Jim O'Callaghan

It is the same issue throughout the country. People are extremely concerned about the rising cost of diesel and petrol. The Government is well aware of that. We need a measured, well-thought-out response. The Deputy says everyone is affected by it. That is the case, but not everyone is affected to the same extent by the increase in fuel costs. The Government needs to have a look at this in terms o…

I thank the Deputy for bringing the issue in respect of Ballycommon to the attention of myself and the Dáil. I will speak to the Minister, Deputy Browne, in respect of it. I know that he is bringing forward proposals that will allow a builder to build up to 40 houses for, I believe, fewer than 120 or 150 people and that Uisce Éireann will then be obliged to connect them. I will raise the matter wi…

The war started on, I think, 28 February. We are 19 days into it. I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that the Government needs to consider what it is doing in respect of a response to the rising fuel costs. As I have indicated, it is being considered by the Government. I believe that there will be a response but it is not appropriate to rush it on the basis that we need to just get it done quick…

Accessibility for wheelchair users is fundamental, particularly for children in schools. I will raise the matter with my colleague in the Department of education, the Minister, Deputy Naughton. I will see whether the issue can be reviewed. Perhaps Deputy Cairns could provide the details to me or the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, in order that we can pass them on to the Minister.

The Deputy is right that human behaviour is the biggest cause of fatalities and accidents on our roads. I know he is not suggesting otherwise, but people themselves need to recognise that looking at their phones and consuming alcohol or drugs will expose them not just to risk of fatality and car crash, but also to being apprehended by An Garda Síochána. That will result in increased insurance cost…

Local Link is hugely important to people in rural constituencies such as the Deputy's and, indeed, throughout the country. I do not have the details in respect of the Dunmanway-Clonakilty route. I will raise it with my colleague, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, to see if we can get an answer in respect of that and come back to Deputy Collins. I just do not have the specifics of it at present.

I thank Deputy Ardagh for raising this important issue. I am aware of the outstanding work Ballyfermot Youth Service does. I know it from talking to the Deputy and other representatives and from my own general knowledge in respect of it. I want to see that excellent work continue. Before I came in here this morning, I had a look at the website for Ballyfermot Youth Service and I could see the exte…

I agree with the Deputy. It is an essential part of ensuring we get youth diversion from criminal activity that we put in place facilities and services for young people. We had a very important discussion in this Chamber recently about scramblers and how young men and boys were using them, but we need to try to provide alternative avenues and opportunities for people to engage in certain types of…

I thank Deputy Ó Snodaigh. I am very pleased I have temporary responsibility for the issue of commemorations in the Department of culture. I agree with the Deputy that it is important that we should celebrate the great rescue by the Catalpa and how it carried out the rescue of the six military Fenians. The 150th anniversary of that important event is approaching in April this year and I commend th…

I agree with Deputy Ó Snodaigh. The rescue by the Catalpa is a fantastic story. Irrespective of the prejudices Deputy Ó Snodaigh and I have, and that other people have, for preferring certain commemorations over others, it is objectively a fascinating story that deserves to be reported and promoted. In a way, it is a bit like the story of the Invincibles in the aftermath of the Phoenix Park killin…

I echo and confirm my support for the apology made by the Taoiseach today on behalf of the Government. I also endorse the words of the Tánaiste and the Minister for education. I share my colleagues' deep sense of regret for the pain and suffering experienced by those who experienced detention in industrial schools. I now want to make an official statement, as Minister for justice, in respect of pe…

Can I start by making a political point? The debate on amendment No. 15 has been an unusual one. The reason it has been unusual is not just because it has gone over for over 2.5 hours but obviously, a very concerted decision was made by TDs from Sinn Féin to speak, in many respects from scripted statements, in respect of this amendment. There were 11 Sinn Féin contributors to this motion. All of t…

I will start by saying that, contrary to what Deputy Cullinane said about there being no transparency in the area of international protection accommodation services, there is in fact a very high degree of transparency. My Department publishes figures detailing the numbers of residents and centres, with a breakdown of numbers of emergency accommodation centres, on a weekly basis. There is full tran…

-----in order to get accommodation for individuals who are applicants. I am pleased to say that the State has been increasing the amount of accommodation that is State-owned. When I took over responsibility here on 1 May 2025, we only had 900 spaces owned by the State. We now have 4,000. I want to get to a situation where we have 14,000. A large part of that is going to be achieved through the Sta…

I thank the Deputy.

They are contracting with companies.

I did not say that.

I thank Deputies Gannon and Kelly for putting down this amendment. It is important to put it in context. What we are discussing here is chapter 2 of the provision that entitles me as Minister to designate a certain centre as a screening centre. That is provided for in section 21 of the legislation. The next section we are dealing with, which is under discussion here, is the obligation to travel t…

I want to respond to Deputy Kelly's point. I listened very carefully to what Deputies Kelly, Gannon and Gibney had to say. I take it seriously and I am fully aware of what political objective they are seeking through these amendments. They are perfectly legitimate, and I respect them. We are talking about an amendment to section 22. It is headlined, "Obligation to travel to screening centre". I h…

However, I do sometimes consider legislation from the point of view of how it will be determined if it is before a court or a judge. The amendment the Deputy wants to insert relates to an applicant who is a presumed or identified victim of trafficking. I am not trying to make a legal point, but I need to know, and a court would need to know with precision how the Minister knows if somebody is a pr…

No.

I am very much aware of the investigation, suspension and prosecution of the gardaí referred to by Deputy O'Dea. The most important fact to emphasise is all those gardaí were acquitted. That is how the administration of justice operated. It obviously operated in an impartial and independent way. As to whether or not there are questions for Garda management, any time there is an acquittal there may…

I move: That provision be made in the Act giving effect to this resolution for the charging, in accordance with the regulations made under section 146 of the Act, of the fee (if any) as may be prescribed by the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, in respect of an application, in such form and accompanied by such information as the Minister may specify, for a travel document by a per…

Are we discussing amendment No. 2? Amendment No. 1 has been ruled out of order.

I did not say that.