People are wondering if Fine Gael politicians are serious about appeasing the EU Commission to ensure that they do not waste any CV-boosting opportunities for jobs in Brussels when they are all finally turfed out after the next general election.

I too wish to be associated with the congratulations to Senators Regina Doherty and Lynn Boylan on their elevation to the membership of the European Parliament, and also to Senators Blaney, Chambers and Gavan. It is a massive thing to put oneself forward in any election and I commend them all on their performance. I cannot have been the only Member of the House observing some of the statistics from the recent elections. I refer particularly to the concerning rate of voter turnout as well as the perennial issue of s…

In principle, assisted human reproduction just refers to ways of addressing infertility problems. Up to 10% of couples experience infertility and they deserve our understanding and support. I understand many Members of the House support this legislation. However, it is important that all facets of the Bill are carefully considered. It is planned to take all Stages. This is simply not enough time for legislation of such consequence. I hope to focus on exploitative practices connected to surrogacy which all of us, re…

-----as an acceptable given fact without any substantial reflection on this practice. A commercial contract, the object of which is a child, with a great power imbalance between the commissioning parent and the surrogate mother is very upsetting. It begins with the rights-----

-----interests and obligations of intending parents, who are the strong party, the purchaser. Then comes the child and finally the surrogate mother. This shows that surrogacy is in the interests of the commissioning parents above all else.

Commercial surrogacy is a practice-----

-----which violates the rights of women and children. I am nearly finished. Please.

A much more thorough examination of the legislation is imminent.

The Minister's speech today favours only the intending parent.

There has been no mention today of the child or surrogate mother. From a historical perspective-----

-----Ireland has at times not shown respect to the process of pregnancy and birth. I fear legalising international surrogacy will be another misstep-----

-----in Ireland's dismissal of the birth mother via commercial contract and the removal of a child to-----

-----a jurisdiction outside their place of birth.

I want to raise issues in relation to Thornton Hall in County Dublin and the proposal to use that for emergency tents for international protection applicants. Yesterday I was briefed along with Oireachtas Members by the community engagement team from the Department of integration and neither the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, nor the Minister of State, Deputy Joe O'Brien, thought it wise to sit down with their colleagues to brief them at the same time. I was shocked to hear what is to happen to the site. The Department…

I would like the Minister for Finance to confirm whether he plans to amend the inheritance and capital gains tax in budget 2025. In September 2023, the then Minister for Finance was asked in the Dáil if he would consider the concept of a notional spouse with respect to capital acquisitions tax and inheritance tax. The concept would reconsider tax thresholds for family members such as brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews as if they were a spouse for specific tax purposes. The current group A threshold for beneficia…

I raise an issue that requires immediate attention and action. I call on the Minister for children to come to this House and address the content of the recent report from the Ombudsman for Children. It paints a stark picture of the challenges facing the youth of Ireland. It is disheartening to learn many children experience uncertainty and instability, with complex complaints on the rise. The statistics are alarming. The ombudsman received 1,790 complaints in 2023, with a notable increase in the complexity of cases…

Regrettably, I am now convinced that the politicians in this Cabinet have no interest in making policies that serve people in Ireland. In the village of Coole, County Westmeath, a hard-fought victory was achieved last week. Eighteen modular units were prevented from being added to a site which already had an IPAS contract for 12 units. An enforcement order by Westmeath County Council was in place to stop these additional modular units being added. People within these communities are sick of the reckless mismanageme…

I also express my sympathy and outrage at the attempted assassination of the Slovakian Prime Minister, Robert Fico, and the very serious threat of life to Malachy Steenson, who is a candidate for the EU elections. I want to raise my concerns again about the WHO pandemic treaty, particularly in light of pharma giant AstraZeneca requesting that its Covid-19 vaccine be withdrawn by the European Medicines Agency, EMA. The AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine was first approved by the EMA in January 2021. Within weeks, however,…

I welcome the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Bill 2023. It proposes key reforms that will benefit An Garda Síochána in its work of policing human trafficking and exploitation. Making the national referral mechanism for victims of human trafficking a statutory provision will be of huge benefit in bringing those who perpetrate these crimes to justice. This mechanism provides for co-operation between State organisations, Departments and civic society groups which assist victims of human trafficki…

I wish to raise points related to the continued migration crisis in Ireland. The latest immigration figures show that 8,100 people have applied for asylum or refugee status to date in 2024, which is approximately 61 people per day. If this rate of application for international protection continues, Ireland will reach 22,000 applications this year. We already have more than 27,000 people in direct provision accommodation at this time. EU figures show that the rate of illegal immigrants is ten times higher in Ireland…