Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy Leader. I am not sure if Senator Byrne has been Deputy Leader previously, so if she has not, I congratulate her on the role. I will try to be as helpful as possible. We may have some of the lowest ratings ever for the Order of Business today because the Ireland team is 15 minutes or 20 minutes into a rugby match at this stage. I wish them well. To be fair, we should congratulate the team and management on all the work being done out there, as well as the supporters who have gone to Japan. Senator Byrne was there for a few days supporting the team and doing her best to represent Ireland. We should acknowledge the great behaviour of the supporters in both victory and defeat in the past couple of matches. While she has left, I also acknowledge the presence of former Senator, Lorraine Higgins, and I congratulate her on becoming honorary consul of the Slovak Republic. She was appointed to the role last week.

I am also conscious that we will not meet again until after the budget. We must all bear in mind that Brexit is generating so much uncertainty for us and the Good Friday Agreement must be protected. The Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, has been working with Deputies Michael McGrath and Barry Cowen to produce a measured and reasonable budget. My party wishes the Minister and my colleagues well, as they are facilitating the Government in its minority position, subject to criteria. It is very important to acknowledge that we are facing major uncertainty. Only last night American tariffs were imposed on a wide range of European goods, which unfortunately include butter, cheese, pork, Irish liqueurs and whiskey from Northern Ireland but not the Republic of Ireland for some reason. This is because of the World Trade Organization's, WTO, understanding that the European Union has been giving Airbus subsidies to the detriment of Boeing. Sometimes we hear comments to the effect that everything would be fine if the WTO rules were in effect after Brexit but it is clear the organisation is allowing the United States to impose significant tariffs. I hope Kerrygold and others will be able to manage that as best they can.

I hope the Cathaoirleach will indulge me slightly as the Chamber is not as full as it can be. I hope everybody will pay attention to the yellow and orange wind warnings for Storm Lorenzo today and tomorrow. Wind can be very dangerous and people might think if it is not raining, it is not so bad. Wind has the potential to knock down trees and cause serious injury. Trampolines have taken off from people's gardens and landed in other gardens. I ask everybody to pay attention and batten down garden furniture as much as possible. Without wanting to sound too much like Ms Teresa Mannion, people should avoid unnecessary journeys and be careful in how they get around.

Will the Deputy Leader seek to bring the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Richard Bruton, to the House to debate broadband provision? A committee met over the summer and it produced a report. We have not yet seen a contract signed and we do not know what is happening yet. It is important that the Minister should come in and outline the next stages in the broadband process.

Yesterday, a Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Jim Daly, said he was ashamed and embarrassed, and that he is sorry he must apologise daily for the treatment of older people. There are so many people on waiting lists. The Minister for Health said 80,000 additional home help hours would be available in 2019 but that has not happened. There are 1.1 million people on the overall outpatient waiting list. We need the Minister in the House to discuss health matters in a meaningful way. September was the worst month this year for overcrowding and we are not even remotely close to winter. There are 500 vacant consultant posts and 6,000 more pensioners are going on outpatient waiting lists every month. It is an important matter and I am not trying to score points against the Deputy Leader. Health is one of the most serious matters and everybody worries about it, particularly with regard to older parents and grandparents, etc. We need to have the Minister before the House as soon as possible.