Colm Burke
Cork North-Central · Fine Gael · Ireland
“That is not the Department's fault but the FAI was not asked any questions about bringing this land back into use for sporting activities in Glanmire. There are 30 acres lying idle. Not a sod has been turned and no planning application has been made. We are now getting mixed messages about what is actually going on.”
“The Department is still giving out money to the FAI and not calling it to account for getting the land from a Government agency, the local authority, and leaving it to sit idle, while clubs are now refusing to take in new members because they do not have capacity for them. It is time for the Department to step in.”
“It is ten years later and not a sod has been turned. I got then Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, to come to Glanmire in 2023 where we met 18 of the sports clubs. As a result of that meeting, the FAI started negotiations again with the county council.”
“The Department of Culture, Communications and Sport provides funding to the FAI on an annual basis. I understand it is more than €6 million. Can the Minister of State ascertain why 30 acres of land in Glanmire, Cork, which was leased to the FAI by Cork County Council in 2017, has remained idle?”
“I am absolutely astonished at that reply. The county council told councillors that it was leasing 12.5 acres to Riverstown FC rather than the full site. What the FAI is telling the Minister is totally different.”
“There has been a substantial delay in issuing Irish residency permit, IRP, cards. Quite a number of my constituents have been let go from employment because they did not get their cards within the 12-week period.”
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“If action was taken at that stage, 72,000 people would not have been killed in the last three years. It is therefore extremely important that we are careful in our approach to bringing the international community with us and that we manage it very well. The Minister and previous Ministers for Foreign Affairs have worked very well in this area. It is about bringing all of Europe with us. I was in Washington in 2009. I was part of a joint committee of the European Parliament and the US Congress. There was no support for the Palestinians on that committee. I was probably the only person on that committee who was in any way supportive of Palestine and critical of Israel as a result of what happened on that occasion. We are now 17 years on and we have still not brought all of Europe with us on this issue.”
“I very much welcome the publication of this Bill and the fact that it is proceeding through the House. In dealing with this issue, it is important that we bring other countries with us. I have experience of dealing with this issue. I was in Gaza in 2009 after the changeover of the American President. During the period of that changeover, on 27 December 2008, Israeli forces went into Gaza, bombing the area and killing 1,400 people, 400 of whom were children. They kept working until 18 January. The new President was sworn in on 20 January. Israel used that opportunity. No action was taken against Israel at that time. Its forces used cluster munitions, which are the same as the IRA nail bombs, and they used white phosphorous, in violation of all international law. No action was taken.”
“As I said earlier, all of the figures clearly indicate, because the population has increased dramatically over the past 20 years and we also have people living longer so we have an older population, that we are more likely to have more people identified with cancer. Therefore, more people will require treatment. Time is of the essence in providing treatment and it is very important that we have the best quality machines available so the staff can do this. This treatment cures up to 40% of cancers. It is extremely important that we give it priority over the next three to four years and set out a clear plan of capital funding. We must remember that when we are replacing the machines we will have delays because one or two fewer machines will be available. This is why we need to roll it on as fast as possible.”
“In 2016 access to radiation therapy within 15 days was 86.4% and in 2019 it was 86.5%. Last year it was 78.7%. It has dropped. In fact, in 2024 it was down to 64.7%. Part of the problem is machines breaking down. There is a need for a national radiotherapy equipment replacement programme. I know the programme is starting but it is about whether we can do it faster over the next four years. We will be in Government for this period of time so let us make a serious effort. We have the expertise and we need to make sure we have ring-fenced capital funding to replace four machines per year over the next three to four years so that we have a large number of machines replaced. This will create efficiency.”
“Recently, I opened the cancer summit in Croke Park, which was attended by more than 300 people from hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and a whole range of services in the healthcare area. There was a big discussion about the fact that we are delaying putting new equipment in place.”
“We will also have an increase in the number of people who require treatment. We have the expertise. We have good and dedicated staff. It is important that we give them the support they require. There are 14 machines in total in Dublin. If St. Luke's replaces two machines every year, some of them will be over 21 years old by the time they are replaced. It is time that we looked at this. It is not a big cost in real terms because there would be a huge saving. We are wasting staff time when a machine is not working. Over the past 12 months, we have also had to have patients receive treatment in the private sector. This cost over €17 million last year alone. Why are we delaying the replacement of these machines?”
