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Deputy's budget proposals last year would have put up inflation. The Deputy knows that too. We have to get this balance right. We had a good conversation of Government and Opposition at the oversight committee on this today. We have to be very careful that anything … temporary moment seem like we are trying to assist people could end up pushing up prices for them and nobody in this House, I presume, wants to achieve that situation too. We have taken measures. The people of Ireland get this. It is one of the largest packages

private operators providing these unregulated placements for the most vulnerable children. He described it as wrong and shameful, and he was absolutely right in that. Notably, it was not the first time that Judge Fottrell or other judges spoke out about the failures of Tusla. It has been … required standards, and it referred five private operators to the Garda National Vetting Bureau. We know that a large proportion of those housed in special emergency arrangements are separated children seeking international protection and that is specifically why we raised these issues with the Minister, Deputy O’Callaghan

planning legislation - this is a planning matter and events are covered under event licences - is a matter for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in the first instance but supports from an enterprise point of view are a matter for the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism … down with strict criteria how events are to be planned under event licensing. It is a matter for local authorities, and rightly so. If there was any attempt to remove event licensing from local authorities, the Deputy would have great difficulty with it from a Dublin city point

wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin - To discuss the crisis of mental health and lack of services in Wexford. Deputy … Michael Murphy - To discuss eligibility for the vacant property refurbishment grant. Deputy Paul McAuliffe - To discuss the existing rights of victims of crime following the release of a perpetrator from prison or an institution. Deputy Albert Dolan - To discuss the allocation of SET and SNA hours for primary

Monday night, Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Labour, the Green Party and right-wing Independents all voted to raise rents on the poorest households in Dublin city. These are council tenants, AHB tenants, HAP and RAS tenants who do not even get any maintenance from the council … their rents increased from April. There are plans to do the same across the country. This is pointed towards in the Government's housing plan, including in South Dublin County Council. The rent is being increased for cold, damp, uninsulated and overcrowded homes. This is forcing families with

that I am a qualified physical education teacher. I understand the importance of having good quality sports infrastructure in all of our communities right across the country. As I said in my opening statement - it speaks to some of the frustration the Deputy has outlined … uncompleted, and that is Lucan swimming pool. The positives I take from the response that I have put on the record of the House is that a new contractor has now been appointed in order to complete the works. That is very important. In terms of swimming more

deliver something that is a bit more fit for purpose. We all know justice should be swift, and that is an absolute right. The Bill needs to be expedited insofar as possible. This has been an ongoing issue. Many of us, as constituency TDs, have had representations made … audiovisual room earlier with victims and survivors of sexual violence. I would like to think there would be support across the House for the Bill and the simple idea of civil protection orders being provided to those who have been through absolute hell and need vital support

Moldova. The Russians had been attempting to interfere with elections there. Clearly, it is not just warheads, missiles and drones but it is right across. The Ukrainian ambassador told the committee that something like 11,000 Shahed drones have been used in the first six months of this … talking about sanctions and the Minister referred to the 19th iteration of these. Does he think they are biting? Could he reassure the House about that

international aid, Deputy Richmond. My understanding is that there are 16 Irish citizens in the current part of the flotilla. He is right about the number 22. I was teasing through this - there is a further part of the flotilla to come. To the best of our knowledge … board. We have confirmation that 14 of them have been detained. We believe 16 have been detained. I want to give the House very accurate information. I expect all 16 have been detained but to date we have confirmation that only 14 have been detained. Our ambassador, Sonya

felt everything was perfect, I would not passionately believe we need to establish the office of veteran affairs. The Deputy is entirely right. There is a need for a greater sustained focus and co-ordination on the range of issues veterans can experience in the here … mission, but also years down the road. We have a duty to them after their service to our country. On the issue of housing, I was very impressed by the work being done by the organisation ONE, when I visited it in Smithfield, where housing options are provided

with LEOs, this week with that target in mind. We are trying to support businesses as much as we can. Deputy McCormack quite rightly points out that there are other Departments that are key to the development of our main streets. Vacancy is a big challenge, in particular … been a big challenge because the regulatory burden is very significant in terms of making developments viable in that space. Our new housing plan will be launched in July. I hope we will see actions that involve working with the Minister, Deputy Browne, in that regard to ensure

people in Skibbereen waiting for a driving test. That is more than 20,000 people waiting. The Minister of State is right when he says we have young people who are on provisional licences and who need to have this test. One young fella came into my constituency … September. He is really struggling to find this test in time because he will not be able to commute to and from his house to get that apprenticeship going. I am also dealing with a girl who sought and got a job for the summertime and unfortunately cannot

responsible for the heinous murders have been apprehended by An Garda Síochána, brought before the courts and imprisoned. It is important that this House commend and recognise the role of An Garda Síochána when it is successful. It was very successful in respect of the gangland feud … aware of is the whole question of public order. Public order is becoming a more difficult issue. Obviously, we have to respect the rights of individuals to protest on the street, which is something I will vigorously protect, but there are situations where people seek to present themselves

