I compliment the Minister on negotiating and securing a substantial social welfare package. Those most in need through the budget are supported and assisted financially. There will never be a budget that satisfies the wants and needs of everyone, particularly when it comes to social welfare. Budget 2024 was no exception. Due to the surge in the cost of living, those who are solely dependent on social welfare, including our elderly, will continue to grapple with rising costs. The once-off payments were widely welcom…

Communities in Cashel, Roscrea and across the country are becoming overwhelmed and burdened due to the number of asylum seekers residing in their communities. Cashel is the most recent example of attempting to impose 74 international protection applicants. This is unacceptable. The current review must take account of the location and its suitability. Roscrea is an ongoing and classic example of what is happening. In recent times, the town has been transformed due to the arrival of multiple hundreds of international…

Families and older people have had to increase security in their homes. The Garda station remains closed at night, exacerbating a public sense of vulnerability. The Garda is appealing for additional resources. It is short of numbers and under enormous pressure. It is not able to cope with the increase in incidents. Communities like that in Roscrea need support to adapt to the changes imposed on them. Their lives have been railroaded by circumstances outside of their control and the Government cannot expect them to …

For years it has been widely acknowledged that there are fundamental problems and problems of an administrative nature with the HSE. Successive Governments have tried and failed to rectify core issues relating to the delivery of healthcare. Newly ordained senior executives arrived with great ambition and left disheartened. Some of those executives are now sideline commentators who seem to know it all but who have little progress to show for their time in authority. Ministers have been scapegoated in the past. No do…

The greatest issue facing our health service is the retention of staff. This is partly due to younger people choosing to emigrate as they find it difficult to purchase or afford a place to live in Ireland and due to our more mature and highly experienced staff quitting their jobs prematurely. Their love for their work has not changed, but the conditions they work under are intolerable. The mental and physical pressure they endure is unending and unsustainable. After Covid, the country came to a standstill to applau…

The Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act became law in July 2022 providing for the GDPR-compliant use of CCTV for waste enforcement purposes by local authorities. The Act requires the Local Government Management Agency to draw up and submit a code of practice for the use of CCTV by local authorities to deter and detect dumping. Yet, almost a year and a half after the Act became law, there is still no sign of the required code of practice. This is preventing local authorities from using CCTV for this pu…

A passion for sport is in the blood of every Irish person. We are born with it and take it with us wherever we go. Our native hurling is one of the oldest and greatest field sports in the world. Our love of football has seen it become the number one participation sport in the country. We left an indelible mark at the Olympics, including the Special Olympics, where our athletes poured their hearts and souls into competing. Our ladies’ team blazed a mighty trail at the FIFA Women’s World Cup and our rugby heroes brou…

Every person in the country is impacted in some way by the budget and each individual and sector has its own priorities and aspirations. Invariably, no budget will give everyone what they want and believe they should get There is no one-size-fits-all budget and today's is no exception. Given time, every Member of this House could dissect the budget as it relates to their own constituencies. There are common threads throughout budget 2024 that are of serious importance to people everywhere, including health, housing…

We have arrived at a situation with An Garda Síochána that few would ever have envisaged. As an organisation that has always been respected and trusted, the rapid decline in relationships between rank-and-file members and management is disturbing. The situation is becoming increasingly unsettled as frustrations continue to escalate. There are serious problems and a range of fundamental issues that need to be settled. The Garda Representative Association, GRA, has made valid points and legitimate and recent requests…

In an alarming report, we learned that staff working for child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, in community healthcare organisation, CHO, 3, which includes County Tipperary, stated they believed the service was unsafe due to lack of staff and consultant cover. In a lengthy report, issues were identified with staffing capacity of the CAMHS team to provide a safe service to vulnerable children. The report contained instances where children were left without renewal of prescriptions until a consultant ps…

I wish to address the Taoiseach directly regarding the plight of those with special needs, their families and carers in Tipperary and across the country. Many of them feel forgotten and alone in coping with relentless pressure. We are all familiar with the infamous quote by Mahatma Gandhi, "A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members." In today's world, this greatness is calculated by recognising and hearing the pleas of the most vulnerable, especially those who struggle to have their voic…

There have been endless calls also from parents for the reintroduction of the summer programme for children with special needs. These programmes provide a continuation of daily routines which help children to feel more secure. They ensure consistency and help, which provide stability. For children with special needs, the provision of this stability cannot be overstated. A lack of routine and structure can lead to serious regression, which can impact social skills, behavioural skills and even communication skills. S…

Over the years, due to a chronic housing shortage, people have felt compelled to take action to help their family members. In some cases the only option available was to allow a temporary dwelling to be located on the grounds of an existing property. While not an ideal solution for anyone, it was a desperate attempt to ensure loved ones had a roof over their heads. I am attempting to support and assist many such families in Tipperary who live in daily fear of legal proceedings by the council for permitting an unaut…

Funding for all forms of sport is wise and represents a fruitful investment. Helping to nurture a love of sport is a gift that will keep on giving, especially for our young people. Ireland is a nation of sports lovers. From our cities to our villages and our crossroads, there will always be those who mentor players, those who love to run clubs and maintain facilities, and of course those who love to actively participate in sport. Sport brings communities together. It builds and strengthens them. Sport of any kind i…

Old age is something that we hope lies ahead for us all. While many are denied the privilege of growing old, sadly, there are also many who are in fear of becoming old and view it with worry and unease. One of the most common reasons for this is that they do not wish to lose their independence. They do not want to become a nuisance or a burden on their families. They may worry about being able to cope if they live alone or with an elderly spouse. Old age can create an increase in needs and an unfamiliar level of de…

Recently, I met the Tipperary representatives of the INTO to discuss the organisation's pre-budget submission. I was dismayed to learn there had been a 40% increase nationally in the number of primary school-leaving kids requiring behavioural and emotional assistance during the pandemic. That is a significant increase in the number of children under 12 years who are seeking help. Securing the appropriate assessments for these children was justifiably viewed by parents and teachers as urgent. However, waiting lists …

I appreciate and acknowledge the Taoiseach's interest in the subject and his commitment to addressing what is a very serious problem. I know the services that operate in Tipperary and meet the people involved regularly. They tell me that despite the investment the Taoiseach has mentioned, there is still a huge shortage of resources, particularly personnel. I ask the Taoiseach to examine the INTO's pre-budget submission. It is asking for an increase for the National Educational Psychological Service and is looking f…

The people of Roscrea have already responded in a kind and generous manner by welcoming hundreds of displaced people into their town. A direct provision centre already exists. Local factories and businesses employ large numbers of foreign nationals. Asylum seekers are accommodated in numerous houses around the town. As a result, medical services are pushed beyond their limit. The Garda station has been downgraded and has no overnight Garda presence. Schools in the town are already beyond capacity. Moves are under w…

The issues surrounding work permits are ongoing. There have been welcome improvements, but the system is far from satisfactory. As we enter the peak season, hospitality, hotels, pubs and entertainment providers are in desperate need of staff. Agriculture, transport, meat processing and healthcare providers continue to battle staff shortages. Some 79% of IT companies report difficulty in finding skilled talent. It was reported recently that four in five Irish companies are struggling to attract talent as Ireland end…

In February of this year I raised the need for reform of the entire process surrounding medical negligence litigation. In general, when a person accesses the healthcare system, the reasonable expectation is that the care and treatment received will be provided by competent and qualified professionals. There is also an expectation that treatment will take place in a safe environment and that no unnecessary harm will come to the person. By and large, this expectation is realised but there are situations where uninten…