They are not craft apprenticeships.

I first want to welcome the bereaved families to the Gallery this evening, along with everyone who is involved with Justice for the Forgotten. They have my support, as well as the support of these benches, in their campaign for truth and justice. Their struggle for justice, despite the barriers they have faced, is absolutely inspirational. Truth, as all families who have been impacted by the conflict will know, is incredibly important. Collusion was no illusion, as so many families have had to discover and experien…

The Government has not. I have the figures with me.

Apprentices have been clear that they feel forgotten by this Government. We have seen how the large waiting lists for off-the-job training impacts on their ability to earn. Large numbers are dropping out and now we have figures that prove only a small minority in the craft apprenticeship sector are finishing in the standard four year period. If we suddenly saw that people on four-year degrees in law, engineering or commerce were now taking five, six or seven years to complete their degrees there would be ructions i…

I have them.

It is 16%-----

Today, on the eve of Europe Day, of course we look at the positives that Europe has offered Ireland and that Ireland has offered Europe in return. I want to look at something in my brief of further and higher education. This relates to a proposal about research that has come to light and causes me concern. We know how important research is. It looks at planning for the future and how best we can equip ourselves to do so. Previously, there was a huge focus on climate change, and rightly so. Climate change is affecti…

Around this time five years ago, local elections took place. We heard all the talk that there was going to be affordable housing delivered on the east side of Galway city. I distinctly remember people asking about the affordable housing that was going to be delivered. Since then, in the past five years people have consistently come to me and asked when that affordable housing will be delivered. That housing has still not been delivered. In fact, no affordable housing has been delivered in Galway city. What does tha…

"It was crazy. People sitting on the floor. A long queue winding its way up to reception. People lying across chairs. This was Tuesday morning. Some had been there since Sunday. Staff under huge pressure, stressed with their workload. No time to think. It was just panic. At one point, I thought I'm going to die". Those are the words of Niamh, who presented at the accident and emergency in Galway University Hospital at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, 9 April after a night of intense stomach pain. Despite being unable to walk or …

Ní hé comhbhrón atá ag teastáil ó Niamh. Tá athruithe ag teastáil uaithi. Tá sé sin soiléir ón méid atá ráite aici liomsa. Is féidir leis an Tánaiste labhairt faoi athruithe atá déanta cheana ach teastaíonn athruithe láithreach. The hospital was clearly understaffed. Clinical professionals have been forced to take to the media to speak out against the embargo. The Tánaiste can say the reasons are multifactorial but the main factor is lack of staff. This happened to Niamh only a month ago. She was told by numerous m…

Níl.

Níl.

Níl sé ag oibriú.

Níl sé ag oibriú.

It has not.

We do not want this to happen again and it will happen again.

It will happen again-----

The Taoiseach is obviously aware of the issue of the 51-week leases now being required by vulture fund-owned student accommodation, and he is of course aware of the detrimental impact that this is having on students and the study abroad sector. Over the past number of months, the Taoiseach has raised his intention to introduce legislation to ban this practice. However, given the tight timeline between the coming academic year and the present, why is he planning on using primary legislation? Is that what he is plann…

If these price increases tell us absolutely anything about the Government, it is that it is completely and utterly tone deaf to the reality for people across this State. People are already struggling. The cost-of-living crisis is still here. People are facing huge challenges every day because of it. What is the Government's response to that? It increases the price of petrol and diesel, not once, not twice, but three times this year. How out of touch can the Government be? One person got in touch with me about the i…

I thank Solidarity-People Before Profit for tabling this motion. It is important that we recognise that the voices of people with disabilities were heard and that thanks to their activism, the Green Paper was scrapped by the Government. That was the right thing to do. It is essential that all disability policy is centred on a human rights-led approach and that people are listened to. I want to raise the issue of respite in Galway. It was good to see that two weeks ago, we saw the opening of Summer Lodge Respite Hou…