Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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We have graduates from Tiglin, Brendan Hurson and Emmet McCarthy, here with us. I thank them for being here. I am sure Senator McCarthy will have some words for you.

Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
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I will propose a motion at the end of the sitting in memory of the late Donal Carey. I sympathise with his children Leonora, Joe, who is a former Member of the Lower House, and Donal junior. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) Regulations 2025 - referral to committee, to be taken at conclusion of the Order of Business without debate; No. 2, Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025 - Committee and Remaining Stages, to be taken on the conclusion of No. 1 and to adjourn at 1.30 p.m., if not previously concluded; No. 3, Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024 – Committee Stage (resumed), to be taken at 2.30 p.m. and to adjourn at 5.30 p.m., if not previously concluded; and No. 54, motion 2, Private Members' business in the name of the Sinn Féin Senators, motion regarding Irish unity, to be taken at 5.30 p.m. with the time allocated to this debate not to exceed two hours.

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Fianna Fail)
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On behalf of Fianna Fáil, I express our sympathy to the family of the late Donal Carey on his passing. I never had the privilege to meet Donal but everything I have heard about him shows he epitomised all that was very good in politics. He was a Member of both Houses and went on to be a Minister of State. He obviously had great taste because he often holidayed in the most beautiful constituency in Ireland, Cork South-West. On behalf of my party, I extend our sympathy to Leonora, Donal, and our former colleague Joe, who is a friend to many in both Houses. God rest Donal's soul.

I would like to officially congratulate the Minister of State, Deputy Emer Higgins, on her recent appointment as Minister of State for disabilities. I would like to ask her to come to the House to lay out exactly what her plans are. I look forward to working with her and progressing the whole field of disabilities. I have congratulated her personally but would like to do so publicly today. It is very important that there is a plan going ahead and that we in this House are aware of what it is.

In the small time I have left, I ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Heydon, to come in to discuss the whole issue of bluetongue. There are a couple of cases in Northern Ireland. Thankfully, it is not spread from person to person or animal to animal. It is insect spread and, thankfully, there are no fears about human life. However, if it came south, it would have huge consequences for our agricultural industry. I would like to invite the Minister to the House so that we might know exactly what the plans are to ensure this does not spread and to give more information about the whole thing.

Manus Boyle (Fine Gael)
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I would like to be associated with the words of sympathy on Donal Carey to his family on this sad occasion.

I wish to raise an issue I previously raised in early October, that being, the Donegal courthouse on Tyrconnell Street in Donegal.The building dates back to the early 19th century. People in Donegal are very concerned about what is happening with the courthouse and how long it is taking. What assessments have been carried out and what are the plans to refurbish and reopen it? Is there any funding available to preserve this civic building? It is an old building with a designated place at the heart of Donegal. People see it as they drive through the town. I ask that the Minister for Justice come to the House to give an update on what is happening and whether another place is available in Donegal town. At the moment, the court is sitting in Ballyshannon. I have no problem with that but local businesses are really feeling the pinch with the courthouse being closed. Will the Minister come in and give us an idea of what is going on, which we can relay back to the people of Donegal? They are very worried the courthouse will be closed for good. I would welcome a statement from him in the House to let the people of Donegal town know what is happening.

Aubrey McCarthy (Independent)
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I thank the Cathaoirleach and Ceann Comhairle for their leadership during yesterday's historic address by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It was an extraordinary moment for us parliamentarians and also for our country. Huge kudos goes to H.E. Larysa Gerasko, the Ukrainian ambassador, and our ambassador to Ukraine, H.E. Jonathan Conlon. An amazing job was done by all. I was absolutely honoured to be asked to chaperone the First Lady, Mrs. Olena Zelenska. Seeing at first hand President Zelenskyy's address to the joint sitting of the Houses and his request for help during war, appealing for hope and solidarity and thanking us for the protection of his people, is something I certainly will remember. I was struck by his comment that freedom must be protected every day, in every generation, or else it will disappear. I thank both Houses of the Oireachtas for rising to the occasion with dignity and with céad míle fáilte from the Irish.

