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spending budget. I am sure everyone in the Government is at least aware of how much people are feeling the pinch right now, especially those in rural Ireland, who are more dependent on cars and on kerosene for fuel. They must be given a break, however temporary … option but to drive vehicles that run on those fuels. There are not enough incentives to drive EVs. In all the new housing estates, for example, the current policy is to put in a few EV chargers, which is great, but residents are paying a commercial rate

that we all have as public representatives, which is the protection of children. The motion is not coming out of nowhere. Across the House, even in my own constituency, we have heard the continuous warnings and about the years of pressure on the system, with reports and families … answers from. I commend the Minister of State on her work on this. Over her entire career she has definitely been on the right side. I read replies to parliamentary questions prior to the debate and saw that Tusla received thousands of child-protection referrals. There were

clean air. I pay tribute to groups like Irish Doctors for the Environment, which play an important role in fighting for this right across our country and educating us all on both the physical and the mental health effects of air pollution, and we can reduce them … pollution or on broader questions of climate and emissions. The consequences of failing to meet them are something we have discussed in this House many times. Just as we need to reduce our carbon emissions to meet those binding EU targets, it is vital that we tackle

this particular issue. However, there are still four other political parties in this Chamber who do not think we even have the right to have a debate. With People Before Profit, any individual action taken by the Minister to ameliorate some of the difficulties here led to name … people in all polling companies' polls were saying they wanted a stricter immigration system, and one political party, the smallest in Leinster House, Aontú, was the only one actually articulating that view. That is quite an incredible situation to happen. There is a political bubble where people

tsar for their rights to be met. It is obscene that having to sleep outside our national Parliament urging for one's rights to be met is becoming a regular feature of disability justice campaigners. Then there is the smaller scale. I am sure other Members … situation in Dublin South-West. The issue of parents of children with additional needs is now definitely the second issue after housing that comes to me. I now have a close relationship with solicitors whom I immediately put parents in touch with, saying, "You can take the State

come into this. Right now, families in this country are living in misery, afraid to switch on their electricity. Dealing with this, I have seen first hand households impacted by defective concrete that are significantly worse off because they are trying to heat a house that costs

House as we discuss this modicum of respite for hard-pressed families across the State - rural and urban - when it comes to the cost of heating their homes. It is an absolute disgrace. They might come down and do the right thing by supporting this legislation

Towns to Leinster House. It has been an extraordinarily upsetting and difficult week for parents of children with additional needs, for SNAs, for the children themselves, for teachers and for school communities. That is why it was really important to pause and get this right. The first thing

progressing through the Houses of Oireachtas, issues were identified which required further consideration and consultation with the Office of the Attorney General and there is an amendment bill at the advanced stage of drafting. It is a complex area, involving delicate balance of human rights and we have

people in this House on this issue. I respect the fact he engages with us on this regularly. I will point out that the figures we cite are not just headlines. They are a genuine commitment to provide from the Exchequer an extraordinary, quite rightly, sum of money

cinn. Families right across south Kildare are at the pin of their collar. Week after week, my office receives emails from people who have to choose between heating and food. Scores of working families across the county are at risk of homelessness from rising housing costs because

this right, it will be a major step forward in terms of just raising issues of concern at local authority level. That is where the issues are really highlighted. This will provide a really useful mechanism to raise issues of concern relating to policing, housing and health. There

said in this House today but we need to be clearer when we are making statements about the GPO. It is really shocking to these people, especially people who are really concerned about our history, which is all of us. People are worried and rightly so. Má táim

here. They have houses. They have homes and accommodation. If their spouses come over, it is not that they will be getting social welfare or anything like that. They will be able to work or organise childcare, whichever the case may be. The Migrant Rights Centre Ireland made

need for these designations to come before the Houses of the Oireachtas is absolutely critical because I do not trust this Government not to bully its way through on things it wants, over the legitimate concerns of stakeholders, in these decisions. I want to highlight again an instance … developers to make profit out of our natural resources at the expense of biodiversity and, in this case, at the expense of the rights of fishers to continue their traditional livelihood. The Government just says, "no, they can select the sites, we will put in the infrastructure

