William Aird
Laois · Fine Gael · Ireland
“Middle-income working families continue to shoulder the greatest burden of rising living costs. Many are earning too much to qualify for targeted supports and they are finding it increasingly difficult to meet the costs of childcare and housing, and also to meet everyday expenses.”
“The message from families is very clear that people living with dementia want to remain connected to their communities and families want to know what else is available when they need it. Government must continue to invest in dementia services through the whole-of-government approach.”
“Vincent's Community Nursing Unit in Mountmellick, which provides care for older people, including people with dementia and complex care needs. I also recognise the contribution of St.”
“I would like to take the opportunity to speak on this issue which affects thousands of families across this country, many in my own constituency. Dementia is not just a health issue. It is a family issue, a community issue, and a societal issue.”
“We must also strengthen palliative and end-of-life care for people living with dementia by ensuring specialist services work closely with community teams, residential settings, and family carers. Families also need support during this difficult time. Improving early diagnosis and access to dementia-specific supports is essential.”
“It is a vital support in continuing to provide care at home while also protecting their own health and well-being. Families are waiting too long for respite placements and carers are reaching crisis point before support becomes available.”
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“The Taoiseach mentioned earlier all the money that has been spent on Blanchardstown. He might just keep me in mind for the courthouse in Portlaoise. The programme for Government commits to reducing childcare costs by €200 per month per child. I understand work is planned in phase 2 of the affordability measures. Will the Taoiseach confirm these measures will include the long-term goal of delivering that €200 monthly cost reduction? I acknowledge the €135 million allocated for State-led childcare, the acquisition of buildings this year and the Building Blocks exchange scheme. However, capacity and affordability remains a crisis in my constituency of Laois. A parent who contacted me is paying over €1,500 per month for a single child. Another has been hit with an immediate €200 per child fee increase.”
“When I was a young person, there was very little about biodiversity. All we ever knew about was tadpoles and pinkeens. Today, there is huge education in all our towns and villages about the importance of keeping what we have and, for instance, the work that is being done now with our native bees, the corncrakes and the hen harriers. It was a pity that could not have been done maybe 15 years ago and there would be a lot more of those species.”
“They understand better than anyone that healthy land and healthy ecosystems go hand in hand. As legislators, we must back practical action. That means supporting local groups, supporting farmers and making biodiversity protection part of everyday life in every town, village and parish. People want cleaner rivers, greener communities and healthier environments for their families. People want to play their part. National Biodiversity Week is not just a celebration. It is a call to action. I thank every volunteer, community group, local authority worker, farmer and citizen who is helping to protect Ireland’s biodiversity. Their work matters, and County Laois can be proud of the example being set right across our communities. This is a good time for young people in our country.”
“They are planting native species, protecting habitats, creating pollinator corridors and, most of all, educating communities about sustainability. They are environmental leaders in every sense of the word. I recognise the work of the Laois Federation of Tidy Towns and the growing support for the “space for nature” approach. Sometimes the best thing we can do for nature is simply give it space. A wildflower patch, a native hedge, reduced mowing or restoring wetlands can make a real difference. We should also acknowledge the very important role farmers are playing. Farmers are the custodians of much of our landscape and many are leading by example when it comes to biodiversity protection. Across Laois, farmers are protecting hedgerows, restoring habitats and safeguarding waterways while continuing to produce high-quality food.”
“In my own County Laois, we are seeing that leadership every day. One initiative that deserves huge credit is Portlaoise: A Town in a Garden. This initiative has completely changed how people look at public spaces and biodiversity in the town. Through pollinator-friendly planting, greener spaces and strong community involvement, it has shown that towns can grow and develop while supporting nature. This is about far more than appearance. It is about creating habitats, improving well-being and building pride in our communities. I want to acknowledge the excellent work done by Portlaoise Tidy Towns and all Tidy Towns committees throughout the whole of County Laois in driving this project. Across Laois, volunteers give up their time every week to improve their local areas. Tidy Towns groups today are doing far more than just picking up litter.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak during National Biodiversity Week and to recognise the incredible work being done by communities, volunteers, schools, farmers and local organisations across County Laois and throughout Ireland to protect our natural environment. Biodiversity is not an abstract idea. It is the hedgerow beside the road, the bees in your garden, the rivers and boglands that shape our countryside, and the birds and wildlife that are part of everyday life in rural Ireland. Protecting biodiversity is not just about nature; it is about healthier communities, cleaner water, stronger farming and the birds and leaving our country in a better state, which is very important for the next generation. National Biodiversity Week reminds us that real environmental progress happens on the ground and in local communities.”
