Matt Carthy

When is that happening?

Will the Leas-Cheann Comhairle note that the question was-----

The people of County Monaghan received a huge shock this morning with the news that The Northern Standard newspaper, which has been a Monaghan institution for 186 years, is set to close. For generations, The Northern Standard has been a trusted local voice with top-class local journalists, photographers and other staff. It has chronicled every significant event in our community life. It has held t…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Cuirim fáilte roimh an deis labhairt ar an rún seo. Is mian liom an deis seo a úsáid chun roinnt pointí tábhachtacha a ardú faoin Aontas Eorpach agus an daonlathas. This is another example of a Protocol No. 21 motion that has come before the Dáil on which, once again, there has been a very short deadline for discussion before signing up. While Irelan…

One of the most shameful legacies of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael in government has been the services denied to children with disabilities throughout the State. We are back here tonight with what in many respects is a unique motion before the House. It is unique in a number of ways. It is unique in that it is signed by the entire Opposition. Every party of Opposition has joined in this call on the Go…

Well said.

14. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the progress he has made divesting State moneys from companies that derive profits from their activities in the occupied Palestinian territories. [64395/25]

Why is Irish taxpayers' money still being invested in companies that derive their profits from the illegal occupation of Palestinian territories? Will the Tánaiste give the House an update on efforts to divest from such companies?

It is not good enough that we continue to invest taxpayers' money in companies that derive their profits from a systemic apartheid regime, which involves the occupation of the West Bank in particular. We have known about this for years and that the occupation is illegal. We know of the real-life impact it has had. We also know that because Israel has faced no consequences whatsoever, it has contin…

Companies can come on and off the UN database list but the question is what the point of having it is if it does not ensure that states act accordingly. The UN database sets out those companies that are deriving profits directly from the occupied territories, but it does not even cover all of the companies that are benefiting from Israeli war crimes. One company, Palantir, for example, has seen Ir…

73. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the progress that has been made to secure a bilateral agreement with Britain to ensure those international protection applicants who should be processed in Britain can be returned there in a timely manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68314/25]

The Minister has stated publicly on a number of occasions that a significant proportion - in fact, the vast majority - of those seeking international protection in this State are coming from Britain via the common travel area. It seems logical to most people that we need a bilateral agreement with Britain to ensure those international protection applicants who should be processed in Britain are re…

The Minister will be aware that this week, the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration in its pre-legislative scrutiny report on the international protection Bill asked that consideration be again given to opting out of the EU migration and asylum pact because that pact does not take cognisance of the fact we operate within a common travel area. Ireland is in the unique p…

I will say that if it makes the Minister happier.

The Minister should also say, as all of us in this House should say, that managing migration would be much easier if we were doing it on an all-Ireland basis within a unitary state framework and that, therefore, we should try to advance the reunification of our country for that and many other reasons. In 2020, Ireland and Britain agreed informal, non-legally binding operational arrangements to re…

Then let us have a bilateral agreement.

We have a common travel area.

77. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he has initiated an immediate review of the Legal Aid Board’s capacity to administer the current civil legal aid scheme, as recommended by the review of civil legal aid; when he expects this review to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68322/25]

It is now several months since the Minister received the report on the civil legal aid review, which in itself took three years to complete. Recommendation 22 of that report called for an immediate review of the Legal Aid Board's capacity to administer the current civil legal aid scheme. Will the Minister advise whether that has been commenced and when it is expected to be complete?

Having heard the number of announcements the Minister has made over the past year without any changes happening, it concerns me when he has not even made an announcement in respect of this. That says to me that there is not an appreciation yet of the urgency here. There is a real crisis right now in accessing civil legal aid. That means there is a crisis in access to justice. The income limits, in…

For all the recommendations and the fact we need a whole overview of the civil legal aid scheme, two things need to be addressed, namely, income thresholds and fees. I do not believe that even the income thresholds suggested in the majority report are going to be sufficient to provide for access to the justice that I think the Minister will agree is integral. We need to get those two things sorted…

91. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration when he will introduce changes to the accommodation recognition scheme in the light of its impact on the private rental market and the fact that landlords are using this scheme to avoid tenancy obligations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68324/25]

The Minister and Department seem to have at last recognised that the accommodation recognition scheme paid in respect of Ukrainian accommodation has had and is having an impact on the private rental market and what I consider the undisputed fact that landlords are using the scheme to avoid tenancy obligations. Will the Minister outline when he intends to bring forward proposed changes to the accom…

I will agree with the Minister on one point - the accommodation recognition payment was a goodwill gesture for people who opened up their homes to Ukrainians fleeing war. It is very laudable and supported by everybody, I think, in this House. It was then extended and since then the impact of the ARP scheme on the rental market is seen in communities across the State. The Minister and the Governmen…

It was blatantly obvious this was going to have an impact on the private rental market, and it is blatantly obvious that it is having an impact on the private rental market.