“We have radiation oncologists, radiation therapists, medical physics, dosimetrists and nurses. There is a whole team. If a linear accelerator breaks down, treatment is not provided and a whole team wastes one, two or three days. Radiation therapy cures about 40% of cancers. The European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology, ESTRO, sets out quite clearly that the lifetime of these machines is ten years. Some of these machines are 18 years old. There is a programme, to start in 2027, which talks about replacing two machines per year but that is not enough. We now need to set out a clear programme of action so that the number of replacements is four per year over the next three years and not two per year. This needs to be put in place. We have had a huge increase in population.”
“Currently in Ireland, we have 23 linear accelerators in Galway, Dublin and Cork. Of those 14 linear accelerators in Dublin, 12 are more than ten years old and eight are more than 15 years old. It is clearly established that any machine that is more than ten years old is going to cause delays and breakdowns are far more frequent and as a result, the service cannot be delivered. In fact, the figures for 2025 are quite frightening where the radiation that people required was not delivered within the 14-day time period, which is the guideline. Paragraph 22 of the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026 set out that a rolling replacement programme would be put in place. This has not occurred. In relation to radiation therapy, we have a whole team of people.”
“I was in Croke Park this morning for the All-Island Cancer Summit 2026. It had organisations from the Irish Cancer Society and medical consultants to researchers, people from the hospitals and everyone involved in cancer care in the country. The big concern they all have is about the future ten-year cancer plan. The strategy is a ten-year plan from 2016 to 2026. Has a team been established to plan for cancer care and treatment in the country for the next ten years? How can we deal with the new therapies being delivered and made available? How we can keep up to date with those new therapies? When is a plan going to be put in place? Is a team in place?”
“The South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital presented a proposal for the opening of theatre 5, which is vacant because the two new ophthalmology theatres opened were for orthopaedic treatment. There are currently 11 orthopaedic consultant whole-time-equivalents in the hospital, with two more coming in January. The proposal was that this theatre would open and work 12 hours a day and up to 10.30 p.m. for recovery of patients there, and that would include additional staff. The proposal was made, the hospital understood it was accepted and it was acknowledged that it was accepted. The recruitment has occurred but the hospital has now been told the money is not going to be provided for the additional staff. At present, there are 7,382 patients waiting for outpatient appointments, 363 waiting for treatment and 233 waiting for day care.”
“The cost of running a house for one person is the same as the cost of running it for two people, especially in relation to heating and maintenance. That is where I am coming from in relation to the fuel allowance for the over-70s. There is that huge additional cost. I recall dealing with one man whose basic allowance was the old age pension. His wife died. The income was cut in half but the cost of running the house was the same. In rural areas, we have quite a lot of properties that are not in great shape. They are extremely costly. People do not have the funding now to do major renovations despite all the grants that are there. It still costs a lot more money than what the grants will provide. In that context, I am wondering about making the fuel allowance automatic for people living alone rather than having their income assessed.”
“The cost of administration is taking up a lot of money. If the allowance was already there for anyone over 70 years of age, that would reduce down the cost of administration.”
“Where I am coming from is the context of people who are living on their own. One of the big problems that we have where a person is living on their own is that there are additional costs. The cost of heating a house and normal maintenance is the same as it would be if there were two or three people living in the house. If we look at the allowance that the Department is paying out and the cost to the State where a person ends up in a nursing home, the average cost in a nursing home as a minimum now is €1,250 per week. Therefore, if we look at the overall cost in real terms, there are challenges for people, particularly in rural areas, who are living on their own trying to make ends meet. The cost of heating, especially in older houses, is a huge additional cost. It is something that needs to be looked at.”
“This 30 acres is lying idle and I ask that the Taoiseach's Department would engage with Cork County Council and the FAI with a view to the lease being surrendered back to the county council so we can start from scratch with developing 30 acres of sports facilities, which are so badly needed.”
“The Government provides funding to the FAI. A memorandum of agreement was signed in December 2024 with €6 million a year paid to it. Back in 2011 and 2012 Cork County Council engaged with the FAI with a view to providing land to it. Eventually in 2017 it leased 30 acres in Brooklodge in Glanmire. This land has lain idle since, even though a sport complex was to be built there. My understanding is that there was to be further engagement about the use of these 30 acres. Glanmire is an area where we have Sarsfields GAA club as well as a camogie club and Glanmire football, soccer and rugby clubs. They are all looking for space for a growing young population.”
