The extent of the Minister's affordable housing plans in Longford-Westmeath has been laid bare. They are soul-destroying for anybody who needs a local authority-delivered home. Yesterday was the first time I have ever seen a reply to a parliamentary question discussed in such detail in a local shop, and the commentary was absolutely damning. Not one affordable home for Longford was included in that response to Deputy Ó Broin - zero. Last September, I read into the record the local media coverage of affordable housi…

It has been a while since I have seen a level of financial hardship so evident, one that is crippling, gnawing at and creating real fear in my constituents. I urge the Minister to listen to what these people in Longford and Westmeath are saying. They are worried and scared. These are people who could already tell us the price to the cent of every item they put into their shopping trolley because of spiralling levels of inflation. They have watched helplessly as prices have continued to rise, putting some of the mos…

It is very important to recognise the significant work that has been undertaken by the Minister, the Department and the committee as regards the drafting of this Bill. It is wide-ranging and challenging area, given the level of structural change. That is why it is such important legislation. There have been many calls for many years for real, substantive change that delivers a much more efficient approach to the basis of our democracy, which is our electoral system. It is important we do that but it is also importa…

I also note the committee, in its pre-legislative scrutiny report, recommended that the electoral commission be funded through non-voted expenditure to maintain its independence and autonomy, with an increased budget to be made available in election years. This is important, as is local authorities being adequately funded, resourced and staffed to allow them to carry out any additional requirements. As I said, it is important that we get this right. It is also important to recognise the work that has gone into this…

For many years Sinn Féin has been calling for a statutory sick pay scheme. When employees cannot access financial support when unwell, they ultimately go to work. As we have seen over Covid, that spreads diseases and causes further illnesses in the community. We need to plan for this. There are two issues I want to highlight. I am raising them because they arise repeatedly in my constituency office. We cannot talk about sick leave without also talking about access to GPs. This is a genuine issue across the country.…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this key issue of women's healthcare. In March 2021, I asked the Minister a parliamentary question specifically about gynaecology waiting lists. At that time, there were 30,180 women waiting on an outpatient department appointment. This figure did not include inpatients and was for outpatients alone. In his reply, the Minister referenced the impact of Covid-19. However, at that point 8,223 women had been waiting for an appointment since before Covid-19 ever came into existence.…

I welcome the opportunity to speak about this issue, which again highlights the Government's persistence in taking plans designed for cities and almost inflicting them on parts of rural Ireland. Not a week goes by without at least one person in my offices, be that in Mullingar, Longford or Athlone, at their wits' end over broadband not being able to access a decent connection. Yet again we see this drive, if the Acting Chairman will pardon the pun, towards being able to access services only online and this smoke-an…

This is another very significant piece of legislation to deal with those legacy issues from the horrific events of the mother and baby institutions. We support the introduction of this Bill primarily around that statutory basis and framework to authorise interventions at Tuam where manifestly inappropriate burials took place. I have some concerns. The Minister touched on some of them, but some more information would definitely be welcome, particularly in regard to other sites, the role and function of the agency di…

The rapid increase in the cost of basic necessities of everyday life, including rent, light, heat, fuel, health, childcare and groceries is having a profound and negative impact on workers and families the length and breadth of this country. That is particularly true in rural areas and constituencies like my constituency of Longford-Westmeath. Maintaining a basic standard of living is beyond the reach of some and it is a real and growing challenge for far too many people. The Government has refused to listen to us …

Cuirim céad míle fáilte roimh an ambassador. Sadly, it would appear that in 2022 we still have old men dreaming up new wars for younger men to die in. We have all watched with growing unease the increase in the military build-up along the border of Ukraine and Russia and what has been a very uneven and fraught relationship between the two states since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. We watched events in this region in 2013 and 2014 and we have seen action, reaction and sanctions. We have seen how those with th…

I note that the Minister is not present in the Chamber for the remainder of this debate. That is an observation which no doubt serving members and veterans, and their spouses and children will note with some interest given that it is the second time in as many weeks that the Minister has not been here for a debate on the Defence Forces. Commandant Conor King, the general secretary of RACO has said that without significant retention initiatives there will be no improvement in the staffing gaps. Like it or not, witho…

According to the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, whistleblowing is among the most effective means of exposing and remedying corruption and other types of wrongdoing in the public and private sectors. Many cases of corruption and fraud that have been highlighted and that we know of today have been exposed because of the actions taken by workers who reported the issues to their employers, regulators and press and who essentially became whistleblowers. We owe those people who have come forward to date…

I move: That Dáil Éireann: commends the Women of Honour, a group of former Defence Forces members, for their bravery, courage and commitment in telling their experiences in the public arena to bring about change; notes: — that violence, abuse, coercion and harassment of women and girls is systemic in society and is worse again in environments heavily reliant on power structures; — the experiences of the Women of Honour group in relation to physical abuse, harassment, coercion, sexual assault and assault as highligh…

Will the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, confirm whether he is here as Minister of State at the Department of Defence?

When he referred in his opening statement to meetings he and his colleagues have had with stakeholders, was he doing so as Minister of State at the Department of Defence?

The reason I ask is that in a reply to a parliamentary question by my colleague Deputy Ó Snodaigh, Deputy Coveney, who is the Minister for Defence, stated, "No functions of the Minister for Defence have been delegated to the Minister of State and full responsibility for defence policies, the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces remains with Minister Coveney who will continue to represent Defence at Cabinet." That is further evidence of the lack of seriousness in the Government's approach to this issue. That…

Do I have a speaking slot?

My name is on the list that was circulated.

I have to be quite frank. When I saw this proposal initially, I thought the Government really needs to try harder. This does nothing to tackle the spiralling energy costs and multiple price hikes over the last year. While it might take the edge off the winter electricity bill, it will do nothing for the ones coming after that. We know that the spiralling cost of living in this country is leaving those most vulnerable behind and leaving them in a significant amount of debt. CSO figures show the annual rate of inflat…

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." A well-functioning freedom of information regime is essential to any state that considers itself democratic because the fundamental principle that the public have a right to know must prevail. There is no denying or defending the poor track record that this State has when it comes to access to official State information and documentation. Just ask any of the residents who were adopted from a mother and baby home or a journalist. It is an attitude that feeds into th…