I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, namely that No. 11 be taken before No. 1.

I also wish to offer my condolences to all the family and friends of Ciara Mageean in Portaferry. Ciara was like a breath of fresh air. I thank Senator McLoughlin for leading the tributes to her.

I want to return to the topic of funding for local authorities. I know that the Leader agrees with me on this matter. In recent months, probably for a year now, we have seen an effective reduction in funding for local authorities because of the escalating price of materials. We in Sligo were told in June that there had been a 25% or 30% increase in the cost of materials, specifically oil- and petroleum-based materials. In an area like mine, probably similar to the Leader’s area, the footpath and road budgets are ring-fenced together. The cost of road maintenance has increased to such a degree that there has been a significant knock-on impact on footpaths. The Central Statistics Office wholesale price index indicates that the price of ready-mixed mortar and concrete have increased by more than 6.5% this year. We have not seen a reduction in the price of oil or of petrol at the pumps. Our local authorities are really struggling.

We previously discussed asking the Minister to introduce some form of emergency fund in order that local authorities could keep up with their planned works. We can all see that footpaths around the country are falling into a state of increasing disrepair. Climate impacts and flooding are making matters worse. A lot of the money in rural constituencies is spent on roads. As a result, there is none left for footpaths.

Can we have a debate on this issue? I am not sure which Department has responsibility, but it is probably the Department of housing. I wonder if we could have a debate about having some emergency fund to address this problem. I spoke to engineers in Sligo County Council yesterday. They said they have been receiving the same allocation since 2025. The council does not have the funding to complete its works for 2026, which means that it will be playing catch-up in 2027. I would appreciate it if we could have a debate of this specific issue.

I want to begin by paying tribute to two incredible people. The first is Dónal Lunny, a colleague of mine in the music industry. Dónal was an inspiration to so many people. He was like a ray of sunshine. That is the only way I can describe him. When he walked into a room, it lit up. He was always smiling and encouraging people to play. He loved when somebody was only learning and would sit with the person and play chords. It is hard to believe he is gone, to be honest. It really is. I watched an interview last night in which Andy Irvine and Neil Martin discussed performing with Dónal next year. The programme was recorded only a few months before Dónal passed away. I send my condolences to Dónal’s family, to all who loved him and to my good friend Sharon Shannon, who loved him dearly.

I also want to pay tribute to the beautiful Ciara Mageean from Portaferry, County Down. Her death is shocking. Ciara, as the previous speaker indicated, was a European champion and Commonwealth medalist. I watched her on an RTÉ programme earlier this year. I am not sure if any other Senators saw it. She was incredible in how openly she spoke about her diagnosis and fears. She said, "I keep seeing beautiful things and I can't help but wonder if I will have an opportunity to see them again." She also said, though: "I won’t give up; I’m not going to give up". Her honesty, warmth and sheer determination to live every day to the fullest moved everybody. It certainly moved me. I never met her, but I thought she was an incredible human being. I do not think anybody who saw that programme will forget her. I extend my condolences to her family.

I want to speak briefly about the families who gathered outside Leinster House for a vigil organised by Family Addiction Recovery Ireland, FARI, along with the Family Addiction Support Network, FASN, and many other organisations. They came to remember the loved ones who have been lost to alcohol, drugs and gambling.

They came too for the families who are still living with it every day, still waiting and still living in hope. Also we remembered the family who recently were murdered in Waterford in relation to intimidation and drugs. It is just horrific.

The group today came to celebrate recovery. The reality is that recovery happens and when somebody finds their way back then the whole family comes back with them, and we have to remember that. I want to say a huge thank you to Breda and Phil of FARI, and Jackie and Gwen of FASN, for their passion and dedication to families. Much of the work is done by community groups with little or no funding. We have real recognition now of the harm caused by the impacts of alcohol and drug misuse, and gambling, but we still have no proper national data on the family members who are affected and what we do not count then we cannot plan for. I ask the Leader to arrange a debate with the Minister of State with responsibility for the national drugs strategy. A debate should cover gathering data on affected family members and make family outcomes part of how we report on substance use, and should put a whole family recovery and community family support groups at the heart of how we plan and fund ourselves.