I will read out a statement from the commission's report: There is a patriarchal approach [in the Defence Forces] that takes responsibility for lower ranks to the point of disabling them, and is resistant to females and so creates an uncomfortable place for them to work. This culture is grounded in long outdated social concepts, such as the male being the breadwinner in a family, a creation of male and female roles and linking salary to selfworth. This is 2022, not 1922. Only last week we discussed the Women of Hon…

The Taoiseach should give himself a rise.

Last year, I raised the issue of funding for the Clondalkin Equine Club with the Minister. Unfortunately, I must raise this again. Last year, I asked the Department to provide a multi-annual funding stream for the club. This year, I am asking the Minister to provide any information he has on funding streams or supports within the Department for which the club can apply, including for animal welfare.

I do not wish to appear ignorant, but that appears to be a copy and paste of the answer I got last year. The sum of €500,000 was to build the facility, not for the day-to-day running costs. As the Minister will be aware, Covid has impacted on the ability of many clubs and organisations around the country to access funding streams. This club provides stables for 20 youths in the Clondalkin area. It teaches them proper urban horsemanship and provides livery. This is all at a very low cost to the community, which othe…

I spoke numerous times, most recently last week, to the local authority on the issue. Unfortunately, because of the nature of the club, it is not able to apply for many of the community funding streams through the local authority. The sum of €56,000 would fund the two staff members for a year and it would keep 20 horses in stables. That amount would allow the club to continue to provide supports for local groups such as youth clubs, children with physical and learning disabilities and young people from socially exc…

This is largely a technical Bill to give effect to the Government's decision to transfer a function from the Department of Health to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in regard to the provision of specialist, community-based disability services. I hope it not just window dressing. The Government's focus should be on improving disability services and making them fit for purpose. This Bill and all its 65 sections will not achieve anything in the here and now. It is like rearrangi…

First, I thank my colleague, Deputy Clarke, not only for bringing this motion before the Dáil but also for the tireless work she has done on this issue. It was very difficult for the Women of Honour to come forward and tell their stories. They have had to wade and fight their way through bureaucratic and cultural systems that are designed to keep them quiet and not to challenge the status quo . On that note, I extend my admiration and support to the Women of Honour group and all survivors who have come forward brav…

I thank the Minister for taking the time to address this matter. A state-of-the-art primary healthcare centre is badly needed in north Clondalkin. As Deputy Ó Broin mentioned, this situation has been ongoing for a long time. In 2015, there was an agreement between the Department of Education and the HSE on the transfer of lands at Collinstown Park Community College. Planning permission was granted in 2018 for the construction of a two-storey primary care centre. We are now in 2022 and not a sod of earth has been tu…

I welcome that the disposal of the site for the development of a primary care centre in Collinstown will proceed. To echo Deputy Ó Broin, having the timeline would be very welcome. People have been in touch with me left, right and centre about this service. Occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, psychology services and so on, which are not available in the north Clondalkin area currently, could be available in this centre.

I move: That Dáil Éireann: notes that: — under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, every child has the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health; — there were 3,065 children on Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) waiting lists as of October 2021, including 863 waiting greater than six months and 202 waiting greaqter than 12 months; — there are particularly long CAMHS waiting lists in Community Healthcare Organisation (CHO) 4 (Kerry, North Cork, Nort…

It is something I call for regularly.

The commitment was over the lifetime of the Government.

The Minister of State can quote semantics all she wants.

Absolutely not.

I thank all the Members who have contributed to this lively and emotive debate tonight. I also want to acknowledge both Ministers of State for staying for the whole of the debate because that does not happen all of the time. I thank Deputy Daly and Daniel Curtin from Deputy Cullinane's office for helping to draft the motion this week. We will be accepting the amendments that have been put down by other Deputies because they add to the motion rather than detracting from it. It is all well and good that the Governmen…

I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the law relating to the misuse of a controlled substance and for those purposes to amend the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 to criminalise the act of causing or coercing a minor to be in possession of a controlled substance, and to provide for related matters. Drug use and drug selling by young people from disadvantaged areas is not new but in recent years it has increased and it has spiked. Young people are being targeted by older experienced dru…

I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

I welcome this opportunity to speak on youth mental health. During yesterday's meeting of the Joint Sub-Committee on Mental Health, we undertook prelegislative scrutiny of the Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2021. This is an opportunity to change for the better how people with mental health issues are treated. However, the Government has left open a loophole that will continue to allow children to be admitted to adult psychiatric facilities. There is provision in the Bill for children to be sent to appropriate facil…

The Minister of State will have it.

During these uncertain times, some things remain certain. One of these certainties is that pupils will be sitting their leaving certificate this year in one form or another. The Minister has had more than enough time to get her house in order and prepare for the situation in which leaving certificate students now find themselves. The students want a clear message from the Government that they will be able to sit a hybrid leaving certificate this year the same as the class of 2021. The message from leaving certifica…