I ask that the Minister include a representative of the Postgraduate Workers Alliance on that group. It is a specific organisation made up of postgraduate researchers across the country and set up precisely to discuss this issue. Its presence at those meetings would be important. For me, there is something quite simple here, which is that where people are engaged in productive labour, they should be paid for that work. There is a more general issue beyond PhD researchers deserving a living wage for all their teachi…

I welcome the opportunity to speak about the crisis of mental health that exists in our society. The Covid crisis has shown the strengths and weaknesses of our society in many ways. We have seen huge solidarity from ordinary people assisting one another in big and small actions to work through the pandemic. We have seen the amazing work of our health professionals on the front line and other front-line workers in fighting this virus and enabling society to continue. The crisis has also exposed gross weaknesses, in …

The Government cannot be accused, in fairness, of lacking ambition when it comes to spin doctors and advisers. It is set to break all previous records. In September, we were told there were a total of 64 special advisers costing more than €3 million a year. Now we have seen the Government bring in a new press secretary on up to €160,000 a year. This new spin doctor has come from the Murdoch media empire. He was previously the managing editor of The Sun in the UK, a newspaper renowned for its racism, sexism and, of …

We can change the law.

We are the Parliament.

Charles Dickens wrote about a tale of two cities but right here we have a tale of two economies. On the one hand, Goodbody is saying that Irish GDP will be higher this year than last year despite Covid. That is something that is fuelled by the kind of fictitious financial trickery that has seen Kellogg's direct more than €1 billion worth of sales through Ireland. Irish people are not eating €1 billion worth of cereal, despite the coronavirus crisis, but it will pay little or no corporation tax on that nor will it p…

Yes, we should.

I will send it.

Should I do it with or without their consent?

Briefly, to respond to a question asked me by the Taoiseach in the last set of questions, where he suggested that it was not clear to him whether I was in favour of a university model for nurses or not, to be clear I am absolutely in favour and am opposed to the big exploitation of student nurses which is currently going on. We would not be talking about that or the Taoiseach would not be talking about investigating it were it not for the organisation of the student nurses and Solidarity-People Before Profit bringi…

On a point of order, Standing Order 54(1) states: "A member of the Government shall, in replying to a Question asked on notice ... address each and every request for information contained therein." Question No. 10 has only one request, namely to ask the Taoiseach-----

Question No. 11 inquires as to the amount the Taoiseach's Department is spending on consultancy firms. The question was not answered in a written response he had in advance. He said in response to repeated questions in the House that he can go and get the information. He had notice of the question. He has advisers working for him finding answers to various questions that are not even asked-----

#RepealThe8th.

#WeWontPay.

I believe the Taoiseach is guilty of quite cynical obfuscation around the question of student nurses to try to cover up the reality of the refusal to pay student nurses and midwives for the work they do. Part of that is the suggestion they are not really doing work. I will outline a few examples from a student midwife: I've dressed and laid out babies who have passed away to be shown to their parents for the first time. I've cried with women who have been told that their baby has died while they are alone in hospit…

I thank Sinn Féin for introducing this important Bill. It is vital that the State provides paid leave from work for those victims of domestic violence who need it. This is the case in New Zealand and a number of other countries around the world. There are many reasons for which those suffering from such abuse would need time off work - to move house, get legal or mental health supports, and continue being financially independent. It is unfortunate that, too often, survivors of domestic violence lose their jobs due …

Nine minutes according to my clock.

That is not a problem. I will finish with a point referenced by Deputy Bríd Smith. The outpouring of anger through movements like #MeToo, #SueMePaddy and #IBelieveHer shows that people are not willing to accept the injustice and oppression of the past. There is a fight for change in the law and a challenging of the patriarchal culture that gives confidence to sexism and violence against women. A crucial part of this will be objective sex education. I understand that a new curriculum will be proposed in the next mon…

In six minutes or so, the Minister of State will stand up and explain why the Government does not think that student nurses should be paid. She might say that they should not be paid to protect their education, but before she does, I would like her to listen to the words of a student nurse who has been on the front line of the fight against Covid-19. Ms Maeve Evans is a student nurse from Dublin South-West. She wrote to me and explained: To choose a life of becoming a nurse or midwife is not easy. Many of us have w…

Yes.