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later than 2030. There have been significant developments relating to just transition since the Private Members' Bill was presented to the House in 2021. These include both policy and legislation changes, as well as the establishment of, as Deputy Whitmore said, the just transition commission of Ireland … need for an evidence-based approach to plan our response to just transition requirements. It is about equipping people with the right skills to participate in the future economy. It is about ensuring that the costs are shared so that existing inequalities are not exacerbated

welcome the Minister of State to the House to discuss the publication of the review of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004. The report is an overdue milestone and a wake-up call. Now, 21 years into that EPSEN Act, we must be real … These aim squarely at the heart of the issues flagged, namely, uncommenced legal provisions, delayed assessments, weak accountability and, most crucially, children's rights being overlooked in practice. The review makes a particularly striking call for a unified legislative framework covering all school-age children. Also urgent

regards the Minister of State who has just left the House, Kieran O'Donnell, it would be remiss of me when speaking on an issue like this not to commend his father, Martin, one of the founding members of St. Joseph's Foundation, and his commitment to disability … Government is still considering the development of the multi-annual funding approach or can she provide a guarantee to me and families right across the country right now that this Government will commit to an multi-annual funding approach? In Cork and Kerry, there are 600 people waiting

that parents, families and children who do not want to receive religious instruction are not put through that and are not denied their rights. The Minister said she has no targets. The previous Government had targets that it was nowhere near to meeting. The reason the Minister … children can make. In my constituency, one of the things that parents point out to me is that there are areas with higher house prices that have a level of choice in terms of schools and denominations, but in areas with more average or lower house prices, given

status can never be justified. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child is clear that it is always a violation of rights and is never in a child's best interest. The EU migration pact sets minimum standards but it does not require us to detain … there is no power to initiate civil proceedings, and the Minister retains the power to redact reports before they are laid before the House. That is not robust oversight. Only weeks ago, the Inspector of Prisons raised strikingly similar concerns about the erosion of real independence and transparency

which is a significant increase from the €1.9 billion provided under the current internal security fund running from 2021 to 2027. As this House will know, in recent years geopolitical instability has impacted greatly on the EU and the threat picture facing the EU is stark. Security threats … years. Member states can draw down from the fund for transnational projects which promote the adherence to the rule of law and fundamental rights, support and improve access to justice, support judicial training, and support the proper funding of independent judicial systems. Some examples of Irish projects that

getting easier for them and, if anything, it is getting more difficult. They attribute some of this to the rise of the far right and an intolerance of people who might have different coloured skin, a different religion or who love differently. That kind of intolerance … hide something from their employer or their colleagues and it is quite perverse in that regard. It is great that in this House we have had a Taoiseach who is openly gay as well as many Members of this House who are married and very open. Maybe they

secret and we should not be treating people as if they are a problem to be managed rather than human beings deserving of rights, fairness and due process, above all else. This is not about migration management. It is not about future-proofing. It is very clearly about … play a part in something that I know will be used, ultimately, to hurt those who have the least. I hope this House and parties across the left will have the courage to say the same

number of pipes were put in, maybe 12 in., 14 in. or 18 in. in diameter. Then it was decided to build more houses and buildings, which was good, but the pipes had to take more and more water from the new estates. This went … have Inland Fisheries Ireland, the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland, the fisheries and the National Parks and Wildlife Service. In some cases, the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing because everyone is trying to stop things. We need collaborative thinking, as argued

Deputies welcoming their former teachers to the Gallery. They are very welcome and I hope they are enjoying their trip to Leinster House today. The investment is being put in to upgrade the pipe network. A lot of investigation has gone into the pipe network in this area … leak reduction or anything else. Uisce Éireann is on site now and it should be using that time, fundamentally, to make sure the right things are done and we do not have to go back to it in the future. There was an added piece here

Like the Minister of State and every Member in this House, I was deeply disturbed by the scenes broadcast on the recent "RTÉ Investigates" programme. While immediate and decisive action is required in those specific cases in Glasnevin and Portlaoise - and I fully support the Government's commitment … today who would be better served by sheltered or supervised living in the community. It is essential that we get the regulatory framework right. I welcome that the Minister of State has met the chief inspector of HIQA and that he plans to appear before the health committee

challenge. Too many young people in Laois are struggling to buy or rent a home. We must cut the red tape, build more houses and ensure that rural families can build in their own communities. Supporting working families is essential. The cost of living is putting people under … impact the livelihood of thousands of farmers, has been discussed behind closed doors without any farmer representation at the table. Farmers' representatives have rightly pointed out that these proposals, which include the rewetting of 80,000 ha of peat land, were discussed at a meeting of so-called

