Catherine Callaghan

166. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will amend inheritance tax thresholds for individuals who have no children of their own and would like to leave an inheritance to a niece or nephew; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9956/26]

Will the Tánaiste consider amending the inheritance tax thresholds for individuals who have no children and would like to leave an inheritance to a niece or nephew?

I thank the Tánaiste for his answer. We know - and the Tánaiste knows better than anyone - that over the last number of years Fine Gael has been at the forefront of a changing Ireland where alternative family structures are welcomed and where people do not feel the pressure to confirm to what was once the traditional idea of a family. Fine Gael values personal liberty and it is clearly reflected …

I thank the Tánaiste. I like that response and that well-thought-out way of looking at it from the carer's point of view. I am heartened to hear that tax measures as a whole will be reviewed in the course of this Government. I point out, perhaps again, that for many people across Ireland, factors other than choice determine whether or not they have children. If these people own properties and shou…

I wish to join with every Member of the House in remembering and paying tribute to the 183 lives that were lost on Irish roads in 2025, the largest number of fatalities on our roads since 2014. Of course, my heart also goes out to those impacted by this afternoon's horrendous bus crash in Dublin city centre and to the family of the deceased and those injured. Every life lost on our roads is a fami…

I express my sympathies to the family and friends of Grace Lynch. I welcome the news today that new legislation to implement a total ban on scrambler use in public spaces will be called Grace's law in her memory. In my constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny over the past year and a half or two years, we have seen an increasing number of scrambler bikes in and on the forest trails around the foothills of …

Speaking as the mother of two teenagers and one young adult who is renting, I am acutely aware of the pressures within Ireland's rental market currently. To make their way in the world, develop independent living skills and build the relationships that will last throughout their lifetimes, young people need a space they can call their own. Unfortunately, these spaces are becoming increasingly rare…

87. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of extra college places being created in September 2026 and September 2027 to ensure adequate supply of new speech and language therapists and occupational therapists, to meet the increasing demands of the care system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7277/…

I would like to ask about the number of extra college places being created in September 2026 and 2027 to ensure there is an adequate supply of new speech and language and occupational therapists to meet the increasing demands of our care system.

I thank the Minister for the response. It is very heartening to hear that there will be at least 478 new places coming on stream next year, or even this year if possible. The situation facing families across the country because of staff shortages in critical posts is beyond difficult. I am sure every Member of the House has heard from families on a CDNT list who are waiting for care. Across the HS…

I thank the Minister for the response. I am heartened to hear that solid measures are being taken to provide more training places, not just for speech and language and occupational therapists but also for dieticians, physiotherapists and educational psychologists, in particular. It is a welcome measure. We are all aware that this challenge is not just about training staff; it is also about retain…

I welcome the opportunity this evening to discuss the International Protection Bill, which will make Ireland's asylum processing system fairer not only for those who wish to come here but also for those who are already here. Most of us in the Chamber can agree on the enormous benefits that migration brings to our country. The Ireland of 2026 is a diverse, multiethnic society where people can cele…

This week, I would like to use my time to speak about carer's allowance and, in particular, the commitment in the programme for Government to abolish the means test. In Carlow and Kilkenny, I know many families where one parent gives up work to care full time for a child and the other parent then needs to work extra hours to pay the mortgage and bills. This additional necessary income then prevent…

I welcome the opportunity to make a statement on international developments. I will use my time to speak about Greenland. I know I am not alone in wishing that questions of territorial integrity and respect for national sovereignty were a thing of the past. When it comes to Greenland, there is no question but that the future of the island lies solely in the hands of its people and the kingdom of D…

Everybody here knows that water is the most precious of our natural resources, and how the State manages it plays a crucial role in delivering on any number of policy plans for the future. Whether it be housing, education, or immigration, no policy can be fully formed without considering the water infrastructure that is available to support it. The Government has shown consistently that it is will…

7. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps being taken to ensure that parents who are aged 66 years and above and caring for children with lifelong disabilities retain the rate at which they are paid their carer’s allowance and concurrently receive the State pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2827/26]

I would like to talk about carers, in particular, those who are over the age of 66 and in receipt of the State pension. I ask the Minister to outline the steps that are currently being taken to ensure that parents who have, for their lifetime, cared for their children and reached the age of 66 can retain the full rate of carer's allowance and concurrently receive the State pension.

I acknowledge the work being done but, as a former family carer myself, I know full well that our carers provide an enormous service not only to their loved ones and those they care for but also to the State itself. It is estimated that each year the State saves €20 billion that would have to be invested in our health services were it not for the work of family carers. These carers work long and d…

That is very heartening to hear, and I look forward to working together to ensure that the commitments in the programme for Government are advanced. While I am here, I would like to raise the immense financial strains carers often find themselves under in spite of the services they provide. In a recent survey, 69% of carers reported having difficulty making ends meet and, of those, 29% have begun…

It is a great start to the new year for me to be here in the Chamber addressing an Aire Stáit, another strong female TD from Carlow. Go raibh maith agat. I commend the Minister of State, Deputy Murnane O'Connor, for the work she is doing for the young people in Carlow and Kilkenny. Thank you once again. Speaking as a parent first and foremost I am alarmed at the increase in the sale of vaping pro…

I ask the Taoiseach to please continue to support our farmers. I am a rural TD and, together with my local public representatives, like Councillor Tommy Kinsella in Ballinkillen, we have been hearing over and over again about the devastating impact that the Mercosur deal, in its current format, will have on farmers, farm families and rural communities. I stand together with my Fine Gael colleagues…

As I am sure we in this Chamber are all well aware, keeping our children safe in a seemingly limitless digital landscape can be a source of anxiety for parents all around the country. As a parent born in a non-digital world, I know I sometimes yearn for the good old pre-mobile phone days but we all have to acknowledge that the online world has made life so much easier for many people in many ways.…

Gabhaim buíochas.

I acknowledge all the contributions made on this Bill today. It will play a crucial role in protecting Ireland’s reputation as an advocate of free and fair trading agreements worldwide and it will allow for the constitutional ratification of the trade agreement between the EU and Canada and other international agreements. I am not alone in acknowledging the transformative effect that open and fai…

I acknowledge the work of the Minister, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, who, since she became Minister for Health, has been proactive in tackling many pre-existing inefficiencies in the health system. It is also important that I acknowledge and recognise the very hard-working staff within our hospital system. None of what I am saying is a slight on those dedicated and committed members of the ho…