I join the Cathaoirleach in welcoming to the Gallery two amazing guys and friends of mine, Brendan Hurson and Emmet McCarthy. I met them when they first came to Tiglin when they were in trouble through addiction. They have allowed me to share their story. Their lives were chaotic and they were disenfranchised and marginalised. Today, they have just completed the Dublin city marathon, they are engaged in education and management and they have secure housing. They are building lives when before they were on the scrap heap, as they would say themselves. Now they are kicking the ball out of the park.

Their story matters because it shows that when recovery is supported, with supported housing, detoxification and sobriety support, etc., it makes a difference for everyone in the community. The team at Tiglin has put in place a continuum of care, with detoxification, homeless outreach and housing supports, as well as educational and employment supports. When all that works together, we have recovery in its truest form. I have put a proposal from the charity to the Minister for Health to ensure organisations like Tiglin, Merchant's Quay Ireland and Cuan Mhuire are supported in the full context of a continuum of care. Brendan and Emmet are living proof that recovery is possible. It shows what Ireland can achieve when the proper supports are there. I am proud to have them both as friends and well done to them for what they have achieved.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I join Senator McCarthy in congratulating our two guests on their great achievements. I thank the Senator for all his great work in that area.

Pauline Tully (Sinn Fein)
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Sepsis is the biggest killer in the world, with more people dying from it than from heart attacks, AIDS, lung cancer, breast cancer, Covid-19 and car crashes combined. One in five people who contract sepsis will die from it, of whom 20% are children. It affects people of all ages. Death from the disease is totally preventable if people know what the symptoms are and can request treatment.

Two women from Cavan, Caitriona Flanagan and Hannah Tormey, have established North East Sepsis Awareness. The campaign covers counties Cavan, Monaghan, Louth and Meath, with public meetings to create awareness of the symptoms of sepsis. Both women have been personally affected within their families by sepsis, which prompted them to reach out to inform people of the symptoms and get the message out that death is preventable. The symptoms can include slurred speech, new confusion, extreme shivering, muscle aches, fever, shortness of breath, lips tinged with blue and many others. We want people to think about whether their symptoms could be sepsis and to request a test for it. Medical personnel in emergency departments need to consider sepsis at all times. We sometimes hear of people going into emergency departments and by the time staff realise the person has sepsis, it is too late for treatment. In other instances, people do not recognise the symptoms and do not seek treatment. For those who survive sepsis, there is such a thing as post-sepsis syndrome, which is not yet recognised by the World Health Organization.

North East Sepsis Awareness is hoping to meet the Minister for Health in the new year. Will the Leader write to her to ensure the meeting is arranged and that she will expand on the good work it is doing? I ask that she also take into consideration post-sepsis syndrome. People suffer for a month and sometimes years from symptoms such as tiredness, weakness, loss of appetite, nightmares and even PTSD. If the condition were recognised, it could be treated more efficiently than it is currently. I ask for a follow-up with the Minister to ensure that happens.

Alison Comyn (Fianna Fail)
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I join others in sending my deepest condolences to the family and colleagues of the late former TD, Donal Carey. May his gentle soul rest in peace.

We all know community facilities are the heart of every town and village. As our population continues to grow, with 325 new homes completed in County Louth alone in the third quarter, the demand for recreational spaces is increasing. However, the cost of building and maintaining these facilities has become almost impossibly expensive. Local clubs and organisations are doing everything they can to meet the State halfway by fundraising for years and securing grants through hard work and persistence. Wolfe Tones GAA club in Drogheda, for example, has raised more than €75,000 itself and secured sports capital grant approvals of €133,000. Yet, the club has been left really disheartened to learn that upgrading an existing water connection for a new clubhouse would cost €140,000, a sum that would wipe out its entire grant and eat into its fundraising. That cost alone would jeopardise its €600,000 clubhouse project, leaving it unable to proceed to the next phase or even reapply for another sports capital grant as the current one would be consumed by a single utility bill.

The club currently has over €200,000 in cash ready to go. A waiver or reduction of the €140,000 connection fee could be the difference between the project stalling indefinitely or going ahead to provide a much-needed community facility for a rapidly expanding area that straddles both Louth and east Meath. I ask that the Minister, Deputy Browne, be invited to the House to debate this matter and ensure one arm of the State is not, in effect, sabotaging the objectives of another. Community organisations all across the country, like Wolfe Tones GAA club, should be supported, not penalised, for their initiative and commitment to improving local life.

