Gary Gannon

On the topic of child well-being, I wish to discuss an immensely cruel anomaly whereby a parent who has been convicted of unlawfully killing the other parent of a child retains his or her guardianship of that child. Retention of guardianship in this context means that the convicted person must be informed about the child's situation, consulted in major decisions being taken for the child and can i…

I wish to talk to the Minister of State about the absence of childcare provision in Dublin Central. I use the example of Dublin Central because it is the area I am proud to represent, but I could be talking about any community to be found the length and breadth of Ireland. Childcare provision and access to childcare, where it exists, is simply too difficult. The Government made a commitment befor…

I thank the Minister of State for his response. I do not doubt for a second that there is a genuine commitment across the Government to address the issue. How could there not be? It is a fundamental issue. However, I do not think it is working. The ECCE rates of €69 per week per child have clearly not been sustainable. I do not doubt the level of money that is being pumped into the childcare secto…

Today marks World Autism Awareness Day. Aligning themselves with the occasion, there will be up to 200 parents and guardians who will sleep on the pavement outside Dáil Éireann today. It will be the second time they have done so in a number of weeks. They are doing so for a plethora of different reasons related to assessments, diagnoses, therapies, school places and access to SNA provision. Howeve…

What would the Taoiseach say to those 200 parents outside on the pavement today if he were to talk to them?

Statements on diverting young people from crime is an interesting concept and something I would talk about every day if I could. However, statements without follow on action leaves us nowhere. We have had all the evidence and research and we know what brings young people into crime. We have known for decades now. If you imagine the portrait of a young person, I obviously think about Dublin Centra…

That is not true.

Investor courts.

Today, we are speaking to a 291-page document that addresses the changing over of Votes under the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024. Part of this involves the components that deal with whole-of-government responsibility, the strengthening of oversight and accountability, enhanced oversight mechanisms, community engagement and the absorption of current structures into the Policing an…

Oversight-----

I am not sure how what I am raising is any less relevant or important than what Deputy Kelly spoke about. He was speaking about an issue that was not-----

My opening remarks referred to oversight mechanisms and also changing over from the ombudsman to Fiosrú.

And funding. Let me refer to why an oversight mechanism is necessary. Yesterday a group of women were taken away from a protest on genocide, brought to a police station and strip-searched and cavity-searched. What sort of funding can be given to ensure accountability for these women? There is no means by which what happened is justifiable or acceptable. This is related to the content of the repor…

To respond to the Minister's last comment, I would encourage him to go down to Rutland National School in his own constituency. It has just received an electricity bill that creates a risk it will have to close its doors. That is not the issue I intended to raise, however. It has been 157 days since the report of the Dublin city task force was launched to great fanfare. We remember all the Minist…

This is my first time speaking since yesterday and despite the lowering of standards we are seeing from the Government, nothing will stop me coming in here and speaking on behalf of my community. I want to speak to the Minister of State about funding for schools in the north inner city. Schools in the north inner city, like most schools around the country, are at the coalface of many of the issue…

I thank the Minister of State. I assure him my office contacted his office about a week ago regarding that offer. We talked about not wanting to pre-empt any future budget negotiations and in parliamentary form that is absolutely fine. However, if I can pre-empt what happens in the absence of schools being adequately resourced and funded, it is that children are left behind. I will also compound …

The Minister of State can shake his head and look as bewildered as he likes.

The Minister of State can shake his head and look as bewildered as he likes but here is the simple fact: the Government has no mandate to remove the triple lock. I accept the Minister of State’s party won more seats than we did in the general election but here is what its manifesto said: “Continue to protect and promote ... neutrality including sensible reform of the ‘Triple Lock’ legislation.” Re…

As we are discussing post-EU Council statements I am glad it is the Minister of State who has joined us. Earlier we brought a motion on the triple lock and during his contribution the Minister of State accused me and members of my party of being anti-EU. He went further and almost compared us to Farage. That was an interesting point. I did not see the Minister of State doing any of the kind of reb…

I remind the Minister of State it was places in the UK, such as Holyhead in Anglesey, that voted overwhelmingly to remove themselves from the EU precisely because they were not seeing any benefits from it. They were the areas most devastated by poverty and most removed from what we describe as the benefits of that Union. One of the single greatest threats, as we engage in an arms build-up of €800…

For many of the reasons outlined, the Social Democrats will not be able to support the reduction in the accommodation payment for Ukrainians. When the invasion began more than two years ago, Irish people on the whole were incredible in how they answered the call. Many opened up their homes and, in doing so, found friends and members of the community who have come in have contributed and made a hug…

It is your friends' fault.

When I woke up this morning and the radio came on, the very first story talked about the European Council meeting happening today, which has rearmament on a scale that has not been seen for approximately 80 to 90 years as its first item on the agenda. We talked about the fact that our Taoiseach will be going and that loans will be provided so that European powers can buy military equipment, bombs …

We will not be a military power, despite the fact that the Tánaiste wishes to purchase six jets at some point. Even those six jets will not keep us safe from what the Government fears might happen. They would only allow it to play war games in an area in which we have no role or space. What we are good at, and what we have always been good at, is being people who can actually act in the name of pe…

The Taoiseach actually speaks about reform of the triple lock. Removing one aspect of the triple lock is not reform, but ratification. It is a deceit.