The history of access to information for adopted people in Ireland has been fraught over decades with inaction and indecision. This has ultimately resulted in no clear legislative framework for adopted people seeking information about their past and accessing their birth and early life information files. I listened to the Minister's opening remarks last night and it was like a box set of "Reeling in the Years" as he went through the history of the Bill and the failures of previous Governments led by Fianna Fáil and…

I also want to add my heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Ashling Murphy and the wider community. I also offer my condolences of the families and friends of any woman who has lost her life at the hands of a man. As others have said, 244 women have died violently since 1996. The death of Ashling Murphy has brought to the fore the everyday sexism, violence, harassment and misogyny that women must endure. It is systemic across society. While it is not all men, it is almost always men. To the men who con…

I did not think I was going to get in today. Deputy Boyd Barrett has covered everything on the spectrum, fair play to him. I would like to have a debate on one of the funding streams announced in budget 2022 in October, which was €10 million in a one-off funding model for mental health. This was a once-off initiative which had to be realised by the end of 2021, meaning it was a three-month period to spend €10 million. I have been putting pressure on the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health, Deput…

Sinn Féin is criticised by the Government for not providing solutions to the issues of the day. Week after week and day after day we come to this Chamber with viable solutions on housing, health, mental health, education and practically everything else. In fact, our spokesperson for housing and my constituency colleague, Deputy Ó Broin, has provided that many solutions on housing that he has written a couple of books on this matter. I do not think I have ever bought a Fianna Fáil Deputy a Christmas present but I mi…

I am delighted to have the opportunity to discuss this pilot project in Limerick for a multi-agency mental health de-escalation team. It is a mouthful, but it is a really welcome initiative. When I got the role of spokesperson on mental health, I said that I would work in a tangible real way in opposition. I will welcome initiatives that are good. As was mentioned, the triage team contains mental health experts, members of An Garda Síochána and a paramedic. I first heard about this scheme in a pilot project that wa…

This is part of Sinn Féin policy. It was part of our alternative budget. It would cost €6.8 million to roll this out across each CHO throughout the State. I welcome the involvement of the University of Limerick. Research is very valuable. I read out statistics from the pilot rolled out in Belfast. We can see how invaluable the service was. The Minister of State mentioned diversion from the judiciary system. This is also invaluable. Last week, I spoke about how the prison system is failing people with mental health …

I thank my colleague, Deputy Paul Donnelly. The Deputy and I often have a little bit of banter about the northside and the southside of Dublin, which the Minister will know about from being a Dub. There are some things that unite us, such as the likes of the Dublin GAA team and the value that we place on Dublin Fire Brigade. I sat in on Leaders' Questions this morning and I heard the Taoiseach commend the front-line workers that will be called upon throughout the day and tonight during Storm Barra. One of the servi…

There has been a deliberate attempt to erode community resilience across many Departments, and not only the Department of Health. Last week, it was about dismantling the local jobs clubs, and this week it relates to community involvement in the drugs strategy. There seems to be a direct threat from the Government to communities and their resilience. Any chance the Government has to erode such resilience is grabbed with both hands. I am a former member of the Clondalkin drug and alcohol task force. I worked on front…

The Minister of State mentioned in his statement that there had been a misunderstanding on the part of CityWide. I have worked with front-line organisations in addiction centres, and they have experience of the way things work. They do not make mistakes or misunderstand what is happening. CityWide was unequivocal in what it said: it did seek a meeting with the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, and there was no acknowledgement of the request. I did not say the Minister of State turned down the request, but there wa…

I wish to put on the record that I support public health measures and advice. Sinn Féin has been consistent in our approach on Covid and public health. I also commend the public on how they have carried themselves right throughout this pandemic and how they have looked after themselves and others. This is despite the mixed messages, kite-flying and sometimes off-the-wall regulations the Minister has proposed. What I do not support is the way in which these measures have been brought in and implemented. It frightens…

I will not interrupt Deputy Lahart if he does not interrupt me. It seems to be one rule for some and other rules for the piglets. We have tabled several amendments to this Bill and if they are not accepted, we cannot support the Bill. The Government has had plenty of time to address our concerns. Covid is an absolutely horrible virus. I can speak at first hand of how nasty it is, and I still have symptoms of long Covid. Nobody wants the Government to get this right more than me, and I mean that. I am immunocompromi…

You still got it wrong.

My colleague Deputy Kerrane produced a wonderful document on tackling the cost of living. In a two-week period, over 14,500 people responded to a survey on the increased cost of living and 77% of them noted the increased cost had a negative impact on their mental health. The Government's response to mental health has failed. In budget 2022, the Government announced once-off funding of €10 million, which was to be spent by the end of the year. Community groups that applied for this funding have not heard anything ba…

Sinn Féin is clear in its support for good quality, affordable and well-planned homes. We support this Bill, despite some of its flaws, as it repeals the SHD legislation. The legislation was undemocratic and undermined democratically agreed local, city and county development plans. It also reduced public participation and led to an increase in legal challenges. It was yet another deliberate attempt to erode the public and the community's engagement with planning matters. Sinn Féin opposed the original legislation t…

I thank Deputy Kerrane for bringing forward the motion and for all of the hard work she has done. I also want to put on the record the commitment and hard work of local job clubs and employment services. In my constituency, they are located in Lucan, Clondalkin, Rowlagh and Bawnogue . I have seen at first hand the dedicated work and valuable service they provide to my community. I spoke to stakeholders this week and I share some of their concerns. They are concerned about the new for-profit employment service that …

I thank the Social Democrats for bringing this Bill to the House. Sinn Féin will support it. I am a father of three children and I can say that sex education can be hit-and-miss, depending on the teacher who is teaching it and on the religious ethos of the school. It is no secret that sex education in this State has long been totally deficient. While some improvements have been made, we still hear stories from schools about education that is misguided, incorrect or incomplete. An advisory group established to advis…

I am a member of the Joint Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and we heard the heartbreaking testimonies of those affected by the mother and baby homes there. The last time I spoke on this I read testimonies that survivors made to the commission of investigation and I will read testimonies again tonight because it is important to hear these women's voices. One woman spoke about the conditions her mother endured while giving birth and stated her mother "was tied to the bed and when sh…

My constituency of Dublin Mid-West has an area of huge population growth. Can the Minister report on any plans to increase secondary school places in Clondalkin, Lucan, Rathcoole, Newcastle, Palmerstown, Saggart and Brittas to meet the demand of this growing population?

Duplication of applications is a symptom of the problem. Parents in my constituency are finding it increasingly difficult to find a secondary school for their children. Dublin Mid-West is facing significant population growth. There are areas in the constituency that have seen major development in recent times. For instance, Adamstown and the Adamstown extension have seen a increase not only in their general population but also especially in their youth population. The areas known locally as "the four districts", na…

We welcome the initial capacity building because it is really needed. A school that the Minister did not mention - I had hoped she would - is St. Kevin's Community College on the Fonthill Road. For the purposes of disclosure, that is my old school. When we first moved to the area, there was no secondary school. We had to be bused up to Lucan to a building that was not fit for purpose. It had mould and damp. Parents and pupils got into activism. They went out to the media to campaign for a new school. There are conc…