I welcome the fact that there is going to be an investigation into the handling of child sexual abuse in schools over many years. Many lives have been destroyed as a result of the abuse people suffered in schools in this State. I have a number of issues with the terms of reference of the commission. The definition of "child sexual abuse" provided is problematic. How that wording is used is unacceptable and is insulting to victims. It does not recognise the gravity of the crime. It is a one-dimensional definition. I…

The slaughter in Gaza is one of the biggest stains on the international community. The killing of 57,700 people in Gaza is a war crime of massive proportions. It is happening in large part because it is underwritten by the West. It is underwritten by the US and many countries in the European Union. The approach of the West to the war in Ukraine and the war in Palestine could not be more different. Ireland’s approach could also not be more different. Is the refusal of visas for the 33 Palestinian children from the G…

I am critical of that.

I agree there should be rules and checks. Nobody has said that more in this Chamber than me probably in recent years. However, I have also said it needs to be compassionate. That is something the Tánaiste has said too and that there should be a strict system and compassionate response. There are dozens of children unaccompanied coming to this country annually at the moment anyway. That is the state of the situation. Look at the two approaches between Ukraine and Palestine. There are 112,189 people from Ukraine here…

While the Tánaiste has been stronger than many of his European counterparts in standing up for the people of Palestine, and I grant that is the case, the European Union is still very cold in how it is dealing with Gaza. Ursula von der Leyen strode the world’s stage stating that she would underwrite the IDF’s actions at the start of this process. I believe she distorted the foreign policy of this country and other European countries when she made those statements. She has been defended by members of the Tánaiste’s p…

Catherine Sherry was 42 years old when she died of lymphoma cancer. She lived with her husband and young children just across the Border, in Newry. The special treatment she needed was not available in the North of Ireland but was available just one hour away in Dublin. Her heartbroken husband, Fergal, said she was forced to travel to London for that treatment and that travel significantly weakened her just when she needed her strength for that treatment. It also meant she could not be with her three sons during th…

Ireland is becoming a more violent place. The rates of domestic violence, sexual violence and rape are all increasing. The society we have created over the past number of decades has led to Ireland becoming more violent for women. Day in, day out, lives are being destroyed. In 2011, 1,958 sexual offences were recorded. In 2021, this figure had increased by 75%, to 3,433. In 2011, 447 rapes were recorded. In 2021, that figure doubled to 983. I submitted a parliamentary question to the former Minister for Justice in …

It is more violent.

I wish to raise a serious issue on the floor of the House. It is a complex issue, so I hope the Minister of State will be able to give it his attention, if possible. The case involves a seven-year-old child, who I am going to call "Patrick" for the purpose of this discussion. Patrick disclosed physical and sexual abuse by his father. These allegations were brought to the attention of Tusla by the child's mother in 2018. There was an ongoing court case whereby the father was seeking overnight access to the child. In…

I have already written to the former Minister for children, Deputy O'Gorman, the Minister for justice, Deputy O'Callaghan, the Minister for children, Deputy Foley, and Tusla in respect of this case. I understand that the Minister of State does not know the background to the case and, in many ways, I am throwing at him the details of a case that is hard to get one's head around in a short time. It is impossible for the Minister of State to be able to respond to this in detail; I do understand that. I acknowledge the…

I will email my transcript to the Minister of State as well.

Ireland is the second-most expensive country in Europe. It is quite incredible we have a situation where parents are lying awake at night not knowing how they are going to pay certain bills. I know parents who, as soon as their monthly wages drop in, go into another overdraft to keep them going until the wages next come in. The Barnardos report yesterday was absolutely shocking. For some reason we have considered this to be an extremely wealthy country, but so many families here are living just on the margins when …

Where one lives in Ireland is a significant determinant of whether one will survive cancer or die from it. In Ireland today counties and postcodes should have Government health warnings. When a cancer diagnosis happens in a family, a dark cloud descends. While there obviously is hope in terms of treatment, there is no doubt that for serious cancers, every moment of the day is consumed with whether or not one is going to make it. Today the Irish Cancer Society released damning information which shows significant var…

We do not have centres of excellence in many places; we have centres of waiting lists. Today, the Irish Cancer Society said that we have centres of bare adequacy. Those are the words it used. The Taoiseach mentioned extra resources but these do not keep up with inflation, with population increases or with the ageing population of the country and, in many areas of the HSE, they are not getting to the front line. They are getting caught up. We also do not have the necessary staff. We in Aontú found out that 13,000 nu…

People are dying as a result of that geographic difference.

So has the number of patients.

Some 13,000 nurses have left.

What about Letterkenny?

Less than a year ago the Government made a U-turn on hate speech. The Tánaiste, Deputy Harris, overruled the former Minister for justice and made a pragmatic decision. Unlike this House, the majority of Irish people oppose any censorship laws. There was some sniggering in the Chamber a little while ago when a speaker suggested that hate speech could be turned against political parties in this House. Many Members are foolish in thinking that hate speech is for other people. The hate speech laws are a threat to the r…

It is really important that the Government gives a strong answer. The European Union has given the Government just until Monday to comply with European law when it comes to hate speech. That is only four or five days away.