Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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Fastway workers, subcontractors and franchisees were left high and dry last week. Some of them are outside the gate today and some of them are in the Gallery with Deputies Ruth Coppinger and Paul Murphy. They were told they would not be paid during the 30-day receivership period. It is eight weeks before Christmas. They cannot apply for another job. They cannot get jobseeker's allowance. They are afraid to take supplementary welfare allowance without having written confirmation that it will not affect their redundancy. There are serious questions as to how we can allow companies to operate like this in the first place. Will the Minister tell me today what precisely Ministers are doing to protect these workers, the small businesses and the road haulage companies that have suffered acute losses? What is the Government going to do to get the 50,000 parcels delivered to customers who are waiting for those parcels?

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Thank you, Deputy.

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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Government Ministers have to be active in this space.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy and acknowledge all of the workers who are here. I regret what has happened in the past number of days. I know how concerning and difficult it is for everyone involved.

To answer the Deputy's question, receivership is a long-standing legal mechanism around the independence of functions when a company enters into that process. I was asked about this yesterday by Deputy Murphy. The Department of Social Protection is engaging directly with the receivers in the context of the information that has emerged and a collective redundancy notification has been received by the Department of enterprise as well. There are limitations given the independence of the receivership process. Of the two respective Departments, one has been notified and the other is engaging directly. That work is ongoing in the context of what is emerging.

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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But what are they going to do?

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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I too acknowledge the workers in the Gallery.

This morning EU climate ministers agreed to reduce carbon emissions by between 85% and 90% by 2040, following marathon negotiations in advance of the COP30 summit. Ministers adopted a legally binding target for cutting emissions by 85% by 2040. On paper and in principle, it is positive to see this agreement reached, but the deal also mandates that another 5% reduction be achieved by outsourcing pollution cuts abroad through the purchase of international carbon credits. That get-out clause suggests that EU states will continue to believe that we can buy our way out of climate change and outsource our obligations to countries that have less. This is not so positive, especially as we are still miles off our target of a 51% reduction by 2030. In that context, will the Minister to commit Ireland to being a climate leader within the EU? As the Minister for infrastructure, what are his plans to ensure that key public services will make life better for people-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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The Minister to respond.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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-----and that we can have investment in infrastructure-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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We are not going over time.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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-----to address climate?

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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To answer the Deputy's question, I welcome the outcomes from the European Commission proposals. Europe continues to be a leader on climate action in a world that is, unfortunately, backsliding in many instances. The new targets will be challenging for many member states, including Ireland, but we are taking action in the context of the national development plan that we reviewed. Consider the focus on energy and transport in particular, with more than €20 billion in transport investment over the next five years. That is a real opportunity for transformational investment and delivery of transport infrastructure and public transport across our economy. Ensuring that we accelerate the planning and design process for many of the projects that cannot be started-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I thank the Minister.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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-----is critical to ensuring we meet our climate goals from a transport perspective.

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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Yesterday's report from the Department of Finance said that the housing disaster will continue for another 15 years. That seems to be an optimistic forecast based on housing delivery doubling to 60,000 by 2030. We are facing 30 years of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil housing failure unless their housing plans radically change or they are removed from office. The lives of generations of people in this country have been destroyed and will be destroyed. They have been betrayed and abandoned because this Government, despite all of its resources, has failed to meet the basic needs and deliver homes to people. Given this damning assessment, maybe it is not surprising the Government has gone looking for scapegoats. In recent weeks, Ministers have pointed the finger at migrants, State agencies, NGOs and EU law. The Government has gone full Farage and this report explains why. Meanwhile, we have the Minister for housing scrambling around-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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The Minister to respond. The Deputy's time is up.

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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-----trying to put together a housing plan. Does the Minister agree that we face another 15 years of a housing disaster?

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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The Minister to respond.

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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Who is actually to blame for this housing catastrophe?

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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We will not be going over time, Deputies. The Minister to respond. Speak within the 60 seconds, please.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The report sets out over 2,000 scenarios and it is not a projection. The Deputy needs to be factual about what it is and what it is not. It has been made on a no-policy change basis and this is reflected in that. We will take further decisions in terms of delivery of infrastructure and housing right across our economy. That will be the new housing plan and the infrastructure reforms it will underpin. There are issues that we need to be honest about. For example, parts of EU law do not allow us to deliver levels of housing and infrastructure which are required.