“For instance, one of the projects within the community facility is a preschool facility for a small number of children. That is already in place there. However, there is a whole lot of services that need to be developed. In particular, we need to ensure we have a library that is adequate for both the existing population and the growing of population. It is important it is prioritised. I ask that the Department makes sure it is considered in the next round of funding when it is dealing with it with Cork City Council.”
“I thank the Minister of State for the reply. The issue is the new development that is going on. That was not part of the submission made in 2023 because it had not even gone through the planning process. There has been a huge growth in population. It is an area that needs to be prioritised. The library facility in Mayfield, which has very good staff, is not adequate for the demand that is there now. There is also the whole issue about community facilities as well, which is attached to the library and part of the library building. They also need to be upgraded. I was there earlier this week for the AGM of the community association. There is an active community association there. They are trying to assist in various projects in the immediate area, but they also need to have the infrastructure in place.”
“It is an essential facility for the north-east side of Cork city, but also for the new housing that is being built in the immediate area. The housing is being built at a very fast pace. Over a three-year period, it is expected that at least 1,500 additional houses will be in place, with a new population moving in there. There will be people who are retired and new young families. It is important that the service provided by Mayfield library is up to date and it can provide for the population of the area. Will funding be provided to Cork City Council by the Department in order that this project can progress?”
“A Part 8 planning notice was filed on 22 April 2024 by Cork City Council setting out what the proposals were. The proposals set out the changes that are required in the facility there. It is very detailed. The council, I understand, prior to putting in that Part 8 planning notice in 2024, made a submission to the Department as far back as 2023. We are three years on and nothing has occurred. This is an important facility for the community. As well as a library, a community centre is attached to it, providing a lot of essential services for the area. The proposal included reconfiguration internally in the building itself, but also an extension to the existing facility to cater for the growing population of the area.”
“Will the Department provide the necessary funding to Cork City Council to enable building work to be carried out on Mayfield library and community centre in view of the fact the council has submitted an application for funding for this project? Will the Minister of State make a statement? Mayfield has a large population on the north-east side of Cork city. It has many retired people but the population in the area is growing as well, with over 1,500 houses being built within a 1 mile radius of the library. It also caters for residents in Dillon's Cross, St. Luke's and upper Glanmire and the Glanmire area, which was an area previously in the county, which has now come under the city council's jurisdiction. There is a very big population in this area.”
“I welcome the Minister of State's reply. The e-ticketing pilot data is extremely important in respect of the use of school transport. Every week we all get complaints about seats being vacant on school buses, while the children who would use them do not have access to the buses. E-ticketing is extremely important in making sure that there is full utilisation and that the people who have been unfortunate in not being able to get on the school transport system can use those vacant seats. What is occurring in parts of the country is that people agree to take the transport offered but then do not use it for various reasons, or they may use it some days of the week but not every day. It is important that e-ticketing would give us the correct data on the usage of school transport.”
“Our Presidency offers the chance to re-establish this country as a European global leader in tobacco control and to show that strong regulation, evidence-based policy and the protection of the next generation are not obstacles to progress but part of what responsible leadership looks like. This Bill matters not only because of what it does today but also because of the signal it sends about Ireland. We want to be ambitious in public health, serious about prevention and determined to protect the next generation from addiction.”
“The framework needs to be updated, and a further review of the EU rules is now firmly on the horizon. That matters for Ireland because we are not simply responding to a domestic challenge. We are legislating in step with a broader European reassessment of how tobacco and nicotine products should be regulated in the years ahead. From 1 July to 31 December 2026, Ireland will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. That gives us a real opportunity not just to participate in the associated conversation but also to shape it and put child protection, prevention, product regulation and public health ambition at the centre of the European agenda. Ireland has often been at its best when prepared to lead on public health rather than wait for others.”
“That Bill represents a significant moment and it shows that these questions are now being confronted across these islands with greater seriousness and urgency. At European level, the direction of travel is the same. On 1 April 2026, the European Commission published its evaluation of the EU tobacco control framework, covering both the tobacco products directive and the tobacco advertising directive. The Commission's conclusion was twofold: first, that EU tobacco legislation has made a real contribution to reducing smoking and protecting public health; and, second, that the current framework is no longer fully keeping pace with a rapidly changing market, particularly considering the growth of novel tobacco and nicotine products and their appeal among younger consumers. The message from Brussels is clear.”
