In Sinn Féin, we stand in solidarity with workers across all sectors who, through their hard work, keep our economy moving. Far too often, though, workers face insecure pay, unstable conditions, and a bargaining environment that favours the few over the many. That needs to change. I thank Labour for bringing this Bill forward and I want to give my strong support to ensuring robust, fair and enforceable collective bargaining for every worker. Central to this effort are joint labour committees that set legally bindin…

I wish to tell the Tánaiste how much it is costing students to go to college this year. I will tell him about a student in my constituency of Meath West who goes to college in Galway. Last year, she paid €8,632 to go to college. This year, it will cost her €10,380 for the same room, just moving across the hall. How is that happening? There is an additional €350 in rent. Last year, they were talking about charging in utility bills. This year, it is service charges. They just change it. Last year, the utility charges…

Every year, families do not fight for a favour, they fight for a basic right: the right to a school place or a school bus for their children with additional needs. This is not a one-off problem. It is one that circles back year after year, with no lessons having been learned from the previous year. In too many communities, children with additional needs cannot even access education in their local schools. Places are not there where they live, so they are pushed to attend distant schools. Even then, a place is not g…

The rising cost of food has been a worry for many families. Food inflation is now running at double the rate of general inflation, with many families being forced to fork out an additional €3,000 per year just to keep food on the table. The prices of the likes of meat, cheese bread and beef have skyrocketed. The cost of a pound of butter has increased by more than €1 in the last year alone. The economist Oliver Browne has calculated that grocery prices have increased by 36% over the past four years. Meanwhile, more…

I am delighted to introduce this Bill along with my colleagues Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and Mark Ward. It gives the coroner the option of recording iatrogenic suicide as a verdict. Iatrogenic is the ending of one’s own life where the effect of medical treatment undertaken by the deceased, including any prescribed medication, is the primary cause of such action. I welcome Stephanie and John to the Public Gallery and also Jim and Vera Connell. I knew Jim and Vera’s son Darren. He was a great footballer. He played with M…

I have a question the Minister should be fairly familiar with. Many parents and families have contacted me in the past few days wondering how they are going to pay their children's student fees and rent. People are beginning to see through this Government. The reason it decided to put a halt to the promises made to students and not to include a cost-of-living package in this year's budget is that this is not an election year. Families are being squeezed for every penny they have and the Government has now decided t…

Oireachtas broadcast workers are calling on the Government to end their low-hour contracts and poor working conditions by integrating them into the Civil Service. The team of around 20 manages the live broadcasts of all Dáil, Seanad and committee proceedings, ensuring they are all accessible to the public. However, the team says they are currently paid half the standard industry rate for comparable roles and calls on the Government and Houses of the Oireachtas Commission to take action to ensure they are treated wi…

I welcome the Minister of State's work on reciprocal driving licences. I know he is committed to it, so I thank him for that. Sinn Féin has long called for the extension of voting rights in presidential elections to all on the island. It is about equality and shared identity as Irish people. In 2013, the constitutional convention recommended that Irish citizens living outside the State should have the right to vote in presidential elections. Since then, there have been repeated calls and efforts to make this a real…

The Bill is quite complex and technical, and it is important that the State protects workers. I take this opportunity to reaffirm a core principle that has always guided Sinn Féin, namely, our commitment to standing with workers. Throughout our history, we have been to the forefront in the context of workers’ rights, fairness and dignity in the workplace. For too long, workers have been left vulnerable, especially in times of crisis. When a business becomes insolvent, it is not just about profits or corporate failu…

Independent what?

Independent government.

Yes, you are.

This Bill.

The protection of employees and workers' rights.

The Taoiseach is using our time.

In Gaza, we see a situation so dire, it defies comprehension. An Oxfam worker with 20 years of experience working in conflict zones worldwide has said he has never seen anything like this. Children in Gaza are being starved. Israel has blocked all aid supplies from entering, leaving millions to go hungry for the past 11 weeks. This is genocide. That is what is happening and yet most of the world remains silent as a humanitarian catastrophe unfolds. Women and children make up the majority of those killed. Nearly eve…

In 2025, just 7% of assessments have been completed within the legal timeframe set out in the Disability Act 2005. To say that some children are being failed is an understatement; 93% of children requiring an assessment of need are being failed. Experts in the field advise that early intervention is critical. It allows for a family to plan the supports that a child with an autism diagnosis will need and to arrange the provision of any additional supports the child may need when entering the education system. The in…

I thank People Before Profit for bringing forward this Bill. I wish to reaffirm our commitment to the rights of workers across Ireland and outline our support for any meaningful reforms that will strengthen a worker’s ability to be heard, respected and fairly represented in the workplace. Every worker deserves dignity, fairness, respect and the right to collective bargaining. These are fundamental principles that are essential for building a just and equitable workplace. Sinn Féin supports the Trade Union Recogniti…

I welcome the introduction of the Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2025. The Bill represents a crucial step forward in ensuring that access to clean, safe and reliable water remains a fundamental right for all our communities. For too long, residents in areas like Enfield, Clonard, Ballivor and Trim have faced ongoing water outages, with one example of over 300 residents in Clonard relying on water tankers daily. Recent Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, reports have highlighted serious deficiencies in water infr…

It is time to prioritise investment and proper planning to prevent future crises and to support the communities that rely on our water systems every day. From my experience of Uisce Éireann in recent years, I can say that its customer service for elected Members is very poor. A Member could send it an email and receive no reply, despite repeated follow-ups. As I have said before, Uisce Éireann is hard to deal with. Elected Members need to be treated with priority. If we ask it questions, we are representing our con…