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áthas orm deis a bheith agam labhairt ar an mBille seo anocht. Housing and the cost-of-living challenges remain to the forefront of people's concerns. It is, unfortunately, gone beyond an emergency. It is a crisis on steroids and one that is locking thousands of children … side that is being artificially driven by the arrival of tens of thousands of people into this country who have absolutely no legal right to be here and whom we have no obligation to keep here. We need to look at that side of things or no solution

asked for and it is not what Sinn Féin and others had committed. The sum total impact of it will be that schools right across the country will continue to have to look for voluntary contributions, raffles, bake sales and other fundraising measures to keep the lights … those plans and we need to see them implemented. There are significant concerns about retention and absenteeism. Regarding the recruitment of teachers, affordable housing is simply non-existent. I mentioned that prime example from last night "Prime Time". When is the Minister ever going to introduce the timebound

quite personally aggrieved and insulted that in his contribution the Minister compared me and the Labour Party to the far right. I certainly try to avoid making personal charges against individuals. I certainly do not go around the place whipping up hate. As a proud anti-racist … flouted, as we know. I reject the idea that we have to strike a balance between investors and renters, purely because the entire housing system as it stands is so imbalanced against renters. The changes the Government proposes will not necessarily address the viability issue. There are still

world very well. I can point to moments in history when Ireland stood out as a voice for peace, conflict resolution and the rights to freedom and self-determination. I reiterate that they are principles and a legacy that were lost in the Oval Office last week. When … take it. Some people have taken issue with the fact Sinn Féin did not participate in the social events in the White House on St. Patrick's Day. I notice none of the representatives had anything to say about the SDLP and the Alliance Party taking a similar

moves by Government to reduce funding and restrict the tenant in situ scheme will lead to children, women and men becoming homeless right across the State. Some 15,280 people are availing of State-provided emergency accommodation, which is a 13% increase on last year, and this … became homeless as a result. While the scheme on its own could never hope to mitigate the abject failure of the Government's housing policy - remember homelessness increased by 15% in 2023 - it did offer protection to many vulnerable families facing eviction through no fault of their

there are times when we can do that. For me however, it is about how do we not see the whole picture, because right now Ireland, in all our constituencies, is at a crisis point. You can feel it when walking down the streets of this city … actually only brings it down to 104% overcapacity. That is mental as logic. If we invested even half of that money into prevention, housing and rehabilitation we would not need more cells at all. One would think that the Minister for justice, of all people

Irish Fiscal Advisory Council says every year, our overdependence on a very small cohort of foreign multinationals. We have revenue right now that needs to be spent strategically but we do need to spend that money. There are several areas I wish to deal with in my brief … that the Minister did say the private wires legislation is coming. That will enable people who can have solar panels on their own houses to store the energy in batteries in those houses. It will also hopefully mean that when we are trying to encourage more people

doubt that experience influenced her commitment to bringing this legislation forward. We always try to be the messengers of the people in this House and time and again in my nigh on 30 years as a public representative - almost 16 years in the Oireachtas and as a member … glad that the Minister of State has more appropriately framed this initiative and his intention in terms of the legislation as a right of disregard rather than a right to be forgotten. That is the appropriate way to describe this. It is fantastic that when this legislation

utmost priority to me, my Department, the Government as a whole, to Deputy Kenny and I am sure to all in this House who take in an interest in the matter. Since 2017, we have seen 16,266 purpose-built student accommodation beds completed nationwide, which brings … immediately required but they will be required as the decade progresses. However, there is undoubtedly a shortage of the beds that are required right now. It is not in the magnitude of that number but it is worth noting. I am sure the Deputy has engaged with

separation and staff ratios are all really important. The lack of regulation and enforcement in this area is causing major difficulty for shelters right across the country. There are over 7,000 dogs in shelters in Ireland. Many of them are pedigree dogs and many have come from … these dog shelters face. I urge the Minister of State to prioritise this and to work with those on this side of the House to make sure that minimum standards in the industry are addressed. I want to raise the issue of sheep worrying around the country

capital. We want to get all of those schemes approved. I do not have clear details as to where each scheme is right now. I have no doubt Deputy Cleere does, as he is a local TD for the area. He has listed six schemes. I will work … going to be important in that regard. Offshore wind energy is critical for this. That is why I have convened a clearing house, involving industry and the Government, to deal with macro issues around delivering offshore wind generation as quickly as we possibly can to enable

Everything needs to be on the basis of evidence. The evidence does not suggest there are no apartments coming on stream or extra houses coming up for rent. Neither have I seen evidence that it will reduce costs by €50,000 to €100,000. When I saw that … hitting 600 ft. Planning permission is being sought for turbines of up to nearly 200 m in height. They are springing up left, right and centre. Deputy John McGuinness will know this because he has been at the meetings on the Laois-Kilkenny border that I have been