“In Ireland it sits alongside the Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill 2025, which is already moving through the Oireachtas, and is intended to ban the sale of disposable vapes. Together, these measures represent a more coherent public health approach, one that recognises both the health harms of nicotine addiction and the very deliberate ways in which novel products are marketed to young people. As we are not acting in isolation, on 21 April 2026 the UK's Tobacco and Vapes Bill cleared Parliament. That legislation includes a so-called smoke-free generation measure preventing the sale of tobacco to people born on or after 1 January 2009, while also strengthening the regulation of vapes and other nicotine products.”
“This Bill is a measured and necessary response to a market that has changed faster than our laws. It proposes to ban the sale of nicotine pouches to under-18s; restrict the advertising display of nicotine-inhaling products in retail units; tighten rules on colours and imagery on devices and packaging; prohibit products that resemble toys or games; and limit flavour descriptors, with flavours in nicotine-inhaling products to be limited to tobacco. These are sensible steps aimed at one clear goal: making addictive nicotine products less visible, less attractive and less accessible to children and young people. We should also see the Bill as part of a wider direction of travel.”
“I welcome this Bill, which is to protect public health. Regulating access to e-cigarettes and nicotine products is essential. There is evidence on the risk of nicotine pouches - nicotine addiction, gum problems, mouth ulcers, dry mouth and hiccups, nausea and stomach problems, and nicotine poisoning. When we look at the growth in the market, the sales of nicotine pouches by P.J. Carroll and Co. grew by 480% between 2023 and 2024. That is 6 million to 29 million units for VELO brand pouches. That is a 480% increase in just one year. At European level, the first year of monitoring by the EU Monitor was 2018. It identified 292 million units sold. By 2021 it was 6.8 billion units of nicotine pouches - a 2,000% increase, and it has obviously increased dramatically since this then.”
“The Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, has highlighted that over-65s already account for more than 60% of inpatient bed days and that this group will grow from one in seven of the population to one in five by 2040. The national immunisation advisory committee has recommended respiratory syncytial virus, RSV, vaccination for those aged 75 and over and also for high-risk groups. The programme for Government committed to expanding RSV vaccination. I ask the Tánaiste to outline the steps the Government will take and the timeline for deciding whether an RSV vaccination programme for older adults will be implemented as part of managing future pressures on the health system and protecting the health of the older population.”
“My question is in relation to the Blackpool flood relief scheme. It has been going on for 13 years, going into 14 years. The OPW sent the report in to the Minister of State's Department nine or ten months ago. I do not understand why we still do not have a decision on this matter. Why is it taking so long? On the previous occasion, the Department sat on the report. By the time it came to a decision, the environmental report was out of date, so it had to go back to drawing board. When will this project proceed?”
“Without those facilities, there is a huge gap in the community. When I was in Blackpool as chair in 1994 and 1995, I had 30 people employed under a community employment scheme in the community centre. There were huge challenges in employment there at the time. It made a huge contribution to the area.”
“In relation to new builds, a big challenge is sufficient land being set aside where a large amount of housing is being built. The planning authorities are falling down on this. I have seen this in the Glanmire area, for instance, where over 25,000 people live and a proper community centre has not been developed. Sarsfields GAA club has provided really good community support. Without it, there would not be a community facility in real terms. We need to do more forward planning on this issue. Likewise with Blarney, there are over 3,000 houses to go in there over the next few years. Land needs to be set aside now. There should be communication with local authorities to make sure that is part of the planning process. The Department cannot give the money if the land is not there to build the facilities on.”
“Likewise, there will be huge development in Blarney. The need for planning for proper community facilities is so important for those areas and that will involve new builds.”
“I thank the Minister and accept that the announcement this morning was very welcome. I come from a parish where 11 acres were purchased 50 years ago, and we now have 45 acres of sports and community facilities involving the GAA, the rugby club, soccer facilities, a playground and a walkway. That has been developed over the past 50 years as a result of community efforts and with the help of sports capital grants. Likewise, in the area where I served as chair of a community centre in Blackpool, more than 40 organisations use the facility there, which is extremely important for the local community. Therefore, it is important to make decisions about providing refurbishment. The issue I have in regard to new builds is that there are challenges in Glanmire, which is a new town in real terms, with over 25,000 people.”
