I thank the Minister of State for attending. I rise this afternoon to highlight a critical issue that requires immediate attention, namely, the urgent need for the Government to make a clear and committed statement regarding the funding for An Saol Foundation. I specifically refer to the need for capital funding to advance the Teach An Saol project in Ballymun and to fully implement the 12 recommendations made in the HSE's 2023 report. The An Saol Foundation was set up by Reinhard Schäler and Patricia O'Byrne for t…

I thank the Minister of State. We have done all the heavy lifting. We have been reviewed and have the recommendations from the 2023 report, and we also have the site. That is all done and dusted. I appreciate the Minister of State's response, but we need to move further. I am disappointed we are not at the stage of the funding being in place. If one visits the Teach an Saol project, one will see that it is an essential and life-changing service for people such as Pádraig with severe acquired brain injury. That is w…

I thank the Minister for being here today for our debate on higher education. People often mention Nelson Mandela's comment that education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world. Ireland's progress is built on the foundation of education. In debating the tariffs situation recently, the Tánaiste stated that one of the main reasons US companies come to Ireland is our educational prowess. We must ensure the sector is well funded, accessible and forward thinking. Investment in education for the next…

Last weekend while the Seanad was in recess I attended a fantastic conference organised by FIDI in Dubrovnik, Croatia. It was a conference of business leaders from around the world in the moving and transport industry, in which I am involved. A key concern that kept coming up was the disruptive and unpredictable nature of the US tariffs, for which the phrase "the Trumpademic" was coined. These trade measures are causing serious disruption to the global supply chain and this is making it really difficult for busines…

I had agreed to share my time with Senator Clonan, who may join me. He is not here yet.

I thank the Minister of State for being here with us. As my colleague Senator O'Loughlin has said about Europe, we should celebrate all things Europe. That is what Europe Day is about. It offers us an opportunity to reflect on the achievements of the EU. I will highlight initiatives that I am familiar with, such as the Erasmus programme. This enables students from all over Europe to engage in study and research across institutions in the EU. My alma mater , Trinity College Dublin, has become a hugely popular destin…

I renew my call for a debate in this House, as my colleague, Senator Craughwell, has talked about, on the growing impact of the escalating trade tensions that are going to affect the Irish economy. We have seen overnight that more than 60 countries have been impacted by the trade tariffs that have been applied. My colleague mentioned the tariffs of 104% on China. These developments were warned about in this House some weeks ago. Around the world, countries are starting to lean back into protectionism, which we thou…

I welcome the news today that the national planning framework, NPF, which I spoke about last week, has been approved by Cabinet today. Now we just need to get it approved by both Houses of the Oireachtas without any delay so we can focus on housing and the need for housing, as we have outlined several times. The Chamber also needs to address, on a separate note, the inequalities, which have been mentioned here before, that are embedded in our inheritance tax laws. Under current statutes, there is an unfair burden o…

I thank the Minister of State for taking the time to be here. I congratulate him and the Tánaiste on their new positions. He is stepping into this role at a time of serious economic and geopolitical challenges. The decisions made in the coming months will have a lasting impact on jobs, trade and Ireland's place on the global stage. I know we are facing an issue, the growing trade war, that will affect every household in Ireland and every business. The impact of these tariffs that we heard announced overnight at the…

I have permission to mention a name, although I will not mention the full name. A good friend of mine is facing his last few months of life. Jason's case highlights a critical gap in Ireland's palliative care system, in particular for non-cancer terminal illnesses. His family are struggling to secure clear, co-ordinated care due to a lack of urgent out-of-hours and crisis response palliative services. Despite his complex medical needs, there has been no structured plan to manage his end-of-life care. His transplant…

I thank the Minister for being here. Homelessness is very close to my heart. I have been involved in the homelessness sector since 2006, so I have seen it grow into a humanitarian crisis that demands immediate attention. Many people have quoted the recent figures from the Department of housing that show that more than 15,378 individuals are in emergency accommodation, including 4,653 children. These are not just numbers; they represent lives that are totally disrupted. We have children growing up in hotel rooms, fa…

I, too, wish Jeremy well as he departs. I hope he and George enjoy every success in their new roles. It is good to see the Government preparing for the potential impact of the US Administration's tariffs and trade war. These tariffs could have significant consequences for Ireland's economy, particularly our exports. They will directly affect our food and drink sector and significantly affect our pharmaceutical sector. The US Administration has dubbed tomorrow "Liberation Day", a move which signals a major shift in …

Tomorrow is Daffodil Day and I will reflect on the stories of courage, resilience and hope that define this wonderful initiative led by the Irish Cancer Society, which was with us here yesterday. This day is more than an annual fundraiser. It is a symbol of unity and determination in the fight against cancer, as well as a celebration of the incredible human spirit. There are stories close to me. I have neighbours and good friends, James and Kate Doyle. They are siblings whose journeys epitomise the highs and lows o…

Yes, I have permission.

It is a good news story. Today, James is a vibrant 20-year-old lad in Naas, pursuing his passions and dreams like any other young guy, and Kate has also thrived. She is a 16-year-old girl, plays rugby and has a passion for sports and enthusiasm for life. I also have a good friend who is well known and has given her permission to be named. She is Jess Colivet. Her breast cancer diagnosis in 2014 devastated all her friends and family, but it became a catalyst for a remarkable journey of reinvention. Despite the life-…

I welcome the Minister to the House and congratulate her on her new role. I welcome the opportunity to address the vital matter of the ARP. This initiative, launched in July 2022, has proven to be a powerful and effective mechanism for providing support to beneficiaries of temporary accommodation, particularly those fleeing the war in Ukraine, under the temporary protection directive. As Albert Einstein once said, in the middle of every difficulty lies an opportunity. When faced with the challenge of how to respond…

I thank the Acting Chairperson for the opportunity to raise this important and urgent matter, and the Minister of State for being here. The national planning framework, NPF, is a cornerstone of Ireland's efforts to plan for sustainable growth, address regional imbalances and, critically, respond to the housing crisis, which is gripping our nation and which I have mentioned here on many occasions. The most recent data from the Central Statistics Office has shown that Ireland's population has increased by a remarkabl…

I thank the Minister of State for his response. It is good news we are nearly there with the NPF but I must express concerns regarding the timing and practical implications. As I mentioned, Ireland's population has continued to grow significantly and, since the last census in 2022, it has grown by 230,000. My worry is that the data that has been published is already outdated, which will leave us unprepared to meet present and future housing demands. Ensuring the swift implementation of the NPF, RSES and the county …

I wish to express concern over the closure of another small or medium business, namely, Thunders Bakery in Dublin. It was a much loved Dublin institution that served our communities for more than five decades. Established in 1969, Thunders Bakery has been a cornerstone of local life, providing quality baked goods and deli items across its eight branches, including in Donaghmede, Phibsborough, Clontarf, Drumcondra and Walkinstown. The announcement of its closure, due to unsustainable trading conditions, is a stark r…

I want to address the issue of housing and the homeless crisis. I ask the Deputy Leader to call on the Minister for housing to come before the House and debate the ongoing housing crisis. Yesterday we saw a number of articles on CSO figures that paint a deeply concerning picture which demands immediate attention. We see that planning permissions for apartments plummeted by 39%, with a drop of more than 55% in the Dublin area alone. This means the number of new homes approved has fallen by more than 21%. This has re…