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hearing to be held in public. That frustration is real and understandable and was eloquently spoken of by my colleagues here in the House. However, this framework seeks to protect the identities of children while still allowing some proceedings to take place in public. More importantly, these families … that have gone on way too long while people wait for an answer, and that must not happen here. Let us get it right, let us get it done and let us get the right terms of reference in place so that we at least get a fair

this side that everything is going up. Literally everything is going up and we cannot understand why. When colleagues across the House explain why this is happening, it is blatantly ignored to the extent that the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, just decides that the end of the debate … Minister of State was last in Naas, but Naas is unique for many reasons. One that it is probably not so proud of right now is the fact that it has land zoning specifically for data centre use. I am not aware of any other town in this

have missed the Deputy from my days in the Department of housing. He continues to barrack people all of the time. He lost that debate too, in the last general election. We are going to deliver this project. We have published an NDP that is fully funded … happening. There is no resiling from that whatsoever. This period of time is actually the delivery period for many transformational public transport projects right across the country. It might disappoint the Deputy to actually see those commencing and being delivered because it gives him less to give

Certainly, there are things we can learn from that. It is a positive news day for cancer survivors. With the support of the House, we will introduce it on Committee Stage next week. I would ask members of the Opposition to not submit amendments for the sake … welcomes this. Its members asked me to go and speak on this in Brussels to advocate the Irish position internationally. It is the right position. Let us stay united on this when it comes to Committee Stage next week

bids are genuine. The ESRI published a report last month, Buying and Selling Property in Ireland, which outlines how aspects of the Irish housing transaction system influence buyer and seller behaviour and provides insights on features of the Irish market that warrant consideration for reform. The matters raised … will reflect on the recommendations in the report. Any reform proposals will require deeper examination, including assessing impacts on the balance of rights of sellers and buyers in areas such as when a bid becomes legally binding; the rights of buyers to get an independent survey after

exercise, but as partners in establishing what went wrong and what must change. The review must be patient centred, trauma informed and human rights based and the commitment must be reflected in how families are listened to and supported throughout. Second, it must deliver accountability and learning … gathering dust. I look forward to Mr Farrell’s report at the conclusion of this 16-week period, and I ask that the House receive a clear update on the next steps immediately thereafter, including a timeline for finalising the terms of reference and establishing the inquiry

into those homes because they have no other option save risking homelessness. I have spoken to many young people who are doing everything right. They are working hard, saving every month and scraping together a deposit. Prices are rising and the goalposts keep getting moved. Why is this … purchased since the Government introduced measures it claimed would put an end to this practice. These vulture funds can buy up to nine houses without triggering higher stamp duty and face absolutely no restrictions whatsoever on purchasing apartments in bulk. Consequently, we have the US private equity firm

echo the concerns raised by my colleagues across the House today. The sales of single-use vapes to minors and their use of these vapes have reached epidemic levels in Ireland. The vaping industry has deliberately exploited this reality. The figures are incredible. WEEE Ireland found that vapes … products are targeting vulnerable young people in particular who are unaware of the serious long-term dangers that they pose. As the Taoiseach rightly said, vapes are the revenge of the tobacco industry and they have the potential to bring another generation back into addiction. We have

couple affected, who had to rebuild the house and who had saved all their lives, that something had to be done with the house. I said the county council could not help them out but that I was sure that if they kept all their receipts and kept … saying to the couple that there is nothing for them and that, even though they did nothing wrong and instead did everything right, leaving everything fit for audit, they are still excluded. They are neighbours of the Minister’s TDs in Mayo. They know them, they know their

compliment the remarkable courage of Cara Darmody, a 14-year-old disability rights campaigner from my constituency. I welcome her and her dad here this evening. Cara started her campaign in support of her two brothers, who have autism diagnoses, but now she is supporting and campaigning … general election campaign. This issue, of course, was huge in the election campaign, and we had all sorts of promises and commitments. Housing and disability services were the biggest issues during the campaign and they are supposed to be the Government's highest priorities. "More needs

Uisce Éireann to support reaching our new housing targets. We will prioritise water and wastewater infrastructure to deliver the capacity to facilitate housing development in our towns and villages. This additional funding will be considered as part of the NDP review, which is due to be completed … Minister for Finance in budget 2025. This investment will deliver significant improvements in our public water and wastewater services, support improved water supplies right across Ireland, including rural Ireland and support a range of programmes delivering improved water quality in our rivers, lakes and marine areas. Sinn Féin

able to make ends meet in this country. That is a major problem. No business and no employer should have the right to build a business model that can only function when it provides a level of standards in terms of wages, pay and conditions that … they tell me that some of the biggest problems they have at the moment are the cost-of-living crisis, the price of houses and the cost of rent. If we look at the incompetency of this Government, in many ways it is driving wage inflation in this

situ scheme. However, after months of the local authority dragging its heels and ignoring him, the landlord made the decision to sell the house privately. What would the Minister of State say to this elderly couple? I want to put on the record of the Dáil a figure … single home in Mallow to rent. What does that tell me? It tells me the Government has failed on renters' rights. A development in Kerry Pike in County Cork was promised a crèche by private developers. People paid over €500,000 for their home based on a pretence

