Paul McAuliffe

I want to ask the Tánaiste about the policy of first-time passport applicants requiring gardaí to verify their identity. Every Deputy in the House will have been frustrated by cases where a passport could not be issued because a name could not be found in a book in a Garda station or a contact not made. One can imagine the frustration of my constituent, Sinead, who has had her application rejected…

A few weeks ago, I raised the issue of Gaza here on the occasion of statements in respect of the European Council. I noted that we needed a united European voice in response to the conflict. Unfortunately, across the Continent we have not seen that united voice. I certainly welcome yesterday's news regarding the review of the trade deal but, sadly, since then the situation in Gaza has not changed.…

I thank the Minister for her statement. As Fianna Fáil spokesperson on disability, I attended a fairly powerful workshop held by the Independent Living Movement Ireland and the Dublin City Council public participation network. There were adults with all ranges of impairment. That was the word they used. They spoke about three things, namely, their freedom to make decisions, choice and labels and b…

I want to raise the issue of the proliferation of gaming arcades, a phenomenal number of which have opened in recent months. From her time in the Department of Justice, the Minister will know that the establishment of the Gambling Regulatory Authority was an important step forward in terms of supporting people with gambling addictions. I want to see the authority take further steps in respect of t…

This is one of the things that utterly frustrates me as a Member of the House. Dealing with the delays in the driving system is not rocket science. It is about scheduling appointments for testing, resources being in place and the testing taking place. Perhaps I am oversimplifying it but it is not something that is beyond the realms of the delivery of a public service. I have to ask the RSA why it …

I reject the dark image of Europe mentioned earlier. Consider what Europe has done collectively by agreeing to pool sovereignty. A decision was made by the Irish nation to pool its sovereignty with that of other European countries. We have done amazing things in Europe. We have increased our living standard since after the Second World War, when the entire Continent was lying in poverty and dishev…

I thank the House for allowing us time to continue the debate on the Farrelly report, which began last week. A number of commissions have reported to this House in my time as a TD. Certainly, a number of them have left the victims or the people at the centre of those reports very dissatisfied with the outcome. We have to ask ourselves a question about the independent commission model. It is impor…

10. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps his Department is taking to promote the participation of Irish SMEs in EU important projects of common European interest; whether a new outreach strategy is planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21736/25]

What steps does the Department intend to take regarding participation of SMEs in EU important projects of common European interest, IPCEI? Ireland has some fantastic, world-leading companies, but we also have a vibrant SME sector that often does not have the participation it should have, both in the context of domestic public tendering process and also, in this instance, in projects of common inte…

Some of what the Minister outlined is really important. I want to underscore the more micro-level interventions that need to be made. The Minister mentioned Enterprise Ireland. It is a fantastic organisation that is particularly focused on SMEs and Irish businesses which export abroad. These projects of common European interest are known. They are ready-made targets for our industries. I hope, an…

The Minister predicted where I was going with my reply. The sub-supply chain within Ireland is increasingly important. We saw when organisations like IBM, for example, opened first in west Dublin and the huge number of Irish small SMEs which then became sub-suppliers, not because of a lower quality of their product but because of the quality of the product, their proximity to the location and thei…

Check the record.

In the context of commercial drone deliveries, initial proposals relate to the delivery of food but the application of the technology could be extended to parcel deliveries. The issue came to me because the area is very unregulated. There is a commitment in the programme for Government that AirNav, formerly a section of the Irish Aviation Authority and now a newly established separate body, will e…

1. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an overview of the two reports by the child poverty and well-being programme office recently published by his Department. [8041/25]

A number of initiatives under the Department of the Taoiseach deal with the issue of child poverty and tackling disadvantage. Enda Kenny established this in the north-east inner city and the Taoiseach rolled that out to other communities, including my own in Ballymun. The former Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, established the child poverty unit. As we head into the second part of the programme, there is …

I raise a significant issue, which is the funding of DEIS band 1 schools. Over the past number of years, we have seen significant funding go into education. Obviously, the free schoolbooks scheme and the free school meals scheme have been important for parents and education. In some cases, they have been a significant anti-poverty measure. I remember the first year the free school books scheme was…

I agree with the Minister of State that the FSSU is an important source of advice. It is the reason two of the schools took part in an analysis of cash flow last summer and again in October. Some recommendations and changes were made. The schools are anxious not to cause concern among parents and the community and wish to engage with the system. The Minister of State will note that I have not name…

I want to raise the issue of school funding. Yesterday, the Taoiseach informed the Dáil about the work of the financial support services unit in the Department of Education. Three school principals have been in touch with me who do not want to make a public matter of the issue but who want to get to the bottom of funding issues they are having. I have looked at the books in some of these schools. …

This is the Order of Business.

Hear, hear.

They are not in our parliamentary party.

At some point, the truth about the past number of weeks in this House will be written and it will show that from January onwards it became increasingly likely that a number of Independent TDs might support a coalition government. What many of us did not realise was that our own Standing Orders made no provision for such a grouping. In fact, they were entirely silent on the rights of TDs or parties…

What we cannot allow is the tearing down of this House by the Opposition. Twice now, it has tried to prevent the House from taking a vote. That is not the act of any democrat. Our Constitution protects our right to cast a vote here in this Chamber. Our Standing Orders exist to protect the function of the Chamber and the Ceann Comhairle carries the heavy burden of enforcing them. Let the record sho…

That is not what we are saying.

Leader's Questions.