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cent a litre and the price of petrol up by 22 cent. That is wrong, and I call on the Minister of State at this stage to say openly and in public that he will not increase petrol and diesel prices for families at a time of sheer … energy arrears. This is not a luxury good; it is a staple they simply cannot pay for anymore. It is in the gift of the Government to ease the pressure on them by taking the foot off the accelerator on the taxes it is putting on those families

very tough times, and sticking together no matter what. You were up against it all, including the terrible pain and injustice when State authorities that should have done everything to protect you from this monster let you down catastrophically, leaving you in harm's way. Those with … blackmailed innocent boys. Kenneally was insidious. He exploited the pure innocence of these boys. Jason Clancy and Colin Power tell how Kenneally gifted them brand new Liverpool and Manchester United jerseys. To Kevin Keating, it was American football magazines. To Paul Walsh, it was Nike runners. To other

completely wrong on SNAs. Will it admit it has got it completely wrong in terms of these changes that are a gift to corporate landlords? To put this in context, IRES REIT made a profit of almost €50 million last year. Does the Tánaiste not understand that … homeless pensioners? This is going to make it even worse. Beidh níos mó agus níos mó daoine gan teach. Earlier this week, the State's biggest landlord, IRES REIT, about which we are talking, announced it was going to buy up an entire apartment block in Naas. This

priority must be and where the injustice in all this lies. Irish fishermen are complying with the rules and suffering the consequences. Meanwhile, states including the Netherlands, Germany, France and Poland coalesce to protect their own interests and, as we just heard from Deputy Mac Lochlainn, the interests … interest in the environment, the rule of law, democracy or fairness. This Government has allowed Irish sovereign natural resources to be effectively gifted, not even by us in Ireland and Irish people but by foreign Governments, that are there for our generation and future generations to private corporations

This issue received a great deal of attention in mid-2024. At the time, the Government handed a bit of a gift to the Conservative Government in the UK by the way it communicated this, and the Conservative Government seized it with glee. The Government in Britain … work to the greatest extent required, though, there needs to be a bilateral agreement with Britain. I hope that the Minister of State can provide me with an update on the progress of any such negotiations. It has been touched on for quite some time. The First Minister

these airports, particularly Shannon Airport in my constituency, is that the Government raise the 1 million passenger cap. This is possible under state aid rules and increasing it would allow Shannon and Cork airports to have a regular and steady income stream each year. This would allow them … done for the regional airports. I would love to see the regional airports fund cap raised. As I said, this is in the gift of the Government and it would hugely

competitiveness funding to include military spending and defence industry support, respectively. This will have the effect of benefiting our most developed member states, which are home to the arms factories where this funding will be funnelled. This is all while small businesses operating outside the military space will … Zelenskyy, speaking earlier today in Dublin Castle, "it's so important to keep promises". These are not optional extras. They are not a gift or an act of charity. These are our legal and moral obligation to act, and Europe has utterly failed in that legal and moral

reality of the situation. I fully accept Tusla's core competencies in respect of looking after children, but is there a greater gift to give to a child than the opportunity to learn how to swim? The wonderful thing about most activities in the water is that … Clonmel swimming pool is at full capacity. There is a five-year waiting list for swimming lessons. I again urge the Minister of State to intervene, to engage with the facilities manager in Tusla and reconsider this disheartening decision. I am calling for the exploration of all possible

expansion that has displaced the delivery of housing and transport and led to the hiking up of energy prices for households. The Commission stated, "In areas with long waiting times for grid connection, the first-come, first-served principle should be abandoned". We will bring forward legislation … centres expand to the point where they account for one third of energy demand. Dealing with this matter is within the Minister's gift. He cannot hide behind EU rules and regulations. Will he agree to support our legislation to put that prioritisation framework in place when

have seen brings out the best in our humanity. Working with dogs makes us better people and there is no greater gift that a dog can give. Since being elected to this House a little over 12 months ago, and as a long-time advocate for dog welfare … more likely to exhibit antisocial and aggressive behaviour. Fine Gael has always stood for strong animal welfare protections. Recent developments include how the State now funds over 100 animal welfare organisations, with funding increasing from €2 million in 2020 to over €6 million today. We have established

help in preparing the legislation. The Bill seeks to make it mandatory for pharmaceutical companies and medical equipment suppliers to declare payments, gifts, donations and all other transfers of value made by them to healthcare professionals and organisations. In some cases, these payments create problematic conflicts of interest … public purse. The popular show "Dopesick" highlighted this to great effect in the context of the opioid epidemic in the United States. In Ireland, tens of millions of euro are paid to healthcare professionals and organisations each year by the pharmaceutical industry. While a voluntary register of these

