Paul Murphy

In 2029.

One of the first protests I went on was to demand the introduction of a minimum wage. At that stage there was no minimum wage. Bosses could pay what they liked. That campaign was won and 25 years ago a national minimum wage was introduced. Scandalously, the minimum wage included provision for legal discrimination against young workers. That inequality continues to this day. Around 15,000 young pe…

I do not think it is credible to suggest that this Government is anything other than anti-worker. Look at its actions in just the past few weeks - the delay of a promised extension of sick leave. I remember debating the sick leave legislation here. I remember us saying the extension of time should be in the legislation and the Government saying, “We do not need to write it in, but do not worry, we…

The young person has to pay the bill as well. What about them?

During the general election campaign, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael promised to abolish the means test for the carer's allowance. The programme for Government contains a commitment to phasing out the means test during the lifetime of the Government. Will the Minister tell us in which budget the means test will be abolished?

It was interesting that the Minister used slightly different language in his answer from what is contained in the written replies to parliamentary questions. In written replies the Minister states that the programme for Government has set out a timeline that commits to significantly further increasing the income disregards. He left out, quite understandably, the point about having a timeline becau…

I worry that this is one of those promises made during the general election campaign that is then watered down in the programme for Government and that will end up falling by the wayside. In the past few weeks, a number of commitments made by the Government have been abandoned under the guise of the Trump tariffs, by saying that now is not the time for extending. I worry that that is where we are …

It is a shame that the Minister is not here. I hope he is listening. I do not know whether he or the Minister of State is doing the sum-up and reply at the end. I have some questions for him. This morning, I asked what interactions the Minister had with Michael O'Leary, who launched the former's election campaign, since taking office. I have just received the written answer, and the interesting t…

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, states parties shall ensure that persons with disabilities can access an inclusive, quality and free primary education and secondary education on an equal basis with others in the communities in which they live. Think of the multiple ways in which those rights are denied to children in this State. I refer here to the 100-pl…

In December 2015, Aoife Winterlich, who was 14 years of age, went on a trip organised by Scouting Ireland. They went to Hook Head, where there was no assessment of the risks although it was a very stormy day. There was no guidance, no warning and nobody watching. Aoife was swept out to sea and died. It took eight years and the bringing of a court case for Scouting Ireland to finally acknowledge li…

They have acknowledged that.

I was bemused to listen to the Taoiseach painting his housing policy as a success rather than a deep failure. Housing construction, social housing, affordable housing - every one of the targets is being missed, while 4,675 children woke up this morning in emergency accommodation. That will affect them for the rest of their lives but the Taoiseach does not seem to care because rents continue to ris…

----and landlords and developers profit. Can we have a debate on housing in this House or will the Taoiseach wait and delay the housing plan-----

-----until the summer to avoid any accountability?

Legislation to abolish the triple lock is included in the spring legislative programme. The Nice treaty would not have passed in a referendum the second time around without the national declaration promising to retain the triple lock the Government lodged alongside it. Will the Government hold a referendum on the triple lock before attempting to pass legislation here to abolish it? Is the plan to …

Does the Taoiseach commit not to apply a guillotine? Can we have a commitment that there will not be a guillotine on debate on the triple lock?

It is very revealing that the Taoiseach is not answering that question. He will not even commit to the democratic procedures of this Parliament.

It is outrageous that he will not even commit not to guillotine debate.

8. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on housing will next meet. [15510/25]

People want to know what is so impressive about Brendan McDonagh's CV that he is worth almost €500,000 a year to be the so-called housing tsar. They will be outraged when they find out that his qualification is not experience in addressing the housing crisis but instead in causing it. He has been CEO of the National Asset Management Agency, NAMA, since 2009, when he was appointed by the late Bria…

19. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach to report on his attendance at the AI Action Summit. [15511/25]

The Government is drunk on the propaganda of big tech with regard to AI. It is so drunk that it is trying to force AI into the leaving certificate examination. From September, students will be allowed to use AI as an additional assessment component, which will be worth at least 40% of marks in many subjects. It is meant to be cited in the paper that AI was used but this will give a massive advanta…

27. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach for an update on the work of the policing reform implementation programme office in his Department. [17100/25]

Does the Taoiseach agree it is completely inappropriate for the Minister for Justice to act separately from an independent process and to make a finding about a complaint by members of the public about how they were treated by gardaí at the Mothers Against Genocide protest. It is quite incredible that the Minister came out and said footage shows that allegations made in the Dáil about strip-search…

He said it was false.