Gerald Nash (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State.

This is very good news and it is a credit to the Minister of State and to the Minister, Deputy Harris, that they ensured that this provision was contained in the programme for Government. They wasted little time in bringing the legislation forward and resourcing it through the Estimates in last year's budget to allow this measure to become a reality for many families across the country who need it. It is good to see that there is one Minister of State in the Independent Alliance who is prioritising the work in his Department. He might have a word with his colleague, the Minister, Deputy Shane Ross, later on.