I welcome Minister of State, Senator Hackett. Céad míle fáilte. An chéad chainteoir eile ná an Seanadóir Victor Boyhan.
Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters
Farmers Charter
I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting what is a very important Commencement matter on the farmers' charter of rights. I thank the Minister of State for coming here to respond. I also thank the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association, ICMSA, which, in the past half hour has launched its election guide, which contains questions for farmers and major producers to ask candidates as they come into their farmyards and kitchens. It is a very good document and I encourage people to read it. I also thank the Irish Farmers Association, IFA, for its Manifesto for European Parliament and Local Government Elections 2024, in which it sets out its asks very comprehensively. That is what it should be doing because it is a representative body. I commend both the IFA and the ICMSA on their work.
Today, I wish to advocate in respect of specific commitments relating the farmers' charter of rights, which is for farmers and key producers. It is something that is really important and that needs to happen. The Government was committed to it. I know we have a rolling charter, but the time has now come for a new charter.
The success of a new farmers' charter will require trust and confidence on all sides. It will also require guarantees and procedures for fairness and transparency that are clearly understood and embedded in the text. That is what I would ask for, that transparency and fairness and all that is embedded in the text of a customers' charter, which is a commitment. It is, in my view, a guarantee from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and farmers and major producers. They have worked hard on it. I know it has been stopping and starting and there have been setbacks. However, I understand it is back on track.
What am I asking for regarding this charter today? I am asking for a focus. I want guarantees around the delivery of services and schemes for farmers and producers from the Department. I am asking for assurances that decisions and payments will be made in a timely manner because this has not happened and the Minister of State would be aware of that. If we are agreeing the procedures around schemes and systems, we need to understand the expectation in terms of the premium and when it will be delivered. I am talking about accurate timelines.
We need a strong commitment to meaningful engagement on all consultation with farming producers, organisations and their representative bodies. We need a simplification of the information of the data sharing. We have talked a lot, as I know the Minister of State has, and fully understand the implications of simplification, particularly around the European Green Deal. The Green Deal was to encourage and have more simplification, as opposed to complexities, and there are issues around that.
We need guarantees for fast and efficient appeals procedures for applicants if unsuccessful in a scheme or if penalised by some scheme. There has to be that fast process of engagement in terms of procedures. We need to fast track all appeals and decisions made by the Department, if necessary. We need greater consistency and transparency in all dealings with the Department to ensure confidence and this goes two ways. I refer to the respect and the conduct of farmers and primary producers and the Department. It is a two-way process. Agricultural inspectors and officials are entitled to be afforded the same courtesy and respect as farmers and producers would expect. We need clear processes around the complaints, reviews and appeals procedures.
Finally, I raise the point, and the Minister of State would be aware of this as a farmer representing a farm community, of cross-compliance. There are huge issues regarding cross-compliance inspections. There are issues about the notice. No notice is required for a farm visit under the EU rules on cross-compliance and this is an issue we need to address. However, we need fairness. The key here is fairness and transparency. I wish to see an early roll-out of the new farmers' charter, which farmers and producers expect to see too.
I thank the Cathaoirleach, welcome those in the Visitors Gallery and thank Senator Boyhan for raising this issue.
The farmers' charter review group began renegotiations of the new farmers' charter in early January 2023. The aim of the review group is to agree standards and delivery targets for schemes and services provided by my Department. It includes protocols in respect of applications, inspections, appeals and payments. From my Department's perspective, it is an important expression of positive engagement with those to whom it provides services. It is also an expression of commitment to the highest standards of customer services.
Broadly speaking, these charter arrangements have been in place in one form or another since the first protocol on direct payments to farmers was agreed with the farming bodies in July 2000 under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness. My Department's approach to the charter discussions is always to be as ambitious as possible when it comes to agreeing targets for service provision.
On the other hand, the charter cannot grant rights which would affect or change the operation of EU or national law, insofar as they apply to EU schemes administered by the Department. It is therefore essential that the targets set out in the new charter are ambitious, yet achievable, while taking account of the changes brought about by the new common agriculture policy, or CAP.
