Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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I am happy to confirm for the Taoiseach that the health policy is very much on our website.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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It just went back up.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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No, it did not. It was never-----

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I have a screenshot. I will send it to the Deputy. I will text her.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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If this is what we are reduced to - the Taoiseach scouring people's websites and playing to the Gallery and television audience at home-----

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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It is rather-----

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I learned from you.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputies, please.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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I raised with the Taoiseach yesterday the scandalous situation of kids with scoliosis and spina bifida waiting for their operations. The Taoiseach made some kind of promise and I want to get clarity on it. Parents are watching this very carefully. They are not interested in smart alec responses from anybody. What resources is the Government putting in place to meet the four-month target the Taoiseach has committed to again? Can he give me a date for the restart of the scheme for children to travel abroad to have surgeries faster? Can he also clarify when he will meet the parents' demand for a second opinion for their children independent of Children's Health Ireland, CHI?

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy very much. I appreciate her pledge not to engage in smart alec comments.

With regard to this important issue, I am very happy to meet the families. It is the least I could do. I will arrange to do that. I cannot give the Deputy a date right now, but I will do it in the next couple of weeks. I am very happy to do that; in fact, I think I would benefit from doing it.

With regard to the treatment abroad scheme, the Minister for Health advised me yesterday that Mr. Moore, who I believe is the new clinical lead in this area, is working on a number of options in relation to treatment abroad. I am not going to mislead parents today. I do not know the answer in terms of a timeframe. However, I will find it for the Deputy and respond to her in writing.

As the Deputy knows, very significant additional resources have gone in already to the scoliosis and spina bifida waiting list action plans. I believe it is €19 million in current capital funding. The Minister for Health also briefed me yesterday that Mr. Moore brought forward to him in the last few weeks proposals for additional extra staff and consultants. That is what my note tells me. However, let me write to the Deputy on both of those issues.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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I wish to raise with the Taoiseach an issue I have been raising for some time with his predecessor and, indeed, the Tánaiste, namely, justice for survivors of Thalidomide in Ireland. I know the Taoiseach is well aware of this scandal. I have worked closely for some time now with the Irish Thalidomide Association and Ms Finola Cassidy, in particular, on the need for a State apology and appropriate supports and resolution for survivors. It has now been 62 years since the drug was withdrawn from the market, yet survivors and surviving parents are still waiting for justice. The sad reality is that as time passes, more and more people in the community are passing away without seeing justice. Just yesterday, we got news that Elizabeth Sweeney had sadly died without recognition or validation for herself or her daughter Sandra. I offer my sympathies to Ms Sweeney's family.

The State has not formally acknowledged that what happened was not the fault of the mothers and parents.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I thank the Deputy.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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Will the Taoiseach make a commitment today to engage with the Irish Thalidomide Association-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I thank the Deputy.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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-----to secure a resolution of this issue for the survivors and their families?

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I certainly will. I have already had contact with Finola Cassidy from the group, who is a regular campaigner here in Leinster House and known to all of us. I am very happy to have that engagement. As the Deputy said, there was a lot of engagement prior to my appointment with both my predecessors, Deputy Varadkar and the Tánaiste. I have asked to be briefed by my officials on where that is at. I join Deputy Bacik in extending my sympathy to the family of Elizabeth Sweeney on her passing.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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We are on course to spectacularly miss our climate targets. The latest person to sound the alarm about this impending failure was Mary Robinson. She cannot understand why funding that is available now to help reduce our emissions and meet our targets is not being used, and nor can I. We have so much work to do and so little time to do it. Inaction or insufficient action is not a credible strategy.

The Government is in the process of creating a climate and nature fund. Billions of euro will be poured into it, but the money will not be drawn down until after 2026. There are so many industries and communities, particularly in rural Ireland and coastal communities, that will be impacted. We need to provide resources now to help them make the transition that is coming. Will the Taoiseach reconsider the start date for that fund and invest now to protect the future?

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Cairns for raising this issue. I agree that climate change is the most pressing challenge for society. The planet is on fire and major action is required. At a European level, and I will make this point in Brussels today, we need to be more ambitious in the EU strategic agenda in terms of its commentary on action on climate.

