Louise O'Reilly

I thank the Minister of State for being here this evening. I do not mean this disrespectfully when I say it but I would have appreciated if the Minister for education could have made herself available for this because it is a very serious issue in my constituency. I do not say that in any disrespectful way to the Minister of State. I am grateful he at least is here to hear it. The Government publ…

I will read out the names again because none of the schools I named are on the list. To be brutally frank with the Minister of State, referencing schools that were built previously is not going to help the people in schools that are falling down around them and bursting at the seams. We have a problem in Dublin Fingal West in terms of school capacity. We also have a problem because the teaching st…

Is it the Opposition's fault that the Government cannot build houses?

The Minister said in his script that he believes tonight’s motions sends a clear message to the chairs of every other State board in the country as to how Sinn Féin rolls, and it does indeed. It tells them that accountability is important to Sinn Féin. Even if it does not matter to this Government, it will always matter to us. The failure of the chair of Bord Bia to read the room and resign raises…

I want to start by thanking the Deputies for bringing forward this motion this morning and giving us a chance to have this important discussion. I want to state, as I have done previously, that disabled people are not disabled by their own bodies, their own neurodiversity or their own intellectual capacity. They are disabled by society - a society that puts barriers in their way to access work, su…

I had not intended to speak. I thought I would be speaking on Thursday. I welcome the legislation but while the Minister is here, I remind her of the commitment given to provide childcare, which is far from being delivered. It is true to say that this State lets children down. The poverty figures prove this. The number of children in enduring and consistent poverty is still rising and that is dow…

The Minister of State knows what accident and emergency departments are like. I am sure she has been in them. The nurses who spend a lot of their time training and engaging in continuous professional development are forced to nurse patients in conditions that when I describe them as being slightly less than ideal, I am being very kind to the Government. The Minister of State knows what accident an…

Hear, hear.

I thank the Deputies for bringing the motion forward this morning and giving us the chance to have this debate. Nearly 25 years ago, as a shop steward, I processed my first claim for what was called at that stage, "teleworking." It then went on to become "e-working" and now we refer to it as "remote working". It is not new and certainly was not invented in the past while. It most definitely was n…

It really works for people. I have seen it in workplaces, as a representative and as a trade union official. However, at the time, when we were processing that claim, there was something of a paternalistic attitude applied to the workers. It was almost as if remote working was a treat or a favour the boss might give you if you were perhaps good enough but one that could be withdrawn at any moment …

Very touchy.

Childcare, Taoiseach. Childcare places.

The harms from using nitrous oxide are very well known. I do not think the Minister will dispute any of the information that Deputy Ward has provided. There is not a TD in the Dáil who does not want to ensure that this drug is kept from destroying another young life. We are all in agreement on that. I am mystified as to why the Minister wants to kick this down the road given that we all agree that…

1. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection to quantify the material impact of the withdrawal of energy credits and the decrease in the real value of the fuel allowance has had on the at risk of poverty after housing costs rate and on the material deprivation rate, specifically in households at highest risk of poverty; if he has given consideration to a cost of living packag…

In keeping with my form, the question is fairly straightforward. I am curious to know whether the Minister has quantified the material impact of the withdrawal of energy credits. In real terms, the value of the fuel allowance has decreased because of the increase in energy prices. That is simple maths; the Minister will know that. Has he quantified, for his own information, the actual impact and l…

That is very regrettable. As the Minister very well knows, Social Justice Ireland described the Government's most recent budget as a recipe for austerity. It was made clear to the Government at that stage, not just by me and Social Justice Ireland but by others, that the value of the fuel allowance needed to increase in line with the cost of energy. We know that we pay, for reasons that are entire…

Any changes, temporary or otherwise, might be welcome, but the withdrawal of energy credits is causing real and genuine hardship for people. I see it in my clinics. I am sure the Minister does as well. He mentioned the energy affordability task force, but that is only a continuation of the other task force. It is a little bit "Father Ted" - is there anything to be said for another mass - that ther…

Supplementary questions may not be asked on a priority question.

3. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the roll-out of auto-enrolment; specifically for an update on his engagement with other Departments as regards the roll-out of auto-enrolment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2823/26]

This again is a straightforward question. I am interested in the numbers of people who have been signed up for auto-enrolment, and also any engagements the Department or Minister may have had with agencies. I submitted this question because I was contacted by senior managers in funded agencies who had a concern that their funding was not increased but their obligation had increased. One of them ch…

The Minister deftly avoided answering that question. If the choice for the chief executive is that he has to put money into the pension or cut back on services, what decision does the Minister want him to make? Between 70,000 and 80,000 people are currently not covered, but the 92% figure is certainly evidence that people have heard about auto-enrolment and are signing up. I still have a concern b…

I record my concern with regard to Tata Consultancy Services. I have put this on the record previously. I am not massively impressed with the Minister’s defence of the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund - that if it is good enough for Norway, it should be good enough for us. We should paddle our own canoe on this and the Minister should do his own research. I do not think the State should be doing b…

8. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has given consideration to additional cost-of-living measures, given the increased rates of poverty after housing costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2838/26]

As the Minister will know, and as a direct result of Government policy, the housing situation in this State is - what is the word we are using now? Is it "crisis"? "Emergency"? "Disaster"? Any of those would be used, but "expensive" and, in many instances, "unaffordable" are the words people will most use. My question relates to additional cost-of-living measures. Has the Minister given any consid…

The Minister mentioned the rate of inflation and did not mention the rate of housing inflation, the cost of housing. That was specifically mentioned in the question. The cost of housing in this State is rising and has risen every single year, whether people are renting or are struggling to buy. After housing costs, 40% of renters live on an income below the poverty line. That is 43% for local aut…