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which it states has enabled it to plan its transformation and give clarity to independent producers. Multi-annual funding gives certainty to public service broadcasters and independent production companies on the funding likely to be available, allowing for investment and development. There are long-standing concerns about … Television Association, CTA, and Community Radio Ireland, CRAOL. They stated concerns about the lack of specific recognition afforded to the community media sector in the revised general scheme. CTA and CRAOL stated that community media has a distinct legal status and that references to local and regional media

state advertising into the mix. We have to ensure that these new roles have adequate staff and expertise. It is not just about passing legislation but it is about making sure that when this is enacted, Coimisiún na Meán is fully resourced. Regarding the area of state advertising … welcome things. Article 25 of the European Media Freedom Act, which this Bill facilitates, requires that public funds for state advertising and service contracts are awarded based on transparent, objective, proportionate and non-discriminatory criteria. This puts pressure on public and local authorities to consider certain factors when

division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately; 3. the proceedings on the Motion re Approval of Appointment of Members of the Legal Services Regulatory Authority shall be taken without debate; and 4. the Statements on School Transport shall not exceed 3 hours and 32 minutes and the order … arrangements contained in the table immediately below (to be read across, not down); (b) following the statements, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and (c) members may share time. In relation

times that it is how I believe I can be as effective as possible. The programme for Government that I signed up to stated that it would: Progress legislation prohibiting goods from Occupied Palestinian Territories following the July 2024 International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion. Continue to oppose … need to pass the occupied territories Bill in respect of goods and services on which Senator Frances Black has been working with her team. I have met her team and got the legal advice that it would withstand a challenge. When this Bill is being pushed down

issuing state committed by a person who resides in that state, and execution can be refused. Article 12 sets out the grounds for refusal. Article 10 provides a channel through which the service provider may alert the Irish enforcing authority when it considers the order would interfere with

ground. I say this on a day when the Taoiseach was an absolute disgrace and embarrassment, knowing he is not complying with his legal obligations under an Act passed 20 years ago and, rather than deal with that failure, he said he will change the law. He said … obligation to provide services but there was an obligation to carry out an assessment of need and to lay out a service plan for the services required. Two years later, we signed up to the UN protocol. It took us another 11 years to ratify it. I have

from RTÉ was on "Morning Ireland" earlier. He stated that workers are now voting no-confidence in the management of RTÉ, although they are really pointing through that to Government policy. Essentially, the ability of RTÉ to produce public service broadcasting is being dismantled. They are absolutely right … wary of the legal risks involved. They might not have resources necessary to make them even if they wanted to, so the stuff that we need our public service broadcaster to do will just not happen. Under the guise of reforming RTÉ, the public service broadcaster

infrastructure delivery. The action plan spans four pillars. First, there is legal reform. This is designed to tackle excessive complexity in the regulatory and infrastructure development environment at the source. These legal reforms are specific and carefully considered to improve infrastructure delivery without compromising on environmental standards, individual … country. We are not simply adjusting one lever; we are changing the system entirely, reforming our legal and regulatory processes, how we co-ordinate and deliver across the public service and how we engage with the public, because only a whole-of-government effort will convert record investment

sector. There are highly efficient and professional solicitors providing services to persons accused of criminal offences. I believe that will continue. I would not propose the reforms if I thought it would not. I looked at the criminal legal aid scheme and I am fully aware … accused of serious offences have adequate protection. My proposed reform in the District Court is not intended to reduce the cost to the State in providing criminal legal aid. Instead, it is about improving efficiencies and reducing unnecessary adjournments while still ensuring fair and sustainable remuneration for legal

unable to obtain his or her new one by the expiry date, he or she is still legally permitted to remain in the State. His or her existing IRP card has another maximum of 12 weeks. I fully acknowledge it is frustrating and worrying for people going through … volume and demand and that we believe we will be in a much better position in terms of catching up and providing the service in the timeline we would like to see for everybody going forward

called commercial mandate for An Post. An Post has to legally behave like a company that is solely focused on profit despite the reality that it is a public and community service and should be seen as such, and that should be its priority. Because … Post. One is the relocation of sorting offices and the other is the treatment of An Post pensioners. The Minister of State took a Topical Issue from the TDs in our constituency. I had to miss it for some good reason. The Topical Issue was about the move

only the legal route to pursue his losses. Others will not be insured again having received a payout. These are real people with real stories. In the absence of flood schemes insurance protection gaps in flood prone areas have developed. I ask the Minister of State … with the insurance industry and relevant stakeholders. I would also like to be associated with the Minister of State's words of praise for all of the emergency services

overarching framework for advancing the State’s obligations under the UNCRPD. In advance of the strategy, work continues unabated across government to advance implementation, with achievements including: increases in funding for disability services, including €3.2 billion in budget 2025 for HSE disability services; the ratification of the optional … UNCRPD; the publication of the Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026; publication of the autism innovation strategy; the commencement in 2023 of the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act 2015, as amended, which establishes a modern legal framework to support decision-making by adults who may have difficulty

