A solution-----

I know.

In recent months, the Irish Government launched an advertising campaign in Australia encouraging those who built Australia to return home. Emigrants, however, face significant challenges returning home. While appreciating recent efforts to expand countries with which Ireland has reciprocal recognition arrangements regarding driving licences, will the Government ascribe equal priority to Irish citizens who are returning home in order that they can get driving licences?

And the USA.

When the European Commission proposed to slash Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, funding by as much as 25%, the response from the Irish Government should have been to rule out any cut at all. Instead, the Government decided to run for political cover claiming that it was just a starting point. It should have told Europe flat out that any proposals to cut CAP funding were a non-starter for Ireland. Last week, we got an insight into perhaps why that was the case, when a former Fine Gael Taoiseach cynically degraded ru…

I welcome that additional staff have been employed. It is still not enough, however. More needs to be done. The National Ambulance Service used to make data available to help inform policymakers in coming forward with constructive solutions. Data indicates that the number of people who died by the time an ambulance actually reached their homes was up 70% in the eight years prior to 2024. There were over 95,000 instances in 2022 of people waiting more than one hour. However, when Sinn Féin recently sought updated in…

I find it hard to believe that there are 263 posts that we cannot fill. I do not know if this is down to how we are advertising these posts that they are not being filled. As stated, this information, which I asked for previously, is very important in order that we can inform policy decisions. We cannot fix what is not measured. In terms of what needs to be done in order that the right people across the State have the ambulance service that they deserve and need, however, a few things are apparent. Our dedicated an…

Could I just ask about the 24-7 advanced paramedic that was taken away from Cavan and Monaghan?

Sorry. That is okay. I will table a parliamentary question to the Minister.

I stood with the people yesterday, and I voted no confidence in the Government. People protesting over fuel prices appreciate that the Irish Government is not responsible for the international crisis. People were protesting because when a crisis occurs, they expect their Government to have their backs. Twice now, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, alongside the so-called Independents, have made an absolute hames of it, and the country is so disappointed in them. They could have cut diesel by the maximum amount possible, bu…

You lost the people.

The Government underfunds them.

But the Government underfunds them.

No.

The League of Ireland and the GAA have undeniably done tremendous work over recent years. This is clearly borne out by attendance figures, especially for the League of Ireland, which saw over 1.1 million people attend games. There has been more than an 11.7% rise in the number of spectators year on year. Soccer and GAA clubs have innovated in how they raise funds and how they support their local communities in all sorts of ways. I wholeheartedly commend everybody involved in football clubs. They deserve credit, esp…

Threats do not work.

Bus transport.

That never happened.

As I said earlier this week, people understand that the Government is not responsible for the international energy crisis that has emerged. What people hold the Government responsible for in the first instance is the framework it had in place in advance of the crisis. In the second instance, they hold it responsible for its response. I contend that said response has been delayed, minimal and not of sufficient substance to meaningfully protect, as best we can, the people in our communities who need support. Ordinary…

Sinn Féin voted against Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil’s tax reduction-----