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pages - and that process is ongoing. The inquiry is examining those materials and materials disclosed by the UK state authorities, including the PSNI and intelligence services. The legal representatives of the core participants of the inquiry, principally family members, are also examining the materials shared with them … provide assistance to a foreign inquiry. It is not the case, as proposed in the Deputy's amendment, that the head of a State body can ensure that a former officeholder provides a written statement. A head of a State body has no power to direct a former

need to be told that because of the legal interpretation of a State agency they now have to pay commercial rates, but that is what is happening. In 2015, the law was amended requiring that services must be established and operated on a fully not-for-profit basis

with the Mental Health Commission, as the regulator of mental health services, and the HSE, as the main provider of mental health services in the State. I thank the Mental Health Commission for all its support. The Department consulted widely with other stakeholders and professional representative groups such … Reform and its various member organisations, other Departments and State agencies such as An Garda Síochána. I wish to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the people with lived experience of mental health services - those living the experience and their loved ones - for taking

overall aim of this regulation is to create a predictable and legally binding framework for digital identities that will enable citizens, residents and business to securely access public and private services across member states. The regulation requires each member state to develop and provide at least one European

respect of their application to determine the member state responsible under the Asylum and Migration Management Regulation or in respect of an appeal. Legal advice is given the same meaning as it has under the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 and may be provided by a practising solicitor

those focused on planning, insurance, infrastructure, water services and wastewater and legal costs. We want real outcomes from this forum. The last meeting was only held last week. It was attended by the Minister and the two Ministers of State here, given the political commitment we have

through State investment and legal safeguards, not simply reduced. However, I acknowledge that it has been significantly reduced. I understand the Minister of State's concerns about tying the hands of clinicians, as she said before, but their hands are tied if their services have not been resourced

professionals in the services but also those who speak on behalf of patients. We do not want to have somebody fall through the cracks because we are saying 28 days is the transition period. I ask the Minister of State to ensure the legal rights of individuals, whether

tonight that more than 330 special classes have been approved this year, with more to follow in the coming weeks. As Minister of State with responsibility for special education and inclusion, I continue to meet officials of the National Council for Special Education, along with senior officials … This education therapy service will provide a multi-tiered model of support for children, parents and school communities. The service will focus on education-relevant goals, supporting children to fully participate in their school environments and maximise positive outcomes. During the debate, legal cases were mentioned. The Department

psychiatric facility because they may have been using either a legal or illegal substance, and at the very moment they were in crisis or seeking to deal with their addiction, they found that both services, addiction and mental health, were often citing their other diagnosis as a barrier … somebody into a service and there is opportunity to make good progress, it should not be missed." The idea of catching somebody as they are falling is really important. I watched the debate on this in the Seanad very closely. The Minister of State was very strong

Deputy Foley, repeatedly and I am glad to get the opportunity to raise it here this morning. The Minister of State will be aware of the new service being established for guardians ad litem, GALs, a system that will regulate them. That is welcome and GALs have … that there will be no guaranteed legal representation for the GAL in court proceedings. GALs are not legal experts. They will be in courtrooms where Tusla will have legal representation and where the parents, if they are there, will have legal representation. The GAL has the most important

course of the procedure, guidance on and explanation of the criteria and procedure for determining the member state responsible, and issues such as that. That will be provided through Legal Aid Board. If they are not qualified solicitors or barristers, they will be very well trained paralegals … provide to people bringing applications and as it gets to people appealing, there is an obligation to provide more by way of legal services. I recall we had a lengthy debate on Second Stage about legal counselling. Deputy Gannon understandably asked what it was about and where

fossil fuels through the creation of a State-owned Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal which will be reliant on imported gas and subject to geopolitical price shocks far beyond the State's control; — the enabling legislation for a State-owned LNG terminal, the Strategic Gas Emergency Reserve Bill … Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Minister of State at Housing, Local Government and Heritage almost a year and is still not published; — the Government has not fully met its legal obligations under the Climate Act as emissions limits do not account for the Land

disappointment with the task force's lack of focus on urban councils. The Council of Europe has consistently highlighted this State as having one of the weakest and most centralised systems of local government in Europe. We have to try to do something different. We in Sinn Féin … months as a TD working with the Office of Parliamentary Legal Advisers to produce this legislation. I emphasise that the same criteria contained in the Bill can be used for other large towns throughout the State to apply for city status for their respective areas. These include places

setting (primary/post-primary, special class/special school); and — the system of inclusive education in Ireland is fundamentally broken, and as demand continues to rise, the State's response has been to ration access to essential supports in order to save costs, rather than to meet needs; condemns the Government … offer inclusive education but instead delivers ration, denial and despair. The State is systematically failing children with additional educational needs. That is not hyperbole; that is the lived reality of parents forced into legal action to vindicate their child's most basic right, the right to an education

