I bring to the attention of the House alarming news regarding the national car test, which was recently shared by a source within the motor industry. In 2021, the then Minister of State, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, and the RSA facilitated Applus+, the private company operating the NCT, in hiring Filipino staff at NCT centres. This was done by lowering the educational requirement from QQI level 6 to level 5 and increasing the number of work permits for non-EEA citizens. The number of Filipino staff has reportedly ri…

I second Senator Sarah O'Reilly's remarks yesterday in welcoming the recent UK Supreme Court verdict confirming the biological definition of womanhood and I echo her call for a debate on the matter. After a decade of hysteria it is a relief to many of us to finally see common sense prevail. It is nothing short of a disgrace that it has taken so long and has required measures as extreme as a Supreme Court case for the law to finally acknowledge what a woman is. It is certainly a disgrace that nothing similar has hap…

I rise to address a crisis that is eroding the very foundation of our education system, a crisis that this Government continues to ignore at the peril of our children’s futures. As schools reopened this year, more than 2,700 teaching posts remained unfilled across the country, with special schools and DEIS band 1 schools bearing the brunt of this shortage. In Dublin, Wicklow and Kildare, more than half of schools reported unfilled positions. This forced principals to redeploy special education teachers to mainstrea…

The Minister of State is very welcome and I wish him every good luck in his new portfolio. I rise today in support of the Finance (Provision of Access to Cash Infrastructure) Bill 2024. This legislation is not merely timely; it is essential for safeguarding our economy, our communities and our national resilience. Recent events have underscored the fragility of our digital infrastructure. On 28 April, a massive power outage swept across Spain and Portugal, plunging millions into darkness. Electronic payment systems…

I welcome the Minister of State to the House to talk about a topic that is very important to us. The diversion of young people from the path of criminal activity is not just a matter of crime statistics; it is about the future of our children and the health of our communities. Recent reports have highlighted the challenges we face, for instance, the overcrowding in Oberstown children's detention campus, which has capacity for 46 juveniles but often exceeds that limit. This has led to some youths being released due …

I want to be associated with the expressions of sympathy for Pope Francis. I welcome the one minute of silent prayer at the end of this session. Outside this Chamber there is a rising issue that is dominating Irish society. Inside this Chamber we hear nothing about it. Out there, in the bars, in the taxis and on the streets, it is all people are talking about. Yet, in here, on the benches of the Seanad and the Dáil, we hear absolutely nothing. The issue is, of course, immigration. I speak of the gigantic national r…

I thank the Minister for coming in. I tabled this matter in order that he might provide a detailed plan and outline for the construction and delivery of the Thornton Hall prison. The overcrowding in prisons is nothing short of a crisis. The most recent figures show there are currently more than 730 prisoners in custody without bed space. The latter represents a 40% increase since January. This continues to lead to inhumane conditions where prisoners are sleeping on mattresses on floors and the risk of violence and …

I thank the Minister. Basically, he is saying that lands at Thornton Hall will not be used for international protection accommodation and that he has revoked the order on that. Did he know a contract was signed this time last year with the provider on that site for the provision of accommodation for international protection applicants? I do not know how long the contract was signed for. I think it was two years the Department of integration signed it for. Was the Minister aware of that? Is the taxpayer still paying…

I call for the immediate reversal of the Government's decision to impose a new stand-alone labelling requirement on alcohol bottles sold in Ireland. Every Member supports the responsible consumption of alcohol and wants to reduce alcohol harm but this policy will do nothing to achieve that goal. It is a misguided solo run that puts Irish jobs and producers and our international reputation at risk, all for no proven public health gain. The first point is simple: the labels will not work. That is not just my opinion;…

I raise the question of Ireland's current position on the Mercosur deal. While I was glad to see that the programme for Government contained commitments to fighting it, I was shocked and disappointed when the Irish Independent reported that Ireland did not turn up to a meeting of other EU nations, led by France, which are also committed to fighting the current deal. I call for the Taoiseach to appear before the Chamber to answer for this incident and to clarify the Government's stance and the plan for fighting the …

I also congratulate the Minister of State on his position, which nobody deserves more. I know what he did for his town of Athlone when it came to flooding. I saw him in many a river pulling out who-knows-what. He certainly got stuck in. An unfortunate statement was made about our nation to the effect that if we put all of the Dutch people into Ireland it would become the garden of Europe but if we put all of the Irish people into the Netherlands, it would sink. It is sad that our current Government seems to be maki…

I thank our colleagues in the Labour Party and the technical group for tabling this legislation. I support the Bill. It is a crucial step in addressing a deeply troubling issue that has emerged in our society: the exploitation of vulnerable tenants by unscrupulous landlords who demand sexual favours in lieu of rent. The housing crisis has reached unprecedented levels. We are all acutely aware of the struggles faced by our citizens in securing affordable and safe housing. The failure of successive Governments to ade…

I rise to address the ongoing disruption caused by the Opposition parties in the Dáil. Last week, after weeks of obstruction over a question of eight minutes, the Opposition continued its childish behaviour by walking out during Deputy Nolan's speaking time. While they were doing this, Ireland along with most of the world was seeing the financial markets descend into chaos in the wake of Trump's tariff announcements. We are in a bad situation when the Government does not want to face the crisis looming over us. We …

I am well aware of that.

I thank the Cathaoirleach. The tactics that have been used not only amount to obstruction but are also a blatant attempt to derail the legislative agenda and hinder progress on the critical issues that affect the lives of our citizens. It is also deeply concerning to witness how the Labour Party and other Opposition parties are allowing themselves to be led around by Sinn Féin in this obstruction. We must ask ourselves what the true motive behind these disruptions is. Is it to serve the people of Ireland or is it t…

I understand that, a Chathaoirligh.

I thank the Cathaoirleach. Last week, Members of the Oireachtas, including Members of this House, stated that members of Mothers Against Genocide protesting outside Leinster House were strip-searched by gardaí. That did not happen, according to the Minister, Jim O'Callaghan. It is important that Members of this House retract claims made against our country's police force.

Yesterday, the Office of the Ombudsman for Children released its annual child death review. The document is harrowing and heartbreaking. It serves as a strong condemnation of the Government’s inaction and a serious call to action. When a child dies in tragic and unnatural circumstances, families are left in a state of uncertainty, grappling with grief and unanswered questions. In one case, the family of a boy who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound while under the care of the child and adolescent mental health s…

I will speak on the threat of tariffs being imposed on Ireland by the United States, ahead of tomorrow’s announcement from Washington. While I hope for the best, it must be serious if the Taoiseach is publicly claiming that the effects could be disastrous. The Taoiseach said it is important "that we don't invite more damage in our response". I would like to know exactly how we could invite any more damage, short of a declaration of war against the United States. The Taoiseach stopped short of giving an endorsement …

I give my best wishes to Aisling Hart, who is retiring this week from the Seanad Office. She has been extremely helpful to all Senators over the number of years I have been here, and I wish her well. I want to address one of the most pressing issues in our country, which is housing. More importantly, I propose a solution. The debate on housing has been highly unproductive. It has followed a false binary where some advocate for deregulation and the reliance on the market while others believe the State can build infi…