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will start with accountability in Irish Water. As the Minister knows, Members of the House have the right to ask parliamentary questions to various Ministers, including to him. If I want to help someone with a driving test, I can write a parliamentary question to the Minister … question for the Minister for Health, and she will refer it to the HSE. When I write a parliamentary question to Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage asking about Irish Water and when it is going to invest in a certain plant or when it is going

treated - by some. I do not want to tar everybody with the same brush. When we hear what is said in this House sometimes, and rightly so, in defence of innocent, elderly people who are being abused, it can seem as if staff in every nursing home … stand for, but it has not stopped. We all know the crisis that is out there at the moment. I raised Perrott House in Skibbereen in the House with the Tánaiste last week. Families, who had people inside in Perrott House in Skibbereen, were told six or seven

people behind you who worked so hard to ensure you were elected to this House, just like all of us in this House can relate to. I know it is especially significant for you, your family and your team given the circumstances on the previous occasion of your … Gael colleagues to join that Government later, and to working with all colleagues in government - Ministers of State, TDs, Senators and people right across this House - as we work together for the people of Ireland. I will speak at greater length later on when the Dáil reconvenes

absolute view. As I said to Deputy Gibney earlier, I want to engage constructively on this. I want to get the legislation right. I do not believe the current legislation in relation to the triple lock is fit for purpose. I have said very clearly that in amendments … overseas, in terms of overseas peacekeeping but also for other purposes, including evacuation operations of Irish citizens abroad. Many times in this House, Deputies have rightly highlighted important issues about how we get our people, our citizens - not troops - back from overseas in times of great danger

protection should not have to spend years waiting for an answer. Equally, where it is found that a person does not have a right to stay in Ireland, that decision must lead to action. I have raised in the past the issue of foreign nationals who commit serious … there were no such plans but information suggesting otherwise had travelled quickly and caused concern. We see this today in relation to housing allocations, voting rights, and economic benefits and we really need to get a handle on this so that the facts are out there. My priority

being handed over and what the value for this State is in handing over that sovereignty, then a considered debate in this House and then moving forward, but instead what happens is decisions are made behind closed doors to opt in. I have the briefing note here. That … part of the Department. I will be voting against this motion. I do so on the basis of standing up for the rights of the Houses of the Oireachtas to have full and proper consideration of these matters, not to be subjected to a rubber-stamping exercise

City Council's homeless prevention measures. This year, the Government provided €20 million. From that, €5.5 million has already been spent on 135 houses purchased last year and a further €12.7 million is needed to complete the purchase of 38 homes by the end of last year … asked that the tenant in situ scheme be saved. The scheme works. It is one of the few things the Government did right. Tenants want houses to be purchased, landlords are willing to sell and local authorities want to purchase them. The only problem is that the Government

housing nationwide; — develop new financing sources, especially for brownfield sites and small builders, with support from Home Building Finance Ireland, the HFA and domestic banks, as well as State support of equity investment; — enhance protections for tenants, while appropriately vindicating landlords' constitutionally protected property rights, through measures introduced … Government is channelling a record €6.1 billion in capital expenditure into housing this year alone. This is into social and affordable housing. That is the right thing to do and the Government will continue to invest significantly in the supply of social and affordable housing. Furthermore, the Government

families today. I know Craig well as well as the many others who have reached out to us. Like all Deputies in the House, we know families in our own areas. I cannot pre-empt the outcomes of the HSE drug group but having engaged with the Department … have made progress. There is more to do but we are moving in the right direction. Working together, in government and right across the House, together with the stakeholders, patients and their families, we can continue to make real progress

have those conversations about how to do this right. I do not believe it is beyond the ingenuity of this House to get this right. I share the Deputy's view that it is very important to get the structure of this right

recently met Family Carers Ireland at its regional meeting in Cork. I know that Members right across this House have met many family carers and associations associated with caring in recent weeks. We should recognise that caring in itself is a hugely valuable contribution to society. I commend

Deputy raising this matter today, and ask that he continues to engage with the Deputy and, I am sure, other Members right across the House

next budget and we have also expanded grants for shop conversions. The issue of vacancy and dereliction in the housing emergency is rightly identified by the Deputy as a key issue on which we want to make more progress

them, and there have been five Garda referrals over a period of time. The Deputy mentioned some absolute horrors, as is his right in this House. I do not want anyone to think that any part of this country, service in this country or any individual in this

thank the Deputy very much for raising this important matter. I acknowledge that, as he rightly reminded the House, this is not the first time he has raised this issue here, and directly with the Minister for Health as well. There has been a welcome and renewed policy

here, however, to give concluding statements. He will be kept up to date as to the comments made during the statements from right across the House. I welcome the opportunity to come before the House to speak on this most important issue of homelessness and the work being

know the Minister of State is very passionate about, AI and energy and AI and education. We are learning from people right across these Houses, and from civic society organisations, business, and academic experts. We are very keen to hear their views. People can email ai@oireachtas.ie. That

obvious. Parents are locked out of their own communities, children are forced to leave their communities and families are living in uncertainty. Housing is a right; it is not a commodity. Policy must protect people, and not investors. This is not about markets or profit margins

disappointment that people on that side of the House would turn around and say that people on this side of the House are far right or far left. I am a father. I have been heckled

will not get the media attention other conflicts rightly get. Given the scale of depravity, though, it is something that we, right across this House, need to ensure we talk about in our own political parties and communities. The values I believe are dear to all our hearts

specific entities here in the House without the right to reply

incident that took place in a Tusla facility in Donaghmede yesterday. This is a shocking event. My thoughts and those of people right across the House and country are with all of those impacted by it, in particular the bereaved family and those injured. The loss of life

like it across the country are successful in accessing the curriculum. The argument that no child should pass the school that is right beside their house is understood, but schools such as the one I have mentioned should be an option for parents who want to send their

thank colleagues right across the House for their contributions, not just during the discussion this afternoon on making Ireland's education system a world-class system and making sure every child can reach his or her full potential. I welcome the opportunity to speak on this issue

will make a brief point in response to one of the assertions of the Minister where he quite rightly says this House should not be bound to the views of any given set of experts, whether it be the Bar Council, the Law Library, former members