Dessie Ellis

Notwithstanding the obvious requirement for the Garda to have the resources to adequately provide security during Ireland's tenure holding the Presidency of the EU, the loss of ten gardaí from Ballymun deals a substantial blow to an area that has seen a rise in violent criminal activities in recent times, particularly in relation to a widely reported feud between local gangs in Ballymun. The loss …

Early childhood dental examinations are important because they identify problems before they become serious. Early assessments of a child's teeth, jaws and bite can detect developmental issues that can reduce the need for more extensive treatment at a later age. Early check-ups can detect other health concerns and dentists may note the signs of conditions that can affect the child's overall health…

The world witnessed in the Israeli offensive in Gaza some of the worst excesses and some of the most extreme cruel actions a nation can inflict on another group of people. The devastating toll on human life resulting the deaths of tens of thousands of men, women and children as a consequence of the Israeli military campaign in Gaza far exceeded any of the norms of a civilised society. The vastly d…

My constituency of Dublin North-West has a growing older population, showing high concentrations of older residents, particularly those over 80 years of age. The constituency also has areas of economic disadvantage and high unemployment. People are struggling daily and this cost-of-living crisis and escalating costs are continuing to impact families, who are forced to make hard choices between put…

It was with great disappointment that the príomhoide, staff, pupils and parents discovered that Gaelscoil Uí Earcáin was not included in the list of prioritised projects for 2026-27. Gaelscoil Uí Earcáin, Bóthar Ghlas Naíon, Finglas East, Dublin 11, is a recognised DEIS school and has been acknowledged by the Department of Education and Youth to be in extremely poor condition. It has long been acc…

Tá díomá orm an rud atá ráite ag an Aire Stáit a chloisteáil. Níl sé soiléir go bhfuil aon dul chun cinn á dhéanamh. Tá sé scannalach nach bhfuil aon rud le tabhairt ar ais don scoil mar gheall ar an bhfoirgneamh nua a thógáil. Tá sé de dhualgas ar an Rialtas fás ár dteanga a chur chun cinn. Níl ach scoil Ghaeilge amháin i bhFionnghlas cé go bhfuil líon mór scoileanna Béarla ann. There are lots of…

Dublin's inner city like other areas of the city, including my constituency, Dublin North West, has long faced challenges related to social inclusion, economic disparity and the consequences of many years of ageing infrastructure and buildings coinciding with a lack of proper maintenance of such structures or adequate financial investment in the areas. In the past there were efforts to revitalise …

Dublin City Council's financial contribution scheme allows homeowners over 60 to sell their home to the local authority in return for making a financial contribution to the council, which then provides senior citizen accommodation to the homeowners. Dublin City Council has been told by the Minister that there is no funding available for this scheme. There are a number of people on a waiting list w…

The cost-of-living crisis has hit particularly hard those on low and average incomes, who are more exposed to this crisis as well as the mounting inflation that has driven up costs. Public and private sector workers' earnings are being eroded. Such households have become especially vulnerable as a consequence of the fluctuating political problems across the world and the unnecessary wars that have…

-----which stimulates demand, driving further economic activity and thereby creating a cycle of growth which can only be good, not only for the worker but for the country.

Thankfully, I have never smoked a cigarette in my life. With regard to tobacco products and nicotine inhaling products, I would support measures that would protect children by placing restrictions on both the advertising and display of such products, including how they are presented on the packaging of the products. Addiction to nicotine is a costly addiction, both in terms of a person's health a…

There is a deepening crisis in the provision of educational facilities for those with special needs. This is compounded by a crisis in both teacher recruitment and retention, particularly in Dublin, which is one of the most severely affected areas in the country. The most vulnerable students are impacted the most, especially when schools are unable to fill teaching positions. Special education te…

St. Aidan's CBS Whitehall first opened in 1964 and is part of the very fabric of our community. It has provided an excellent education for generations of boys from around Whitehall, Glasnevin and Ballymun. Over the years, substantial amounts of money have been spent on maintaining the school buildings and 60-year-old prefabs. The demand for secondary school places and applications for admission to…

I understand the Minister, Deputy Naughton, is not here to take this really important issue. I appreciate the Minister of State taking it. I hope this does not lessen what we are saying and what we are looking for. The urgency of this and of prioritising it is crucial to the people in the area and to the school itself. They have done tremendous work on this. Everything is in place and ready to go.…

Ah, give over.

Ar dtús báire, ba mhaith liom a rá go bhfuil Gaeilge ag fás agus ag scaipeadh i mo cheantar. Tá níos mó suime i bhfoghlaim na Gaeilge agus í a úsáid i rith an lae. Tá an-éileamh ann le haghaidh naíscoileanna agus bunscoileanna, agus liosta feithimh le haghaidh áiteanna sna scoileanna. Níl go leor meánscoileanna timpeall na háite. Níl ach scoil amháin dara leibhéal, Scoil Chaitríona i nGlas Naíon. …

Tá áthas orm go bhfuil an tAire ag tógáil na ceiste seo. Dublin City Council's new differential rent scheme, which will begin operating from 6 April next, will see increases in rent for almost all of the city's 68,000 council tenants. The new scheme is supposed to augment the council's maintenance budget. The council currently maintains an ageing housing stock, with over 50% of Dublin City Counci…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. Alongside the cost-of-living crisis we are in that moment, we are now faced with rent hikes by Dublin City Council and there have been rent hikes elsewhere. This affects senior citizens. I mentioned to the Minister of State a couple in their 80s on fixed incomes, and one of them is being charged €43 extra. It comes to €43 extra between the two of them. In anoth…

Until their tenancy is up.

I am only pointing that out.

The national total for those considered homeless is 16,734. Of that figure, 5,188 are children. These figures released in December 2025 show a shocking increase in both adult and child homelessness. These figures also mask the real number of those who are homeless because they do not tell us how many people are couch surfing and sleeping rough on the streets or in their cars. Eviction notices fro…

There is great anger among schools and parents in my constituency of Dublin North-West at the proposal to cut the number of special needs assistants in schools. There is already a clear imbalance between the number of SNAs available in schools and the numbers required to cater for the ever-increasing number of students who need such essential assistance. Why is the Government only pausing these cu…

We already have problems getting SNAs.

The Government's answer to the housing crisis caused by Governments its members were also members of is to encourage mainly foreign investment funds to buy up land to build apartments and to bulk-buy housing stock and estates. We have had an influx of such investment funds over the years because Governments have in the past created advantageous market positions for them by giving them favourable t…

Communities have suffered the scourge of scramblers for too long. The death of Grace Lynch, a 16-year-old girl from Finglas, demands urgent action. People are frustrated by what they see as the lack of a proper response by the Garda to this menace. Gardaí are frustrated too, and while they have had some successes in seizing scramblers, the recent tragedy in Finglas shows that much more needs to be…