We have some encouraging signs. I will not waste the Dáil's time in listing them all because we know them, but the EU emissions trading scheme for Ireland shows that we saw a significant decrease, 17%, in power generation and industrial emissions in 2023, which is more than 2.4 million tonnes. Emissions from the electricity generation sector decreased by almost 24%. I accept there is a lot more to do, however. The decision to establish that fund will be seen in time as a really important step. The fund is meant to be spent down after 2026, for logical reasons, which is not to suggest that the Government will not act or spend more between now and 2026. Let me reflect on the Deputy's points.

Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Josip Strok was a Croatian man, a carpenter, who came to Ireland for a better life. Two weeks ago, he was murdered. In the eyes of his attackers, who said he was not speaking English, he was not welcome in Ireland. That is absolutely grotesque with regard to migrants and others coming into this country. The Taoiseach will agree with me that hateful and xenophobic language is trickling down to individuals who will weaponise this horrible, toxic language and use grotesque violence. I hate to say this but unfortunately some of that xenophobic rhetoric is being used in this House. I ask people who use this language to think again given the horrible stuff going on in our country at this time. Does the Taoiseach agree that this rhetoric is trickling down, not only to immigrants coming into this country-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Time is up, Deputy.

Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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-----but to everybody in the country, and that it is a threat to everybody?

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Kenny for raising this matter. I will answer his question in two parts. First, in regard to the horrific death of Josip, I extend my sympathy and that of everyone in this House to his family and friends. I spoke briefly to the Garda Commissioner in regard to this matter. I am conscious that there is an ongoing, active Garda investigation. I do not wish to say anything to cut across that. I understand the Garda has been linking with the appropriate embassy in terms of ensuring an information flow and that the family are kept up to date.

Not being able to comment on the specific case, I will comment more broadly. I very much welcome the comments the Deputy has made in the House today about the importance of language and not sowing division. This is a country that is the better for migration. Yes, we have challenges. Yes, the Government and governments across the world need to do better in terms of how our systems operate and our accommodation responses. However, let us be very clear. Looking around an Irish hospital, restaurant, childcare setting or anywhere one might go today, one will see in real time the benefits of immigration to this country.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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Approximately 15,000 people with Parkinson's disease in Ireland are supported by Parkinson's Ireland. The organisation, which receives €70,000 per annum in State funding, provides vital exercise supports nationwide to patients, among many other supports, which are as vital to their care as medicine. This service is under threat. Parkinson's Ireland has applied to the HSE for funding of €120,000 under the funding for section 39 organisations. That equates to 0.0005% of the overall health budget. Will the Taoiseach ensure this small amount of money is made available to Parkinson's Ireland to enable it to provide the vital services that are currently under threat?

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Only this morning, I read a letter written to me by Parkinson's Ireland. I read it just before I came here, so it is fresh in my mind. I certainly will speak to the HSE and the Minister for Health on this issue. From my time in the Department of Health, I am aware of the incredible work Parkinson's Ireland does. I am aware from my constituents with Parkinson's disease of the excellent work being done by the organisation. I will not speak for the Minister for Health but I certainly will speak to him on the matter.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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Last February, public representatives in Clonmel, including the mayor and Councillor Niall Dennehy, were told that 62 modular homes for asylum seekers were being considered for construction on Heywood Road. We did not hear a dickybird since then. I have been trying through parliamentary questions and freedom of information, FOI, requests to get information but I could not get it. Last Friday, I got responses back to an FOI request and a parliamentary question. At 6.30 p.m. on Friday evening, we got an email from the director of services stating that 82 modular homes would be located on Heywood Road. This sticks in people's craws because a lot of investigative work has been carried out, including on topography, drainage and everything else. We had 400 people presenting as homeless in Tipperary last year. Why can we not make these efforts to house our own people? According to RTÉ's recent programme, this type of accommodation could cost up to €33 million, or €407,000 per unit. This is outrageous money. We are asking for €2.5 million to keep alive the N24 project from Cahir to Waterford. This morning, we heard from Parkinson's Ireland and cardiovascular and disability groups, all of which are looking for small amounts of money. A much greater amount is being spent on modular homes for Ukrainian refugees, as well as millions of euro on accommodating pets. Where is it going to stop?