Ireland and so on. That is just leaning into both the stuff to which I refer and the toxic agenda of the far right. The truth about immigrants coming to this country is that the number of asylum applicants is tiny. It was down to 13,000 last … asylum seekers are somehow causing a problem. This is a Government essentially trying to deflect attention away from its failure to address the housing crisis or indeed its culpability for that crisis in the first place. When we look at the numbers, we have 149,000 in inward

Those issues could be addressed. Give them planning. There was a mention of legalising granny flats or building onto the back of houses. Where is that? To see these working people go out early in the morning and work at nights, and continue to pay all the costs … they are, they have nothing left at the end of the week and they do not qualify for anything. That is not right. They are saying that they would be better off not working. It is disappointing to hear that because the work ethic is in the Irish

reach our climate targets in the area of public transport, will be successfully judicially reviewed in the courts. I want to take the House back to the decision of the Supreme Court earlier this year relating to Coolglass and section 15 of the climate action Act. Coolglass Wind … constituency of BusConnects between Blanchardstown and the city centre. In each one of those cases, an individual was protecting their private property rights through a judicial review. I did not agree with those judicial reviews. I wish that they had not gone on. I am glad that

those children. I thank all of them for the very difficult work they have been doing and continue to do. Deputy Cullinane is right to highlight this work. As we speak about the ambulance service, we are so aware as public representatives that the NAS ambulance teams … true that there are other issues we must address and do so properly in this forum and other forums. I can update the House on this occasion or another occasion on the steps being taken to improve the cultural issues that exist in parts of the ambulance service

Those living with a disability are entitled to an adequate standard of living, like the rest of us. That standard includes safe, accessible housing, nutritious food, quality healthcare, rehabilitation services, education and access to meaningful employment opportunities. Yet, this Government took the entitlements from them in last year … impacted the quality of life of those living with a disability. These actions have been done and maintained despite the pleas of disability rights and campaigning groups and service users. Many of us have met them, whether in here or outside of the Dáil, where they

jammy when things are going right and when things are going wrong, it is the fault of the Government. That is a very simplistic approach. lf the economy remains strong, we will stand by the programme for Government commitment to make progressive changes to personal income tax rates … Department of Finance, this budget should be about rewarding work. In budget 2026, it was about supporting jobs, record investment in housing and record investment in disabilities. We must ensure that budget 2027 is about supporting those who are working and there are significant tax measures to support

Minister’s area, are being asked to cope on lower incomes while they face the same rising costs for food, energy, childcare and housing as everybody else. When this Government delays the living wage until 2029, who does the Government think is carrying that burden … poor quality. Nearly half of non-union workers say they would join a union if they could. Workers should have the legal right to collective bargaining, union access to workplaces, a living wage and stronger rights to flexible and remote working. The Government should stop pretending that national

Without commenting on specific cases, the State has been asked to intervene left, right and centre, and everywhere. There is a problem there in terms of sustainability. When estates are developed, there have to be bonds and people have responsibilities. There are different cases, and I accept … seven years is a bit long, and I take that point, but I am speaking more generally. I will ask the Minister for housing for his observations. We are committing unprecedented sums of money to local authorities on housing across a whole range of headings. Only today

what is a huge issue. I will start by mentioning the public health nurses in my own area and this is an issue right across the country. There is only one such nurse in the Drimnagh area and last year that person was transferred to the nearby area … issues involved. Recently, an elderly constituent had to have very complex dressings done quite regularly and no public health nurses called to the house. The woman is disabled and had to struggle to get a taxi to a local clinic even in bad weather, as was recently

tasked with determining whether the bombing could reasonably have been prevented by British state authorities. I have on many occasions discussed in this House the importance of the need to address the legacy of the enormous impact of Troubles-related violence and the legitimate needs and expectations … commitment to assist the inquiry to fulfil its terms of reference while also protecting the essential interests of the State and the rights of witnesses involved, this Bill creates a bespoke legal mechanism allowing all evidence to be taken under oath here in Ireland before a High Court

dignity, freedom and equality. The rights they fought for were so hard won, but as we have seen across Europe and beyond, those rights are frighteningly easy to lose. This year marks ten years since Ireland made history by voting yes to marriage equality … next. Our Pride is a protective shield for all in our society and it must be protected. As a Member of this House and a proud ally I believe it is more important now than ever to be vocal, visible and unambiguous in our support for people

modest charge on properties abolished. It is extraordinary that every time we debate the principle of the property tax in this House there are parties who purport to be on the left in Irish politics which say they oppose it. They oppose it for their own reasons … always struck by the uneasy alliance of the far left, Sinn Féin and parties which describe themselves as being on the right in Irish politics, such as the likes of Independent Ireland, where people seem to agree that property taxes are something that should be abolished but rarely