The Bill we are discussing is set to sanction public houses and restaurants that go against measures designed to combat the spread of Covid-19. While I am sure everyone here would agree that everything must be done to tackle the spread of the virus, I must question the level of consideration that has been given to this Bill and the workability of the measures it seeks to put into law. At the outbreak of Covid-19, licensed premises were among the first to close their doors, and many in my own constituency in Tippera…

Page 86 of the programme for Government contains a commitment to tackle the issue of human trafficking while page 98 makes reference to equality and the inclusion of marginalised groups. Do these commitments mean that those affected by the horrific events in mother and baby homes will see the report brought forward as a result? What went on in these homes through the decades was human trafficking with babies being stolen from mothers and sent mainly to America. I have been working with members of the Seán Ross Abbe…

Will the Taoiseach give a commitment in this regard?

The Bill falls short of what many businesses in Tipperary have told me they need. A key requirement for the businesses to which I have spoken is for a stimulus package that would not get them into further debt. Non-debt funding is also needed for the many leisure centres throughout the county, particularly in Thurles and Roscrea, which contribute to the community's physical and mental health and which face financial challenge because of the cost of having to close and the expected reduced footfall. The Bill falls s…

The Bill is important as laws protect our general safety and ensure our rights as citizens against abuses by other people and organisations. In order that they work, laws should be effective, capable of implementation and carry weight. Otherwise, what is the point of the law? This is why I and Sinn Féin will be supporting this motion. Perjury is defined as the offence of wilfully telling an untruth or making a misrepresentation under oath. The High Court recently stated that it is "a sworn statement that the maker …

Each and every day, people in my constituency of Tipperary contact me with issues relating to housing, which is one of the main issues facing people today. Housing is incredibly hard for people to come by. People are waiting years for a house that is suitable for their needs. The changes the Government wants to implement will only make that waiting list longer and leave people without a home that suits their needs or without a home altogether. In my constituency, young people with growing families are encountering …

No.

A Cheann Comhairle-----

I also thank Deputy Funchion for bringing forward this motion to the House. The challenges faced by childcare workers in my constituency of Tipperary are mirrored throughout the country. They have been underfunded, under-resourced and undervalued by successive Governments. Locally we have been warned that the sector is in great danger unless it receives the funding it needs and deserves. Childcare workers need to be given the respect they have earned. The sector has been historically under-resourced, with high cost…

While we accept the health advice given yesterday, many pubs in my constituency, Tipperary, have been hit hard by the extended closures due to Covid and have lost even more money by preparing for a scheduled reopening which has now been cancelled at very short notice. Will the Government provide support for such pubs in the July stimulus package? Grants must be made available quickly to businesses such as these pubs.

I will accept written replies as there are a number of matters I wish to raise with the Minister. I ask him for clarity on the reopening of schools. In this crisis parents are trying to balance their household finances with their responsibilities for the health, safety and education of their children. These are just some of the concerns of some of the parents in my constituency in Tipperary, and they do not need uncertainty right now. Unfortunately, uncertainty seems to be the rule rather than exception when it com…

I want to raise the issue of the ongoing delay in establishing the CervicalCheck tribunal. The 221 Plus CervicalCheck patient support group is concerned about the delay in establishing the tribunal. Its establishment by the Minister for Health was delayed due to the Covid-19 lockdown. The support group knows the Department of Health is working on a plan to reschedule its establishment but is anxious to get some clarity as to when exactly that will happen. Will the Minister give an update on the establishment of the…

I will concentrate on three things, though I would love to have time to do more. I raise the issue of the N24 which connects Limerick and Waterford and passes through several towns in Tipperary. This route is vital to the connectivity of the region and to regional development as it is the link between Shannon Airport and Rosslare Harbour. However, past Governments from both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have neglected the route. The lack of a bypass for Tipperary town means there is an unacceptable level of traffic in …

This is not how I envisaged making my maiden speech but it is where we find ourselves in these strange times. I will start by extending my condolences to all the families that have lost people to the virus. I thank the front-line services across the sectors who have kept everything open for the rest of us. It is an honour to stand here on behalf of the premier county. It has taken us 102 years to make a bit of history and win back a Sinn Féin seat in Tipperary. For that, I thank the party members in Cashel and all …