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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Have you just figured this out now?

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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No. It is why we need-----

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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We have been saying that for some time.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Deputies, please.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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It is why we need to remove some of the regulations that exist in parts of delivery of infrastructure and also in housing. The Deputy's solution on housing is just more State investment-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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The time is up.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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-----and he ignores the market continuously. We need to have a viable housing market that allows small builders and developers to deliver housing right across our economy.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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The time is up.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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That is what we are trying to do, with measures the Deputy opposes continuously.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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I too welcome my socialist colleague Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett back into action. I welcome also the election of a socialist in New York, the belly of the beast of capitalism, Zohran Mamdani.

I welcome the Fastway Couriers workers to the Public Gallery today. Perhaps it will be third time lucky because two TDs have already asked the Minister about this. I ask him to look them in the eye and tell them what they are to do for the next 30 days. They have been blindsided by their company. They were told they were making vast profits and then they were dumped. They are told they are not allowed to sign on for any social security measures for 30 days or they risk losing their redundancy and the wages they are owed. They are caught in a complete double bind. We need a statutory instrument to get around this. The law needs to be changed but they do not have time to wait for that . Elysian Capital, the big venture capitalist company that seems to own it, pulled the plug on this company coming up to the busiest month of the year for couriers, quite amazingly, given it could have recouped some of the debts it was owed. I do not know if the Minister is going to investigate that.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I thank the Deputy.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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Will the Ministers for Social Protection and employment please meet these workers to sort this out?

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I was setting out the honest position relating to receivership, which has a legal standing, and the Deputy needs to be honest about it as well.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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I am being honest.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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There is a long-standing legal mechanism when it comes to receivership and when a person is appointed. As I said to our two colleagues, the Departments of both enterprise and Social Protection are engaged in this. One is part of the notification and the other is engaging in the context of the real issues and challenges that I know the workers are facing. I will reflect on what the Deputy and others have said and bring it to the Minister for Social Protection. That is why the Department is engaging in this. We will allow that to continue over the coming days. The Minister will be able to set out further details.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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Why are none of them here? It is very poor.

Michael Collins (Cork South-West, Independent Ireland Party)
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Since last July, the Adrigole-Beara community has had up to 14 water outages, never mind what was happening before this, leaving residents young and old in farms, schools and créches without water for a day or two in some cases. This has led to the closure of the local school and créche. Families with small babies have moved out of the community when the water supply has broken, leaving people very stressed. One section of pipe needs immediate replacement from the source along the Healy Pass. The local community has set up the Adrigole Water Action Group, which has pleaded with me to get the powers that be to change the pipe, even with a temporary pipe. If repair crews have been kept out for 14 days since July this year, what cost is that to the State instead of replacing the section of piping immediately? This is also happening in Beach, Bantry, where the water supply has broken down 65 times over two years. The people of Adrigole are rightly frustrated. They know that if this was happening in Dublin, it would be replaced within hours. Why are they being treated like second-class citizens? Can the Minister tell me when this broken asbestos pipe will be replaced in Adrigole?

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I regret that households and businesses have been seriously and repeatedly impacted by this. I will certainly relay that to Irish Water. I received just a brief update on this before I entered the Chamber. I know there is work ongoing to ensure it is part of the mains replacement project. I will ask for a more detailed response to issue to the Deputy. I appreciate that this issue should not be arising repeatedly, particularly with the capital uplift we are giving to water infrastructure across our economy. We need to ensure there is a quicker delivery and a better response to communities that are affected by such issues.

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Schools in Galway East and right across the country are waiting on critical upgrades and critical building upgrades. I am talking about new classrooms, special education spaces, safer buildings and modern facilities. I am thinking about Carrabane National School, Gort National School, St. Brigid's College in Loughrea, Gort Community School, and Coláiste an Eachréidh in Athenry. Over recent months, we have seen very few school building announcements. We need clear timelines. We need to know when decisions are going to be made. Boards of management and principals have done everything they can do. They are now waiting on the Department. Will the Minister explain the cause of the slowdown? When can schools expect updates? When will approvals be given so we can see projects get shovels in the ground and see children experiencing a higher level of education in this country?

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I acknowledge that Deputy Dolan would like to see projects delivered quicker over the next number of years for the schools that he has raised in Galway East. What we have tried to do in the national development plan is to significantly prioritise investment in education and in particular special education for communities where we know there is serious pressure on school places from a special education perspective.

