The ramifications are that we have schools that are not being staffed and staffrooms that are struggling to keep schools operational. Circumstances are not the same across the country because housing and childcare in Dublin are much more expensive. Everything in Dublin is much more expensive. The cost of living is much more expensive. As has been recognised in London, such costs have a knock-on effect on the availability of staff to run basic public services. I suggest that teaching is the most important service th…

The Minister will know that I have raised this next matter probably more than any other issue in my capacity as the Labour Party's spokesperson on education. I refer to the need for a new designation of what is called DEIS plus for the most acutely disadvantaged schools. It is an initiative that was started in Dublin 17, in schools in Tallaght and Ballymun. The estimate is that about 100 schools around the country would benefit from extra therapeutic support. I ask the Minister if she has considered this matter and…

When I raised this matter before, the Minister said there would be no OECD review of the DEIS programme until the second quarter of this year. This is why I have been relatively patient in trying to find out if the Minister will listen to what the principals have said. The Minister has said she has met them. The need in these schools is absolutely profound. Making one child out of every four a DEIS pupil does not really deal with the profound levels of acute disadvantage that are in our most deprived schools. The p…

I am not in any way suggesting that the Minister does not appreciate the severity of the issues at hand. I have shared stories of my time teaching. The stories of people now on the front line are harrowing. We are losing children because of interventions which could take place and which, as has been acknowledged, would make the difference. It is very upsetting and very emotional to speak to principals who say if an intervention had taken place with a child when she was seven, she would not be having the issues she …

We in the Labour Party welcome this proposal. The issue of human trafficking is one to which, historically, the State has not given due attention. It must be said there have been a good few initiatives, mostly from EU level, in recent years that made some headway. I think, for example, of the EU directive on preventing and combating human trafficking and protecting its victims, which was debated in the House this time last year and which received unanimous support. I expect this proposal will receive the same. It i…

I join others in congratulating Deputy Harris on his elevation to the role of Taoiseach. It was refreshing earlier to hear the voices of children in the Dáil Chamber, and I want to make a case for the appointment of Saoirse and Cillian as junior Ministers tomorrow. The Taoiseach's family are understandably proud today, and we should all be reminded that abuse in politics travels to those who have never sought public office. We are not here for ourselves, however, but for our communities and the people of Ireland. I…

I really do not know what to say after those contributions from Sinn Féin. I am disappointed I have to say this, because I sat through contributions a couple of weeks ago in respect of arson attacks and I really expected better from Sinn Féin. One contribution did not mention arson at all. It was all about the immigration system, consultation and all the rest of it. Many of the contributions from Sinn Féin were laudable and said the right thing, things I would absolutely agree with, and there are members of Sinn Fé…

-----and also-----

It is remarkable how, when I try to make a constructive comment about other people's presentations in the Chamber-----

It is quite clear-----

I have to be honest in my contribution-----

-----about what is happening here, and I did notice when Sinn Féin marched in behind the Government and voted to cut social welfare payments for Ukrainian refugees. I remember that. I noticed it, I was wondering what was going on and now it makes sense to me. The protestors are winning, the roadblockers are winning and the arsonists are winning because Sinn Féin is going to the right on immigration. It is working.

I was in a position like that of the Minister ten years ago. I did not have to deal-----

-----with what the Minister has to deal with now. We did not have the same numbers. We did not have racists in the Dáil in the same number as the Minister has to deal with, or in the Seanad, but I did have a partner in government that was unsympathetic, which is what the Minister has. I also had to deal with - I have to say this - a permanent government that is institutionally racist. What I used to hear when I was in the Department at the time - not the same Department as the Minister's but the Department that was…

I did not say a thing. I was behaving myself.

My what? My communist-----

It is worth repeating and stating at the outset that the housing crisis is but one crisis that underpins other crises we have throughout our society. As spokesperson for transport, I meet bus companies and rail companies and ask them why they do not have enough staff and why we have ghost buses in Dublin city. They will say they do not have enough staff because they cannot afford to live in the city. They cannot afford to live in Cork or Galway. When your child goes to a secondary school and is unable to do certain…

How many houses does the Deputy own?

How many Ukrainians are in the Deputy's houses, for which he is getting half a million euro?

The richest man in here.