I recognise the importance of farm payments under the various schemes to members of the farming community. The commitment to farmers is evidenced by the very high payment rates achieved across all schemes over the last number of years in both EU and Exchequer-funded schemes. Almost €1.8 billion was paid to farmers across the country during the last quarter of 2023. At EU level, Ireland ranks among the most efficient member states in getting payments to farmers expediently and in line with the legal requirements. I am confident this will continue to be the case. I also point out that under the new CAP, this Government has secured the highest ever funding for an Irish CAP programme, with just under €10 billion being provided directly to farmers and rural communities.
All the schemes and initiatives that will flow from this investment are an investment in the future of Irish farming. My Department's national budget for 2024 is almost €2 billion, and over €3 billion when direct payments are included.
The current farmers charter review group comprises senior Department officials and representatives of the main farmer representative bodies. The group is chaired by an assistant secretary general of the Department. All the main farming organisations – the IFA, the ICMSA, Macra na Feirme, the ICSA, the INHFA and ICOS – participate in the negotiations on the charter. To date, the review group has held 11 round-table meetings. In addition, several bilateral meetings have been held with farming bodies that wished to avail of this option.
Negotiations on the new farmers charter are now at an advanced stage. The most recent round-table meeting took place on 10 May 2024, just last week, and a final draft of the farmers charter was examined at this meeting with the aim of reaching a consensus on it. Good progress was made during the meeting and my Department remains hopeful of an agreement on any outstanding issues at the next meeting. Once there is agreement, the Department will immediately publish the new farmers charter.
I thank the Minister of State for outlining the progress on the farmers charter. It appears it is imminent, which is really positive. It has been a long time in the process, but that process has been consultative, which I welcome. While considering the general scheme of the agriculture appeals (amendment) Bill 2024, I raised the issue of the farmers charter because it goes hand-in-hand with the appeals process and the matters of fairness and transparency. That is important. I ask that the Minister of State consider the issue of cross-compliance inspections on farms, as required under the EU regulations. I take the Minister of State's point that we must be fully compliant in that regard, but the issue of unannounced or unreasonably announced inspections is one that we could consider. The Minister of State's officials might do so.
This matter hinges on processes, penalties and payments. Once we have greater transparency on these issues, farmers will be happy. Again, I reiterate that it is a matter of confidence, respect and trust. If these are on both sides of the fence, the charter will be a good one. I welcome its publication.
I thank the Senator. As he said, the charter is imminent. We are very hopeful of having a new charter in place very soon. I understand the importance of having the process completed and of having a charter that is fit for purpose and has the elements of fairness and transparency, which the Senator has highlighted.
I will certainly take away the Senator's concerns on cross-compliance. As he highlighted, we have to operate within the legal framework and regulations at both EU and national levels. Ultimately, we want a system that works for farmers and results in compliance with the regulations. I hope the charter will be able to deliver that. We look forward to seeing it very soon.
School Transport
I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, for attending to deal with this issue on behalf of the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley. He will be very aware that the Minister initiated the first large-scale review of the school transport scheme since it was established in 1967 and that the report on the review, School Transport 2030, was published on 27 February. It is very ambitious. In it, the Government refers to increasing the number of students who use public school transport by 100,000 from about 161,000 at present. The number has been increasing year on year. New pilot projects are planned for this September, which is very welcome. The projects will work around the new rules that are planned.
As the Minister of State is aware, at present students automatically get a school bus ticket only if they are going to the nearest school. The recommendation in this report is to remove the requirement relating to the nearest school. Obviously, it is welcome that the Minister, Deputy Foley, has accepted that.
The Minister met with a group of parents, along with Councillor Pip Breen and I, late last year and she gave very generously of her time. These parents represent students in the middle of north Wexford, in areas like Oulart, the Ballagh, Ballyedmond, Boolavogue, Ballygarrett and Monamolin. At present, these parents either have to privately arrange a bus to bring their children to school in Gorey predominantly, but also in Wexford town or Enniscorthy, or drive those distances. While Coláiste an Átha in Kilmuckridge is a good, local school, it is a small school and we are talking about 191 students. Even if all 191 students suddenly tried to be accommodated in Coláiste an Átha, it would not be possible. There are a variety of reasons that more than 190 students travel to schools in Gorey, Wexford town and Enniscorthy.
