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about a young working couple, both in employment, who have gone three weeks without heat because they cannot afford it. They did everything right. They have worked hard, studied and built their lives and still they cannot heat their homes. Families now face rising school transport costs … inadequate and that people need real intervention but it did not listen. This failure is not confined to energy. We see it in housing. This weekend, figures show eviction notices surging since the Government's rent hike Bill came in - exactly as we warned. People see the same

this year. I welcome that decision. We have a Sudanese Embassy in Dublin. I do not know how many Members of this House have interacted with the ambassador. I do not know if the Minister has had that opportunity. How are we ensuring that … world and from the countries which support the rule of law and say we need to be doing more to ensure the human rights of these individuals and to ensure they have a chance to live their lives in a way that all of us in this country

families. I do not have the details to hand but I would like to provide that information to them. Deputy Cullinane is absolutely right about developing services now. An inquiry should not prohibit or preclude that. He will be aware that I have strengthened very considerably the board … domestically and internationally, that go beyond what we currently have to see how we can do more. I will report back to the House on that. I do not have an answer on that

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 Michael Cahill - To discuss the need to bring the national secondary road, the Ring of Kerry … Murphy - To discuss proposals to move Cashel and Carrick-on-Suir District Court sittings to Clonmel. Deputy Seamus Healy - To discuss granting the right to family reunion to all stamps 1 and 4 holders in full-time employment. Deputy Pat Buckley - To discuss waiting times for hip operations

island basis. That makes absolute sense. With work permits and student visas, we should take into account our capacity to house and integrate people, as well as the availability of public services. That is an argument for basic planning, something that was clearly missing in recent years … urgent pursuit of a legally binding, bilateral agreement with Britain. Irish citizenship is deeply valuable. It represents membership of our nation, carries rights and responsibilities and reflects a genuine commitment to Ireland. We recognise the immense contribution that migrants make across our public services, economy and communities

behalf of the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, who sends his apologies. The Deputy is correct that this is an opportunity to get this right. It is important that our public transport offering provides services that benefit people. I agree with the Deputy in that regard. In my city … what the Deputy wants to see happen with the continuation of the service that he spoke about. Through funding from the Department of housing's urban regeneration and development fund and the NTA, Ceannt Station has been undergoing significant works for the past two years to deliver

been a tough enough number of weeks for many families and school communities. I, like other Members of this House, have heard from parents across north Dublin who had serious and understandable concerns that their children would lose essential care and support ar scoil. While I welcome that … people dealing directly with these realities every day. They must be central to any future decisions. We must ensure we get this right for children and families across the country

called Digital Omnibus, a move towards deregulation that risks rolling back the progress that has been made so far. Data protection rights, for example, seem to be in the firing line. These are hard won protections and they are in place for good reason. We should be clear … Ultimately, it is our democracy itself that suffers and that is something that should deeply worry all of us in this House. We need to see real action from online platforms in tackling this kind of abuse and harassment and action from the regulator ensuring they

this motion is simple. It is to force the Government to finally act and put an end to the insurance rip-off. Right now, people are being fleeced. Families are under pressure. Businesses are being squeezed. Sports clubs, community clubs, charities, you name it - they are all being … done? Nothing. There has been no pushback, no outrage and no action. Home insurance premiums are getting higher and higher. Pushed by unaffordable house prices, people are paying far more or being left underinsured. One Government failure stacks up on top of another. Health insurance costs are almost

thank the Deputy. Since the previous occasion that the Deputy and I engaged across the House on these questions, the International Protection Act has commenced. It commenced on 12 June. These are very early stages. We are not even three weeks into it but the statistics … again, it is very early stages. It is in the region of 78% of much smaller numbers. It is going in the right direction. I spoke to the Home Secretary on 15 June after that appalling attack in Belfast and the appalling racist riots afterwards. I emphasised three

visible, whether it is accountable, and most important of all, whether it is fair to the people who depend upon it the most. Right now, those who have depended upon it and been failed by the system are very clearly telling us that it is not. We have … that many of us have heard. She spoke at length about what she was put through in search of justice. Everybody in the House should watch her testimony. If the Minister has not seen it, he should go back and have a look. When she was asked about

they simply cannot afford to. They will leave it as long as possible before they can make themselves comfortable, and that is not right in a wealthy country like Ireland. We are at a situation now where prices for electricity have almost doubled in the past five years … over 90 days, that is a warning signal to which the Government needs to listen. We heard earlier from both sides of the House that it is now time to call out the energy companies. What I would say to that is that it is way past time

Government refused to put in place a fit-for-purpose scheme. Now there are people in my constituency who have cracks in their houses. You can see through the cracks and put your hand through the cracks. They are trying to keep their homes warm and spending … relation to the price-gouging and the extortionate prices electricity companies are charging. It is time for the Government to do the right thing and make sure the energy credits Sinn Féin is calling for - €450 to be paid to households this winter - are central to the budget

