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evidence of that mistake is all around us. The Act, as adopted, is simply not working. This is one of the key workers' rights questions of our time. I am dealing all of the time with the fallout of this Government's failure. We have return-to-work … train services. We all know the impact but I am not sure this Government necessarily cares or understands it. I will give the House an example of the human impact, if I may. Earlier this week a man in Dundalk was in touch with me. He works

bringing the Bill forward. I am conflicted about it. There is great sentiment to it and the heart is certainly in the right place. The Bill proposes amending the Act of 2023 to strengthen employee entitlements, limit refusal and objection grounds and delete section 20(2). I note … likelihood of an increase in complaints to the WRC and the Labour Court regarding same. I have heard Members in the House speak about employees, vilify employers and speak about them being billionaires on superyachts. I think that Deputy has been watching too many Bond movies because most

Bill is included in the autumn 2025 Government legislation programme for priority publication. I expect it will be brought before the House shortly. I am confident that the proposed amendments in the forthcoming Bill will address a number of matters of concern for homeowners, as are covered … toll this has had, and continues to have, on many individuals and their families. A major focus of this motion is rightly on protecting the mental health of homeowners and residents. This Government is committed to providing mental health supports for individuals and families affected by the defective

have to support them in the context of providing alternative accommodation? How long will that last, or, as seems to be the case right now, are these tenants provided for up until tomorrow and then they have to fend for themselves? If that is the case, there … have in place. I thank the Minister of State for his answer. I appeal to him to raise this with the Minister for housing and ask him to revert to me and other Deputies, including Deputy Currie, as quickly as possible

Oireachtas and I look forward to having the opportunity today and tomorrow to listen to the views and concerns of Members of this House. The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act is important legislation which ultimately transforms how people are supported when they may not have capacity … wishes of the individual and it represents an important milestone in bringing Ireland into closer compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UNCRPD. The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 brought about an end to wardship in the Irish State for adults

knows, they quietly provide a very important public service through the early childhood care and education scheme and other childminding services right across the country. To date, they have not been liable for commercial rates. It is big change. There will be a significant charge on different childminders … providers. I hope there can be engagement between the Tánaiste’s Department, the Department of Children, Disability and Equality and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage on this matter urgently to address

laws and return people undermines the rule of law. The measures in the Bill are serious measures. I accept that. They are the right measures to introduce but they do not go far enough. These are measures that should have been in place a long time ago. Mandatory … governance. Biometric identification is non-negotiable and non-co-operation with the State should never be an option. I previously mentioned in this House people who entered Dublin airport and when asked how they arrived in this country, which is one of the standard questions, replied: "I arrived

does deflection. It is very hard to do deflection on the cost of groceries. The Government can do it on housing when it tries to blame immigrants, but it cannot do it on groceries or utility bills. When is the Government going to take on the big utility … conglomerates? When is it going to provide targeted payments to those who need it, those workers who are doing everything right and are being let down by the Government

given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Sean Fleming - The transfer of patients from Erkina House in Rathdowney, County Laois and the future of this facility. Deputy Rory Hearne - To discuss changes to bus networks in Dublin north west. Deputy … transport improvements in Chapelizod. Deputy Barry Ward - To discuss qualification for carer's leave for teachers. Deputy Malcolm Byrne - To discuss ongoing human rights abuses against the Uyghurs. Deputy Paula Butterly - To discuss when approved CIÉ pension increases will be paid. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness - To discuss policing

million. Discussions and further work with local authorities will have to be done to resolve this. I understand a Cabinet subcommittee on housing is meeting today. I do not know the outcomes of that yet. I am not sure if that meeting has finished. I will relay … Minister. I will work with the senior Minister, Cork County Council and Cork City Council to try to resolve this. The Deputy is right that it has worked. It is a good scheme. It is continuing but it needs to work for all local authorities

communities left behind or we can build a firm and fair system that is rules based, accountable and sustainable. That means investing in housing, schools, transport and services. It means proper procedures on spending and it means treating applicants with humanity while also ensuring communities are not overburdened … whether we face it with planning and fairness or keep repeating the same costly mistakes. The Minister has taken steps in the right direction, which I really welcome, but delivery will be crucial. A rules-based system can restore trust, protect communities and allow migration

until the next drone strike on a Russian oilfield in Siberia or until President Trump has his next tantrum in the White House? It is not a question of "if" with fossil fuels; it is a question of "when". We have a huge energy affordability problem in this … when they realise the SEAI does not have the money to help them with their retrofit. Too many families are suffering right now from energy costs that are too high. They need real short-term support to make it through this winter and they need a long-term

