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unacceptable practice of geoblocking. This issue is not going away. When I presented the committee's report to the House this day last week, the Minister, Deputy O’Donovan, was not present then either. I raised this concern in my opening speech with the Minister of State, Deputy … confidence that this will be enacted. All we want is a timeframe for things to happen. Waiting for the Minister to hit the right frame of mind or mood is not an adequate, effective or transparent method of governance. It is par for the course for this Government

again largely a cold and entirely legalistic medical model of viewing disability and negates addressing issues impacting people with disabilities from a human rights-based perspective. The slow process of discharge is something that the Minister and her Department have been aware of since 2024 and they would … only an extension. I am critical of this because there was has been no pre-legislative scrutiny, as has been mentioned. As a House, we have not had the opportunity to fully engage with a real debate on the issues impacting wards and their families. This

clear, accountable, credible and capable of acting decisively when the child's safety is at risk. That is why the motion before the House today is so important. Child protection services are, of course, necessary. The question is whether the system through which we deliver those services … dedication of the agency at the time. It would provide focused professional expertise and improved outcomes for vulnerable children. That ambition was right. However, more than a decade after its establishment and considering the experiences we have had in this country, we must ask ourselves a very simple

shape or form, on a farmers' land. We must work co-operatively, as we do, in partnership with farmers. The experience right around the country is that this works quite well. As a country, we need to take a tougher approach on trespassing. As the Deputy said … Ireland, farmers and their families. For the record, we have legislation already in place relating to trespassing. I share these details with the House to be useful. The Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994, as amended, has specific provisions regarding unauthorised entry onto or occupation of land. Part

delivered the stability tenants deserve and has not provided the confidence needed to expand the pool of rental homes. The Housing Agency review made clear that the change is needed and that the Bill is that change. I will start with the tenant protections because they are substantial … just in certain zones. In plain English, every renter gets the protection, not just the lucky ones who happen to live on the right side of those RPZ boundaries. Second, this Bill introduces rolling tenancies of minimum duration of six years for new tenancies. This is a major

part of the negotiations on the programme for Government when we transferred the control of dogs back to my Department, which is the right place for it. This is a clear outworking of that. What was agreed yesterday by the Cabinet was the heads of a Bill … something in which Deputy Whitmore has a keen interest. I look forward to working with her and all Members of the House as that Bill progresses through all Stages in the Dáil, the Seanad and at committee, as we put in place dog breeding establishment legislation that will

Deputy that the Minister, the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, and I are very committed to this greenway project. The Deputy is right, and he paints a wonderful picture. I look forward to visiting with him again because he has painted a wonderful, broad brush of what … vision will become a reality. It is not “if”, it is “when”, and all of us on this side of the House are anxious to progress the scheme. From our end, there are no barriers to the progression of the scheme. We have allocated money for the greenway

electric heater because energy costs have risen so sharply. At a later session here on the campus of Leinster House, we heard a harrowing account of a woman having to stop home dialysis because of energy costs and relying instead on hospital dialysis, which placed her health more … This is the gulf that has opened up in Ireland between a flourishing economy on the one hand and the vindication of basic rights for disabled people on the other. We again urge the Minister to intervene and deliver this modest targeted payment. It would benefit around

monitored by CCTV. That is not a good thing. People might be familiar with the postcard that has the blue plaque on the house where George Orwell lived in London. There is a massive CCTV camera next to it, which is ironic. There is a certain irony … used by law enforcement for crime detection and prevention but it is also an unwarranted interference with the privacy of individuals and the right for them to move around. I am not in favour of CCTV everywhere and the notion that citizens should be monitored wherever they

modelled and moulded around this. This is very important also. We have seen significant increased funding for Uisce Éireann. Deputy Clendennen is absolutely right that we need to start seeing a return for this increased investment and the increased funding of the utility. With regard to Edenderry, certainly … years, but for towns such as Edenderry and other towns of a similar size this is not good enough. We want to see houses built and delivered now. The interim solution in Edenderry is, once a design is finalised, to look at the potential of developer-led infrastructure

failed its workers and exposed itself repeatedly to legal challenge. We in Independent Ireland support any effort that protects and supports the rights of workers affected under employer insolvency but we also deem that administrative reforms are much needed in the State so that the Irish complacency with … routine and professional governance and good governance. This Bill is a good step forward but let us not flatter ourselves in this House. It is a step taken too late - 17 years too late to my mind - and is too small by a Government that works too slowly

right and positive that we debate the power of higher education. It is simply a shame that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael consistently see it as a soft touch, something to be cut. If there are any consistent trends to Government's approach to higher education, they … inconsistency, pretence and speaking out of both sides of their mouths. In recent weeks in this House, we have discussed all manner of promises to benefit ordinary people that will be broken. We are told, because of economic turbulence, extending sick leave to ten days is delayed. Pension

role. A lot of work was done by my predecessor. It is now about bringing the legislation forward and bringing it through the Houses of the Oireachtas. I have no doubt we will be working on it in the Oireachtas Committee on Health, more particularly, in plenary session … enhances the home care provision people have at home. The fair deal scheme took many years to introduce. It is about getting this right. Bringing it forward is a priority for me and the Government

process is clearly not working because we are coming down with cost overruns left, right and centre. One of the reasons for this is that the Government is allergic to accountability and has been for a long time. Even when answering a simple question here on the actual … this level of accountability is refused. The Minister has not even answered the question that was put on today's Question Paper. Farmleigh House, for example, is another project we in Aontú have been researching. It was bought and refurbished for some €52 million. Over the past

