. Certainly, I will be one of the last people to argue about the overall budget for health. The more that goes into it, the better. However, what comes out the other end – the Minister for Health will be interested … critical thing at the moment is hospital care. Portlaoise hospital is under severe pressure. Patients are waiting to get into the accident and emergency department and the managers cannot do anything about it because they are trying to move patients out the other end as quickly as they

Federation of Ireland and Access for All Ireland, which protested outside this House in December asking for one urgent and modest intervention, an emergency winter payment of €400. Disability in Ireland is not just about individual circumstances. It is about inequality. It is also about the extra costs … stay powered, assistive technology, accessible transport, modified homes and ongoing care. None of these are optional. All of them cost money. Budget 2026 stripped away cost-of-living supports, leaving disabled people up to €1,400 worse off. The Government knew the cost of disability was not addressed

businesses deal with the rising cost of energy. This included €1,500 in electricity credits to all households through the electricity costs emergency benefit scheme and that cost €3.3 billion. This universal measure provided valuable on-bill support to nearly 2.3 million households, taking many out of arrears … allowances scheme for energy-efficient equipment is extended until 31 December 2030, encouraging investment in low-emission technology among businesses. As part of budget 2026, the Government has also provided significant targeted support to those people who most require help with their energy costs. From January, the fuel

revision of design standards for apartments. These measures, along with a reduced VAT rate of 9% on apartments announced as part of budget 2026, are focused on unlocking the delivery of apartments that is key to increasing the supply of rental properties. The Government is also continuing … Deputy has outlined many of those situations. Some €375 million was provided last year for local authority acquisitions. It is an emergency measure and should only be used by local authorities as a last resort when all other options to prevent homelessness have been exhausted. Our focus must

under-resourced. That is something we have to correct incrementally insofar as we can as a Government. A sum of 6% of the budget is simply not enough and that is replicated across the country. As public representatives, we see the lack of services and the difficulty … them, so that is a very significant issue. No doubt, mental health problems very often result in severe physical health problems emerging after a while if there is undertreatment. For a wide variety of reasons, it is extremely short-sighted for any Government not to prioritise and adequately

acknowledge the fact the Deputy appreciates there is work going on to increase capacity and additional funding has been provided. UHL's budget has increased from €265 million in 2019 to €507 million in 2024. I will also touch on the two rapid build 16-bed units opened … patients, which went live in UHL in July 2024. I will also touch on the staff, especially those working in the emergency department with the constantly increasing presentations every day. They are the front line and do a phenomenal job. However, I take on board every word

Féin proposed a Bill that would provide for 24-7 mental health emergency rooms in every single major hospital, separate from accident and emergency departments. One of the biggest gaps in mental health care has not been filled, which is the lack of beds for mothers … Monday to Friday. They can happen any time. It would be remiss of me not to talk about the impact of the budget on people's mental health. The Government is actually gaslighting people. It is gaslighting students. It says there will be a reduction

rises. We need to be a bit more radical in that respect. Workplace participation will be an area of focus in the next budget. People with disabilities are not being given enough opportunities to enter the workplace. We have a poor record on this as a society … before the State became involved in the seventies in disabilities where many of what we now call section 38 and section 39 organisations emerged from a period before State intervention, when organisations were set up to look after people with disabilities. We have come a long way since

order to prevent the spread of the disease among the population, the making of such order was in the public interest. As the emergency period under the Act expired on 1 August 2020, its provisions relating to residential tenancies are effectively spent. It would not be appropriate … developments, with over 5,150 additional affordable purchase homes approved for support from the affordable housing fund across 22 local authority areas. From budget 2026, cost-rental homes will be exempt from corporation tax, making projects more viable and ensuring the 25% discount is maintained. The rent

five years and even beyond that. Investment in the hospitals in the region went from about €370 million to €689 million. The UHL budget has gone from €265 million to €507 million, and then on the current side there are additional doctors, nurses, allied healthcare professionals … west, the Government has agreed to develop a model 3 hospital in the HSE mid-west that will provide a second emergency department for the region. All three options will be pursued by the Minister. The Deputy has experience as a former Minister and he knows the important

evening, at this very moment, there are children sitting hungry at a table in a kitchen or in a cramped hotel room of emergency accommodation. They are hungry or their parents are hungry. That is the choice for too many families. Now, as the hunger rumbles in their … Those rooms do not know poverty or hunger or cold. Those rooms are full of people who have never done better. Budgets are about choices - not just choices between numbers or policies or votes, but choices between people and what we believe in. Does this Government believe

spending. We know, for example, that east Galway continues to suffer from GP shortages, delayed disability assessments and pressure on mental health services. Budget discipline must be matched with strategic investment, especially in primary and community care, in line with Sláintecare. In east Galway, the community is ready … outstanding work our front-line workers do every day and sometimes under severe pressure. No one can predict when there will be an emergency or an outbreak. From experience and from my knowledge of how the HSE, particularly in the context of University Hospital Galway, Merlin Park

spirit of this motion, and our amendment would ensure that all disabled citizens were included. The Labour Party amendment would extend the emergency payment to older people with a disability in receipt of a State pension. This amendment would also ensure that any future cost-of-disability payment … Disabled people are having to make very tough choices such as whether they can turn on the heating or have something to eat. Budget 2026 marked a decline in the standard of living for many disabled people. The past number of budgets provided access to the disability support

detention under the Mental Health Act, receive a letter or advice to attend an approved centre such as a psychiatric hospital or emergency department. He continued: The person is not obliged to attend. And in practice, we have seen many individuals in acute psychological crisis simply walk away … godsend, he remains concerned that CAST and the pilot project has not received its own funding but instead works out of existing budgets. In conjunction with the Minister for justice, will the Minister of State support this project and following the evaluation that will be carried