Gareth Scahill (Fine Gael)
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The Vision Zero project aims to eliminate road deaths by 2050. We are coming into the time of year when, unfortunately, there are a lot more road crashes and fatalities. Mary Ward's name was etched into history back in 1869 when her death in Ireland was recorded as the first road fatality in the world. The explanation in the record was "road death". Since then, we have had a long litany of such deaths. We need a debate in this House, not just about highlighting visibility and small measures but looking also at the bigger picture. Vision Zero accepts humans will make mistakes but the design of our road system and our laws are where we need to focus in tackling those minor errors. I am calling for that debate to happen, if possible.I know some of my colleagues mentioned this already but a recent report by the faculty of paediatricians in the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland highlighted falls from e-scooters leading to brain injuries. These two issues are related because I believe we need a lot more enforcement on our roads. We especially need a lot more enforcement when it comes to e-scooters. At this time of year, more of these e-scooters will be purchased. There are some startling figures, but presentation of traumatic brain injuries for people over 16 has doubled since we introduced legislation about the legal use of e-scooters. That is something we need to have a conversation about in this House as well. One of the doctors involved in this report is urging parents not to buy e-scooters for their children this Christmas. Children under 16 are not permitted to operate or be carried as a passenger on an e-scooter. I do not believe there is strong enough enforcement on that. I hope that does not relate to the lack of gardaí around the country as well. All of these things could be brought into a road safety debate.

Sarah O'Reilly (Aontú)
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I raise an issue that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand when I saw it last week on Facebook. It was a Government-backed campaign on the dangers of burning solid fuel like coal, turf and sticks, the very things that have kept people in rural Ireland alive for centuries. The ad goes on to state, "Lighting an open fire or stove causes harmful emissions that linger in the air, harming your health and the health of your family, neighbours and community." The leaflet goes on to ask:

Who is most at risk? Burning solid fuels in an open fire or stove harms everyone's health, but children, older people, pregnant women and those with underlying conditions are most at risk.

That is Covid-level fear-mongering. People who light fires are the new granny killers. The choice created by this advert is sit in the cold and freeze or feel guilty for trying to stay alive by lighting a fire to keep warm, thereby, inadvertently but slowly, killing your neighbours and friends. All over this country there are people living below the poverty line and struggling to manage the cost of living. Over one quarter of people aged 65 and over live alone and those living alone face the highest poverty risk of all. My advice to anyone sitting at home trying to keep warm in the upcoming cold snap is light the fire and do not be left waiting for the HSE or some NGO to notify you that you may be suffering from hypothermia. We cannot allow the vulnerability of older people to be framed as a moral failure. The Government needs to focus on spiralling energy costs rather than preachy campaigns telling us not to light fires.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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I want to raise two issues. The IFA and the Irish Farmers' Journal have to be commended on a very extensive report the Leader may have heard and read about in the media in the past few days. The report is about the investigation into Brazil and its beef. I will not quote extensively from it. There are very serious concerns about meat, the Mercosur deal and access to the market, but I can say it was a very extensive fact-finding mission. It raises very serious concerns about a level playing pitch and about what the Irish meat producers and the European meat producers have to deal with versus what is happening in Brazil. There is light touch regulation and the report details the experience of this group that went out from the IFA, the Irish Farmers' Journal and other people with authority in this area. They are also detailed in this report. I commend this report into the Brazilian meat industry, commissioned by the Irish Farmers' Journal and the IFA. It is very clear in setting out its concerns. It has to be alarming. I know that we have just come from a private meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food. I know Sinn Féin Deputy Martin Kenny indicated and spoke about how we will discuss it. As a sectoral committee, it is important it is discussed there. For rural Senators and TDs, it is important they are fully aware of it. If they do not have the report, I recommend finding it.

