The Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023 is on the agenda this week. In 2019 the people of Limerick voted to have a directly elected mayor. It may not be the only one in the country, but it will certainly be the first. They were told he or she would have executive powers, notwithstanding that many of the powers of the CEO are not being transferred over. Many of the powers of the existing mayor are not being transferred over. Those powers were never debated on Committee Stage because the explanatory memorandum was not detailed enough to do it. The Minister was to come back. He has come back with 64 amendments, one of which has 64 provisions in it. Additional powers will not be transferred over. It is important that this Bill be passed. It is important that it be passed speedily, but it is equally important that if this office is to be established, funded and paid for by taxpayers, that the powers the mayor will have are properly discussed and debated by the Dáil.

I ask that the debate not be guillotined and that time be allocated to discuss the Bill, if need be, tomorrow, next week or in the first week of January. We need to make sure the office is properly created.

I thank Deputies for their remarks. Deputies Doherty and Bríd Smith asked for a debate on health and raised the issue of health funding. The Cabinet approved a Revised Estimate for the health Vote earlier today. We are allocating an additional €92 million to health, which will include funding for new drugs in 2024 and for the fair deal scheme to make sure we do not see an increase in delayed transfers of care within our hospitals. That is in addition to the Supplementary Estimate agreed only a few weeks ago.

Deputy Bacik asked about a debate-----

What about the recruitment embargo?

-----on funding for the LDA. There will be additional funding to allow it to accelerate its programme, including important projects like Donore Avenue, for example, formerly St. Teresa's Gardens. The exact amount is yet to be determined.

I assure Deputy McNamara that we are very keen to have the mayor of Limerick Bill enacted. We want to have the election in June. I believe the office will be a success. I want to make sure it is well funded, is a success and becomes an example for other counties and city regions to follow. As is often the case with devolution, it is important to set up the office and we can then add further powers at a later date. That was done with devolution in other areas.

Will we have time to debate the powers of devolution?

Adequate time will be provided for the debate. I am sure of that.

I again point out to Deputies calling for debates on certain matters that the Opposition has at least two dedicated slots every week but that it did not choose to prioritise health this week.

What about the recruitment embargo in health?

There is not one.

It is stopping babies from getting specialist care.

No, it is not. That is absolutely not the case.

Will the debate on the mayor of Limerick Bill be guillotined?

We are not going to have a further interaction. I understand there will be no guillotine applied to the Bill.

The debate will be adjourned if it is not concluded.

I thank the Taoiseach.