That is why the capital allocations have gone from, on average, €1 billion a year in the Department of education to €1.5 billion over the next five years. The capital allocation over the past five years was €5 billion; over the next five, it will be €7.5 billion. That will allow for a lot more school buildings, special education places and, indeed, the critical social infrastructure in terms of schools delivered in communities across our country. I can ask the Minister for education to respond back to the Deputy's particular needs. There are pressures the Minister needs to manage in-year around the pipeline of projects that are there-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Thank you, Minister. I call Deputy Michael Murphy.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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-----and I know she is working to manage that within the context of her overall allocation.

Michael Murphy (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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In the week of COP30, I call out the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, for its utter failure to deliver the warmer homes scheme in a timely manner. This week I got confirmation from the SEAI that the average waiting time for initial assessment is 14 months, and a minimum of 26 months from application to completion. What really concerns me is the lack of urgency from the SEAI and the lack of an action plan to reduce waiting times for what are really vulnerable customers. They need these urgent heating upgrades. It is time we held the SEAI to account. I appeal to the Minister to reach out to the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and his Department to engage with the SEAI. If it cannot deliver the scheme in a timely manner, let us get somebody else to deliver it.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I share Deputy Murphy's objective of ensuring we accelerate the delivery of the warmer homes scheme, which has made a real difference for many families affected by energy poverty across our country. In recent years, the SEAI has received a significant increase in demand for the warmer homes scheme. The increased supports for the scheme have resulted in a significant increase in applications, with 45,000 received over the period from January 2022 to the end of September 2025 and a total of 24,000 homes upgraded under the scheme. The waiting times are too high and that certainly is something I will ask the Minister for the environment to reflect on. However, to be fair to the SEAI, it has significantly reduced its waiting times from what they were. I understand the average waiting time was significantly higher in previous years. There is work ongoing to reduce it.

Natasha Newsome Drennan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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As the Minister is probably aware, an outbreak of bird flu has been confirmed in a commercial turkey flock in County Carlow. This flock of about 500 birds will have to be euthanised. We need to see adequate compensation packages for farmers affected and biosecurity measures must be stepped up. As a preventative, I am calling for a housing order to be implemented as we know wild birds play a huge role in spreading avian influenza. We saw this recently in Fota Wildlife Park. I call on the Government to introduce an adequate compensation package for businesses like Fota that have had to keep their gates closed and for poultry farmers for loss of earnings. Will the Government put a housing order in place now?

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. First, I extend my sympathy to the flock owner affected in Carlow. We have a 3 km protection zone and a 10 km zone in place, as is procedure. At noon today, I announced the introduction of a housing order in consultation with my colleague in Northern Ireland, the Minister, Mr. Muir. That will take effect in Ireland from next Monday because we need to allow time for our flock owners and commercial operators to put housing in place. We will work across areas. We are aware of the challenges for Fota Island. We want Fota Wildlife Park to be able to continue to care for the animals in that space. I remind the public that we are in a time now of higher risk of avian influenza. The migratory birds have landed here and are carrying it. We need the public to be very aware not to handle sick or dead birds but instead to report them to local and regional veterinary offices. We stand ready to support our poultry sector. The introduction of this poultry order coupled with the biosecurity measures are key measures to protect our poultry stock and captive birds.

Tom Brabazon (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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Over the recent bank holiday weekend, DART services were suspended due to maintenance work. While I accept this maintenance work has to be done, does it really have to be done over a bank holiday weekend, particularly when the Dublin city marathon, with more than 20,000 participants, was taking place? Many of my constituents found themselves unable to use public transport because the DART was not running and buses were full as a result of increased demand. More broadly, there is an issue with the punctuality of buses and no-show buses. For example, the No. 15 bus, which runs through my constituency, is regularly a no-show or late. A number of constituents have contacted me to advise that they were at their stop waiting for the bus and it arrived significantly late or did not show up. The programme for Government commits to improving public transport services and encouraging people to get out of cars and onto public transport. These events do not encourage that. Will the Department of Transport engage with public transport operators to ensure our public transport is reliable and functional all year round?