The next issue I raise is the more than 7,500 people who need cataract surgery in Ireland. This is quite a simple procedure. I am a former director of the National Treatment Purchase Fund. I know how it handled it in the past. A lot of these treatments can be done quickly and timely, but there is a problem as those who need it form a very extensive group. It was brought to my attention by a colleague of the Leader, Councillor Clodagh Higgins, on Galway Bay FM in the past week. A breakdown of the figure stated that more than 3,600 people in Galway alone are waiting for eyecare treatment. That makes it very focused, brings it home and makes it relevant to the Leader. It is something that really is appalling, considering elderly people physically cannot see the ground in front of them, and thereby are disadvantaged. We are trying to support elderly people. I ask that we have a debate on eyecare because it is a specific niche we need to look at. I will send the Leader on the stuff I have today and ask him to raise it with his own contacts within his own parliamentary party and with the Minister for Health.

Nessa Cosgrove (Labour)
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I will use this opportunity today to speak about the eradication of child poverty. Many of my colleagues in here are also members of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Children and Equality. We spent a lot of time looking at ways and listening to external organisations about ways to eliminate child poverty and about political choices. Instead of giving €750 million of a VAT cut to restaurant chains, we could have introduced a second tier of child benefit. There are many examples where political choices are involved when we look at the eradication of child poverty. Almost 5,000 children are now living in emergency accommodation while we have increased our capital spending on defence by €660 million.

We know the long-term effects on children of living in poverty do not go away. It affects their emotional, social, educational and language development. Research done by Trinity College Dublin in 2023 shows that even a brief amount of time spent in child poverty will affect children for the rest of their lives. The Children's Rights Alliance says it takes four generations to break the cycle of child poverty. I have brought it up before that one fifth of children living in Ireland, which is a really rich country, do not have a decent standard of living. That is where a person can afford to buy a winter coat, a new pair of shoes or to replace broken furniture.

Child poverty is a stain on our society. I commend people and organisations like the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Barnardos and the front-line family support services that are working every day in all of our counties and parishes throughout the country but are particularly active and on whom we rely so much at this time of the year. They are in all of our areas and I pay special tribute to ones in my own area: Cornerstone, which was formerly Sligo Social Services, and Sligo Food Bank. They are led by volunteers and work every day to ensure that families are getting essential, basic provisions at this time of the year.

I urge our Government to not just talk about it and keep bringing up the same conversations about looking at ways to eradicate child poverty but have a really meaningful debate on it in this House.

Linda Nelson Murray (Fine Gael)
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I am bringing up an issue that I have mentioned in the House a good few times. It is about allowing people to come in to shop in small towns and villages, especially in rural areas, and be able to park there. In the past, I have brought up the example of Navan quite a lot because of the huge increase in population and all the works that are being done, but I will actually talk about Athboy today. It is a lovely town in County Meath with just under 3,000 people living there. It has a public realm strategy that was announced in 2021. It says the aim of the mission statement is to:

Improve the public realm of Athboy for all users through enhancing pedestrian movement, exploring new connections and linking amenity spaces. In addition the street scene should be enhanced by improving the layout, pedestrian crossings and car parking along with protecting the existing trees and vegetation.

I was reading my local newspaper, the Meath Chronicle, the other day and I saw a local councillor had brought up just how difficult it is for people to come into the town and park and the worry that people will leave and go somewhere else or shop online. We are all about a dual shopping process of shopping online but you also need to be able to pull up outside where you need to go, whether it is the butchers, the dry cleaners or a café. There is a beautiful café there, Cafe Sabrosa , there is McElhinneys for Men, Doreen's Home Bakery and stuff that you cannot buy online. You just go and experience it in Athboy. There is a beautiful gift shop there as well.

The lack of car parking facilities will kill local businesses there. It is a very important time in the run-up to Christmas. The pre-Christmas period is crucial for shops in the town. Shoppers are driving up and down the street trying to get spaces. They cannot and they then either just go home or drive on to somewhere else. We are losing business in this town and many other towns.When we are developing our public realm strategies and improving landscapes in towns, we need to accommodate age-friendly and disabled parking and parking in general in order that people can still visit their local towns and do a bit of shopping. I would like this matter to be raised again, if possible.