“I know an announcement was made on this matter this morning. When will applications for the next round of the community centre investment fund open? Will it be for new builds or refurbishments? Will the Minister make a statement on the matter? I know he made an announcement on the matter this morning, but the issue is about new builds. Will the Minister give some clarification on that particular issue?”
“All the evidence that has been presented to me clearly indicates that if this drug was made available, it would be beneficial to women who have this medical condition. The example I gave is a true and accurate one of a 20-year old who has no other drug available except ordinary painkillers, which are not really adequate for the difficulty she has. She has gone through surgery. This is the recommendation of two consultants but she cannot get access to this drug. This is a time when we need to be really pragmatic about taking a decision on something. Sometimes an issue may cost more than what it seems on paper, but in real terms there is a real saving for the State.”
“I thank the Minister of State. My information is that it was in February 2022 that the NCPE concluded that there was insufficient evidence of cost-effectiveness for the drug to be approved for reimbursement by the Health Service Executive. Obviously, there is a new application in. The Department of Health has taken decisions previously where the NCPE turned down a particular drug because of its cost-effectiveness, but it is about far more than just cost-effectiveness. There is also the issue of patient care. Sometimes when we look at cost-effectiveness, we look at the immediate cost of the drug rather than the long-term benefit. If having a drug available means we will reduce the number of times a person has to go to their general practitioner or consultant or to hospital, then that is a cost saving in real terms.”
“It is wrong that we are able to provide surgical care now but are not prepared to provide the medication that is required either before the person is identified as requiring surgery or after surgery is completed. I ask that the matter be reviewed. We should go back into the negotiating process so that an agreement can be reached to have this drug made available. I ask for that to be done at the earliest possible date.”
“If you are lucky enough to have the income, you can purchase it, but if you do not, you are in difficulty, and in many cases there is no alternative. I ask for this matter to be reconsidered and given the priority it deserves. I fully understand that each year, there is a budget for the purchase of pharmaceuticals and drugs. However, 27 countries across Europe have this drug available under their health schemes but it is not available here in Ireland. In October 2025, the Minister set out a clear timeline to try to make all care available to women who had this medical condition. We have developed the surgical approach. For instance, we now have specialist units in Cork and Tallaght to deal with the condition, and other units are providing care across the country.”
“We have developed all of these centres to provide care for women. It is estimated that one in ten women will be affected by endometriosis. I know of the case of a 20-year-old girl who has undergone surgery. Two different consultants have recommended that she use the drug Ryeqo but she cannot afford it because it is not available to her under the GMS scheme. She is 20 years of age. She has gone through the surgery and the drug is not available. In 2022, the drug was submitted for approval under the drugs payment scheme, but it was turned down on the basis that it would not be economical to have it in the GMS scheme. I would argue with that. A huge number of women require care. It is not just surgical care. They also require the use of medication. This particular medication is not available but is being recommended by consultants.”
“I thank the Minister of State for making himself available to deal with this matter. March, this month, is endometriosis awareness month. I am raising this issue to highlight a drug to which I will refer in this matter, namely, Ryeqo. It is available in over 27 countries across Europe. While it is available to purchase in Ireland, it is not available under the general medical services, GMS, scheme. In October 2025, the Minister for Health launched a national framework for the management of endometriosis in Ireland. The HSE, together with the Department of Health, has established a number of centres around the country, including in Tallaght University Hospital, Cork University Hospital, the Rotunda Hospital, the Coombe hospital, University Hospital Limerick, Galway University Hospital and the National Maternity Hospital.”
“It is extremely important for the city and for the many people who are working in the city and on its outskirts. I thank the Minister of State.”
“This is not good enough where there is substantial money being earned by the State in respect of a company providing employment to 6,000 people. That is the number employed there. This is together with all the other people who are employed in Ballincollig, on the western side of the city, or the people employed in south Cork who have to travel through the city to get to their place of employment. We are now saying it is going to be another three or four years before we even go to the stage of inviting tenders for construction, and it may very well be six years. In view of the urgency of the matter and the fact that this project was parked for over ten years, can we not now give it priority? Can we not give priority to the consultation, the drafting of the plans and to advertising to bring in the contractors to build?”
