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national level in public transport, water infrastructure and strengthening our electricity grid. These are necessary investments, particularly if we are to support housing delivery and economic growth, but we must also ensure that this investment translates into real outcomes on the ground. The public needs confidence that funding … Taken together, taxation, childcare, commuting and infrastructure all shape how families experience our country and the economy. This Bill moves us in the right direction. As we look ahead to budget 2027, we need to go further in making work pay, particularly for families balancing work and childcare

clock in the morning, she received an email from the appeals board stating her appeal had been upheld, the Housing Agency's decision had been annulled and option 1, demolition and rebuild, was directed. That was presented as the outcome of her appeal. For those living in structurally … same day it made it known. The woman affected followed every single rule of the process and compiled everything in the right order for years, knowing her home had deteriorated and praying and hoping she would get through the process, only to have a decision made and reversed

waiting list, 924 people on the HAP waiting list and 744 people on the RAS list. As a result of the Government’s housing policies, working people, pensioners and vulnerable tenants are being forced out of their homes with nowhere for them to go while private rents continue … ordinary people. He believed no person should live at the mercy of insecurity and exploitation, but that is exactly what is happening right now. Today, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have ensured that ordinary families have literally been left out in the cold. I am dealing with

thank Deputy McGreehan and I share her ambition in terms of recognising volunteering and its importance. We are ambitious. The Deputy is right that volunteering is the cornerstone of our society. Volunteers play a critical role and we are the better for it. It is articulated and reflected … reflect the issues on the ground, as articulated by Deputy McGreehan today. Again, I express my appreciation, and that of everyone in the House, for the huge work and contribution being made by volunteers across the country. Deputy McGreehan mentioned County Louth in particular

health system. These staff play an essential role in delivering supports to people with disabilities and to older persons in our communities right across the country. It is important to note that the community and voluntary organisations providing many of the home support services in our communities … funded under section 39 of the Health Act 2004, section 56 of the Child and Family Agency Act 2013, section 10 of the Housing Act 1988 and section 40 of the Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Agency Act 2023. These organisations operate in the community and voluntary

highlighting the issue. The then Minister thanked me for raising this serious matter and for giving him an opportunity to update the House. This, of course, was following on from an RTÉ programme. As often happens, people have to go to the media to bare their soul … monitoring the waiting lists not on a monthly basis but "on a weekly basis". What happened? The attention of the Minister was right on this "on a weekly basis". He confirmed it in the Dáil. What happened? Hopefully the inquiry will get some answers because parents have waited

Government, including the Minister for Finance, because it changed the law. The Minister widened the bands by just 20%, even though he knows house prices have shot up by 30% to 40% across most of the State. That is what is driving families into higher bands and costing … Minister for Finance says, and his attempt to say otherwise is to take people for fools. They are not having it, because right now those same families are sitting at kitchen tables asking which bill to skip this month, be it the electricity bill, the rent

criticise the Minister and sounding shocked about the announcement, which is ridiculous, given that Fine Gael is in government and has no right to be shocked. The Minister mooted this in the spring. The Minister, Deputy Chambers, might remember that on 1 April, an article by Pat Leahy … level at all. This is appalling for people. At 6 p.m. next Tuesday, Labour has called a protest outside the gates of Leinster House, led by our higher education spokesperson, Senator Laura Harmon. Alongside students, unions and other political parties, we will be calling on the Government

licensing, DNA databases and educating dog owners about their responsibilities and the potential consequences for irresponsible behaviour. We have a responsibility in the House to promote and facilitate animal welfare. By preventing dog attacks on sheep, we will ensure the safety of our livestock. The devastating effects … Government in this regard. We have to implement stricter dog control laws. Those laws could help farmers by ensuring that they have the right to ban dogs from their land and commonage. In the Cooley Mountains in County Louth, farmers are tortured and run ragged trying to protect

Minister of State mentioned that she dealt with the Dublin local authorities. I cannot remember - I would not say it in this House anyway - exactly who responded in what way but there was a very clear lack of understanding. I am happy to meet with the Minister … maybe a year and a half, to do this particular Bill because when I put a Bill forward I want to do it right. Of course there are going to be issues that will have to be teased out on Committee Stage. That is the nature

treatment plant, the construction of which is now under way and will provide a safer, more reliable water supply for homes and businesses right across the region, originating in the Galtee Mountains. It is obviously an important source of water for the plant and it provides services … short space of time. It is about making sure we can keep up with that growth, keep up with the delivery of houses and make sure that, at the same time, we are not just investing in new infrastructure but also replacing old and outdated infrastructure, in particular

nurses, radiographers, administrative staff and support staff. They are professional, effective and really efficient. I want to recognise all of them in this House. The unit's reputation is such that people regularly travel there from well beyond Louth. There were lots of Dublin accents to be heard … type of service we should continue to invest in. It has the same goal as many of us, which is to deliver the right care in the right place at the right time. There is one significant limitation, however. That is why I am speaking here this morning

