Paul Lawless

What about IFAC, the climate advisory council and the €26 billion? Has the Minister of State no idea? Come on.

I want to raise the comments in relation to the Minister with responsibility for the media. When the media covered the protests, they covered the ordinary men and women. The Minister responsible, who holds the purse strings for the media, called for an investigation into the media. What an abuse of ministerial power. This is the most authoritarian thing that we heard in recent days. The truth is t…

27. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on justice, migration and social affairs will next meet. [26562/26]

31. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on justice, migration and social affairs will next meet. [26751/26]

I could not believe my eyes when the Minister for justice outlined recently that it was his intention and the intention of the Government to introduce legislation to remove several proposed IPAS centres from the planning process entirely. I have raised this planning circumvention with the Taoiseach on a number of occasions. Both he and the Tánaiste have led the House to believe this was a temporar…

The question is-----

The question relates to planning.

It is absolutely astounding that the Government refused to meet the protestors yet was so quick to blacken their names. In fact, every single intervention this Government made over the past number of days has added fuel to the fire. It threatened the use of the Army and the public order unit, it threatened to revoke licences and it even accused a Minister of being far right. That is not leadership…

-----outlined to the Mayo media that he was going to increase carbon tax again on 1 May. "A modest increase", is what he said, when the people were struggling. He should be listening to the people, he should be engaging with the people and he should not be blackening their name.

The people of County Mayo and the rest of the country are desperate in terms of the costs of fuel. This Government has acted with complete impunity when it comes to accountability. First, it blamed the protesters. Then it blamed the media for covering the protesters and threatened an investigation. Then it blamed Trump. Earlier, I heard Ministers blaming international markets, international pricin…

We need to have a conversation on this. The Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, came out with a report recently that outlined there is a minimal difference-----

-----between an A-rated house and a G-rated house in terms of energy consumption and yet Fine Gael councillors in Mayo are seeking to spend-----

-----over €2 million on a council chamber. I heard a councillor last week justifying this-----

It is 40 years this year since Knock Airport opened in County Mayo. At the time, it was thought impossible to build an airport on a foggy, boggy hill but such was the determination and vision of Monsignor James Horan. Since then, it has been incredibly successful and a really key piece of infrastructure for Mayo and the west of Ireland. It is at somewhat of a crossroads at the minute. It is due t…

I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to prevent certain objections to grants of planning permission by requiring, subject to exceptions, that an objector must have a material interest in the development to which the objection relates; and to provide for related matters. I am very glad of the opportunity here to introduce and move the Planning and Development (Materia…

I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

We are experiencing an energy crisis. The cost of fuel is spiralling out of control. People are struggling. The reality is that the vast majority of what we pay at the pump goes to the Government in taxation. In 2024, the Government took in over €4 billion in fuel tax. In 2024, carbon tax reached €1 billion. Aontú was the only party to vote against the carbon tax because we knew it would drive up …

I am grateful to speak on International Women's Day. I take this opportunity to remember the great Dolores Keane, who passed away recently. She was a wonderful woman who was raised in a small cottage in the west of Ireland by her aunts Rita and Sarah. She went on to amazing things. With her unique voice and her charm she represented Ireland remarkably over many years. The likes of Dolores, who had…

I have great empathy for the people and citizens right across the Middle East. This morning, I spoke to a mother whose daughter is in Abu Dhabi. For the past number of nights, she has been awoken from her sleep by missiles and bombs. She is located beside a US military base. What is happening is really frightening. It is devastating. Many Irish citizens are out in the Middle East and are really an…

I acknowledge the great work of the postmasters and all those who work in the post offices across the country. They have done so under immense financial pressure, opening at weekends, opening late providing tremendous value in terms of the social support that they provide so many people, in particular older people and vulnerable people. I also want to commend Catherine Delaney of Tulrohaun post of…

I am very glad to have the opportunity to debate this legislation this evening. Before I get into the specifics of the Bill, I want to talk about the enduring power of attorney, which comes under the assisted decision-making Act and is incredibly complicated. I have dealt with this with a few constituents in my own county of Mayo. Trying to get the power of attorney is very difficult, complicated …

12. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the first meeting of the delivery and monitoring committee for the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, which he chaired on 8 December 2025. [14305/26]

28. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the implementation of the well-being framework published by his Department. [14306/26]

There is a cost to having a disability, which is in the region of €15,000 per year. Despite this, payments to people with disabilities were cut by up to €1,400 in the most recent budget. I asked the Minister on several occasions why these supports were removed. The answer I received indicated that it was because there are further supports coming. When I speak to people with disabilities, they do n…

SNAs are not add-ons in the education system. They are fundamentally important. They are enablers for so many children. They are the link to allow a student to access education, the bridge to get them over the barriers that so many students face. That is the reality. What the Government is doing, and what the circular and review have outlined, is reducing and narrowing the role of an SNA. The real…