Does the Minister of State have any idea when it will be progressed?

Did the Taoiseach watch the "RTÉ Investigates" programmes last night and the night before on the psychiatric care scandal? At the moment, I am dealing with families who are at their wits' end trying to access mental health services for their adult children. In some of these cases, the person involved is a danger to themselves, their families and their neighbours. Instead of them being turned away from services when help is sought or sent to jail, help needs to be given to these people. Prison is not the answer. Pri…

This Bill is designed to legislate for Ireland’s decision to sign up to the EU migration and asylum pact. We all know every country requires a functioning international protection system that is rules-based, fair, efficient and enforced. We are all very aware of the problems in the international protection system in Ireland, and the EU migration pact does nothing to support or take into account Ireland’s unique position as an EU member state that is part of the common travel area with a state outside of the EU. Com…

Every year, more than 50,000 people go to the emergency departments in Ireland because they are in mental health crisis. These are people who are scared, overwhelmed and often at the lowest point in their lives. What happens when they arrive? They are put into busy, noisy accident and emergency departments. They sit for hours on hard chairs or trolleys, with some left in corridors. Some have no private space to talk and others leave before being seen because it is just too much. The Mental Health Commission has cle…

Over the past few years, we have seen how working from home and the essential right to request remote and flexible work has had its benefits and the power to shape a fairer, more productive and more resilient economy if managed correctly. The Government is required by law to review the right to request remote working legislation through a public consultation. Since the right was introduced in March 2024, approximately 60 complaints have been made to the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC. This captures both the ga…

I want to raise the issue of the neolithic passage tombs at Loughcrew, Oldcastle, County Meath. These have some of the most beautiful examples of neolithic art in Ireland but remain closed to the public. I have dealt with the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, and now the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, on this. We do not seem to be getting anywhere. Fair play to the Minister of State, Deputy Moran; he is babysitting today. Maybe he can get him a full-time job at that. I have writ…

This evening, I want to recognise the hard work of the volunteers in Meath and right across the country. Among them are Meath River Rescue volunteers who have shown unwavering dedication day in, day out and are always on call. Meath River Rescue was established in 1996 by a group of local swimmers and divers who saw a need to protect and serve our waterway communities. The founders consisted of six members and the group has grown over time to its present membership of 25. In 2013, its headquarters was built in Nava…

I am a little disappointed that the senior Minister for housing is not here to answer on this very important issue. The Ringfort development in Rathmolyon, County Meath, has been plagued by mismanagement, delay tactics and questionable dealings that have left five families locked out of their homes for more than five years. It has been more than five years since couples put a booking deposit down on a home in the development. They signed contracts on homes that were being built and, instead of being in their new ho…

As State support has been drawn down on these houses, I believe the Minister of State can intervene and that we need to intervene. I visited the site in Ringfort last Friday and blocks were being delivered to complete works on the boundary wall. This site is nearly complete, which begs the question why the developer would continue to work on the site if it is going to liquidate it. Yesterday we attended a meeting with the liquidator, the developer and the homebuyers. The homebuyers left the meeting with many questi…

Will the Minister of State meet the families?

Bring back the Galway tent.

This question relates to the employees of Fastway.

In the run-up to Christmas, many of the Fastway workers do not know how they will cope. Rose Conway-Walsh, Senator Maria McCormack, Councillor Claire Murray and I have been meeting every few days and more on these issues as well as on the issues arising that franchise owners are experiencing. Councillor Murray spoke to a franchise owner and issues are coming up regarding the franchise agreement. The way these franchise owners have been treated could be a national scandal. This receivership announcement is devastati…

As the Minister knows, these workers and all those impacted deserve clear communication and support from both the company and the Government. Some franchisees have invested heavily to establish their franchises. This must be taken into consideration. Workers need an income and certainty. The Government must engage with the receiver and ensure that all avenues are explored to safeguard jobs, protect workers and ensure those owed money are not left behind. Senator Maria McCormack and Councillor Claire Murray hosted a…

For years, Sinn Féin has stood with the men and women who have built our economy from the ground up. We have championed the right to retire at 65, a milestone earned through decades of hard work and dedication. Yet we also recognise a simple truth: life does not always fit a single blueprint. Some people want to keep contributing, learning and shaping our world, even after 65, and they should have that option without being pushed out of their jobs or onto a less secure footing. The decision to retire is deeply pers…

Presidential voting rights need to be extended to all Irish citizens living in the Thirty-two Counties. It is also important these voting rights are extended to Irish citizens abroad. Last week I hosted Ciaran Staunton of the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform and Karen McHugh of Safe Home Ireland who gave a presentation at a cross-party briefing on issues affecting returning Irish citizens. Many issues they face came up and one of the key ones was voting rights for the Irish living abroad. Former Taoiseach Enda Ke…

-----and had distanced themselves from her she would have had a far better chance-----

-----of getting on the ballot and would probably be on it.

The recently published Community Pharmacy Agreement 2025 outlines new service provisions and funding models for community pharmacies. Two areas of particular concern are the exclusion of blister packs or monitored dosage systems, MDS, from reimbursement under the agreement and restrictive provisions on phased dispensing, limiting its use and removing reimbursement in some cases. These omissions undermine safe medicines management for vulnerable patients and place additional strain on pharmacies, many of which curre…

The Government is hitting the most vulnerable here.