Paul Lawless

The Government's immigration policy has been an absolute shambles. The Government has disrespected the people of this country. People in the community where I am from ask me every day what is happening to a particular building. I come in here and ask the Minister of State and his party leader but I get no response. I engage with property owners who tell me they are developing a hotel only to find …

It is submitted by Forbairt Orga Teoranta. I do not have time to go into the detail.

This is a company that is owned by another company that is owned by another parent company, TNM Developments-----

-----which is, in turn, owned by a UK company. The Government is making millionaires of these shell companies that are operating-----

-----in other parts of the country. What does the Government do?

It signs over the power to the European Union.

We have seen horrific scenes of the destruction of people in Palestine. It is difficult to pick any single moment but I was struck by a Palestinian paediatrician, Alaa al-Najjar, who fell to her knees with the pain and devastation of witnessing her own children arriving into her emergency department. Her nine children were killed by an Israeli airstrike. They were between the ages of two and 12. T…

Last week, An Bord Pleanála overturned a decision by Mayo County Council to grant permission for 92 homes in Ballina, north Mayo. An Bord Pleanála overturned the decision and rejected this development. The site was dezoned in recent years. It is located just 2 km from the town centre and has all the necessary services, including water, wastewater, telecommunications, footpaths, etc. There is a hug…

I could not watch the level of abuse in the "RTÉ Investigates" documentary. I could not stomach the way elderly people were treated and abused. What we saw was a complete disregard for human life and human rights and it was very focused on economic profits in this regard. Profit does seem to have been the motivating factor in some of the abuses. This is clearly concerning, particularly in light of…

I rise today to speak for a mother, Michelle O'Toole, who spent thousands not on luxury, but on love. Her daughter Katie was faced with a harrowing surgery abroad where a full removal of the pancreas, spleen and gall bladder had to take place in London because it was not available in Ireland. Katie was ultimately forced abroad, and Michelle's only thought was to be by her side at this very difficu…

I very much welcome the endometriosis clinical guidelines that were published recently. This is a very positive step forward for the thousands of women who suffer with this condition. One in ten women in Ireland is believed to suffer from it. Many of them suffer in silence. The guidelines specifically state that the clinical guidelines should be used in conjunction with the national framework. How…

What incentives can be provided to GPs to engage with this process?

The framework.

I welcome the Minister to this debate on housing. He says he wants to deliver more private homes across the country. I agree that we need those houses, but there is another way. He has completely sacrificed renters in order to unlock this, but there is another way. I know people of my age across Mayo - people I play football with - who have planning permission and who were given prices by their bu…

76. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps she is taking to ensure that children with disabilities receive early intervention and treatment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32482/25]

Early intervention is critical. I want to ask about CDNT vacancies. What is the number of vacancies? What is the percentage of vacant posts throughout the CDNT network? What are the long-term and short-term strategies to address recruitment issues?

How many vacancies do we have in the CDNTs? What is the number? What is the percentage? What are the strategies on this? The Minister of State alluded earlier to the strategy being recruitment in secondary schools. Am I right in saying this? Are we to believe the crisis will not be solved for a number of years? What are we doing to entice the wonderful graduates in this field who are now in Austra…

I have to say if I were a parent listening to this I would be incredibly frustrated. The Minister of State has, perhaps, a mid- to long-term plan but very little to alleviate the crisis today. There is a window of opportunity. These children will miss their targets. They will be significantly disadvantaged. For some it will mean the difference between being able to live independently or not. We ha…

This is the type of proactive solution and policy I want the Minister of State to address. These are wonderful Irish graduates-----

-----some of whom graduated with their basic degree in Ireland. They went away for doctoral training.

The HSE is not welcoming them home. Meanwhile we have a crisis today.

Will the Minister engage with me on this?

I very much welcome the childcare supports and subsidies. It is critically important that we reduce the cost. I also want to raise with the Minister a poll by Amárach Research in 2024, which found that 69% of mothers with children under the age of 18 would prefer to stay at home if they could afford it. In addition, 76% of mothers felt that their work in the home is undervalued compared to work i…

What about the broader point of childcare? Are there any additional supports for those mothers?

23. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will address the impact of staffing shortages in the air traffic control unit at Baldonnel, which have resulted in the scaling back of operations to five-day coverage; if he is concerned that this reduction limits support to the Irish Coast Guard and restricts the ability to respond to crime, search and rescue, or emergency …