I join other Members of this House in expressing empathy for the farmers in the south east who in recent weeks have been unfortunate enough to have had animals in their herds test positive for a form of bluetongue. In Carlow and Kilkenny, and indeed throughout Ireland, farming is not just a job. It is a vocation and a way of life. When disaster strikes, whether through disease or adverse weather conditions, it hits not only the farmer but also his or her family, and is felt deeply throughout the community. Coming f…

I raise the matter of a Carlow sheep farmer who recently lost 15 sheep in the floods. That might sound like a small number to many but to this farmer, it will present a significant financial impact. One of the sheep was a pure-bred ram and the other 14 were replacements. I acknowledge the supports offered by the Government in the immediate aftermath of the flood, but none of them seem to be available to this Carlow farmer. In fact, the Irish Red Cross said we should go to the Department of Social Protection. That D…

I welcome the opportunity to discuss the findings of the report relating to Operation Kenova. I would like to add my voice to those of previous speakers in expressing gratitude to all of the Operation Kenova team for their work over the past ten years. They have proven, beyond doubt, that legacy investigations and reviews do work. Their stellar commitment has shone a light on a very dark part of this island's history and exposed the institutional failings that helped that darkness to prosper. This investigation del…

Just to follow on from that question about tax measures to encourage gym membership, I ask that when the review is being done at the end of the year, tax measures for families be looked at. We see young families stuck on their phones. I have two teenagers and a young adult and this year we have got a family gym membership. It is great to be able to go to the gym together. In fairness, our local gym is a testament to the money that was invested in our local sports club, in that it has allowed that facility to be the…

In terms of the reinsurance schemes, it is important when we are considering about flood insurance that we also consider thatch insurance. I have a constituent in Carlow who was flooded but does not have insurance for flooding. As he lives in a thatched house, he also does not have insurance for fire. I ask that when we are considering reinsurance that we might consider that too.

Will the Tánaiste consider amending the inheritance tax thresholds for individuals who have no children and would like to leave an inheritance to a niece or nephew?

I thank the Tánaiste for his answer. We know - and the Tánaiste knows better than anyone - that over the last number of years Fine Gael has been at the forefront of a changing Ireland where alternative family structures are welcomed and where people do not feel the pressure to confirm to what was once the traditional idea of a family. Fine Gael values personal liberty and it is clearly reflected in the broad liberalisation of Irish attitudes. However, while societal attitudes can naturally evolve over time, laws do…

I thank the Tánaiste. I like that response and that well-thought-out way of looking at it from the carer's point of view. I am heartened to hear that tax measures as a whole will be reviewed in the course of this Government. I point out, perhaps again, that for many people across Ireland, factors other than choice determine whether or not they have children. If these people own properties and should they wish to pass them on to their close relatives, the low exemption thresholds mean they will be burdening those re…

I wish to join with every Member of the House in remembering and paying tribute to the 183 lives that were lost on Irish roads in 2025, the largest number of fatalities on our roads since 2014. Of course, my heart also goes out to those impacted by this afternoon's horrendous bus crash in Dublin city centre and to the family of the deceased and those injured. Every life lost on our roads is a family devastated, an empty chair at the dinner table and a heart broken beyond repair. Of immense concern to me and no doub…

I express my sympathies to the family and friends of Grace Lynch. I welcome the news today that new legislation to implement a total ban on scrambler use in public spaces will be called Grace's law in her memory. In my constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny over the past year and a half or two years, we have seen an increasing number of scrambler bikes in and on the forest trails around the foothills of Mount Leinster. I know loads of people who have had frightening experiences with scramblers while out walking these trai…

Speaking as the mother of two teenagers and one young adult who is renting, I am acutely aware of the pressures within Ireland's rental market currently. To make their way in the world, develop independent living skills and build the relationships that will last throughout their lifetimes, young people need a space they can call their own. Unfortunately, these spaces are becoming increasingly rare. In the most recent daft.ie report on the state of the Irish rental sector, a 20% reduction in the number of rental pro…

I would like to ask about the number of extra college places being created in September 2026 and 2027 to ensure there is an adequate supply of new speech and language and occupational therapists to meet the increasing demands of our care system.

I thank the Minister for the response. It is very heartening to hear that there will be at least 478 new places coming on stream next year, or even this year if possible. The situation facing families across the country because of staff shortages in critical posts is beyond difficult. I am sure every Member of the House has heard from families on a CDNT list who are waiting for care. Across the HSE Dublin and south east region, which covers Carlow and Kilkenny, over 1,700 children have been waiting for CDNT service…

I thank the Minister for the response. I am heartened to hear that solid measures are being taken to provide more training places, not just for speech and language and occupational therapists but also for dieticians, physiotherapists and educational psychologists, in particular. It is a welcome measure. We are all aware that this challenge is not just about training staff; it is also about retaining them. I know the Minister of State, Deputy Higgins, is working on reforming how therapies are delivers to ensure serv…

I welcome the opportunity this evening to discuss the International Protection Bill, which will make Ireland's asylum processing system fairer not only for those who wish to come here but also for those who are already here. Most of us in the Chamber can agree on the enormous benefits that migration brings to our country. The Ireland of 2026 is a diverse, multiethnic society where people can celebrate and share their cultures free from fear, and long may that last. The Ireland of 2026 has also bucked historic trend…

This week, I would like to use my time to speak about carer's allowance and, in particular, the commitment in the programme for Government to abolish the means test. In Carlow and Kilkenny, I know many families where one parent gives up work to care full time for a child and the other parent then needs to work extra hours to pay the mortgage and bills. This additional necessary income then prevents the family carer from receiving carer's allowance because the family's means are often deemed too high. I acknowledge …

I welcome the opportunity to make a statement on international developments. I will use my time to speak about Greenland. I know I am not alone in wishing that questions of territorial integrity and respect for national sovereignty were a thing of the past. When it comes to Greenland, there is no question but that the future of the island lies solely in the hands of its people and the kingdom of Denmark, and it always will. Events in Greenland over recent weeks have moved at breakneck speed. Amidst a flurry of thre…

Everybody here knows that water is the most precious of our natural resources, and how the State manages it plays a crucial role in delivering on any number of policy plans for the future. Whether it be housing, education, or immigration, no policy can be fully formed without considering the water infrastructure that is available to support it. The Government has shown consistently that it is willing to act boldly to preserve and protect our water infrastructure and to boost it where possible. Last November, I warm…

I would like to talk about carers, in particular, those who are over the age of 66 and in receipt of the State pension. I ask the Minister to outline the steps that are currently being taken to ensure that parents who have, for their lifetime, cared for their children and reached the age of 66 can retain the full rate of carer's allowance and concurrently receive the State pension.

I acknowledge the work being done but, as a former family carer myself, I know full well that our carers provide an enormous service not only to their loved ones and those they care for but also to the State itself. It is estimated that each year the State saves €20 billion that would have to be invested in our health services were it not for the work of family carers. These carers work long and difficult days in the most demanding of roles, and caring for a loved one in older age can often be deeply challenging. I…