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enforcement regime. The high staff turnover rate creates a damaging cycle that compromises the quality of care that people receive and this alone demands urgent attention. Care for older people must be reframed as an essential part of our social infrastructure, on a par with education, health … lack of appropriate alternatives. The priority should be on delivering care in the community, allowing older people to thrive and live with dignity and independence in their own homes for as long as possible. Just yesterday, a journalist outside asked how much this was going to cost. That

published last Wednesday. It is a significant milestone in our shared work to create a more inclusive and equitable education system. The report allows for a moment of reflection - a moment to honour the hopes that inspired this landmark legislation introduced over two decades ago and to take … also been brought forward. This will ensure that the NCSE has an earlier picture of demand that exists to allow for new special classes to be sanctioned sooner, allowing more time for these classes to be prepared, children enrolled, giving more certainty to parents and families. That

many for no reason and without consent. The families deserve justice there. The banks are allowed to enjoy corporation tax relief while boasting a combined profit of €5 billion last year alone and despite never fully repaying the Irish people for bailing them out. This is an opportunity … after the first all-clear from a doctor should be more than enough. People need to be able to move on with their lives, especially with lives they felt had been threatened. We have to think about why we are only talking about cancer. There are many serious

Domestic violence continues to impact thousands of lives in our communities. The need for support services has never been greater. The Minister recently said that Ireland has a very big problem when it comes to domestic violence. Cases have risen dramatically. In my constituency of Louth, we have … predecessor, Deputy McEntee. This funding will form part of a record €67 million provided for Cuan in budget 2025. It will allow us to target access to trauma-informed care and build long-term safety and resilience for survivors. However, we also need to strengthen trust

those suffering from endometriosis. Despite one in ten women having this condition, there is currently a nine-year delay in diagnosis. This allows the disease free rein to spread, causing irreversible damage to organs. Three weeks ago Senator McCormack, Deputy Cullinane and I hosted a public meeting … lives of these young girls and resulting in high rates of absence from school. Not only do we need adequate treatment, but we also need awareness in schools throughout Ireland to ensure teenage girls are not suffering in silence, that they know they are not alone, and that

practical and simple measure but an essential one and I commend the Minister on bringing it forward. It is estimated in Dublin alone, there is planning permission for up to 15,000 units with less than two years left in their lifetime so it makes eminent sense … take place within 18 months of this provision coming into law. That is very welcome. Equally, it is long overdue that time be allowed facilitated for planning permission subject to judicial review. The time that has been lost in the courts and JRs would be given back

once-off cost-of-living packages we did because of successful management of the economy in recent years. I take serious issue with the Deputy's assertion there has been a failure to invest in public services. Let us take education alone. This September, for the first time … highest level ever and this has benefited approximately 138,000 carers. Last week, the income level disregard for the carer's allowance was increased, meaning more people qualify for the allowance and more than 5,000 carers will receive an increase in their payment. The back to school

referred our women to mental health services instead of gynaecological ones because it is "all in their head". It is a system that allows women to go into septic shock on the floor of a hospital waiting room, all while there are start-of-the-art facilities available … health seriously. We have a horrifying track record in this respect, stretching back to the foundation of the State. It is a living history, with the recent collective trauma of the cervical check scandal hanging over mná na hÉireann, along with a litany of other injustices, including

Dargle Wood, Knocklyon, in my constituency of Dublin South-West about our water infrastructure. They have faced over 12 water outages this year alone. The broader picture is our climate preparedness and climate action, or the lack thereof. Ever since the programme for Government was published, the Labour … climate action is frustration. People feel hamstrung by this Government’s inaction and delay in providing even the most basic measures to allow them to engage in climate action. People want to retrofit their homes, but the system of grants restricts this to well-off households with significant

this very important motion, particularly in view of the crisis we have in dental care throughout the country. In the past 12 months alone, Cork has lost 58 dentists who were providing treatment to medical card holders. This is almost one quarter of all dentists who are part … every person in Cork and throughout Ireland can access the dental care to which they are entitled with their medical cards. We cannot allow this crisis to deepen. The people of Cork deserve better, our dentists deserve better and our healthcare system must do better. The waiting time

type of hard military action would not be taking place. Obviously, the only way forward is discussion, negotiation and reaching a ceasefire to allow room and scope for a proper discussion and a long-term settlement to be put in place. I by no means underestimate the task … ours. More than €75 million has been provided since October 2023. Ireland has provided €20 million in core support to UNRWA this year alone, which brings our support to €58 million since 2023. In May 2024, Ireland recognised the State of Palestine, along with Spain, in the European

accountable and transparent and to ensure public trust in the health services is restored. We can only do that by taking action and living by the word of the legislation. In my world of business, what gets counted gets done. For far too long, we have … disregards complaints that are made? What householder would not turn down the heat if they were conscious of the cost of heating, let alone the effects of it in a confined space? In terms of money being spent, SOS Kilkenny is a fine organisation. It celebrates 50 years

rent, it is a completely different standard. We got rid of bedsits for a reason. ALONE which works with elderly people agreed with that at the time because the people who were living in one-bedroom apartments and one bedroom units - bedsits at the time - were vulnerable … space. Increasingly with one-parent families, we see the need for space for children to come over at different points in their lives. Essentially the Minister is saying that having light and space is a luxury not a necessity, which is just not true. The units that will

incomes sources (wages, gross or net, private pension, maintenance payments, social welfare payments, children’s allowance, carer’s support grants, fuel allowance, living alone allowance, and so on) that the AHBs and the councils are permitted to take into account when calculating the sum on which the differential

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will increase the living alone allowance to ensure a targeted measure to support single adult households, in line with MESL research; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41048/25

Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost to extend the entitlement to the living alone allowance and household benefits package to one-parent families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44036/25

Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost for every €1 increase in the living alone allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44037/25

Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the living alone allowance for each of the last four years; the number per county; and the cost to his Department for each of those last four years, in tabular form

Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of increasing the living alone allowance by €1. [37458/25

Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the additional first-year and full-year cost of increasing the living alone allowance. [36576/25