It is the Opposition's fault, it is the unions' fault - the Taoiseach is the head of Government.

Right across the State, families, small businesses and community groups are being squeezed and screwed by soaring insurance costs. In recent months I have been contacted by families across County Waterford who are struggling to keep cars on the road. Any of us who represent rural constituencies in particular, but also all across Ireland, understand that having a car and keeping it on the road is a necessity for many families. Indeed, it is a necessity for anyone trying to hold down a job or pursue an apprenticeship…

Earlier today I attended a briefing by the Family Resource Centre National Forum. I think we can all agree that FRCs are tremendous services. They are holistic, engaged, progressive, they provide vital interventions for families and individuals at all stages of life. In Waterford city we are very fortunate to have three excellent centres, Sacred Heart, Brill FRC and St. Brigid's, but there is a glaring gap if one looks at the map of FRCs on this island. A contiguous area covering much of west and mid Waterford, sou…

I agree with everything my colleague Deputy Donnelly said. We have spoken about this matter in the past. The Minister of State knows my feelings on it. Social enterprises are at the heart of rural and community life. They create jobs and roll out services. They foster innovation, but too often they have been treated as an afterthought by the Government. They have not been given priority and have been left without the enabling mechanisms and investment they need to thrive. What is needed is a change in attitude to r…

That is not good enough. I look forward to the remainder of the debate. I look forward to hearing the contributions of other Members. Hopefully, the strategy, as I said, will be followed by a framework for action.

Right now in Ireland, 5,000 children are homeless and more than 100,000 children are living in consistent poverty. That is only the tip of the iceberg and what the official figures are telling us. One in five children is living below the poverty line once housing costs are counted and 250,000 children in this State are in enforced deprivation. This is a State that has recorded unprecedented surpluses and in that context, children are paying the highest price for Government failure. Let us not kid ourselves; this ha…

How about the facts and figures of 5,000 children who are homeless. That is only the tip of the iceberg.

It is the tip of the iceberg. Shame on you.

Look at all the facts and figures, Minister.

It is 5,000.

That is outrageous.

The Minister of State does not need me to tell him the school transport system is in chaos across this State, but I will do it anyway. Families in my constituency of Waterford are being failed. The system is broken. Parents are exhausted, angry and frustrated. Children are left without a safe and reliable way to get to school. I have been raising this for months. I have written to the Minister of State and his colleague. I have written to Bus Éireann and met parents from every corner of Waterford. The stories I hea…

As my colleague Deputy Cullinane has laid out, this is not the first time the two of us, as Sinn Féin representatives for Waterford in this Chamber, have raised this. I believe the Minister of State was here the last time we raised it as a Topical Issue, just a short few months ago. We did so because of the demand and the urgent need for the Government to come to a decision on this. We have the vista of Waterford – the economic engine of the south east, a region that has been left behind, neglected and left short o…

From listening to the Minister of State and scanning his speech as he read it, it strikes me as a bad mash-up between "Yes Minister" and "Computer says no". It is shifting the goalposts every single time. It is putting unfair demands on Waterford and the south east that simply are not placed on other regional airports around the State. No other regional airport is forced to jump through these hoops one after another. The Minister of State is quite right to point out that the costs have risen at an alarming pace in …

Migration has become a touchstone issue in Irish public discourse. Too often, it is used as a wedge issue - a tool to divide communities, to stoke fear, to sow hate and to distract from the Government’s failures. In my experience, people who come to Ireland from abroad make an enormous contribution to our society. They work alongside us in hospitals and care homes, in our schools, in construction, technology and hospitality. They are neighbours, friends, team mates, fellow parishioners, partners, colleagues and car…

Too often when we talk about antisocial behaviour it is framed as an urban problem. However, the reality is that this is not just an issue for cities or large towns. Rural communities, small villages and settlements throughout the country are also experiencing the impact. Communities in every county want to feel safe. They want their young people supported and they want to know that the Government takes their concerns seriously. In my role as Sinn Féin spokesperson on rural affairs and community development I have …

Every child with additional needs has a constitutional right to education. That is something my colleague Deputy Cullinane and I raised with the Minister of State at the start of February this year. It is not simply a right to education but to a suitable and appropriate school place. Families are doing everything in their power, but they are being failed by this Government. In Dungarvan and Waterford, it took months of campaigning, public protest, sleep-outs and the threat of legal action before the Government move…

Over 200,000 children were eligible for school dental screenings last year but only half were actually seen. The other half, amounting to more than 100,000, were left behind. It is not an isolated failing; it is part of a wider collapse in public dental services – a collapse that is hitting families hard, especially those without the means to pay privately. Even medical card holders are struggling to find a dentist, let alone get an appointment. In Waterford, the picture is especially stark. Staffing for children's…

Pride is about equality, solidarity and community and as an Irish republican, these principles are fundamental to me. I am very proud to stand here as an ally. Pride is also about love, acceptance and the joy of acknowledging and celebrating every person's authentic self. Tá cearta agus comhionannas ríthábhachtach ach tá sé chomh tábhachtach céanna go dtógaimid pobal inar bhfeictear gach duine, ina gcloistear iad, agus ina bhfuil grá, cineáltas agus meas glactha mar chroílár na beatha. Visibility matters. It matter…

Check behind the radiator, so.