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I acknowledge the significant difficulty for many of the Deputy's constituents when there is such disruption over a weekend, exacerbated by other events. There should be better co-ordination. There is capital investment in particular events. In terms of public transport no-shows and issues with levels of services, the National Transport Authority, NTA, has brought in a regime of fines for bus operators that do not operate on time or where there are no-shows. It is quite punitive for a lot of the bus operators, and rightly so, if they do not deliver a service on time or if there are no-shows. I will ask our colleague, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, to engage with the NTA to ensure there is better co-ordination around major events, which is a fair point, and also to ensure we have an ongoing focus on efficiency. There should be punitive fines placed on transport operators that do not deliver a service for constituents.

Brian Brennan (Wicklow-Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I want to discuss the pending closure of the Merck site in Arklow, County Wicklow. This has come as a devastating blow to the 100 employees, their families and the people of south Wicklow. I am looking for assurances that the Government and IDA Ireland will leave no stone unturned in their search for a new operator for the site. When we consider that we have a highly skilled workforce and one of the largest and newest wastewater treatment plants in Europe, the location must be really attractive to any potential buyer. The workers must be fully supported by all Government agencies in the weeks and months ahead. Arklow has been devastated by closures over the decades, including IFI, Arklow Pottery and Inamed. Now more than ever, the staff in Merck, and the town of Arklow, need our help.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I acknowledge the Deputy's concern in terms of the announcement by Merck. On, Wednesday, 22 October, IDA Ireland was notified of Merck's decision to wind down operations by the end of 2028. Staff were made aware on the same day. It is important to say this decision does not affect the life science employees. Our foremost concern is for any of the potentially impacted employees during this time. To be absolutely clear, the Government is on hand to any of the employees. We will be providing a range of supports for those affected, including assisting with appropriate training and development opportunities or, indeed, any other income supports. IDA Ireland continues to keep close contact with Merck management to offer support during the process. Our enterprise agencies have shown in other instances where there is an announcement such as this that they help to provide alternative employment and opportunities in terms of their wider client base and other indigenous companies through Enterprise Ireland. That is something they are working on in the context of the announcement the Deputy referenced.

Ann Graves (Dublin Fingal East, Sinn Fein)
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This is day 46 for the hunger strikers for justice outside Leinster House. Mary Donovan, Miriam Moriarty Owens, Mary Dunleavy Green and Maurice Patton O'Connell represent the 4,000 survivors of residential institutional abuse. Their situation is critical. These survivors have been driven to this extreme action after decades of fighting for justice. They were deeply traumatised by the institutional abuse they suffered and now they are being retraumatised by the lack of action by the Government. Their demands are simple and include a State contributory pension and a medical card to help address the lifelong consequences of the abuse they suffered in industrial and reformatory schools.

The time for agreed, written commitments is now. Can the Minister confirm that the Taoiseach and the Minister will meet and engage with them today and deliver long overdue justice for these survivors?

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I know the Taoiseach had a meeting with some of the survivors in the past number of days. A process was put in place around the appointment of a mediator, which was wanted by all sides. The update I received on this yesterday was that a specific issue had arisen for the mediator who was due to be appointed but a recommended, very experienced alternate had agreed to be in place. It is my understanding that a meeting was due to take place at some point towards the end of yesterday or today so that a mediation process can advance. In the aftermath of the meeting with the Taoiseach, the Government certainly wants to see that mediation to occur and engagement with the survivors relating to some of the issues they are raising.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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I welcome Fr. Johnny Sweeney from Doon, County Limerick, to the Visitor's Gallery. He celebrated our mass for deceased Members and staff this morning. I also thank the Ceann Comhairle for her co-operation.

The Minister replied to another TD about the nitrates directive a few minutes ago. I am talking about the 1,000 farmers he said attended a meeting in Corrin Mart on Monday night. They are very concerned. I am glad the Minister for agriculture, Deputy Heydon, is here.

Farmers feel they need to be heard and their concerns to be appreciated. Nearly all of them have invested hugely in making their farms adaptable up to the current limits but they are frustrated now because neither the Government or Europe seems to be giving a clear message as to what scientific levels are needed. It is vital that the nitrates derogation is maintained at the current level. Despite the attacks from the left, the media and the EPA, who will provide our food? Farmers are doing the best. I know the Minister is supportive of them but the Government needs a clear message and a strong message for the Commissioner when she comes here - the Minister said he is meeting her - to ensure we have clarity going forward and that the derogation is maintained.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising what is a really important issue. The nitrates derogation is critically important, not just for our 7,000 derogation farmers, many of whom are in County Tipperary, but for our overall rural economy and for all elements of agriculture. It comes down to land availability and many other measures. This has been a top priority for me since I became Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I attended the meeting of a couple of thousand of farmers in Fermoy on Monday night. I will meet with Commissioner Roswall, who has accepted my invitation to visit Ireland later this week. I have met with her in Brussels previously. I have met with her officials in Brussels and in Ireland when they visited previously. We brought them out to farms and I will bring Commissioner Roswall to a derogation farm as well when she visits to show her first-hand the great work our farmers are doing in terms of the higher standards they are operating to for water quality.

