I thank Sinn Féin for tabling the motion. It is always welcome to speak on the issues facing carers but particularly so given the report released by Family Carers Ireland last week. The findings of the report are shameful. It is another report about the disgraceful lack of support for carers and those for whom they care and another reminder that life is harder, more stressful and more expensive for carers. Carers are struggling financially, the stress is impacting on their mental and physical well-being and the Sta…

The nature restoration law is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the EU to take action in respect of the massive losses of biodiversity in recent decades. The Social Democrats are very supportive of the nature restoration law. It is vital to restore damaged ecosystems to a healthy state in Ireland and across Europe, to attempt to stop the collapse of our wildlife and to slow the progress of the climate crisis. These measures have to be done in collaboration with communities because we need to bring people along…

The recent interview with the Minister for agriculture demonstrated everything that is wrong with the Government's approach to agriculture and climate change. When he was asked about the nitrates derogation, the Minister was clear. He said he was not even contemplating a scenario in which Ireland loses its derogation. How can a Minister proudly declare he is not going to plan for what is a very likely outcome? We all know that agricultural run-off is primarily responsible for damaging water quality and biodiversity…

When is the Government going to do its job and how will it support derogation farmers to change their ways?

Counts are still taking place, so the elections are not quite over. One thing that was made clear to me on the doors is that people out there are not interested in the Punch and Judy show that often takes place in this House.

They are not interested in petty, political one-upmanship or politics that values sound bites over substance.

The people who voted for candidates who they met at their doors and who they put their trust in want representatives who will work hard, who are clear in what they can deliver and who can offer credible solutions to the many problems we face. We all know what those problems are, namely the housing disaster, the healthcare crisis, the climate emergency and threadbare disability services. The findings contained in the new report published today by Family Carers Ireland are shocking, but they should not be a surprise …

Carers and their families were promised a lot. When will the Government actually deliver?

When will carers have access to at least 20 days respite a year? Will the Government abolish the means test for carer's allowance?

Respectfully, I said people did not buy the rhetoric on carers.

What the Taoiseach just said is a really good example of how different the rhetoric is versus the reality of what people experience. The problem with what he is saying is that people have heard it all before. Carers have heard the same promises, not just from him but from his predecessor and the taoisigh before them. Instead of things getting better, they are getting worse. Already threadbare services have become even harder to access. That goes for respite, as well as access to therapies through children's disabil…

You mentioned a report on respite.

I would not usually bring such a local and specific issue to the notice of the Taoiseach, but he is not the first Taoiseach I have brought this matter to the attention of because it has been going on for so long and is so desperate. A village in my constituency, Shannon Vale, a gorgeous village next to Clonakilty, has a green space in its centre. It is the heart of the village, where festivals happen, children play and all these types of things. It is next to a river, and for two decades now it has been fenced off …

We have done that many times.

I thank the Taoiseach.

I welcome the opportunity to speak about special education. I thank Sinn Féin for bringing forward this motion. I receive correspondence every week, as does everyone in this House, from parents fighting and struggling to get their children the education and secure the supports they need. The systems in place simply are not good enough. There are nowhere near enough special schools, school therapists, SNAs or ASD classes. If children are lucky enough to receive the supports they need in primary school, their parents…

On the same issue, the EPA stated that even if every measure in the Government's climate action plan was implemented, the reduction in emissions would only be 29% by 2030. As the Taoiseach knows, the legally binding target is 51%. We are no closer to meeting our targets than we were 12 months ago. His colleague Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications was on the defensive yesterday. He was annoyed that members of the Opposition were reading from the EPA report and quoting it accurately. We all know …

Every week, I think we have witnessed the limits of human cruelty and depravity when it comes to Israel's genocide in Gaza. Each week, I am proven wrong. Israel's missile strike on Sunday evening on a tented refugee camp in Rafah was not just a despicable human rights violation; it was depraved and inhumane. On Sunday night, displaced men, women and children cowering in tents were deliberately burned alive. One man, who was pictured in the aftermath, held the badly burned body of his beheaded baby in his arms. I sa…

The rhetoric is great-----

I am blue in the face acknowledging it but what we are asking for is action that is proportionate. The Taoiseach is talking about wanting the EU to use every lever available to it and that is precisely what I am asking him to do. There are actions we can take as a sovereign State, while the EU has not come round to the very obvious breach of the human rights clauses in the EU-Israel trade agreement. Months ago the Taoiseach's predecessor, Deputy Varadkar, wrote to Ursula von der Leyen seeking a review of the EU-Isr…