Matt Carthy

When will changes actually be brought forward, rather than just these cloudy timelines the Minister has been providing?

Here we go again. The Minister finally announced that there would be a recognition of the potential impact on the rental market months ago and he is still talking about himself and the Minister for housing bringing something forward at some unspecified time. What is really infuriating for so many people is the Government has yet to recognise that this scheme is deeply unfair. It provides a non-mea…

It was for hosts in their own homes at that stage.

Hear, hear.

College fees are up.

Are fees up or down?

Are fees up or down? Are they more or less than last year? They are more.

Are fees up or down?

Hear, hear.

Despite the Government telling us for years that there was no need for a special school in County Monaghan, a sustained and dignified campaign by families of children with disabilities, which we in Sinn Féin were very proud to support, led to the announcement in the run-up to the last election that an interim special school would open. I am very pleased to say that that school has now opened but i…

107. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on his engagements with his European counterparts regarding food safety and public health. [66730/25]

I thank the Minister of State. It is disappointing that we are back here again debating the extensions of these provisions. The motion seeks to extend the provision for the consumption of alcohol in relevant outdoor spaces, as provided for in the miscellaneous provisions Act 2021. As the Minister of State said, the current arrangements are due to expire at the end of this month and the motion woul…

I am very pleased that Deputy Doherty has put down this amendment because it will give those Deputies whom I hear in my constituency and right across the constituencies, particularly rural ones, regularly talking about the unfairness of carbon tax and the lunacy of increasing the price of petrol, diesel and home heating oil at a time when people are at the pin of their collar. My fundamental diff…

I will rephrase it. He is going to say, in the same way many representatives in this House say, that, in fact, the money from the carbon tax is used to support farmers under environmental schemes.

What is not said is that the Government agreed at an EU level to a multi-annual financial framework that actually fleeced farmers. Whatever funding is reimbursed through the carbon tax, and I contend it is very little, does not make up for the shortfall. We do not have a good rural environment protection scheme, REPS, like we had in the past. We have an agri-climate rural environment scheme, ACRES…

They got nothing in tax, energy credits or any other supports. They got nothing. Members opposite voted for a budget that gave them nothing. Worse than that, they are about to vote to make their cost of driving to work even more expensive. I commend Deputy Doherty on tabling this amendment. I absolutely look forward to the people of Ireland seeing how their Teachtaí Dála vote. They are the messen…

If we do not laugh, we will cry.

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." This is simple legislation. It is a small step to support victims and survivors of sexual violence. It comes directly from the experience of victims and survivors. This is their Bill. It is a testament to their courage, persistence and strength to deliver change for others. In particular, I thank Sonya Stokes, Leona O'Callaghan and Shaneda Daly, …

I thank every TD who has contributed to this debate this evening and the many TDs who contacted me in the course of the day to indicate their support for this Bill. I also thank the Minister and Government for allowing this Bill to pass on Second Stage. There are issues more important that political games. It would have been possible for Government parties to play political games and table a dela…

32. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will outline his proposals regarding the continuation of the basic income for the arts scheme. [64393/25]

89. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Health if she will commission a feasibility study into the provision of CT scans in Monaghan hospital. [64412/25]

The decisions by previous Governments to remove all services from Monaghan hospital has proven to be absolutely disastrous for the health services across the region. It has been a battle a day ever since to establish new services at Monaghan hospital. The most recent battle was in relation to an MRI scanner, that eventually we are told will be in place over the next 18 months, which is still far t…

I invite the Minister to go back and read her statement and those of her predecessors about an MRI scanner at Monaghan hospital and several other issues. She is right. There have been staff increases in Monaghan hospital and services have increased in terms of provision. Every single one required a sustained campaign to force the Department and the HSE to see logic. When it came to the minor injur…

The Minister had to be dragged kicking and screaming.

Deliver it. We have none in Monaghan.