Gender balance is important in all walks of life but especially in any organisation that leads our society. I am a firm believer in national and local politics being reflective of the times we live in and am proud to speak on my first International Women's Day as a TD for Sinn Féin, a party that champions real change and prides itself on elevating women. I am lucky to be surrounded by capable and committed women on the Sinn Féin benches, none more so than our formidable party leader, Mary Lou McDonald. When we as c…

It is very clear the people of Ireland stand with the Palestinian people and oppose Israeli aggression and apartheid. There are groups holding events, protests, vigils and collecting signatures the length and breadth of Ireland to try to get the Government to finally pass the occupied territories Bill. The Drogheda Stands with Palestine group has mobilised in solidarity every Saturday since 7 October 2023, which is 17 months this Saturday. On 1 February, it ran a vibrant three-hour campaign and collected 1,002 phys…

The question was on the occupied territories Bill.

Scandalous.

Hear, hear.

The port access northern cross route in my home of Drogheda has been planned since 2006. Funding applications were refused by successive Governments right up to 2022, when phase 1 was funded by Louth County Council, Housing Infrastructure Services and developers. Phase 2 is about to commence and is to be funded by Louth County Council through development levies. Phase 3, the crucial section that crosses the Dublin to Belfast railway line, is flagged as a strategic priority for Louth County Council in terms of road …

It is Drogheda, Taoiseach.

The statutory maximum waiting time for a driving test is ten weeks and no test centre in the country is meeting that or even coming close to it. There is no driving test centre in Drogheda, the largest town in Ireland and the sixth largest urban centre in the State. What will become the next city in the country has no driving test centre of its own. People in south Louth and east Meath have to travel to do their driving tests, usually to Navan or Dundalk, but sometimes to Dublin, due to waiting times. They have to …

For 17 years since its inception in 2007, SOSAD Ireland has provided a crisis lifeline for people struggling with suicidal ideation, self-harm, depression, bereavement, stress and anxiety through the provision of free confidential counselling in-person and remotely, a 24-7 freephone helpline and an online messaging service. This work is supported by a team of 206 volunteer counsellors across Ireland but, without core funding and promised Government intervention, this service - as the Minister of State is aware - is…

I thank the Minister of State for her response. It was very heartfelt. I believe she understands the sentiment and the urgency of this. The stark reality is that this organisation is in a very vulnerable position. Its closure would be a devastating loss to thousands of people. What is more, I do not believe the HSE and other service providers would be able to fill that gap in its absence in the long term and certainly not in the short term. Mental health issues and suicide are so prevalent in our society that most …

The Tánaiste, the Taoiseach's partner in government and leader of Fine Gael, needs to make a statement to the Dáil regarding his party's investigation into Senator Martin Conway for inappropriate behaviour towards a female staff member. We know there was an investigation by Fine Gael; what we do not know-----

Sorry, a Cheann Comhairle, I am quite within my rights to raise this under promised legislation. As Head of Government-----

-----I am asking that the Taoiseach instruct-----

-----the Government Chief Whip to facilitate the Business Committee-----

-----and allow the Tánaiste to answer the many questions that face him regarding the disciplinary process carried out in relation to Senator Martin Conway.

I am sorry, a Cheann Comhairle.

I did not make an allegation.

I did not make an allegation.

We asked for clarity.

If the Ceann Comhairle had let me finish, I would have got to the point about the Business Committee, which I was quite entitled to raise.