Gillian Toole (Meath East, Independent)

Go raibh maith agat. The Irish people have endured an incredible amount in the last five years. Every virtue has been tested in some extremely positive ways and, sadly, some negative ways. Lives have been changed irrevocably. To advance, we must reflect, review and learn. We must rethink our duty to future generations.

First, we had two intense years of SARS-CoV-2, Covid-19. It is worrying that the Covid evaluation committee has not yet met to carry out a most important and urgent review of practices to inform all our Ministers. WHO delegates voted to accept the WHA pandemic treaty on Monday last, giving, in my opinion, worrying powers to the organisation over and above individual EU member states. We have extreme healthcare waiting lists impacting children's developmental checks, assessments of needs, anxiety in teenagers, absenteeism from schools and anxiety, loneliness and isolation in older people. All these factors are known contributors to chronic disease now and in later life. There are elevated presentations of cardiac and oncology issues. What will the impact of long Covid be on future healthcare policies and costs?

The second crisis was the energy and cost-of-living crisis. The damage to the pipeline caused energy costs to skyrocket and exposed our energy deficiencies. While renewable sources of energy are welcome, they are charging ahead in the absence of clear guidelines and balanced regional distribution. This is impacting our tillage farmers and calling into question our future food security.

The third area of change has been migration. Travel broadens the mind and the emigration of our talented young people has always been encouraged through mixed circumstances and emotions. We know we have serious shortages in areas of critical skills and active recruitment is ongoing. We are now at a point, though, where waiting lists for healthcare, schools and housing are causing tensions to run high. Let us be honest. Local authorities, for example in County Meath, are only now carrying out settlement capacity audits for social infrastructure and the other areas. Immigration, therefore, must be a fair and just system, taking account of a community's capacity to cope.

The programme for Government states clearly that the Government will address these areas and will consult with communities, which is to be welcomed. We have that old Irish seanfhocal, doras feasa fiafraí, the door to knowledge is questions, but asking questions has been a negative in recent times. I have been branded far right on occasion for asking questions. I am "far fairness", just for the record.

I put the question that I submitted in advance. What plans are being compiled, have been worked out, in accordance with the programme for Government to improve the intra-departmental communication, inter-departmental communication, collaboration, cost-benefit analysis and planning of all Departments for the benefit of citizens, present and future?

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