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demand. We know that from Women's Aid, which has told us that there was a 12% increase in demand for front-line services. That block in terms of housing is huge. Progress is slow and without the urgency that is essential, one in three women will continue … medical card but being refused time and again. While all parties have signed up to Sláintecare, it is clear from budget to budget that there is just no consensus on universal healthcare. This budget will not deliver affordable and accessible public healthcare. The reality is that families cannot

only card, which I acknowledge is a help, but it is still a long way off. A small number of people have that card. Let us look at this category of people for a moment. These are the same people who cannot get on a local authority housing … spreads that burden. I want to address value for money in the health system. We had the 100th anniversary of the Committee of Public Accounts today. As a former Cathaoirleach of the committee, I attended the celebration. There is no doubt that people in the health system

raise with the Taoiseach is the absence of primary care. It is over eight years since the Sláintecare plan was agreed for a public health system by all parties in this House. It was due to be fully up and running by the end of this year … cannot afford to go to a GP because they do not have a medical card. In some cases, they cannot even get a GP even when they have a medical card or are going privately. On occasion, people who come to me state they cannot access

will increase the number of consultants in emergency medicine and ensure that more senior staff are rostered in emergency departments during weekends and public holidays for better decision-making. The construction of 114 new and replacement acute beds is expected to be completed in 2025. The surgical … health service include a national system for electronic prescribing, remote health monitoring and virtual care solutions. In mental health services, we will continue to build the mental health workforce and infrastructure and support for community-based services. In older people's services, we will support people to live

constituency of Dublin South-Central are really lucky when it comes to public transport. We live in the inner-city areas between the canals and so we must have perfect transport services. In fact, that is not true. I have been bombarded with emails from constituents … that transport services are not delivering for them and the fare increases will likely reduce their use of services. Let us take the Dublin Bus route 73 as an example. A constituent from Crumlin says, "As a daily commuter, I cannot rely on this service any more

Like many Members of this House, I speak not only as a public representative but as a former councillor and as a parent of three young children. I regularly meet parents of children with disabilities. What they tell me is clear; the system is not working for them … means-tested payment of €360 per month for children under 16 with significant additional care needs. It comes with a medical card and a €2,000 annual carer's support grant. However, here is the reality. Figures I obtained through parliamentary questions show that between

ensure that every person in Cork and throughout Ireland can access the dental care to which they are entitled with their medical cards. We cannot allow this crisis to deepen. The people of Cork deserve better, our dentists deserve better and our healthcare system must do better … seen they are aged over 18. They are then in the adult dental service and go onto another waiting list. When I was growing up, there was a dental service in every town and village. In the name of God, what has gone wrong in this country

increase the number of public-only consultants in emergency medicine and ensure more senior staff are rostered in emergency departments during weekends and public holidays for better decision-making. We will continue to build our workforce through the recruitment of key roles, retention measures and additional college places … digitalisation of the health service include a national system for electronic prescribing and remote health monitoring and virtual care solutions. In mental health, we will continue to build the mental health workforce and infrastructure and support community-based services. In older people’s services, we will support people

people when they are in this sort of situation. There are other financial obstacles to accessing services, such as if a person does not have a medical card they still have to pay. The amount of money that they have to pay is significant for some people … parts of the country. We also have a problem that out of the eight PET scanners in this country, only one is fully publicly funded and one is partially funded. They are in private hands. The only place that the stuff that goes into PET CT scanners

Primarily, I have a major concern about the expansion of the remit of the NTA because we have some legacy issues where the public transport offering is not keeping pace with the growth of the county and the needs of residents. Even on social media as it stands … being three years away? If you visit the UK or France and do not have an Oyster card or a Lignes d'Azur card, you can take out your bank card and tap on. I know there are limitations to importing Leap information but all of these simple

know who will be getting the flowers and chocolates from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. The Valentine's card has gone to the investor funds, with a note inside that reads: "We're getting rid of the rent caps for you. Let it rip with the rents … lack of supply. What will we see then? Housing assistance payments. We will see the use of more public money to support renters who cannot afford the rent, more public money going to US and German pension funds rather than being invested in building affordable housing

people fleeing conflict and seeking safety. These developments placed unprecedented pressure on the accommodation system, public services and administrative capacity. Throughout that period, public servants across multiple Departments, State agencies and local authorities worked intensively to ensure vulnerable individuals, families and children were provided with accommodation and support … applicants are entitled to have their basic needs met while their applications are being considered, and accommodation provided through the international protection accommodation services, IPAS. It remains a central component of that responsibility. The rapid growth in international protection applications over recent years required a corresponding expansion

what Deputy Carthy said about criminal legal aid and civil legal aid. I am in negotiations with the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation with respect to trying to get further increases in the criminal legal aid sphere. There has been a well-motivated … same case with the Probation Service. The Probation Service is an entity within my Department that does superb work. I think I have answered Deputy Kelly's question about the purchase of other accommodation. He also raised the issue of the rate card. I am not going