“I ask the Minister, if he can at all, to please revisit this and look at it again. We are trying to encourage young farmers to farm the land and they want to do it. The Minister is correct, in that if you had no stock or anything like that previously, you would qualify. I know people who are doing it. I ask the Minister to please look at the person that is taking over from his father or whoever it may be. As the Minister knows, down through the years, you had great farming fathers and the son would come along and might not be as good but they would want to improve the farm. I ask the Minister to please have a look at it.”
“The objective should be to bring farmers into compliance through investment and engagement. It should not be to exclude those who are trying to do the right thing but are limited by financing conditions. I welcome the update from the Department that it is considering additional flexibility on targeted measures, but the Minister knows quite well that there are thousands of people out there from an older generation of farmer who would buy hundreds of cattle but would not buy a load of concrete. The next person in line for succession wants to upgrade that farm and be compliant, but they are being told that they are not getting anything because of the sins of the previous person who was running the farm. A Leas-Cheann Comhairle, that is wrong. The Minister and everyone else will be getting that throughout their constituencies.”
“What is needed is a workable pathway to achieve these standards. Is there scope within TAMS for future schemes to consider targeted measures specifically aimed at bringing storage compliance standards, phased approaches for farms actively working towards compliance, and clear eligibility routes for young, qualified farmers and newly established partnerships in these circumstances?”
“The Minister knows that the farming community accepts the importance of improving storage capacity, and the farmers understand the need to protect water quality, reduce emissions and ensure holdings are compliant. I accept that significant progress in this area has been made through TAMS, especially with enhanced supports for young, trained farmers and new entrants. However, situations like the one I have outlined to the Minister highlight a gap in the practical application of the scheme. This is especially the case for smaller family farms, holdings in transition to the next generation and newly formed partnerships, who can find themselves in a position where the old infrastructure means they are below compliance but the capital cost of reaching compliance is next to impossible, as the Minister knows, without the support of TAMS.”
“I welcome the significant investment that this Government has made through TAMS in supporting farm modernisation, improving environmental sustainability and assisting farmers to meet regulations. However, I want to raise a practical case that is happening on the ground and causing real frustration for young farmers and new farm partnerships. A qualified young farmer operating a newly established family farm partnership recently looked for a TAMS grant to upgrade slurry storage and bring the holding into compliance. However, the application was ineligible because the holding was non-compliant.”
“As President of the EU, Ireland must stand up for food producers. We need practical, working policies that support farm incomes and recognise the laws that farmers are already using. Farmers in Laois want to play their part on climate and sustainability but they need fairness and certainty. Europe Day is about people. It is about giving the next generation in counties like Laois the chance to live, work and raise a family in their own communities. Ireland's Presidency is a chance to make the case that regional Ireland and rural communities matter and that places like Laois and the midlands must be at the heart of Europe's future.”
“We should use our Presidency to push for better support for all small businesses, easier access to finance and more investment outside the big cities. The midlands can lead the way in balanced regional development. The second priority is industry. The move to a low-carbon economy has to be fair. The midlands has already gone through major change. New jobs and investments must come to towns and rural areas and not just cities. We need the support for infrastructure, energy, training and new industries. There is great potential for the midlands in renewable energy, manufacturing and logistics. We need proper backing to make all this happen. The third priority must be agriculture. Farming shows the value of Europe to Ireland. The CAP has supported rural communities for years, but farmers are under real pressure now.”
