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managed correctly. The Government is required by law to review the right to request remote working legislation through a public consultation. Since the right was introduced in March 2024, approximately 60 complaints have been made to the Workplace Relations Commission. This captures both the gains and the gaps … parents, those facing long commutes and people priced out of the housing market in major urban areas. It has helped many to remain in the workforce and opened doors for people across the country. A right to flexible work is a right to a more equal and modern

this. The right thing to do is to stand up in the interests of public health. That is her job as the Minister of State with responsibility for public health: to defend public health and to ensure that the laws passed by this House are enforced. We cannot … Heineken at a bus stop in Harold's Cross right beside a school. Is that acceptable? Will the Minister of State allow it or will she stand up to the industry like we on this side of the House would? These are vested interests and they are trampling

been identified in the past, and spoken about in this House on numerous occasions. We now need to see implementation of the solutions. This review must be more than a box-ticking exercise. It must place the rights of children with special educational needs at the very heart … lottery. That is not acceptable. Sinn Féin believes in a fully resourced, inclusive education system, rooted in fairness and equality. This means the right to timely assessment, delivering real supports in the classroom, and properly funding special education. It also means expanding teacher training, supporting SNAs and ensuring

policy initiatives to reduce homelessness? Did we get real relief for hard-pressed renters? No, no and no. The lack of secure housing impacts on every facet of a person's life and now it is impacting on every generation of our people. Spiralling numbers of children trapped … groups have called pensions the new face of homelessness and they are right. That cannot be accepted. A generation that is now moving from the workforce into receiving their pension is trying navigate an insecure housing market with sky-high rents and the Government's response

also want to be clear that there are no constitutional or legal barriers preventing workers or employers in Ireland from freely exercising their right to collective bargaining where both parties choose to do so. The voluntary process is supported by an extensive statutory framework that underpins and reinforces … enterprises can grow and provide sustainable employment. I commend these measures to the House and reaffirm the Government's ongoing commitment to building a labour market that works for every worker right across this country in every sector

Poland, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. They do not want ever again to be under the rule of a jackboot regime that suppresses civil rights, civil expression and political expression, and where, if people speak out, they are put into a jail straight away. They do not want that … there was engagement with a number of protestors who were blocking the entrance to Leinster House. Why does that have to happen? People can protest on the left-hand side, the right-hand side or across the road

legal cases that can hold up critical projects for years. The reforms we are delivering at pace are moving us quickly in the right direction, but we must not become complacent. In 2027, I intend to build on the work of the task force, identifying the next steps … This investment will progress over 400 projects in counties right across Ireland next year, including the eastern and midlands region water supply project, the greater Dublin drainage scheme and wastewater treatment plant upgrades in Limerick and Waterford. Housing, Local Government and Heritage The shortage of housing

people with a disability. As the Minister said in her opening remarks, those challenges are there to be met. The strategy must turn rights into real solutions, including accessible ramps, usable routes and services people can depend on. A few years ago, when I was cathaoirleach of Dún … purpose adaptation scheme. On independent living, we must move faster on decongregation and ensure housing follows universal design. We need a national policy on personal assistance so supports are reliable, portable and rights based. With regard to children and youth mental health, families should not be stuck

their tireless work in respect of ensuring that we navigate this legislation through the Houses and get the drafts as appropriately as possible to ensure that they balance all the conflicting rights we have spoken about. I thank Jason Poole and the Poole family and commend them

fault evictions and that includes council tenants. The Government needs to ramp up social housing and truly affordable private homes. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have had 15 years to get this right and again and again, they have let families down. All they seem

Action is needed to cut energy prices, to reduce grocery bills, to actually build affordable houses, to bring down rents and to reduce childcare costs. This is action that can be taken right here, right now today. We in Sinn Féin will fight for that action every step

