Since I first raised the issue of construction defects in this House last summer, I have been inundated with dreadful personal stories from individuals whose homes are not safe. In many cases, they have paid thousands of euro to remedy the defects and are in dire financial straits as a result. The Taoiseach said he is affected personally by this as well. Following the announcement by the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, today, I would like to know whether the redress will amount to 100%. Will owners get back 100% …

I am glad that we are here discussing the contents of the Climate Action Plan 2023, notwithstanding the delays in publishing the report and in holding this debate. I have stated previously, but it bears repeating, that the delay and missed targets are regrettably characteristic of the Government’s approach to the climate and biodiversity crises. The matter of climate action is so serious, we should have been scheduled for the Dáil and Seanad to debate this updated plan before Christmas and it is somewhat late comin…

I am glad to take this opportunity to discuss the Bill to strengthen the State's ability to manage stocks in the event of a curtailment of oil supplies. I listened to the Minister’s assurances that no such shortage is imminent. Indeed, I agree it is important that debates in the House on energy security do not give rise to any sense of panic but it is inevitable that at some stage fossil fuels will no longer be available to us to further exploit. It is also clearly in the context of the brutal invasion of Ukraine b…

I begin by extending a personal tribute to Deputy Micheál Martin on his public service and thanking him for the courtesy he has extended to me since I became a Deputy. I appreciate it. We all acknowledge that he took office at an unprecedented time of challenge, during the Covid-19 pandemic. Since then, we have faced the additional enormous challenge of the fallout from Russia's brutal war on Ukraine and we are also facing this existential climate catastrophe which must be acknowledged. It must also be acknowledged…

I want to start by offering my personal good wishes to those who have been appointed or reappointed today to Cabinet, and of course to the incoming Taoiseach, Deputy Varadkar. However, on behalf of the Labour Party, I want to say that we cannot support this Cabinet, because it is not in truth a new Cabinet and there are no new ideas. There is no change in the policies being offered by this Government. I am personally disappointed that there is no change in the gender balance of the Cabinet. We need more women in Ca…

I will join the sentiments expressed by others in expressing my deepest condolences to the families of all those affected by this horrific news from Lebanon, in particular the family of Private Seán Rooney who was killed on duty while serving his country and the United Nations on a peacekeeping mission in Lebanon. I also extend my deepest condolences to the family of Private Shane Kearney who we hear has been injured and to the others injured and, indeed, to the families of all those who are serving abroad in Leban…

I am conscious, as I think we all are, that this is the Tánaiste's last Leaders' Questions in his current role. I want to bring to his attention the publication just this morning of the final report of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Gender Equality, which I had the honour of chairing. Our report is entitled Unfinished Democracy: Achieving Gender Equality. What we have set out to do in this report is devise an action plan for the implementation of the 45 recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equalit…

I thank the Tánaiste for his undertaking to give a structured response. That is very welcome. I again thank my colleagues on the committee who engaged so constructively and intensively in the work we carried out. There was an immense range of issues that we had to cover in a short timeframe. We had a superb secretariat working with us on that and I thank them as well. I am also conscious that we will have the opportunity to debate the report in both the Dáil and the Seanad in the new year. I reiterate that we have …

I have already raised with the Tánaiste the Report of the Special Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality. One of the key recommendations is to have a constitutional referendum to expand the definition of family beyond the marital family. I wish to raise a specific issue around treatment of cohabitants that could be addressed by Government through legislation. Some time ago my colleague, Deputy Kelly, raised the awful situation of Johnny O’Meara who last year tragically lost his partner of 20 years and the mother o…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important topic on behalf of the Labour Party and to respond to the Minister's proposals on how he and the Government propose to address the issue of defects in apartments. This is a serious issue for many homeowners, families and households. Like other colleagues, I have met many residents of affected apartment blocks, as well as with the Construction Defects Alliance and others. In July, I raised this issue in the Dáil with the Tánaiste and sought a commitment from Gover…

A win on wind is what we all seek to achieve. I welcome the opportunity to speak to this motion on energy and I thank the proposers for giving us the opportunity to debate this very important issue. Clearly, we are in an energy crisis, accompanied by other crises in housing, the cost of living and, of course, the existential climate emergency and this polycrisis is exacerbated by Russia's brutal war on Ukraine. As we debate energy here in a relatively well-heated Chamber, we might all reflect on what the citizens o…

Last week I raised the issue of childcare in this House, and Labour Party Senators put down a motion calling for universal access to childcare and for the Government to ensure that every child will have an early years place. We were disappointed that the Government put down a countermotion in the Seanad. However, among other things, the Government countermotion called for a transition to a universal public childcare system. That is very welcome. We know that it is sorely needed by many parents and families across t…

At the risk of another Elvis moment, I wish the Taoiseach well in our last engagement on Leaders' Questions. I wish him well in whatever his future role may be. The Taoiseach may wish to indicate at this point in what role he will be returning to the Dáil in the new year. Suspicious minds - see what I did there? - are suggesting that it will be in a new role as Minister for Foreign Affairs but the Taoiseach may wish to confirm or deny that on the floor of the Chamber. Elvis has left the building now. On a serious n…

We will support any measures that will see the delivery of housing. However, the difficulty for many people is that they are not seeing that outcome. They are hearing the Government listing off plans in progress, preparation being made or issues that will deliver on momentum, but they are not actually seeing the delivery of affordable homes for themselves or their children, friends and families. This is now eating into many different areas of life. As we know, it is affecting the ability of schools to attract teach…

I already raised on Leaders' Questions our concerns about the rushing through of the Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill. These concerns were set out in our letter, sent by my colleague Senator Rebecca Moynihan, to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, on 1 December. I want to raise that again. Our representative on the Business Committee also raised the concerns about the tabling of business in this House. We are absolutely in support of measures to speed up the delivery of housing but we have very ser…

There is more in the Bill than that.

Even during a cold snap.

We heard today that the Cabinet will not approve the updated climate action plan before the Dáil rises for Christmas. I understand the plan is to go to next week’s Cabinet meeting just before Christmas. That means we in opposition will not have the opportunity to scrutinise the plan in a Dáil debate. It means yet another delay in publishing much-needed plans to tackle the climate crisis. The latest update to the current plan shows that 23% of targets due for completion by the end of September were missed. When will…

The Taoiseach again referred to the revised climate action plan due to be brought before Cabinet next week after the Dáil has risen. I reiterate the concern I expressed earlier about the delay in the publication of this climate action plan. Indeed, it feels like Groundhog Day because the sectoral emissions ceilings earlier this year were not published until the Dáil had risen for the summer recess. There seems to be almost a strategy of delaying publication of these essential documents seeking to ensure that we mee…

The revelations of abuse from Blackrock College and the Spiritan order have led to many more survivors coming forward to disclose abuse in other schools run by religious orders, including the Vincentians, the Dominicans and others. I ask for an update on the Government commitment to hold an inquiry into these abuse claims. It has now been nearly a month since that indication was given, and it was reported then that the Government hoped to announce more detail of the plans for an inquiry before Christmas. I know the…