It has emerged that a whistleblower made a very serious protected disclosure to the Minister for justice in September 2023. It alleged that the gun holsters being used by An Garda Síochána were faulty and dangerous. The whistleblower said that the warnings about the unregulated gun holsters had been ignored. The faulty gun holsters are alleged to have contributed to the murder of one garda because it was so easy for the killer to slip the garda's gun from the holster, and the serious injury of another because the h…

I am very disappointed with that response. I have met the whistleblowers and noted the moral courage they have demonstrated in raising really important issues, such as defective ammunition and holsters that have possibly contributed to the murder of one member of the force. I am asking a very simple question. It is very clear from the evidence I have seen that the Minister for justice referred this issue back to An Garda Síochána and did not follow proper protocols. As a result, the individuals were jeopardised and…

It has not been. That is the point.

No.

Is it not yours?

This is not happening. That is the point.

That is the point.

Yesterday, I met with a group of women who have benefited from the three-day wait. These women attended their first abortion appointment but subsequently changed their minds and, as a result, had their babies. Indeed, their babies were with them in the room yesterday. The legislation to abolish the three-day wait is currently before the Committee on Health but that committee is strategically blocking the voices of these women. These women are the one section of society to have had their voices ignored by the HSE, b…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the motion. The principle is very simple. If a company is making supernatural profits as a result of war and the design of the market, those profits should return to consumers. The profits are certainly there. Let us consider the ESB, which achieved some €440 million in pre-tax profits this year alone, an increase of €100 million. In the same breath, we learn that the salary of the chief executive of the ESB could rise by €161,000 - €90,000 of the pay rise has already been sign…

This summer a man was convicted of the murder of three young children in Parnell Square. He lived in Ireland for 20 years. He needed an interpreter because he could not speak the language in court and he never worked a day in his life. Despite this, that person had Irish citizenship. How does that happen? Irish citizenship should be valued. It should be something to be worked for and something to be earned. Generations of Irish men and women have fought and bled for this nation, and this Government has thrown out c…

A GP practice in Westport is closing. The landlord is selling the building and the doctor has nowhere to go. The GP is effectively working her notice period for the HSE. The HSE has said there is no room in primary care. However, what the people of Westport need to know is what room will be found? The Government should be taking notice. The reality is that Government parties can find €2 million to furbish a meeting room to give councillors an extravagant chamber in Mayo County Council in which to discuss public ser…

I have.

This increase in public transport fares is affecting the most vulnerable citizens and many students in third level education. The reality is that because of its failure in terms of housing, this Government has displaced so many young people from university campuses right across this country and, in many cases, these young people are now living at home and commuting into college on a daily basis. They are doing so not because they want to. They have to because of Government policy. The Minister for Housing, Local Go…

On the evening of 3 September, Eoin Doyle, a 12-year-old boy, lost his life when the car he was travelling in was struck by a train in Kiltybo, just outside Ballyhaunis. It is incredibly sad and a devastating loss of life. His family and, indeed, the entire community are still in mourning and grief. I spoke to the family and their wish is that no family in the future will ever go through such a loss and such grief. My question to the Minister of State is what lessons will be learned. How many tragedies have there b…

Eoin was a wonderful young boy. He was a very talented Gaelic footballer, soccer player and golfer. He even won an athletics event in the weeks before his passing. He had the opportunity to meet the Mayo team with the Sam Maguire Cup as well. Like his parents, grandparents and wider family, he was very involved in the local community. I am aware of the crossing where the incident took place. It is extremely rudimentary in nature. Visibility there is poor. Indeed, there was strong mist on the evening as well. The cr…

I appreciate that there is a review under way, how sensitive this topic is and the Minister of State's sincerity. I have read previous reports in relation to other incidents. I am calling for us all to work constructively together. This is above politics. We need to replace user-operated gates with automated gates. This is happening in every car park and apartment complex across this country. The technology is there. It is widely available and it is cheap. The truth is that many of these crossings are on local road…

It is an honour to introduce this Bill before the House to remove Ireland from the EU migration pact to restore Irish sovereignty over its borders. The decision to opt into the EU migration pact by this Government or the previous Government was reckless. The idea that the Government is unable to determine the future cost in terms of fines is incredible. Ireland has unique challenges in sharing a border with a non-EU country. It is extraordinary that this has never been addressed in relation to this pact. When the E…

-----and the primary criteria in terms of GDP, which is incredibly------

-----inflated in this country.

I very much welcome the extension of this support to affected tenants of social housing. I have spoken to constituents in Mayo whose houses are in a shockingly bad state. Having engaged with the council, there really was nothing that could be done because they fell outside the previous scheme. The change is very welcome. There should be no difference in treatment between tenants in social homes and tenants in the private rental sector and, indeed, people who own their home, but it is fair to say there was a differe…