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outlined in the Constitution, to consider a Bill passed in this House, along with representatives appointed by her and representatives of both Houses of the Oireachtas. The Constitution dates back to 1937. Sometimes we take for granted how strong our Constitution is. We can see, from places like … would like to see the European bloc do more. Two wars are ongoing. We have been strongly supportive of Ukraine and rightly so but what is happening in the Straits of Hormuz and the Middle East is having a direct impact and I want to see the European

daily lives, shaping our economy, public services, our ways of communicating and, increasingly, our vulnerabilities. The decisions we make in this House or further afield in other parliaments will determine whether AI becomes a force for human flourishing or a tool that magnifies and indeed encourages exploitation, inequality … targeted by AI enabled abuse. That is a fact we must confront. Ireland must lead with strong, modern legislation. We must establish clear rights for victims, including rapid take-down mechanisms and legal recourse. We have already seen that we cannot rely on voluntary codes of conduct

amendments for Committee Stage have to put in by Thursday morning. It shows the Government for what it is. Ireland has a legal right under Protocol 21 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to opt-in or opt-out of measures in the area … risks repeating the very failures that brought the system into crisis. Sinn Féin believes Ireland can do better by making decisions in this House, planning properly, supporting integration and enforcing rules fairly. For those reasons, we cannot support the Bill

means we have a policing service we can all be proud of. As Minister, I am happy to engage with Members of this House, with the Garda associations and with the Commissioner on measures that can be taken to improve our policing service. I value the important engagement … they a member of the public or or a member of the Garda. Anyone who is brought before the courts has a right to defend themselves and their reputation. That is the system operating in the proper independent manner. It is not open to me as Minister

sectors and many Departments so it is important that our approach to it is cross-departmental and that it links climate action, transport, housing, energy and agriculture. This Bill is a positive step but, with its primary focus being on solid fuels and supply chain regulation, we risk … children and a sign that we are listening to them. While this overarching Bill we are discussing is a major step in the right direction, air quality will only improve if legislation and enforcement is backed up by proper resources to ensure that compliance is met. While enforcement

Government is committed to ensuring that each child with a special educational need has an appropriate school place, in line with their Constitutional right and Programme for Government commitments; notes that the Government will: — progress work on the development of a more inclusive education system for children with … sincerity of Deputy Ó Murchú and the Opposition who are proposing this new legislative provision. I have worked with them across the House over the past number of years. I look forward to co-operation because we do not all have monopolies on wisdom on any issues that

ensuring that each child and young person with a special educational need has an appropriate school place, in line with their Constitutional right and Programme for Government commitments; notes that the Government will: — progress work on the development of a more inclusive education system for children with special … disability services, with a particular focus on improving the delivery of services for children with disabilities.". I welcome the opportunity to address the House this evening to provide an update on special education provision which is a topic of particular importance to children and young people with additional

have not had a chance to hear any answers from the Minister. I ask this in terms of the functioning of the House so that we do our job better for the families and get direct answers to our questions. I have ten questions I would like … directly manage these hospitals. The national children's hospital is a €2.2-billion hospital, as the Minister knows. We need to get this right. We need to spend time and carefully consider it and I ask for that to be part of her consideration. In terms

people. Government must ensure transparency and affordability so fairness does not come at the cost of financial strain. I recently raised in the House the deeply unfair case of a constituent paying €1,470 a year for health insurance who was guaranteed 100% cancer care and was denied … what I was doing for Bantry General Hospital. If it is serving a community from Kinsale to Kerry, it is doing something right and it needs to get as many services as possible

members of the Israeli security forces had committed war crimes, crimes against humanity and violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and these included, the war crime of wilful killing and mistreatment, and the crime against humanity of extermination; — the Genocide Convention requires States … preliminary measures issued by the ICJ in South Africa's case against Israel under the convention. The reason I emphasise this to the House today is that this is the work we are doing. This is the diplomatic action we are taking. This

against the vote of the Dáil. Last year, the motion we brought forward on the occupied territories Bill was passed unanimously by the House. The Dáil voted for the Bill to be enacted by last Christmas and to include provision for goods and services. The Minister has used … delay. I have a question for the Minister. The Government allowed a conscience vote yesterday on the Social Democrats' Bill on abortion rights. Why can it not allow a conscience vote on the question of genocide? Of all the issues of conscience in the world, surely it should

bands could be moved by €3,000, saving an average worker €600. As far as the Labour Party is concerned, IFAC is right, this money would be better spent supporting children and workers. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have made their bed. These measures are never temporary … Martin. Our child poverty scandal would look a lot different if we did not have such a problem with family homelessness and insecure housing. For a Government that says housing is its number one priority, it has a funny way of showing it. We managed to hear from