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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That language worries me in regard to pitting one group of people in society against another.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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It should worry you.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy's language worries me, not the issue. We will deal with the issues as a Government and collectively in the Oireachtas. Going back to Deputy Kenny's point, the language of division does not offer healthy debate. That is my opinion.

In regard to accommodation for Ukrainian people, it might be useful for the House to know the following. Every day, some 15 Ukrainian people come to Ireland seeking accommodation. Every day in Ireland, approximately 45 Ukrainian people leave State accommodation. There are around 175 fewer Ukrainian people each week in State accommodation. Far from the narrative that the situation is worsening in regard to accommodation for Ukrainian people, it is actually very significantly improving. On the Deputy's specific issues, I will ask the line Ministers to reply.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Faraor géar tá orm ospidéal an Chlocháin a ardú arís. Tá sé dúnta, fós dúnta in ainneoin an éilimh atá ar na seirbhísí san ospidéal sin agus in ainneoin go bhfuil brú damanta ar na seirbhísí i nGaillimh.

Once again, I raise the situation of the hospital in Clifden, which remains closed despite the best efforts of the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, TDs and Senators. Local GPs and local people all want Clifden hospital to reopen. We have been given solemn promises that it will reopen but it remains closed. It has 12 respite beds. In Galway, 20-plus patients are ready to be discharged as we speak but they have no place to go. There are empty beds in Carraroe and in Merlin Park. At the same time, the hospital in Galway city is going under with the pressure. There is something seriously amiss with the management in the HSE that it is allowing this situation to continue.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I can sense the Deputy's frustration with the issue regarding the hospital in Clifden. I will speak to the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, and the HSE to see whether I can assist in improving the situation.

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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I raise the issue of VAT rebates for farmers. Around this time last year, Revenue started to change its interpretation of what was eligible for VAT rebates by farmers. A huge number of items that were previously refundable for VAT have been taken off the list. This morning, I had calls from three farmers whose applications for refunds have been rejected. In the past 12 months, Revenue has changed the interpretation that was there for the previous 50 years. This was done without any consultation or negotiations with the Department of Finance, etc. I want the Government to direct Revenue to revert to the previous interpretation for VAT refunds and go back to the system that was there for the previous 50 years. It must include refunds for infrastructural items that are badly needed by farmers to help them to invest in their farms and meet the challenges of climate change and emissions reduction.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I note the Deputy's long record of leadership in this area both at the Oireachtas agriculture committee and in his life before politics. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath, to engage with the Revenue Commissioners on the matter and to get back directly to the Deputy. I am meeting with the Irish Farmers Association, IFA, later this week to discuss a number of the challenges facing farmers in Ireland at the moment.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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The decision by the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, to remove Drogheda's only hotel of scale from public use continues to cause anger and frustration locally. This decision, made without consultation with tourism and business interests, is causing absolute havoc among people in Drogheda in terms of how they consider themselves to be viewed by the Government. I have been asked to invite the Taoiseach to visit our town at the first opportunity to meet with business and tourist interests and ordinary people. The decision has been made. What we need now is a significant and focused support package to mitigate the impact on tourism. The Taoiseach has done a lot of work in Drogheda, including with Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, the new apprenticeships centre and the Drogheda Institute of Future Education. He knows Drogheda very well. We need him to visit. We need action on this issue and we need it now.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for keeping in very regular contact with me on this issue. I know the pressure the loss of the hotel has caused in the local community. We need to move away from a reliance on hotel accommodation for asylum seekers. That is what is being looked at in the new accommodation strategy the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, has brought forward. We certainly need to support towns like Drogheda in terms of the impact on tourism. As the Deputy said, we have already worked together to take a number of steps to support Drogheda. I would be very happy to accept his invitation to visit the town and meet with local businesspeople and residents on this matter.

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I raise the current situation in regard to the Irish Wheelchair Association service in Cavan. As of this week, the service has been reduced to an outreach-only model, similar to what was offered during the Covid period. This decision, which is based on the lack of staff, was made in conjunction with the HSE. Service users are devastated. The service was already severely reduced but now it is down to zero. The existing staff are fantastic but it is impossible to recruit and retain people, mainly due to the pay parity situation that still has not been addressed since last October. A 25-year-old service user, Caitlin, who has epilepsy and cerebral palsy, among other conditions, was promised 26 hours of provision. She was getting a number of hours on three days of the week, which she loved. Now she is getting zero provision. A Zoom service is no good to her because she is non-verbal. Can something be done to address this situation as quickly as possible?

