I welcome the infrastructure cross-departmental committee, the housing activation office and the child poverty unit - tús maith leath na hoibre. I think we can do better and can aim higher. We owe that to the people of this country after their endurance and forbearance over the last five years. Several times at the Business Committee, I have raised the topic of migration, something that merits urgent positioning on the agenda. We can take County Meath, for example and crosscheck what has been happening versus what …

As the very proud daughter, niece, granddaughter and friend of primary, secondary and tertiary educators, I very much welcome this opportunity for statements today. I will not repeat what I have heard from other contributors. The book Poor by Dr. Katriona O'Sullivan of Maynooth University points to the importance of education as a freedom, as a gateway and as being life changing. The importance of the one special teacher and the influence they can have on a young child or even a teenager and the later path in life …

As a teenager, I was angered, interested and repulsed by the atrocities of the Second World War, as experienced through history classes, documentaries, Anne Frank's diaries and, in later years, exacerbated by visits to Auschwitz-Birkenau, Dachau and Treblinka. Surely this would not and could not happen again. An end to man's inhumanity to man, morality and Maslow would ensure that we had moved on, but no. The daily news reports and images, and the evocative and graphic contributions by Members are proof positive th…

I hope so. Gabhaim búiochas leis an gCeann Comhairle agus an Aire. I intend to share time with my colleague and therefore I have cut my cloth appropriately, so indulge me. My background is in healthcare, and a maxim of healthcare is "Let food be your medicine". In these times, food production and security, farm families and appropriate balanced land use are of paramount importance to Ireland. We live in a time of increasing ultraprocessed food, chronic diseases and climate challenges from increasing production and …

Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an Aire Stáit. Again, on this subject, we have unity in the House. We have a shambolic and an extortionate process that must change as a matter of urgency. I will ask a few questions as to why. Is there a problem with testers? Are there human resource issues? Is it population increase related? Is it a symptom of a public transport deficit? If we do not analyse the reasons, then we will not come to timely solutions. Taking County Meath in its entirety, one test centre in Navan has a 42-wee…

Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an Aire agus leis an Aire Stáit. I should stick to the title of economic enabler, but the social care benefits to be gained from the power of further and higher education cannot be ignored. Not a day goes by in this Chamber or in our communities that we do not discuss the plight of children with additional needs and special abilities. We get briefings from various healthcare groups and support groups on the stark realities of life for our ageing population. These vulnerable children and a…

To celebrate unity and long-term peace with the objectives of integration and democratic co-operation were the objectives of Europe Day and of Robert Schuman in particular with his declaration in 1950. These are very noble objectives which are essential to underpin the coalescence and co-operation of European countries over the past 75 years. A bugbear of mine is the focus on, and at times an obsession with, economic endeavours. The Schuman Declaration came about in 1950, bringing peace to Europe. It was underpinne…

In the case of the Farrelly commission report, the phrase "Man's inhumanity to man" springs to mind. Ordinarily, that is reserved for mistreatment during warfare, but it is very relevant in this instance. The value that we have placed on people, that was placed on Grace, the social care teams and the members of those teams who came forward in a whistleblowing capacity and the tenet of treating others the way we want to be treated have been completely ignored on so many levels. How do we move forward from this? Grac…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach agus leis an Aire as a bheith anseo inniu. I will be brief, in case my colleague comes in. There is agreement and unity across the House on this most serious and life-changing issue for the youngest in our population. I will confine my comments to suggestions of things that are already working in communities in Meath East and can be extended. This suggestion is not in place, but why can the treatment purchase scheme and treatment abroad scheme not be extended to the…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as a bheith anseo um thráthnóna. I welcome the updated draft of the NPF. There are several opportunities here to correct the mistakes of the tiger times. I speak as somebody from east Meath, a commuter county which has been seriously impacted. I sincerely hope the concerns of residents will be listened to and opportunities that present will be enacted. The focus on compact growth and community infrastructure is highly commendable. It is essential that age-friendly housing is the …

Gabhaim buíochas leis na hAirí as ucht bheith anseo um thráthnóna. In relation to CHI, I concur with everything I have heard since coming to the Chamber and in the snatches I heard throughout the afternoon when I was no in attendance. Rather than repeat what has been said by colleagues, I will focus on a few areas that I would like to see prioritised. One of them follows on from this afternoon's reform committee meeting. I refer to the formation and the commencement of the committees, particularly the health commit…

Hear, hear.

Gabhaim buíochas to the Independent Technical Group for tabling this motion for discussion this morning. I will make it slightly smaller and more personal. If you run a home or small business, the word "threat" is also frequently used. There may be internal or external threats. Threat is one part of the business and sporting acronym, SWOT, which stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. I am a firm believer that where there is a threat there is also an opportunity and where there is a weakness th…

Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí. Is fíor an seanfhocal sin. I commend and thank the youth diversion project teams, particularly in County Meath, and juvenile liaison officers Garda Barbara Kelly and Garda Aisling Connor in Meath north and Meath south, who are doing fantastic work. I also commend the probation service officers, Louth and Meath Education and Training Board, public representatives and the young people themselves who engage. We are grateful for the investment and increased funding in County Meath receive…

Go raibh maith ag an Leas-Cheann Comhairle, ag an Aire agus ag Teachta Healy chun a bheith in ann caint sa díospóireacht seo. I will make just a couple of points possibly by way of solution. Number one is to deal with the most recent planning Act around commencements. Currently when planning permission is granted there is five years to construct. If the commencement period was altered to within 18 months anybody applying for planning permission would already have financing place. We have an active situation in Rato…

I will be guided by the Clerk of the Dáil as to whether due process has been followed by the Ceann Comhairle since December 2024. The advice that was issued was that she did follow due process. For that reason, I support her in her office. I was elected to the House to work on behalf of the constituents of Meath East, to find and provide solutions to the serious challenges facing Ireland and her people, and I was happy to contribute to the programme for Government to that end. In December, I received a dignity and …

All of that makes me question the basic functioning of this Dáil. On each occasion there has been an ignoring of the requests of the Ceann Comhairle and what is set out in the dignity and respect document, which represents the very basic foundation of how we are to behave in the House, this behaviour happened when children were in the Gallery. The word that was shouted was "shame". Well, have a look at where the shame should lie.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Cathaoirleach Gníomhach agus leis an Aire Stáit. I have a few points to make rather than a duplication of points that other Members have made. I welcome the updates, in particular, for the small and medium-sized enterprise sector. The simplification and reduction of administrative and regulatory burdens is something that dovetails with our objectives in the programme for Government. The second point is in relation to the multi-annual financial framework, particularly vis-à-vis ensuring we h…

Thus far the European Union has spent approximately €135 billion in support of the Ukrainian effort. While it is premature, I am just wondering if the Commission has considered, similar to the US, the thought of a repayment plan or indeed any type of cross-investment or resource access? It is premature but, in light of the conversations vis-à-vis tariffs and the pending uncertainty of future trade with the US, I would imagine we are thinking in terms of a wider interdependency and movement of funding from member st…

I have enjoyed all of the contributions, including those I sat in for and those I heard on the television. I hope that everybody has an enjoyable day on Saturday, 8 March. I will keep my contribution simple and maybe go back to basics. We should all be feminists because being a feminist means believing that women and men are equal and deserve equal rights. That phrase “We should all be feminists” is not entirely mine. I have plagiarised it as it is the title of an excellent first book by the Nigerian author, Chimam…