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thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire and he is entirely right. Calls for a ceasefire are being undermined by one party and that party is the aggressor. It is Putin and Russia. There are two presidents involved in this; President Zelenskyy has said he will accept without precondition … this does not work for us and we need clarity. There is a lot of talk about peace. On all sides of this House, we all want peace. Nobody wants peace more than the people of Ukraine and the Government of Ukraine. We are not seeing much

than ever, we need to prioritise online safety and ensure our laws can face evolving digital threats while balancing privacy and free expression rights. Gaps in the law at the moment leave victims vulnerable. Catfishing is a particular example of that. Gaps in the law also impede gardaí … Minister for Justice. The Minister has made a strong and robust start in his tenure and he enjoys the support of the House. I also know that the Ministers will shortly incorporate the migration piece into their portfolios. I ask that we continue where the Minister, Deputy

just on paper. The Mental Health Commission’s latest reports show continued falls in seclusion and restraint, a hard-won shift towards human-rights-based, person-centred care. That is what service users have asked for and that is what services are delivering. The Government is also investing … free counselling sessions for men, with supports available by phone and in person, and targeted work with young Traveller men through Exchange House. The aim is simple: lower the threshold, fit services around men’s lives and tackle stigma head-on. However, we also know that care does

have raised this with me. We all see it. None of us is immune to it but we are well paid in this House. There are people who are on much less than us and are trying to make ends meet and pay all of the bills … look at mandatory price arrangements and transparency. We have to make sure there is absolute transparency when it comes to pricing of food right across the board. That is obvious, but it is not happening. We also have to look at how we force these multiples to reduce

treats the issue of special education. The one thing I am always encouraged by is the depth of knowledge of Members of the House about special education and the challenges being faced by families and I compliment them on that. I urge them to continue that because there … vision had ambition and was forward thinking and rooted in the principle that every child regardless of his or her ability had a right to a quality education and an inclusive setting where possible. The overall vision has not changed. The review and the contributions of Members today

speaking truth to power, especially investigative journalists, environmental activists, community groups and individuals who have legitimate concerns. This Bill, in the rightful way, targets those who threaten public interest advocates with some form of financial ruin. Looking at it from a non-expert point of view, it provides … going to elucidate on this later - intimidate defendants to some degree. We need more clarity on this. As my colleagues in the House have said, we possibly need related amendments on Committee Stage. Another angle is that if a defendant wants to get a case thrown out early

There are three issues I wish to raise in regard to housing. The first is homelessness; something we see across the length and breadth of the country, particularly in urban areas. I come from a rural part of the country, Sligo–Leitrim. We have a homelessness crisis … Leitrim is produced in a plant beside the River Shannon in Carrick-on-Shannon. That covers all of south Leitrim through Drumshanbo, Ballinamore, right over to Carrigallen, Mohill and all of that region. It has been at 110% capacity for the past number of years. It is bursting

credits. We need targeted energy credits to help struggling workers and low-income households to keep the lights on and make their houses comfortable once again - those who are lucky enough to have a home. We need energy credits that will support the small businesses that need help … real and practical measures that can immediately bring down the cost of living for so many people who are struggling in this State right now. These are the measures that put the worker and the carer of this country first for once, where they deserve

what the Minister of State says about the right to regulate and having certain protections. He has already stated that he believes the investor court system is an improvement on the old ISDS but I still have not heard anything that settles me in regard to the fact … everything from regulation to legislating from a point of view of improving people's lives, whether we are talking about everything from housing to the environment to health. It is basically encompassing the entirety of the work done in a Chamber like this and beyond. That

independent refugees commissioner, who made a binding recommendation to the Minister. Under the International Protection Act 2015, the procedure was brought in-house and recommendations were made to the Minister by international protection officers. These IPOs are officials of the International Protection Office, the immigration service … functions. The Supreme Court has held that the independent status of an IPO is a key feature, stating: An applicant has a right to be interviewed, heard and have decisions concerning them made by an independent decision-maker who is familiar with the relevant law. As well

Deputy is dead right. I thank him for his ongoing support and advocacy concerning the importance of the N20-M20 as a county councillor, as leader of the council and as a new Teachta Dála. He illustrated very clearly here the strategic importance of the road … variety of reasons, including safety and economic sustainability. I thank the Deputy for his very thought-provoking address tonight here to the House about this strategically important route, which is a priority for the Government. The proposed project aims to enhance regional accessibility by improving the network connecting

right time for disabled people to access work or return to work. [...] We will deliver the right individual supports at the right time so that disabled people using disability services can maximise their opportunities to live independently and choose to be an active part of their local communities … particularly those with more complex disabilities, to live a full life in the community. [...] We will enhance the effective delivery of the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People (2022 – 2027). [...] We will support the inclusion of disabled people in their local communities by continuing to improve our services

