-----I have no confidence in Sinn Féin. I have no confidence in your ability to-----

I will be voting confidence in the Government, confidence in our country and confidence in our people.

I want to address the proposed water supply pipeline from the River Shannon to Dublin. In what would be the largest water project in the history of the State, more than 300 million litres of water a day will be taken from the River Shannon and transported through approximately 170 km of pipeline to supply Dublin at an estimated cost of €5 billion. Although the Government has described the work to be carried out as an imperative, there are genuine concerns about this project across communities in north Tipperary and…

I agree Uisce Éireann needs to communicate the information it has and it needs to have the public's trust. It is important that happens. I was struck by the fact that in recent months we have seen unprecedented rainfall yet very little of that rainwater is captured or stored by homeowners or businesses. We should be doing far more to prioritise rainwater harvesting in our communities. Simple and inexpensive systems are available that could be installed to capture rainwater for non-drinking purposes, such as gardeni…

Next July Ireland will assume the EU Presidency. It poses a significant opportunity for our country and a chance to help steer Europe's policy agenda. While some in this Chamber aim to undermine and devalue our EU membership, the reality is that Ireland's joining of the European bloc has boosted our economic success, strengthened our international influence and safeguarded peace on our island. In contrast, the UK economy has nose-dived since they adopted a go-it-alone policy through Brexit. The EU Presidency is a m…

I welcome the Taoiseach's response. In the context of Ireland's European Presidency, the Government must ensure that energy resilience remains at the heart of the agenda and that Irish consumers and industry directly benefit from investments and reform. How is the Mercosur deal panning out in Europe? Decisions are imminent. The Government did a fantastic job on the nitrates directive. I hope we can get a satisfactory resolution to the Mercosur issue. What is the Taoiseach's read on that?

I support the Government’s motion of confidence in the Tánaiste, Simon Harris. I know the Tánaiste to be hard working, to be diligent, to be caring and solution driven. As Minister for foreign affairs he is showing leadership in response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the war in Ukraine. That is the type of leadership I support and not the political theatre we have seen this week from Aontú in particular. Before I go further, I want to address the tragic death of Harvey Morrison Sherratt. Harvey’s passing h…

Caring for the elderly in our communities is both a duty and a privilege. Providing an older person with the support he or she needs for both physical and emotional well-being gives that person a sense of worth. During the Covid period, we got a sharp wake-up call on the importance of how we care for our older generation. As the number of deaths of elderly men and women increased on a daily basis, the magnitude of their value was brought into sharp focus. Their loss was enormous. The Covid pandemic left a lasting m…

I have a relevant question for the Minister on our ageing population. The Minister's own Department, the Department of Finance, published a report last week which created ripples of alarm. It predicted a population in the Republic of Ireland of between 6.5 million and 7.5 million by 2065. That depends on the level of migration. Such migration includes young people who left Ireland to study or work in recent decades but have plans to return home in the future. Ireland’s pension system currently depends on having up …

Many parents across the country are struggling with the current school transport system. This is particularly acute in rural communities. I have been inundated with irate and anxious parents, especially from the north Kilkenny area of my constituency. A multitude of problems arose within Johnstown, Galmoy, Freshford and Tullaroan. The issues arise where families are on the border or close to the boundaries of school catchment areas. Some of these children wish to attend schools in Kilkenny and Thurles, but are disq…

According to a United Nations report, statistics show that Irish people are the fourth highest consumers of cocaine globally. Over a short few years, there has been a 171% increase in the number of young people receiving treatment for cocaine abuse in this country. In 2023 alone, over 13,000 people were treated for problem drug use. Four in ten of those cases were first-time presentations. Cocaine is the most common drug responsible for referrals. It accounts for one in three cases, which underlines the chilling fa…

I appreciate the Taoiseach's concern. Most people agree that not enough is being done to address the growing cocaine situation in our cities, towns and villages, and even at crossroads. We obviously do not have our fingers on the pulse of what is happening or the extent of it. We need to strengthen and expand current strategies, together with funding new initiatives to counteract the malaise of drug abuse. We need a renewed public awareness campaign showing the dangers and information on supports that can be access…

For generations in Ireland, elderly people were mainly cared for in the family home. It was a given that younger family members committed themselves to caring for elderly parents and grandparents. Most homes throughout the country had three generations under the same roof. It was not always easy but it worked. It had to work because there were very few suitable alternatives available. Ireland today bears little resemblance to the Ireland of those days. Life today is much more demanding. While home care for the elde…

Raising a child with additional needs is both challenging and rewarding. It is demanding and fulfilling. For parents, it becomes a labour of love in almost every possible sense. They want what is best for their son or daughter. They want their child to have the best possible start in life. They aim to set the best foundation possible to support their child throughout their life. Services for families dealing with autism and other additional needs are totally inadequate. This problem is years in the making. It is a …

We have all read of the heartache endured by a mother in Cork last week as she witnessed people callously filming her son's final moments. I extend sympathy to this woman and her family at this sad and extremely difficult time. Unfortunately, this mother is not the first to feel such horror. Families right across the country have also been subjected to similar pitiful actions. It has become common for people to record tragic events for the sole purpose of sharing or threatening to share them on social media. Victim…

The Minister mentioned TikTok. Recently, the data protection commissioner fined it €530 million for the improper personal data transfer from Ireland and the EU to China. The most common question people are asking since this news broke is why such data would be sent to China. Is it that we do not have the capacity to store it here ourselves? Why was the transfer deemed inappropriate and improper? What was the reasoning and logic behind the €530 million fine? Did the transfer of this information pose a threat? What w…

Last night Verona was relaxed, this morning she was a nervous Deputy and she is now Ceann Comhairle, so it was quite a good transition overnight. I congratulate her on her elevation to the distinguished position of Chair of Dáil Éireann. Her election is a welcome and historic milestone event. In putting her name forward for nomination, my colleagues in the Regional Group had every confidence in her ability to be fair, impartial and impressive in the conduct of her role. It is a singular personal honour. Her family,…

Throughout the lifetime of the Government, I have emphasised the need to maintain and expand the services that exist for older people within our communities. The Templemore community care project is a group that oversees the provision of a range of vital services, including day care for older people, a community preschool, community social work, family support services, Traveller support services and an invaluable meals on wheels service. The work of this group is the heartbeat of a very wide-ranging community. The…

I thank the Taoiseach for his consideration of this proposal. Tomorrow morning, the HSE will meet representatives of the local action committee. It is important that when they put forward a proposal to the Department of Health, it is received favourably and some funding is provided immediately. I am very familiar with the local group who work behind the scenes. They are very dedicated, committed and hard-working. I have met them on several occasions. Their determination to continue to see their work benefit the com…

The number of taxis is having a detrimental impact on rural Ireland. In Tipperary, according to the most recent figures, there has been a drop to just 220 taxis despite a population growth of more than 4,000 people. This has an obvious negative impact on hospitality and retail services. Pubs and restaurants throughout Tipperary were already struggling with increased overheads and now they have a reduced number of clients as people are unable to get a guaranteed taxi service. Town pubs have lost rural customers and …