“That is a fact but we do get strong investment and real value in return in our communities, infrastructure and economy. From farming to small businesses and from roads and infrastructure to education, Europe has brought real benefits to areas that were once left behind. As we prepare for Ireland's Presidency of the European Union, we have a real opportunity. We must make sure that regional Ireland, including the midlands, is front and centre. Ireland's Presidency cannot just be about meetings in Brussels. It has to be about delivering to our towns, businesses and farming families. For a county like Laois, I see three clear priorities, namely, enterprise, industry and agriculture. Regarding enterprise, the midlands has huge potential. We have good connections, a strong workforce and a real sense of enterprise.”
“Today we mark Europe Day 2026. It is a chance to reflect on how far Europe has come and what Europe stands for, namely, peace, working together, democracy and opportunity. For Ireland, being part of the European Union has made a real difference. It has helped grow our economy. It has supported our communities and has backed our farmers. We have seen that clearly in County Laois and across the midlands. I know people at home will often say that Europe can be heavy on rules and that there is too much red tape at times, and, yes, some of this criticism is very fair. However, taken as a whole, Ireland's membership of the European Union has been overwhelmingly positive. Ireland makes a significant net contribution to the EU budget.”
“Going forward, it is important, especially for our young farmers, that we try to persuade them that there is a good living to be got and it is a good job you can do. When we see ups and downs like this, I meet young farmers out there who have done their yearly calculations - or two- or three-year ones, when they are borrowing money to invest in their farms - and, all of a sudden, you now have milk gone down to 37 cent per litre and costs are going up on the other side that they have no control over. It is very difficult. It is very important, even when we do small steps like giving enough money forward for the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme, TAMS, grants, to put panels on any property available for them. That is a no-brainer in this day and age.”
“They do not know what it is going to cost as regards wrapping. We are not only talking about diesel, but plastic. For everything that is associated, all costs are going up. I spoke to a person the other day who hauls cattle. In my opinion, probably the hardest job that anybody does on the road is hauling cattle. There are thousands of cattle hauled through this country on a daily basis. There is one question I need to have answered, and it is to ensure that cattle hauliers are included in this package. I also wish to ask for the sole trader drawing cattle to be included in the package. I presume they are but it is not there in black and white, and when I do not see something in black and white, I always get concerned. I would like that question to be answered here today.”
“It would take the burden, hardship and fear out of people if they could know that they would be in a position to reduce their dependence on petrol, oil or whatever. That is something we need to address and that we need to invest in immediately. Members can see for themselves the rewards that could be reaped from this. I can remember the shortage in petrol and the big queues in my own town of Portlaoise when I was a very young person, especially down at Conroy's garage. Now, it is an ongoing situation. People do not know from day to day. I still have people who say to me that they wonder what is going to happen when the real silage season cuts in in the next week or fortnight. There is still a fear there. People do not know whether it is going to cost €200 or zero to €200 to put silage in a pit per acre.”
“I am encouraged by the words that have come from the Tánaiste and the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, regarding renewables. I feel it is something we have to look at for every household in this country. It is something we can do. I do not know, no more than anybody else in this House today, what is down the road for us as regards what we witnessed in the past couple of weeks and months. We saw what happened in Ukraine. Now we have the oil crisis. We do not know what is facing us for the winter. We do not know what is going to happen in the next two or three years. However, one thing we can do in this country is invest in renewables. It would be a great incentive for everybody.”
“For those people, I am delighted that, at least, we are spending €750 million for them. A Cheann Comhairle, in a crisis situation, it does not cost anything to talk to people. You must talk to people. I talk to people every day. For every public representative, it is part of the core of their job. It comes from their heart, like mine, to talk to people in crisis. Since I was 19 years of age when I became a public representative, I have been talking to people who, in their situation on that day, were facing their biggest crisis. That is why we, as public representatives, always have to put out a hand of friendship to people. Lessons can be learned from what happened and I believe in my heart that the sooner you talk, the sooner you get resolutions. I hope we have learned from that.”
