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Middle East. To be fair to Deputy Boyd Barrett, he acknowledged it and the impact that it is having on the cost of living, not just in Ireland but right throughout the globe, and how governments are responding to that issue. One thing I will take issue with … increase in the fuel allowance rate to €38 per week and an expansion in the eligibility rules, with 40,000 additional households qualifying for it after the most recent budget; and a record allocation of €640 million for SEAI retrofit schemes, allowing us to target

until we scratch the surface of it. There is a €10 increase for pensioners and social welfare recipients, a €5 increase in fuel allowance, and a 9% VAT rate move that I would argue does too little too late by July of 2026. Some of my colleagues have … Governments going back to 2009. That is not charity; it is just simple justice for those people. With regard to the cost of living, the reality on the ground at the supermarkets is that inflation is still above 5%. A family pack of chicken costing

framework, it is important to acknowledge the full application in July of this year of Ireland’s online safety code. To allow for the implementation of the code, it was rolled out in two parts. Part A, which has general obligations, has applied since November 2024. Under Part … will be the minimum age for social media, grounded in European law. It is important to say that regulation alone will not address all the challenges, nor allow children and young people to derive all the benefits that the online world can bring. We must work to support

involuntary admission process, modernise provisions related to consent to treatment, provide enhanced safeguards for people accessing inpatient treatment, and provide a new, stand-alone Part that relates exclusively to the care and treatment of children and young people. The Bill will also introduce, for the first time … launch of the second implementation plan for Sharing the Vision, which is being developed in partnership with key stakeholders, including the voice of lived experience, which remains central to the delivery of policy. The next implementation phase will run to the end of 2027 and provides us with

four defence personnel had to withdraw immediately - they could not stay - but the EU mission continued and 23 other countries stayed. Ireland alone had to leave because of our legal requirement to have UN Security Council approval. Our participation had Government approval. We were contributing. I met three … December this year. Why? It is because the UN mandate was not renewed because one of the permanent members did not allow a renewed mandate. After almost five decades of service - 1978 was when our troops were first on the ground - we will no longer be able

February 2027 is approximately €407 million. This is, by any measure, a significant intervention. Indeed, as colleagues know, it does not stand alone. Since March, the Government has temporarily reduced mineral oil tax on petrol, diesel and green diesel, and has reduced the NORA levy to a nominal … cent per litre of qualifying fuel, supporting the road haulage and passenger transport sectors. We provided an additional €152 payment to fuel allowance recipients. We deferred the scheduled May increase in carbon tax and introduced targeted support for highly affected sectors, road transport operators, farmers, farm contractors

approximately €30 million will be available to support Ireland's participation in the European Space Agency. During the first half of this year alone, almost €13 million worth of contracts were awarded to Irish companies, with four Irish companies winning the first ever European Space Agency contract … three large-scale strategic sites in position for Ireland to invest in opportunities in sectors such as semi-conductors and live sciences. These will be key investment positions which will capitalise on the opportunities of tomorrow. Support for Irish businesses is about more than industry. It is about

their experiences and the impact providing care can have. These young carers are children and young people under the age of 18 whose lives are affected in the most significant way by the care needs of another family member or household member due to their illness, disability, mental … plan or strategy to support their specific needs. Our social protection system fails to recognise their value, as the rules on carer’s allowance and other income supports are a major hurdle for young people in accessing or continuing in further and higher education, training or employment. Like

Government, demonstrated by the record funding increase since 2020. Funding has increased by over 50% in this time and this has allowed us to recruit more staff, develop new digital services, provide more counselling and roll out specialist services across the country. The ambition of the Government … areas that require more focus. The new policy implementation structures will be supported by a lived experience panel hosted by the National Suicide Research Foundation. We continue to embed lived experience into Government policy formation and delivery. Last year's public consultation involved surveys and a series

capacity and ensuring that rural communities are not left behind. It means creating a network that people can depend on in their daily lives. It means going further in terms of our active travel network. Cycling is the cheapest, healthiest, cleanest and often most efficient way of getting … spat back out onto the road alongside cars. As the RTÉ presenter said, it does not pass the test of whether you would allow your child to cycle on that route. It is a real safety concern, and it is the sort of thing that discourages more people

budget surpluses forecast for both this year and next, this Bill strikes a careful balance between supporting people with the cost of living today, investing in our future prosperity and strengthening our public finances for the challenges ahead. The Government has a strong and consistent track record … cover the full range of modern pension arrangements. Section 11 allows amendments to reporting obligations for benefits under the enhanced reporting requirements. Sections 13, 14 and 15 amend sports donations tax reliefs. Section 13 allows approved fundraising bodies to receive donations for sports capital projects, introduces limits

