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genocide, murder, starvation, mass deportation, mass displacement and ethnic cleansing are not in our name. Tonight, everybody in this House will have a chance to be on the right side of history. I urge every Member of the House, in both opposition and government, to be on that

society as well as the economy. That is right. Of course he should. However, what has the Taoiseach got to show for the running of society? There are more than 5,000 children homeless, unaffordable rents and house prices, a creaking health service and massive under resourcing … roles vacant across the country. Meanwhile, the Government will spend €750 million on agency staff this year. Is that prudent? The housing disaster is the civil rights issue for the generation of TY students with us today, yet the Government refuses to unleash the power of the State

have a robust system in place. This is a significant policy change. We have to make sure we get it right. I assure the House and all Members that we are working extremely carefully with the National Council for Special Education, us as elected members and Department officials … various different types over the past couple of days. I assure the Deputies that when we have this done, we will have it right. We take everything seriously. We understand the special needs assistants, the children, the families and schools

ramped-up delivery homes that we all know is so badly needed. Instead, we are seeing more outsourcing of housing. There is nothing to strengthen renters' rights. The Government has even ignored its own Housing Commission's recommendations. There is no sense here of a radical reset

since the beginning of the year, most of which the Deputy has opposed, as she opposed most measures in respect of housing from the planning Act right through. This budget allocates significantly more resources again on very substantial State investment in housing - a 20% increase in overall funding

this misunderstands is that if it is not the right kind of supply in the right place at the right price, it does not meet people's housing needs. It is not that anybody on this side of the House is against private sector investment but there … enough is enough, renters cannot afford further rent increases and we have to stop it right now? That is what the amendments are about and I commend them to the House

very much about increasing the statutory borrowing limit. As many have alluded to, local authorities right across Ireland need to do more. Some have been excellent in meeting their social and affordable housing targets and others less so, but this increase in access to finance will enable … very much about increasing the statutory borrowing limit and being a key enabler of local authorities, AHBs and agencies right across the board so they may deliver housing at scale. We look forward to the Committee Stage discussions tomorrow

said it is about addressing homelessness and providing residential supply. He spoke about what is changing. The reality is that the housing disaster is happening right now. What is the Government is doing about it? It will not put in place a ban on evictions, which it could … highlight a case that came to me. There is a human reality to all of this which I have raised in the House again and again and which the Government is completely ignoring. There is a human cost to the housing crisis. A constituent who was in touch

have the money, how the communities affected by this crisis are some of the most impoverished in the country, how their houses are literally falling down around them, how the knock-on impact means that children suffer health issues connected to living in unsafe conditions, and that those … equality and adequate standards of living. Picking up on one of the points raised by those contributors, there is a dearth right now of alternative housing. This is because there has been stagnant social housing delivery for decades. There are estimates that 12,000 homes in County Donegal

time available, I assure the House that the time of the Deputies who follow will not be cut. They have the right to speak in this House regardless of what happens

affordable house has been build on public land in the county. As matters stand, there are no plans to do build any such houses. It is the same story in other counties, From what I can see, there are fewer or limited resources available to local authorities … failing. What is the impact of that? As my colleague Deputy Cullinane said, more and more families are saying that the right to own a house is out of their reach and that they are not going to be able to buy houses. That is a devastating scenario

ratify it and, if necessary, to put it to the people to decide in a referendum. It undermines our sovereignty and, basically, our right to decide our own destiny. It risks entrenching the corporate power of billionaires over Irish democratic decision-making. I believe we must protect … died for Irish sovereignty would think when the Government can bring in this law. It would undermine our sovereignty, threaten housing, public services, workers’ rights and climate commitments, and even, as Deputy Ó Snodaigh has just mentioned, limit Irish language rights. I believe we must protect our people

However, hundreds of human rights activists, including 22 Irish citizens, one of whom, Senator Chris Andrews, is a Member of the Houses, are heading to Gaza right now. There is every possibility of intervention from the Israeli State. This has concerned many Governments, which have sent their naval

landlords to reset rents to market rates between tenancies as most students only rent for nine months of the year; — Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne T.D. has made clear that it will not be possible to provide a specific protection for students … need it most? The Minister has seen the backlash and heard the anger of hundreds of students gathered outside this House and many more right up there. He needs to answer them. Why is he targeting them? Why is he attacking the future of our country

hand what they were undertaking. Yet again, the work they engaged in is a reminder to all of us in this House and to people right across the country that we collectively owe the volunteers of the Civil Defence a huge debt of gratitude. In regard … impacts, should a weather event of this magnitude occur again. I understand that the review process will be led by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and my Department. The Office of Emergency Planning will engage in doing the same. I understand the frustration of many

scheme, which I continue to champion, more than 176,000 houses have been retrofitted. The Minister of State is right that the average retrofit cost per house is €31,000 but I am conscious that 30% of all applications are for what are called shallow refits involving both

importance for coastal communities, I wanted it to be the first issue that I raised as part of a debate in this House. This is, as the Minister of State knows, a classic big guy versus small guy issue. As it stands, small harvesters are providing seaweed product … September 2023, the then Minister of State with responsibility for local government and planning, Deputy Kieran O'Donnell, stated in the House: ... there also exists the right of individuals to harvest wild seaweed, namely those who hold appurtenant rights and profit-a-prendre rights. Their rights to harvest

where the duty has been violated in the gravest way imaginable, but the principle that guardianship carries responsibilities as well as rights is one this House should be willing to examine across the spectrum, not only at the extremes. There is a real concern in communities across … also welcome the continued funding of the Greentown programme, which targets children subject to coercive control by criminal gangs. These are the right investments. They must continue and they must reach communities such as those in Dún Laoghaire and across the country. However, intervention works best when responsibility

current conflict is the safety of Irish citizens in the region. This is a priority and concern shared by all here in this House. I am grateful to those Deputies and Senators who have been in contact with my office to raise individual cases. The profile … Iranian authorities to protests in January leading to the death of at least 7,000 Iranian people was horrendous and rightly condemned in the House by Members of all parties and none, although some did not. There has been a near-total communications blackout since then, making

thank Deputy O'Callaghan for the question. I acknowledge this is an issue he has been rightly pursuing in this House for a period of time. The Deputy commended his colleague, Deputy Rice, the Cathaoirleach of the Oireachtas health committee. Deputy O'Callaghan will understand and appreciate … everybody now working in the health service understands that fully. In relation to the specific issue in University Hospital Galway, the Deputy is right that there is an issue here. The issue here is there is a histology laboratory in Galway. It processes on average 13,200 samples

mental disorder within the meaning of the Act. Even though I passed the Mental Health Act earlier this year through the Houses and the President signed it into law, it has not been enacted because there will be a lead-in time of approximately two years … ways that work for them before a crisis point is reached. I have to be clear that a person's housing status does not affect their right to refuse care, provided they have the capacity to make decisions about their own care. That is why we are opening

away people. I think they turned away several hundred women and their families in the last few months. It is concerning. Housing is a human right. Protection of bodily integrity, of mental well-being and of safety is a human right. We need to act with that lens

That is an outrageous statement. People buy houses where they can afford to buy them. That is the nature of house purchasing in Ireland right now, and some people, if they could afford Kilmartin Grove or Hollywoodrath, chose to live there, whether that is in private purchase, affordable

important. The reason I am not going to call a vote is because of the people in the Gallery and their right to hear this House discuss a matter of utmost importance that has come about as a result of them telling us their personal testimonies

enjoyed temporary protection in Ireland are a welcome part of our community. There are many opportunities for them to avail of housing in their own right and many Ukrainians are doing so at the moment. We will work to a process of making it very clear