I thank the Minister of State for his response. I understand the Minister's position on this. I am coming at it from the point of view whereby I have had people bringing the cutest little dogs into my clinic while crying at the thought of having to decide whether they should give up this little dog that has provided them with love and kindness for seven or eight years or take a roof over their head. What really sickened me in the response I got was that it was a management company calling the shots. If it was comin…

I wish to talk about alternative pathways to achieving your dream career and to highlight a remarkable young man whose story proves that success is not defined by a single exam or one rigid path. Liam Nugent, a young man from Tallaght, has recently appeared on RTÉ and Virgin Media to share his journey. He is an inspiring example of what determination and belief in oneself can achieve. While Liam was in school, he experienced significant challenges, leading to a low attendance rate. Though he studied and learned at …

I welcome the Minister to the Seanad once again today. I appreciate her time and focus on this matter. I also welcome the four brave ladies who have already been introduced. I acknowledge their journey. They have had a huge input into what I will say here today. I could spend hours talking about breast cancer, as I have lived through it myself. I run one of Ireland's largest online support communities for people affected by breast cancer. Every day, I hear the challenges and fears people face, from the moment they …

A clear commitment is made in the programme for Government, on page 90, to be specific, to ensure patients in Ireland have access to innovative medicines and treatments as swiftly and effectively as possible. Several steps were promised. We pledged to increased clinical trials and to better support clinicians, researchers and healthcare staff in these efforts. We committed to reviewing the drugs reimbursement process and implementing the Mazars review recommendations so that the entire approval pipeline would be pr…

I thank the Minister of State for her reply. I welcome the recruitment of 34 new staff because time is of the essence when it comes to getting the necessary medication to people. As I said, time is something patients with certain rare illnesses do not have. I fully welcome the 34 new staff and I will be keeping a close eye on the progression and real life impact the additional staff will have in terms of a reduction in timelines.

I had a really positive experience at the weekend attending two Street Feasts in Tallaght. On Saturday, the community of Bancroft came together for what I think was its fourth annual Street Feast. I have watched this event grow year after year from a small gathering four years ago into something we jokingly compared to Electric Picnic. The weather may have been wild but no one was deterred and spirits were high. On Sunday, after our weekly litter pick, Tallaght Village Tidy Towns and Tallaght Community Council host…

I wish to speak about Citywise Education, an organisation in Tallaght that has become a cornerstone of positive change in our community. Citywise is more than just a youth centre; it is a place where ambition is nurtured, potential realised and futures are shaped. Since its founding, Citywise has provided a safe, inspiring and supportive environment for young people in Tallaght, operating from the Durkan Centre for the past 20 years. Its impact is seen not only in educational support through after-school programmes…

I welcome the Minister of State to the Seanad today. I acknowledge mental health awareness week. I must admit that I only heard last night that this initiative has been running for 20 years. It is a testament to the growing awareness of and commitment to mental health across Ireland. Each year, this week is marked by a theme. In 2021 it was nature; in 2022 it was loneliness; in 2023 it focused on anxiety; in 2024 it was movement; and this year, 2025, appropriately, the theme is community. What a vital role communit…

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I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after “That” and substitute the following: “Seanad Éireann resolves that the Public Health (Restriction on Sale of Stimulant Drinks to Children) Bill 2025 be deemed to be read a second time this day 18 months, to allow sufficient time for examination of evidence of public health concerns relating to such substances, and scrutiny between now and then by officials in the Department of Health in conjunction with the proposing Senators.” Fianna Fáil welcomes the discussion on…

I thank the Minister of State for attending. What prompted my raising this matter is something that many of us have likely experienced, namely seriously poor road services. To be clear, I am not talking about general wear and tear or the occasional pothole; I am referring specifically to roads and footpaths that have been dug up by utility companies to carry out necessary works, which is understandable, but that are then left in a patchy, uneven and basically unacceptable state. From what I understand, when a utili…

I thank the Minister of State. I will continue to wear a helmet as I drive my car around the area. All joking aside, I do not feel that reinstatement is happening to acceptable standards. We are putting in very nice roads, which are like a patchwork quilt. I will follow up on this with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and chase up the utility companies and local authorities about certain areas. From what I can see, even from my journey to work today, reinstatement is substandard and not acceptable.

On 2 April, I tabled a Commencement matter regarding what I believe is a systemic failure in how our healthcare system is responding to young women in their 20s and 30s when they are referred by GPs to breast care clinics with the signs and symptoms of breast cancer. We are constantly delivering a clear message to women that they should know their own normal and that early detection saves lives. We promote this through workplace talks, school programmes and public awareness campaigns, a number of which I have perso…

I want to be clear I am no expert on Duchenne muscular dystrophy or DMD as it is commonly referred to. However, since a young boy from Tallaght was diagnosed with this condition, I have come to understand the immense challenges faced not only by the patients but by their families as well. From what I gather - and I am open to correction on this - treatment options in Ireland are limited to not much more than steroids and a wheelchair. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a progressive neuromuscular disease that causes th…

I thank the Minister of State for his response. I appreciate his acknowledgement of the urgency of this matter. When the marketing authorisation is granted, I would really appreciate it if we could work together to ensure that this product gets onto the Irish market quickly. I would like to see it fast-tracked by whatever means necessary. I personally cannot look at a video of a child who is able to walk now and watch the time pass by. We need an all-hands-on-deck approach to make this medication available in the m…

I wish to highlight the significance of the Alzheimer’s tea days taking place across Ireland today. Now in its 31st year, this national event, organised by the Alzheimer's Society of Ireland, brings communities together over a cup of tea to raise vital funds and awareness for the 64,000 people living with dementia and their families. The funds raised today support essential services, such as daycare, home care, dementia advisers and a national helpline, which are lifelines for many families navigating the challenge…

I acknowledge the profound impact of Darkness into Light and pay tribute to one of its founding figures, the late Johnny Fox, a man I am very proud to say I knew. He was a Tallaght man and he definitely contributed to my childhood and made me the person I am today. He was a significant influence during my childhood. Since its inception in 2009, Darkness into Light has grown from a modest gathering of 400 people in the Phoenix Park to a global movement with over 100,000 participants in Ireland and abroad last year. …

I commend my colleague, Senator Fitzpatrick, on bringing forward this Bill. The truth is simple. Everyone deserves to feel safe in their community, on the street, and in their place of work but that sense of safety is under threat. It has already been mentioned today that Ireland now has the highest level of retail crime, per capita , in the world. I will let that sink in. Retail crime costs us an estimated €1.62 billion every single year. This is not just a statistic; these numbers represent real businesses, real …

Duchenne muscular dystrophy, DMD, is a progressive neuromuscular disease that causes muscle weakening. It is the most common lethal genetic disorder diagnosed during early childhood, primarily affecting young boys. Worldwide, one in every 3,500 baby boys is born with DMD, with symptoms typically starting between the ages of one and five. Here in Ireland, approximately 110 people are known to be living with DMD, the majority of them under the age of 18. These young children face tremendous challenges, including diff…

Before we start, I welcome the representatives of the Union of Students in Ireland, the National Women's Council, Rape Crisis Ireland and the Irish Council for International Students.