This Bill will significantly amend the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011. This is in response to a ruling in April by the Grand Chamber of the Court of Justice of the European Union, which held that the "general and indiscriminate" retention of electronic communications data for the purpose of combating serious crime is precluded by EU law. The court's ruling followed a referral by the Irish Supreme Court in February 2020, which was hearing a leapfrog appeal from the State against a High Court ruling in D…

This amendment Bill contains a number of changes to various laws on topics as varied as the Stardust inquest and the crisis in Ukraine. It contains provisions for the Department of Justice, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and the Department of Transport. I welcome the provision to empanel and summon a jury for the Stardust inquiry. Forty-eight young people went to a Valentine’s disco in 1981 and they never came home. For anyone who is of an age with me, I was also out that n…

I recently asked a parliamentary question regarding how many section 37A notices have been issued in counties Kildare and Laois in the past two years. The answer I received indicated the legislation has been used twice to date: in the Dublin 15 area in 2019 and the south Dublin area in 2020 in respect of primary school provision only. The legislation has not been used in Kildare or Laois. I am told it has recently been announced the process has been initiated for a third time in respect of the provision of special …

The Bill exempts children under 16 years old from hospital inpatient charges. Sinn Féin welcomes this, but the Bill does not go far enough. The Government should abolish hospital inpatient charges for all patients. This should start with abolishing inpatient charges for all children and dependants, not just those aged under 16 years. The Minister is looking for a quick win to mask the lack of progress on universal healthcare. Over the past two years I have dealt with many people who have had to endure long waiting …

The Minister need not panic because I am coming to the next part. It notes that there is €16 million of an underspend. I understand all that, but we still need to have dentists, so I do not know what the Minister is doing there. I will move on. The Minister and the Government are concerned, but not concerned enough to implement a comprehensive plan actually to address the crisis. Last month in Kildare, President Higgins said that our greatest failure is housing. Surely healthcare is a very close second. The health …

We are in the middle of a climate and cost-of-living crisis and need to do everything we can to offer alternatives to car journeys. People in south Kildare and Laois drive to Sallins, north Kildare, to avail of the short hop zone. An annual rail ticket from Newbridge to Dublin costs €1,900 while an annual rail ticket from Sallins to Dublin costs €1,500 but includes travel on trains, Luas and buses. It is €400 more for an extra five minutes' journey. It does not make sense. Will the Tánaiste commit to extending the …

This is not just a Donegal, Sligo, Clare or Mayo issue. It is a basic issue of fairness. These families are living in homes that are crumbling. They deserve our support and anything less than 100% redress is not acceptable. The State was asleep at the wheel. It was too busy squandering money in the Celtic tiger era and neglecting its responsibilities to ensure that building materials were fit for purpose. I listened to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage last week. It is clear f…

I welcome the groups in the Gallery and wish them well. I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill, which we in Sinn Féin support. Indeed we supported a similar Bill last October that was reintroduced by the Regional Group. That Bill is scheduled for Second Reading this October. In April 2019, Sinn Féin brought forward a motion calling for an autism empowerment strategy and the establishment of an Oireachtas committee on autism. The motion received widespread, cross-party support and a commitment was given to …

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It is a very worrying way of doing business, if I may say so. What safeguards are in place for these people?

The Bill will allow EirGrid to procure 450 MW of backup electricity generation capacity to ensure we will have enough electricity to meet growing demand in the coming years. Sinn Féin has no choice but to support the Bill. It is essential if we are to avoid electricity blackouts. It is a sad reflection on Government policy, or the lack of it, that we are in this situation. This is a direct result of failed Government policy. Failing to plan means planning to fail. This shortfall in electricity supply is primarily d…

The Minister is currently involved in very important negotiations for the new public sector pay deal. The current public sector stability agreement is set to conclude at the end of the year. Given we are now at the midway point, will the Minister provide the House with an update on the negotiations for the new public service stability agreement?

As the Minister will be aware, ordinary people are really feeling the pressure in the midst of the unprecedented cost-of-living crisis. Workers and families are really struggling. There are increased energy prices, increased food prices, and even increases in the price of housing. Yesterday, an AA survey showed that petrol prices have increased by 11.5% in the past two weeks. Diesel is now 45% more expensive than it was last year. According to the latest residential property price index, property prices nationally …

I completely understand where the Minister is coming from and that we must try to manage the public finances in a prudent manner. I get that. We in Sinn Féin get that. We are, however, constantly hearing the talk about the risks of a wage-price spiral. There is a problem in that. The argument has been there was not any evidence for that, and there has been wage growth in some sectors. The Minister will be aware this wage growth has mostly been in the multinational sectors. For many other sectors wage growth has bee…

With regard to the Department's guidance for public service employers during Covid-19, the special leave with pay for Covid-19, what are the Minister's further plans in this regard and will he make a statement on this?

My colleague, Deputy Mairéad Farrell, has raised the issue of long Covid with the Minister on a number of occasions. When she did so, he informed us that flexibility was to be provided to public service workers. That is good. The scheme provides for certain payments to staff during periods of absence from work due to illness from long Covid. This is despite long Covid not being recognised by the likes of the HSE as a specific illness. With the pandemic emergency declared over, the scheme is being wound down. Is it …

I appreciate what the Minister is saying. The Government has taken some measures in response to long Covid, but those who are still suffering feel it is not enough. The pandemic emergency may have been declared over but they are still suffering. For these people, long Covid is with them every day. It manifests in shortness of breath, chronic fatigue, brain fog, an inability to concentrate and a multitude of limiting impacts. I appeal to the Minister at the very least to meet the campaign group and hear what it has …

Our children have a constitutional right to an education. Under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, education must be accessible on an all-equal basis with others in the community in which people live. This right is being denied by a lack of appropriate school places. On page 96 of the programme for Government, there is a commitment to ensure that every child with a special educational need has an appropriate school place in line with his or her constitutional right. We all saw the struggl…

We often hear the Government pay lip service to climate action. We need real action that will make a difference and we need it worldwide. We need it in Europe and throughout the island of Ireland but we especially need it at local level. We need joined-up thinking. Everyone has a part to play and they must play it. There can be no opt-out for the rich and famous, such as the proposed aviation fuel tax exemption for private jets. We must have a just transition. Ireland is supposed to be the sixth richest country in …

The Bill restores the right of Garda court presenters to bring prosecutions by giving it a legal basis. Two weeks ago, the case of Garda Liam Varley and Mr. Ciarán Davitt came before the High Court. The judgment in this case was that there is no legal basis underpinning the system of Garda court presenters at District Court level. The effect of the decision is that no Garda other than the prosecuting Garda has a right of audience in respect of a case. This issue needs to be addressed by this Thursday, which is why …