Réada Cronin

St. Patrick's national school in Celbridge is at crisis point. It has been promised a new school for 18 years. Parents and teachers have been in touch with me about leaks, rodents and even parts of the school being held together with duct tape. Despite the Minister, Deputy Naughton, visiting the school two weeks ago, it did not make the priority list published the other day. It is completely unfit…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this amendment Bill. It is clear that State protection of children is in serious need of change. There have been too many cases recently that have highlighted Ireland's lack of regard for the rights of children. The HIQA report published in November, in particular, laid bare the alarming failures of basic child protection. There are, of course, so many social …

I heard the Minister of State’s speech and appreciate its tone but she has to admit that our mental health services are at crisis point. More than 50,000 people with a mental health crisis present annually at emergency departments, yet many hospital emergency departments are simply not equipped to deal with such incidents. That speaks volumes about how the State treats those who are experiencing b…

I really welcome the opportunity to speak about Uisce Éireann because we are at a serious crisis point in terms of infrastructure in this country. For years, underinvestment by successive Fianna Fáil- and Fine Gael-led Governments has put us in the situation in which we now find ourselves. In my constituency of Kildare North, water supply and infrastructure are under severe pressure. I have heard…

I acknowledge and very much welcome the Minister's comments on deregulation. The stories we have heard over the past few weeks in relation to the Grok feature on X have shocked many people here and across the world. The AI element within social media has been encouraged by tech tycoons such as Elon Musk, owner of X. The Grok website features a claim that, as part of X, Grok offers real-time search…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this technical Bill. While my party and I recognise the importance of this Bill, there are still outstanding issues that Sinn Féin and others see with the legislation as it currently stands. It should be said that any Bill that intends to strengthen safety regulation for natural and liquified petroleum gas should be welcomed. It is imperative that we keep with…

That is not what happened.

No, it is not.

I am taking Question No. 108 on behalf of Deputy Louise O'Reilly.

We wish to ask the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he intends to implement a socially just phase-out action plan for the replacement of fossil fuels by sustainable energy sources, and if he would make a statement on the matter please.

It is really important we get a just transition. The Minister of State will recall how Sinn Féin tried to get a proper definition of that when we were working on the 2021 climate Act and he and I were on the climate committee. As we move away from fossil fuels and transition to a greener economy, we have to ensure we do not leave anybody behind. The SEAI grants have been made available to people f…

The European Commission's 2025 country specific report stated that energy poverty has increased in Ireland and we now have the third highest household or consumer electricity prices in the EU when the add-ons are included. Much of that is down to our reliance on fossil fuels, which makes us susceptible to global price shocks beyond our control. Some 300,000 people are in energy arrears at the mome…

There he goes again.

Has the Minister of State conducted an analysis of the impact of the introduction of the carbon border adjustment mechanism, CBAM, on the price of energy?

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. It is really important that this analysis is conducted. We import 70% of our energy. The EU average is 58%, so we are importing a lot more than normal countries. We are also importing more energy from Britain. The introduction of the CBAM will affect the prices that households, consumers and families are paying. The Government said that energy emissions…

He has chanced his arm.

I want to talk about price review 6. Households in Ireland are paying much higher prices - some of the highest prices in Europe - and more and more families are falling into energy poverty and falling behind on their bills. Under price review 6, households and small businesses will be asked to pay even more while the large data centres will be paying less. Household charges could rise by 28% while…

Every politician has days when their personal beliefs collide with their obligations as a party member and today is one of those days for me. It is no secret that I want to change my party policy on fox hunting; that is on the record. However, as a member of a political movement, I am not a solo act. Grandstanding over an issue I feel very strongly about might feel righteous for a day, but it weak…

It strengthens the status quo and existing power structures. Sinn Féin will continue to confront the system itself while acting collectively as a credible alternative government, but not by attacking other parties of the left. My duty as a Sinn Féin TD is to our local communities, who need us to act as a team to provide an alternative government to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Yes, I disagree with …

We have seen some very bad policy decisions made time and time again by this Government but this latest stunt is the most thoughtless. Over the weekend, amid the confusion and chaos, many people got in touch with me to tell me how this was going to affect them or their loved one. Vulnerable users of the blister packs such as older people managing multiple medications, people living with early-stag…

Is the Second Reading of the Bill being delayed or is it being ruled out?

That is a pity. Ba mhaith liom an Teachta Whitmore a mholadh as an mBille seo a chur os comhair na Dála. Molaim an Dr. Sinéad Mercier freisin. Is bean iontach í. It is essential that we talk about climate action and a just transition. When the climate committee was working on the climate Bill, we were desperately trying to get a proper definition in that. People did not feel that a just transition…

We are seriously reaching a crisis point with the cost of electricity and energy. Sinn Féin asked in September in the lead up to the budget to extend the energy credits introduced in 2022 at a time when the cost-of-living crisis was at its worst with fuel and food costs, with electricity companies announcing price hikes to customer bills and with more than 300,000 people - and growing - already in…

My question is for the Minister for Health and concerns the free HRT scheme and the situation for women with cancer who cannot take oestrogen. While the free HRT scheme is certainly welcome, there is a vacuum for women surviving cancer. I asked about this previously on Questions on Policy or Legislation and the reply by the former Minister, Paschal Donohoe, was quite promising. I have also asked t…

Cuirim fáilte roimh na mná sa Gallery. This is a specific and important Bill. The crime of sexual violence and the scar it leaves on its victims are severe and devastating. It scars the person and impacts severely on their family and friends as well. I listened to the Minister's speech. People scarred by a perpetrator should not be expected to haul themselves back through the courts to obtain a r…