First, I would like to congratulate Senator Brady. I wish him the very best in his new role. I stand this morning to talk a wee bit about Seamus Carroll. He was such a lovely person; always smiling and full of energy. Honestly, he would give you the coat off his back if you were stuck around the Houses looking for anything. I remember in 2024 when I was campaigning for this seat. He said to me that he had spoken to such and such a person and told them to give me a number, and I would say, "Oh God, Seamus, thanks ve…

I may not need the full time. I will take five minutes.

Never say I have never done anything for the Opposition. I will start with the truth. A total of 185 people died on Irish roads in 2025 and 141 lost their lives in the first nine months of this year. Behind those numbers are devastated families and, often, shattered communities. We saw the devastation clearly when five young men died on the M9 in August. A family in the other car was badly hurt, including a seven-year-old boy. This was a terrible tragedy. Nothing we say today can change or take away the grief from …

Have I discriminated against two-----

I took really big offence when one of the Fianna Fáil TDs, who is the chair of the youth committee, called young people thugs. Shame on Fianna Fáil. Shame on Senator Costello's party.

Well, I have said it and I am not taking it back. Shame on Senator Costello's party.

The defective concrete blocks social homes scheme 2026 represents a long overdue acknowledgment of a real injustice to families. Last week, members of a group representing Donegal crèches and childcare facilities held an excellent event in Buswells about the need for childcare in Donegal and in rural communities. There are more than 25 childcare facilities in Donegal - the ones we know of - impacted by defective concrete. My two wee girls go to the local crèche in Ardara. The children's biggest worry is that the cr…

I welcome the review of the hot school meals scheme for children. I encourage the Minister to examine the timing of the lunches for children. Many are expected to have a hot meal at 11 a.m. The Minister needs to look into that. I heard many of my colleagues speak about how young people have to leave the country. I have been in contact with numerous youth organisations over the past two weeks. They are extremely worried about funding for communities and young people in the country. We hear about young people leaving…

Travellers know what it means when politicians make a habit of standing outside our sites, pointing cameras at our homes and speaking as though true criminality is somehow written in our blood. When a Senator invokes Garda patrols in the same breath as warning Travellers, it does not feel like a concern for safety. It feels like a collective punishment and an attempt to mark a whole community as dangerous because of who we are, not because of individual actions. That is an unethical abuse of power. The Garda is sup…

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I want to bring to the attention of the House that this week is Traveller Pride Week. It runs from 18 to 29 May. Events will be happening up and down the country. We are hoping to have an event in Leinster House in two weeks' time with the Traveller committee. It will be a meet and greet with members of the Travelling community. There will also be a bit of music. It is really important to celebrate young Travellers during Traveller Pride Week. It is celebrated with awards in education, youth community and sports. I…

I welcome this motion and thank the Fianna Fáil Senators for bringing it forward. I notice there are few men in the Chamber. We need men to be part of the discussion of this issue. I want to highlight that. The zero-tolerance strategy committed to delivering at least 280 refuge spaces by 2026. The Council of Europe states that a country of Ireland's size needs at least 500 units. We are nowhere near that target. Women turned away from refuges do not disappear. They go back to their abuser, face homelessness and in …

We need protection for women. I have had to put safety measures in my family home where I am trying my hardest to rear two lovely children. I am never going to be the same public representative that I was four weeks ago. The Garda has been absolutely brilliant. I have been working with the guards over the past four weeks, but it does not stop the impact of having to look over your shoulder afraid. The majority are men and it is gender-based violence. You are living in fear in your own home. I have had to talk and c…

Senator Ahearn, who is the Acting Leader, is doing a brilliant job. I rise to speak about kinship care. It is where children are raised full-time by relatives, close family members, friends, grandparents, aunts or uncles after a parent has passed away. Kinship Care Ireland is not fully supported by the State. It gets little or no State funding. Payment grants for children are little supported by the State. My ask this afternoon is that we have a debate on kinship care, the vital work of the organisation and, most i…

When I first came into the Seanad in July 2020, I remember the Cathaoirleach presented to me with a lovely Irish flag. It is identical to the one behind him. Of course I am proud to be Irish. First and foremost, my identity is Irish Traveller. In this House, two days ago, I spoke about the shame I felt about how our flag has been used to create hatred and division and to terrify people with old folks afraid to live in their homes due to the far right. I am speaking out against the far right because it is not attack…

I call for a debate on Traveller accommodation. Labre Park is the oldest halting site in Ireland. Since the age of 18, I have been working on the redevelopment of Labre Park. Two years ago, we got a playground for the children. It has been wonderful for all the children on the site. It is very unfortunate that the redevelopment of Labre Park is no longer going ahead. The residents of the site are devastated. With all my heart, I say that really wonderful people came from Labre Park, people like the Keenans and othe…

I also welcome the guests from Ballymun this evening to the Visitors Gallery. We are the only country in Europe that has a Youth Work Act. We value youth work as a society. We know the important role youth services and youth workers play in any young person's life. Youth work is not a luxury. As I got up to deliver this speech, I thought about Bernadette Devlin's quote about how we live in an unjust world; we are not meant to grow up in one. It is really unfortunate that many of the young people in this country are…