“A lot of these people, including fellow agricultural contractors, have a lifelong agreement, if you like - or a custom, whichever you like to say - with all of their clients, where they usually get paid maybe once or twice a year. Each year, these people would be in a position to carry that cost but the fear of the increasing price of diesel was running through their very veins, with them not knowing what was going to happen. These people are passionate about doing the job they do and giving the service they give to people. For maybe two or three generations, they have been going in to do work on the same agricultural land for families. They found themselves in a very perilous situation. They did not know what the price of diesel was going to be day by day, not to talk about week by week.”
“Hauliers who travel to the North of Ireland have to pay a heavy goods vehicle, HGV, levy when crossing the Border. Each of these measures carries a cost, and together they are a significant burden on a sector already under pressure. Our hauliers are the backbone of Ireland's supply chains day in, day out. They and their staff work long hours to keep the goods moving, maintain employment and support economic life in every county. The reason these people were on the streets of Ireland was because of the pressures - not because they wanted to do it, but because they were forced. A lot of them were in fear. With the rising cost of diesel, people I know did not know what their future was.”
“Supports for the sector are not only welcome but are critical at this stage. Hauliers have faced a series of cost pressures from increases in vehicle prices, repairs and maintenance. Often, these costs are forgotten when it comes to a crisis like the one we have at the moment, such as CVRT testing and insurance premiums, toll charges and, most recently, a rise in the cost of diesel. These pressures have eroded margins and placed a huge strain on operators, many of whom are small, family-run businesses. Under the EU mobility package, further challenges are on the horizon. In 2026, a new version of smart tachographs must be retrofitted to light commercial vehicles. All eligible non-European nationals travelling to or transiting through the UK also require electronic travel authorisation.”
“The measures announced will provide much-needed relief to those most exposed to rising costs, the haulage sector in particular, which is important in my own constituency of Laois. According to the CSO figures, there were 127 licensed hauliers operating in County Laois in 2022. Figures for own-account operators were not available but, as everyone will know, there are many in each of our counties. In my constituency in Laois, the haulage sector covers construction, agriculture and food haulage, timber transport and the essential distribution networks that keep our shops, factories and communities supplied. As costs rise for hauliers, the impact is felt beyond the industry, triggering knock-on price increases across the economy and adding to the nationwide cost pressures.”
“I welcome the opportunity to address the House on supports for hauliers and the wider supply chain sector. Global instability from the Middle East conflict continues to affect international markets. We have seen sharp increases in oil and fuel prices and households and businesses are under sustained pressure, and this has all been well debated in this House. I welcome the Government fuel support scheme announced yesterday. I acknowledge in the House today the work of the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Ministers, Deputies O'Brien, Heydon, Canney and Calleary, who is responsible for the islands. I wish to acknowledge all the work they have done to come up with this package that we have.”
“I want to raise the issue of GP shortages in County Laois. The population of Laois has risen sharply over the past decade but primary care services have not kept pace. I acknowledge the tremendous work of local GPs. They are the backbone of community healthcare. However, the reality is the HSE can assign a GP to a medical card and GP visit card holder, but there are no GPs in the Portlaoise area with capacity and private patients are being left without access to a full-time GP. This is not sustainable for a growing county like Laois. What supports are being put in place to ensure that newly qualified GPs can establish in general practice, especially in counties in which need is acute? The Taoiseach knows that we in County Laois have a quota of houses to build over the next seven years, and rightly so.”
“I ask that the Government examines this issue and ensures fair, timely and responsible payment practices for small contractors across Ireland. Will the Taoiseach send a memo to all the Ministers asking them to talk to and engage with all the agencies?”
“I wish to raise the issue of payment terms applied by State and semi-State bodies to contractors. I welcome that payments are guaranteed but I have been told that payment terms can stretch to four months, which is simply not acceptable. These are small and medium-sized operators, the backbone of small enterprise across Ireland, who must cover fuel, machinery, wages and other overheads all upfront. They cannot wait months to pay staff or creditors. Payment delays are placing real financial strain on otherwise viable businesses. I respect that commercial contracts are not for direct interference but it is reasonable to question why State agencies, which should set the standards, are imposing such lengthy payment terms.”