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for bringing to my attention the situation with the Irish Wheelchair Association service in Cavan and the impact, which she outlined very clearly, on service users. I will ask the Minister for Health to revert to her directly on this issue.

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Go raibh maith agat a Cheann Comhairle agus a Thaoiseach táim ag fiosrú faoin gcruth ainnis ar bhóithre áitiúla i gCo. Chorcaí.

A massive issue that locals constantly raise with me is the poor condition of the local road network. There are numerous potholes and council workers are running back and forth from road to road filling them. It is really difficult for locals, who have been paying motor tax, to use a road that is not fit for driving on. Cork County Council gets substantial road maintenance funding but Cork has the largest road network, which amounts to over 12,000 km. The funding is such that 2% of roads would be resurfaced each year, meaning one can expect a road to be resurfaced once in 50 years. The funds are for very specific roads projects and the local authority has very little discretion in this regard. Can there be more flexibility and can road-maintenance funding for councils be prioritised?

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Moynihan. The Tánaiste, the Minister for Transport and I discussed road maintenance this week because we are very conscious that it is a very genuine issue in many communities. We are also very conscious that conditions have worsened due to the weather in the past. The three of us remain committed to seeing whether we can do more in this space in the weeks ahead. We will keep in touch with the Deputy about it.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I raise again the issue of the use of parental alienation in family law in this country. It continues apace and results in the exclusion of children and parents from the family home with the clear objective of winning the case by using a legal formula that is not the creation of this House but that of case law. In many cases, parents, mostly mothers, are prevented from seeing or speaking to their children, other than by telephone. This is an appalling situation in which no regard is being shown for the welfare of the children. We passed a referendum in this country on the rights of the child. The Minister is about to change the rules. They need to be strong and firm and stamp out this practice. I ask that this be done soon.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Durkan for raising this issue. I acknowledge that he has been raising and championing it for a very significant period and at every opportunity. As a result of his advocacy and engagement, the Minister for Justice has been working with her officials on a significant project in this area. As the Deputy has alluded to, important developments are due in this space shortly. I will ask the Minister, Deputy McEntee, to provide the Deputy with a written update.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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The Taoiseach will be well aware of the disaster area in my constituency, Lough Funshinagh. The situation is worsening hour by hour and water is continuing to rise. As I stand here today, a fifth home looks like it will need to be evacuated. Water is now flowing towards Curraghboy village. An overflow pipe – a temporary and emergency measure – is 60% installed. I met the Minister of State, Deputy O’Donnell, with representatives of the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Office of Public Works and Oireachtas colleagues and councillors last Friday. From speaking to the Minister of State again yesterday, I have learned that advice from the Attorney General is now awaited. We need this advice now. I cannot find the words to express what it is to see people in their 80s and 90s watching their entire lives destroyed before their eyes. Homes have been abandoned and livelihoods have been absolutely destroyed. The community is on its knees. It is only because they are such strong, decent and good people that they are holding on, but they hope the Taoiseach will act. When will the Attorney General give advice and when will the families know they can go to bed at night without having to listen to pumps running?

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Kerrane for raising this issue and I acknowledge her work on it. I am pleased that the Minister of State, Deputy O’Donnell, was able to visit and meet the Deputy in the past couple of days. I was not at Lough Funshinagh but did meet some local residents informally and intend to visit the area and meet the Deputy and her colleagues there. As she said, the Minister of State did ask that the Attorney General provide advice on this. This issue is not about money or a lack of will; we need to find a way forward so we can save the homes and help the people. I have asked that the Attorney General prioritise the advice. As soon as we have it, I will be back to engage with the Deputy further on this.

Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party)
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I wish the Taoiseach well in his new role but I remind him that he has unfinished business with Waterford given his previous role dealing with further and higher education. I want to prove the doubters wrong and show that South East Technological University can indeed be a university of scale and substance, serving the people of the south east. However, to see that we need to see the money. We have to see the funding for the engineering building and finally make it through the public private partnership, PPP, process. We need capital funding to develop the Waterford Crystal site, we need to expedite purpose-built student accommodation, and we need an early and positive decision regarding SETU’s bid to host new courses in veterinary medicine and pharmacy. We need to see movement on the deeper structural issues, such as the funding of professorial grades, to allow our technological universities to function properly as centres of research. Are these issues going to remain on Deputy Harris’s agenda now that he has moved to the Taoiseach’s office?

