Michael Collins

The bottom line is here-----

We had a motion here last week in relation to Irish Water. Anyone who looked seriously at the motion would see it was simply put: accountability and timelines. The Minister of State's side refused to agree to that motion. It was very simple. They could have made an adjustment, they could have done something about it but they did not want to because the Government does not want accountability. It i…

I am back speaking about the Mercosur deal again. It is of huge importance this week in Strasbourg. We have asked the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste to attend the meeting in Strasbourg this week to let them know the importance of the situation we find ourselves in. Independent Ireland has written in Spanish and Italian-----

-----to each MEP there to make sure they are on our side of the border.

We need to make sure we are fighting that as well. I am talking to the Taoiseach, not to the Ministers of State.

This Bill is about something very simple, namely who we trust to go into homes of our older people and people with disabilities and what standards we insist on. Independent Ireland supports strong, common-sense regulation. Nobody wants low-quality or unsafe care happening behind closed doors. There are positives here. For the first time, home support providers will have to register with HIQA. Ther…

I move: That Dáil Éireann: acknowledges that: — a significant proportion of the State's public drinking water and wastewater infrastructure remains leaking, overloaded, obsolete or non-compliant, resulting in boil water notices, service interruptions, supply restrictions and untreated or partially treated wastewater discharges; — persistent delays in the delivery, repair and replacement of wat…

I have already spoken.

As the Minister of State heard from each and every person who made a contribution here, accountability and communication are a massive issue with Uisce Éireann. That is the message that must go back from here. I know that People Before Profit had issues, as expressed by Deputy Boyd Barrett, but I do not see any amendment from its Deputies to this motion. They could have put in amendments. Anyway, …

They are doing a good job.

I welcome the fact that the Irish Government has, on behalf of its people, voted against the Mercosur trade deal. This deal will open the floodgates to Brazilian beef produced to standards far below what we demand here and contaminated with banned growth hormones and antibiotics, as exposed by the Irish Farmers Journal. Our farmers, who uphold the highest food safety and animal welfare standards, …

I asked about the whip on the three MEPs.

I would like to be able to give my time to Mercosur but time is tight and another dirty deal has been done in Europe, at the expense of Irish fishermen. The mackerel quota and the whitefish haddock quota has been pretty much wiped out and it is an absolute disaster for Ireland's coastal communities. The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea has recommended a cut to just 174,357 tonn…

I am going to be like a twin brother to Deputy Healy-Rae because I have very similar questions. The Minister will know, and I have said already, the International Council for Exploration of the Sea has just recommended a cut to the fishing quota, with 174,357 tonnes for 2026. That is a 70% drop from 576,958 tonnes last year. What we want to know is whether the Irish Government is taking a legal ch…

Put all the companies ahead of the Irish farmer. You are dead right, boy.

You are heading in the right direction.

It will be in Northern Ireland.

On 12 December we learned about contaminated beef that came in.

I did not say any different. They are doing great, thank God, but I am interested in looking after Irish beef and Irish poultry.

They should not be sacrificed for it.

You are.

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are a disgrace.

What is the Government going to do about the fishing? Will it shove them under the trawler as well?

Have you my answer?

I am thankful for the opportunity to speak on this Bill today. Let me state from the outset that safety must always come first. Every family, every worker and every pensioner has a right to know that the fuel heating their homes and cooking their dinners is safe, properly regulated and overseen by a system that is fit for purpose. Safety cannot, however, become a convenient excuse for forgetting …