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that delivered as soon as possible. Anyone who has experienced a flood knows that it is extremely difficult to get one's house back into order and there is always an issue with insurance. Likewise, in relation to the village of Inistioge, I have seen the flood waters … they possibly can. Kilkenny is no stranger to flood relief schemes. One of the biggest schemes in the country was put in place right through the city of Kilkenny. It is often said that what we did was provide a scheme at a cost of millions of euro

advance this dangerous agenda. It completely smashes the EU fiscal rules. These rules cannot be broken for spending for the social good, housing, healthcare or responding to our climate crisis, but they can be completely thrown out the window when it comes to spending on weapons. That says … military neutrality and on the insistence of international law. Neutrality is the foundation upon which Ireland champions engagement, diplomacy, the primacy of human rights and the prevention and resolution of conflict through dialogue. Generations of Irish peacekeepers have built a proud reputation for their contribution to peacekeeping missions

issues that can be worked through. For me, the most important thing is that we start from the right place and that right place is recognition and respect. I also want to say something about people who are born intersex, because being intersex and being non-binary … this debate. Legal recognition is really important, but so too is healthcare. We have had several debates on this issue in the House. The gender healthcare system in this State is broken beyond repair. A new model of care has been developed, but people who are intersex

been contacted by officials in relation to this review process. From my point of view, when I raised it in the House at the time I was quite surprised to hear the review was taking place to begin with, considering a memorandum of understanding had been undertaken … communication, and getting a group of people together who, it would have been assumed at one time, would not have pulled in the right direction. They proved it is possible with engagement and constructive work. I would appreciate if the Minister of State engaged with officials

confirmation of that than the Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 of the Fianna Fáil Minister, James Browne, which he introduced in the House yesterday. That Bill is written by, for and on behalf of corporate landlords and institutional investors. That Bill will line the pockets of these … That exceeds the combined wealth of 66% of the population of this country, some 3.4 million people. Oxfam recommends a wealth tax, and rightly so. That is something the Government should introduce immediately. A wealth tax, even at a very nominal rate, would raise billions of euro

great pleasure to address the House on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, who will join us momentarily. The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment asked me to begin by addressing the serious concerns that all of us have in relation to the abuse … European Commission has powers with respect to the proliferation of illegal content online on platforms, including X, and the protection of fundamental rights, including protection for minors. Coimisiún na Meán is engaging with the European Commission in this context in relation to Grok. The Attorney General has also

Broin did not support them. He said Sinn Féin would get rid of them and replace them with a reference system that the Housing Agency and the ESRI, both independent of Government, said would not work. They said it would be extremely complicated and it would not work … rental protections. I want people listening into this debate to know that on 10 June, we brought in a series of new rights and protections for both new and existing tenants

Féin presented a budget without the existing levels of service costed. What kind of economics is that? It is crazy and it permeates right through this budget. This budget will be known as the budget where the election promises were put in the bin. People are not stupid … most unfair budgets I have ever seen, even going back to the austerity years. When I walked out of the Houses yesterday I met a well-known activist in a wheelchair. A lot of the Ministers of State will know her and they have great respect

measure the financial cost of soaring homelessness, we cannot measure the human cost. How many babies are struggling to learn to crawl right now because of a lack of space? How many toddlers are experiencing delayed speech development? How many children have become withdrawn or have fallen behind … area that have been abandoned by successive Governments. They have been left to pick up the pieces of years of Government failure on housing. The response of this Government is not to help or reduce homelessness but to make the situation even worse and introduce new rent rules

contract as our school bus routes has a responsibility to ensure the requisite number of buses, the right sizes of buses and the right number of drivers are in place long before the school year commences. There is a number of distinct issues in terms of the dysfunction … principle would ensure people are able to secure transport for their children. It should be an absolute principle and a goal of this House that every child who needs a school bus should get a seat on that bus. The irony is not lost on people in rural

towards what is within our control. I am delighted to see the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Deputy Burke, is in the House. I also recognise the appointment of the Minister, Deputy Lawless, in the higher education and the innovation space. I would like … them leave. They go to San Francisco, to Paris and to other parts of the world when we could be doing it right here, only up the road in the IFSC and in other locations in the country where some extraordinarily exciting innovation is happening. The Minister, Deputy

immorality and encouraging piety and virtue. These are reminders that without the checks and balances of recognising our common humanity and the rights of all, we can see laws that bring about grave injustices, that the trade, goods and money that flows across this world can seem … become as a nation even now. I hope we choose well and with this Bill coming before the House that we are serious about learning the lessons of the past

that Independent Ireland voted against those sanctions. All of that needs to be examined and called out. When it comes to doing the right thing and protecting jobs, the Government needs to be decisive and proactive. We cannot feed Russia's war machine and if we want … issues we have seen this year around Grok and online harms that people are talking about on daily in these Houses, we are not putting our money where our mouth is when it comes to a European regulatory framework. Instead, the Government and its colleagues in Europe

propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 11 and 33 together. As the House will be aware, the main support available to assist students with the cost of attending higher education is the student grant scheme. Under the scheme, grant assistance is awarded to eligible students attending an approved … look after other commitments. The part-time course is a very attractive option for many people for that reason and it is only right that it should be supported through this fees scheme. That was not previously the case but it is now. As I said, I have

several more actions we need to take. Drugs are changing all the time. This is a changing world. All of us in this House are very mindful of that. We cannot be complacent about the harms and dangers associated with illicit drug use and a volatile drugs market … communities and the different agencies attached. My aim as Minister of State is to work together to get the solutions, get the strategy right and get the services right for those who need them. That is what I intend