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Very much so. We have soldiered together for too long for anything else to happen. I am really proud that we have managed to deliver a university for the south east but I am also very much aware that its success or otherwise will absolutely depend on our continued support and investment as it embeds and grows. I am really proud of the progress it has made so far but each of the issues the Deputy has outlined, including the PPP, student accommodation, veterinary and pharmacy courses, and professorships, are ones I will take an active interest in. I have already spoken to the new Minister for further and higher education about this.

Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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I raise the issue of University Hospital Limerick with the Taoiseach. He was the health Minister for four years. One hundred and five people are on trolleys in the hospital today, 7,308 people have been on trolleys there already this year, and we will exceed the record number reached last year, namely 21,409. When we talk about the number of people on trolleys, we sometimes forget they are people we know. They are neighbours and friends and, in many cases, family members. What is the Taoiseach going to do? Is sorting out University Hospital Limerick going to be a priority for him, or will we have a worse year this year? From the Taoiseach’s four years as Minister for Health, he does not leave me with much confidence that he will prioritise this issue and treat it urgently. What is occurring is not fair. In the past three days, there have been 106 people on trolleys, on average. This is simply not good enough.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Quinlivan for raising the issue. Let me try to prove him wrong. I am determined to work with him and others in the Limerick region to make progress once and for all on University Hospital Limerick. I accept that more needs to be done by way of investment but it is very concerning that, despite the investment the hospital has received relative to other hospitals in recent times, it has failed to improve its performance. I take what the Deputy says about statistics. He is right that there are people behind them. Let me give the Deputy just one statistic: there has been a 42% increase in staff in the hospital. The increases are not small. In fact, they are very much larger than in other hospitals, as they should be because we are playing catch-up in the mid-west, but the lack of operational grip at the hospital is concerning.

The Minister and the Deputy probably met as he was in Limerick recently. I understand there is a new regional executive officer. Sandra Broderick has been appointed and I look forward to having an early meeting with her. I will keep in touch with the Deputy.

Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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I raise the issue of homelessness in Kildare. Two weeks ago, five people had to spend the night in Newbridge Garda station because they had no emergency accommodation to go to. I thank the Garda for its help. The very same week, we had Storm Kathleen. While we are told winter beds are available until the end of April, this was not the case. When I made inquiries as to why there was no availability, I was told people from Meath and Dublin were being accommodated in County Kildare. I do not care what county or country people come from – I welcome all – but I want to know why there is no supply. Most of the people affected are very vulnerable. That local authorities would tell people at 5 p.m. to ring an emergency line is not good enough. It is an absolute cop-out because the local authorities know full well that there is no emergency accommodation. I want to know how we are going to resolve this.

I do not want the Taoiseach to tell me about HAP accommodation because that is another story entirely. It is unfit for purpose in most areas, where landlords are gaining a huge amount of people’s expense.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I am not familiar with the circumstances in which people found themselves sleeping in a Garda station. I thank the Deputy for bringing this to my attention. I will ask Kildare County Council, the local Garda station involved and the Minister for Housing for a report and write to the Deputy directly.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I wish the Taoiseach the best of luck in his job. Wexford has a deficit in roads funding of €66 million. I raised this as a Topical Issue on the floor a month ago. It was taken by a junior Minister, who promised there would be engagement with the line Minister, but I have heard nothing. We have a deplorable set of circumstances. The roads are in an awful state. Many roads in the Rosslare and New Ross district do not have foundations. The problem is that I am to address a road safety conference for professional drivers this afternoon and the first thing they will say is that roads infrastructure is fundamental in preventing people from dying on our roads. This involves everything from the removal of bends, resurfacing, addressing waterlogging and the removal of ditches.

We talk constantly about saving people's lives but we do not have the roads infrastructure or funding to put same in place.

