The ongoing saga of the temporary replacement for the Dursey Island cable car rolls on, with the announcement last week that the long-awaited replacement ferry service will start this week but can be funded for only three weeks. Many politicians have welcomed this but I am furious. The people of the Beara Peninsula and residents of Dursey Island as well as landowners and visitors are left with only a three-day-a-week service. I have raised this issue on numerous occasions. My colleagues have followed me in doing so. Will the Taoiseach go to the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and look for a properly funded seven-day service for the people of the Beara Peninsula and Dursey Island? It is only fair.

One in 12 children is now on some form of hospital waiting list. More than 100,000 children are on some form of National Treatment Purchase Fund list. One in three children has been waiting longer than a year for treatment or assessment by a hospital consultant. Over the Easter period, the Irish Hospital Consultants Association issued a press release on these figures. It states children will suffer from health and developmental issues that could have been reversed or mitigated if only they had been seen in time. What does this say about the State and the public health service?

Last week the Government confirmed its plans to fund IVF fertility treatment for public patients from 2023. This is welcome and fantastic news because at present Ireland is the only country in the EU not providing state funding towards IVF. Unfortunately, the statistics show that one in every six couples will struggle to conceive. IVF costs €4,000 to €6,000 per cycle. This is a huge expense that is out of reach for many young couples. Will the Taoiseach outline the Government's plans to ensure middle income earners as well as those on medical cards will get funding for IVF?

With regard to the cable car I will again speak to the Minister, Deputy Humphreys. At least it is a start. I would like a whole new service there. I would like a whole new ferry. I am determined to do this. I believe it is being judicially reviewed at present as there is some objection to what I believe are good proposals to provide a proper modern cable car facility. There are great opportunities there. It should be developed in the fullness of time. This is my view.

With regard to the waiting lists for children, there is an overarching waiting list plan by the Minister. Covid-19 had a huge impact on waiting lists. It exacerbated what were already significant delays. Let us not underestimate the impact of Covid-19 on waiting lists. Significant investment has been put in place to deal with that.

I would like to return to a question raised by Deputy Michael Collins earlier. It is only fair to the House to say there is a process of negotiation and discussion under way with private bus operators. When I was discussing it with the Deputy, the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, helpfully said he had already met them six weeks ago. He was seeing what way he could do something for them with regard to application of the youth card reduction. There is further engagement on that front.

This will be the third time I will answer on the issue Deputy Higgins raised. This is illustrative of the broad views across the House in respect of IVF and the need to provide support and funding for it. I dealt with it in the previous two replies. The Minister will have a more comprehensive account of it as well.