High Court. It is the responsibility of the Government to set out the rights of pensioners clearly. It is wrong for the Government to come in here and tell the House that the High Court will sort out this particular misclassification. Will the Government take responsibility for this

something the Deputy dismissed in her contribution. We face significant economic uncertainty. Everyone in this House needs to realise the level and degree of the concentration risk for corporate risks that exists right now. The changes being undertaken by the OECD in the context of corporation tax bring

lost hope because Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have destroyed housing. They have commodified housing and looked at it as an asset as opposed to what it should be, which is a right. The motion is a manifesto for change and I commend

need and we want to work with people in good faith to get this right, including, most importantly, parents and those who carry out assessments of need - the clinical professions. The House can expect engagement from us on that very shortly. We have seen an additional 272 staff

hold. Today at 1 o'clock, my colleague Senator Cosgrove hosted a briefing in Leinster House with Irish Healthcare Workers for Palestine. Its call was simple: put words into actions. The Taoiseach rightly accused Israel of committing a war crime over the blockage of aid from entering Gaza

thank my colleague Deputy Ó Broin for his work on this motion. Right across counties Carlow and Kilkenny, we have towns and villages crying out for an increase in housing. These towns and villages have prime sites for housing developments that are unusable simply because the Government

down of this House by the Opposition. Twice now, it has tried to prevent the House from taking a vote. That is not the act of any democrat. Our Constitution protects our right to cast a vote here in this Chamber. Our Standing Orders exist to protect

regions of Kerry he talks about in terms of supply issues and the cost per house. I agree with what he said in his opening statements: basic running water should be a right of any human being and any household. I will absolutely undertake to take back

will always recommend to the Government and advocate to this House the proposal that is in the best interests of Ireland. Deputy Carthy also talked about how privacy rights must be respected and recognised. Of course that is the case but sometimes the collective rights of the community … ensure, notwithstanding the fact that it may have an impact on privacy, that we have sufficient information available to vindicate and protect the rights of individuals not to be attacked and for them to be able to live peaceful lives without being subjected to serious criminal activity. Deputy

simplest way to deliver housing quickly. Every week the Minister, Deputy Browne, refuses to give the money. He said that at the housing committee. A freedom of information request I put in stated that the cost of keeping a family in emergency accommodation outside of Dublin … bedroom in a hotel. There are people in Edel House, in the family hub, and in bed and breakfast all over Cork. Where is the hope? Will the Minister of State give these people hope today? Right now, they do not believe the Government. It is letting them

have the cluster of amendments in front of me but we are speaking about taking away the right to jury trials. I wished the Minister the very best in his new career but I cannot but go back and read out his speech. I do not know … very respectful [and rightly so] of any decision reached by a jury. Obviously, if a jury gives an excessive award, as happened a long time ago, that will be dealt with by the appeal court, but, as has been indicated by others in this House, the Higgins case

private market, given the shortage of housing and how much house prices have risen in recent years. I cannot understand why the Government is making it even harder for landlords to do what is right for the common good by making this scheme even harder to access. Instead … properties to the council with tenants in situ. Since these changes were announced, I have been inundated with contact from several concerned approved housing bodies and housing initiatives. They tell me the tenant in situ scheme has proved very effective in preventing homelessness among hundreds of households since

apply for, and avail of, the vacant property refurbishment grant. The housing failure has had a catastrophic impact on the citizens of this country. In just a few short years rents have doubled right across the country. In Claremorris, County Mayo, I recently spoke with a constituent whose … attention briefly. There was a time when you would look at Daft and have an idea how much the cost of a house was. Now, you have to ring the auctioneer to see what price above the asking it is due to sell for. I was listening

bigger property portfolios, particularly in Northern Ireland, were being discussed, very little help and information were given to the committees of this House to enable them to pursue matters in the interests of the citizens of this country. Particular cases were mentioned. What concerns me about this legislation … good faith, asking for support and help. It is not right that they would be ignored. If they are ignored in the context of this Bill and how it is being pushed through the House, then it is a sorry day for Ireland and for the people concerned