NAMA. Section 8 provides that NAMA shall stand dissolved on the dissolution day. Sections 9 to 12, inclusive, provide that all lands, property, rights and liabilities of NAMA shall be vested in the NTMA, the continuation of contracts and that all records held by NAMA are transferred … NTMA Act 2014. This Part is divided into 12 Chapters covering sections 49C to 49AD, inclusive, and I will briefly take the House through the purpose of these provisions. Chapter 1 relates to the functions of the NTMA in relation to the residual matters transferred from NAMA

Department are to be commended on bringing it forward in a pretty quick manner. I hope we will bring it through the Houses relatively quickly. I have a few issues. The Minister went through section 12D, which relates to the issue of being able to take away guardianship … when this legislation was being drafted was whether there would be a constitutional test. Article 42A was inserted by the referendum on the rights of the child. Article 42A.2.1° states: In exceptional cases, where the parents, regardless of their marital status, fail in their duty towards their children

What is happening in Gaza is horrific slaughter. It is not just me, the Deputy and every other Member of this House saying that. We saw recently that a United Nations independent commission has ruled that what Israel is doing in Gaza is committing genocide. Many people … Palestinian state. There was huge pressure on the Irish Government not to do that, but we did it because it was the right thing to do. We can see that the example set by Ireland is being followed by other EU countries. On the proposals regarding trade between

year, spending runs out of control and the Government acts like it is normal. There are billions more spent but no more houses built. There are overruns and overruns but no improvement in services. There is a breakdown in financial management in this State, from the hundreds … real consequences, particularly when the Government deliberately underfunds other areas. For too long, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have failed the children right across this State. One in five children now lives in poverty. That is the Government's record. One in five children now lives in poverty

consequence free. The EU’s credibility depends on what it does next. While the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is rightly at the forefront of our minds, it is important not to forget or gloss over the extremely worrying developments in the West Bank. Since January, Israel’s military … occupied Palestinian territories following the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice of 19 July 2024. As members of the House are aware, the Government approved the general scheme of that Bill last week. I have referred the general scheme to the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs

Volodymyr Zelenskyy brought into focus what the stakes were, not just for Ukraine, but for Ireland and Europe as a whole. Addressing the Houses of the Oireachtas, he delivered a message of courage and hope, stating that Ukraine was closer to peace than ever before, but warned that … goes on, the more it will need. Ireland and its EU partners continue to provide Ukraine with the support necessary to exercise its right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter. We continue to support the use of the European peace facility, EPF, to provide

childcare for families while rolling out a public model, introduced a weekly cost of disability payment, and turbocharged the delivery of affordable housing. Instead, it of course chose to side with vested interests. There is something quite disingenuous about saying one thing and doing another, which is exactly … problems. What is regrettable is that it chose to ignore countless fully costed, evidence-informed alternatives. “Ending child poverty is not just the right thing to do, but is essential if we are going to prepare for the future and build the society that we all want

brought relevant intelligence - again received by the Garda in 1990 - to the attention of the reinvestigating team. Today we acknowledge failings in this House as we honour the character and contribution of Brian Stack. As the Taoiseach has outlined, the investigation remains active and An Garda Síochána … ranks to a senior role when Portlaoise Prison became the main place of detention in the State for subversive prisoners. There have rightly been a number of actions taken by the State in honour of Brian Stack. As the Taoiseach has referenced, in May 2013 the then Minister

officials, "I don't agree with you and I'm willing to do this." Sometimes standing up for what is right is more important than being perfect as regards taking on board advice. The families have serious questions that deserve to be analysed. They have critically examined … them beforehand but now they have had time to observe it and have been in touch with me and many others in the House. This does not just raise questions about the basic dignity and respect these families deserve; it inevitably raises questions about the efficacy

structural or common elements, apartments, duplexes and multi-unit blocks. These dwellings contain the same defective materials as a detached or semi-detached house. The exclusion demonstrates a serious failure in how the scheme is being managed. The Government's amendment to my motion last week described … dealt with under other funding schemes. Apartments and residential homes being excluded is irrational, deplorable and undermines the equality in law and property rights. The Government's amendment completely ignored my motion and the need to provide a remedy for apartments. Can the Taoiseach confirm alternative pathways established

disability-related measures introduced in budget 2026 that will support the implementation of the Government's overarching strategy for disability, the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030. The report finds that budget 2026 had a particularly strong focus on investment in both disability and mainstream … additional clinical assessments, with a specific focus on autism assessments. Other initiatives outlined in the report include increased investment in housing adaptation grants and in the public transport retrofit programme, along with enhanced supports for employers for the employment of disabled people. In addition, budget 2026 also contained