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debate on constitutional change. In fact, we have already called for a timeline for a referendum. This Bill is a step in the right direction but we need to plan in an orderly, inclusive and democratic manner for constitutional change. It cannot just be about swapping flags … model in the North could be combined with the best of Sláintecare. We need an all-Ireland housing strategy that treats shelter as a fundamental human right. We need strong statutory protections for workers' rights, collective bargaining and fair wages across both jurisdictions. We need a real plan

Portarlington, Mountrath, Rathdowney, Graiguecullen, Stradbally and so on. I am meeting people regularly, daily sometimes, who are struggling because of the situation with housing and the high rents they are paying. The Government is bringing in a measure. We have heard the RTB projections in the debate … learn from your mistakes. Sometimes, you have to do the right thing and do what is right by people. Money is there on deposit. We need to set up housing bonds and have them in place. We need to use that money and taxpayers' money well. The Government

congratulate Deputy Charles Ward on tabling this motion in the House. I am aware of the tremendous work he has done on redress and I want to acknowledge that here today. This motion goes to the heart of trust between the State and the homeowners affected by defective … right thing to do; and the commissioning of an independent international review of the science. That is the right thing to do. I ask everybody in this House, even though Fianna Fáil has not attended the debate and only two Donegal TDs are here, to support this motion

this is important. I have great faith in people like Deputy Nash. I admire him greatly, having served with him in both Houses. He has that ability to look at the national economic dialogue and engage constructively. He was in government. He knows what it is like when … today but also the longer-term perspective. I thank the Labour Party for bringing the motion before the House tonight. I believe the Government is getting the balance right. As I said in the past, it is a sensible approach to the medium and long-term budgetary position

legislation the Minister stated that we are going to be bringing through this House. I would welcome attendance by Members across the House. If the national security veto is used to conceal evidence of collusion or double standards, the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill will fail. Does the Minister … justice is absolute, not partial or selective. The Kenova report tells us how we can honour the rights of victims to truth and justice. We in this House have a duty to abide by that and learn from the principles of and the recommendations contained in this report

welcome the Taoiseach's continued commitment to multilateralism and human rights, the rule of law and democracy. As someone who has raised Iran in this House before, I salute too the brave men and women who are fighting against that oppressive regime. Equally, it the right

rightly pointed out that consistent child poverty has doubled in the past two years to 8.5% when the Government's target is 3%. Earlier this month, the ESRI published a report that one in every five children - more than 225,000 - are now in poverty when housing costs … Children's Rights Alliance last week, the deputy Secretary General of the Department of Social Protection rightly said: "If a family does not have access to secure and affordable housing, it is almost impossible to provide the services required to lift them out of poverty." Will the Taoiseach

made. I also commend the foresight used in selecting the location. Every new housing development must take into account the need to deliver additional services to ensure residents are well supported. This site located right by the currently unused Leopardstown Luas station, meaning this development will activate existing … example, for those not familiar with the area, it skirts right along the edge of the M50, with the Leopardstown Road being a main distributor road off junction 14 and linking to the N11, so 800 new houses could bring 800 new cars. With the readily available local

very important debate on water services. Our water infrastructure is part of our shared fabric as a society and it is rightly the subject of extensive democratic scrutiny both from the Oireachtas and our regulatory bodies. Since the establishment of Uisce Éireann, significant improvements have been made … projects has to be delivered in a quicker and more efficient timeframe, as many Deputies have rightly pointed out here today. In acknowledgement that Uisce Éireann cannot meet all the housing capacity requirements on its own, the Government has recently approved a new developer-led infrastructure initiative. This

have water. The Government has allocated money to Irish Water. I ask that this money be allocated right away to Kenmare in order to enhance water supply. No houses have been built by the private sector in Kenmare for over 20 years. First, we did not have

cannot but comment on the pure hypocrisy of Sinn Féin on the far side of the House, whose previous speakers unanimously opposed last night’s motion to help families and businesses right across the country. Last Thursday in this Chamber, the deputy leader of Sinn Féin called