cases in my constituency concerning farming families have been dealt with in the course of the business of this House and the committees. Dan Brennan is one of them. It was agreed that an expert, Dr. Seán Brady, would be appointed to provide the Department with a report … meet this family who have written to the Taoiseach about the matter. Will the Taoiseach intervene in those two cases and ensure the rights of those two farming families are acknowledged and vindicated

growth in the area in which we went to school. As that boom declined, the numbers decreased but we are now seeing another housing boom coming back and those numbers are changing. We need to be alive to those changes. We must build for the future … their forbearance. I also thank the principals for their work. I thank the Department for seeing sense in this proposal and making the right decision. I thank the Minister for her decision as well

bargaining rights, providing unions access to the workplace, bringing the minimum wage in line with the living wage and the issue of workers' right to remote working. I want to give a shout out to a few specific groups of workers. The first is the Oireachtas TV workers … holidays, Christmas and all the rest. They are disgraceful conditions for people who are providing an important service for democracy and for this House. Nothing has been done about it. The company making profits from all of this continues to get the contract again and again

some communities are absolutely not policed as well as others. That is also something the Minister has written into the record of this House, when he said that there are parts of Dublin that are not as safe as other parts. Which parts was he referring to exactly … intimidation. It is very clearly costing lives and destroying communities. The DRIVE programme is a good start but it does not have the right level of funding allocation. People do not know too much about it and it is not endemic in the heart of the communities that

long way towards improving how justice is administered in Ireland, we must remember that this Bill is a step in the right direction, but there is still more to be done. The JPWG report concludes, “Additional numbers in further phases should be determined by a review … requirements that go alongside an increase in the numbers of judges. I also welcome the Bill’s intention to amend the Street and House to House Collections Act 1962, the Child Care Act 1991 and the Gambling Regulation Act 2024, to repeal certain provisions of the Family Courts

horticulture sector. The agri-food sector is a modern, dynamic, future-focused sector with roots in the domestic economy but an economic footprint right across the world. I look forward to working closely with my Minister of State colleagues and with all stakeholders from farm organisations and industry … many of the challenges this programme for Government looks to address - issues at the heart of the challenges we face, such as housing with our growing economy and population. County Kildare has doubled in population since 1991, with the growing pains that brings for our transport sector

there are weeks where decades happen. That in and of itself describes the changed geopolitical climate we see around the world today. We rightly have much commentary on the conflict in Ukraine and that in the Middle East but I am also conscious that there are conflicts … with their nearest neighbour and the impact that Russia may have on their independence in the future. Much has been made in this House about how we make Europe safer. One thing we have to re-imagine here is that we have a new position

their record, namely family members, or the public if they wish. That is their direction and decision, and it is right that the law now respects it. I welcome that the Department consulted survivors on these changes earlier in the year. That should be standard … their 50s and the eldest are approaching 80 and time is ticking. I have raised the case of Susan Kiernan in this House before. Sadly, Susan has passed away. I know the Minister is aware of the case, as are many who have been in his position. These

Those of us in the west of Ireland have endured the inequality and injustice of seeing, rightly, 100% redress for 3,000 families in Dublin and north Leinster under the pyrite scheme, but nothing like 100% redress in the west of Ireland. We will now have people … access loans and project manage the work, but most people cannot make the scheme work for them. There is no scheme for social housing or for those who are older and cannot move on. This is terribly wrong, and the Minister is now spreading the inequality and injustice

wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Catherine Ardagh - To discuss the additional investment provided in budget 2026 for children’s respite supports. Deputy … Educate Together National School, Dublin 13. Deputy Pa Daly - To discuss early intervention classes in Kerry. Deputy Malcolm Byrne - To discuss ongoing human rights abuses against the Uyghurs. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú - To discuss the post of radiographer clinical specialist ultrasound at Louth County Hospital. Deputy Louis

only a parent or a carer to come, but, indeed, siblings and a second parent or second carer. I called in this House last week for the refugee status that we granted to Ukrainians coming to the State, particularly throughout the war in Ukraine, to be extended … zone that most refugees will pass through. Exceptions need to be made, particularly for people from Gaza, because as many people rightly have said here, there is a particular affinity between the Irish people and the Palestinian people. I will send the Minister of State an email

continues when it comes to getting a suitable school place. With such a lack of SNAs in classrooms, I am dealing with it right across my constituency, in St. Catherine's in Cabra, Broombridge Educate Together National School and many others. What we need is a step change … aware of who I am and the reasons why I felt absolutely compelled to start an unprecedented protest at the gates of Leinster House today. Put simply, the Government through the HSE is systematically breaking the law as there are now over 15,000 children waiting

muddying of the waters, an attempt to disguise Government backbenchers as members of the Opposition by bestowing them with the same speaking rights as Opposition leaders. The notion that they will use this time to hold the Government to account is laughable. No one buys it, least … does. It is barely a few months old and its record is already one of failure. The Government is flailing around on housing as the situation deteriorates from disaster to catastrophe. Children with disabilities and their families are being betrayed and abandoned. Pre-election promises, such as enacting