“We will work with our Europeans and the wider international community to support efforts that prioritise human life and create space for dialogue. Above all, we stand with the innocent victims, those grieving loved ones, those displaced from their homes and those living in fear. We stand with Irish citizens seeking safety and clarity and we stand for fairness, transparency and stability at home as we navigate the economic impacts of this crisis. I would like to say, a Cheann Comhairle, that I have finished a couple of seconds before my time.”
“From a litre of diesel at €1.72, the Government gets €1.03. In a war situation we as a Government will have to consider temporarily cutting excise duties for fuel to lower the cost to the consumer. This is why we have to have strong regulatory oversight. We must ensure our consumer protection framework is robust and responsive. It must be capable of acting quickly when markets shift in ways that raise legitimate questions. Irish families must not be left exposed to unjustified price hikes at a time when global uncertainty is already causing anxiety. As a country with a long-standing commitment to peace, diplomacy and humanitarian principles, Ireland will continue to advocate for de-escalation, protection of civilians and full respect for international law.”
“The Minister, when he has his meeting tomorrow, will be able to explain to us public representatives, and indeed to everybody in the country, the true facts behind all that, which a lot of people do not know. If stocks were bought at a lower price, consumers should not be paying wartime rates. We have seen overnight increases on garage forecourts. Consumers have seen prices rise to €1.80 per litre for unleaded petrol and diesel at some forecourts. A price of €846 is now being quoted for 500 litres of home heating oil. The same volume was approximately €494 this time last week. I was contacted by a haulier whose fuel card provider – you would know all about this, a Cheann Comhairle - imposed a 12.5% price increase from midnight on Tuesday and that is before VAT. All oil includes five taxes and these equate to 60% of the cost.”
“Global instability has already begun to impact international oil markets and we are seeing immediate and sharp increases in oil and fuel prices here. Households and businesses are feeling this pressure. International events can influence global markets but consumers in Ireland are entitled to fairness and transparency. Consumers deserve clear explanations when fuel prices, in particular, rise overnight. We all know that much of the fuel being sold today was purchased weeks ago at lower prices. I am told by the retailers, who I know well, that when they get their deliveries every day from the ports, the oil comes out at the market price of the oil they have to replace on that day.”
“We have Irish holidaymakers who travelled in good faith and suddenly found themselves caught in a rapidly deteriorating situation. There are Irish citizens transiting through the Middle East from third countries for work, education or family reasons. They are now dealing with cancelled flights, border restrictions and uncertainty about how to get home safely. I acknowledge the tireless work of the Department of foreign affairs and our consular teams who are providing essential support to our citizens. Their efforts are ensuring Irish people, wherever they are, are not left without guidance and assistance. I stand firmly behind the work they are doing. The consequences of this conflict are not confined to this region.”
“The escalating conflict in the Middle East is causing profound distress and uncertainty. Middle East strikes are continuing on the sixth day of war. I begin by expressing my deep sympathy for all innocent victims of these attacks. The images and reports emerging from the region are heartbreaking. Civilians are bearing the brunt of violence they did not choose and cannot control. Their suffering must remain at forefront of our thoughts and actions. Ireland has long had connections with the Middle East. Many countries in the gulf are home to large Irish communities. The crisis is being felt directly by our citizens. We have Irish people living and working across the region and many of them now face heightened risk and disruption.”
“Do something positive about it and report back here on what is being done to keep those rural post offices, which are the last few that we have. I will not even talk about rural post offices because at this stage, it is also about urban post offices. Going forward, unless there is an intervention by the Government, we will have far fewer post offices. It is awful passing through all our villages now. When I was a young fella they were a hive of activity. Now there is no pub, no post office and no shop.”
