I rise to raise the important issue of funding for local authorities' cleansing departments. Throughout the course of my duties, I am in contact with our councillor colleagues around the country and I am also out on the doors in Limerick weekly meeting people. One of the more frequent requests I get is for a new bin or for a road to be swept or general concerns expressed to me about rubbish, including disposable vapes, which have recently been found around people's otherwise lovely estates. I am in regular contact with my cleansing department in Limerick City and County Council, which has a team of 36 and does an excellent job. However, we feel in Limerick that greater resources should be allocated from national government to cleansing departments in local authorities around the country to support them in the important work they do. The environment in which we live in is very important to all of us. It supports our mental health and ensures that the hard work that people are doing within their homes and within their lives to try to raise their families, do the best they can and live their best lives is also reflected in the good work that is been done on their behalf in the local authorities right around the country I would like to invite in the Minister of State, Deputy John Cummins, for a discussion on funding specifically for cleansing departments in local authorities around the country. I note that while funding has not remained static but has seen some increases in recent years, it has not kept pace with inflation and so, unfortunately, local authorities are left with less buying power with similar resources. I believe that there is cause for an increase in resources - human resources and operational expenses - and then a capital investment into local authority cleansing departments around the country.