Robert Troy

As the Deputy will be aware, we are implementing the second action plan on insurance reform. Reforms are working. The latest CSO data of April 2026 shows that in the year to date insurance premiums are 2.2% lower this year than in April 2025. The Deputy may want to dispute that figure. Premiums are still 35.8% lower than they were at the peak of 2016. I acknowledge that we need to keep a close foc…

Insurance premiums have fallen in the past couple of months, according to the CSO.

That is a welcome development. There were a couple of years where there were increases. We are still 35% lower than we were at the peak. That is a success. The reason we re-established the action plan on insurance reform was that we acknowledged there was more work to be done. We are doing that. The transparency code has been published in a timely and efficient manner. Consumers will see the benef…

The Government is committed to supporting the continued development and expansion of the credit union sector, recognising, as the Deputy does, its important role in providing community-based financial services. A range of legislative and regulatory measures have been delivered and the focus now is on the development of a new five-year strategy for the credit union sector. On 19 April, I formally a…

I could not agree more. Certainly, since my appointment, I have been struck, as I go around the country visiting different credit unions, just how in tune they are with their members' needs and how ambitious they are to meet the enhanced needs of the communities they represent. That is why the amended lending regulations, which came in on 30 September last year, offer a huge opportunity to the cre…

The credit union is an extremely trusted financial institution. In fact, for ten years in a row the credit union movement has have been awarded the ranking of the most reputable brand. There are huge opportunities based on the very trust its members have in its service. We have already seen that the amended lending regulations has given credit unions opportunities in both the mortgage space and th…

I thank Deputy Cahill for raising this matter in the House today. I also acknowledge his advocacy on this issue since his election to Dáil Éireann. Capital acquisitions tax, CAT, is a beneficiary-orientated tax that is payable by the recipient of a gift or inheritance as opposed to the person providing that gift or inheritance. CAT plays an important role in ensuring that we maintain a broad tax b…

I thank the Deputy. I listened carefully to the points he raised. I am aware that this is an area of concern for many people. Indeed, James Sexton, whom we mentioned earlier, has led a well-documented campaign, End Discrimination in Inheritance Tax. He will be presenting to our parliamentary party tomorrow evening on it, and he has been presenting in the audiovisual room at Leinster House as well.…

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to introduce, on behalf of the Tánaiste, Second Stage of the National Treasury Management Agency (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026. The legislation marks an important step in bringing the National Asset Management Agency, NAMA, and the special liquidation of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, IBRC, to a close. It provides for …

I thank all the Members for their contributions. I will endeavour to reply to all the points that were raised. I will do it just to myself and the Leas-Cheann Comhairle by the looks of things, but the Leas-Cheann Comhairle did contribute. I say that somewhat in jest because I acknowledge that many Deputies are tuned in in their offices and that not everyone can sit in the Dáil for hours at a time.…

I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach pursuant to Standing Orders 103 and 188.

I move: That Standing Order 194 is modified in accordance with Standing Order 241(2) to provide that it be an instruction to the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach in relation to the Central Bank (Amendment) Bill 2025, that the Committee has power to make amendments to the Bill which are outside the scope of …

I thank all Deputies who contributed to the debate this evening. I acknowledge patients, survivors and families for whom cancer has impacted their lives. There is not a family in this country that have not been impacted by cancer, my own included. I think of my two siblings who I lost to cancer many years ago. Perhaps that was one of the driving forces that meant I wanted to do something positive …

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "notes that: — the conflict in the Middle East has, once again, exposed the vulnerability of the Irish economy, and Irish society more generally, to imported fossil fuels; — these strategic dependencies have major macroeconomic implications, and the risks to macroeconomic and fiscal stability cannot …

It is jammy when things are going right and when things are going wrong, it is the fault of the Government. That is a very simplistic approach. lf the economy remains strong, we will stand by the programme for Government commitment to make progressive changes to personal income tax rates. We have full employment. I suppose that is jammy and good luck too. From my perspective, as a Minister of Sta…

Here is the storm.

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it gives me the opportunity, on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth, to outline to the Dáil the current position in relation to the school building project for St. Mary's Oldtown, County Dublin. This project was approved to enter the Department of Education and Youth’s pipeline under the additional school accommodation scheme and is devolved…

Deputy O'Donoghue will appreciate that I am answering on behalf of my colleague. He has made a strong and compelling case for additional works at this school in the very near future. We were all disappointed when the announcement was made some months ago if schools that we articulate on behalf of in our respective constituencies were excluded. The amount of resources is always finite, so there has…

I am taking this matter on behalf of Deputy Michael Moynihan, Minister of State at the Department of Education and Youth, who sends his apologies because he cannot be here today. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter and giving me the opportunity to outline the Department of Education and Youth’s plans to address the accommodation needs for Gorey Hill School. Gorey Hill School is one of four …

That is fine. I reiterate that it was very welcome and helpful that he arranged a visit by the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, to the school, where he saw first hand the challenges that are there. The challenge is to ensure the additional demand is met with additional capacity in a timely way as well. The one point I will have taken from the original reply is that there is ongoing engagement b…

I thank the Deputies for raising this matter. I am taking it on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth. I know that Deputy McAuliffe has engaged directly with the Taoiseach on this but it is very positive to see such cross-party support on an issue. The school was approved to enter the Department's pipeline for a project under the additional school accommodation scheme, ASA. The project w…

I thank the three Deputies again for giving me an opportunity to update the House regarding the accommodation at St Aidan's CBS Whitehall. The Department is committed to ensuring appropriate accommodation is available for all school pupils and will, in the wider context outlined, ensure that each school project under the school building programme is subject to due diligence required under the Gov…

I do not believe the people want to see us playing Punch and Judy politics here this evening. The Government will secure a majority in the vote when the vote is taken but it would be both foolhardy and wrong for us not to acknowledge the level of fear, anxiety and frustration felt by many of the people we represent. Like many of my colleagues, I am in continuous engagement with the people whom we …

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I will keep my voice at a reasonable level. I do not feel that just by shouting it makes a point any more valid. I welcome the opportunity to discuss the Sinn Féin Private Members' motion on fuel this evening. I will start off by saying that, as a Government Minister of State, I engaged with the people who were protesting. I went out and met the people on the M4…

That is not a true reflection of what happened everywhere and we need to acknowledge that also. The Deputy is right that the Government won the confidence vote in the Dáil. As I said in my contribution on the confidence motion, we would be extremely foolhardy and wrong as a Government if we did not acknowledge the anxiety, fear and frustration out there of the people we represent. Sinn Féin does …