Mary Lou McDonald

I am very glad there will be a statutory inquiry. I hope the Government gets the terms of reference right but I am deeply troubled by the fact the system can act to deceive and delay, to leave parents entirely in the dark-----

-----and to leave small children to suffer. There is never accountability for this. As a matter of fact, the great irony is that the only person who has suffered within the system as a result of this is the whistleblower herself.

I will raise that again on another occasion on the floor of the Dáil.

What is very clear on that?

It is not.

It was addressed to the Minister.

I am aware of all of that.

No, I am aware of that.

Please, go ahead.

Yes, it was addressed to the Minister.

There was nothing stopping her.

No, the law does not stop you.

There is an alarming lack of curiosity at a minimum.

You are misrepresenting the legislative process.

Not agreed.

Under Standing Order 35(3), I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, that the Minister for Health come before the Dáil to make a comprehensive statement and take questions on the case of nine-year-old Harvey Morrison Sherratt, who died last July and who was in need of and belatedly received surgery but whom we now know was removed from the surgical wait list despite having being deemed fit…

We need answers and accountability from the Minister and from the Government on this matter.

Rip-off rents continue to spiral out of control on the watch of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. The latest daft.ie report shows new rents increased by 4% across the State in the past year. They are up by 6% in Galway and Limerick, 9% in the Taoiseach's city of Cork and 11% in Waterford. The Government sat back and allowed average new rents to hit a staggering €2,080 per month or €25,000 per year. While…

9. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on justice, migration and social affairs will next meet. [56768/25]

It should not come as a surprise, given the recent and marked growth in Ireland's population and diversity, that there is a widespread public conversation on migration. It is no surprise either that people recognise the value that nurses from the Philippines, doctors from Syria and engineers from India bring to our society, our economy and our service provision, which would really struggle without…

Déanaim comhghairdeas ó chroí lenár gcara, an iarTheachta Catherine Connolly. It is a truly historic achievement. Our warmest congratulations go to our Uachtarán-elect, Catherine Connolly. I would like also to pay tribute to Sr. Stanislaus Kennedy, who passed away yesterday. Sr. Stan championed social justice, advocated for the homeless and spent her entire life standing on the side of those in n…

I will tell the Minister what is not sustainable. It is not sustainable to tell families that are struggling so badly now that his only response is to refer them to the national development plan, budgetary parameters and whatever other political jargon he has got written down and has placed on the record of the Dáil. Does he understand how widespread this experience is? He keeps talking about targ…

I am talking to you about families.

I am talking to you about families.

That is your answer. Wow.