Like everyone here, we are appalled at the Israeli state’s absolute dismantling of the West Bank over the years, whether it is allowing settlers to de facto annex parts of it in their own right or whether it is the state policy of dividing … vote on whether to support the Bill, I will certainly vote for it. However, as my colleagues have said, in banning goods alone, the Bill is not even going a fraction of the way because Ireland’s trade with Israel is mostly in services. According

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, must be accessible on an equal basis with others in the community in which they live; and - the Government is committed to ensuring that each child with a special educational need has an appropriate school place, in line with their … accommodated in our mainstream schools with supports. In addition, 28,000 children are in either a special class or special schools. Since 2020 alone, the number of special classes and schools has grown significantly. I am not saying it is where it needs to be. We have

recommendations on improving State responses to child abuse and child protection. Tusla's remit was always much broader than child protection and welfare alone. On its establishment, it took on the full functions of three existing national services - HSE children and family services, the Family Support Agency … should be. It allows Tusla staff to deliver consistent, regulated and evidence-informed services nationwide for child protection and child welfare. Successive Governments have recognised the need to assign appropriate resources to Tusla. Investment in recent budgets has allowed Tusla, among other things, to increase supports to foster

should be lifted but we are not here just to rubberstamp the legislation. While the cap must be lifted in order that we allow for progress, that does not mean the Government's approach should be given carte blanche. First, the aviation strategy must move beyond the city … employed in the sector. The Government cannot claim to support workers while failing to ensure the benefits reach them by delaying the living wage and leaving low-paid workers carrying the burden. It is about more than just lifting the cap. It is about ensuring that lifting

because there was only one bed. There was a roof over people’s heads. There were a thousand of them in this city alone. Bedsits were wiped out overnight with a piece of legislation. Many of those people were made homeless as a result. I asked the question … including my mother and father, thank God. Three or four workmen were in the house every day. People lived in cramped conditions. When my parents got married, they lived in a room in someone else’s house. Now, however, we want a magic wand

Budget 2026 increased the weekly Fuel Allowance payment by €5; and - Budget 2026 broadened the Fuel Allowance eligibility, such that an additional 50,000 working families will now be eligible for this allowance; and further notes that: - Ireland operates an open market economy, which generally means businesses … decade. We have increased the weekly fuel allowance, which remains in place. Last week we expanded eligibility to 50,000 more homes, who will now receive for the very first time the fuel allowance, with the payment backdated to 1 January. This means a back payment

independence of the appeals body. The Government is very unclear about the scope of the chief inspectorate and whether oral appeals will be allowed. There are also issues with the powers the Minister will be granted. There seems to be a pattern within the Department regarding … very clear how that will be achieved. Moving on to the issue of family reunification, to be straight about it, not alone do we feel this is unfair and ill judged, it is downright cruel because it is not three years. Effectively, when everything is added

biodiversity and our natural environment. This Government wants to import hugely polluting fracked gas via a new LNG terminal. These two issues alone have huge impacts on our biodiversity and we are fighting against this in opposition all the time. This Government has also extended the nitrates directive … which is just a bit depressing. Public transport projects like DART+ Southwest, projects that would have a real positive impact on people's lives, are unfortunately just getting pushed back. Even on a more local level for me and for the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, we have

rent, it is a completely different standard. We got rid of bedsits for a reason. ALONE which works with elderly people agreed with that at the time because the people who were living in one-bedroom apartments and one bedroom units - bedsits at the time - were vulnerable … space. Increasingly with one-parent families, we see the need for space for children to come over at different points in their lives. Essentially the Minister is saying that having light and space is a luxury not a necessity, which is just not true. The units that will

through the financial crisis. It helped us through a global pandemic. For Ireland, EU membership is not a political abstraction; it is the lived reality of every business, every farmer, every student and every family in this State. The Taoiseach has described Ireland's EU Presidency … Presidency is about, and what gives it its authority and influence. The scale of what lies ahead is significant. In Brussels and Luxembourg alone, our Ministers will chair dozens of formal Council meetings. Our officials will lead the work of approximately 180 Council preparatory bodies, most of which

scheme, introduced November 2024. The accelerated capital allowances scheme is a tax incentive that encourages businesses to purchase equipment that are highly energy efficient and thus make significant savings on energy costs and reduce carbon emissions. The accelerated capital allowances scheme for energy-efficient equipment is extended until … March next year, and backdated to January. In addition, from September 2026, those who move from disability allowance or blind pension to employment will be able to retain their fuel allowance for five years. Additional needs payments are available for people who have essential expenses, which they cannot

breaches; — provide clearer information to parents through transparency orders; and — improve scrutiny of professional practice; and calls on the Government to: — initiate stand alone, specific legislation, to replace the current blanket In Camera rule, with a modern transparency framework that: — permits attendance and reporting by accredited journalists … transparency undermines public confidence. The report states the current operation of the in camera rule is an impingement on young people's lives, especially when it prevents appropriate information sharing with those supporting the child. As I understand it, there are steps to address this specific area