As we reach the endgame of our negotiations, all of this is to try to have an extension of our derogation and get a new derogation beyond the end of this year because our current one falls at that point. We have the habitats directive to address, as well as water quality. That is a very onerous undertaking and we are putting detailed proposals to the Commission right now to get the best possible outcome agreed for our farmers.

Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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I wanted to raise with the Minister today the car park the M7 and N7 have become over the recent period. Yes, we all believe in public transport but unfortunately, we all know that will take time. This morning, as I made my way to work, it took me three hours to get here from the town of Athy. I have been inundated with emails today from people from Rathangan, where it is taking two and a half hours, and from people from Newbridge, where it is taking two hours.

I have raised this in these Houses before and I ask the Minister, with the Minister for Transport, to contact TII and to put on an emergency service for rush hour traffic that is there constantly. That is what we need every morning because there are so many accidents happening on that road. It has become a danger for people. It is affecting people's quality of life and it also affecting their productivity as they get into work. I appreciate his response.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy. I discussed it there with the Minister, Deputy Heydon, as well. I acknowledge the significant pressure it puts on families, particularly in the commuter belt in south Kildare and elsewhere, who are reliant on coming to Dublin early in the morning. I will ask TII and the Minister for Transport to better resource the response, if that is an issue, so that when a particular accident arises, it can be responded to quicker. Obviously, there are particular accidents that arise where the scene has to be preserved. That has an inevitable impact on displacement of traffic.

As a Government, we are committed to being more pragmatic on our roads building programme. It is something that is important for the commuter belt and regions across our country. That is why the work the Minister for Transport is doing around the sectoral investment plan will significantly improve public transport but also ensure we continue the acceleration and build out of our national roads programme, which is critical for economic growth and development. It is also critical for the daily lives of many people who live in the commuter belt in Kildare. I will ask them to respond to the issues the Deputy raised.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Budget 2026 allocated €117 billion nationwide. Approximately €19 billion or €20 billion of that was in capital investment. I raise with the Minister the issue of Carrignavar wastewater treatment plant. It is something that has been highlighted and identified as in need of urgent investment from Irish Water and Cork County Council. Nonetheless, it has been waiting years to be reached in their own list of priorities. I understand Irish Water received a significant uplift in the past couple of weeks and it is due to review its capital plan in light of that. Carrignavar is a village that has been restricted for development for nearly 20 years because of the lack of wastewater capacity. When will that capital plan review be concluded? Who will actually track and trace the deliverability of those projects? That is because seven projects were allocated money back in 2025. Not one of those wastewater treatment plants has actually broken ground yet.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy. He is correct that some of the delivery of projects has been too slow. That is why projects like Carrignavar and others need to be accelerated over the coming years. We have prioritised putting €12 billion into water and wastewater infrastructure over the next five years. The Minister, Deputy Browne, is finalising the capital investment plan and the sectoral plan for water and wastewater infrastructure so that many of the projects on lists can be delivered. They are the foundation for building more homes in the villages and towns right across our country.

That plan is due to be published in the coming weeks. Work is ongoing between the Department of housing, the Minister and Irish Water to put that together over a five-year period and put the capital investment beside a lot of the projects that are referenced. The Deputy is correct that they are critical to ensuring we build more homes across communities and I will ask the Minister, Deputy Browne, to respond on the specific plant.

