I thank the Minister of State for coming here today. When it comes to air pollution, we need more carrot and less stick. The rate of retrofitting is very slow and we must ask why. In 2024, nearly 54,000 homes were retrofitted in Ireland. About 33,000 houses get solar panels each year and there are 2 million homes in Ireland. Therefore, it will take 50 years to get solar panels on those houses at this rate. There is a lot more the Government could be doing to tackle climate change. That being said, Aontú is opposed …

I raise the issue of home repossessions, which has re-entered public debate recently. For a huge number of families, the issue has never gone away. I have been contacted by constituents who have had their mortgages sold out from under them to vulture funds. One woman in her 70s, who was a founding co-ordinator of the Money Advice and Budgeting Service, MABS, and a lifelong community worker, has spent 12 years fighting to save her home. Her mortgage was sold without her consent and she has since lived in constant fe…

Last week a 17-year-old Ukrainian boy was stabbed to death in an apartment run by a private contractor on behalf of Tusla. This apartment housed four teenage boys. Two of these boys, alongside a female care worker, desperately tried to intervene.

I understand that. Anything I have to say is in the public domain.

Last week a 17-year-old Ukrainian boy was stabbed to death in an apartment run by a private contractor on behalf of Tusla. This apartment housed four teenage boys. Two of these boys, alongside a female care worker, desperately tried to intervene in this horrific attack. I cannot begin to imagine the grief felt by his family. Their child lost his life when he was supposed to be safe in the care of our State. Yesterday the news broke of a young girl only ten years old who was allegedly raped by a man who had no legal…

I commend Deputy Charles Ward, who brought a Private Members' motion before the Dáil today, the 100% Redress councillors and my Aontú colleague Ms Mary T. Sweeney on their tireless work on the defective concrete blocks issue. This crisis is a slow-motion earthquake. We see homes slowly crumbling across Donegal and far beyond, and I have no doubt it will stretch more over the country in the next few years. If this disaster were happening anywhere else, the Government would have declared a national emergency. Instead…

I do not think-----

It has not-----

I thank the Minister of State for coming in to speak on this important issue. I am deeply concerned about what has been going on for three weeks outside of the gates of Leinster House. As we speak here, there are four survivors of industrial and reformatory schools camping outside the gates on hunger strike, one man and three women who suffered abuse in institutions run or sanctioned by the State and have lived for decades carrying the effects of that abuse. They are making a stand. I am worried for their welfare. …

This response is not good enough. While I understand the legal and financial limits, I would argue the State still has the ability to act to support these people. Their requests are small and practical. A contributory pension and a HAA card do not require reopening redress schemes. There are existing supports that could be made available to people who have clearly been failed by the State. It is not generous to give a contributory pension to people who are victims of forced labour; it is the bare minimum. To say th…

I want to raise a concerning development regarding the hormone replacement therapy, HRT, scheme. Recently, the Chair of the Oireachtas health committee has been pushing to expand the free HRT scheme to include trans women. This totally ignores the difficulties and struggles of biological women who are going through the menopause. It is deeply misleading to suggest that excluding trans women is discrimination. The medical purpose of this scheme is to support menopausal women. Our healthcare resources should be direc…

I welcome the support of Senator Gallagher, my neighbour from Monaghan, on this issue. Principals do not like to get politically involved or seek support, but sometimes it comes to a point where they feel they have no other option. I want to raise the issue of the lack of spaces in St. Aidan's Comprehensive School in Cootehill. I was contacted by the principal because the school is facing a major problem again this year with space and accommodation due to the high numbers of students. By August 2024, the school wil…

I support Senator Gallagher in what he said about modular accommodation. I am disappointed that there is not a better answer than what the Minister of State outlined, although I know it is not her Department. I am extremely disappointed for the staff, who are juggling all the time. They constantly have to come up with new ideas. They did that for their SEN class and now they are really stuck and they need a dig-out on it. I have outlined previously the issue of the schools surrounding this school all bursting at th…

Even though the budget is being announced today, the media focus is still quite fixated on the presidential election. The resignation of Jim Gavin means there is a further narrowing of options for voters. It is so disheartening for the entire voting population and those who do not feel either of the candidates represent them. We had the opportunity to nominate an independent candidate and, unfortunately, Members of the Oireachtas did not listen to the electorate, which is something we like to pride ourselves on. Pe…

No.

People on the ground are very frustrated. They have been hearing whispers of a new Garda station in Bailieborough since 2007. Since then there has been delay after delay. This saga stretches back almost two decades. In 2015, a new Garda station was announced, as a priority. Does the Government call a ten-year wait a priority? In 2016, we were told that the OPW was in legal negotiations. In 2017, it was still in legal negotiations. In 2018, a site was sourced. At the end of 2018, we were told that planning would be …

I thank the Minister of State for his reply but it is just not good enough. I hate to repeat myself but this station was announced ten years ago. Work started almost three years ago and yet the people of Bailieborough were again told to wait. In 2023, they were told to wait and again in 2025. Now it will be 2026 but the Minister of State is still being vague. It will be early 2026, not even quarter 1 or quarter 2. It would laughable if it were not so serious, particularly for the gardaí who are working out of that …

I want to be associated with the comments regarding Senator Andrews. He is a true activist and I admire that he had the courage of convictions to go and try do something when words are failing.

Everybody seems to be banging their heads off the wall. I admire his courage and bravery. I raise a matter that has gone under radar because of the all of the other matters being brought up here. As far as I know, there has been zero media coverage on it. I am not sure how many people know that there are four people outside the gates of Dáil Éireann on hunger strike. They are victims of industrial and reformation school abuse and they are looking for justice. I met with them two days ago and they have very reasonab…

I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this important matter. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the Chamber. I ask for a clear timeline for the completion of the long-awaited expansion to Bailieborough Community School in County Cavan. This school has rightly been described as being the victim of its own success. That is good. My Cavan colleague the Minister of State, Deputy Niamh Smyth, raised the issue with the Taoiseach as far back as 2020, pointing out the pressure on space and the impact on students…