I would like to acknowledge the presence in the Public Gallery of my good friends, Paul Lenihan and Richie Herlihy. I invite the Ceann Comhairle to Cork to dine at Richie's restaurant, which is a food truck. He has the best battered sausage in Cork. I know for a fact that you too can have a body like this. I welcome the report but I feel there are lots of holes in it. In fact the entire planning framework itself has difficulties from top to bottom. I heard Members from the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael benches saying t…

How can this Government stand over the defunding of Cork City Council through the shutdown of the 2024 social housing acquisition programme, leaving 28 families, some of whom have elderly or disabled members and some of whom are living with young children with special needs, at immediate risk of homelessness? Under Circular 11/2025, the Department allocated just €20 million to Cork City Council despite a project need of €33 million. That is a shortfall of €13 million. This leaves uncertainty and possible homelessne…

I thank the Minister and the Minister of State for their statements, but after what has happened at Children's Health Ireland statements are not enough. Questions need to be answered. Children were harmed, families were failed and trust was shattered by this Government. For the Minister to offer only words today, she should be subject to questions in the Dáil, and answer those questions that arose during this debate alone. Independent Ireland has said plainly that this is not just a failure of hospitals and the HSE…

We are facing not just a mishap or a misunderstanding but a national scandal that strikes at the heart of the public trust and exposes yet again the rotten foundation of the Government management of the health service. Innocent, vulnerable, trusting children were subjected to unnecessary surgeries. This is not a statistic; lives and futures have been irreversibly damaged under the supposed guardianship of this State. As this unfolded, the Government was yet again asleep at the wheel, blind to the warning signs and …

I have sat in this Chamber for almost the last two hours listening to this debate. I thought what was happening in Cork city and in my constituency was an isolated incident, but I am sharing the same concerns as people from County Wexford and all over the country who have the same problems I am incurring every day. First, we have to admit that Irish Water is not fit for purpose. It is not a people-driven organisation. It is answerable to no one. It has become almost like a company operating outside the State, not a…

I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Michael Cahill - To discuss the urgent need for additional childcare services in Kerry. Deputy Séamus McGrath - To discuss driver licence reciprocal arrangements. Deputy Gary Gannon - To discuss accommodation options for young people leaving care in Dublin Central. Deputy John Clendennen - To discuss insurance reform and the proposed 16.7% increase to …

I thank the Minister of State for coming in under time.

I thank the Acting Chair. It is time we stopped pretending that we were caught by surprise with these tariffs. Over the past year, it has been crystal clear that Donald Trump was on fast track to the White House and with him the threat of escalating trade tensions, protectionism and tariffs which could hit Ireland right between the eyes. What was this Government's response? It was nothing - no planning, no urgency and a serious lack of leadership. It is the same sluggish, slow sloth-like reaction that we have seen …

Not as good as Clonakilty.

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. As highlighted last month on "The Neil Prendeville Show" on RedFM, can the Taoiseach explain how it is acceptable for a man who identifies himself as Sarabjit Singh - my Hindi is not very good - is now registered at two addresses in Mallow, County Cork, under the State-funded international protection system and appears to be quite a successful businessman? Mr. Singh owns 20% of a hospitality company, Mohsin Manzoor Hospitality Limited, with a turnover that jumped from €25,000 to €…

I will just say the individual. The company also owns a luxury property in Cork with an indoor pool and cinema. More concerning, the main business-----

The main business of Mohsin Manzoor Hospitality Limited is in providing accommodation for international protection applicants, the very system he is living under himself. Does the Government believe-----

-----that this is fair on the taxpayer? Is it satisfied that it is not a part of a greater scheme that exploits the system-----

-----that is meant to support the genuine and the vulnerable?

I will write to the Taoiseach in this regard.

This is an important matter to speak on. One of the marvellous things about our jobs as elected Members of this House is that we engage with the community on so many different levels and we see such fantastic young people and organisations giving back to society. They are led by many community leaders. Some of them have gone on to become members of their local councils and Members of this House too. Many come from community backgrounds, a bit like Deputy Collins I think. He started off with perhaps about 30 organis…

I thank colleagues on the Independent benches for tabling this motion. The Minister probably knows that the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. However, the definition of madness has to be this programme for Government and this Housing for All scheme that the Minister has his faith in. Today, 15,378 people are homeless and 4,653 of those are children. I am ashamed to be standing here. I am sickened that we have our own children on the streets. I suspec…

Where are they?

The Deputy protests too much.

Go back to him.