Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh

Is mór an onóir dom m’ainm a chur le mo chéad Bhille riamh inniu agus é ar an gcéad Bhille a chuireadh faoi bhráid an Tí trí mheán na Gaeilge. Is Bille thar a bheith tábhachtach é seo domsa ar go leor cúiseanna, ach ar leibhéal pearsanta ba mhaith liom scéal a roinnt leis an Teach a tharla 30 bliain ó shin agus mé ag obair i mo chéad phost. Bhí mé féin agus cara liom ón scoil ag obair sa ghruagair…

Seoladh pobalbhreith nua an tseachtain seo ina léiríodh dearcadh dearfach i leith na Gaeilge, go háirithe i measc an aosa óig. Deir 74% dóibh siúd idir 25 agus 34 gur mhaith leo feabhas a chur ar a gcuid Gaeilge. Tá dúil ann don Ghaeilge i measc an phobail. Tá gluaiseacht láidir againn ag obair chun ár gcultúr Gaelach a chur chun cinn, a bhfianaise sin i líon na ndaoine a d’fhreastail ar an agóid …

Má tá an Ghaeilge le teacht slán, caithfear na Gaeltachtaí a chaomhnú. Níl aon Ghaeilge gan na Gaeltachtaí mar is iad tobar agus todhchaí na teanga. Tá an méid seo aitheanta ag saineolaithe le fada an lá ach tá na Gaeltachtaí leochaileach agus tá treochtaí trioblóideacha le tabhairt faoi deara. Thit líon na gcainteoirí laethúla Gaeilge sa Ghaeltacht ó 21.4% in 2016 go dtí 19.7% in 2022, agus níl a…

Yesterday, the Taoiseach appeared incredulous, even dismissive, at the suggestion from my party leader, Deputy Mary Lou McDonald, that we need a new departure in special education. He might not be so shocked if he actually listened to those on the ground, the parents fighting for their children, the SNAs working well beyond their contracts and the schools trying to hold the system together. The ce…

The Government has finally woken up and seen sense on the SNA issue after what has been a policy failure of epic proportions. However, the question remains, why did it take two weeks to realise that stripping essential supports from some of the most vulnerable children in the State virtually overnight was wrong? This should have never of happened in the first place. Make no mistake if it was not f…

Apologise.

Gabhaim buíochas le mo chomrádaithe, na Teachtaí Devine agus Carthy, as ucht an Bille seo a chur os ár gcomhair. Cuirim fáilte roimh na cuairteoirí atá sa Ghailearaí. The Grok scandal has been the stuff of nightmares, showing us what a dystopian, misogynistic hellscape the Internet can be, its owners conniving villains willing to sit back and even relish the most degrading acts against women and c…

Is é bun agus barr an scéil leis an mBille seo ná go gcuirfidh sé drochbhail ar chíosaithe trí chostas tithíochta a ardú, costas atá cheana féin i bhfad ró-ard. The bottom line with this Bill is that rents can be reset to market rate between tenancies, which means we will see already sky-high rents go up and up from March. We are already seeing the effects. Eviction notices have already gone up i…

96. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the work being undertaken by his Department to secure pathways to further and higher education for people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5970/26]

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht an cheist seo a fhreagairt. I thank the Minister for outlining the work being carried out by himself and his officials. I will specifically turn to PATH 4 funding. I wholeheartedly support the advancements made in relation to universal design the Minister has been speaking about for learning in phase 1 and the course offerings provided for people with intellec…

I believe the goal in this sector in the medium term, alongside mainstreaming courses for students with intellectual disabilities in our colleges and third level institutions, must consider a national centre to co-ordinate those courses and ensure standards across them. We should be looking at introducing a separate stream of funding to pilot a programme for neurodivergent learners, learners with …

Last summer I attended a demonstration protesting a pilot cycle lane between Timolin and Moone in south Kildare, a project known locally as the road to nowhere. Delivered by TII and the council under the national cycle network plan, over €2 million has been spent installing concrete islands and hard kerbs. Instead of improving safety and access, locals describe the road as an obstacle course and a…

Gabhaim buíochas leis na Daonlathaithe Sóisialta as an rún ríthábhachtach seo a chur os ár gcomhair ar maidin. It is only a couple of months since Sinn Féin brought a similar motion before the Dáil and it speaks volumes that we are back again so soon. It speaks to the tireless work of disability advocates and the dire conditions and desperation people with disabilities are living with. There is n…

Curragh Community College in my constituency of Kildare South is in a state of utter disrepair. The school community was promised a new school building nearly a decade ago and they are still waiting. There are several problems with mould and leaks. The ceilings are falling in and the conditions are absolutely hazardous. A number of classrooms have already closed; therefore, students are on a rotat…

Tugann scannal na spuaicphacaí léargas soiléir ar mheon an Rialtais reatha. Is Rialtas é nach bhfuil clú aige céard atá ag tarlú i saol an ghnáthdhuine agus atá sásta an costas a bhaineann le seirbhísí bunúsacha sláinte a bhrú ar dhaoine nach bhfuil in acmhainn íoc astu. Nuair a fhaigheann an Rialtas an deis, déanann sé iarracht an t-ualach a chur ar an ngnáthdhuine go ciúin, i ngan fhios d’éinne,…

Yet again, we hear that the Government is not opposing the motion. We have heard it before. No matter how many times Sinn Féin and the combined Opposition bring forward motions, no matter how many days of school are missed by Cara Darmody, who is literally weathering a storm outside the gates of this House tonight, the Government still does not get the message and is still breaking the law. We ar…

Hear, hear.

I want to raise the crisis facing families seeking special class places in Kildare South. Cian attends St. Conleth's Infant School in Newbridge and ready to start primary school in a special class. His family applied everywhere - Newbridge, Kildare, Kilcullen and Naas - but were refused in all. Harry is 12 years old and despite his family applying to every available ASD class in the Newbridge-Kild…

I am glad to finally, a year in, have the opportunity to speak on the unbelievable atrocities happening in Sudan. The degree, scale and intensity of the violence taking place in the territory is unfathomable. Since the civil war broke out in 2023, over 12 million people have been displaced and, it is estimated, another 150,000 killed. Last month, satellite images showed blood-stained streets and b…

Táim sásta labhairt ar son an Bhille thábhachtaigh atá os ár gcomhair anocht. Céim chun cinn atá inti a chuirfidh le cumhachtú agus cosaint na n-íospartach foréigean gnéasach. The psychological and physical safety of victim survivors must be the first aim of our justice system. That is the fundamental principle the Bill addresses. While we have made progress in managing sex offenders, there are st…

Hear, hear.

Ba mhaith liom ceist maidir le stáisiún dóiteáin i Mainistir Eimhín i gCill Dara Theas a chur ar an Taoiseach inniu. I want to raise the urgent need for a modern, fit-for-purpose fire station in Monasterevin. The current building is outdated and inadequate, and it no longer meets the needs of a growing town. The previously proposed site on the Dublin road has fallen through again, leaving the proj…

A couple of sites have been identified.

Tá liosta agam. Tiocfaidh mé ar ais chuig an Taoiseach.

Gabhaim buíochas le mo chomhghleacaí, an Teachta Darren O'Rourke, as an reachtaíocht thábhachtach seo a chur chun cinn. Families right across south Kildare are at the pin of their collar. Week after week, my office receives emails from people who have to choose between heating and food. Scores of working families across the county are at risk of homelessness from rising housing costs because of n…