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walking away from the proposition to ban trade in services. The Minister of State has not addressed that. I have heard the Minister of State and the Tánaiste speak about technical issues and legal issues, and trying to create some kind of distinction. I have no problem … navigating issues. Of course it has to be legally sound. That is not the objection. The Minister of State has not addressed the objection here. A euro, a dollar, a pound or whatever that is gained in trade in services is the exact same as a euro

years. Even more, when a child gets their assessment of need, they can be left waiting years for services and supports which often never materialise. The State is failing children and their families. This is creating huge stress and pressure. Children are being left behind during these critical … providing an assessment of need through contracting a private service. Families who do not go down this route are left at the back of the queue while legal costs for the State are mounting. Instead of the State forking out money on legal fees, would

legal entitlement to an assessment of needs within six months. I want to draw attention to two areas in the programme for Government that directly affect my constituency of Tipperary South. The first is palliative care. The Government states it is committed to enhancing palliative care services

progress but we have still to take that most important step and recognise that only the State can guarantee access to childcare in areas where private or community services have not been established. A public model of early learning and care is the final step that brings together … legislating to ensure that every child has a legal right to the two years of the ECCE programme? Does he believe that the work childcare professionals do is as important as that of teachers and that the State needs to pay them in a way that recognises this

proportionate and aligns with the EU principles of openness, fairness and transparency. With all State contracts, each bidder in the procurement process must sign a statement confirming that if it is awarded any service contract, it will in the performance of that contract comply with all applicable obligations … comply with their legal obligations. We have national rules governing public procurement that must comply with EU requirements, as I said earlier. It is important also to note that employment law and its enforcement, both public and private, is a matter for the State authorities including

Minister of State to consider that local authorities must be supported to provide priority accommodation for victims fleeing life-threatening situations, an emergency flee fund must be introduced to allow people to set up new lives and shelters must have access to emergency medical services and local … Sinn Féin has submitted to the civil legal aid review that the €18,000 threshold for legal aid remains far too low. Additionally, while the Irish courts refer convicted domestic abusers to rehabilitation programmes, there is no obligation on them to complete them. Only

replace the Marine Casualty Investigation Board, MCIB, the briefing document stated that the main focus of the Bill was to provide the MAIU with the necessary framework to ensure it can, in its organisation, legal structure and as decision-maker, operate independently of any party whose interest could … dissolution of the previous MCIB was in Part 4, and the offshore service vehicles were then dealt with in Part 5. While we welcome the intent repeated again by the Minister of State, unfortunately, the Government ultimately has failed to produce legislation that is fit for purpose. Despite

provide for a modification of the existing requirement regarding the triple lock with regard to the dispatch of the Defence Forces for services outside the State as part of an international United Nations force. In effect, the requirement for the UN Security Council mandate will be removed. However … These principles have been refined to ensure appropriate legal effect as part of the drafting process. It is also proposed that the Bill would set out the general principles that will apply when a contingent is being despatched for service and there will be a requirement to seek

failed to provide for this right. On paper the State's policy is to keep people in their homes but in practice the State is funding people to go into nursing homes, 80% of which are in private hands. The overreliance on nursing home care does not serve … elder care continues. Contracting out public services is often thought to result in efficiencies but the argument does not stand up to scrutiny. This is because most of those supposed efficiencies have costs and they are largely borne by service users and workers. Related to this

legal standing and in relation to payment of taxes and social contributions. Procurement regulations require tenderers to comply with applicable obligations in the fields of environmental, social and labour law. These obligations apply at the place where the works are carried out or where services are provided. They … international, environmental, social, and labour law. The Office of Government Procurement, in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General and the Chief State Solicitor’s Office, provides guidance and a suite of procurement documentation to help contracting authorities to ensure that successful tenderers and subcontractors comply with

assessments of need, with more than 14,000 children currently waiting. More and more parents are struggling. They are battling the State and taking legal action against it. This is totally avoidable. We need the Government to give serious priority to and to take action on reducing these … waiting list and stated that if it did not hear from them by a certain date, they would be removed from it. Parents have enough to deal with, particularly when they have children with additional needs and when everything in the State is a battle, whether

workers' pay in this sector. This will help support these organisations to recruit and retain staff to deliver services on behalf of the State. In line with the October 2023 agreement, and following approval of the public sector pay deal, relevant Departments, agencies, employer representatives and unions reconvened … empowered to pursue meaningful careers. I will also be working closely with the Minister of State for Disability, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, on delivering on the ambition of the Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026. We have set ambitious targets in the plan to provide for unmet need

