Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I note from the Irish Independenttoday that farmers are facing huge damage from post-Brexit tariffs, so it is important that we invite the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to the House to explain what preparation is being made. Irish beef and dairy exports face tariffs of 16% and 15%, respectively, if a deal is not concluded. It is highly unlikely that the deal will be concluded within two years and, on that basis, Irish farming and the agrifood sector are very vulnerable given the figures quoted. Ireland imports produce worth €2.8 billion from the UK and approximately 40% of our food exports go to the UK. We should invite the Minister to the House to discuss the tariffs, what we intend to do in respect of agriculture, what other markets we could seek to try to minimise our exposure and how we can try to get a good deal between Ireland, the EU 27 and Britain in terms of food.

I also wish to raise the serious issue of vacancies in the health service, particularly in the child and adolescent community mental health service. Figures recently released to our spokesperson in the Dáil, Deputy Anne Rabbitte, reveal that 82 posts, including consultant and clinical nurse specialist posts, are vacant. The scale of vacancies is really frightening. The positions include eight consultant posts, 20 clinical nurse specialist posts and eight psychologist posts required for the 2017 recruitment targets. A Vision for Change must be implemented, so it is important that we invite the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, or the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, or both to the House to discuss this.

Finally, I have raised the situation in Bus Éireann in the House in the last few days. We must invite the Minister to the House to discuss it. As the Leader said yesterday, the strike is affecting not only the travelling public but also many businesses, shops, restaurants and so forth, due to the fact that their customers cannot get to them. The situation in Bus Éireann must be considered by the House so I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, to the House to discuss it.

Incidentally, I wish to formally move the Bill in the name of Senator Ardagh relating to litter.