Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In fairness to the Taoiseach, this is a Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael programme for Government. The responsibility for all of the lack of delivery rests in the confidence and supply agreement. It is revealing to watch the play-acting that is going on day in and day out. The fact is that the Taoiseach is in Government as a gift from Fianna Fáil, and the electorate who are dependent on the Government doing the right thing is being failed. That is most obvious in the lack of capacity in the health system.

Can the Taoiseach confirm that the Government plans to use prefabs, as reported in the media, to relieve the pressure on our emergency services? Is the HSE about to evaluate a series of bids it received? The Taoiseach is very conscience of his constituency and as a result of his long career here of the number of schools which were given prefabs as temporary accommodation. Decades later, children are still being taught in unsuitable classrooms. Is this the future for our emergency services?

It has been reported that 34 patients over the age of 75 were left on hospital trolleys for more than 24 hours on every day of every week in the first seven months of this year. A total of 7,161 patients were left on trolleys for more than 24 hours. The Taoiseach said the figures were down today. There are 464 people on trolleys today, but what were the figures for yesterday? They were 493 yesterday and on Monday they were 400. The crisis is ongoing and the figures for trolley and overcrowding are deteriorating. There is chaos as the winter kicks in.

The programme for Government also commits that persons with disabilities shall be supported to maximise their potential by removing barriers which impact on access to services, education, work and health care. The budget announced funding of €2 million for projects that provide pre-activation supports for people with disabilities in 2017. I have been in contact with the Minister responsible every week, but so far there has been no announcement on where the €2 million is going.

I refer in particular to WALK PEER, an organisation in my constituency. Its funding will run out at Christmas. Could we get some clarification from the Taoiseach on how the €2 million will be spent and whether projects like WALK PEER will be given the appropriate level of funding to which they are entitled?

The Taoiseach said he would contact the Egyptian President following the postponement of the trial of Ibrahim Halawa for the 16th time.

We now know that 859 prisoners have been pardoned by the Egyptian Government under Article 155 of the Egyptian constitution. Will the Taoiseach tell us if he spoke to the Egyptian President? If he has not done so, will he raise the possibility of Ibrahim being released under this article?

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