Fáilte romhaibh ar ais a chomhghleacaithe, tar éis na saoire agus ar ndóigh tá fuinneamh nua agaibh go léir anois. Welcome back everybody.
I have received notice from Senator Marie Sherlock that, on the motion for the Commencement of the House today, she proposes to raise the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Finance to make a statement on tax reliefs and supports available to apartment owner-occupiers affected by fire defects.
I have also received notice from Senator Gerard Craughwell of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Foreign Affairs to outline when the processing of foreign birth registration applications will resume.
I have also received notice from Senator Garret Ahearn of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to introduce a new scheme for farmers to offset rising fertiliser prices.
I have also received notice from Senator Micheál Carrigy of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Health to make a statement on the provision of a second palliative care bed in St. Joseph’s Care Centre, Longford.
I have also received notice from Senator Rebecca Moynihan of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Social Protection to make a statement on the tendering for local enterprise services.
I have also received notice from Senator Malcolm Byrne of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to make a statement on his plans to establish separate offices of the Office of the Chief Scientific Advisor and the Scientific Advisory Council, and to outline progress on the development of a national research strategy.
I have also received notice from Senator Fiona O'Loughlin of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Health to make a statement on plans for the development of a hospice in the midlands.
I have also received notice from Senator Barry Ward of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Education to address the lack of parity between traditional and simplified Chinese characters in leaving certificate Mandarin Chinese.
I have also received notice from Senator John Cummins of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to make a statement on the number of vacancies in district veterinary posts with responsibility for the TB eradication programme, in particular in the Waterford and Cork areas.
I have also received notice from Senator Maria Byrne of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Health to make a statement on the disbursement of funding to address waiting lists, particularly at University Hospital Limerick.
I have also received notice from Senator Tim Lombard of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Education to provide an update on the proposed extension to the Sacred Heart School, Clonakilty, County Cork.
I have also received notice from Senator Erin McGreehan of the following matter:
The need for the Minister for Transport to provide an update on the accessibility action proposals outlined in the Transport Access for All plan.
Of the matters raised by the Senators that are suitable for discussion, I have selected those raised by Senators Sherlock, Carrigy, Craughwell and Ahearn and they will be taken now. I regret that I had to rule out of order the matter raised by Senator Moynihan on the ground that it is a repeat of a Commencement matter raised on 21 October 2021. The other Senators may give notice on another day of the matters they wish to raise.