“I am concerned that the Minister of State is saying 36 months. That is three years. We have the biggest taxpayer in the country in this part of the city. We are saying sorry that they are waiting 45 years, but they will now have to wait between five and eight years more before we do anything for them. It is not good enough to wait three years. We fast-tracked the Adare bypass because we have a lot of people flying in for four weeks, and after those four weeks they will all be gone. Apple is there 45 years. The people of Cork are there all of the time. They are not there for just four weeks out of 20 years. I do not understand why it takes three years to progress a project because that is what we are now talking about.”
“We need to fast-track it. The employer I am talking about employs 6,000 people. We collected €14 billion in tax in one year alone. Last year we collected another €4 billion. The three biggest taxpayers in corporate tax are paying 46% of corporate tax. Two of them are in Cork - Eli Lilly and Apple. We are telling them it is not our problem to put in roads for them. That is their problem. I do not think that is good enough. It is about time we got our act together on this and gave it the priority it deserves and identify the funding to progress this project at the earliest possible date.”
“This request was put in over 20 years ago, and 20 years later we still have nothing delivered. I do not believe this is the way we should be treating major employers in an area where we have difficulties with workers accessing their places of employment. We are doing nothing to assist them. We are doing nothing to assist the people who have to go outside the city to get housing and who are working in other parts of the city and have to come through this traffic chaos. When exactly will we give this project priority? I am talking about the northern distributor road. The route as it has been identified stretches from Carrigrohane Straight up the north side of Cork city, north of Apple computers onto the Cork-Mallow road and on to Glanmire. We seem to have parked it now that the route is identified. I believe we need to give priority to it.”
“You are either coming down through the city on roads that were constructed for a far smaller volume of traffic or you have to come through Blarney, Cloghroe and back through Ballincollig. When are we going to prioritise this? We have been able to fast-track the Adare bypass. This is essential for Cork city. We are putting in funding for the Ringaskiddy bypass, which is essential. Again, we are waiting 14 years for funding for that. This one is crucial because we have a lot of people working there who have to come through that part of the city to get to their place of work because we have a lot of people living in Mallow and north of the city. Yet, we are putting in €400,000 in 2026. I am gobsmacked that what is regarded as a priority project is being put on the back burner again.”
“I ask the Minister for Transport what progress will be made towards the much-needed northern distributor road and Cork city northern transport project in 2026, given that only €400,000 was provided in funding under national road funding allocation in 2026, and whether this will be prioritised given that there is a huge growth in population in Cork. This is a difficult issue. We have the biggest taxpayer in the country situated in Hollyhill, Cork. Apple computers employs over 6,000 people. It started off 45 years ago with 60 people. The same road infrastructure is there now as 45 years ago. We are talking about a distributor road on the northern side of Cork city. If you are coming in from Limerick through Mallow to go to the western side of Cork city you now have a huge problem getting there.”
“It is important to thank all of the staff in the Department of foreign affairs and our security forces for the work they are doing, and everyone assisting those who are trying to come home and are stuck in the Middle East. I thank them for their work and their dedication and commitment over the past three days.”
“We are dangerously dependent on imports for many basic foodstuffs such as flour, fruit, vegetables, sugar and many other products. We need a much stronger emphasis on growing our own food. I welcome the decision by the Minister for agriculture to support the building of new large commercial flour mills; growing the wheat must be the next step. Likewise, we have not done enough on wind energy. We should have been able to fast-track the delivery of wind energy at sea. We are so dependent on imports of oil and gas, and when a war breaks out in no matter what part of the world, it immediately affects us. We need to plan forward.”
“President Trump also faces a verdict on his Presidency in the November mid-term elections. Being a wartime politician can often bolster public support. We see how the consequences of war in the Middle East are not confined to the Middle East. The flow of energy around the world has been disrupted and price rises and inflation will follow. We in Ireland need to look at our own defence and security. Our geographical location has protected us and we have been protected to a great extent by the NATO alliance. Our membership of the EU is central to Ireland's well-being, prosperity and security. As a mature democracy, we must be prepared to protect the security and values of the democracies in Europe. As a matter of urgency, we should have a serious engagement with farming organisations and food producers on improving food security.”