Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise a couple of issues. Senator Byrne mentioned Tesco, but the Irish Farmers Association, IFA, and all involved in the horticultural sector have been looking to engage with Dunnes Stores with regard to prices, especially the price of vegetables. We have seen over the past 24 hours the IFA holding a dispute at two Dunnes Stores centres. I call on Dunnes Stores to engage with the IFA and discuss these issues. We have seen, particularly in the pig industry and, as I said, the horticultural industry, that these are extremely challenging times, and it is only right farmers get a fair price for what is an excellent product. That needs to be highlighted today. Dunnes Stores is an Irish company and prides itself on being an Irish company. We need to talk to the local farmers who produce for the company.

I also wish to raise a housing issue. It would have been on "Drivetime" a number of days ago. There was a discussion with residents in Colmcille Terrace in Granard in north Longford. Four years ago, I brought the Minister at the time, Eoghan Murphy, to Granard, where funding had been sought for a long number of years to upgrade a significant number of derelict houses in that area. We secured funding, met with the residents and a process started between Longford County Council and Tuath. It started in early 2019, we are now at February 2022 and not a stick of work has been done. There are boarded up houses with dampness coming through the walls to where people are living. There are rats and cats. It is not acceptable in 2022 that this happens and people are living in these conditions.

I ask the Leader to write to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to get me an update on when in 2022 the works will start on this project, when it will be completed and when the residents can live in what should be up to standard housing. This is not acceptable at this day and age.