wish it away. We must work for it. We must prepare for it. We must plan for it, and we must get it right. Unity will not happen by accident. It will only happen when we work for it. The Taoiseach's fellow countyman said it better than … Good Friday Agreement together. The Taoiseach should withdraw his opposition and work with us and all of the other parties in this House to get the job done

follow down the path of militarisation or to stay true to our commitment as a country and a State towards peace, human rights and diplomacy. We need to be the annoying voice within the European Union to remind it of its origins and our commitment as a union … Minister of State talks to us about debate but the Government has had a whopping total of two Government representatives in the House today, and not even two at the same time

safety on the roads, including our road users and pedestrians, and us, as policymakers. There is an onus on us to enact the right policies. In 2024, there were 175 road deaths in the country. The European Transport Safety Council published findings in June 2024 that found that … trusted in that way. The woman thanked me for speaking up and letting people know that the Deputies in this House are willing to have the conversation. Some of the speed limits on local roads have changed from 80 km/h to 60 km/h and while some people

apologise again to the House. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Ceann Comhairle as ucht an ama agus an deis seo a thabhairt dom. I would like to express my personal gratitude to the Ceann Comhairle, members of the Opposition and all Members for the manner in which I have … family in their home in the south east. The Farrelly commission referred to this family as "Family X", again to preserve Grace's right to privacy. The foster parents are referred to as Mr. X and Mrs. X. Mr. X was 67 years old when Grace came

landlords, who want clarity, fairness and a rental sector that is not constantly changing rules midstream. The Bill gets a number of things right. First, it introduces for the first time a national approach to rent regulation. Instead of the patchwork of rent pressure zones, we move … grow supply, rents will remain high and pressure will remain unbearable. I also commend the Minister on recognising something many in this House have been slow to acknowledge, namely that a rental market where rents cannot be reset between tenancies becomes one that people exit. That

route on a cross-city basis. The combined route will run along the north and south quays between Heuston Station and the Custom House. The NTA understands that changes of this scale require adjustments and that some customers may experience challenges during the bedding-in period. The Department … only with the collaboration and the goodwill of the public that we will can effect change; not just in this but right across government

protected. We have previously supported similar agreements in this area and it is recommended for operational and policy reasons that we exercise our right to opt in under Article 3 to this proposal so that we can input into the negotiations from the outset. I again highlight that … also being evaluated and there may be scope for amendments at the appropriate time. The point is noted. I trust that the House can support the exercise of Ireland's opt-in in this instance and, therefore, approve the motion to participate in the Council decision authorising

from wasting Garda and court time and prison resources chasing people for small amounts. Those resources could be redirected to addiction services, outreach, housing and harm reduction. That is what Portugal did. Multiple UN bodies have urged us to do this. It is what the Citizens' Assembly thought … people who have come before that committee - the experts, workers, families and most importantly the people with lived experience - to get this right. We must ensure that their voice, when they came to a committee established by this Government, is actually catered for in the work it charged

reducing our carbon emissions by 90%? We are not losing anything and are using a sustainable fuel that can be sourced right here in the European Union. The fuel is subject to 23% VAT, which I do not really have a problem with. It is also subject … Ireland, that is, transport? This fuel can be used in buses and cars. Whatever uses diesel can also use HVO. Everybody in this House knows how important it is that we meet those 2030 targets. It is important not just because of the financial aspect of the potential

companies need to be protected. Even more, how do we counteract the likes of President Trump and Vance? I believe the Government was right to go over to meet President Trump. All avenues have to be kept open. However, the knock-on effect will not only be from … helped to make our economy sustainable. In the present, we see massive inflation as it is. Things are spiralling out of control, including house building. If we are not careful we will be heading into a deep recession where we will need all the funds possible to make

give effect to the new measures announced for March. The impending changes to rent controls have been informed by the findings of the Housing Agency review of RPZs, and potential policy options, and its preferred recommendation to modify the operation of the existing RPZ rent controls … certainty. Without all of these measures, we cannot ramp up the supply needed. The Government is determined and ambitious to get this right. RPZs are due to expire at the end of this year. If we do nothing, all rents go back to market. The Government

people involved in the legal profession and people involved in civil society. I appreciate the unanimity that we have landed on in the House. It took some time to get here. In considering these amendments, it is worth understanding why we have landed on the model that … came to me with a list of ten different areas, some of which the Minister has moved on in terms of access rights for a parent or a partner who's involved in a murder and so on. On this specific issue, the idea of granting access

that; they have to be a fundamental part of it. It is interesting that we had no figures until 2023, when his Department rightly commissioned a report on the data. It took until 2023 to get that. That gives an indication of how little value … infrastructure. One might ask what that has to do with social enterprise but if there is no sewage treatment plant to allow houses to be built and for small enterprises to develop, we are in serious trouble. Social enterprises can only come along with basic infrastructure. We have