Micheál Martin

We have the highest number of partner services and core funding at any point since the childcare scheme was launched in 2022, and the number continues to grow. A small number of providers have decided not to sign up for core funding for the current 2025-26 programme. As of today, 4,590 services have signed up, the highest number since 2022. An assessment of the withdrawal of providers from core fu…

-----and these are issues the Minister will continue to engage with the providers on.

I appreciate the Deputy is raising an issue he has clearly experienced in working with his constituents and people more generally. I will engage with the Ministers for justice and public expenditure on the issue to see what we can do to improve the situation.

My understanding, having spoken to the Minister, Deputy Browne, and Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, recently, is that February might be the timeline because it has become much more comprehensive than was perhaps originally envisaged. Therefore, I will seek further clarification on the timeline but my understanding is that it will be around February.

That is a fair point. I appreciate the Deputy raising it. I will work with the Minister in respect of that proposal or idea. I will certainly explore it with the Minister because it is a good idea. It makes sense.

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue, which I have no doubt is urgent and of concern. The Deputy will be aware that many rail projects are covered by the national rail review. Unprecedented capital funding has been allocated to rail projects over the next five years. I will talk to the Minister about the specific project the Deputy raised.

In the first instance, irrespective of the context, I agree that every effort should be made to end the hunger strike and have these issues resolved through the legal and judicial processes as quickly as possible. I have not specifically intervened in this case but I will discuss the specific issues with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. However, ultimately it is a matter for the British…

I hope the issue will get resolved in a way that will prevent any loss of life or further injury or ill health.

Many people are gravely concerned about what is happening with Grok and the thousands of images, that are illegal on the face of it, without question, particularly in respect of minors, women and citizens more generally. The State is not complicit in this but we will robustly examine all of this to ensure the full legal instruments available to the State will apply here. If we need more laws, we w…

I have been to east Cork on many occasions and continue to go there. The Local Link service has been a very significant enhancement for public transport across rural Ireland and has undergone significant expansion in recent years. The been a huge investment in the Cork to Midleton railway line has had a huge impact on east Cork and on to Cobh and has made public transport a real option. Further si…

In the budget we made significant efforts to support people with disabilities and people on low incomes in respect of fuel. There was a basic €10 per week increase in the maximum rate of all State pensions. There were big increases in child support payments. There was an increase of €16 to €78 per week for children over the age of 12 and children under the age of 12 received an additional €8 to br…

I also congratulate Elaine Gunn on her appointment. We look forward to working constructively with her in the time ahead. She is very experienced and knows the operations of this House very well indeed, as well as the various personalities who make up the House and how they all have to be managed differently and carefully. Deputy Boyd Barrett, the applause was for Elaine.

You basked in it nonetheless as you walked in. I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 15, inclusive, together. The Programme for Government: Securing Ireland's Future, recognises the importance of Cabinet committees to the policy development and oversight work of Government. The Cabinet committee on EU and international affairs was established by the Government on 18 February 2025. It meets quart…

There were quite a number of questions. Deputy Malcolm Byrne raised the issues of Iran and Venezuela but in particular Greenland. I appreciate he is probably one of the few Members of the House who took the trouble of going to visit Greenland. Ireland’s position is very clear. I have spoken to Mette Frederiksen, the Prime Minister of Denmark. Ireland stands in solidarity with Denmark and with the …

It is an important point. I have got a few lectures from the Sinn Féin benches this afternoon and maybe a bit of consistency from yourselves in respect of human rights-----

I have gone back over the record. I have read what Deputy McDonald said in respect of Maduro and defending Venezuela. You have a good record in that part of the world over many years.

Sinn Féin has a really dodgy track record in supporting very dodgy leaders over the years. You had very dodgy relationships.

You had many dodgy relationships with governments across that hemisphere where you shared your expertise in given matters with such authorities down through the years. Maybe a small bit of humility on your side now in terms of lecturing other people about geopolitics might not go amiss. You are the most self-righteous bunch I have ever come across at times in your pontificating about human rights …

You guys showed scant regard for human rights when practised by rulers and authoritarian leaders you were friendly with and shared expertise with. Deputy O’Rourke raised Mercosur. Significant improvements were actually made to the Mercosur agreement. Ireland trades – we are a small open economy. We export €20 billion of our foodstuffs all over the world. There is a need for perspective in this de…

Everyone is trying to gain ground. I am very focused and clear-eyed in terms of protecting Irish farmers across all the suite of issues we have to deal with over the next 12 months. The most important one will be income to farmers because income matters in terms of the multi-annual financial framework and how much we can ring-fence for the Common Agricultural Policy for the next seven years after …

I am just saying Iran has been a malign influence for as long as I can remember.

It has created havoc across the Middle East.

Others.

Does that mean we ignore Iran, does it?

The world has tolerated Iran since the ayatollahs took over.