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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In Scotland, the RSV vaccination programme has resulted in a 62% reduction of people in the age group 75 to 79 being admitted to ICU. RSV is a respiratory virus that, despite being very common, can cause serious complications. We have a growing elderly population. The vaccination programme can help keep people out of hospital. Will the Government give serious consideration to introducing a similar programme to the one in Scotland, particularly for the group aged over 70? It is extremely important now. We will have 1 million people aged over 65 within the next four years. Now we need to start taking action to keep the numbers being admitted to hospital down.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. As he knows, the National Immunisation Office in the Department of Health takes a very much evidence-based approach to vaccination programmes. There has been some work on RSV relating to certain groups and it is free for babies, according to the Minister of State, Deputy Butler. Any expansion of that should be examined by the National Immunisation Office, where appropriate. I know it is continuously ambitious in terms of broader vaccination. It is hugely important for managing overall public health and acute presentations that occur in our accident and emergency departments and in terms of using overall bed capacity in our hospital system. I will ask the Minister for Health, the National Immunisation Office and public health officials to respond to the Deputy's specific question relating to the learnings from Scotland.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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There are three Deputies left. We are out of time. This is what happens when we go over time. I do not do it for fun. I will take the Deputies but I would like everyone to bear it in mind for the future. I call Deputy Aidan Farrelly and ask him to be as brief as he can.

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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I will cut straight to the question. We have seen reports this morning of 50 IPAS contractor locations with significant fire safety concerns. What does the Government intend to do to ensure the health and safety of every bed, whether that is State-run or State-funded?

These contracts were signed with contractors by this Government. What steps will the Minister take to ensure the safety of every child and vulnerable adult in an IPAS setting or any State-run setting is secure?

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The safety and well-being of all residents in IPAS centres is of the highest priority for the Government and for the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan. All issues relating to fire safety are taken extremely seriously. When any inspection identifies issues, including those relating to fire safety, a formal process is immediately triggered to bring about a resolution. A written report is provided to the contractor within 14 days detailing all deficiencies. They are contractually bound to respond within a further 14 days on remedying particular problems. Where issues relating to a contractor's track record are of concern, a follow-up inspection is scheduled around the remedial works. I can ask the Minister for justice to send a more detailed submission to the Deputy.

What was set out in The Irish Times, I think, is a point-in-time assessment. It is important that any deficiencies found are responded immediately to by respective contractors to protect the safety and well-being of residents.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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I want to raise an urgent issue that has arisen in relation to the Irish Coast Guard air search and rescue service. I met with crew representatives from across the State yesterday, including pilots and other crews, who raised serious safety issues and fatigue issues. This is down to 24-hour shifts where a greater portion of their shift is now being classed as "on standby" time. They are not on standby, they are on site, they are in work and in a state of immediate readiness. They also argue that the Irish Aviation Authority is in contravention of the EU working time directive. Will the Minister examine this? The State needs to come clean if it is the case that we are in breach of that directive. We owe it to those crew members to ensure that safety is paramount. There have been far too many accidents in this area.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy. What is really important in aviation in particular is that safety comes first. I have not seen the particular report referenced but I will ask the Minister for Transport to respond to the Deputy's particular questions and the concerns raised by workers. Safety would come first in any framing, or agreement, of a contract or indeed the operational work around that contract. The Minister for Transport will be able to respond to the Deputy's concerns comprehensively. We are in a new contract with Bristow relating to the coast guard which will serve us over the next number of years. I can ask the Minister for Transport to respond to the Deputy's question.

Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent)
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Our immigration law explicitly allows for deportation in cases of criminal convictions, particularly in relation to serious or violent convictions. This includes provisions such as those outlined in the Immigration Act 1999, as amended. Section 3 states that the Minister for justice may sign a deportation order against a person who has served or is serving a term of imprisonment imposed by an Irish court. Additional considerations when deciding on a deportation order include factors such as a person's criminal convictions, character, conduct and whether their presence poses a threat to public safety or the common good. In light of this, would the Minister agree with me that non-Irish nationals who come here and commit barbaric acts of savagery against young women such as what happened in Tullamore in 2022 should be on the next plane out of here?

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I call the Minister to respond.

Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent)
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Is it not high time that we stopped catering to their so-called rights-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I am giving leeway, Deputy.

Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent)
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-----and instead began to radically and forcefully implement the laws that we have on our Statute Book?

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Deputy, please. I call the Minister to respond.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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What happened to Ashling Murphy in Offaly was shocking. I know how difficult this continues to be for her family and indeed for the wider community. I want to speak more generally to say that the removal of criminals and those who are a danger to public safety is always a priority for the Minister for justice. In the free movement regulations of 2015, there is a mechanism through which that can occur. There is a particular threshold and bar which is set for the utilisation of that directive. That is co-ordinated by An Garda Síochána working with the Irish Prison Service relating to any individual.