Michael Lowry

I welcome the Taoiseach's response. In the context of Ireland's European Presidency, the Government must ensure that energy resilience remains at the heart of the agenda and that Irish consumers and industry directly benefit from investments and reform. How is the Mercosur deal panning out in Europe? Decisions are imminent. The Government did a fantastic job on the nitrates directive. I hope we c…

I support the Government’s motion of confidence in the Tánaiste, Simon Harris. I know the Tánaiste to be hard working, to be diligent, to be caring and solution driven. As Minister for foreign affairs he is showing leadership in response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the war in Ukraine. That is the type of leadership I support and not the political theatre we have seen this week from Aont…

Caring for the elderly in our communities is both a duty and a privilege. Providing an older person with the support he or she needs for both physical and emotional well-being gives that person a sense of worth. During the Covid period, we got a sharp wake-up call on the importance of how we care for our older generation. As the number of deaths of elderly men and women increased on a daily basis,…

I have a relevant question for the Minister on our ageing population. The Minister's own Department, the Department of Finance, published a report last week which created ripples of alarm. It predicted a population in the Republic of Ireland of between 6.5 million and 7.5 million by 2065. That depends on the level of migration. Such migration includes young people who left Ireland to study or wor…

Many parents across the country are struggling with the current school transport system. This is particularly acute in rural communities. I have been inundated with irate and anxious parents, especially from the north Kilkenny area of my constituency. A multitude of problems arose within Johnstown, Galmoy, Freshford and Tullaroan. The issues arise where families are on the border or close to the b…

According to a United Nations report, statistics show that Irish people are the fourth highest consumers of cocaine globally. Over a short few years, there has been a 171% increase in the number of young people receiving treatment for cocaine abuse in this country. In 2023 alone, over 13,000 people were treated for problem drug use. Four in ten of those cases were first-time presentations. Cocaine…

I appreciate the Taoiseach's concern. Most people agree that not enough is being done to address the growing cocaine situation in our cities, towns and villages, and even at crossroads. We obviously do not have our fingers on the pulse of what is happening or the extent of it. We need to strengthen and expand current strategies, together with funding new initiatives to counteract the malaise of dr…

For generations in Ireland, elderly people were mainly cared for in the family home. It was a given that younger family members committed themselves to caring for elderly parents and grandparents. Most homes throughout the country had three generations under the same roof. It was not always easy but it worked. It had to work because there were very few suitable alternatives available. Ireland tod…

Raising a child with additional needs is both challenging and rewarding. It is demanding and fulfilling. For parents, it becomes a labour of love in almost every possible sense. They want what is best for their son or daughter. They want their child to have the best possible start in life. They aim to set the best foundation possible to support their child throughout their life. Services for famil…

We have all read of the heartache endured by a mother in Cork last week as she witnessed people callously filming her son's final moments. I extend sympathy to this woman and her family at this sad and extremely difficult time. Unfortunately, this mother is not the first to feel such horror. Families right across the country have also been subjected to similar pitiful actions. It has become common…

The Minister mentioned TikTok. Recently, the data protection commissioner fined it €530 million for the improper personal data transfer from Ireland and the EU to China. The most common question people are asking since this news broke is why such data would be sent to China. Is it that we do not have the capacity to store it here ourselves? Why was the transfer deemed inappropriate and improper? W…

Last night Verona was relaxed, this morning she was a nervous Deputy and she is now Ceann Comhairle, so it was quite a good transition overnight. I congratulate her on her elevation to the distinguished position of Chair of Dáil Éireann. Her election is a welcome and historic milestone event. In putting her name forward for nomination, my colleagues in the Regional Group had every confidence in he…