For quite some time, we have been seeking to have one of the pilots to be established this year operate from that area to service the needs of those children. The children have all registered. The portal, as the Minister of State knows, closed on 26 April. There were more than 190 students from these areas who registered with the Bus Éireann portal. They would much rather be in a situation where they can use a school bus to go to school. I hope the Minister of State will be able to outline today the plan as to how these pilots projects will be selected between now and September and whether there are any other plans with regard to implementing the findings within the School Transport 2030 report.
On behalf of the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, I wish to thank Senator Byrne for raising this matter today. Before I address the specific issue raised, I will provide an outline of the extent of the school transport scheme. The school transport scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year, more than 161,600 children, including in excess of 135,000 pupils travelling on primary and post-primary services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs and 6,800 pupils who have arrived in Ireland from Ukraine, are transported on daily to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. The total cost of the scheme in 2023 was €382 million.
Under the current terms of the scheme, children are eligible for transport at primary level where they attend their nearest national school and reside not less than 3.2 km from it. At post-primary level, they are eligible if they are attending their nearest post-primary school or education centre and reside not less than 4.8 km from it, as determined by the Department and Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. Children who do not meet these criteria are deemed not eligible, otherwise known as concessionary applicants, and are allocated a ticket based on the availability of a seat when all eligible children have been catered for.
The school transport scheme is of huge importance to families and there has been a significant amount of change in this country since the scheme was initially established. The School Transport 2030 report has now been published. It marks the largest review of the school transport scheme since it was established in 1967. The Government is committed to working to achieve the report’s recommendation of expanding access to the scheme in order that an additional 100,000 pupils can be carried by 2030. Throughout the review, the value of the school transport scheme to families and in supporting wider Government policies has been apparent. School transport not only plays an important part in supporting children's access to education; it also aligns to wider Government objectives. Overall, the recommended changes to the future operation of the scheme concern the expansion of the current eligibility criteria, addressing current operational challenges, charges and grants and, over time, moving towards better integration with public transport to ensure the best value for money to the Exchequer.
A phased implementation of the review's recommendations will begin in September 2024. This will include a shared effort between the Department of Education and the Department of Transport to pilot and introduce greater integration of transport networks with school transport routes. I envisage that over time this will lead to expanding the provision of transport and reducing the reliance on individual car trips for school journeys.
The planned pilot projects in the 2024-25 school year will provide a valuable insight into the impact on the scheme of increased demand, the possibilities to integrate public transport services with school transport services and the possibilities to facilitate more sustainable modes of transport. These impacts will be fully assessed and costed as required. The projects will evaluate and assess the scale of planning and implementation required for a national roll-out of a revised school transport scheme. As part of this, they will include the integration of public transport and school transport services. The school transport scheme and public transport integration project is a joint effort between the Department of Education and the Department of Transport, supported by the National Transport Authority and Bus Éireann. Details of the areas to be included in the pilot scheme will be available shortly. Families residing in the pilot scheme areas will be communicated with separately regarding the pilot schemes, how they should apply and to inform them what the changes will mean for the 2024-25 school year.
Before I bring Senator Byrne in for his supplementary question, I welcome a very good friend and guest of Senator Aidan Davitt to the House, Emmet Creighton. I believe heartiest congratulations are due to Mr. Creighton on the birth of his new baby. Congratulations from us all here in the Seanad. We hope you have a wonderful day. We are doing Commencement matters, which provide an opportunity for Senators to raise issues they feel strongly about. I hope you enjoy your day in Leinster House. You are with a very good colleague.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach.
I thank the Minister of State for the response. I guess what I was hoping to hear within it would be more details around the planned pilot scheme. Where the Department states details to the areas to be included will be available shortly, what is defined by "shortly"? Are we to expect this within the next couple of weeks? What are the criteria that will be used to determine what are the pilot schemes to be selected?
It is my view that the group that I mentioned in Wexford, and whom the Minister had met, would be ideal for a pilot scheme because we are talking about over 190 children. It fits perfectly within what is recommended in the school transport scheme 2030 report.
However, I am concerned that we are not seeing the detail now as to how the pilot schemes will operate. The Minister of State will appreciate that it is now May. It will be important for any of the parents to know as soon as possible as to when these pilot schemes will commence and I would be grateful if the Minister of State could clarify that.
