Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Backed by these corporations.

There are nine families living in Elm Park, Buncrana, County Donegal, who have been traumatised twice. First, they live in homes that were granted planning permission even though they were to be built on a flood-plain. There was nearly loss of life during the devastating floods of August 2017. Second, the homes are defective block homes. Clearance has been given to have all the homes demolished. A…

The Minister has inherited responsibility for dealing with this deep scandal and crisis. Even if he does not accept our amendments, I ask him to please listen and reflect on everything we will tell him because they are absolute facts from the ground. I can speak with authority about Donegal and other colleagues can speak about their counties. I know for a fact that some of the Minister's colleagu…

What we have in Donegal in terms of housing is a perfect storm. We have the same issues as everywhere else around the State. There was a period of ten or 11 years where virtually no social housing was built in Donegal. Therefore, the private rental sector took on that role through the rental accommodation scheme and the housing assistance payment. We are now playing catch up. All of those private …

I want to deal with the fact that over a year ago we learned that the then Minister, Deputy O'Brien, was going to move on the report from the SCSI and increase the cap by 10%. Immediately, there was an issue that the early movers, namely that those who were already going through the scheme, were going to be left behind. It was made clear that this would apply retrospectively. However, it would re…

What I said is very relevant in that a response has been given to Deputy Doherty that clearly contradicts the understanding he was given by the Minister for Finance. One arm does not know what the other arm is doing. In terms of officials, I will just say we had officials come before Oireachtas committees telling us we had 100% redress and they were strongly and robustly told they should not say t…

I wish to speak in support of these amendments from Deputy Ward. There is no doubt that we need greater oversight of the entire process. I spoke earlier on this issue, and I want to touch on it again. Sadly, we have an utterly deficient standard, IS 465. Basically, we have been diagnosed with the wrong cancer. Mica was not the main contributory factor to the crumbling of homes in Donegal. What has…

This is one of the amendments that was announced after we finally got our hands on the legislation. There was the heads of Bill as presented to the committee on housing and then there were these amendments that were added on. Here is the problem. We have a scheme that tells people they should knock down half of a semi-detached block. We have a scheme that tells you that you should pick out a terra…

I will not get into whether Deputy Gallagher is more in tune with the voters of Donegal than Deputy McConalogue.

I will not do it but I will let the people have their say in due course on those matters.

The Minister of State did not deal with the issues I raised. Is it a good idea to knock down half a block, to take down half a house when the house next door is equally damaged but that has to stay because that is not eligible for the scheme? That house might be a holiday home. It could be a rental property, more than one or it could be that the person just cannot afford it which is the most commo…

I support Deputy Ward’s amendments, but I also wish to comment on section 8. I said on Second Stage – the Minister might have heard my contribution – that it is deeply unjust to have a deadline of 29 March. I can guess what the rationale for it was: the publication of the SCSI report. We should remember that the first scheme was discredited and replaced by a second, which I believe was also discre…

I will try to follow the logic of what the Minister has said. He knows about the first scheme in 2020 and the second scheme in 2022. When the second scheme came in, the Government did not just look forward, it made sure that the early movers availed of the increased cap. So how on earth can the Minister argue differently now? In 2022 the people who came in through the original scheme were able to …

Under Standing Order 88(3)(b), I propose that the vote be taken by other than electronic means.

Not agreed.

The reports into Operations Kenova and Denton expose a central role of the British state over decades in hundreds of targeted assassinations and murders of nationalists in the Six Counties. We need an urgent debate. Tomorrow there are statements on online safety, and I suggest to the Chief Whip that we have a debate on these reports tomorrow and deal with the seriousness of it, the central role of…

Can I clarify what Minister of State is taking it?

Okay. I have submitted a Topical Issue tonight. Everybody knows TDs wait seven or eight weeks to get a chance to have a Topical Issue. It is a precious opportunity. I have a really important issue to raise in respect of my constituency. I walked past the Minister of State for education as I came here this evening. The Minister of State for education is not even here, never mind the actual Minister…

I appreciate the Government Chief Whip saying that. What made me angry tonight is that I walked past the Minister of State on my way here.

I ask to defer it until tomorrow morning. Is that okay? Until we have either the Minister or Minister of State here.

Okay. I thank an Cathaoirleach Gníomhach.

I appreciate the Chief Whip's acknowledgement of my frustration. On that basis, I will just go ahead and take it now. It is no disrespect to Deputy Feighan, as he knows. I have utmost respect for him personally but I walked past the Minister of State on the way here. The rules are very clear. It is either the full Minister or the Minister of State who takes it, so it is no disrespect to Deputy Fei…

The issue tonight is St. Eunan's College in Letterkenny. I recently visited the college again at the invitation of the student council. There were these outstanding young men who took me around the school. It is not the first time I have had a tour of St. Eunan's College. I have done it a number of times over the years but I have to say, I was really shocked at the current condition of the college…

I thank the Minister of State for communicating the current position of the Department and the Minister. The Minister, Deputy Naughton, is obviously new to her role. The previous Minister in this portfolio, Deputy McEntee, visited the school and, indeed, considering the seriousness of it, the Minister in this role before her, Deputy Foley, also visited the school. My understanding is that the Mini…

You did not believe it at election time last year.