Yesterday I raised the issue of the national children's hospital with the Taoiseach and the need to have it built and open for the children of Ireland. It has been delayed time and again and is now the most expensive hospital in the world. The Government has lost all control and credibility when it comes to the national children's hospital. Today at the health committee we learned that, of the 3,000 rooms that should have been completed by now, only 27 are completed. Also at the committee, the board confirmed it ha…

There is a request.

The Minister knows.

Can the Minister answer?

Leanann an farce faoi ospidéal náisiúnta na leanaí. Ní féidir leis an bhord a insint dúinn go fóill cén uair a bheas an t-ospidéal seo críochnaithe agus cén chostas deiridh a bheidh aige. Níl dabht ar bith ach go bhfuil gá leis an ospidéal seo a bheith foscailte do leanaí na hÉireann. Tá cuntasacht de dhíth fosta ón phobal agus na moilleanna agus na costais ag dul in airde agus in airde. People are absorbing two serious scandals regarding taxpayers' money. The payment fiasco at RTÉ has dominated politics for weeks …

The Taoiseach's approach here is one of shrugging the shoulders and keep writing the cheques with no one held to account. That is why the public are outraged when they see this and why they are outraged by what they are seeing unfold in RTÉ. It is that type of insider culture. At the very heart of this is 100,000 children who are on waiting lists. There are 290 children with scoliosis who need life-changing operations and there is a hospital that was supposed to be built when the Taoiseach was Minister for Health a…

Nobody knows. That is the problem.

How much extra is the board looking for?

Renters have been badly let down by the Taoiseach's Government. They are trapped paying sky-high rents and losing hope of ever owning their own homes. Earlier this year, the Government ended the eviction ban, despite all the warnings that this would push households into homelessness. When he lifted the ban, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, promised to introduce some small measures to protect renters. Three months later, we have now been told this has been delayed until at least September. No wonder renters feel abando…

As my colleague has said, Fine Gael has been in power for 13 years. Since 2016, Fianna Fáil has supported Fine Gael through seven budgets. In that time, one of the fundamental rights of citizens - the right to a home - has been eroded. The ability of young people to access secure and affordable accommodation has been chipped away. The aspirations of an entire generation to buy their own home, a home where they can build a life or raise a family, has been undercut. Under Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, a housing crisis o…

That is not true.

In áit a bheith trédhearcach faoin eolas atá ag RTÉ faoin scannal íocaíochta, tá sé soiléir go bhfuil RTÉ ag tabhairt an eolais dúinn píosa ar phíosa. Ní féidir linn muinín a bheith againn as an eolas a thagann ó mbord feidhmiúcháin agus tá feidhmeannaigh an bhoird ag caitheamh go holc leis an bpobal. Tá a fhios againn nach bhfuil an fhírinne iomlán tagtha chun solais go fóill agus níl muinín mar sin agamsa sa bhord feidhmiúcháin in RTÉ. It is now three months since RTÉ's executive board was first alerted to the br…

As I ask my next question, perhaps the former Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform might give the Taoiseach a note as to whether the monthly meetings involving his former Department were happening as part of the arrangement between the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery, and Reform, and RTÉ. The Taoiseach has confidence in the executive and the executive board. They have come before Oireachtas committees an…

The Government has finally commenced the revised scheme for the many victims of the defective blocks scandal. This time last year, the affected homeowners told the Taoiseach that the legislation underpinning this scheme was seriously deficient and that many families would be left behind as a result. The Taoiseach did not listen. At that time, we in Sinn Féin, and indeed Members across the Opposition, submitted 80 amendments on behalf of homeowners. The Government rejected every single one of them, pleading at the t…

Inniu fáilteoidh an Rialtas roimh ráiteas eacnamaíoch an tsamhraidh. Cé nach mbeidh sonraí an bhuiséid ar fios againn go mí Deireadh Fómhair, tá a fhios againn go bhfuil dúshláin mhóra roimh oibrithe agus teaghlaigh. Tá tacaíocht de dhíth orthu anois agus ní níos mó fógraí agus gealltanais fholmha ón Rialtas. The Government will today publish its summer economic statement. This will be the 13th such statement published by a Fine Gael-led Government, including Governments led by the Taoiseach. It marks an important …

The reason we have record levels of homelessness in this State is because the Taoiseach and Fine Gael are in government. The reason rents are out of control is because the Taoiseach is in government and Fine Gael is in government. The reason an entire generation has given up and is emigrating to places such as Sydney, Toronto, New York and London is because Fine Gael is in government and it has locked home ownership beyond the reach of an entire generation.

The Taoiseach has been in government for 12 years. This is his 13th budget. We have had the highest record ever of overcrowding in our hospitals. The Taoiseach can talk about the millions and billions of euro but people in my constituency want to know that if they get admitted to the hospital they will not have to lie on a trolley or sit in a chair for over a day. They want to know that their son and daughter will be able to afford to rent an apartment in this State. They want to know that they will be able to live…

You announced it two years ago.

You announced it last budget.

This is what I am talking about. More announcements and people cannot get-----