including funding for community-based specialist disability services to ensure people with disabilities receive the right support, at the right time, in the right place; — this represents a 20 per cent increase year-on-year and represents an overall increase since 2020 of €1.8 billion; and — a dedicated … Government recognises that disabled people, their families and representative organisations face unavoidable and ongoing additional costs in their daily lives. I assure the House that improving outcomes for disabled people is a top priority for me personally, and for the Government. It is our determination to achieve this

between heating their homes and charging their mobility aids. The pressure is relentless and it is draining. The cost of groceries, energy and housing have all skyrocketed with no end in sight. For many the fuel increases were a tipping point and these protests were … them and to help them. The Government's failure to do so created a vacuum that has allowed a small number of far right actors to try to hijack the protest for their own agenda. The Taoiseach played right into their hands. Now, instead of reflecting

Plan 2025. Homes need water, they need power and transport, and the Bill streamlines the consenting process for the critical projects that make housing possible. It also allows existing apartment permissions to be modified in line with updated apartment design standards. These measures can unlock sites that … plans remains. Submissions on planning applications remain, as do appeals. What changes is the speed and the certainty of the process, not the right of people to have their say. In my constituency of Dún Laoghaire, residents engage seriously and constructively with the planning system. I will always

been excruciating listening to the Government talking about misery and missed hospital appointments. The housing Minister has left the House. There is a tsunami of evictions in my constituency. Two thirds of the under-35s are living with their parents. Need I go on? This Government leaves vast … were certainly forceful and impactful. On the idea that critical infrastructure should be left untouched, how does the Government think we won the right to vote and other basic rights in this country? How does it think Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil were formed? The majority of people

living and the actions the Government is taking. It is fair to say that some people on the far side of the House have been positive in their commentary in highlighting some of the issues that are faced and providing some potential solutions. Most recently, Deputy Heneghan proposed … Deputy Boyd Barrett, he acknowledged it and the impact that it is having on the cost of living, not just in Ireland but right throughout the globe, and how governments are responding to that issue. One thing I will take issue with Deputy Body Barrett on is when

would have immediately cut student fees by €1,250 and completely abolished them by September of next year because that would be the right, progressive and strategic thing to do. What of the young renters of Ireland? They will get a measly €150 while rents continue to spiral … last election. Our young people, including young parents, see the Government choosing the big boys over the public good. This budget as regards housing is not about young people. Rather, it is a blueprint for the continuation of the crisis that is pushing them out. We simply cannot

talked about having the vision, the plan and the budget to finally deliver an integrated transport system for Dublin West, and it was right. The Government did have the vision, the plan and the budget. However, what my leaflet and the Government of the day both failed … strategic planning but to slow and unreliable delivery systems. We have to act to remove the systemic blockages delaying infrastructure delivery across housing, energy utilities and transport. We have to act to tackle delays due to slow and unpredictable legal and planning frameworks. We have to speed things

known to them. Some 274 women have died violently in this State since 1996. As we look at these figures, women will rightly wonder how much has really been achieved in the years since the Government's so-called zero tolerance strategy was announced because women … agencies, that the option provided to them is either to make themselves homeless or to return back. The lack of availability of affordable housing is one of the greatest barriers and challenges for women and children who are victims or survivors of domestic abuse. It also means that

Gaza to line our supermarket shelves, particularly in light of both the experience of our ancestors and our history. In the West Bank right now, there is a two-tier solution where Palestinians are treated like second-class citizens. It is not me saying that. That is what … latter. We think back to all of the millions of Irish people who died or emigrated and who built America. They built the houses and roads. Do people not remember history? This is a very important piece of work. We could take a lead for the world

Perhaps more will be said on that in the future. We need to consider this more fully. I have heard mention in the House that this debate should be followed by a discussion at the disability matters committee when it is established. As a future member of that … welcome that opportunity. There are a number of elements to this. For social care cases like this, is a commission of inquiry the right model and does it delivery any "value"? I use that word very loosely. I am not talking about taxpayer value but about having