State for his compassion, but the reason I am saying this and bringing this true story to the House is that this is replicated in many other cases right around the county. This woman has water but may as well have none because she would be ten times … order that she can have a functioning shower. Going back to a lot of the commentary all day, I have spoken in this House at least twice in recent times about the deficits in Irish Water's investment in infrastructure, wastewater and water supply. There are many cases

break down silos across Government. It has developed a dashboard of indicators to complement this target and to measure child poverty across health, housing, education, early learning and other indicators. As a developed economy, poverty in Ireland is measured on a relative rather than an absolute basis … child income supports. A public consultation on this concluded recently. Reflecting the need for a multidimensional approach, work continues right across Government in other key areas such as housing, employment, childcare, education and health to address child poverty. The Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2026-2030 outlines many

simple enough at that time. We did our books, had our account and everything else. Now, everything must be right. I am not saying I want shortcuts, because I do not. For every five employees that people have now, you would need to have a secretary to deal … level playing field and some space and a bit of encouragement. There are organisations like the National Employment Rights Authority, NERA. I have said countless times in this House what I think about NERA. Its name should be changed to a support organisation for employers. They walk

list has received a notice to quit. This is what it looks like. That is what a housing crisis looks like. That is just my office. I guarantee that right across every single constituency, probably even including the Minister of State’s, people are coming asking for help

most difficult things I have to do as Minister for Justice, and indeed, that the House has to do, is to resolve issues around balancing conflicting constitutional rights. This is an issue where there are conflicting constitutional rights that need to be balanced but, as the Deputy indicated … rights in respect of the disclosure of counselling notes in 2017 in the sexual offences Act enacted then. Unfortunately, that Act did not achieve what we had wished to achieve. I want to amend section 19A of the legislation, and obviously it is up to the House

they have been told by the Government to go to homeless accommodation. That is what is happening right across the country. This is Ireland in 2026 - too rich for social housing and too poor to survive in the private rental sector. That is what the Government's housing

with disabilities in the first instance and not do so on the basis that if they get wraparound services, they will build a house. They must just go and build it. We will have to put pressure on the HSE side, on the healthcare side, to make sure … access officers. That is a potentially powerful catalyst in every local authority area with the right people recruited who could look at the full range of policies across a local authority from housing to pedestrian access to roads to access to buildings to ensure the entire philosophy

accommodation and then a key worker or a local authority staff member works with them to provide the documentation to get the social housing support application in place or to provide the other forms of evidence that are there. The Minister has denied an appeal but what … read the section of the amendment it states that the local authority or housing authority "may" make a decision to provide that safety net. That means we will get inconsistencies in decision-making right across the local authorities, particularly at the early stages of this legislation as people

remind Deputies that each Member of the House, regardless of which side, has the opportunity and right to speak and be heard without interruption

early grave is absolutely disgusting. It is so upsetting for the nation and I think it is right that this is all debated here in the House tonight. We must finally shatter the comfortable illusion that casual drug use is a victimless lifestyle choice. It is not harmless

LGBT and Pride. Pride stands for "respect". I listen in this House daily and people say "far left" and "far right" and brand everything. What is wrong with just being yourself? Why do you have to be branded? Respect means that if somebody is gay, lesbian or trans

many reasons under P5 - then we should introduce emergency legislation, make a case and bring a Bill to the House. We have introduced emergency legislation on previous occasions. Right now, there is no clear reason to do this. It is as if we are trying to create

provision. As I said earlier in response to another question, we need to have an honest conversation in the House about energy. People have looked for supports, quite rightly, and we have allocated about €750 million to alleviate the pressures on families, but the most effective pathway

error rates, (b) discriminatory impacts, (c) compliance with data protection law, and (d) impacts on privacy and fundamental rights, and the evaluation shall be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas.”. The amendment follows on from the roll-out of other technology used by gardaí, including body cameras