areas of critical skills and active recruitment is ongoing. We are now at a point, though, where waiting lists for healthcare, schools and housing are causing tensions to run high. Let us be honest. Local authorities, for example in County Meath, are only now carrying out settlement capacity … feasa fiafraí, the door to knowledge is questions, but asking questions has been a negative in recent times. I have been branded far right on occasion for asking questions. I am "far fairness", just for the record. I put the question that I submitted in advance. What plans

that even if 10% of people were to stop using the scheme because of this reduction, it would cost €7 million more to house the people affected in private accommodation than the State would have had to pay otherwise. I see this as being a part … racist sentiment in society. It will not win Sinn Féin any votes. All it does is give grounds and arguments to the far right. It will not work

because it has denied children their rights. This Government of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the so-called Independents has denied children their rights. This has a real impact on the lives of parents and children. Assessments of need are needed, otherwise parents are out of pocket because … list. Today it is embarrassing for this Government. I do not know how Government Members can stand up and make statements in this House when more than 15,000 children are waiting for assessments of need and, by year end, there will be a projected 25,000 children

board what I am going to raise regarding infrastructure in Dunmanway. The fact is that people are not allowed to develop a house in a town as big as Dunmanway. That can is kicked down the road at every meeting we have … faith in him to deliver for these people but also for the people of Rosscarbery, Goleen, Ballydehob and Shannonvale. They have every right to have a proper wastewater treatment system in their communities and not have wastewater pouring into local community gardens where people have cordoned

natural heritage. There is a false and divisive narrative in some of our public debate on rural Ireland. Some people, including in this House, seek to appropriate rural Ireland as an identity, restrict who is allowed to belong within that identity and portray anyone who cares about … same parish for generations and people who have made their homes there more recently. No one owns rural Ireland. No one has the right to use it as a cudgel against people who do not fit a narrow version of what rural identity is supposed to look

course, seek to introduce efficiencies where existing processes may struggle with scale. The question then is whether the Minister has got the approach right. I remain unconvinced he has for various reasons. Another week has passed in which the Minister has engaged in poor parliamentary practice. Here … some multiple times - to introduce various unrelated subject matters to legislation already in process. All this means is that legislation passes through these Houses with the bare minimum of scrutiny, and in some cases virtually no scrutiny at all. The reason the Minister will give that this legislation

always mean the lowest common denominator or the cheapest possible option. Value for money, in many instances, actually means spending money where workers' rights are protected and in a way that is decent and a driver of quality. The Government is indeed a big player in this market … mention its greatest hits of procurement. He failed to mention the €330,000 bike shed, the €1.43 million security hut for Leinster House or the €7 million of taxpayers' hard-earned money spent on a failed IT system for the Arts Council. This is all before we even

Fine Gael represents a cosseted, privileged class. Sometimes, I hope the party will prove me wrong but, of course, it always proves me right, and this resolution shows that. I do not know of many people who are looking for changes to inheritance tax. This measure is being … wiped out by increases in prices even before those workers get it. The scandalous part about this resolution is that if a house is sold for €800,000 and two children benefit from it, they will not pay a single cent in inheritance tax. What the Government

fines by the High Court. This is firm but fair and it respects due process. I welcome that the Bill names our fundamental rights bodies in section 53 with the Data Protection Commissioner, IHREC, Coimisiún na Meán and An Coimisiún Toghcháin among them, with a clear route … that I believe the Minister of State and her officials should be considering, and that we will consider, on Committee Stage with this House. The first concerns the office itself. Under section 9, it is provided that Oifig Intleachta Shaorga na hÉireann co-ordinates, advises and promotes

mistake can be righted at the next budget. There is a big campaign to ask people to reverse it. Ultimately, the vote was lost by one vote. There was an amendment to say we should not be increasing people's rents and should instead be hitting … more. I wish to speak for a moment about South Dublin County Council. In my constituency we do not have that many social housing flats. Obviously, we have lots of social houses and the same sorts of issues apply. The biggest issue is people waiting for years

scheme receive a tax-free payment. Fifth, landlords have no obligations whatsoever in relation to the Residential Tenancies Board, RTB, or tenants' rights. These incentives are why the scheme has exploded in the two years during which we have been raising these issues. Despite the concerns we have … county of Donegal. It is a county that is under huge pressure in terms of accommodation. It is a county with so many houses with defective blocks, it is really hard to find a place to rent. The number of properties hosting Ukrainians has gone from

never lose sight of these people. That is what they are: people. They are human beings and they should be afforded every right and every respect as any other citizen or non-citizen would get while they reside in this State. However, this is not just an isolated … somebody went about their business photographing people who were actually seasonal workers. They were going about their business and had their visas. A house was targeted in which they did not even live. It was a family home where there were children who were absolutely terrified. We must

holder who has published the defamatory material. Deputy Carthy spoke earlier about members of his party being defamed. No political party in this House - and it certainly does apply to Fianna Fáil - has not been defamed. I think it is fair to say, however, that politicians should have … statements are made about individuals, falsely accusing them of the most heinous and serious offences. That does merit a statutory response. The constitutional right to one's good name means something. Sometimes I am concerned that the debate on defamation focuses very much on the right to freedom