Unfortunately, I am not able to give the Senator absolute clarity on when they will commence, but I envisage that it will have to be within a matter of a short number of weeks because, as the Senator rightly pointed out, we are into May and shortly will be into June and people are looking to the next school year, which is 2024-25. I will communicate, both to Bus Éireann and to the Department, the Senator's concern about the urgency of the matter.
Schools Building Projects
I believe the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, is taking this one as well.
The Minister of State is having a busy morning here with us. I thank him for taking the time to come here today for what is an important matter for many parents of children with additional needs in my area of south Kildare.
I want to speak to the Minister of State today about St. Anne's special school on the Curragh in County Kildare. The school was established in 1967 by the visionary Elizabeth Birmingham and her husband, Michael, and it moved to its present location on the edge of the Curragh in 1974. It is a co-educational school for pupils between the ages of four and 18 who have been assessed as having either a moderate or severe-profound general learning disability. It is a great school community that provides top-class supports to the students in their school. I know many of the teachers and the staff members there who do a really good job.
We all know how adequate and timely intervention supports can be and are for children with additional needs, and St. Anne's does a really good job in terms of supporting its students and families.
However, the school has totally and long outgrown its current building and is desperately in need of a new school building. The current building is no longer fit for purpose both in terms of size and ongoing maintenance. Due to the ages of sections of the older building, which, as I said, was constructed in the 1970s, it is in need of constant ongoing repairs.
The school has gone through four rounds of emergency funding from the Department just to keep the basics of the school up to standard. A new wing to the current building was completed in 2012 at which point plans were initiated for a further building development on the site to accommodate the growing need of the community. The school currently houses 13 classrooms and plans were drawn up ten years ago in May 2014 for an additional capital build on site to increase the capacity to 16 classrooms. As of today, the project is still at stage 2B - detailed design.
Therefore, as the Minister of State will acknowledge, we are a decade on from the designs the principal has in her office being drawn. It is totally unacceptable that we have vulnerable children in desperate need of support and countless stressed parents in my area of south Kildare who are at their wits' end trying to secure a special school place for their child. We have here a project stalled for almost ten years that would deliver three additional classes. If this project were to be delivered, it would cater to 18 additional students, which is more than two thirds of St. Anne's waiting list. St. Anne's has always been oversubscribed and the condition of the building is now also putting the school under significant financial pressure.
I welcome the announcement of new special schools, including one in the south Kildare area albeit it is in north Kildare. We need to be planning for the future. We need to have these schools. We need to be confident that we can tackle the current demand. It does not make sense that the Department can announce a totally new school to tackle the lack of capacity, while, at the same time, leave a development project for an existing school project on the long finger for ten years. I understand that tender documents are being prepared. We want to know when St. Anne's will simply move on to the next phase of this process. We want to know when the builders can be on site to deliver this. We need to see more urgency from the Department.
I thank Senator O'Loughlin for raising this important matter as it provides me with an opportunity to outline the current position. The major building project for St. Anne's special school at the Curragh in County Kildare is included in the Department's construction programme, which is being delivered under the national development plan.
The brief for this project is part demolition of the original single-storey building and the development of a new-build extension for children with special educational needs at the current school site. Upon completion, the school will have 16 general classrooms, specialist rooms including those for woodwork, art, daily living skills and computers, outdoor spaces and all ancillary accommodation to cater for children with special educational needs.
The design team is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning, which is stage 2B - detailed design, as the Senator rightly pointed out, during which the design team will make the application for all statutory approvals and prepare the tender documents. The design team has secured the statutory approvals, including planning permission, and is currently completing the stage 2B report. The design team anticipates submitting the stage 2B report to the Department early in quarter three of 2024. On receipt of the review of the stage 2B report, Department officials will contact the school and its design team to advise of the next steps in the project progression.
During 2020 and 2021, in advance of delivery of the major project and in part to replace older prefabs, an enabling works contract delivered six modular classrooms, a sensory room, ancillary accommodation and an outdoor play space at St. Anne's special school.
School authorities and their design team have also submitted a report to the Department detailing additional works that will be required to the existing building to include works to the roof, doors and heating system. The Department is assisting the school and its design team with any necessary works to the existing building pending delivery of the major project.