cent rate to the maximum number of categories, there is no scope to expand this to the construction of new housing; — the national housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030, contains a suite of measures to support domestic and international investment in the delivery of new rental … provide some relief from fuel price inflation. As stated at the time of the interventions in March and April, the Government reserves the right to review and alter the policy approach, as necessary. Accordingly, the Government has continued to actively monitor all relevant strands of information, including global

thank the Members of the House for their contributions this afternoon. I will respond on behalf of myself and the Minister of State, Deputy Butler. While we all recognise that there are areas for service improvement, the passion with which we have discussed the issues is a clear … statements that mental health services in this country provide a wide range of supports from mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention, right the way through to specialist inpatient services. The Department of Health continues to work with the HSE and partners in the sector to ensure that

school liaison services as youth workers and social workers. It is really useful for us to have that level of expertise in this House, for it to be shared on the floor of the Dáil and for it to be used to help to shape our strategies. Those … young people who may stray from the proper path. Most young people simply need support and direction to put their lives on the right track. We know that young people can make better life decisions when given the chance. I strongly believe that improving outcomes for young people

operational considerations and challenges involved in abolishing the three-day wait. These are not insurmountable. However, I do have a responsibility to the House to be frank and to set them out. It is critical that when we are required to vote, we do so on the basis … such delays offer no medical benefit and instead only restrict access to care and undermine service provision. These concerns are echoed by human rights bodies within the United Nations. In addition, while reflection periods were a feature of the legislative regimes in many European countries at the time

kept the juries, which are costly, lose time and so on. The Minister said: “If we abolished juries, I can guarantee the House that we will develop a whole body of jurisprudence that will result in cases being repeatedly appealed to the Court of Appeal and probably … this very succinct document that "Ireland would become an outlier among other common-law countries, where there is either an entitlement, as of right, to jury trial in defamation cases or where such trial may be ordered by a court on application, in the interests of justice

about longer, healthier lives but I am conscious that those advocating on behalf of people who suffer from rare diseases were in Leinster House today. What is critical for them is support for research and, crucially, access to new drugs in the market. Daffodil day is just … serious about primary care, then we must look at home care packages. Deputy Cullinane is correct in what he said about a statutory right to home care. At the moment we have an utterly haphazard system that has grown up in a bizarre way. I remember talking

abide by them. Our law enforcement body, An Garda Síochána, came before the committee yesterday in the committee rooms here in Leinster House and it was made very clear that we have these robust laws in place. I appeal to An Garda Síochána to enforce them. I have … enterprise sector and workforce are adapting rapidly to AI, with strong demand for AI skills matched with solid supply. However, as the report rightly notes, the Government must continue to monitor and address any risks AI poses to our workforce. That would be the role of the observatory

compliance with Article 2 of the association agreement. It is clear from the review that Israel is in breach of its human rights obligations. This is a significant finding and one that the EU must now act upon. The European Union’s credibility depends on this. In this … works for both side remains the objective, the work on potential countermeasures that protect EU businesses and consumers must also continue. As the House will be aware, the deadline to reach agreement or to end the US pause on higher tariff rates has now been extended

That Act provides an existing framework for establishing the existence of cohabiting relationships of a particular form that provide rights and obligations to those cohabitants. A person can become a qualified cohabitant where they were in an intimate and committed relationship of two years, where there were children … takes economic crime seriously and this proposed Committee Stage amendment is an important tool in that respect. I commend the Bill to the House. I again thank John O'Meara and his children, and remember Michelle as we move to pass this legislation. I pay tribute to Deputy

supports are an important part of tillage farm income. It is important that these supports are protected into the future. As the House is aware, the negotiations on the Commission's proposals for the next multi-annual financial framework, which includes the Common Agricultural Policy and Common Fisheries … ultimately it is sometimes easier to read your plan for the next 12 months. Tillage can go very wrong or it can go right, and that is why we are having this debate tonight. I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for allowing it. I am not making little

services to protect vulnerable children. Irish child protection was significantly transformed and moved to a more proactive State-managed system focused on the rights and safety of the child. That Act remains the fundamental framework for protecting children. Since then and in response to the Ryan report … access and will be introduced as soon as possible. We have also progressed measures to ensure that survivors are prioritised for social housing needs and to ensure that community welfare services give them specific consideration and recognition for funeral costs and provide accordingly. The potential for local memorialisation

that side of the House knows the answer to that either. They do not know whether the facts they have asserted in this House are accurate. They may be and we will see that when the report is published but it is possible they are not or there … wrong of me to come in here and speak about a report I have not received. I think the Members opposite would rightly criticise me for that. Can we do this again once I have received both that report and the Nayagam report

situation and it has been heading that way for a long time. It has been going that way since I came into the House ten years ago. We have been turning a blind eye to small things like fuel rebates. We were calling for action and asking … these stocks, and that have been decimated by the fleets pillaging our waters? Does he believe, as I do, that we have the right to retain a viable, sustainable fishing industry ,or is it the right of mainland member states to take so much that it destroys