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State and congratulate the Minister, Simon Harris, on his first budget presentation to the House. Last year, we emphasised that we were taking care of and trying to support businesses, and rightly so. A permanent change took place. There was a debate here on the reduction … always say, you cannot have employees without employers and you cannot have employers without employees. They go hand in hand. It is right that where we give on the one hand in terms of assistance to low-paid workers through increases in the minimum wage, we also consider

comes with multi-annual funding is a huge threat to our ability to deliver housing at scale. It is fashionable and it might sound good to come in here and have a right go at Irish Water. It is far from perfect. I have had huge issues with … need to start to consider it, fund it and think about it as a vital utility to allow us to reach our housing targets. What I mean by this is to commit it the funding to deliver on the housing targets beyond 2029 on an ongoing multi-annual

build the houses in the first place because we would not have the houses without them. There is no point in attacking the developers. We have to look at where we can put it right. I look at different things like county development plans. A lot of Members … people there. The biggest issue on the door is the cost of living. That is coming up quite a lot but so is housing. People are upset, with a mother or father telling me their children had to go, not because they wanted to go but they

Where we as a country require infrastructure for housing, we will develop that infrastructure but it will be too late for this Government because of the decisions made by past Governments not to invest in what was right. In this Chamber, politics has failed the people of Ireland

Over €18.6 billion is being invested to reinforce our grid through a number of capital projects. Over 500 capital projects will be delivered right across the country. We are very much focused on ensuring we can connect the over 300,000 new homes that we have committed … legislation coming before the House. That will go through committee and both Houses in 2026. It will certainly act as a catalyst for private investors to invest in electricity generation that can support many industries right across the country

actions by the current Israeli Government that breach human rights and the unilateral actions that completely undermine the viability of the two-state solution. This has been evident during the debate in this House and when Committee Stage was debated at two meetings of the select committee last

also pushing forward investments designed directly to increase indigenous businesses and protect sustainable, long-term revenues for the State. Major investments in energy, housing, transport and other areas are essential for expanding the productive capacity of the economy and underpinning fiscal stability. We are conscious of risks … Government, seeking opportunities to strengthen the European Union as it faces continued attacks from the right and the left. We strongly reject the corrosive Euroscepticism of half of the Opposition in this House. Our allocation to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will ensure that we continue

Like everybody else in this House, I would have had loved to have plenty of time to speak to my amendment, which is No. 20. Out of respect to Deputy Gannon, who I presume is going to want to speak on this, I am going to be quite … Kelly's amendment, which was also reflective of my thoughts on counselling notes right from the very outset. It also reflects the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre. It essentially is looking for a halfway house on what the Minister has proposed and what we would like

more news of Government failure, as the housing crisis further spirals out of the Government's control. This week, we saw daft.ie report that rents have risen by a staggering 43% since the pandemic. At the weekend, right on schedule, we were treated to the latest

seeing online, including Members of this House who are members of that community. As other Deputies have said this evening, what has been happening in Hungary is plain and simply wrong. It goes against the basic human rights and dignity of people in their own country. Rightfully

racism and xenophobia in a manner appropriate and tailored to the domestic system of law in Ireland. I assure Members of the House that Ireland's position has been communicated to the European Commission. That position is that the framework decision is fully transposed in Irish legislation … with Article 40.6 of the Constitution, which expressly respects and protects the right to freedom of expression and of people to express their views freely. The Deputy will be aware that last year the House enacted legislation to provide for tougher sentences for crimes motivated by hate. That

fair play to them. They are absolutely right. They see it on the ground. The Government schemes are absolutely failing and they need to change. I ask the Minister of State to fund affordable housing in Ashbourne and deliver affordable housing to rent and buy for working people

issue. It is critically important that we invest in and support the SME sector right across the country. It is also important that we develop our infrastructure. There are extensive infrastructural deficits in housing and transport, including there being no western rail corridor in County Mayo. We should … Community Radio, for example, to discuss the importance of the tariff war to the economy of County Mayo and ensure we get the right balance. We could discuss all these issues. It is unfortunate that the Minister of State hides from debate in local media and, indeed

killing more and more people, where whoever loses decides they have lost the most amount, but by diplomacy, intervention and a human rights framework that we have signed up to as a country and are part of. I again urge our Government to pursue paths of peace, diplomacy … taking this anti-immigrant shift. It is not just playing into the far right; it is also playing into and feeding a rising racism by suggesting that, somehow, immigrants are to blame for the housing situation and other issues when they are absolutely

issue that matters enormously to people in my constituency of Kerry and right across rural Ireland. As I stated previously, when we talk about energy prices in this House, we have to remember that behind every statistic is a family or an individual trying to heat their home

pretty sure no matter what we did in this House, the Deputy would be encouraging people to protest either way and that is people's right. That is something we must protect, but he cannot ignore the fact that as a Government, this year alone, we have introduced

forget that point for a minute - I rarely forget the issue of workers' rights and people getting less than the minimum wage - if we are serious about addressing the housing crisis and getting people into apprenticeships, then this is an immediate measure that could be taken and would

breach of Article 16 of the European Social Charter, which protects the rights of the family to social, legal and economic protection, including the provision of adequate family housing. Balgaddy in my area was part of this ruling. Méile an Rí, Tor an Rí, Buirg

years to navigate all those kinds of things. Deputies on our side of the House are very anxious that we go to the 20,000 figure. We got the balance right and we have to bring forward the legislation. What we will endeavour to do is to enable

dependent on their taxes? What is more important? Our duty as TDs in this House is to do two things: first, uphold the Constitution; and, second, legislate for what is right to protect our people. We are not doing the latter when it comes to this issue unless

that rents are affordable. That is the legislation that he should be bringing before the House, not this shameful legislation that will jack up rents on tens of thousands of households right across this State every single year from 1 March onwards. This rent hike Bill needs

levels are now at €120,000. As a result, the children of Members of this House can now avail of SUSI grants. That was not the case historically. We have gone right into the squeezed middle and beyond to a situation where 80% of households are now eligible

There are rules in the House and while Deputy Hearne is making a very valid point - I do not dispute his right to do that - he should reflect on waving flags during the course of making that point

them. In recent months, while I have been in this role, I have seen right across the Chamber the commitment to education of all the spokespersons and Members of the House. The Deputy did a huge amount of work in relation to the Rahan school bus. That

North and South, to highlight a range of issues, including funding for the language, language rights in the North, the implementation of the language legislation and access to public services and housing in the Gaeltacht. Levels of funding for Foras na Gaeilge are a source of frustration