I fully oppose this measure because it is wrong. It targets and benefits the people who least need it. I wonder how many farmers in the country will be affected by this. I do not know. I would like to hear from the Minister how many he expects to benefit. I see this tax break benefiting wealthy business people across the whole country. That is who this is aimed at and who it is meant to benefit. It is interesting to look at the debate that has happened since this tax was mooted. The media and the politicians have a…

I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the debate. I fully support this Bill and the intention to set criteria that will ensure access to cash remains at the level prevailing in December 2022. The Bill also aims to bring independent ATM deployers, IADs, and CIT companies under the supervisory remit of the Central Bank of Ireland. This is a very welcome move and a very pertinent one in today's world. Society is becoming increasingly cashless, with contactless payments becoming increasingly popular in Ire…

Overall, I welcome this Bill and the intention to introduce digital health records to our healthcare service. There is no doubt that we lag miles behind other EU and OECD countries with respect to digital healthcare. Ireland is currently ranked lowest of all OECD countries in digital health readiness and is one of just four member states that does not provide its citizens with access to electronic health records through a centralised access service. People should have access to their medical records. The creation o…

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for the opportunity to speak on the Bill. I welcome that the Government took on board my recommendation to ensure this Bill is a stand-alone Bill that addresses one important issue, rather than a Bill that lumps a lot of mostly unrelated issues into one piece of legislation, which the Government has been inclined to do lately with justice Bills. I am surprised that the need for this legislation to amend the Criminal Justice Act 1990 to ensure that mandatory life sentences for murde…

I ask this question in relation to the defective blocks scheme and the amendments that have come forward in regard to it. We know that when the scheme was announced, people were advised to continue on with the old scheme and that the new conditions would be applied retrospectively for them and they would be able to benefit from the new scheme. That actually is not happening. That is a problem causing huge distress to many homeowners in Donegal who in good faith went ahead with the scheme. Now they are not benefitin…

Will it also apply to people who have completed works as part of the scheme, who did it in good faith and worked under the old scheme while this new scheme has been implemented and enacted? They are now left, having spent money they cannot access. As well as that, it is vitally important because the new scheme has seen inflation of more than 20% in construction figures and they need to benefit from that because they have expended that money. It is vitally important that everybody would benefit from this. Everybody …

I want to go back again in regard to the enhanced scheme and who will benefit from the proposals that the Minister will bring forward. Is it going to be everybody that has participated in the scheme up to date that will benefit from the proposals the Minister will bring into Cabinet? Will there be a cut off point or what is actually going to happen? The homeowners deserve that clarity in relation to the scheme because living in a home with defective blocks is a crisis for a family and for everybody to deal with. Th…

I am thankful for the opportunity to contribute to the debate today on this Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024. It is a very important document. It is very important in terms of the principles it is setting out to abolish juries, which are a vital part of the public and in protecting public discourse. I wish to talk about that. Unfortunately, I will not do so as eloquently as my colleagues. While a lot of the points will probably be repeated, they are important and need to be repeated because this will have very seri…

I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the debate. I broadly welcome this Bill. I have a few specific concerns with the legislation, which I will detail further. First, I would like to acknowledge the fact that this is long-awaited legislation that will make an incredible difference to the lives of thousands of people in Ireland and we must not delay in ensuring it passes as soon as possible. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those involved in making this legislation possible, particula…

I fully support this motion regarding disability and special needs provision and thank People Before Profit for raising this very important issue. First, I wish to highlight the urgency needed in the full ratification of the optional protocol of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The fact that the protocol and amendments to the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 have been left to languish on a desk for close to two decades is one of the clearest indi…

On behalf of the Independent Group, I support those calls for a debate on the use of Irish airspace by the Israelis. It seems that the Government is operating on the basis that if it does not ask it will not get an answer and that is the best way to do it. We need to address that and quickly. Therefore I support a debate this week.

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on this motion regarding childcare. I fully support the motion, particularly as it calls on the Government to make childcare more affordable for parents and to increase pay for early years educators. However, I do not believe the motion goes far enough. Really we should be aiming for public childcare that is completely State funded. Parents are not only expected to go out and work, they have to. We should be aiming to provide a system that allows a parent to stay at home w…

Publication by The Ditch of the Attorney General's advice on defective blocks is doing citizens some service. The issue was caused by previous governments moving to self-certification of building materials rather than the State enforcing quality on them. Does the Tánaiste agree with the Attorney General's advice that the terms of the scheme will affect the number of applicants? Does he agree with the Attorney General that, as sure as night follows day, if homeowners are grant-aided to rebuild their homes, more will…

You still have not-----

It is still affecting homeowners.

Beidh mé ag roinnt ama le mo chomhghleacaí, an Teachta Connolly. Níl Gaeilge mhaith agam mar sin ba mhaith liom Béarla a labhairt. I am glad to have the opportunity to speak on the Bill. I support the legislation and its intention to amend an tAcht um Údarás na Gaeltachta, 1979 to change the current nomination and selection process governing the appointment of the board of Údarás na Gaeltachta under the Gaeltacht Act 2012. I always disagreed with the nomination process that has been in place since 2012 and I welcom…

It was shocking to see the European Council express its full solidarity and support for Israel and its people and reaffirm its full commitment to its security and regional stability, despite the fact that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, despite the fact that Israel shows complete disregard for international law and despite the fact that UN experts have said that Israel is carrying out a targeted starvation campaign in Gaza. How can the European Council continue to support this brutal Zionist regime while it …

I wish to get the Government's position correct in respect of Gaza. From what I see in the House, Ukraine does get equal and positive treatment in this House and by all the people of Ireland. The point we are making is about the hypocrisy in Europe.

The Minister of State did not. She chastised us, saying we are not-----

The Minister of State said we should say more-----