Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

It has been six weeks since we last gathered here. Prices are going through the roof, there is a serious crisis out there and the Government has allocated just one hour today - seven and a half minutes per grouping or party - to deal with this serious issue. It has also tried to prevent amendments being taken by limiting it to 60 minutes. This is just unacceptable. We have been shut down for six w…

The opportunity to progress towards a united Ireland is incredibly exciting. It is an opportunity to reimagine our island and its potential. David McWilliams wrote in recent years about the impact of partition on the North of Ireland. Some 100 years ago, Belfast was larger than Dublin. Some 80% of the island's industrial output was in the area around Belfast. It was an industrial powerhouse. If we…

In recent weeks, the Taoiseach talked about the importance of the Minister of State with responsibility for the marine. However, incredibly, it is the Minister for agriculture who will address the European Parliament's committee on fisheries today. He is having an exchange of views with the members of that committee, not the Minister of State with responsibility for fisheries, Deputy Dooley. There…

The Taoiseach is not going to intervene.

1. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will work with the representatives of inshore fishermen to introduce an inshore fisheries stabilisation and climate adaptation scheme. [51707/26]

They are not agreed.

The approach of the Minister for justice to the changes to the criminal legal aid scheme has brought absolute chaos to the system, as was dealt with earlier. There are a number of motions to annul his scheme but he needs to come to the House and engage. We cannot go into recess and allow this to continue. There is chaos in our system. The Minister is making a mess and he needs to engage with stake…

In 1885, Charles Stewart Parnell said: No man has a right to fix the boundary of the march of a nation; no man has a right to say to his country thus far shalt thou go and no further. That is where the Taoiseach is right now, and that is where he has been for a number of years. I thought of the Hume-Adams accord in 1993 earlier where the leaders of nationalism and republicanism in the North unit…

Nationalism is united on this issue. We are asking for responsible preparation, a Green Paper and a citizens' assembly to make the plan and the case. The Taoiseach says that he is an Irish republican and a united-Irelander, then he should make the case and have a plan. That is what nationalism wants. The SDLP had a conference in recent days. This is not about one political party. This is about all…

It is not lost on the Irish people that the electricity credits were removed as soon as the general election was over. People received those credits as they prepared to vote. The cynicism behind what was done was off the scale. The Government only decided to reduce excise duty when there were strong protests across the State. The people I saw protesting in Donegal are the salt of the earth. They a…

When you read the book Defects written by my colleague, Deputy Eoin Ó Broin, you realise that the decisions that led to this absolute disaster emanated from this Chamber. Again and again over the years, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Governments and Ministers were challenged about the regulation of the building and construction industry. Again and again, they failed to properly regulate and oversee tha…

It was a challenge.

They are not agreed. I listened with interest to the Tánaiste, Deputy Simon Harris's, confirmation of Fine Gael's plans around Irish reunification. We are waiting to hear what the Taoiseach's plans are. For weeks, we have asked for statements on Irish unity. Later today, Deputy Mary Lou McDonald will introduce a Bill for constitutional change about responsible planning for Irish unity, a citizens'…

We are waiting for the Taoiseach's plans.

The International Court of Justice's advisory opinion issued in July 2024 concluded that all states are under an obligation "to abstain from entering into economic or trade dealings with Israel concerning the occupied Palestinian territory or parts thereof which may entrench its unlawful presence" and "to take steps to prevent trade or investment relations that assist in the maintenance of the ill…

84. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the way in which plans can be advanced for a new school (details supplied) on the new site offered free of charge to the State, within the town boundaries of Milford. [39850/26]

First, I thank the Minister for visiting Scoil Mhuire Milford last Friday – it was really appreciated - and seeing for herself the serious challenges that they face with the existing site. As the Minister knows, they have a new site secured. There will not be any issues with planning. It is across the road from Loreto Community School in the existing school environment up there. I hope the Ministe…

It really was helpful for the Minister to be there and see for herself. She can see the location of the school in relation to the roads outside is entirely inappropriate. The school was built back in the day and does not reflect modern needs at all. The school site has no green area whatever for children to play. These are basic rights. The toilet areas are totally inadequate. The Minister will ha…

I checked with the school last Friday. Deputy Naughton is the fourth Minister for education during this process. That says a lot. The public representatives in Donegal - cross party - have come together and appealed to Ministers to come and see the school: Joe McHugh from Donegal was there as were Deputy Norma Foley, Deputy Helen McEntee and now Deputy Naughton. I appreciate every one of them came…

I commend Independent Ireland on the motion. It is an important debate we are having here and it is very clear that the Government has wasted opportunity after opportunity. The calls from the Opposition for an energy credit were supposed to alleviate the burden of homeowners but also to give breathing space to Government to take on the price-gouging of the energy companies. Every time the Governme…

I remember when Niall Collins and Billy Kelleher toured the country with Senator Black around the occupied territories Bill. Does the Taoiseach remember that?

It was back in 2019. Fianna Fáil then went into government with Fine Gael and that Bill was scrapped. Here we are now and the Government has gutted the Bill. Will it publish the Attorney General's advice? Will the Minister come urgently before the Dáil and take questions from the Opposition about why the Government has gutted this Bill after years of abandonment?

The Attorney General's advice.

Not agreed.

Sometimes when I am in this Chamber, with its busts and statues of the 1916 leaders all around, I find what I listen to from the Government astonishing. I think of the famous banner that stated, "We serve neither King nor Kaiser, but Ireland". That is a really proud declaration and it is burned into the hearts of the Irish people because they were colonised for long enough and fought empire for lo…