Disability legislation obliges the State to provide assessments of need for children with disabilities within six months of referral. This early assessment is vital as children use it as a gateway to access therapy services such as psychology, speech and language, etc. It is universally accepted that early … this regard, as was the previous Government. When does the Government propose to implement the law to give these vulnerable children their legal entitlements

under the age of 12 months. Since then, the International Court of Justice has ruled on the legal consequences and implications of Israel's occupation. The ICJ has ruled that states have a duty to abstain from entering into economic or trade dealings with Israel concerning the occupied … territory. It also said that states must take steps to prevent trade or investment relations that assist in the maintenance of the illegal situation created by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory. The ICJ further found that all states are under an obligation not to render

system to better protect and support victims and survivors of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, including the provision of effective training for legal professionals and the Judiciary. We called for consistency in sentencing and the provision of access to rehabilitation programmes for perpetrators of domestic, sexual … work. I now move to prosecution decisions. The DPP's guidelines for prosecutors state that a prosecution should not be instituted unless there is admissible, relevant, credible and reliable evidence. The guidelines also state that it is not the practice to operate a rule under which conviction would

enacting the occupied territories Bill, which would ban the trading of goods and services into Ireland from Palestinian lands that have been colonised, occupied and illegally settled by Israel. Not only is it a legal response to Israel's brutal crimes but it chimes directly with the values … accountability. Worse still, the words of support and common cause to the genocidal Netanyahu regime and the arming of Israel by the United States, Britain and others in Europe is an obscenity

their collar and often find it impossible to keep up with the workload and the demands on the service. Despite this, County Wexford can consider itself lucky to be in a position to have a refuge. Sadly, nine counties - Cavan, Carlow, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon … from knowing that they do not have access to the safe haven of a refuge in their communities or localities. As the motion states, only 5% of those who experience sexual violence as an adult report it to An Garda. It is estimated that just

delivery of mental health services has progressed significantly since that time. The 2001 Act does not fully reflect our current approach to mental health services, such as the shift towards community-based services, the adoption of a recovery approach in service delivery, and the importance of listening … that underpins and regulates our mental health services sets the standards we must all work to deliver and includes protections for those who use mental health services. The Mental Health Bill is not the only strand through which our services can be modernised and improved. Our national mental

health of women and girls worldwide, a woman or girl is killed by a partner or family member every 10 minutes; in this State: — since 1996, 274 women have died violently ...; — 52 per cent of women have experienced sexual violence in childhood or adulthood; — 35 per cent … their legal teams access to counselling records. We need to end the practice of character references in gender-based violence cases and we need to provide adequacy for victims in the court process. We also need training for judges, gardaí and juries. The domestic violence services

people have had their eyes opened to awful things about the world we live in, about the apartheid nature of the Israeli state, about the oppression, displacement and discrimination faced by Palestinians on a daily basis, about the deep depravity of the capitalist, imperialist system we live … sudden, that they could do it. In fact, the ICJ makes no distinction whatsoever between goods and services. This has nothing to do with legality. It is about power. It is about bowing down to US corporations and it is about shamefully bowing down to Donald Trump. Absolute

congratulate Deputy Smyth on her role, as she said at the beginning of today's discussion, as the first Minister of State with intleacht shaorga in her title. I welcome today's discussion. This is such an important topic in society right now. It will dominate our term … Online Safety and Media Regulation Act and the Digital Services Act. Both of those are good steps but nowhere near where we need to be. Similar to the legislation we have seen in the EU with the Digital Services Act and the AI Act, both were watered down

provision would deal with that issue. I read section 19A earlier. On paper, it looks like it covers all the important issues. It states counselling notes shall not be disclosed unless it is necessary for a fair trail. Unfortunately, section 19A is not operating the way the Oireachtas … seen the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Act 2024 signed into law last year, which expands a victim's right to legal representation in circumstances. Deputy Coppinger referred to the character reference issue. At present, the law is that if someone is going to give

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin TD, having received legal advice in relation to the Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018, welcomed that the advisory opinion of the ICJ stated that states have a duty including "an obligation to take steps to prevent trade … authoritative statement of applicable international law, which is binding on all states and international organisations"; and — in advance of the general election of 29th November, 2024, during a televised leaders' debate, then Taoiseach Simon Harris TD, stated "I'll support the legislation [the Control of Economic Activity (Occupied

secretary of state, which is a role broadly equivalent to a minister of State. In Ireland, there are 15 Ministers. In other jurisdictions that are similar in size, such as New Zealand and Norway, I am told there are 20 ministers and ministers of state, but this figure … Government will be focusing its attention and where the assistance and support provided by a Minister of State will be essential to achieve these specific responsibilities. The Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, will have special responsibility for fisheries and he will

gender-based violence in Irish society. The programme for Government commits to tackling this epidemic as a major priority. As Minister of State with responsibility for international law, law reform and youth justice; I have a key role in supporting the Minister and Government colleagues to keep driving … comprehensive O'Malley Review of Protections for Vulnerable Witnesses in the Investigation and Prosecution of Sexual Offences, including around anonymity and legal representation in certain contexts. It also introduced a provision relating to character references in sexual offence cases. Now, regardless of whether a reference is being provided

working as intended given that a tiny number of solicitors (details supplied) across the State will only provide the legal practitioner statement as part of the Decision Support Service enduring power of attorney application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5056/25