I thank the Minister of State for confirming that the major building project for St. Anne's is included in the Department's construction programme. As he said, when completed, the school will have 16 general classrooms, specialist rooms including woodwork, art, daily living skills and computer, outdoor spaces, and all ancillary accommodation that is needed. We have much to look forward to.
The Minister of State is saying that the design team anticipates submitting the stage 2B to the Department early in quarter 3. That is in two months' time. Let us say that is going to be submitted in two months' time and then we will know where we can go with the next one. He also says that the school authorities and the design team have submitted a report detailing additional works that are required to the existing building. To me it makes no sense that the Department would invest in more additional works, to include works to the roof, doors and heating system, while we are waiting for a new building. It has to be an absolute priority. We need a better timescale.
Special schools are a particular priority for the Department's schools building programme. On delivery, the new building for St. Anne's special school will be very transformative for the school community. The Department design team will keep school authorities informed of further developments in the completion of stage 2B and the progression of the major build project. I will absolutely make the Minister and her Department aware of the Senator's frustration.
Hospital Services
It is wonderful to have a Minister of State from Limerick in front of me after the weekend we had. It is great to have this opportunity to discuss a very important issue with our Minister of State from Limerick.
On a more serious note, I have a Commencement matter put down today on the need for the Minister for Health to provide an update on a new endoscopy unit based in Bantry General Hospital, including timelines for the unit being operational. This is a very important debate to get clarification on the good work that is happening in Bantry General Hospital at the moment. We have seen significant development in Bantry General Hospital. In fact, the budget since 2019 has increased by nearly 20%. It is a significant driver in our community. I want to outline what is happening with this really important unit and maybe get the timeline for when it will actually be fully finished and opened.
Bantry General Hospital is a unique entity in our part of the world. It is a remote rural hospital that provides acute general services to the population of west Cork but also to places such places as mid-Cork, south Kerry and potentially all the way over to the Minister of State's part of the world in Limerick. It is literally such a driver in our economy. It has 330 whole-time equivalents, which means more than 600 staff work there. There are 17 house doctors and an amazing six full-time consultants based there. Significant investment has been happening in this complex over the past ten years in particular. I outline the endoscopy unit which we are talking about here today. There is a day service with outreach surgeries, an injuries unit, a department of medicine, a high-dependency unit, an acute medical assessment unit, a stroke unit, radiation wards, laboratories, physiotherapy and cardiac testing. It is an amazing complex with so much happening in Bantry.
What has happened, unfortunately, is that we are in an election cycle. In election cycles this hospital always becomes a political football. I acknowledge the wonderful staff there who do so much for Bantry. I mention in particular Carole Croke, the general manager, who works day and night to make sure the complex works to its full potential. It is about trying to get the mix out of this political football. There has been significant development. Significant money has been put in. This unit is now upgraded and is nearly finished. I was there in recent weeks to watch the good work there.
This unit will be an important part of the master plan for Bantry General Hospital. It is unfortunate that some local election candidates have used their literature to talk about Bantry General Hospital being downgraded. If anything, the investment we have seen has been amazing. I want to get that on the record of the Seanad today. The amount of money we have spent and services we have put in, with the real focus we have put on the complex in the past ten years, have to be looked at. The feeling in Bantry is that this is one of the best hospitals in the country and the staff are the best in the country. To have local election candidates going around talking about it being downgraded is unfair on the staff, the management and the people who use the service daily.
I had the privilege, a few weeks ago, of walking through this unit that has been proposed and nearly finished. I am looking for an update regarding when that will be up and running, when the timelines will be set in order that we can have another step in making sure that Bantry will continue to be the world-class unit that it is,and to dispel the myths that will come up in every election, that it is closing down. It is anything but. It is thriving and moving forward.
I welcome the guests here this afternoon with our colleague, Senator Clonan. They are transition year students. We have Emily, who is from Athy, which is in Senator O'Loughlin's constituency, as is Lulu, who is from Kildare, also in Senator O'Loughlin's constituency. I welcome James and Theo, who are from Blackrock College. I hope they have a good day here in Leinster House, that they learn a great deal, and that they ask Senator Clonan plenty of questions, because he has all the answers.
