Conor D. McGuinness

Why is Fine Gael undermining law and order?

79. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to detail his formal engagements with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage; and the outcomes of those engagements. [56317/25]

The rural housing crisis is the biggest single issue impacting rural communities and the long-term sustainability of rural Ireland. Previously, I asked the Minister about his engagement with the Minister for housing on this issue. To be fair, it was a number of months ago, and at that point the Minister had not been in the job all that long. Meetings had not taken place, although he indicated that…

Is iontach é sin a cloisteáil, i ndáiríre, mar bhí an bhuairt ann nach raibh cainteanna ag dul ar aghaidh. Mar sin, cuirim fáilte roimh sin, ar a laghad. It is great that those engagements have taken place and I thank the Minister of State for his answer and for detailing the level of engagement and the issues that have been discussed by the Minister with the Department of housing. There are two b…

Chun mo cheart a thabhairt dom féin, níl sé i mo nádúr a bheith soiniciúil ach tá sé deacair gan a bheith i bhfianaise an méid nár thit amach thar na blianta. Mar is eol don Aire, tá géarchéim tithíochta sna ceantair Ghaeltachta agus níor sholáthar an buiséad, in ainneoin an méid atá ráite ag an Aire anseo, an maoiniú breise nó na cumhachtaí breise atá riachtanach chun dul i ngleic leis an bhfadhb…

I have been engaging with tillage farmers across Waterford over recent months. I spoke with the tillage chairman of Waterford IFA. The message from those farmers could not be clearer. They feel unheard, undervalued and let down. They believe the Government is doing absolutely nothing to address the crisis in their sector. Tillage farming is one of the most efficient, low-carbon and environmentally…

I must highlight once again to the Taoiseach across this Chamber the way in which the Minister for education, the Department and the Government as a whole are treating Scoil Gharbháin i nDún na Mainistreach, i gContae Phort Láirge, and other schools, particularly Gaelscoileanna, across the State. Dúirt an Roinn gur ceadaíodh dhá sheomra ranga riachtanais speisialta, ceithre sheomra ranga príomhshr…

-----has shown the utter disregard of the Government for Gaeloideachas.

After months of delays, could we arrange to get an answer for Scoil Gharbháin?

Across Waterford city and county, the housing crisis is worsening by the day. We see it on the ground and in the statistics and the figures. We are witnessing the inevitable result of years of Government failure and a lack of political will to deliver homes for ordinary people. I met again in recent days with housing officials in Waterford City and County Council. To be fair, they are working hard…

Hear, hear.

The Minister will know from the statistics in his Department that people with disabilities and their families are among those most at risk of poverty in the State. They have been abandoned in budget 2026. That is not me as a member of the Opposition saying it. It is what they are telling us. They feel abandoned because they have been abandoned. This is a budget that bears the fingerprints of Fine …

Hear, hear.

The Taoiseach is listing the Government's failures.

You have missed your child poverty targets year after year.

They could not find them better wages.

Your fairness is only for developers.

Who is telling lies?

The tractor would be running on fumes.

You would not want to be buying petrol for a chainsaw.

This budget has left workers and families feeling angry, deflated and abandoned. If you have been listening to any media during the day or saw "Prime Time" last night or any of the coverage, you will know that. Certainly, that is the clear sense on the ground in Waterford among my constituents. People see through the spin. They see a Government that can find billions in tax breaks for landlords an…

I urge the Government to attend to the issue with regard to Scoil Garbháin.

Deputy Ó Snodaigh has touched a nerve.

11. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the engagement he has had with museums, universities, institutes, and archives in other countries regarding the restitution and repatriation of cultural heritage; his engagement with the advisory committee on the restitution and repatriation of cultural heritage; whether a national strategy is in place; and if …

I want to briefly refer to the criminal actions that happened overnight where Israel kidnapped Irish citizens and other humanitarian personnel and illegally seized 14 vessels carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza. The Government must now implement serious sanctions against Israel. There can be no more impunity. Colleagues of ours in this House and in the other House have been kidnapped in internationa…