The Government will say it has taken action and has led the way for the international community to stand against Israel's actions, but the public disagree. They see its actions as minimal and basic. The Government has continued with business as usual but there is nothing usual about this time. It is now 13 months on, with more than 395 days of slaughter, hunger, torture and atrocities that we cannot fathom. More than 44,000 are dead, 7,000 of whom were children, such as Salma, a beautiful girl to whom I dedicate my…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important motion. However, I want to note my frustration. I have been calling for the abolition of the means test for the entirety of this Dáil term. I have first-hand experience. I was a carer before I was elected. My current secretary is a carer. The value of carers' work in caring for their loved ones should never have been taken for granted, even aside from the estimated savings for the State. Carers feel they have been undervalued, that they are not respected and that…

The latest CSO vital services report shows that County Clare recorded the highest suicide deaths by population size in Ireland last year. There were 25 deaths by suicide in Clare, which is the highest figure since records began. It has also come to my attention that there is currently a very important vacant post in the Ennis day centre, that being the psychologist. The previous psychologist was in that position for an extensive period but it was a planned retirement. It was known that he was going to retire and he…

I will use the two minutes I have to commend the staff in the Houses of the Oireachtas. In my time here since I was elected, they have been more than helpful. From the ushers and cleaning staff to the canteen and IT staff - I hope I am not forgetting anybody but I am sure I will - each and every one of them is a happy, smiling face. That is really important for us, as Members, when we are dealing with tricky, difficult and complex personal situations for our constituents, as well as wider societal issues. I commend…

I agree with the Minister that we need accountability. Regarding the announcement around the accession to the optional protocol, the lack of clarity around timelines has been quite dubious. I found it deeply strange there was no clarification. The announcement did not say when it would be signed or lodged, just that the Government was choosing to accede. This was announced after the budget, so there was no new funding for vindication of the optional protocol. I have been trying to get clarity on whether the instrum…

Do we not have a date?

How does the Department plan to address the difficulties facing small businesses as costs rise but profits do not? I ask him to make a statement on the matter.

The approval the Minister mentioned would be positive. A motion was brought forward at Clare County Council recently to request a review of supports for small businesses and highlighting the hospitality sector. I echo that request. I note that the Restaurants Association of Ireland praised the increased cost of business scheme and the PRSI threshold change, as the Minister mentioned. However, it also said it is insufficient to deal with the increase in the VAT rate. The Government has been adamant that is not somet…

The Minister correctly pointed out that businesses, especially those in the hospitality sector, will be looking at all party manifestos in the coming days. As we know, an election is imminent. The Minister also pointed out that small businesses are the backbone of our communities, in particular rural communities. They are very dependent on small businesses. Some 62% of private sector employees in County Clare are employed by small businesses, which is the ninth highest rate in the country. Small businesses are the …

I want to raise the matter of the special needs school bus escorts. I am aware that the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, promised a review of the pay rates by the end of 2024. Has that been completed yet? We know an election is imminent and I am concerned about the escorts. Recently, I met two lovely, hard-working escorts who explained to me that they work with children with disabilities and provide an essential service, often serving as the important bridge between the school and the parents, never mind ensur…

I sincerely thank the Labour Party for bringing forward this important motion. Starting with vacancy numbers, a response to a parliamentary question stated there were 240.42 whole-time equivalent nursing vacancies in UHL. As we heard at a recent meeting of the health committee, SIPTU was able to provide information to me that indicated there were more than 70 healthcare assistant vacancies and approximately 70 support staff vacancies. This has led to a significant number of vacancies across all grades. In fact, it …

Our culture needs to change. This sector is receiving large amounts of money, in the millions of euro, without rigorous animal welfare criteria being satisfied or any conditions relating to workers' rights in the sector being attached to the funding. Is it an oversight issue, considering there have been numerous reports of serious animal welfare concerns? This has been notable in the last 12 months. This is a question the public will be putting to the Government as we move into election season. Providing this fundi…

The Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, is well aware that I have been raising the issue of affordable housing schemes and the need to expand them in County Clare. I was pleased that he did expand it to three schemes altogether, one in Shannon and two in Ennis, which is a total of 31 units. I thought that seeking and getting approval from the Minister would be the most difficult obstacle in expanding affordable housing schemes in County Clare. As it transpires, however, only three have been delivered so far. We get t…

I ask the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on revised social housing targets in Clare; the progress on the target of 153 new social homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The ESRI research is noteworthy and it is positive that work is ongoing. However, I must refer to the low number of social housing homes delivered in County Clare since 2016, namely, zero in 2016 and 2017; two in 2018; 25 the following year; 34 the year after that; 55 in 2021; and it then jumped to 184 in 2022. According to the statistics on the Department's website, there were only 31 last year, although 153 are due to be delivered by the end of this year. Many developments are due to be completed by the year-end …

I appreciate that it is increasing year-on-year but over 40,000 people are accessing emergency accommodation, and that does not account for everyone who is homeless currently. That is 2,099 families and 4,419 children, which is an increase of 14% from last year. In one year, from August of last year to this year, 1,795 additional people entered emergency accommodation. We know the Simon Community’s recent report, Locked Out of the Market, raised concerns about the lack of affordable housing and that this is forcing…

I want to raise route 336 with the Minister. A lady was in contact with me who has to travel from Kilmihil to Ennis Monday to Friday for her further and higher education course. It is 29.8 km and it costs her €81 per week, which is not sustainable for anyone doing a course. I also want to point to route 343. It has been split into two routes, 330 and 343. This is leading to people having to pay twice what they had to pay before for the same distance. Some are appealing for the 90-minute Leap card to be used in that…

Budget 2025 contained €2 million for the expansion of neurological services and funding for hospitals in Kerry, Portlaoise, Wexford, Mayo and Letterkenny. Clare and the mid-west region was the first to set up a community neurorehabilitation team in this country and it has been left behind. It has currently 5.6 whole-time equivalent posts when it requires 12. As this involves Article 26 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UNCRPD, I hoped the Tánaiste might provide clarificati…

I was speaking about the optional protocol and whether it was signed.

It is signed and it is with the Secretary General, but it is only 30 days..