Paul Donnelly

I welcome the motion. The matter to which it relates is something in respect of which Sinn Féin has been campaigning consistently for many years. There is no doubt that costs are rising and putting families under severe pressure over the summer months. At a time when children and young people are at home and with the good weather, constant demands on parents' budgets are causing massive concern. …

I met with the parents of Grace Lynch. I commend them on their advocacy on road safety and tackling scramblers and illegal e-bikes and scooters. On Monday, hundreds of residents in Hartstown marched around Hartstown Park to highlight the issue of antisocial behaviour, scramblers and illegal e-bikes in the parks. People are saying there are a couple of things that can be done. The first is a change…

I welcome the Bill and the opportunity to speak on it. It is critically important. AI is something we use every single day, whether we know it or not. Many of the applications we use have a major component of AI. In many areas it has a really useful purpose. Students and workers use it, and people in here use it on a daily basis. As I said, AI has a really useful purpose. I have watched a number o…

They speak for themselves.

This week, I met the wonderful students of the National Learning Network in Parslickstown in Mulhuddart. It is a place that has shown a way for people with different abilities to learn the social and work schools to enable them to build their own personal skill sets and possibly enter the workforce. Unfortunately and sadly, we have the lowest number of people with disabilities in work and this mus…

This is people with disabilities.

The K district is one of the busiest policing districts in the State, covering Blanchardstown, Cabra and Finglas. Unfortunately, we were short-changed with regard to the number of Garda recruits we received until the last batch, when we got 20 new gardaí, which was very welcome. However, I am informed that 18 gardaí are being transferred to the city centre for the next six months for the EU Presid…

As we look at the history of sports, we see how politics has shaped football when it suits. The usual cry from those who do not want to stop the game is, "It is a game and we should not politicise sports." Let us think back. In Ireland we stood proud as a country when we boycotted the South African apartheid regime. Did this have an impact? Of course it did. The Irish Government of Fianna Fáil blo…

I appreciate the opportunity to raise this extremely important issue. It has been pointed out that last week alone, over €15 million of renewable wind energy was wasted. According to EirGrid, 18% of wind energy was wasted in 2026. For people who do not know, EnergyCloud is delivering free heated water to thousands of people over 120 nights a year and will be helping thousands of homes by the end o…

I welcome the report from the Minister. One of the key things is the national energy affordability task force report which is due to be published late this year. My concern and that of EnergyCloud is that it will come too late for the next budget because it will need investment. Although there is investment in the smart grid and all the things the Minister of State just outlined, I am unsure where…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill. It is our understanding of the Bill proposed by Deputy Rice that the intention is to restrict the advertising of low-alcohol and zero-alcohol products where the effect of such advertisements, regardless of intent, is to also promote alcohol drinks. The Bill seeks to do that by amending the definition of advertising to include low-alcohol and zero-al…

You just said it. Now you have said it.

Stop the bombs. Stop allowing Shannon to be used.

Really, how do you know? You do not check.

I live in Dublin 15. It has a population of over 120,000 and it is predicted to go to 140,000 in 2029. Yet, we do not have the long promised direct bus to the airport. I can get a direct bus pretty much from anywhere in the Thirty-two Counties but if I want to head to the airport, I have to pay €50 for a taxi or get two buses. This is not an option for the hundreds who work in the airport. Can the…

I welcome the appointment of Lynn Boylan, Sinn Féin's Dublin MEP, to the security and defence committee. She will be a powerful voice in the EU for Irish neutrality and against a militarised Europe. Irish Army personnel are renowned for peacekeeping missions around the world in war-torn countries, not for going off to fight other people's wars. They are renowned for bringing peace to areas where …

The Taoiseach had his chance.

There is a crisis in biodiversity. We have seen a deterioration over decades, with bad planning and destruction on a huge scale during the Celtic tiger era and before it. Ironically, Ireland is known across the world as a green place, where trees, lakes, seas, beaches and countryside is pristine in terms of biodiversity but the facts do not bear that out. A substantial proportion of our EU-protect…

My blood is boiling after listening to that speech. Fine Gael has been in power for 15 years and Fianna Fáil supported the party for 11 of those years. It has been the same absolute waffle. Who has done great out of this in all of that time? It has been the bankers, bondholders, developers and vultures - the corporate interests. They have all been paid. They have all got their deals. This Governm…

The Government can choose that legacy today.

I commend the Palestine solidarity movement. Over the past number of years, it has marched probably a couple of hundred of kilometres at this stage. It is a testament to the Irish people and their solidarity with the Palestinian people. I would like to thank Deputy Boyd Barrett and Senator Black. The occupied territories Bill has been ongoing for eight years. I remember it took 24 hours to bail ou…

"Europe Day is a chance ... to celebrate the community of values we represent and are jointly working to protect and nourish." That is something I read today. Yesterday, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, talked about establishing an international claims committee for Ukraine, which we support. There is rightly outcry and outrage against Russia across the EU. Russia has committed atrocities and there a…

In the statement from the Minister of State, the Government claps itself on the back for doing something over the last couple of weeks even though it had to be dragged kicking and screaming into doing so. Even then, it could not get it right. Unsustainably high energy and fuel prices in this State further compound a pre-existing cost-of-living crisis that has been going on for the last number of y…

The cost-of-living crisis is putting massive pressure on workers and their families. Everything they buy and use, including their rent, fuel, food and meals continues to increase leaving workers unable to make ends meet. The dream that is sold to young people, that if they stay in school, do well, go to college or get an apprenticeship, they will get a job that will meet their needs, is becoming a…

I am going to give the Tánaiste some examples of how this Government is failing our most vulnerable children. Hansfield Educate Together National School is telling us it will not be able to support children with additional needs due to the lack of SNA allocation for this September, forcing it to reduce timetables for students with additional needs. One school in Dublin West has been awarded DEIS p…