Eileen Flynn (Independent)
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I am seeking a debate on defective concrete. It is not just Donegal where people's houses are crumbling around them; it is happening all over the country. We need to talk about this matter in both Houses. My colleague Deputy Charles Ward wants to include another 40 families in the current redress scheme. This issue is bigger than the 40 families Deputy Ward wants to be include in the scheme. We have not touched on the local authority or the social housing which has been impacted by defective bricks. We need to have that conversation. I have no problem with drawing up legislation that includes local authority houses and community services. This is not just a matter for Donegal, as I said. It affects the whole country. I would welcome a debate in early January or February on affected concrete in these Houses in order that we can all get a feel for what is happening on the ground. The issue of social housing should be included in that debate.

Travellers in Donegal came to me about five months ago to tell me that Traveller accommodation with affected concrete bricks is not included in the scheme and neither are local authorities. We already have a housing crisis. In some parts of the country, buildings are falling down. We need to have a serious conversation and work collectively as legislators to include social housing in the scheme.

Chris Andrews (Sinn Fein)
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I regularly raise the ongoing maintenance issues in Dublin City Council flats and houses. In 2025, it is difficult to understand how the maintenance of council properties is so bad. There is a complete lack of empathy for tenants on the part of Dublin City Council. There are many examples of this, but one is Beech Hill Villas in Donnybrook. In most of the flats in Beech Hill, there are issues with dampness and mould. The only solution the council has provided is to supply bleach and cloths for tenants. That is not acceptable. People are going to have to pay increased rents thanks to the Government parties. One resident who has been in a flat in Beech Hill for over 40 years had a leak which the council said it would not fix because he put in a new sink when he first moved in. The man could not even remember whether that was true, but the council said it was. The man is in his 80s. His wife passed away recently. He is in credit on his rent and is a model tenant. He has been involved in the community and local football all his life. Despite that, the council said it is not its responsibility to fix the leak. That is harsh.

Families in the 54 flats in Beech Hill have a serious issue with water coming on and going off. It is there one minute and gone the next. The council insists that everything is okay, yet the water supply is constantly cut off without any warning. This means that residents cannot put on their washing machines, dishwashers or electric showers. If they are in the middle of using of a wash cycle, for example, and water supply cuts out, the engine on the machine burns out. In fact, two residents have had to get new washing machines because of the problem with the water supply. Uisce Éireann has said that this is not its responsibility. The council has said it has done all it can. Nothing is being done. This has been going on for weeks and residents have had to put up with it. The reality is that there is no accountability for this and neither are there solutions for the residents of Beech Hill who have to put up with it. I ask that Minister come to the House to discuss the maintenance or the lack thereof of council flats and houses.

Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
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I thank all Senators for their contributions on the Order of Business. We began with Senator Murphy O'Mahony, who congratulated Deputy Emer Higgins on her appointment as Minister of State with responsibility for disability and asked for her to come to the House to lay out her plans regarding the sector. I will certainly request that the Minister of State come here at the earliest opportunity to lay out her vision for her role.

The Senator also requested a debate with the Minister, Deputy Heydon, on bluetongue. The Minister has indicated that he is working closely with his Northern Ireland counterparts to ensure that a collaborative and supportive approach, building on the very close relationships already in place in respect of animal disease control North and South, continues to be taken. It is important to note that because bluetongue is spread by midges, the spread of the disease is much less likely in winter and early spring. Firm action is being taken to carry out enhanced and targeted surveillance to discover whether the disease is here. We hope it is not. Continued vigilance is needed. I will request a debate with the Minister.

Senator Boyle raised concerns regarding the courthouse on Tyrconnell Street in Donegal. The latter is an historic building in the heart of the town. It has been closed for some time. The Courts Service has moved its operation to Ballyshannon. I request that the Senator table a Commencement debate on the matter because it is quite specific. I share his concerns. I tend to agree because the longer services are out of a town, the more difficult it is to bring them back.

Senator McCarthy commended all involved in yesterday's joint sitting attended by President Zelenskyy and his wife, Olena. The Senator also mentioned Brendan and Emmett, two friends of his who were supported in dealing with their addictions by Tiglin and who have come out the other end and recovered. Senator McCarthy noted that recovery is possible. I acknowledge that. I commend the work of Tiglin and wish Brendan and Emmett well for the future.

