I move amendment No. 15: In page 7, line 34, to delete “question” and substitute “topic, area of inquiry or matter”.

I move amendment No. 16: In page 7, line 38, to delete “questions” and substitute “topics, area of inquiry or matters”.

I move amendment No. 17: In page 7, line 39, to delete “questions” and substitute “topics, area of inquiry or matters”.

I move amendment No. 18: In page 8, between lines 9 and 10, to insert the following: “Written statements from office holders and former office holders 6. (1) This section applies where a relevant head has, under section 5 , acceded in whole or in part to a request for assistance for the taking of evidence from an office holder or former office holder of a designated State body. (2) Before any oral evidence is taken in accordance with sections 9 , 10 and 11 , the relevant head shall ensure that the office holder or …

I move amendment No. 19: In page 8, to delete lines 31 to 33 and substitute the following: “(5) The Minister shall notify the former holder of ministerial office of the request. The consent in writing of the former holder of ministerial office shall be required only where that person demonstrates that acceding to the request would give rise to a substantial and objectively reasonable risk of prejudice to their legal rights or to the lawful performance of functions exercised during their tenure. Any refusal to conse…

I move amendment No. 20: In page 10, to delete lines 21 to 36 and substitute the following: “Questioning of designated person by nominated judge 9. (1) For the purpose of taking the evidence specified in a decision under section 5(3) to which subsection (6)(c)(i) of that section applies, or specified in a decision under section 6(3) to which subsection (6)(c)(i) of that section applies— (a) no person other than the nominated judge shall ask questions of the designated person, and (b) the nominated judge shall exami…

I move amendment No. 21: In page 11, to delete lines 1 to 9 and substitute the following: “Questioning of designated person by or on behalf of Chairman 10. (1) Upon completion of the examination of a designated person by the nominated judge under section 9 , the Chairman, or counsel to the Inquiry on his or her behalf, may ask questions of the designated person. (2) The Chairman, or counsel to the Inquiry on his or her behalf, may ask questions for the purpose of examining the designated person on any matters arisi…

I move amendment No. 22: In page 12, between lines 4 and 5, to insert the following: “(5) A person referred to in subsection (3)(f), (g) or (h) may— (a) propose to the Chairman, to counsel to the Inquiry, or to the nominated judge any questions or topics that the person considers relevant to the evidence being taken under section 9 or 10 , (b) make submissions or representations to the Chairman, to counsel to the Inquiry, or to the nominated judge in relation to the evidence being taken, and (c) apply to the nomina…

I move amendment No. 23: In page 12, between lines 4 and 5, to insert the following: “(5) Without prejudice to subsection (4) , the Chairman and counsel to the Inquiry shall be entitled to make submissions or representations to the nominated judge concerning the scope, relevance and permissible extent of questioning under section 9 or 10 .”. This amendment confirms that the chair and counsel may make submissions to the nominated judge on the scope and relevance of questioning. It reinforces judicial oversight while…

I move amendment No. 24: In page 12, to delete lines 5 to 10 and substitute the following: “(5) For the purpose of giving evidence— (a) under section 9, a designated person shall not be compelled to give any evidence which he or she could not be compelled to give in criminal proceedings in the State, (b) under section 10 , a designated person may refuse to answer a question only where answering would give rise to a substantial and objectively reasonable risk of prejudice to a legal right or privilege recognised in …

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this legislation on vapes. For too long, we have allowed a wild west situation to arise because of a simple lack of regulation. We all want to see a reduction in smoking rates but we also want to see proper and real regulations on vaping. For too long, mixed retail units selling vapes have been popping up in every town and village across our State. As I have said in the House before, if you walk through Clondalkin village, you will see kids in their school uniforms going into t…

The latest figures on child poverty are showing exactly what we feared. Over a quarter of children aged under 16 are growing up in poverty. The Government has received warning after warning and it did not listen. I want to talk about the Clondalkin Equine Centre in my own area. It is a wonderful place. It is in an area of high deprivation as the Pobal index will tell us. It is like an oasis of calm in a really disadvantaged area. Last Thursday, we had a wonderful visit from President Catherine Connolly to the equin…

There is no core funding for it at the moment. It is trying everything.

I am aware that the Taoiseach said this morning a memo is going to Cabinet that will call for additional supports for special education. When will we see the details of this proposal? Many schools in my area are waiting for special education supports. Gaelscoil na Camóige, as I have mentioned a few times, has been operating out of prefabs for over 30 years. Currently, the building of the new school alongside the new school for Gaelscoil Chluain Dolcáin is progressing; however, the schools were notified that the ASD…

I make no apologies for voting no confidence in this Government last night. It was the right thing to do. There is never a wrong time to do the right thing. It is a pity that some Independent TDs put their own political ambitions before the needs of ordinary workers and families. Ordinary workers and families have lost confidence in the Government. The Government is not listening. It still has not taken the necessary steps to make fuel affordable at the pumps. It did nothing on home heating oil. The ordinary worker…

What about the flats, Taoiseach?

We only have to look at how we got behind Rory McIlroy at the weekend and his back-to-back Masters win to know the Irish people are sports mad. It was an absolutely tremendous achievement but I would argue that nothing lifts the nation like a successful Irish soccer team. It lifts the mood. I congratulate the Irish women's soccer team last night for a wonderful result away in Poland. We also saw how Troy Parrott and his team lifted the mood of the nation over the last couple of months and how the mood dropped after…

Gaelscoil na Camóige has been operating out of prefabs for over 30 years. It is a school I know very well as my three children attended it. The building of the school building, alongside the new school for Gaelscoil Chluain Dolcáin, is progressing, and that is welcome. However, the schools were notified that the autism spectrum disorder, ASD, classes will not now be built. The ASD expansion was agreed and given the go-ahead in 2024. Planning permission was in place. In January, the schools were informed by the Depa…

I thank Deputy Kelly for bringing forward this motion. I listened to him on the radio this morning when I was on my way in and I was in full agreement with him that the further you move away from Leinster House, the fewer gardaí you will see. High-visibility policing is effective. I have noticed an increase in the visibility of gardaí on the beat in Dublin city and that is to be welcomed. However, as you move out from the city, you do not see anywhere near the same numbers of gardaí on the streets. When you get to …

I will start by giving my two cents, because 2 cent is all the Government believes people who use home heating oil are worth. A scabby cut of 2 cent on home heating oil is insulting. It will save a person €20 on a fill of a tank, a fill that now costs around €1,700. Not only is it scabby; it is also underhanded. Very soon, the greedy hands of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will yank this measly 2 cent back off ordinary people by hiking up the carbon tax. They give with one hand and will take back with the other. It is s…