Healy-Rae, Michael

Budget Statement 2018 (Continued)

First, I must take the opportunity to thank the Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Kevin Boxer Moran, for the proactive way he has dealt with the problems ...

The Minister of State is the right man in the right place and the longer he sits in his current seat, the better.

First, all day today I have been receiving calls from people who are in receipt of various payments and are due to receive an increase in those payments. They have been asking me why some increa...

I went through the budget in great detail to see if there was anything in the health budget that would help people whose lives are dependent on necessary drugs. They are living from week to week...

I have been studying the sugar tax very closely. It is another tax and when something like this is created it might be with the intention of doing something good. There is much talk about obesi...

The same applies to increasing the cost of cigarettes. I said in the House many years ago that I would be happier if nobody in Ireland smoked a cigarette. However, it is a free country and peop...

On behalf of the people of County Kerry, who I am glad to represent in the Dáil, I welcome the retention of the VAT rate for restaurants, pubs and the hospitality sector. There are great towns i...

We do not want the VAT rate to be changed because hotels in Dublin believe they can charge what they like. Hotels in County Kerry are competitive and offer value for money. I am not being critica...

No, that will be later on. Travelling around the area, we saw the value of community employment schemes because in many of these places there is little else besides a little farming and tourism. ...

To return to community employment, the more money we invest in these schemes, the better, because they help the communities, the environment and individuals. Small farmers and others need a litt...

The more money that can be invested in fibre optic broadband in our communities, the better, because it will help small businesses and households to create employment for themselves. It will als...

How am I doing for time?

I would like to continue but I do not want to encroach on my colleagues' time.

They were shattered.

Keep him going, a Cheann Comhairle.

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Asked the Minister for Education and Skills: the status of support hours for pupils at a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Paternity Leave

Asked the Minister for Justice and Equality: his views on allowing paternity leave to be taken within the first year; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Special Areas of Conservation Management

Asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: if she will address a matter (details supplied) regarding a clubhouse; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Irish Language

Asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: her views on developing a facility for those who wish to learn Irish at their own level, independently of a class; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: her views on allocating funds for scholarships for young persons to support the learning of Irish in their communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: her views on establishing an annual fund that various communities can draw upon to set up Irish language communities that would especially benefit the south; and if she will make a statement on the...

Asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: her views on increasing the number of Irish language community schemes available to local community committees in order to develop Irish in their own local areas; and if she will make a statement o...

Hospital Appointments Status

Asked the Minister for Health: the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Asked the Minister for Health: the status of an audio test for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Asked the Minister for Health: the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Asked the Minister for Health: the status of an appointment for an MRI scan for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Asked the Minister for Health: when a person (details supplied) will be called for a procedure; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Asked the Minister for Health: the status of a plastic surgery appointment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Medical Aids and Appliances Applications

Asked the Minister for Health: the status of prosthetics for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Home Help Service Provision

Asked the Minister for Health: if additional home help hours on the weekend will be provided in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Asked the Minister for Health: his views on ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Greenways Development

Asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport: the status of a greenway (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Early Childhood Care and Education Funding

Asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs: if the budget allocation for early childhood education will be increased by a minimum of €250 million each year over the next five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Affordable Childcare Scheme

Asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs: her views on the removal of the 15-hour standard hours subsidy proposal from the development of the affordable childcare scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Early Childhood Care and Education

Asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs: if she will publish the national early years strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Early Childhood Care and Education Staff

Asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs: her views on allocating €5 million to increase the 5% non-contact time for core staff being built into the proposed new affordable childcare scheme to 10%; and if she will make a statement on the m...

Youth Services Funding

Asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs: her views on funding an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Youth Services

Asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs: her views on maintaining the voluntary sector's role in delivering local youth services; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs: her views on ensuring that the voluntary sector is part of the organisation and funding of youth work; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs: her views on increasing the funding for the local youth club grant in 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Charities Regulation

Asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development: his plans to ensure the Charities Regulator is fully resourced; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Fuel Allowance Applications

Asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection: if a person (details supplied) can make a late application for a fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Nitrates Usage

Asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government: if the deadline for spreading slurry will be extended (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.