strong political vision for change. Our vision is for the creation of an active State that can and will deliver for communities on housing, climate, care and work. That is the programme we stood for in the election and it is the programme we will be working … left with whom we share a common vision. We want to see this Government building affordable homes, protecting our climate, defending the rights of children, ending child poverty, ensuring timely access to healthcare, guaranteeing decency at work and using the machinery of the State to drive down household

living in overcrowded flats or the adults who are in their 30s, regressing into childhood bedrooms because this State has outsourced the right to a shelter to what is market forces. The Ombudsman for Children has documented many complaints and reveals what I would call a systematic institutionalisation … situation. Incredibly, families who are on €30,000 or €40,000 and up to €48,000 in some places are being disqualified from housing assistance, leaving them in a situation where they are too wealthy to be able to get housing assistance but too poor to be able

enacting Aontú's Forty-first Amendment of the Constitution (Voting Rights in Presidential Elections) Bill 2025 or similar, in order to grant voting rights to Irish citizens living in the North of Ireland during presidential elections; — repeal Section 42(h) of the Freedom of Information Act 2014, which … regardless, for them to plough on regardless, and that they get the results they want.That shows the bubble that exists in Leinster House and that the anger and frustration that exists outside of Leinster House is currently only being articulated by Aontú. Our motion looks for common-sense

probably are no words to describe what families are going through when they are living with the impact of defective blocks and their house crumbling before them, the scars their young children will have to bear, the challenges in terms of relationships and mental health and the financial … their hearts and homes and talk about the personal strain and their mental health challenges to try to convince Government to do the right thing and still the Government will not provide 100% redress. I was speaking to somebody recently who is in the process of rebuilding their

people spoke about how we managed to get from here to the other side in terms of the reduction of quota. Others have rightly asked if it is going to be another task force that will talk shop. I have given it a time limit, stripped it back … doubt when it is published we will be here again and it will never meet the expectations of the other side of the House. I understand that. That is the way it should be. There should be that tension here to keep all our feet to the fire

April 2023, rightly set a three-year timeframe for the court to review and transition every adult ward of court to the new rights-based framework. However, the reality is that the system has not been able to complete that work in time. I understand that of around … digital dashboard, of how many reviews listed, how many declarations made, how many discharges completed and the average timeframes so that this House can ensure the extension is being used as intended, and not only as proposed. I support this Bill because legal certainty and continuity

forgotten on a statutory footing for the first time in Ireland. That is hugely significant because voluntary arrangements do not have the same rights and legal status. Cancer survivors deserve certainty and the legislation reduces the remission period from seven years to five years. This is important because … reflect modern medicine and modern realities. The legislation also increases the mortgage protection threshold. This matters enormously given the reality of today’s housing market. The legislation also provides for a periodic review linked to CSO residential property price data and stakeholder engagement. Above the threshold, normal underwriting

Road, Greenmill Lane and Harpur's Lane. However, we really need the Portlaoise northern orbital route, which will connect the N80 at Fairgreen right across to the Dublin Road. That is a priority project of Laois County Council, as is the Mountmellick bypass, but the Government does … just shorten journeys. It would lesson the gridlock in Portlaoise town and in Mountmellick, and it would free up hundreds of acres for housing development. A lot of housing development is being pushed to Portlaoise but we do not have the infrastructure. Both Mountmellick and Portlaoise need relief

clarity. If this system is to work within education, all our education partners must have bought in, including the teacher unions and people right across the education spectrum. Every one of those people plays a significant role in special education. I assure the Deputy that intense work … decision-making, and that decisions are guided by the best possible outcomes for children. Those will be finalised. We will update the House when those issues are agreed between the various education partners

process for presidential candidates. This has to be looked at. Looking back, the majority of people agree on that. I sat on the housing committee during the establishment of the Electoral Commission. Now is the time to commence the review of presidential elections. We have seven years … Dáil agrees with. The process should start as soon as possible. This must be the last election where the voting rights of our comrades and fellow Irish citizens in the Six Counties and around the world are blocked. I have friends in America, Canada, Australia and England

after taking part in a protest, because she is a member of that group. That is the kind of thing that is happening right now. There is an Irish branch of that group as well, called Palestine Action, that has carried out protests here. Will it also … facing, has been well-documented. It was a very worrying turn to see peaceful women, Mothers Against Genocide, outside the gates of Leinster House on a Sunday night-Monday morning, being carted off by An Garda Síochána. The Minister has one interpretation of what happened, which he took

thank the Deputy for raising this extraordinarily important issue. It is one we have worked on across the House during the last period of time, including publishing an ambitious domestic, sexual and gender-based violence strategy, which was led by my colleague, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and establishing … zero-tolerance approach. When I was the Minister for Justice, I had the absolute honour of meeting Jennie's brother, Jason. He has rightly, as the Deputy said, been campaigning for what he calls "Jennie's Law". Within that is a very sensible proposal