It is clear from the Minister's response that none of the school secretaries will be included for this summer. At the earliest, they might be included by the Christmas holidays but it will more than likely be Easter or summer of next year. That is disappointing. While I know significant work is required, surely it is possible to start moving people to the scheme, even at this early stage. The Department has known about this for some time and the secretaries are in place. The information should be readily available.…

The point is also that it is unlikely that anybody will be moved on to this new system before this time next year. That is the reality. It is disappointing for the school secretaries who have been waiting so long for this to happen. I know that each secretary is employed by the individual school but I also know the Department was probably aware of which schools had or did not have secretaries. Much of that information is within the Department. While it may have been available on an ad hoc basis or may not have been…

I reiterate my complete support for the statement from homeowners’ representatives read into the record today by Deputy Ó Broin. It is a sad indictment of us in this political system and of the Government that it has come to this. Ordinary people who have invested so much in this process and in making the scheme work have had to put that statement on the record to show how the Government has ignored them. That is sad. That echoes in my mind as I speak here. I think what we are doing today is a waste of time. The de…

I am grateful for the opportunity yet again to contribute to and to oppose this motion. I wish to comment on some of what has been said by previous speakers, particularly the Fianna Fáil Members who outlined the crimes committed and the role of the Special Criminal Court and whether they would be happening. The fact is that the Special Criminal Court has been here for 50 years and these crimes are still ongoing so, obviously, the court is not a deterrent if that happens. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan said he was aware of …

I am raising an issue that I have raised on numerous occasions with the Taoiseach over the past couple of years. It must be raised as often as possible so it will, at some stage, be dealt with comprehensively. The Health Service Executive, HSE, has to realise that this will not go away. It was bad when we heard about the activities of the so-called Brandon, who was failed himself by the HSE. The families were let down by the HSE at all stages and not told the truth about their loved ones. Even to this day, some of …

I thank the Taoiseach for the response. It raises more questions. I was not going to deal with this today but I think it has to be dealt with. The Garda was informed about Brandon and for ten years it did nothing. The Garda is not the body that is going to be responsible for dealing with this. It is sad to say we cannot rely on the Garda but that is a fact. This is a lot bigger. There have been failings right across the board, not only in the HSE, although the HSE is the main cause of it. The Garda has failed and I…

I fully support the Members who have spoken. Since the Business Committee meeting last week, we have had four or five changes to the business. It makes a mockery of the fact we supposedly have a say in what actually goes on in the House. For that reason, I oppose what is happening today.

I congratulate the Taoiseach and the Government on their record-breaking performance since it took office two years ago yesterday. To celebrate, this week the Government set the dubious record of ramming five Bills through the House on Second Stage for which the Committee Stage deadline for amendments will have passed prior to the beginning of Second Stage. It displays breathtaking arrogance and contempt for parliamentary procedure and principle. It is blatantly anti-democratic and is the kind of sharp practice Bor…

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to contribute to the debate. It goes without saying that we should never be content to live in a country where people do not feel safe to be themselves. Unfortunately, in the past this country was not a safe place for many people. It is time to not only recognise that, but actively ensure this country will never be like that again. Unfortunately, it seems that we have been going backwards recently. The fact that the national broadcaster allowed a discussion on the exi…

Tairgim: “Go léifear an Bille an Dara hUair anois." I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."

I have to say the Government amendment is disappointing. Normally we do not have the amendment before the debate starts. What the amendment is proposing is that the next election will have taken place before Second Stage will be taken. That is disappointing, and every young person in Ireland will find it disappointing. I am delighted to bring the Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Right to Vote at 16) Bill to the Chamber and I am looking forward to hearing contributions from other Deputies on it. The Bill …

I thank Deputies Joan Collins, Cronin, Nash and Ó Cathasaigh, and the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, for their contributions to the debate. Bizarrely, everybody seems to be in favour of it but the Bill is not progressing, so that is how this House works. I have some measure of understanding of the Minister of State’s wish to delay this to 2023, although I will not say that is fair enough. One would imagine from what the Minister of State was saying that if this passed tonight, we would have a referendum in a cou…

We have seen media reports in the last week on a new investigation report into abuse in HSE residential services in Donegal. Shockingly, ten more perpetrators, along with Brandon, have carried out up to 40 incidents of abuse. What is even more shocking is that these incidents were all on file with the HSE. Management knew about them, just like in the Brandon case. That needs to sink in. The HSE was aware of all of these incidents of abuse. Families were not told and some only found out this week. Will the Governmen…

I am also grateful for the opportunity to contribute on the annual transition statements. I welcome the recent publication of the annual transition statement for 2020. However, the fact that it has come 18 months too late is not acceptable, especially in view of the ever-worsening climate crisis. Annual transition statements have been an essential source of evidence of the Government’s record on tackling climate change. They are very important in holding the Government to account for its climate action commitments.…

I will address the same issue. It is wrong, as the Taoiseach will have to agree, to push forward the Electoral Reform Bill 2022, with Report Stage to be guillotined after 90 minutes when the Government has tabled more than 150 amendments. We also have the stroke of allowing political party lotteries to take place. There has to be full scrutiny. We will oppose the Order of Business for that reason.

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to speak. It is concerning to think that there are many parents in this country who have been unable to find a place at an appropriate school for their child this coming September. I cannot imagine the stress these parents are under, being forced into a situation such as this so late in the year and with September only around the corner. AsIAm’s latest snap survey is particularly troubling, bearing in mind that the survey is merely a snapshot of a nationwide crisis wi…

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on this today. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the establishment of the Atlantic Technological University, ATU, which comprises Letterkenny IT, including the Killybegs campus, Sligo IT and GMIT. I especially welcome the opportunities that this brings to the Donegal campuses. I attended the launch of the ATU in my home town of Killybegs recently. I am very excited about the potential of this campus. The catering college has been a huge feature in Killybegs …

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to contribute again on this. I wish to follow on from what I was saying yesterday just before the debate was adjourned. I was referring to why this Bill is now so urgently required and the necessity that has been put on to rush all Stages. This needs to be considered much more closely. In this House, we should not just bend over and bow down to this. Deputy Connolly, who spoke yesterday, outlined very well the current situation and the note we were given on the case a…

I thank the Regional Group for putting forward this motion. It is important that we talk about the disabled grants and the various grants that are available from local authorities. It has been striking that they have not been raised for discussion in the House in the form of Topical Issue matters and so on. They are vitally important. In my Donegal County Council days in the early 2000s, as a result of the reduced amount of money that it was getting for grants every year, the council introduced a limit on what coul…

That is no bother at all. It has been a while since I have had to propose the adjournment of a debate, whereas at one stage, it was nearly every time I spoke that I had to do so. I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on this extremely important Bill. For such an important Bill I have to say I am appalled at the last-minute publication and the general lack of consultation that was allowed for this. We were told at the Business Committee last week that the Bill would be published before the weekend. That timefra…