appropriate materials, such as bench books. A training working group was established in July 2024, which comprises membership from key Departments, State agencies and legal professional bodies, including the Judicial Council. I will now look at the family courts. The Family Courts Act was enacted by the Oireachtas … Deputy Gogarty's point on providing clearer guidance to parents, improving information and awareness is a key priority under the strategy. The Courts Service has made significant progress through its family law information hub, which provides accessible, plain language guidance to help families better understand the system

that then went and wrote it specifically [in his report]. Lied on the stand in court. Stood with my exes legal team despite supposedly being independent. And multiple meetings with my ex and phone calls but I wasn't afforded the same. He dismissed my child when bringing … water is overwhelming. The English and Welsh legal system recently had a sea change in how the family courts were reported on. Pilots were set up that removed the in camera rule and allowed accredited journalists and legal bloggers to report on family law proceedings, subject, of course

development and issuing of innovative new products. The principle of proportionality is embedded within EU financial services legislation. We must ensure that Ireland, therefore, does not fall behind other EU states that are subject to the same rules but that manage to move faster, avoid gold plating … establishment of digital fund structures, also referred to as tokenisation. There is an urgent need for clarity and certainty on the legal basis under which tokenised funds and other digital fund structures can be established and operate in Ireland. If changes are needed, they should be expedited

very challenging State care system. We also heard from Judge Dermot Simms, who I had in here last month for a briefing along with GALs to speak to the very serious concerns they have and he has for the national service. On a number of occasions the guardians … where the question mark is over independence. The Minister will know of the issue I have raised many times in terms of the legal representation. I cannot understand how that cannot be maintained in terms of guaranteed legal representation

July, 2026; — Government will also be establishing a new road transporters' support scheme, as well as supports for coach operators providing local link services, at a cost of €40 million per month for three months; — a comprehensive €100 million Fuel Subsidy Support Scheme to assist farmers, agricultural contractors … from renewables which has increased fivefold since 2005, and that in February 2026 wind energy provided a record 50 per cent of the State's electricity; — Ireland has now reached a record circa 8 gigawatts (GW) of renewable generation capacity, up from 4.8 GW in 2020, and renewable

Forces or the Civil Service or former ministerial officeholders, to give evidence before the High Court. This would be subject to the person concerned having the right to demonstrate that answering the questions would give rise to a risk of prejudice to their legal rights … High Court judge. In considering this proposal, it is necessary to recall that the inquiry is established under the law of another sovereign state. The chairman of the inquiry is necessarily limited to applying the law of the United Kingdom and were he to be assigned a role

number of them through the Irish Tax Institute - and those of the members of the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach in advance of publication of the Bill. The proposed Bill seeks to give appeals commissioners discretion to direct whether … their private and family life. As I stated earlier, I am open to further engagement on this. I do not wish to prejudge what the pre-legislative scrutiny might say but I imagine it may require further legal engagement with the Office of the Attorney General. If there

thing that was lacking in the Taoiseach's speech was any reference to rights and protections. Normally, he at least pays lip service to the issue but there is nothing in his contribution about the fact that while we allow businesses to flourish and create systems and ecosystems … particular in light of the security risks and privacy concerns around the European digital identity wallet. What assurances can the Minister of State provide that any digital omnibus package will address those vulnerabilities, rather than accelerate their adoption without the adequate protections that citizens require? I want

about it. The trade agreement also provides that the investment protection provisions shall not be interpreted as a commitment from governments that their legal frameworks will remain unchanged. The Dáil and the European Union can change legislation. The agreements further clarify that the fact a measure may negatively … joint interpretive instrument. The negotiators, the member states of the European Union and Canada, have gone far to address any concerns on this. The joint interpretive instrument says that CETA preserves the ability of the European Union and its member states and Canada to adopt and apply their

involuntarily detained may be very fearful, highly distressed, over-sedated, isolated from family and dealing with teams and professionals using clinical and legal language. Many people in that situation will find it overwhelming. In that context, independent advocacy should be a basic safeguard. A nominated person … rights and participate meaningfully in decisions affecting them. Without guaranteed independent advocacy, many people will be left alone at the precise moment the State is exercising the greatest power over them. Related to that, the independent complaints mechanism was also ruled out of order earlier. It is important

asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether Ireland's expenditure per capita on legal aid services for international protection applicants has been benchmarked against other EU Member States; if so, to provide the findings of such benchmarking; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the legal and policy basis on which full compliance with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies is not required for non-statutory bodies in receipt of public funding

Currie asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to provide details of the number of legal actions against his Department that have been resolved without going to court in line with the 2023 State Litigation Principles; if his Department is fully applying

user’s government identity; whether An Garda Síochána or any other State body will have the legal power to access identity data generated through the scheme; whether the State intends to log, record, or audit which social media platforms a citizen accesses using their “digital wallet” or rather … digital ID” under the auspices of simply protecting children from negative content and to facilitate the use of public services for Irish citizens; his views on the implications of the Government holding this data which the citizen has always considered private or at least anonymous on the internet