honour to be here this year as we mark what is a significant year in terms of LGBTIQ+ equality. As many in the House will be aware, the Dublin Pride Festival took place on 28 June. The streets of the capital were awash with vibrant colours, enjoyment … vote. With 62% in favour, the people of Ireland made a clear, proud, and compassionate choice to enshrine in our Constitution the equal right of same-sex couples to marry. It was a moment that changed our laws, but more than that, it changed lives. The annual marriage

particularly pleased to now be in a position to make it happen, as the relevant Minister on this side of the House. Ireland applied for associate membership of CERN in late 2023. The CERN council approved Ireland’s application earlier this year, so Ireland … membership agreement and the CERN protocol on privileges and immunities are the two relevant instruments. The associate membership agreement sets out Ireland’s rights and obligations as an associate member of CERN. This includes: the right to participate in CERN’s scientific, training, and education programmes; the right

human rights and legitimate aspiration to a prosperous future in a democratic Belarus. In 2025, my Department provided funding to the Viasna human rights centre founded by Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski, and to the international humanitarian fund for the victims of repressions in Belarus to offer … holds for Ireland from her childhood stays in our country. I know I am one of a number of people in this House who has met her, as have other Ministers and the Tánaiste, who have also met her husband who was released just last summer from detention

streets and put out propaganda about certain elements. People are fed up. They do not have the money to heat their houses. We in Donegal have been left abandoned for years. The Government is absolutely at the end. In Donegal, we have had it. The people of Donegal … will vote no confidence in this Government. I urge the Independents - Lowry's group - to do the same and to do the right thing

that and that is why the percentage of the overall education budget, which is now €13 billion and growing, is very high and rightly so. We have prioritised special education. Last year, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Moynihan, did exceptional work … close the gap in terms of the number of children seeking places. All of us on this side of the House meet parents of children with special needs, always. I never stopped meeting parents of children with special needs. I accept they have to fight a very hard

Deputy is right that the living cities initiative is just one tool. That is fair. The derelict sites tax will be another. It is my intention to update the Government in March on the policy direction in relation to that. We are working closely on it. There … meetings, at least weekly, between my Department, the Department of housing at official level. It is, as the Deputy knows, my intention to legislate for that tax in the next budget. We have not decided on the rate yet but it will be no lower than the current

welcome this hugely important motion. I have been fighting in the business committee to have a discussion in the House on mental health services. It is certainly an emergency. I think every TD in this Chamber knows the reality. When people are in a mental health crisis there … nowhere for them to go. We see it in our clinics every single week. Deputy O'Donoghue said we have to get this right. Sadly, it is not right. It is a broken system, an absolute disastrous system, to be honest. I have had family members very close

next CAP, others can be progressed in a shorter timeframe. I want to work on those practical measures with Members of this House but also with members of Macra na Feirme and other farming organisations to make real and tangible changes. This issue really does matter and does … farming system, people planning for the future and planning future investment. There are many good supports in that space. The Deputy is right that our economy is at full employment and that there are challenges that come with this fact, including the other opportunities that are out there

measures we have taken around apartments and tax but I believe it is an important viability measure. We will see who is right in time. We have listened to a lot of people in terms of the viability gap. We have taken a number of measures … thousands of apartments with active planning permission today that are not being built and we need them built. We all want more housing supply. On disability, the Minister for Social Protection has been clear he is working on developing a cost of disability payment. We would like

wish to ask the Minister the means by which, under the national human rights strategy for disabled people, the delivery of therapies and assessments will be achieved. When I first put in this question, I actually asked a bit more that obviously related to other Departments, such … cost of disability that relates to the Department of Social Protection, or issues that relate to transport or housing. We all know the issues that exist with regard to therapies and assessments. While I have received some figures back, I am seeking the latest update on the state

tabling this debate and giving us this opportunity to discuss what has been done and what more can be done. The Deputy is right to talk about the moral imperative. There is also a legal imperative based on the International Court of Justice, ICJ. Ireland has acted … case. The Deputy understandably mentioned the occupied territories Bill, which is with the committee at this point. I can confirm to the House that I have already had engagement with the Slovenian foreign minister and just last week with the Norwegian minister, who said that if we managed

conditions of staff. The same should apply in the nursing home sector. If we learned anything from the scandalous deaths at Dealgan House Nursing Home in Dundalk in 2020, it should be that there should be a national clinical governance programme, operated by the HSE and applying … other words, in the interests of all older people and all residents, there should be HSE oversight. That should be standard and applied right across the board, whether the nursing home is public or private

coastal communities. I said to the Minister of State earlier that I was pleased to receive a response from the Minister for housing that the marine protected areas Bill is at an advanced stage of drafting and it is intended to finalise the draft as soon as possible … year. That is very welcome. He went on to say that the draft Bill is intended to be a Bill in its own right and is not amending legislation. When I asked the Minister of State about this earlier, I am not sure whether his response was that