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Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association, the ICSA and the Irish Rural Association are today protesting about GAEC 2 at Agriculture House. If this is not stopped, it will mean more regulations acting against Irish farmers. They need an urgent meeting with the Minister for Agriculture, Food … extra time on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and six minutes on Thursdays for priority questions. He says that they and Government TDs have a right to speak. On the other hand, in the same document, it is proposed to change Standing Order 48 so that Government and Opposition questions

these issues. I accept that he does not want the plan to fail. I also accept that generally our engagements in relation to housing are constructive. We have different perspectives and different views on occasion but I appreciate that point. I have to reject or disagree with … wastewater. We are enabling small developers on small sites to put in their own infrastructure which will help rural and regional communities right across the country. In relation to the targets, just to be clear on this, the target is very clear. It is 300,000 more homes

time - the Minister's party was in government - put in place an Act that provided rights for children with disabilities, including the right to an assessment of need. Every year since, the Government has utterly failed. What we have seen is children waiting far too long … waiting list for an assessment or a service to be given to their child. I raised last week in this House an issue in relation to the Waterford south city children's disability network team because I had met a group of parents. I have done

shocking is that the Government is now actually underestimating the number of homes required by 20%. There has been no increase in social housing funding or targets and this means homelessness will rise and council lists will continue to get worse. My office and our council have seen … contacted by a mother with two adult children in a two-bedroom apartment. She is a professional who worked hard and did the right things. You know when the Government said, "Do the right thing. Stay in school, go to college, get the degree and the master

There have been no half measures from the terrorist state of Israel in the past two years: hospitals, places of prayer and tents housing refugees who are fleeing; women, children and men slaughtered; ambulance crews bombed; and aerial bombardment on a scale I have never seen before … intimidate Palestinian communities out of their homes so as Israel can fully occupy their lands. Israel has bulldozed crops, farmsteads, businesses and homes right throughout the past two years while its campaign of slaughter in Gaza has continued, bullying families off their own land and replacing them with

their own private sections that will impact on the grid. My definition of private wires would be more about an area like a housing estate that has a wind turbine beside it or an array of solar panels where people can be offgrid in a situation like … that we are efficient in our usage. In that context, I agree with colleagues in terms of subsidising the bills people are facing right now. It does make sense to continue it. I welcomed the continuation of the 9% VAT on electricity but I do not see anything

Deputy a further note on that. New rated homes are highly insulated and will retain heat for longer than traditional poorly insulated houses. There are also multiple benefits during normal operation of improved comfort, improved indoor air quality and carbon emissions reductions. Local authorities, supported by the national … they are most needed. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae has made his point well and has outlined the difficulties that people in Kerry and right throughout the western seaboard are having. As he outlined, there were many people who were happy they had a stove of some sort that

foundation for what is very much a priority of mine now. This is also a priority Bill for the Government. It is right that Deputy Ardagh's determination is reflected in the progress made today. Several important points were raised during this debate. Some Members asked whether … down that route. Deputy Collins gave an example of a cancer survivor who, thanks to the Deputy's advocacy in this House, had a matter resolved on the floor of the Dáil. Had it not been resolved here, I reiterate that where any health insurance company fails

catchment area of the local national school, has been refused planning permission on grounds of local planning need. This is happening right across the country. The statements on planning need to happen. They need to be implemented. We need to address the planning system and adopt a permissive … know families and elderly people receiving home care packages under which a different individual attends every day. We must address the lack of housing for older people in our communities

move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am grateful for the opportunity to bring this important Bill before the House. Electronic evidence is now central to almost every criminal investigation. While data flows globally, law enforcement authorities across Europe are often in need … Increasingly, law enforcement has become reliant on voluntary co-operation with service providers but this method lacks enforcement power, fails to protect fundamental rights and leaves it up to service providers to determine the legitimacy of requests. It is to address these deficiencies that I am introducing

State but I am telling the Minister about Donegal because I can speak with authority about it. They cannot go on the social housing list. They cannot get a mortgage. The Minister has no plan for them. He has just abandoned these working families. There is public land … morning, go to work and you will have a roof over your head and security for your family, which is the most basic right. That has been denied to them. I genuinely cannot believe the Government has published another plan that fails to address this huge cohort

