Cathy Bennett

Not a chance. That is, until the day on which the deal's passage was secured, at which time the Taoiseach said that we would vote against it, secure in the knowledge it would not have a meaningful impact. The Taoiseach is not opposed to the Mercosur agreement. He just thinks the Irish people are fools who will buy his cheap charade. They were working behind the scenes is what an tAire Stáit said. …

It is from both sides of the Minister of State's mouth.

You are giving it to the energy companies.

Constitutionally required, a key provision of this Bill relates to capital carryovers. This allows Departments to carry over allocated but unspent capital funding this year. That is straightforward enough. However, a cause of frustration is equally straightforward and that is the question of why. We immediately know that these funds are going unspent because one of the Minister's ministerial colle…

The withdrawal of funding for medication blister packs was an ill-thought-out and cruel choice. It is disappointing that the Minister has allowed this issue to fester into the debacle we now have before us. I raised this with the Minister over a month ago, and her response, in effect, was to deny that there was or has been an issue at all until, that is, the public outcry became much too much. Pha…

Blister packs.

That is not the question.

Three seconds.

Two, one. Suigh síos.

What does that mean?

It is taking a while to build them.

We know from our engagements in our constituencies that for some children, the hot school meal scheme represents a significant portion of the food they might be given on a day. We know that one in five parents skip meals and reduce portion size in order to ensure their children have enough to eat. It is an important initiative. However, there have been issues with how the scheme has been administe…

It is incredibly disappointing to see this legislation brought to Second Stage with the Government having refused to allow the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade to conduct pre-legislative scrutiny. It is the unfortunate result of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael ingratiating themselves with each other producing the worst of outcomes. What we have here is Fianna Fáil adopting Fine Ga…

7. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will report on his engagements regarding the LEADER programme under the next EU budgetary cycle. [68487/25]

LEADER funding, as the Minister will be aware, plays a vital role in our communities and businesses, especially in my constituency of Cavan-Monaghan. A reduction in LEADER funding would be unacceptable for rural communities that are already struggling. Can the Minister assure us that LEADER funding will not be reduced?

The LEADER programme has played a crucial role in rural development, especially in addressing and developing the rural community. It has, therefore, been a regressive move that LEADER has faced cuts in every programme for nearly 20 years. Prior to the financial crisis, the annualised budget for the LEADER programme between 2007 to 2013 was €57 million per year, reducing to €54 million post the cra…

I am relaying the fears of my constituents. LEADER funding was cut in the immediate aftermath of the financial crash, was raided during the austerity years and it was cut further in real terms under the previous Government. The meagre increase is not enough to keep up with inflation. My fear now is the Government is seemingly not that put out about a European Commission proposal to cut CAP by near…

The Government bought the votes.

And big developers.

Five thousand homeless children.

110. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on his engagements regarding the Common Agricultural Policy post 2027. [66741/25]

Farmers are extremely worried at this time and believe that the Minister is going to cut the CAP budget by up to 25%. I ask for reassurance today that the Minister will not do that.

Our farming families produce the highest quality food in the world while also adhering to some of the highest environmental and animal health standards in the world. If there is a proposal to reduce the CAP budget, I ask that the Government fill in the vacuum.

So the farmers have no need to worry.

I welcome the whistleblowers to the Gallery. They have done an incredible service to the State. I thank them personally for that. I also thank the Independent Technical Group for bringing forward this motion. It has brought to the State the corruption that has happened within our political and justice systems and opened the door to justice for the victims of abuse. In return, far too many whistleb…