Jim O'Callaghan

When we add the housing assistance payment and rental accommodation scheme data, we see that 2,712 housing supports were delivered in quarter 1 of 2025. The Deputy also mentioned the tenant in situ scheme. That scheme has worked. It has worked throughout the country. I note there will sometimes be issues in respect of Dublin, but the measure------

-----has been important in the prevention of homelessness since its introduction in 2023. The Government is providing €325 million in 2025 for local authorities to buy second-hand properties.

As I said to Deputy McDonald, when the Labour Party produces its budget proposals, we will take them into account and the Government will give them consideration. I have no doubt that will happen in respect of that matter. On what the Deputy said about the tenant in situ scheme, she should be aware that on 4 March last, the Government decided on a total of €325 million for second-hand social hous…

What is happening in Gaza is horrific slaughter. It is not just me, the Deputy and every other Member of this House saying that. We saw recently that a United Nations independent commission has ruled that what Israel is doing in Gaza is committing genocide. Many people in Ireland feel a sense of helplessness in the context of what can be done in response to it. My view is that this Government has …

It is in priority legislation and will be enacted and certainly introduced into the Oireachtas this term. I wish to make one important point that is sometimes not emphasised enough. The entity responsible for the genocide in Gaza is the Israeli Government. We all need to point that out and state it repeatedly. Rather than criticising the Irish Government for narrow domestic political purposes, the…

We can influence it but we cannot dictate it. She can see what has happened over those horrific 700 days, that people and other countries are gradually coming around to recognising the Irish Government's position is the correct position.

I thank Deputy Ward very much. I will try to be as succinct in my answers as his questions were. His first was whether or not the Government would use the Public Service Management Act. The answer to the question is "No". The Government will not use it because the defective concrete block grant scheme operates under its own primary legislation and in November 2024, following the receipt of prelimi…

I will talk to the Minister for housing who has responsibility for this matter. I will raise with him the issues the Deputy has identified. The Deputy stated that there is unethical engineering ongoing in Donegal. If that is the case, there are mechanisms in place to report engineers who are acting unethically. I urge people who believe they are the victims of unethical engineering to use the appr…

I thank the Deputy for her questions and, like her, I extend my condolences to those who knew and loved Daniel Aruebose. As the Deputy will be aware, there is an ongoing Garda investigation in respect of that matter. The Garda deserves to be commended on the work it has done to date. It was a very difficult search but, ultimately, the Garda tragically found the remains of the young boy. I urge any…

Like Deputy Bacik, I was very concerned when I heard about the stabbing of the two individuals over the weekend but it has to be put in context as well. I received a report from An Garda Síochána at the end of August this year in respect of knife crime. It showed that knife-crime seizures where up and knife-crime injuries were down. In general, knife crime as a criminal offence is down. That has t…

I thank Deputy Cummins for her question. To answer it straight, no, we will not suspend it and it needs to be put in context with what is being done in respect of special education at present. There are over 23,000 SNAs currently in place in the education system, which is an increase of 43% since 2020, and budget 2025 added 1,600 SNAs, the largest increase to date. Almost 21,000 special education …

I apologise that I cannot answer Deputy Stanley's question. I cannot tell him when the wind turbine guidelines will be available. However, I am aware from discussions with my colleagues that these are required. I cannot give him an answer. I do not have it. There is no point in me making it up.

We will come back to the Deputy and provide him with information. As regards the guidelines, we cannot ignore the fact that at times 40% of our energy is being provided by wind. Wind is a great success and it is really part of the transfer from fossil fuel to a more appropriate fuel that is at the forefront, wind energy.

The biggest problem I face as Minister for justice is that every elected representative and member of the public I meet wants to see more gardaí in their community. There is a positive story behind that when we reflect upon it. It was great that 20 gardaí went to Limerick city. I do not decide where new recruits coming out of Templemore go. I know everyone wants them. As I said earlier in response…

I thank Deputy Burke for his question. He highlights an issue that many of us experience in our local communities where there is a delay in major infrastructural residential development because of not getting a connection with Uisce Éireann. There definitely should be a process in place whereby local authorities and Uisce Éireann can engage. I am surprised there is not. I will speak to the Ministe…

As the Deputy said, I was down in Cork before the summer and saw the great work that is done by members of An Garda Síochána in the Cork area. I am aware of the issue in respect of units. I hope the Deputy will forgive me if I do not throw myself into the middle of it. It is an operational matter for the Garda Commissioner. The last thing I want to do, as Minister for justice, is to start issuing …

Notwithstanding the fact that the culprits on Eden Quay were using e-scooters and were wearing black clothing, I can assure Deputy McCormack that the strong likelihood is that they will be apprehended. The Garda has great success in apprehending people involved in those types of violent criminal attacks in the city centre. We saw that a suspect was arrested in respect of the injuries sustained by …

I am conscious that at present, there are two live issues before the courts in respect of that investigation. One of the associates of the late Mr. Fitzgerald has pleaded guilty so there has to be an issue with regard to sentencing in respect of his plea. Second, another individual, I understand, has not yet made a plea so there could be a trial so I am not going to get involved in the detail of t…

At the outset, I should say that I have no difficulty meeting the family. I am happy to meet the family. In fact, I was down in Carrick-on-Shannon on 8 September last and Deputy Scanlon asked me to meet the family. I agreed to meet them on 8 September but unfortunately it did not suit them. There is no issue with me meeting them. I am due in front of the justice committee, chaired by the Deputy's …

-----unless Deputy Carthy is happy to put back the committee meeting and I will meet the Farrells. I am conscious they are here but if Deputy Carthy cannot, I will not be able to meet them now.

I am conscious that everyone in this House has, to a large extent, contributed to the occupied territories Bill. As the Deputy knows, Deputy Lahart did an excellent job chairing the committee that did pre-legislative scrutiny on that Bill. The report is now being published. That was necessary in order that pre-legislative scrutiny would be done and for it to be progressed through the Houses of the…

I refer to what I said to Deputy Bacik earlier on in that there was a very informative report published by An Garda Síochána at the end of August, which showed that knife crime is down, knife seizures are up and knife injuries are down. However, that is of cold comfort to the 17-year-old young man who was injured over the weekend and indeed the 11-year-old. This is a more complex problem than simp…

As Deputy Hearne said, I had the pleasure of being in Ballymun to meet the integration forum there. A huge amount of excellent work is being done. I am alarmed by the statistic that Deputy Hearne has put onto the record of the House. It is frightening that men in Ballymun are 150% more likely to die in the circumstances he has outlined. Deputy Hearne wants more gardaí on the streets in Ballymun, a…

The Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, and I very much welcome that we will have statements on migration this afternoon. With the permission of the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach, the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, will jointly open this debate with me. It is particularly welcome that we are discussing in this House the issue of migration. It is an extremely important national and international issue t…

I am disagreeing with you.