avoid legal uncertainty for vulnerable individuals and therefore, the committee was satisfied that a waiver was appropriate. The starting point for this legislation is the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, which represented one of the most important reforms of disability law in the State in many decades … make decisions rather than having their legal capacity removed entirely. The legislation places emphasis on the will and preferences of the person, ensuring that individuals are supported to exercise their autonomy wherever possible. Under the Act, the Decision Support Service, DSS, was created and tiered decision support arrangements

constitute a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to a two-state solution; — the Advisory Opinion issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in July 2024 entitled "Legal Consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East … UEFA against these associations for refusing to play Russia, thus setting a clear legal and moral precedent; — the UN International Convention against Apartheid in Sports (1985), which recognised that sporting contacts with apartheid states undermine international efforts against racial discrimination and oppression; — that in November

introduce a new Dental Act to update the out-dated legal framework of the 1985 Act, in line with the recommendations of the Dental Council of Ireland, which should also place new entitlements to access dental care services on a statutory footing; and — improve the collection and publication … lists in this area and ensure timely access to care under general anaesthetic for these patients who need it. The public dental service in this State is absolutely shocking and clearly is not working. I have dealt with this now for a long number of years. I have

past few years, by 43 per cent since 2020, marking the largest increase in Defence funding in the history of the Irish State; acknowledges that: — the Government is committed to supporting the global multilateral system, to vocally defending international law, particularly international humanitarian law, and human rights … look at this issue as it progresses. The triple lock is the legal mechanism governing the deployment of our Defence Forces on peacekeeping missions. It is not enshrined in our Constitution. It is a legal mechanism that was agreed in this House. To deploy our peacekeepers, our troops

welcome the opportunity to speak on the Postal and Telecommunications Services (Amendment) Bill 2026. I am glad to support its passage. This is a short Bill with a single purpose. Section 1 raises the amount the Minister can make available to An Post for the post office network … welfare payments made on behalf of the State. Let us consider what those figures mean in practice. They mean a pensioner collecting their payment from someone who knows their name. They mean a carer paying bills through the household budget service. They mean a family buying a Leap

state, directly resulting from years of poor planning and under-resourcing. All of this did not come about by chance. These are the results of poor political decision-making over many years. They can be resolved by more progressive political decision-making. The chronic neglect of disability services … families at the mercy of a disjointed patchwork of a support system for their children. The Disability Act 2005 provided children with a legal right to an assessment of need within six months of being applied for. In reality, more than 90% of assessments of need are completed

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

recombinant shingles vaccine called Shingrix is available in Ireland and is administered as a two-dose vaccine. The national immunisation advisory committee guidelines state that the Shingrix vaccine may be considered in those aged 65 years and older, due to the greater burden and severity of disease … cost-effectiveness of health technologies, providing advice to the Minister for Health on budget impact, organisational and social aspects and ethical and legal issues. These evaluations take the form of health technology assessments or HTAs. A HTA is a multidisciplinary research process that collects and summarises information about

systematic way. This has led, in other jurisdictions, to an inherent distrust of the state holding data on the person, restrictions on the use of that data and stronger legal and constitutional protections for privacy, confidentiality and proper oversight and governance. In the age of information technology … could use the infrastructure of the State to encroach on civil liberties, to target minority populations, for instance, or suppress political dissent. Furthermore, should the data be accessed by unscrupulous actors like hackers, compromised individuals within State bodies or foreign state actors, especially in the age of supercharged

issuer credit rating to A from A minus. It is important to note that the State will receive an increased stock holding in ESB in return for this investment. The State will continue to receive dividends in proportion to its shareholding. I will now turn to the Bill … investment by Government and the ambitious PR6 investment programme. On a separate but important note, legal consideration has determined that the equity investment does not give rise to any issue of state aid. I will provide a section by section summary of the Bill, which has five sections

territories following the July 2024 International Court of Justice advisory opinion. This Bill is designed to provide for compliance by the State with that international legal obligation as identified by the ICJ in that advisory opinion, to take steps to prevent trade relations that assist in the maintenance … committee and chaired the meetings that carried out scrutiny of the Government's proposals in this Bill. Yes, the committee recommended unanimously that services be included in the Bill. The committee never divided on any of the amendments proposed for the Bill. In other words, we were never

whistleblowers, but what we actually do is destroy them. The Minister of State knows it, I know it, and the public know it. We bring laws and pat ourselves on the back and then the State turns around and crushes the very people who tried to protect … wrongdoings and act in the public's interest, and the State responds with the three Ds: delay, deny, destroy. This was reported and called out by The Irish Times. This is across all of the Civil Service. I have a list of whistleblowers. We have Maurice McCabe