Joanna Byrne

The starkest example of how unimportant child poverty and homelessness are to this Government is in its amendment to this motion. The Government's response mentions reducing child poverty but nowhere does it mention eradicating it entirely. The response also mentions that this Government has announced a target of 3% or less of consistent poverty to be achieved by the end of 2030. Does the Governme…

I raised this issue directly with the Tánaiste last week and, due to the level of calls I have received from parents and guardians across Louth and east Meath, unfortunately I feel the need to speak on it again. Every year, the Government knows how many school buses are needed, how many seats are needed and what routes are required. Every year, we end up having the same discussion, highlighting th…

I want to raise the debacle that is the school transport scheme, in particular the scheme for children with special educational needs in Louth and east Meath. My constituency office is inundated with parents, some worried and some livid, as their children have not received a place on the school bus, even though they received their tickets some months ago. Very late notice was given to parents, in …

I will use my time to highlight an unbelievable situation. A DEIS school in my constituency was originally denied the recommended SNA allocation. The reason given to the school for this decision was a freeze or cap on SNA recruitment. When the Minister was questioned in March about this ridiculous freeze, we were told that if the school feels it has insufficient SNA support to meet the needs of it…

We welcome the progress secured by the LGBTQI+ community in recent years. The rights obtained were hard fought for over many decades by activists who refused to be deterred in their fight to be recognised as equal before the law. Despite the clear progress we have seen, in many areas the struggle for full LGBTQI+ equality is far from over. Many areas of inequality remain and more work is required …

Hear hear.

In May, I hosted a public endometriosis meeting in Drogheda. Since then, my office has been inundated with women contacting me by phone, email and in person. Gemma, a 32-year-old nurse from Louth, is one of these women. She asked me to share her story. Gemma says: My symptoms of endometriosis were prevalent from the first period I had. The bleeds were heavy, excruciatingly painful, causing me to…

I thank the Social Democrats for putting forward this timely and worthwhile motion. This is an important issue that affects everyone in the State at this time. Everyone knows that Ireland is one of the most expensive states in Europe for groceries. The gap between us and our European neighbours looks to be growing year on year. Some prices could be understandable but when we look at the EU Commiss…

This week, we read more reports of starving Palestinians in Gaza being fired upon and murdered by the IDF as they made their way to Israeli and US-run aid centres for food. It really is the lowest of the low and I cannot think of another conflict where this has happened on a daily basis, with no consequences for the perpetrators or any real possibility of consequences. Israeli officials sought to …

I rightfully expected the Government’s response in the amendment to this Private Members' motion to be the same dismissive smokescreen which has been thrown up whenever the future of the GPO and our historic buildings on Moore Street where the leaders of 1916 made their last stand is raised. However, let us be clear: this Private Members' motion is only in response to the Taoiseach’s statements. H…

125. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport his position on the redevelopment of the landmark Ulster GAA stadium, Casement Park; and the steps his Department is taking to support the project to construction phase; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34632/25]

I welcome the Minister of State's comments about North-South co-operation and striving to build cross-community relationships. The amount pledged by the Government has been broadly welcomed in all corners of our country, along with the £50 million from the UK Government, the £62 million from Stormont and the £15 million from the GAA. Although the project is still some way short of the £260 millio…

The delays are regrettable. They are, unfortunately, a sign of the times in which we live. None of us wants this opportunity to slip away and to be left looking back with regret in the years to come having made no progress. I note and appreciate the Minister of State's collegial tone. I look forward to working with the Department and both the Minister and Minister of State to assist in any way I c…

I thank the Independent Technical Group for bringing this Private Member's motion to the House. I have to ask directly whether the Minister for Housing and this Government understand why all the Opposition parties are continually putting forward motions on housing so early in this new Dáil term. Why do the Government's amendments to those many motions on housing all say the same thing? Why do the …

I thank my party colleague Aengus Ó Snodaigh for introducing this Bill, which he submitted to the Bills Office in the previous Dáil. He has done tremendous work on this Bill and the many others he has introduced to the House. I also welcome our party colleague the MP for Newry and Armagh, Dáire Hughes - he is here with us today - who raised the issue of geo-blocking last year and highlighted how u…

I wish to raise the substandard and dangerous state of disrepair Drogheda ambulance station is currently in. I have over recent months raised this directly with the Minister and during a Topical Issue debate several weeks ago, I elevated major concerns around subsidence, mould, electrical faults and security and safety concerns among other things. I requested that the Minister engage with the Nati…

There are many things I could speak about under this Private Members' business but I will stick to trains. Public transport will play a major role in the development of our regions. People must be able to work, live and commute from all over the country and that is why Sinn Féin is determined to deliver major rail projects that have stalled, fallen by the wayside, been left in a Minister's desk dr…

I will begin by reiterating that, for the common good, I want every Government housing and homelessness policy to work. For every person on a housing list, for every one of the hidden homeless, for every family in a homeless hub and for all of those in emergency accommodation, I want the Government's policies to work. However, I do not know what way it needs to be communicated to the Minister for …

I read the press release issued on Monday by the Minister, Deputy McEntee, which detailed the 28 schools that will undergo major energy and decarbonisation retrofit works this summer under the pathfinder programme. It is welcome news for those schools and I have no doubt they are delighted to be selected. I understand the pilot inventory covered schools in counties Kildare, Meath, Offaly, Wicklow …

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. The school has applied for emergency works funding. It is also in the process of applying for the climate action summer works scheme this year. However, getting multiple grants at various times and doing the required works piecemeal is time consuming for primary school teachers who are already overloaded. It is almost unfair to ask them to take that route, but …

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I hope the Minister will withdraw his amendment killing this Bill and support it as it stands. We ask those on the Government benches to also support this Bill as it would do what all parties agree needs to be done and bring RTÉ under the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General. I have read the media reports that the media Minister, Deputy P…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachtaí who contributed. I thank the Minister and Minister of State for their responses. While I appreciate everything we received from the Minister and Minister of State this evening, there is a simple thing being lost with regard to the Bill that has been presented. The Bill simply puts RTÉ accounts under the oversight of the Comptroller and Auditor General. There is n…

The Government never built any.

I commence tonight by mentioning and paying tribute to 14-year-old disability rights campaigner Cara Darmody, who began her 50 hour sleep-out protest outside Leinster House this morning. She is here to battle for her two brothers who have autism and profound intellectual disabilities and for the thousands more children like them whom this Government is failing. Despite its denials, it is failing t…

I will take a moment to mention Kyran Durnin who should be celebrating his ninth birthday with his family and loved ones today but who instead is subject to a major Garda investigation to try to determine his whereabouts and whether he is even still alive. I know Kyran's family is holding a candlelit vigil in Drogheda this evening. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. There is a need for addit…