Senator Tully raised the very important issue of sepsis. I join with her in seeking to raise awareness of the condition. She mentioned North East Sepsis Awareness, which reach reaches out to inform people of the symptoms of sepsis. She also spoke about post-sepsis syndrome, which I had not heard of. Many sufferers can have symptoms for months or years. She requested that we contact the Minister for Health, Deputy Jennifer Caroll MacNeill, regarding a meeting with North East Sepsis Awareness. I will raise that with the Minister.

Senator Comyn raised the issue of recreational spaces and acknowledged their importance. She referred to Wolf Tones GAA club in Drogheda and the connection fees for the upgrading of water services. The Senator is asked for a debate with the Minister, Deputy Browne. Perhaps if she could put down a Commencement matter, she could get an up-to-date response. We had a debate on Uisce Éireann recently. I will request that the Minister, Deputy Browne, come to the House to discuss the matter.

Senator Scahill raised the Vision Zero project which deals with the bigger picture of road deaths and their causes and impacts. The Senator mentioned e-scooters. A number of people have mentioned them over the recent period. I will request a debate on the issue. Multiple factors contribute to road deaths. They are always tragedies for families and communities and are then not spoken about until the next tragedy. Unfortunately, there is always the next tragedy on our roads. I will request a debate on the matter.

Senator Sarah O'Reilly raised issues relating to an advert from a Department on the use of open fires and stoves that cause health issues. I am not here to tell anybody not to light a fire. If that is the means of heating people have it is important that they light fires and keep warm. There are Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, grants for various insulation schemes, in particular for those in receipt of the fuel allowance. I encourage people to contact the SEAI or their local representatives, councillors or Members of the Oireachtas to engage on those issues. It is important that people keep warm. The fuel allowance was increased in the last budget, as was the pension for elderly.

Senator Boyhan raised the important matter of the investigative work of the Irish Farmers' Journal on Brazilian beef, something that has been talked about not just here but in other parts of Europe in terms of the importance of the issue. The Senator referred to the extensive fact-finding mission place by the Irish Farmers' Journal and the IFA and the report relating thereto, which has been published and which was the subject of a discussion at a private session of the committee of which the Senator is a member.I will urge people to look at that and to engage on the matter. I will request a debate with the Minister, Deputy Heydon, as well in the near future.

He also raised the issue of waiting lists for cataract treatments, including 3,600 people in Galway. I did not see that report from Councillor Higgins. I will certainly engage with her on it and try to organise a debate on the matter as well.

Senator Cosgrove called for a debate on child poverty. The Taoiseach has put a lot of emphasis on child poverty. The child poverty unit is in his Department. I point to such things as the increase in the fuel allowance, children's allowance and the hot school meals programme in recent years. That is not to say that a lot more does not need to be done; it does. I will request a debate on child poverty as well.

Senator Nelson Murray raised the town of Athboy as an example. There are other towns where there is so much to offer but there are difficulties with access and parking. It is important to acknowledge that parking is necessary, especially for the elderly, the disabled and those who want to do a short shop, for example to go in and out to the dry cleaners, as the Senator said, and elsewhere. If you have to drive around looking for a space, you are not encouraged to come back. Car parking must be to the fore of the vision local authorities have for town planning and to ensure there is sufficient parking. Where necessary, paid parking is an option. Many towns that have a charge offer free parking in the run-up to the Christmas period, which is so important for retail. It is an area of which local authorities have to be very mindful and ensure the view does not prevail that parking is not necessary. It is necessary, as well as good public transport, bus shelters, bus stops and all of that as well. I will request a debate on the matter as well with the Minister.

Senator Flynn raised her concerns about defective concrete blocks. She called for a debate. Next Thursday, as I understand it, at 3 p.m. we have Second Stage of the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks (Amendment) Bill 2025. The Senator will have an opportunity to raise issues concerning Donegal, Mayo and elsewhere on that very important issue.

Senator Andrews raised Dublin City Council properties. I acknowledged his continued raising of this matter and his concerns, in this case relating to Beech Hill Villas in Donnybrook. I will request a debate on social housing and matters relating to the housing stock owned by Dublin City Council and other local authorities. It is important that there is proper maintenance of facilities across all local authorities. I will certainly request a debate on that matter as well.