State. The frustration among parents and pupils is there for all to see. We saw it when protests were being held outside Leinster House and 24-hour sleep-outs were being held outside the Department. Delays in diagnosis and assessment of need have serious consequences for a child … constituency of Cork North-Central, in the Minister of State's county, we hope a special school will be opened in Carrignavar. Right now, however, the resources are not in Carrignavar to open this special school. This means children will continue to travel long distances

under the leadership of the national dementia office. I was pleased to bring the Health (Amendment) (Home Support Providers) Act 2026 through the Houses of the Oireachtas recently. It was signed into law by the President. Under the Act, for the first time in Ireland, all private, public … this year's budget, I gave it as a defined line of funding. It is something that will be funded in its own right every year. All the funding for community-based services is supporting the delivery of Sláintecare. That is our overarching policy document in health

home support scheme that will deliver universal home care? We need to see universal and affordable access to home care. It is the right thing to do and it is the wise thing to do. Properly supported home care reduces pressure on our overwhelmed hospitals. It is better … State point to a single public service that has improved thanks to the Government pushing for further privatisation? Is there anything, be it housing, roads, water, infrastructure or the energy sector? All that "the market will provide" privatisation model has done is drive up the cost of services

indeed is their party’s health spokesperson. I do not say this to suggest there is not an understanding of Sláintecare in this House, but we are, as Professor Steve Thomas has warned, in "danger of mission creep". To be clear, Professor Thomas is not just some commentator … eligibility" for some services. This point, while overlooked, is crucial - the distinction between "entitlements" and "eligibility". "Entitlement" means that a person has a right to something, while "eligibility" is defined as having the necessary qualities or satisfying the necessary conditions to qualify for a scheme. That

will continue to be a long-term shift towards a more isolationist stance in the US, irrespective of who is in the White House. Therefore, how we adapt will have real consequences for Ireland as a nation. It might not happen with one big drop-off in revenue … Administration who seek to mitigate the current policy. Many Republican Party elected representatives from export-dependent states might be worried right now. We need to hold up our noses and continue to keep channels open with the highest levels of the Trump Government. Of course, where that will

said from the Government side of the Chamber over recent weeks whenever we tried to question it, whether about the falsity of the housing figures presented willingly by the Government or the inability to promote what the public childcare in this programme for Government … looks up and sees a person who is brought to the Chamber, in great difficulty themselves, or their family, to vindicate a basic right such as a wheelchair, in some instances, or the carer's allowance. They ask that they no longer be means-tested. It is cruel

Deputy for raising this serious issue. I am taking it on behalf of the Minister of State with responsibility for older people and housing, Deputy O'Donnell. Long-term residential care is a crucial part of our healthcare system. Across the country, our HSE community nursing units, CNUs … still saying that. This only came to me yesterday. The opening is dependent on registration approval from HIQA, so the Deputy is right that this is what the HSE is waiting on. The HSE is engaging with HIQA regarding a small number of outstanding issues. The Deputy

been progress, but being in employment does not necessarily mean having an equal opportunity to progress. I have spoken repeatedly in this House and in the Seanad about the motherhood penalty. Maynooth University research found a 27% fall in earnings immediately after childbirth among female graduates, and that … motherhood penalty. If it becomes normal working practice, care can be shared more equally. A review was promised, including consideration of extending the right to request flexible work to everyone. I am wondering where that review stands and when its findings will be published. We also need

legislation or when somebody is prepared to advocate from a personal point of view, it can have a very significant impact on the Houses of the Oireachtas. That has certainly happened in the case of Valerie French and the campaign put forward by David and Valerie's sisters … logic to have a mandatory requirement imposed on a statutory body to bring the issue of removal or restriction of guardianship rights before the District Court. Another issue Deputy Devine raised was whether there should be a specialist unit within Tusla. Fortunately, these applications will not be very

protected disclosures; — can investigate allegations of penalisation and failures to protect reporting persons; — can review the accuracy of information supplied to Ministers, the Houses of the Oireachtas and the Horkan family; — can refer evidence of suspected criminal wrongdoing to the competent authorities; — can examine whether other protected disclosures … Protected Disclosure to the then Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris, given that it was expressly identified as a separate Protected Disclosure in its own right; — can examine why on 21st December, 2023, a protected disclosure was redirected to An Garda Síochána following a direction by the former Minister