I raise the case of a seven-year-old girl from Tralee who was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer last July, seven days after her seventh birthday. She has been to Crumlin until Easter of this year and now is in shared maintenance care between Mercy University Hospital in Cork and University Hospital Kerry. She gets bloods in Kerry. She has to have her Hickman port dressed quickly and her mother, Lorraine, administers chemo three times per week. It is four chemos, plus bloods and dressings, which is physically and…

It is 20 years since the previous review of the Offences against the State Act and the special powers it sets out, some of which predate the Second World War. As several speakers have noted, an annual review is not satisfactory. Three years ago, we called for a review of the system, which was granted. We need 21st century laws to tackle 21st century criminals. That encompasses everything, including increased Garda visibility on the streets and more resources and protection for those who are giving evidence against …

I move amendment No. 1: In page 10, lines 23 and 24, to delete “or, in the English language, the Judicial Appointments Commission (in this Act referred to as the “Commission”)” and substitute “(in this Act referred to as the “ Coimisiún ”)”. Most of the amendments Deputy Ó Snodaigh submitted are straightforward attempts to ask the Government to live up to commitments under the recently passed Official Languages (Amendment) Act 2021. It is disappointing that the amendments related to the Irish language were rejected…

If the Minister cannot accept the amendment now, perhaps she will meet with us and introduce a Government amendment in the Seanad.

I move amendment No. 2: In page 10, line 27, after "members," to insert "who shall be competent to conduct their functions through the medium of Irish,". This is a provision to ensure sufficient appointments of people competent in Irish to serve the needs of both the Irish-speaking community and the Constitution. We know there has been a problem in the courts because there are not enough judges who are competent in Irish to handle cases as Gaeilge. That is not satisfactory. We even had a senior member of the Judici…

I move amendment No. 3: In page 11, line 12, after "office," to insert the following: "ensuring that recommendations in the case of no fewer than 20 per cent of judicial offices, and 100 per cent in the case of appointments to the Supreme Court, in a given year, the nominees shall be exclusively drawn from candidates who are competent to read and understand the Constitution and matters of law in both official languages,". Ensuring the minimum requirements that 20% of new appointments to judicial positions are reser…

The Taoiseach himself said that the well-being framework is an indicator of how well we are doing as a country. Kerry County Council homeless services is overwhelmed and has effectively run out of available homeless accommodation. Its own accommodation is full and the use of bed and breakfast accommodation, hostels and hotels are also maxed out for the 91 adults and 14 children who are homeless in the county. There are more than 2,000 qualified applicants on the housing list. The market has tightened recently and s…

After two years in Government together and a number of years of close co-operation beforehand, one would imagine the Government would be able to coalesce properly together. However, its stance on the cost-of-living issues demonstrates it is not fit to govern, with the leaders of the three parties last week jostling for position on what action would be taken, if any, and when. This lack of decisiveness is costing ordinary families and communities dearly and nowhere more so than in Killarney, Listowel, Tralee and aro…

I raise the issue of adult education tutors who work with the most marginalised groups and students but suffer basic unfairness in the terms and conditions of their employment. These workers pay the Teaching Council but do not have the status of teachers. They see pay inequality among their colleagues across the education and training boards, ETBs, and there is no pay parity between pre-2011 and post-2011 entrants. They do not have an incremental salary scheme. They work in the public sector but do not have public …

Here we go again with insurance reform.

When I see the Government coming back with new proposals I am reminded of Jack's mother when he came back from the market with three magic beans after selling the family's cow. This is the thing that is going to solve all our problems with the insurance industry. I worked in the courts for a few years. There was a judge from Athlone who used to say, when he thought that somebody was spoofing or not telling the truth: "When you are in a hole, stop digging". However, what happens with the insurance companies is that …

The motion to opt in to the proposal for a directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence is welcome, as is the opportunity for us to discuss and scrutinise same. It is our hope that the proposal complements and will reinforce the State obligations under the Istanbul Convention, rather than acting as a substitute for them or duplicating them. I pay tribute to Catherine Casey and the work carried out in the Adapt centre in Tralee, which provides a 24-hour service by telephone, involving well-bei…

I welcome the opportunity to speak to the motion and thank my colleagues from County Meath for enabling it. The downgrading of services is well known to people in Munster. I encourage people from the Meath area to look at what happened in Ennis and Nenagh, where there was a downgrading of services, staff shortages, the closure of units and the promise of a centre of excellence in Limerick. Last week, a HSE report outlined serious problems in Limerick hospital relating to patient flow, inpatients, dignity and privac…

My question is further to a previous parliamentary question I asked the Minister regarding making a statement on the different categories of accommodation currently listed, such as emergency reception and orientation centres, EROCs, emergency accommodation, etc., as well as their functions.

No one was ever going to be in any doubt that there would be an increase in the number of people coming into the country to seek asylum following Covid-19. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has exacerbated this situation. The crisis has posed some serious questions. We can address some of those in another question later perhaps. What is concerning in this regard, though, is that we may end up being stuck in the same cycle as we experienced several years ago. That crisis came to a head with the situation in Cahersivee…

The White Paper that came out approximately 14 months ago was clear about emergency accommodation. It recommended that purpose-built facilities be constructed. Sinn Féin's view is that there should be more State-run accommodation centres, because allowing private companies that operate for profit to undertake this endeavour is not going to be the best way to address this situation. The Minister previously said that funding for approved housing body, AHB, accommodation was going to be launched soon. What are his pla…

My question relates to the Ukrainian refugee crisis unit in the Department and I seek the Minister's views on the refugees who have arrived. Arising from the previous question and the recommendations in the White Paper, is he confident that between now and the end of the Government's term, in two and a half years' time, that it will be able to implement the recommendations?

I, too, commend the staff in the Minister's Department and the International Protection Accommodation Services, IPAS, and I acknowledge the assistance they were given by local authorities around the country in identifying properties. However, tomorrow marks the 100th day of the conflict in Ukraine and there is no end in sight.. Accommodation centres are around the country, including in west Kerry. There is a centre in Gallarus, south Kerry. Those types of accommodations are clearly inappropriate in the medium term.…

One of the Minister’s colleagues in government previously said there was a question of perhaps up to 200,000 people arriving. Does the Department have revised or anticipated figures as to how much it will, as the Minister noted, continue to increase? What is the Department planning in respect of the number of people who will continue to come from Ukraine?

No matter where one is on the political spectrum, one has to accept that be it in housing, direct provision or bin collection, the outsourcing of essential services to the market only leads to higher profits, lower wages and high costs for citizens. This is particularly true for childhood, early learning and childcare. This is tied into the cost-of-living crisis. Families are struggling and more often than not, it is the mother who must stay at home and cannot afford the cost of childcare, and my question is relate…