I agree with that. I thank Senator Lombard for allowing me the opportunity to update the House on the new endoscopy unit in Bantry General Hospital. Bantry General Hospital is a busy model 2 hospital providing services to the population of west Cork and south Kerry, from the Beara and Sheep’s Head peninsulas in the south to Kenmare in the west, Macroom and Clonakilty in the north and Timoleague in the east, and includes several inhabited islands. It is aligned with Cork University Hospital.
The Government has invested significantly in allocating additional resources to Bantry General Hospital to meet the needs of patients using the facility. Staffing at the hospital has grown by 67 since the end of December 2019, from 266 to 331 at the end of March 2024. This represents an increase in staffing of almost 25%, with seven more consultants, 20 more non-consultant hospital doctors, 147 more nurses and midwives and 33 more health and social care professionals.
In 2019, Bantry General Hospital had a budget of just under €20 million. In 2024, the budget increased to just over €25 million, meaning its budget has grown by about 27.5% over the years from 2019 to 2024. Bantry General Hospital has more than 100 inpatient and day-case beds and provides services such as: an urgent care centre, consisting of a medical assessment unit and local injury unit; acute, stroke, rehabilitation and residential services, along with acute general services, including medicine, cardiology, radiology and laboratory services; outpatient services; and a high dependency unit. In addition, a palliative care service is supported by Marymount hospital.
At present, endoscopy services at Bantry General Hospital are provided in the urgent care unit as part of its diagnostic services. Construction of the endoscopy unit in Bantry General Hospital is currently under way and works are scheduled to be complete in quarter three of this year. The new building is anticipated to be handed over by the contractors to HSE estates by quarter three of 2024, at which stage internal inspection by the HSE shall be undertaken. Thereafter, commissioning and equipping of the unit will take place. It is currently envisaged that service delivery will take place by in quarter four of this year. The Senator may also be aware of the proposed stroke rehabilitation unit at Bantry General Hospital, which was tendered for at the same time as the endoscopy unit. This separate project has full planning permission and all statutory compliances. Plans are at an advanced stage to develop the stroke rehabilitation unit, and the project is included in the capital programme for 2024.
All capital development proposals must progress through a number of approval stages, in line with the infrastructure guidelines, which supersede the public spending code, including detailed appraisal, planning, design and procurement before funding for each stage can be confirmed. The successful completion of the various approval stages determines the timeline for delivery of capital projects. The 2024 capital plan is with the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, for review and approval. It will be published in line with established procedures once approved.
I thank the Minister of State for his update regarding the great work that is happening in Bantry General Hospital. I want to acknowledge that we will have this unit up and running by the fourth quarter of 2024, which dispels the myth that it will not be delivered. It will be a really important development not alone for west Cork but also for south Kerry and mid-Cork. It is a really significant development and another plank in making sure Bantry General Hospital is going to become the best regional hospital in the country.
The political footballing has to stop here. It is absolutely chaotic. The idea that Bantry hospital is going to close is a myth that is out there. Those who are trying to talk it down are doing no good to Bantry. If anything, they are trying to close it by stealth by making sure people do not come there. When I think of the staff working there now, I am reminded that there are 20 house doctors, which is an amazing figure. We have never seen this before. It needs to be acknowledged. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the Chamber to clarify this issue and to dispel the myth that has been put out there that Bantry General Hospital is being downgraded.
I thank Senator Lombard for raising this issue. Misinformation and disinformation being peddled by people on the doorsteps in the middle of an election campaign is really regrettable. The Senator is right to use this opportunity to allow me to outline to the people of west Cork and south Kerry the investment the Government has made in Bantry General Hospital. I have relations in the area who have been clients or service users of Bantry General Hospital. They have nothing but good words to say about the place in terms of the experience they had there and the level of care they received. It is really regrettable that people would try to spread misinformation that Bantry General Hospital is on a path to closure. It is anything but. I have detailed the significant investment; the ramping up of the operating budget, the number of medical professionals working there and the capacity; and the broadening of the range of services there. Nothing could be further from the truth. Bantry General Hospital is a major priority for the Minister for Health, the Government and the HSE.
I thank the Minister of State for his time today. I know Tuesday is a very busy day so we appreciate his coming to the Seanad to take these Commencement matters.
Cuireadh an Seanad ar fionraí ar 1.43 p.m. agus cuireadh tús leis arís ar 2 p.m.
Sitting suspended at 1.43 p.m. and resumed at 2 p.m.