Protected Disclosures Act and its alignment with the EU whistleblower directive, too many brave individuals have paid a heavy price for doing the right thing. Careers have been destroyed, disclosures have been delayed and coercive confidentiality agreements have been used to silence the truth. This is not justice … People are still being penalised for telling the truth. As public representatives, we see every day how secrecy and bureaucracy undermine trust. Take housing in the council, for example. Some of us spend months making representations, attending meetings and fighting for families who desperately need a home. When

coming weeks, which will provide further sectoral details in relation to the distribution of those investments and that allocation across the various programmes right across the Department. The Deputy asked about criteria. A clear focus of that plan will be on providing greater certainty on the projects … years. A real area of focus for the Government is linking all our critical infrastructure investment to support the delivery of large-scale housing. We have a real opportunity to do that and transport-orientated development in that regard will greatly assist

hypothetical or abstract policy debate. This affects hundreds of thousands of people in this country. On 19 March in the Upper House, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe said he would address the fundamental points of discrimination. He also made the statement that it seemed to be constitutional … compliance with the equal status legislation? Will the Government publish all documentation and supports that do not infringe the breach of the constitutional rights of the childless citizen? If I leave all my money to the dog's home, the dog's home pays absolutely zero tax. Therefore

happening in Gaza is a monumental crime. Does our country still stand for a world in which powerful states cannot trample over human rights and extinguish thousands of lives or do we allow this new fear created by global strongmen to overpower the deep-seated humanitarian instincts … Minister for foreign affairs will bring forward the Government's watered-down version of the occupied territories Bill for debate in this House so we can assess what benefit, if any, it can bring to pressurising Israel to stop its slaughter

comments on that in his summation. The other issue is proof of cohabitation. While the Bill rightly acknowledges the need to extend pension rights to cohabiting partners, the process for providing proof of cohabitation is quite vague and potentially problematic. It does not clearly define what level … injustice for a small group of people. If we do not address that in this Bill as it goes through the Houses, it will lead to an injustice for bereaved partners and their children. I recognise a lot of work has gone into this Bill. I commend those

road to keep going as a country. As a member of the LGBTIQ+ community, I respect everybody. Deputy O'Donoghue is right that fear is driving some of the narrative. That fear is caused by some and they have to reflect on their articulation of points. I welcome … woman or a woman to a man. It does not happen. If we are to have a debate in this House, let us do so in a manner that is honest in terms of engagement on the issue of transgender healthcare. I pay tribute to the Minister, Deputy

condemning an illegal war in Iran and the chaos that is caused in that region. It is very clear that there are human rights violations. There were executions of protestors in recent days. It must go on the record again that it is a repressive and ruthless government … will not see a further escalation. I will touch on the issues in Sudan. It is too often neglected, both in these Houses and internationally. It has been a bit longer than a year since the massacre at El Fasher, with some of the worst scenes of violence

what the timeline is and when we will see a proper implementation plan. We need to fundamentally rethink what civil legal aid provides. Housing, homelessness, employment discrimination and social welfare are all areas where people experiencing disadvantage desperately need legal assistance. We desperately need to support the expansion … whether they can afford a solicitor to protect themselves or their children. Speaking of family law, I acknowledge the fantastic work of the Right to Transparency group. I am not sure if the Minister of State is aware of this group but, if not, I suggest that

political expression or free speech. On what Deputy Ward said about sovereignty being impacted, we are making the decision here, in the elected House of the Irish people, to share sovereignty in a number of areas. That is a sovereign decision being made by the Irish people. Deputy … three motions but he made the point that legislation cannot be used to criticise or to restrict people expressing their right to protest. Nobody is doing this, and anything that we opt into this evening will not have an impact in respect of that. Deputy Kelly was correct

lives, is something I never again want to witness. What happened in Birchwood last week has not just left people heartbroken. People are, rightly, angry and they are searching for answers. Let us not forget that along with the four innocent lives taken, two children, 14-year … Centre, which became support hubs to help people to deal with the shock, trauma and disbelief following this awful tragedy. We in this House must acknowledge that in the worst of circumstances, communities have rallied together to offer support, counselling, practical assistance and comfort to those who need

with parents aged over 80. This is why upgrading the disability capacity review is urgent. We need a live database integrating disability supports, housing and people living at home who are not counted among any figures. We need proper capacity planning because we are way behind … plans. This model has worked elsewhere. The LSS Act in Sweden, for example, ensures that people with an intellectual disability have a legal right to community living and the CLBC model in Canada's British Columbia reports that over 90% of adults with intellectual disabilities live in community

grant powers specifically to the Defence Forces. This is something the Defence Forces have been asking for. Deputy Duncan Smith is right. Just because these issues have been ongoing for some time does not mean we should not act on them now. That is what I am doing … have worked on other legislation in which other Ministers have asked me to include certain elements. That has happened without debate in this House. It is important that we are having these discussions here this evening. We will discuss these amendments further on Committee Stage before the legislation

some of the sentiments coming through. Less than half of the respondents believe that the EU is moving in the right direction, with concerns about migration, EU regulation, and sovereignty. These are legitimate concerns and demand our attention. They remind us that the European project … also looking at the likes of the cost of living, which is a top concern for us here at home, and migration and housing. I will bring it closer to home in relation to the need to inform and educate the next generation of citizens. The Minister

take that, so naturally there will be cuts. There are so many lessons to be learned from this. All of us in this House have to learn from this. We have abruptly tried to make a decision on taking provision of services from children. That should never ever … level of resources has not kept up with the level of need. There is a significant level of need in our country right now. I accept that there will be over 25,000 SNAs in our country. It is wonderful and a brilliant achievement