I thank the Minister of State. I realise much of this response is what I received the last time. While I welcome that the technical error has been corrected with the Civil Registration (Electronic Registration) Act 2024, it still has not moved forward during that year. We knew there would be an issue regarding the HSE in getting this matter dealt with in regards to training. One year later, we are still nowhere. I really want this to move forward. Many fathers out there have been deprived of having their names on b…

I will start off my congratulating President Donald Trump on his win. The people have spoken and President Trump is their choice. This should be a wake-up call for Ireland's politicians with regard to pushing agendas that are not in the best interests of the Irish people. Rising inflation, the cost of living, homelessness, crime-ridden cities, dereliction, drug-infested areas and no-go cities are just some of the many issues that resonated with voters in the United States. Are we any different here? Patriotism will…

I congratulate Paul Brady, who happens to be my first cousin and is a brother of Councillor Philip Brady, on winning his sixth world handball singles championship in Croke Park last weekend. It is a remarkable achievement because this world championship happens only every three years and he has been unbeatable for that length of time. It is remarkable also because he is 45 years of age. He is probably one of Ireland's greatest athletes and sportspeople and we should acknowledge his achievements. I raise also the al…

There is a Bill before the Dáil to amend the Gender Recognition Act 2015. This Bill seeks to ensure that there will be single-sex accommodation in our prisons. The Bill is a vital measure to protect the rights and safety of women in our society. I commend Aontú on tabling such an important Bill. I acknowledge the reality of gender dysphoria and the importance of treating all individuals with respect and decency, but it is critical that our society is based on logic, science and evidence. The definition of a woman a…

I raise concerns regarding the child mortality rate under the care of Tusla in light of the suspected murder of eight-year-old Kyran Durnin in County Louth. Kyran was reported missing along with his mother to An Garda Síochána on 30 August 2024, as having been last seen on or around 28 August 2024. The whereabouts of Kyran are still unknown. The annual report for the national review panel reported that 29 young people in care or after care or known to Tusla died last year. That is an increase of six compared to 202…

The Minister is very welcome here today. It is probably the last time before the big election and it will be our last chance to address her. Any day coming into a Chamber to announce €2.6 billion in State welfare is a good day. I will not be opposing the Bill which has certainly ticked many boxes. I agree with many of the speakers on the Opposition benches that the means test for the carer's allowance should be abolished there because carers are the unsung heroes in our State. I also concur with Sinn Féin with rega…

If ever there was a stark example of how the misallocation of resources caused by the Irish asylum industry is eating our State alive, it is detailed in this week's report by the Irish Penal Reform Trust on overcrowding. Our prison service, just like our education and health services, is swamped and the Department of Justice is doing everything in its power to cover up this reality as it considers the ghastly prospect of early release for convicts. According to the report, community services could come to replace m…

I also oppose the Order of Business this afternoon. The issue in respect of the identity cards of citizens of this country has been overlooked this morning and has been taken without debate. There is also the issue in respect of the hate crime legislation. Having that guillotined today is really unnecessary. We need more time on it. It is going to open a Pandora's box if we do not debate it in full. I call on the Minister for children to discuss the defunding of the Child Law Project. This is the last month of fund…

Hear, hear.

Yes, Committee Stage.

No.

Could she read amendment No. 100, please?

I will speak on amendments Nos. 5, 7 and 9 to 11, inclusive. I will come back in later on amendments Nos. 36 and 38.

They are all being discussed together but I have quite a long list of amendments so I want to try to get in as many as I can. On amendment No. 5, the current definition of "hatred" that exists is too loose. The current definition gives too much power to the gardaí, the DPP and the Judiciary. If it came to something like the trans issue, a person could be convicted whether they are favourably disposed to transgender views or opposed to them. A rigorous definition of the concept of "hatred", as utilised in this Bill,…

Sorry?

I have already tabled my amendments so I am afraid the Minister is going to have to listen to this. The amendment aimed to address this issue and ensure there is a threshold------

I am speaking on amendment No. 7, which is included in this section.

It has not yet been deleted yet. I did not interrupt anybody in any of the earlier contributions.

The Bill currently lacks a clear definition of hate and incitement to hate or violence, which are central to its purpose. By leaving these terms undefined, the legislation risks creating ambiguity in its application, leading to potential challenges in enforcement, interpretation and legal scrutiny. This amendment seeks to address this gap by providing a clear and precise definition of incitement of violence or hatred as conduct specifically intended to cause physical violence or to create intense or irrational emot…

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