The Government is trying to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds on this issue and it is obvious to everyone. In essence, this dying industry is being propped up by the Government. Greyhound Racing Ireland’s own reports are showing significant declines in attendance. The facts as outlined in RTÉ’s documentary “Greyhounds - Running for their Lives” remain the definitive record of the appalling standards and cruelty of the industry. Up to 6,000 dogs are bred annually to be killed. I have to raise the same quest…

Last year, at least 206 women were forced to seek abortion care in the UK, the vast majority of whom were over 12 weeks pregnant, with foetal anomaly cases being the leading reason. It is beyond disgraceful that our laws, after repeal, are still forcing people enduring the pain of complicated pregnancies and foetal anomalies to go overseas for healthcare. There is also the unnecessary three-day mandatory waiting period, a barrier that has no evidence basis. In addition, only 11 of the 19 maternity hospitals provide…

"Warm bank" is a definition added to the dictionary this year. It refers to buildings such as libraries or churches that provide a space for people struggling to heat their homes due to spiralling energy costs. It is a terrifying summary of where many people find themselves. Previously, we had food banks, another facility that emerged in response to chronic and consistent poverty. They are incredibly important services, often run by volunteers, but they also reveal the cold reality for many families and individuals…

I welcome the Bill and thank the Rural Independent Group for developing it. The Bill provides greater security and entitlements for farmers in terms of credit and debt proceedings, especially in situations where families are pursued by banks and financial businesses for debt. Crucially, the farm house, which is not only a family home but often a generational and inter-generational home, must be treated separately from farmland in debt situations. There continues to be a significant imbalance in this country between…

A group of young adults in Beara, west Cork, need a bus to access training and day services in Bantry, which is more than an hour's drive for some of them. These are incredibly important facilities that not only offer education but also give them social, emotional, and employment opportunities. This issue initially arose during the summer when the need became apparent. However, it became clear that Local Link in the area did not have the resources to provide this service. Two groups very generously recognised the n…

I thank the Minister of State for her response and engagement with this issue. She mentioned that people in west Beara have approached Local Link. I assure the Minister of State that I have also met with Local Link on this issue. It is doing everything it can to try to find additional funding support. At present, it simply does not have the funds to provide an additional service. It already runs free services for which it fundraises, including transport to addiction services in west Cork. I assure the Minister of S…

Credit unions are more important than ever. As households and family businesses are experiencing the cost-of-living crisis, credit unions are providing vital services to help people get through. However, they are still constrained by an outdated policy framework that is limiting their capacity rather than helping them serve their communities. I appreciate the work the Minister has been doing in this area but when will the necessary reforms be brought forward?

Many households and businesses are in crisis and credit unions are ready to provide vital assistance. Are the Minister or the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, looking into what measures they can bring in immediately to allow them to take advantage of the place of credit unions in the community and their balance sheets? I realise the Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, are pursuing larger policy reforms, which is so welcome, but are there any aspects of that which could be accelerated now to help t…

I encourage the Minister to look at the reforms that could be brought in quickly. The Minister will be aware that the credit unions have again topped the customer experience ranking for the eighth year in a row and they have even improved on their scores in the process. They are also continuing to innovate and adapt to changing circumstances. For example, the Cultivate programme offers loans for things that farmers need, such as machinery, improving farm buildings or helping with cash flow. In west Cork the Bantry …

The RTÉ documentary on the sexual abuse at Blackrock College highlights the murky history of abuse and cover-up in our education system. The redress scheme for survivors of sexual abuse in schools only came about through the bravery of Louise O'Keeffe who went to the European Court of Human Rights. The scheme, however, is intentionally restrictive and even with last year's changes it is designed to exclude many, as it is only open to those who had begun legal proceedings prior to July 2021. The Government is fully …

This legislation is long overdue. We know the negative impact of hate speech and incitement to violence. We also know these are often targeted at vulnerable or minority groups. While I welcome the Bill, it would be wrong to think that it can eradicate the disgusting beliefs and attitudes that lead to hate speech. It is important that as we bring in much-needed criminal law for this serious matter, the Government must also commit to a programme of outreach and education on a national scale to tackle the root causes …

Article 19 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is one of the sections of the convention cited most often. It calls for "the equal right of all persons with disabilities to live in the community, with choices equal to others, and...[for] appropriate measures to facilitate full enjoyment by persons with disabilities of this right and their full inclusion and participation in the community,". These are all principles we agree with. However, as the work of the committee has made clear, this is …

In August, we learned of a HSE proposal to limit home births to women and families who live within 30 minutes of a maternity hospital. This would have far-reaching consequences for families in rural areas who would be denied access to these maternity services. Home birthing will be prohibited in large areas of counties Cork, Kerry, Clare, Galway, Mayo, Donegal, Monaghan and Wicklow. This will impact thousands of families. The proposal was greeted with shock by midwives and women. The Midwives Association of Ireland…

I do not understand what the Minister of State means when he says “from a clinical perspective” because, like I said in my opening remarks, the report on this proposal has no evidence base. It refers to an evidence review from 2015 and I am going to quote it again. It says that at that time, "No studies were found that focused on transfers from stand alone midwifery led units, or home births, and any adverse outcomes”. When the Minister of State speaks about a balance of risk, I think he needs to specify what he is…

It is doing the opposite of that.

Could the Minister of State publish those factors, then?

It is not.

Will the Minister of State publish those clinical decisions he keeps referring to?

LEADER is one of the key funding mechanisms for rural areas. In many cases, it is the only option for the scale of capital investment required. However, the funding allocation model disadvantages larger counties like Cork, which in geographical and population terms is multiples of some smaller counties. In the forthcoming LEADER programme, what measures is the Minister taking to ensure a more equitable and proportionate distribution of funding?

I am raising this issue on behalf of concerned organisations and communities in Cork. A letter co-signed by the chairs of Cork local community development committees, LCDCs, all three of them Fine Gael councillors, calls for a fairer distribution of funding. Cork County Council's administrative area is divided into three LCDCs and the funding allocation needs to reflect that. The county-based system in the previous programmes has resulted in under-resourcing of Cork communities. In figures provided by the Fine Gael…