carer or an adult who is living with a condition that often requires specialist treatment, ongoing support and access to innovative medicines. The publication of Ireland's National Rare Disease Strategy 2025-2030 was an important step forward. The strategy provides a roadmap for more integrated person-centred … translate into improvements in daily life. Recent findings from Rare Diseases Ireland are concerning. Four in ten respondents reported poor access to healthcare services. More than 40% rated their physical health as poor, while over one third reported poor mental well-being. Nearly four in ten families described

budget 2022 came into effect on 1 February 2025. This was designed to increase the national stock - the amount - of zoned and serviced land to deliver homes across our country. So far, there have almost been 2,000 returns filed. Of these, 526 have requested the deferral … catering businesses and for hairdressing services. The measure will come into effect from 1 July 2026. This will cost €232 million in 2026 and €681 million in a full year. It reflects our commitment to support businesses in the services sector that are facing increased cost pressures. Furthermore

want to see increased and accelerated delivery of critical underlying infrastructure, which these amendments broadly deal with, but also of public amenities and public services like transport, schools and health facilities, all of which are sorely lacking in those parts of the State where there is increased residential … sites levy and its interaction with the residential zoned land tax. That would benefit from some public airing. With respect to the Housing Finance Agency, HFA, that was on the cards and is very welcome. Here is the problem. The additional funding from the Housing Finance Agency

services experienced by women who are unable to readily demonstrate that they are ordinarily resident in the State or to furnish a personal public service number, including women who are undocumented, women who are applicants for international protection, women experiencing homelessness and women who have experienced domestic, sexual … geographical barriers. My call is to maintain data on the number of women who are availing of the services, understanding the profile of who is actually accessing the services and also understanding the barriers as set out in that survey and indeed those that we have picked

April when the financial resolutions to give them temporary effect were approved. I thank the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach for its constructive engagement to date on the outline of the Bill, which means these important measures can move … business. In addition, the auto diesel must have been purchased with tax paid in the State by means of a Revenue-approved fuel card provider or in bulk for delivery to the transport operator’s business premises. The diesel rebate scheme rate of repayment is linked

increase the number of public-only consultants in emergency medicine and ensure more senior staff are rostered in emergency departments during weekends and public holidays for better decision-making. The construction of 297 new and replacement acute beds is expected to be completed in 2025. The surgical … digitalisation of the health service include a national system for electronic prescribing and remote health monitoring and virtual care solutions. In mental health we will continue to build the mental health workforce and infrastructure and support community-based services. In older people’s services we will support people

goes for children as well as adults. Public dental care is extremely limited. There are long waiting lists. Fewer private dentists accept medical cards. Children are meant to be seen in first or second class but often this does not happen until secondary school. A mother … parents get loans in order to go private. The cause of all this unnecessary suffering is deliberate underfunding and understaffing of our public dental service by successive Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Governments. They have pursued a policy of privatisation by stealth. Public dental care in this country

volunteers who run the service, and those who give up their time to drive the Moylagh car. These volunteers fill the gaps in services and very often support those who would struggle to find help when they need it. A lot of money is raised through charity events … tier health system was failing public cancer patients and they were not getting the same potentially life-saving cancer treatments as those treated in private hospitals. Private patients have swift access to EMA-approved cancer drugs while public patients must wait on average two years to find

them. Denmark recently announced the phasing-out of traditional postal services. The reaction here in Ireland to that announcement underlined the importance of investing in our postal network. People do not just think of our postal service in terms of the delivery of letters. They think … have a human connection with stability at a time when we hear of services being made digital first or digital only. The post office can be an outlet to provide that connection for people. Public services should strengthen community life. This Bill is a key enabler of strengthening

couple with two children - let us think about this - it is €342. When they go over that, they lose their medical card. These people have no basic health cover and cannot afford private health insurance. That should have been rectified. A portion of the large capital budget needs … Francis School in Portlaoise. Overall, instead of targeting money to ease the burden on the working poor and squeezed middle, and to improve public services, the budget will have the effect of transferring a huge amount of wealth and public taxpayers' money to big business and private wealthy

will need to continue to work together and the public must also be encouraged to use the services available through the post office. However, I encourage my Government colleagues to consider the impact of digitalisation and substitution of services on our network. It is important that as technology … whatever reason, do not want to access government services online, can still do so. I and the officials in the Department are ready and available to work with other Departments in respect of delivery of services throughout the network. Postmasters will play a crucial role in the future

analysis of the situation. I would be happy to have follow-up conversations with him on that. When you started doing the report card and you said you were going to do achievements and critiques, I thought you would give us a few on the plus side. Considering … vulnerable children, the national broadband plan rolled out ahead of time and on budget, surgical hubs, free HRT and the national education therapy service now established. I wanted to reference some of them to balance the ledger. The Deputy is also right to highlight this Christmas that there