It may be that the Dublin brigade are trying to prevent Kerry from retaining Sam by stopping trains from going there.

On Wednesday of last week I referred to the national service plan for 2017. I specifically referred to the risks to delivery of what was contained in the plan. Quite a number of risks are outlined in the document, but I will specify three main points.

The first concerns the increased demand for services beyond funded levels. The second concerns control over pay and staff members, at the same time as managing specific safety regulatory demands, while the third concerns our ability to meet demand for new drug approvals within funded levels. I highlight these risks just for starters. The Minister for Health, Deputy simon Harris, has outlined that he will need more funding outside of what he has secured to run the health service next year. He is also facing into a spring of discontent following a decision of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation to ballot its members for industrial action owing to staff shortages, working conditions, recruitment and retention issues. This industrial action will commence at the end of January. This morning Germany announced that it had approved the funding of Orkambi for its citizens with cystic fibrosis. This places further pressure on the Department of Health to secure a deal to provide Orkambi for the 500 people in Ireland who require the drug. These are just three points I have picked from a wide-ranging document. I would welcome an opportunity in the new year to set aside time to debate the service plan in detail.

I commend and extend my heartiest best wishes to those occupying Apollo House and providing beds for the homeless. It goes to show that, with the will, there are plenty of properties available to take citizens off the streets. The Government needs to wise up and get its priorities right. When I was a councillor just prior to 2014, €4 million was spent annually to deal with homelessness across the four Dublin local authorities. As we heard this morning, this figure has increased by millions of euro.

I hope Santa will be good to all. Nollaig shona daoibh go léir. I look forward to debating and interacting in a constructive way in the new year.