I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 6, inclusive, together. The report, Breaking the Cycle: New Measures in Budget 2024 to Reduce Child Poverty and Promote Well-being, describes the enhanced steps the Government is taking to help children to realise their potential and escape intergenerational poverty. While the most substantial investment the Government makes in reducing child poverty is through existing programmes and expenditures, this report provides a whole-of-government overview of new and additional spendi…

That is true.

I thank Deputies for their questions. Deputy Murnane O'Connor mentioned DEIS schools and the need for more educational welfare officers. We always need to remind ourselves that, while many children experience disadvantage in DEIS schools, most children who experience disadvantage are not in DEIS schools. That is why extending the hot school meals programme to non-DEIS schools is really important and is being pursued by the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and it is why I am so supportive of the Minister, Deputy Foley, i…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 to 9, inclusive, together. I met with the Prime Minister of France, Élisabeth Borne, in Government Buildings on Monday, 13 November. We discussed the close and strengthening ties between our two countries, as well as current EU and international issues. France is Ireland’s nearest neighbour in the European Union, and we share a deep commitment to the European project as the bedrock of peace, prosperity and well-being on our Continent. We acknowledged the significant progress being…

I recognise Deputy Haughey for talking about the Year of the French in 1798. It is fascinating how it still lives on in our folk memory even though it was a relatively small force and ultimately unsuccessful. It led to the creation of Ireland's first republic, the short-lived Republic of Connacht. We know from historical accounts that people were impressed to see a citizen army in operation in a way they had not seen previously. It helped inspire our own form of republicanism - genuine republicanism - in the follow…

No, we discussed the need for a ceasefire. Thankfully, we have that now and it has facilitated the release of hostages and prisoners and allowed aid to get into Gaza. We did not talk about the medium or long term. On the other matter, I spoke to our ambassador to Israel last night. She was one of a number of EU ambassadors summoned. I assure the Deputy that she was able to both explain and defend the position of the Irish Government on all of these matters.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 to 16, inclusive, together. A Policing Service for our Future is the Government’s plan to implement the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland. Implementation of the plan is being overseen by a dedicated programme office in the Department of the Taoiseach and has entered the final consolidation phase, with many substantive reforms already attained. This phase is expected to conclude with the introduction of the enhanced governance and accountability framewo…

I thank the Deputies for their contributions. Deputy Dillon asked about examining the Children Act. I am not aware of any plans to do so, but I will come back to him on that. However, the fact that we treat juveniles differently in the criminal justice system is not a bad thing, and it does not mean juveniles are immune from the law. They are accountable for their actions. That is why we have antisocial behaviour orders and the juvenile diversion programme. It is why we have Oberstown if detention is needed. Deputy…

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for the opportunity to speak on the dreadful events that occurred in Dublin last week - the stabbing of a woman and several schoolchildren, the far-right protest that followed, and then the riot, looting and criminal damage. We are all still coming to terms with what happened, what it means and how we might respond further. The Government and the Garda are already working on it, but we are also keen to hear feedback from the community, from colleagues here in the House, and from el…

I thank the Deputy. He may recall that in the 2020 election, the parties that form the Government, namely, Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Green Party, won 51% of the vote. That is why we are the Government and Sinn Féin is not. Let us not forget that. Getting a plurality of the vote is not a majority; quite far from it. When it comes to the issue the Deputy raises, the Government has decided the State pension age will remain at 66. People will have the choice to retire later if they so wish. They can retire at 67, …

As is so often the case, the Deputy's passion is phoney. Sinn Féin voted for the pension age to be 66 in Northern Ireland. Why should people in Northern Ireland have a different retirement age from people in the Republic of Ireland? Is it because there are two Sinn Féins? It just does not make sense. If the Deputy cannot explain why his party voted for a pension age of 66 in Northern Ireland-----

----while advocating for 65 in the Republic of Ireland, then he does not have a coherent case. I will be interested to see if Sinn Féin proposes in its next manifesto what it proposed in its last, which was a massive 40% increase in employers' PRSI-----

-----which would have been an anti-jobs measure. That is absolutely true.

It would have been an anti-jobs measure and would have cost jobs.

When it comes to the pension age and the retirement age, the Deputy and I were both born in the 1970s. At that time, the pension age in Ireland was 70 and the average life expectancy for a man was 68. All the calculations, going back through the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, were based on the idea that people would pay into the Social Insurance Fund for 30 or 40 years and only be retired for a few. That has fundamentally changed. People now live longer and are retired for 20 or 30 years. That is great but it has to be pa…

I thank the Deputy very much. I join the House in welcoming the news that there will be a four-day ceasefire in Gaza, to be observed by all sides: Israel, Hamas and the other armed groups in the territory. I recognise the role of the US Government and the Qatari Government in mediating this welcome ceasefire. The ceasefire will facilitate the release of 50 hostages being held by Palestinians. We hope this will include Emily Hand. It will also facilitate the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, some …

Sadly, the Israeli Government does not listen to us. I am not sure the Israeli Government listens to anyone anymore. They used to listen to the Americans but I am not even sure that is even the case anymore. As President Biden said, they are at risk of being "blinded by rage". It is a sad reality that I am not sure that any action or statement by us, the European Union or the US will change the course of action they are on.

That does not necessarily mean we do not do the right thing, and we have increased our humanitarian aid to Gaza and Palestine. We have provided additional funding to the International Criminal Court so it can fund the investigation into war crimes that may have been committed in the Palestinian territories. We will continue to press the matter at UN and EU levels. As the Deputy knows, when it comes to sanctions, I strongly take the view that if they are done, they should be done on a multilateral basis. The point o…

I have had occasion a number of times in recent years, including in the Deputy's company once or twice, to visit areas that have been flooded and to witness first-hand the devastation experienced by homeowners, farmers and business people when the flood waters come in. I also know that flood relief schemes work. Approximately 50 schemes have been done in the past ten or 11 years in Bandon, Mahon, around the River Tolka in Dublin and other places, and they work. We have approximately 90 schemes in train and it is im…

On the Deputy's question, which was initially a straight one on emergency powers, the OPW and local authorities do not have emergency powers to expedite schemes arising from damage caused by flooding events and all schemes must meet regulatory and planning requirements. Works for flood relief schemes on an emergency basis were attempted and the Deputy mentioned Lough Funshinagh in County Roscommon, where it was tried. That resulted in a court challenge and showed what an extremely difficult route it was to pursue t…