“For too long I have heard the suggestions to get other payments through the post office but all of that is history now. The time for talking is over. The time to do business is now. I have seen the very same changes in the local authorities and the taxation offices. For years, people would be queuing outside the door of Laois County Council to pay car tax, especially at certain times - at the beginning of the month or whatever. It is all online now. Very few people to anything in person now. Everything is online and can be done on the phone. I have listened to all the Members who spoke and I have watched all the Ministers come and go. However, if we are serious about what we are talking about today, we will do something positive about it. That is what I ask the Minister of State to do.”
“Usually when I stand up here to say a few words I am upbeat and hoping to get a positive response. I stand here today representing County Laois. Since 2002 when the new currency came into this country 22 or 23 post offices have closed in County Laois. The Government needs to give some form of backing to the remaining post offices in our county or we will be here again in 12 months' time when more are closed. Every year more and more have closed. We need to look at the whole structure of the post office. For example, when a contract is up with the postmaster or postmistress why do the doors close? Obviously, it is because it does not pay them to keep the doors open. If it does not pay them to keep the doors open, it behoves the Government to bring in some scheme that would help address the situation.”
“I want to raise the serious issue of Irish citizens currently stranded in the Middle East. Since the weekend's events, I have been contacted by constituents who are on holiday or working in the region and find themselves trapped. Airports are closed and flight paths are suspended. People are in a frightening and volatile situation through no fault of their own. I commend the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and her team on working around the clock to provide consular assistance to those people. However, the reality is extremely worrying for those citizens and their families in Ireland, at least 14 of whom are in my own county of Laois. At present there are no recommended evacuation routes from the Gulf countries. If this conflict continues, is the Government prepared to implement an evacuation plan for the Irish citizens in the affected region?”
“I urge the Minister of State to: first, review the operation of social housing income thresholds as they apply to people with disabilities; second, I want him to examine how disability-related costs are factored into assessments; and, third, I want him to ensure those who are medically vulnerable are not excluded by inflexible criteria. The Minister of State probably knows this already but Nelson Mandela said, "A winner is a dreamer who never gives up." I want the Minister of State to bring this back to the Minister for housing, Deputy Browne, on my behalf, because I have already raised this with him. I am the dreamer, and I will never give up on this case until I succeed for her.”
“Housing policy must recognise disability creates structural barriers that income figures alone cannot capture. There must be flexibility in the assessment system to consider medical vulnerability, accessible needs and the sustainability of employment in the long term. We also need to increase the supply of universally designed and wheelchair-accessible homes as standard practice. Homelessness is not only about rough sleeping or emergency accommodation. It is also about the hidden insecurity of adults who cannot leave the family home; adults who cannot access appropriate supports; and adults who see no viable pathway to independent living. We must ensure our housing system does not punish resilience, ambition or the desire to work. People with disabilities should not have to choose between employment and security.”
“As a single applicant with a disability, she cannot access mortgage protection insurance; the risks are simply too high. This is the reality facing many people with disabilities who fall between two stools. They are above the threshold for social housing, barely above €35,000, but far below what is required to secure accessible housing on the private market. We must ask ourselves whether our social housing income thresholds accounting for the cost of disability. Are we penalising people with disabilities for working? Are we creating distinctions for employment by failing to consider real, unavoidable disability-related expenditure? We rightly speak about supporting independent living. We ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities but independence is impossible without housing.”
“As a result of the fact that this young women lives at home with her parents, the HSE does not provide adequate personal assistance, PA, hours. On foot of that, she cannot live independently. Because she cannot live independently, she remains in the family home. It is a vicious circle. Her parents provide 24-7 support in the context of personal care and transport. That unpaid care has enormous economic value, yet it is invisible in the Department's housing assessment. There are currently no wheelchair accessible apartments available to rent or buy in Portlaoise. Any home she might purchase would require extensive and costly renovation. That is, of course, if she some day may be in a position to purchase an apartment or a house.”
“On paper, she earns above the limit, which is €35,000 for a single person. In reality, that figure tells only half the story. Her net income is significantly reduced by the cost of disability. She pays for private physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, orthodontics and prolotherapy. She pays for private health insurance because she knows her medical card may be withdrawn because she is working. She has at times paid €70 for a single accessible-taxi journey to and from work. She does not know how long she will physically be able to sustain full-time employment. The uncertainty is not a choice. It is the reality of living with a progressive physical condition, but the system assesses her solely on gross income.”
