I move: That Dáil Éireann shall take note of the Report of the Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science entitled "Mental Health Supports in Schools and Tertiary Education", copies of which were laid before Dáil Éireann on 25th January, 2023. I am grateful to the House for providing the opportunity to debate this important motion on the Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science report on mental health supports in s…

I thank the Minister of State for her attendance on a Thursday evening. I recognise a huge amount of work has been done in this area. I acknowledge the work of the Minister of State and that of the Minister, Deputy Foley, in taking on a huge number of the recommendations we made in the committee report. It is heartening for me, as the Chair, and for the committee staff and members when a Minister of State and a Department take on a report and implement a number of the recommendations. I acknowledge that under the M…

Thanks for watching anyway.

No wonder the viewing figures were up.

You would make a great Tánaiste, Danny.

It could be a dangerous book.

It is a privilege to give my sympathies to the Bruton family this afternoon, especially to his wife, Finola, to his son and three daughters, and to Richard, his brother, our long-standing friend here in the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party. I got to know John Bruton in the late nineties when I became involved in Fine Gael in County Wexford. I might not have been elected to this House only for John Bruton because when John ceased being leader of the Fine Gael Party, Ivan Yates stepped down from politics. That had not a…

The Irish tillage sector has faced devastation with the terrible weather conditions, earlier on in sowing and now in harvesting. In County Wexford alone, there are more than 2,500 acres still left to be harvested. With reduced yields and reduced grain prices, the sector is facing devastation. In all honesty, I cannot welcome the Minister, Deputy McConalogue's announcement yesterday where €28 per hectare or €11.33 per acre will be given as an aid package. Tillage farmers are struggling with a significant increase in…

I concur with what Deputy Bruton said about the rural divide in this House or that people portray it as a rural divide. I wish to put on the record that since 2020 up to 2023, more than €40 million has been delivered to my constituency from the Minister, Deputy Humphreys', Department. That is in every constituency and every county and town and village in this country. Listening to some of the people on the opposite side of the Chamber, you would swear rural Ireland was on its knees with nothing happening, no invest…

Those convicted by the Special Criminal Court in the past include John Gilligan, Patrick "Dutchy" Holland, Brian Meehan for the murder of Veronica Guerin, Pearse McAuley, Jeremiah Sheehy, Michael O'Neill, Kevin Walsh for the slaying of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe in 1996, Michael McKevitt for directing terrorism as leader of the Real IRA, brothers John and Wayne Dundon for murdering innocent men in Limerick and Thomas "Slab" Murphy, who was jailed for 18 months for tax fraud. Mr. Murphy was later described by Depu…

The Special Criminal Court has been doing a very good job of putting away serious criminals since it was established in 1972. Four men have now been found guilty in the Special Criminal Court of facilitating the 2016 Regency gangland murder. This would not have occurred if Sinn Féin was in power as it would not have supported the court.

Deputy McDonald's criminal councillor saw more of the Special Criminal Court than he did the Dublin City Council chamber.

Does the Taoiseach agree that while a review is ongoing, the Special Criminal Court is essential if we are to have stronger and safer communities?

Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Last year, the Government responded to the cost-of-living crisis by announcing universal and targeted measures. Now that the economy and our public finances are in good order, the Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform will meet party leaders, along with the Minister for Social Protection, to consider what measures will be announced for the spring period. A huge number of working families are still feeling the brunt of the cost-of-living crisis. I urge the Taoise…

Alejandro Miszan, a nine-year-old boy from Enniscorthy, as the Taoiseach well knows, was attacked by a pit bull terrier in November. I will not say he has fully recovered - he will never fully recover - but, gladly, he is back home with his parents in Enniscorthy. Quite a number of constituents have raised this issue with me and reckon that the Government is not moving quickly enough on dangerous dogs. A dog warden stated on national radio this morning that, once upon a time, dog wardens only dealt with vicious dog…

Deputy Tóibín calls himself a Christian making accusations like that.

How about what was collected for the septic tanks?

Hear, hear.

Do you want to go, Mattie?