Yes. Will the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence propose measures to ensure that members of the Defence Forces who have been convicted of violent assaults cannot continue to serve?

Reports that a naval officer remains in the Defence Forces almost a year after pleading guilty to a serious assault on a woman shows a bit of a pattern. The Tánaiste will forgive the Women of Honour for nodding their heads and saying, "I told you so". The time for learning lessons is over. It is the time to show what can be done. I wish to take this opportunity to salute Natasha O'Brien for courage and bravery. She was very impressive speaking after her court case last week. I really took on board what she said abo…

We are at a critical juncture with the Defence Forces in terms of how allegations of abuse are dealt with. The Tánaiste has to take the bull by the horns. Morale in the Defence Forces is very low. I cannot imagine what it is like for ordinary, decent, professional soldiers in the Defence Forces who serve with honour and pride to feel like they are constantly under attack and that the Government and the legislation are letting them down. It is something the Tánaiste has to take seriously. "Two to take her down, and …

Will the Tánaiste indicate the number of occasions since January 2020 when a superior officer in the Defence forces provided a statement in support of a defendant in a civilian trial in respect of an allegation of a violent crime and whether he proposes to introduce measures to address this issue?

The State came to a standstill with disgust and disbelief last week when a member of the Defence Forces walked free from court following the brutal assault on Natasha O'Brien. Another man had his career protected while another woman was failed by the State. I am glad to see the DPP has appealed the sentence. I do not want to give the Ceann Comhairle a heart attack or anything like that but the ruling was given by the Judiciary. While it is really welcome that the DPP is looking at it again, the fact that a spokespe…

That is what it came across as.

I am not a military lawyer or anything like that but after listening to the conversations, I know the officer was not there to give a glowing reference. However, that is what it felt like to the victim. Members of the Defence Forces have been through such a tough time lately with the disclosures from the Women of Honour. There is a bit of a knee-jerk reaction coming from inside and outside the Defence forces. This closing of ranks and circling of the wagons is not very helpful. Because the Defence Forces are there …

Will the Tánaiste indicate if he intends to bring forward proposals to abolish the triple-lock neutrality protection?

The triple-lock protection of our neutrality is the cornerstone of Irish foreign policy. That is a fact.

It is our independent foreign policy, a legacy of Ireland working for a nuclear non-proliferation, humanitarianism, contributing to the drafting of the convention of human rights and fundamental freedoms, peacekeeping and our proud record as our United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon, Congo, Chad, South Sudan and elsewhere. Yet eight months ago, the Minister instructed officials to prepare legislation to remove that cornerstone without delay and did that with no mandate, having campaigned on this at the general ele…

I would love if the Minister could be honest with the people and if he would put it to the people in the form of a referendum and to enshrine our neutrality in the Constitution. The Minister stood on a platform of protecting the triple lock in his last manifesto. Irish people are proud of our military neutrality. They are not embarrassed by some of the invited guests in the Minister’s consultative forum last summer. Irish people cherish our neutrality and the triple lock and we in Sinn Féin also cherish it. The con…

I have been raising the issue of mould in public council housing for a while. I have brought it up in Questions on Policy and Legislation and Topical Issues. It has been indicated to me the Government will look at it. I have a young mother in north Kildare who has to bring her new baby home to a house where she and her first child have already developed respiratory conditions due to exposure to black mould. I have another young woman who has lost 21% lung capacity in her home in Naas because of blue mould. Blue mou…

What is the Government doing?

I received an email today saying that the Minister would not be here to take Topical Issues. It is increasingly the case that Ministers do not appear to take Topical Issues. They are answerable to the Dáil and should be present. However, I appreciate that the deputy leader of Fianna Fáil is here to take questions. I am raising the horrific situation at Shannonside Foods in Straffan in my constituency of Kildare North that was revealed in the “RTÉ Investigates” programme last week. Issues with microchips, the safety…

I thank the Minister of State. I heard the same thing this morning about how everyone is appalled and upset and that we now have a criminal investigation and a departmental investigation. To be honest, it seems to be handy cover for the Minister and the Government. The Department of agriculture has serious questions to answer. These questions are just as serious as those for the company. None of this happened on its own. None of it happened out of the blue. It happened because it was allowed to happen and people we…

I am glad to speak on this Stage. Reform is much needed in the sector and is welcome, but what is proposed in the Bill is not at all adequate. It lacks the necessary and broad consultation with our childminders, who are a fundamental and critical cohort. Our childminders have virtually been ignored in this process despite having a wealth of experience and wisdom on the issue of childcare. In addition, the Bill lacks understanding and practical recognition of the criticality of this cohort, estimated at 53,000. It l…

I am opposed to a full opt-in to this pact because there are so many aspects of it that are not in Ireland's interests. The all-or-nothing approach taken by the Government is reckless, unnecessary and mystifying. Why did the Government not look at this pact and decide to opt out of what is not good for us? Why is it not the Government's automatic reaction to put Ireland's interests over the EU's institutional neoliberal interest? This is the same EU institution that gives its full support to the massacre of the Pal…

I thank Deputy Tully for the motion. I am glad to speak on it because I feel as though I am speaking for the army of invisible people who work 24-7, relying on the extremely modest carer's allowance, with many unable to make ends meet. They are kept under constant scrutiny by the State for that payment, a State that seems more intent on catching them out in some way than helping them, valuing them or relieving them of their caring duties with sufficient respite. It is hard to credit that three quarters of carers ha…

I wish to refer to amendments Nos. 3, 5 and 18. I ask the Tánaiste to consider withdrawing amendment No. 13. Amendments Nos. 3, 5 and 18 seek to delete "or matter of Government policy". As Deputy Howlin was saying, everything is a matter of politics. With regard to members of the Defence Forces not being allowed to discuss anything related to Government policy, the price of bread-----

-----and the butter spread on it all come down to Government policy. The Government published its draft Bill prior to the pre-legislative scrutiny by the defence committee. The Tánaiste said he had listened to stakeholders but he had not. He did not listen to the representative groups, the Opposition or his own defence committee. He just cannot explain why he is pushing this. He says he is listening carefully but the fact of the matter is that he has not done so. It seems he is using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. …