Keeffe was a wonderful young girl. In her short life, she brought enormous happiness and love to her friends and family. She was gifted, creative and engaging with all who knew her. Her life was stolen from her. She was struck while walking her dog on a pedestrian … lives of so many people for the better. In both cases, their families, friends and communities had been devastated. The Minister of State knows this but a parent burying a child is a very difficult thing. In both cases, those collisions should not have happened. Just two days

housing in the city, in terms of who controls the land and the destiny of so many families. It is in the gift of the Government to change that. We in the Labour Party believe there is another way. In the constituency I represent, Dublin Central, very clear … which newly built homes could be made available for purchase. If the private sector cannot viably build apartments for purchase, then the State must step in. The horror of what the Taoiseach is now proposing is to condemn a generation of people to insecure renting and astronomical rents

manifesto the promises he made during the campaign or indeed the commitment in the programme for Government. Fine Gael's manifesto clearly states that income tax would be adjusted each and every year. The Tánaiste, Deputy Simon Harris, said that people needed to be honest that not adjusting … next year it gets worse. Next year, it will be €250 million and then €390 million the year after. Donohoe is the gift that keeps on giving, but to the developers and those at the top. Imagine being someone trying to get by on a disability payment

leis na seirbhísí a chuireann sé ar fáil do phobal na tíre agus é ag claochlú i gcónaí. I thank the Minister of State for bringing the Bill to the House. I thank him also for his engagement with my colleagues from Dublin and me and with postmasters … postal deliveries in my constituency in recent months, it caused real disruption for older people, not just in terms of birthday cards and gifts but also missed hospital appointments. While a hospital might call people to appointments by email, many older people wait for a letter to provide

this part of the city. We want the shops on Henry Street and GPO arcade to thrive. We want an end to the State-supported dereliction of the Moore Street battlefield site and the southside of upper O'Connell Street. We want to ensure no part … will not stand for this betrayal. Was it for a Starbucks that all the blood was shed? Or for Carroll’s Irish Gifts, no harm to them? No other country that fought for its freedom would have a government that is so blatantly desecrating its hallowed ground, choosing

voices of our disabled citizens, act in their interests and recognise the actual cost of being and living as disabled person in this State. When disabled people turn 66 or they get a job, their primary condition and the costs associated with it do not disappear … disability payments at the age of 66. He got plenty of presents when he turned 66 but he did not get the gift of sight. He was disabled when he was 65 and 364 days and he woke up the next morning - happy birthday

chose to act. Similar projects in Sudan go against the unfortunate tide of death ripping through that country and give the invaluable gift of life and youth to a nation when it needs it the most in such horrific and tragic times. Access to safe childbirth … clinics. Sexual violence is rampant. Abuse of women is becoming just another everyday occurrence throughout the country. Therefore, I implore the Minister of State to continue to aid these women and to focus on these issues so lives may be saved and further tragedies prevented. Our Government continues

dogs to be continuously pregnant to produce puppies is just beyond cruel. In the audiovisual room yesterday, Dogs Trust told people about the state of the mother dogs and puppies that come to them when rescued. They told of the horrific conditions that these unscrupulous breeders are keeping … mean that the puppy fails to thrive and may die prematurely. I am imagining the number of puppies that will be gifted this Christmas. I am also imagining the joy of somebody getting a little puppy at Christmas - or any time of the year but apparently it happens

until 2027 and collection of the tax may not start until 2028. Today, we learn the tax will not apply to the entire State, but only to places with populations of 4,000 people or more. This phased approach means that thousands of derelict properties will … being collected and that local authorities did not have the capacity to collect it. We gave the Government the solutions, but instead, it gifted a multimillion euro amnesty to land hoarders. Ní leor leathiarracht maidir le foirgnimh tréigthe. Caithfidh an Rialtas gníomhú go práinneach agus go héifeachtúil chun

will help the country meet the challenges down the road. When we desperately need to broaden our tax base, we are gifting hundreds of millions of euro in foregone VAT income to profitable restaurant chains. When we are desperately in need of land for housing, we are creating … public buildings, schools or nursing homes that so desperately has to be undertaken. I have a question that maybe the Minister of State or another Minister can come back to me on about the State's commitment to global climate finance. There is no mention of this

Fine Gael have bought into it hook, line and sinker. It seems incredible that it was only in February that the Minister stated, “What I am not going to do is reintroduce or propose the very tax reliefs that did such harm to our economy.” Yet, eight months … McDonalds and Starbucks. These are not small struggling cafés on the corner; they are global giants with billionaire shareholders. The Government has just gifted them a 4.5% VAT cut worth millions. McDonald’s alone is set to pocket €20 million next year on the back of this taxpayer

many opportunities to intervene were lost. Too many people who should have been protected were instead left vulnerable. The systems of church, State and society that should have safeguarded children failed in their most basic and profound duty and the consequence of that failure was that abuse continued … intelligent and manipulative and an expert at grooming children by developing trust and affection but also using fear.... He used alcohol, money and gifts to assist in grooming and in the commission of the offences. Many of these boys had never consumed alcohol before being introduced

that, but the fact is we are now dealing with what has been an abject failure for children and families. It has been stated by many already that we have all been contacted over many years by frustrated parents who cannot get their kids into school places … issues relating to planning, which rarely occur at a local authority point. However, the management of this used to be in the gift of schools but is not always, so at times this pushes it back and back. We all celebrate tiny victories at times when

week when hundreds of millions of euro were gifted to burger barons and builders, although the Tánaiste may disagree with that characterisation, I will raise an example of the reality that many on the ground are encountering. I was contacted by the Furlong family in Duncormick in Wexford … even paid to travel from Belfast to Wexford to measure up for the mattress. When I raised this matter, the response I got stated that the assistant director of public health nursing presented the purchase of a mattress for Josh to the resource allocation group