Ken O'Flynn

I thank the Minister of State. I am very grateful for his help in securing the money for the Mallow distributor road. We accept that it is vital that we get it up and running. In the meantime, I am delighted with the Minister of State's reply to the effect that the NTA is exploring looking at putting the orbital route in place. The Minister of State visited my constituency several times. I invite …

The Minister of State never called in.

That is no problem at all. As he is aware, the Minister of State is more than welcome in my home and he is certainly more than welcome in my local pub as well, Albert Lynch's. He has outlined what Mallow needs. I accept that we also need to have a commitment not just to the Mallow distributor road but to the northern ring road around Cork and to the Cork to Limerick road, which will be key infras…

Does the Minister of State agree that we should ask the Labour Party leader-----

On behalf of Independent Ireland, I wish to be associated with the remarks wishing Julie Lyons and her family the very best. I wish her a long and successful retirement and a happy future. Julie has been keeping the group of Independent Ireland well-rounded over the last number of years.

So it is Julie's fault, not mine. Free primary education is guaranteed under Article 42.4 of the Constitution. Today, in my constituency of Cork North-Central and across Ireland, it is anything but free. A coalition of every majority education body, school managers, principals, teachers and staff has written to the Minister for education and the Government to say that schools are now in financial…

I thank the Minister for his reply and his very warm words but unfortunately warm words do not heat classrooms. It is not just one Deputy raising this concern; it is an entire education community speaking with one voice. The INTO, Educate Together, school managers, Fórsa and the IPPN are all saying the same thing. They all cannot be wrong. Schools are running on a deficit and parents are trying to…

-----of the constitutional promise of free education.

It is not.

It is not.

It is not. The Minister is misleading the House.

Is every educator in Ireland an idiot?

That is another disgrace.

Across the country, parents are alarmed at the attempt to slip gender ideology into the new primary school curriculum under the label of "well-being". They have spoken in their thousands in forums and yet the Government presses on. At a time when children face many challenges in growing up, it is reckless to add confusion and division into the classroom. Schools are meant to give stability, not be…

That is not right.

Over the summer, my colleagues and I met with people, including, as Deputy Collins mentioned, hairdressers, cafe owners, takeaway operators, vintners, restaurateurs, proprietors of hardware shops and other mom and pop businesses. These are homegrown businesses, some of which have been in operation for 80 or 90 years. These are generational family businesses. Many people involved in such businesses…

I welcome all my colleagues back after the recess. I wish them success from now until the end of the term. I was listening to the debate in my office while doing my constituency work. I have listened to the Minister’s speech. I noticed when I was entering the Chamber that my name was taken and used by another colleague, Deputy Coppinger, along with some lines. I do live rent free when she is not p…

I am not mentioning the person but it was a candidate from her party who participated in that.

No Independent Ireland candidate ever spat in anyone’s face or made racist remarks to anyone. We only hear such stories from the far left. In a manner reminiscent of those who were warned of consequences of unbridling immigration in decades past, let us be frank: a nation that does not control its borders loses control of its future. We have witnessed in this situation the inflow of people not ma…

----- but it is not true.

If the Minister goes down to Mallow to see what is after happening in my constituency-----

I apologise.

What about the ones who retired?

You will take the credit for it though.

I will address the Minister of State's last point first. He and his Department are very good at misrepresenting a number of facts as well. Earlier his senior Minister stood in the Chamber and told Deputy Collins it was Ken O'Flynn's fault for securing 20 gardaí to Cork city. Getting 20 gardaí for Cork city is more than welcome, but the Minister failed to recall how many people have retired and lef…