I will start with some criticism I heard about the Government's introduction of a lower rate for the hospitality sector. I welcome that from the bottom of my heart because I know what it means. It tells you how out of touch with reality the Social Democrats, the Labour Party and People Before Profit are that they do not understand the benefit of the VAT rate going down from 13% to 9%. It is an astonishing attack on ordinary small businesses throughout the country that they come in here time and again condemning the…

The best way to describe this situation is that we are now right at the bottom of the barrel in society. In the UK, the Labour Party Government brought in cuts in funeral cost supports and there was an absolute outcry. Elderly people in the UK are absolutely disgusted their Government did that. What the Government here is doing with blister pack charges is shocking. It is attacking the most vulnerable in society, namely, the elderly, the disabled and the sick. The Government knows that is whom it is attacking. It i…

The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority, SFPA, prosecuted Sean Ward (Fish Exports) Limited, a Killybegs seafood company, for allegedly tampering with weighing scales in 2015. The case collapsed after ten years in late 2025, with the judge citing a complete lack of evidence. This has led to a huge industry backlash against the SFPA for what many have called harassment, wasted resources and damaged reputations, and a call for major reform. In light of this judgment in the SFPA v. Sean Ward (Fish Exports) Limited case,…

I am a strong advocate for preserving Ireland's rural heritage. In the Dáil, I have spoken about the cultural importance of local greyhound racing and traditions that bring communities together. I have also called for the continued State support of €19 million annually for greyhound tracks to ensure these venues can survive and thrive. I believe in sustaining rural life, protecting jobs and celebrating the traditions that make our countryside unique. As we approach Christmas, it is important to remember that bringi…

I want to address an issue that is becoming increasingly urgent, namely the safety of our children online. On radio today, Galway West Independent Ireland Councillor Noel Thomas called on the Government to examine the Australian model. This is a conversation we can no longer avoid. Australia has produced the online safety assurance Bill 2025, which sets clear and enforceable standards, bans social media access for those under 16 unless platforms can verify age, requires robust age verification tools and gives regul…

I am speaking on behalf of the families whose lives have been shattered by defective concrete blocks. Homes across the country are crumbling, walls are splitting, ceilings are collapsing and mould is creeping into children's bedrooms. These are not statistics; they are real people living in fear and paying mortgages on houses that may not stand in six or seven years. The current redress scheme is failing them. Costs are spiralling and homeowners are being asked to shoulder burdens they cannot bear. We need a scheme…

I want to bring up the Galway West and Dublin Central by-elections and the fact that nobody is talking about them and the writs have not been issued. The Mercosur deal is hugely important. We have a crisis in this country where we face, on 20 December, the Commissioner trying to push this ahead so that she can sell vehicles from Germany. There is a Fine Gael MEP and a Fianna Fáil MEP who state they support this shocking, terrible deal which will bring rotten meat into this country.

We need a clear statement form the Taoiseach. What is the stance of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael MEPs? Do they support the Mercosur deal or not?

Today, we are asked to pass a Bill that does not serve the Irish people. It serves international investor courts. Independent Ireland believes our sovereignty is not something to be traded away through technical legislative fixes. This is not just an amendment to the Arbitration Act. It is a step towards giving foreign tribunals cursory judicial influence over Irish policy because Brussels or multinational investors would prefer it. That is unacceptable. We have seen this pattern before. Deals like Mercosur were so…

On one of the worst nights of the year, 15-year-old Cara Darmody is sleeping outside the gates of Leinster House. She is putting everyone in here to shame. She is calling on this Government to address the backlog of assessments of need for children with special requirements as the national emergency it truly is. Cara rightly reminds us that under the Disability Act 2005, every child is entitled to a completed needs assessment within six months of the application, yet that legal deadline is being missed in more than…

I got a text from a constituent whose brother tried to commit suicide on Monday. He did not just try in one way. He slit his wrists and took an overdose. This man was not leaving anything to chance. He wanted to die. I have consent from his family to read out the text that was sent late last night to me: We spoke yesterday about my brother in Mercy [hospital]. He's being discharged tomorrow to CUH for wrist surgery, but still hasn't had a proper mental health assessment. They claim he was seen, but it was only the …

The people of west Cork are genuinely at the end of their tethers. Since July, they have had 14 water breakages. It has led to the local crèche and school having to close because if they do not have water they cannot remain open, use toilets or whatever else. I was at a public meeting the other night which was attended by other public representatives. The local Airbnbs had to give money back to people because they could not shower in the morning. People who had coffee shops basically had to close their doors. These…

Thank you.

I will break the reply down to the basics. The Minister of State said, "A case for mains rehabilitation works for the Adrigole area is under consideration by Uisce Éireann. As the process is only in the initial stages, it is too early to confirm a timeframe at this stage." It has admitted there have been 18 bursts since last May. How can be "in the initial stages"? People have been without water 18 times since May. I hate making comparisons, because we must represent the people of Dublin, but that would not happen …

The pipe is in an awful way. It is creaking at the seams. We need a meeting and we need the new water works to be commenced there.

The recent documents obtained following a freedom of information request exposed a shocking truth about the Government's priorities. Officials from the Department of climate and energy strongly advised that energy credits should be continued in budget 2026. They warned that without these credits, households would face an extra €321 per year on their bills. That is not a minor increase; it is a devastating blow for families that are already struggling. These same officials highlighted that electricity and gas prices…

I agree with the speaker across the floor who wanted to put a rocket under Uisce Éireann but I would say that it would take a hell of lot more. Unfortunately, it has been protected long enough by Government. It is a law unto itself right now. There is a massive housing crisis now, not alone in the want of housing but also for the people who have the houses. I hate calling them landlords because they are house owners. The way they are being treated and the way they have spoken to me with worry in the last few weeks …

Stop, please. When the tenant meets the man on the road he is hooting at him and putting the thumbs up, because the knows the RTB and everyone else is there to protect the tenant but there is no one to protect the landlord. Someone needs to talk on behalf of the house owners. I want avoid using the word "landlord" as much as I can. Imagine, a year to year and a half, and he will not have to bat an eyelid. It will not worry him, because he is quite safe and he will get protected. It is time to kick these people out.…

I suppose any movement is to be welcomed if we are going to make changes that are desperately needed regarding the housing market. We need to support any measure that can do that as long as it is a common-sense issue. The problem I have is where the changes are going to be made. Sometimes, even before you go ahead anywhere, you have to go back. If you look at the actions of Uisce Éireann, we have waste treatment plants all over the country bursting at the seams and into waters and rivers everywhere. How do we inten…

I broadly welcome that the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks (Amendment) Bill 2025 is finally before the House. Families have waiting for far too long for even the small improvements contained in these pages. Any step, no matter how modest, that puts a few euro back into the pockets of the struggling homeowners is good. However, let us also call things by their name. The way the Government has handled the passage of this Bill is nothing short of a disgrace. It waived pre-legis…