“Go raibh míle maith agat, a Cathaoirleach Gníomhach. I want to raise an issue that I have already raised with the housing Minister and his Minister of State. I want to use my time highlight an issue that does not always show up in the headlines relating to the homeless figures but which is very real and urgent, namely the growing number of people with disabilities who are effectively locked out of independent living. I was contacted earlier this year by a young woman in her late 20s who was born with a disability. She has used a wheelchair since childhood. She is highly educated, works full time and contributes meaningfully to our society. However, despite doing everything right, studying, working and paying taxes, she has recently been removed from the social housing list in Laois because her income exceeds the threshold.”
“Vincent's hospital, which Members here all know as public representatives, is to try to get people into it and have beds available. That is the biggest problem. It shows the care and attention the patients are getting in St. Vincent's hospital. There is just one little thing I would ask the Minister of State to raise when he is in discussion there. I hope the church there, which is visited by the patients many times a day on a daily basis, is linked to the new build so people can come and go as they would be used to doing over many years in St. Vincent's.”
“This is a chance to secure long-term, high-quality, publicly delivered care for the older people in County Laois. I visited St. Vincent's hospital in Mountmellick the other evening. It is a hospital that is very near and dear to my heart because my late mother worked there for many years. When the new extension or new build is open, I urge the Minister of State to consider revamping the existing rooms that are available in the hospital. That is very important. I walked through the hospital and spoke to people. I know many people who are there and there was not one patient - those who could interact with me - who had nothing but the height of praise. I want to take this opportunity - I do not often get it - to thank all the people and staff in the nursing home in St. Vincent's in Mountmellick. The single biggest problem in St.”
“I thank the Minister of State for his response and note his comments. It is acknowledged that Ireland’s population is ageing, and this will bring significant challenges. We must plan proactively to meet these needs. There are three HSE nursing homes in County Laois: one in Abbeyleix, St. Brigid's Hospital in Shaen and St. Vincent's community nursing unit in Mountmellick. While I mention St. Vincent's community nursing home, I am delighted to see that the new 50-bed extension is nearing completion. I urge the HSE to proceed without delay with the remaining phases to deliver the full complement of beds. I must make it very clear that the situation in Droimnín nursing home arose from regulatory failure but it now offers the State an opportunity to strengthen public nursing home provision in an area of growing need.”
“While there may not be a precedent for such a decision, I am asking the Minister of State to outline whether permanent HSE ownership and operation of Droimnín is actively being examined, how this facility could contribute to addressing the shortage of long-term and step-down care beds in County Laois, what engagement is taking place with HIQA and other stakeholders on a long-term governance model and what assurances can be given to residents and families to safeguard continuity, stability and the future capacity of the centre. There are many people in my own area around Portlaoise who have to go to nursing homes outside of County Laois. Droimnín is a nursing home in County Laois. I ask the Minister of State to endeavour to do everything possible under the guidance of his Ministry.”
“Families are under severe pressure, with long waiting times, limited local options and increasing dependence on placements outside of the county. This places further strain on patients, carers and acute hospitals. I ask the Minister to consider if the most appropriate course of action is for the HSE to retain Droimnín as a publicly-operated nursing home on a permanent basis. We do not want this valuable capacity lost to the system.”
“Enhanced clinical oversight, health professional supports, staff education and daily senior level monitoring are now in place and the residents cared for safely, with no current infectious disease outbreaks. I also believe this intervention presents an important strategic opportunity for the care of the elderly in County Laois. Droimnín is a 70-bed, HIQA-registered designated centre, providing long-term respite and step-down care. It serves the wider Laois region. It is a state-of-the-art, purpose-built building. At the time the HSE stepped in, approximately 40 residents, many of them highly dependent, were living in the centre. County Laois has experienced a chronic shortage of nursing home places in and around Stradbally and the surrounding areas.”