The Ryder Cup has been given €58 million. Some 17,000 extra cars will go through Adare. Wexford will have 500,000 people attend the fleadh this year. I ask the Taoiseach to consider that and provide for the deficit in funding, please.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I had a meeting with the Road Safety Authority this week. There are at least three aspects to road safety and probably more. There are killer behaviours, which we need to get on top of, including drink driving, drug driving and speed. There is enforcement. I agree that there is also the issue of the quality and safety of our roads. There is a correlation between the number of accidents at accident blackspots and the likes. I will specifically raise the issue of Wexford roads and roads funding levels with the Minister for Transport and come back to the Deputy in writing on the issue.

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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The groundbreaking EU pact on asylum and migration has five new directives. Three are already agreed. A set of recommendations is going straight to the justice committee without any opportunity to discuss its profound implications in this House. I canvassed twice in favour of the Lisbon treaty, which enshrines our opt-out on justice and home affairs, which was in the Treaty of Amsterdam, along with our colleagues from Denmark who have chosen not to opt into this legislation. When I did that canvassing, I honestly believed that if we were to opt into any of the measures in justice and home affairs, there would be a full and detailed examination of the possible consequences of either a full or partial opt-in or not opting in in this House, yet we are not getting that. We are getting platitudes. What we need is a detailed analysis of the specific benefits or drawbacks from opting in or out It is really important that we get this right from a societal perspective as well as on a legislative basis. It is up to the Taoiseach to ensure that we do.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I assure the House and the Deputy that we will get that time. To be clear, it is being referred to the justice committee for its scrutiny. It will then come back to this House for a full debate, which the Government wishes to be given plenty of time and a vote by every Member. It will then go to the other House for a full debate and a vote by every Member because while I am very much in favour of the EU migration pact and do not make a secret of that, and the Government intends to opt in, it absolutely deserves and requires proper scrutiny in both Houses. The justice committee is the first step but there will be a full debate and vote in this House.

Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent)
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I welcomed the recent unannounced visit of the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, to University Hospital Limerick, UHL. I had requested unannounced visits from Government so I was really happy to see that take place. At that visit, the Minister made a few points. One was the number of patients on trolleys nationally has been reduced by 17% but not in UHL. Instead, it has increased by 50%. He also pointed to a number of reforms that have been successfully implemented in other hospitals that have not transpired in UHL. Does the Taoiseach accept that these failures point to the need for an additional emergency department for the only region where one emergency department caters, although very poorly, for a massive population of more than 450,000? The Government and Sinn Féin have both stated that they need clinical advice on the requirement for the reinstatement of emergency departments, but surely the Taoiseach cannot expect the public to believe that the clinical advice currently is to leave that population dependent on the one emergency department? Will he commit to the reinstatement of Ennis emergency department and for the necessary planning to take place?

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy. The clinical advice is not to open more emergency departments. However, there is a need and desire to make hospitals within the hospital group, including Ennis, busier with regard to the volume of work they do and the range of services they provide. I definitely believe in that. Since this Government came to office, UHL has seen its staff numbers grow by 1,183 and its budget increase by 45%. It has 98 new beds opened. There are a range of other initiatives which the Minister announced last week. There is a real need now for a return on investment and reform of delivery. I am looking to the management of UHL to step up in that regard.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I would like to make the case, like Deputy Bacik earlier, for the thalidomide survivors once again. More than a year ago, members of my parliamentary party met Sandra Sweeney who was making the case that a public apology was deserved for survivors. Unfortunately, as Deputy Bacik referred to, Elizabeth Sweeney passed away in the past few days. Approximately five mothers remain from that period and approximately 40 thalidomide survivors in total. Many of those mothers are living with the guilt and shame of the fact that they took medicine. At that time they did not know the ill-effects it would have on their children. The British issued a state apology many years ago. The Australians did it more than a year ago. When will Ireland consider making a public apology to the thalidomide survivors? I raised this with my own party leader when he was Taoiseach. We raised it with Deputy Varadkar when he was Taoiseach and we are now raising it with the new Taoiseach. It needs urgent consideration.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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Hear, hear.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy. I will reflect on what he said. I am very much aware of the thalidomide group of survivors and of the issues they have raised. I am aware of the work that has been going on, in fairness to the Deputy's party leader and my colleague, the Tánaiste, since he became Taoiseach. I will reflect on what the Deputy said and I intend to have engagement with the group shortly.