Recent reports indicate that not only will homes on the Glass Bottle site in Ringsend be unaffordable, but there will be very little social and affordable housing in the first phase. The Irish Glass Bottle Housing Action Group and residents are disappointed and shocked that the 900 social and affordable homes for which they fought may not come to pass. Will the Minister transfer the 20% equity held in the strategic development zone, SDZ, by the National Asset Management Agency, NAMA, to Dublin City Council in order…

I welcome the national youth justice strategy. There are changes that we in Sinn Féin would make. Detention should be considered for juveniles or young people convicted of serious crimes such as sex offences, murder and manslaughter. That said, early intervention is key. The strategy acknowledges many offenders will have multiple disadvantages. Socioeconomic status is one such disadvantage, and my constituency has many people who face socioeconomic disadvantage daily. It is important to acknowledge that we will not…

I welcome this opportunity to speak on this very important matter. When walking around Dublin this month, we can see an increase in levels of pride and visibility for our LGBTQI+ community. In the inner city over the years, we have seen some brilliant community Pride festivals happening. Notably last year, this was the case in Pearse House, in Ringsend and in Kevin Street. There is a real, "what it says on the tin" Pride in the community. Pride is a festival of inclusion and visibility, but also defiance. It marks …

This Bill aims to ensure the tobacco industry is prevented from monopolising the market in tobacco and nicotine inhaling products. It will promote public health, public safety and consumer welfare. We welcome the Bill. It would have been more beneficial to have introduced it a number of years ago. However, as the saying goes, we are where we are. By introducing stricter regulations on the sale, advertising and marketing of these products, it will restrict access to hazardous substances. I recently heard a consultan…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill. It is a sad reflection on society that so many children are being groomed into a life of crime. It is a shocking image of deterioration of communities. It is a clear reflection on many of the failings of Fine Gael over the past 12 years in government. Working communities have been abandoned and left behind at the mercy of thugs. Many of the families living in these communities feel like they are living under siege. Not only have these communities been failed, but also…

Over the weekend, a story broke in the Business Post that a deal between the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Dublin City Council and Lioncor for homes on the Irish Glass Bottle site is imminent. I met the Irish Glass Bottle Housing Action Group. It is shocked by the deal. It is not the deal it campaigned and got cross-party support for. The residents of Ringsend and Irishtown will not accept a deal that prices them out of homes in their own community. Will the Government transfer the 20% equit…

Flats at Glover Court are earmarked for regeneration similar to that at St. Andrew's Court and Pearse House. They have been de-tenanted to get ready for the regeneration. However, overnight, without any communication with the residents, the council has decided to relet the empty flats at Glover Court. This will undoubtedly delay the regeneration process. Once again, residents of Glover Court are being treated like second-class citizens. The flats of St. Andrew's Court, Glover Court and Pearse House are monuments to…

It has been four years since a biodiversity emergency was declared in Ireland and the gradual destruction of our native landscape is showing no let-up. We must take bold steps to put a stop to this destruction and start the process of restoration. We are towards the bottom of the EU ranking when it comes to levels of forest cover among EU states and our UNESCO biosphere sites are neglected. The Minister of State indicated he was in Killarney last week and he would have seen for himself the challenges with regard to…

I thank the Minister of State for taking this question. We all acknowledge the contribution that sports capital grants have made to clubs right across the country over many years. The programme has made a difference but it needs reform. Can he provide an update as to when the next round of the sports capital programme will be open to applicants please?

I had a quick look at the review earlier on but it is quite a big, hefty document so I have not gone through it. The fact that a review was done acknowledges that there is a need for reform. Unfortunately, from scanning the document, it does not outline some key reforms. Generally, we can use the term "multi-use facilities". Many clubs engage in multiple sports but they are effectively discriminated against because they cannot apply. For instance, Railway Union Sports Club has hockey, cricket, and football. The thr…

I accept that the programme has been of huge benefit to many clubs. As I said, it needs to be reformed. A sports facilities strategy is needed. It is not in place. It was not mentioned in the review today. Another issue I have mentioned previously relates to clubs in disadvantaged areas. I accept that the programme gives a weighting to clubs in less affluent areas but the difficulty is that if they do not have the money upfront in the bank, they cannot draw down the grant. That does not apply to many other grants t…

I feel very strongly about neutrality so I welcome the opportunity to speak about it here. Neutrality has served us well. There is clearly a drift away from our current neutral status. The Government appears to be pushing us away from it. I know the Tánaiste is nodding his head but that is the strong impression that people have. Internationally, we are held in high regard for our commitment to peace and stability. The high regard our peacekeepers are held in is a clear testimony to this. While I welcome every oppor…

It is not. There is a push to get away from it. There is a determination by some in government who want to end our neutrality. Ireland needs to return to the global stage as a voice for peace. We are living in a time where the European Union is losing sight of its global aims and objectives, namely, building peace and mutual respect among people, respect for human rights and the strict observance of international law. We are not doing that. The military-industry complex in the EU has silently developed into one of …

I thank Deputy Brady and his team for introducing this Bill. I acknowledge the presence of the Palestinian ambassador in the Gallery today. There is a trend with this Government that is becoming more and more frequent, that is, switching into spectator mode. We have seen the Government standing on the sidelines watching crisis after crisis evolving and we have listened to Government Deputies making statements and comments as if they were just spectators on the sidelines and not actually members of Government. The E…

The GAA is a wonderful organisation. However, it seems to be drifting to a new corporate, profit-driven model in what is an amateur sport. Recently we have seen moves to a cashless ticketing system, moves to prevent clubs from displaying charity logos on their club jerseys and now we have the subscription model of viewing games. This all feeds into a view among many that the GAA is becoming gentrified, keeping the big classic hurling and football games behind a paywall. Government really cannot discuss this serious…

Could the Ceann Comhairle explain that?

Today marks the anniversary of the signing of the Schuman Declaration. It was signed when much of Europe was still rubble after the devastation of the Second World War. The aim behind it was simple: to prevent the horrors of war from ever unfolding in Europe again. The declaration fittingly states its aim to make war between the historic rivals "not merely unthinkable, but materially impossible". The declaration set in place a vision for a new Europe with co-operation and peace at its core. I heard the Ceann Comhai…

I thank my Sinn Féin colleagues for their work in tabling this motion. Perhaps the most visible sign of the cost-of-living crisis is the continual rise in the cost of food and groceries. Everyone in a household, from children to parents, can see prices rising. The Government's approach of sitting on its hands as food prices soar shows clearly how utterly out of touch it is with ordinary workers and their families. What will it take for this Government finally to stand on the side of ordinary workers and their famil…

They cannot afford to draw down the money.

It happens in other Departments.