Clonburris and Seven Mills, where the trains are always full but the people in these houses are only given 0.75 parking spaces per housing unit and do not even have the option to drive. They cannot charge an EV to try the greener driving option because they cannot … prices when people are suffering from increases in the price of food, fuel and electricity. That is what this Government should be getting right now - a full stop for this sort of measure

tweeting about deportation flights. I have a huge problem with the performative politics from the Tánaiste in making inaccurate statements in relation to housing and immigration. I have a massive problem with the performative politics we have seen from Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Independent Members in government … made quickly and clearly. The changes the Government is proposing in this Bill are not palatable to the Labour Party from a human rights perspective. I actually would have more confidence in these provisions if they were being proposed in a sincere way to improve the system

have expanded the working family payment so more families can qualify. We have increased the State pension. As we speak today, people right across the country are seeing the benefit of the Christmas bonus. This initiative, which costs around €370 million from the budget, is to assist pensioners … facilities. I am sure the Deputy welcomes this. It is a welcome development. We will commit, with Deputy Doherty and everyone in this House, to delivering during the lifetime of the Government the kind of childcare system on which I believe there is almost a consensus. Childcare

broken today. It is a specific demand of a specific lobbyist who came into Government Buildings and requested it. The Minister is right this is one of three measures. That is the one point on which I will agree with her. The Government is allowing apartment developers … large volume - of smaller, darker, far more expensive homes. If anybody tells me that is a credible solution to the housing crisis, they clearly do not understand what is happening. The worst thing of all - I say this with the greatest of respect for the Minister opposite

activating and stimulating growth. The Bill is short and it is very welcome. I appreciate the Opposition facilitating the Bill. At the housing committee yesterday it agreed to relax pre-legislative scrutiny. This is very important because it is about protecting renters in some parts of the country … conclude the business quite quickly. I compliment the Minister on the work he has done in this respect. It is striking the right balance. It is not an easy task but he has struck the right chord

Questions Nos. 20 to 30, inclusive, together. The Government has established Cabinet committees across a range of policy areas: economy, trade and competitiveness; housing; infrastructure; climate action and energy; disability; health; EU and international affairs; justice, migration and social affairs; water quality; Northern Ireland; and children and education … establishment. This is a clear demonstration of the Government’s continuing commitment to supporting and developing our rural towns, villages and communities right across the country. The range of schemes available support projects in communities all across rural Ireland in areas such as town regeneration, the development

again in a recent follow-up question. Why is this level of double standard being allowed to persist? Those on the housing assistance payment, HAP, who work must contribute towards the cost of their accommodation. Why does that not apply in the same way to IPAS applicants … children in school or in college. They are doing their level best and yet they are contributing towards their accommodation, which is only right and fair, but they see others in the IPAS system who are not contributing a cent. That is totally unfair

widower or a surviving civil partner. The Supreme Court decision gives rise to the necessity for the Bill before the House today. The Bill will have an important impact on many hundreds of people directly affected by the death of a loved one. It should also bring comfort … surviving qualified cohabitants. In its decision, the Supreme Court noted that the State had already defined cohabitation within the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010. Accordingly, the Bill proposes to extend eligibility to the payment to qualified cohabitants who are in an intimate

problems persist. She has spent 40 years battling for adequate respite, services and allowances. The battle continues. All of us in this House get emails and calls every day from concerned parents or carers who cannot access therapies for their dependants. In my constituency of Dublin South West … young carers who are providing care for their loved ones, are undervalued and underappreciated. The Minister has an opportunity today to do right by some of the most heroic but vulnerable members of our society - those young carers sitting in the Visitors Gallery today. I urge

That is significant. There is huge spending. IFAC says “Spend more”. We are spending on the grid and on retrofits. We are spending right across the board. Fertiliser use has come down. We have to deal with realities as they present themselves. We have to bring people with … supplies we are currently importing were interrupted, I would like to see what the Deputy would be saying in this House when the economy would crash

have tabled an amendment to this motion. I do so not to dismiss the concerns sincerely raised but to ensure that this House has a full, balanced and evidence-based understanding of where early learning and childcare stands today and the direction in which we are moving. While … evidence, stakeholder engagement and consultation. More than 11,000 submissions have been received through the consultation process, supported by 56 local consultation events right across the country. That is not the absence of a plan. This is a Government that is developing policy in partnership with children

said to the Deputy privately and am happy to say to him on the floor of the House, we did a productivity analysis in the Department of the actual activity being carried out in each of the four big maternity hospitals to try to determine what the level … compliance or issues to work on, to initiate a broader audit of how that is done. I have also cross-referenced the admitting rights of public-only consultant contract holders with private hospitals. None of this is enough for me to be able to publish and stand over

triple lock. We told the Irish people before the election. We do not need any caustic remarks that if people in this House do not like the way we vote somehow or other we have lost the trust and respect. I would not accuse Deputy Connolly of losing … Security Council veto. It is the Vladimir Putin veto that actually has a real ability. Vladimir Putin has no right to say where the men and women of Óglaigh na hÉireann can go on peacekeeping missions. I will not comment on his election, but he certainly