The Government proposal to cut the triple lock neutrality protections stands among the most significant foreign affairs and defence policy departures in decades, so it is important that it be properly considered and understood. It is concerning that the Taoiseach's own position is consistent only in its shifting nature. Initially, the Taoiseach proposed a citizens' assembly on neutrality. Then it became a so-called consultative forum on international security policy, providing minimal interaction for the public or …

I welcome the Bill to facilitate the orderly wind-up of NAMA and the IBRC, an end of sorts, in part, to the contemptible chapter of history, which saw Irish taxpayers bail out the banks in a process that was quite poor in terms of the return for the Irish people. In many cases, these assets were captured by vulture funds at rock bottom prices. The full truth of Project Eagle and other projects may never be known. Given that NAMA was handed a portfolio of property assets at the bottom of the market and against a bac…

Ireland is facing a national biodiversity crisis that is entirely entwined with the climate crisis. We are a country that is known internationally for our landscapes, nature and lakes. These are threats that pose a risk to our own environment and well-being, as well as our local economies, especially in areas that rely on tourism. It requires a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach. In my county, Monaghan, the local council has been to the fore, leading on many initiatives such as the first county hedge…

Many people are at risk of homelessness. People expect their Government to have their back. That is why they are so frustrated, especially renters, when it seems that every intervention from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael actually makes their situation worse. In my constituency of Cavan-Monaghan, both counties were among the six in the State which saw double-digit rent inflation last year. We saw rents increase by 10.6% in Cavan and by a staggering 12.4% in Monaghan. What was the Government's response to these rent incr…

Sinn Féin welcomes the overall intention of this Bill. We have been calling for the streamlining of enterprise supports for a long time now. Sinn Féin and I are glad to see the progress in this space. Measures that improve access to supports, modernise industrial development legislation and help businesses transition towards a lower carbon and digital economy are long overdue. There is no question that many businesses are facing enormous pressures. Rising energy and fuel costs, increasing operational expenses, insu…

The 120,000 registered practitioner nurses and midwives across the breadth of the island are the backbone of our health service. As they care for us throughout our lives, those of us in public life, particularly those in government, have a duty to care for them but that has not always been the case. Our student nurses have been utterly failed, alongside other students, when it comes to student accommodation. There is a deficit of at least 39,000 student beds across Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway. The Government …

The European Union has contributed incredibly positively to Ireland in many ways. Of course, there was the significant investment by Europe through structural funds and support for the peace process, especially through PEACEPLUS funding, which remains vital. The European Union also stood with Ireland throughout Brexit. I put it to the Minister of State that a united Ireland should be high on Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael's agenda during the EU Presidency. It is right that we acknowledge the work the European Union does…

He never answered the question.

Hauliers, farmers and agricultural contractors are among those who only a few years ago would have been called essential workers. Coach operators, too, are essential for day-to-day life, especially in rural Ireland where public transportation options are sorely lacking. They pick up some of the slack begotten to us by the dearth of inward investment from successive Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael governments. They operate on incredibly slim margins. In the face of drastically increasing fuel prices, they are looking to t…

I ask the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, to prioritise driver licence exchange agreements. Reviewing parliamentary questions placed by my party colleague, Deputy Conway-Walsh, in the previous term and questions from at least ten TDs in this term, Ministers advised that it is a matter for the Road Safety Authority to recommend, following a detailed examination of the licensing system in a third country, whether or not to engage in the licence exchange agreement. People appreciate that there could be a degree of…

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, for the offer to engage with the RSA. The gentlemen in the Gallery will be delighted with that response because it is something that we do need to move on. Ireland has asked a lot of our diaspora and they have answered time and again, particularly the Irish community in the United States, whether with political support or interventions regarding the Good Friday Agreement or Brexit, economic support or remittances during times of famine, funds that supported the fledgl…

A solution-----

I know.

In recent months, the Irish Government launched an advertising campaign in Australia encouraging those who built Australia to return home. Emigrants, however, face significant challenges returning home. While appreciating recent efforts to expand countries with which Ireland has reciprocal recognition arrangements regarding driving licences, will the Government ascribe equal priority to Irish citizens who are returning home in order that they can get driving licences?

And the USA.

When the European Commission proposed to slash Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, funding by as much as 25%, the response from the Irish Government should have been to rule out any cut at all. Instead, the Government decided to run for political cover claiming that it was just a starting point. It should have told Europe flat out that any proposals to cut CAP funding were a non-starter for Ireland. Last week, we got an insight into perhaps why that was the case, when a former Fine Gael Taoiseach cynically degraded ru…

I welcome that additional staff have been employed. It is still not enough, however. More needs to be done. The National Ambulance Service used to make data available to help inform policymakers in coming forward with constructive solutions. Data indicates that the number of people who died by the time an ambulance actually reached their homes was up 70% in the eight years prior to 2024. There were over 95,000 instances in 2022 of people waiting more than one hour. However, when Sinn Féin recently sought updated in…

I find it hard to believe that there are 263 posts that we cannot fill. I do not know if this is down to how we are advertising these posts that they are not being filled. As stated, this information, which I asked for previously, is very important in order that we can inform policy decisions. We cannot fix what is not measured. In terms of what needs to be done in order that the right people across the State have the ambulance service that they deserve and need, however, a few things are apparent. Our dedicated an…

Could I just ask about the 24-7 advanced paramedic that was taken away from Cavan and Monaghan?

Sorry. That is okay. I will table a parliamentary question to the Minister.