Ross and the HSE, to name but a few of the great services available to vulnerable women and their children. An in-house child and family support worker is just one the highly skilled staff available in the refuge. Despite all of this, staff at the refuge … trial. The victims and survivors of sexual violence have spoken about their harrowing experiences of the legal system. Ludicrously, accused persons have the right to request access to the counselling records of complainants. We must put an end to this invasive and traumatic allowance for perpetrators. We must

school buses and there are no increases in medical services, such as public health nurses. When the Government decided it was going to house people seeking international protection in Citywest, it did not do an audit of the services that were in Citywest to see what impact this … country. Nobody will argue with that. These rules are not enforced and people are not processed quickly. If people have not got the right to be in this country, they should be processed quickly and returned to their country of origin as safely as possible. This is what

ridiculous. All the evidence shows that as the establishment moves to the right, it reinforces the rhetoric and analyses of the far right. It simply gives them more and more space because the establishment cedes ground to them. Fintan O'Toole was absolutely correct in analysing why this … that was the problem. It is all an incredible distraction technique to make people think that the problems in our society, the housing crisis, the health crisis and the cost-of-living crisis and the causes of those problems are not those at the top, those who profit

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 Michael Cahill - To discuss the tackling of coastal erosion and flooding in County Kerry. Deputy Peter 'Chap … Fingal west. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú - To discuss the CFRAM project at Blackrock, County Louth. Deputy Malcolm Byrne - To discuss ongoing human rights abuses against the Uyghurs. Deputy Rory Hearne - To discuss ongoing issues with the tenant in situ scheme in Dublin North-West. Deputy Eamon Scanlon

Deputy is right; this is genocidal activity. There are no two ways about it. The Israeli Government is rather upfront and blunt in outlining its military and political objectives for Gaza, which are abhorrent and clear breaches of international law. As I have been saying … proposals to bring forward legislation regarding the occupied Palestinian territory. I hope to be in a position to update the Government and this House on that next week

poor engagement, unclear processes and no obligation on patrons to co-operate. This is an attack on parental choice and the constitutional right to freedom of religion. Sinn Féin has long championed real choice in education. Our 2024 manifesto committed to a new strategy for diversification, supporting multidenominational … align with their beliefs. I thank the Social Democrats for bringing this issue to the fore and forcing this debate in the House. I will support the motion and oppose the Government's countermotion, which rips the heart out of the proposal we are here to discuss

standard statutory provisions modelled on other similar legislation to ensure that when operations of one state entity are transferred to another, the employment rights of staff are preserved. This was included in the general scheme in case it was required, which is specified in this to apply … facilitate staff transfers". The Government has not yet published the final legislation on this matter. On the Deputy’s question on the housing activation office, it will be a really important office when it comes to addressing the barriers and constraints that exist at local level, for example

ailment – thankfully not too often - I know the pharmacist knows what the answer is, but he or she does not have the legal right to either prescribe or dispense. A kind of generic over-the-counter response is given instead because they cannot use those qualifications, even though … great that this will see improved uptake through pharmacies. That is positive reaction from the ground. There were pharmacists in this House from both my party and the Minister for Health’s party who made points in the past two Dáil terms about not using and maximising

through this policy document, that local groups know what to refer to or where to go to ensure they are going in the right direction. Ultimately, what we are dealing with is ordinary people in their communities who see a gap, who see that something needs … behind the enterprise. In a growing region like north Kildare, we do not necessarily have all of the facilities we need. We have housing but we do not necessarily have all of the other facilities that we need. Social enterprises can be tailored and can provide community solutions

Unions, ICTU, public service committee has said that it has no basis for any formal talks to begin. Unions have pointed out, and rightly so, the inflation at 3.6% in May, which has already wiped out the 1% increase from February and the 1% increase since June … with a real possibility of industrial action across the health, education and local government sectors throughout the summer. Will the Minister tell the House what the Government’s action and timeline is for opening formal negotiations with the unions and looking after public sector pay? Does his Department

airports. If I can illustrate what imbalanced regional development looks like in the aviation realm, tomorrow, starting early in the morning and right up to about 9.30 p.m., 13 direct flights will depart from Dublin Airport heading to Amsterdam Schiphol, which is recognised as one of the principal … Shannon. It is a mantra we have. I am chairman of an all-party Oireachtas group that deals with Shannon Airport. While this House is often defined by division, argument and divergent views, I am glad to say that the 19 Members who sit on that, including

resources. They are considered to be the basics. A very wide approach is being taken by the Government in its approach on housing and tax expenditures. I understand that there is a need for action in this area, but the resources are not being used well. I recently … expenditures are up and productivity in the sector is going down, as is the investment in productivity year after year. That is not right and it does not make sense. That should be ringing alarm bells for the Minister in terms of his approach not being the correct