Will the funding be multi-annual?

I have been listening to this debate with some interest. There have been various contributions and Deputy Gibney's would be the most similar to mine in this context. In essence, while this proposal has some merit if it were taken in an isolated way, it is basically tinkering around the edges because we do not have a European-style property tax in Ireland. The way to work this out is simply by looking at the budget for South Dublin County Council, my own council. Its budget for 2025 is an estimated €392 million. It …

The residents of Saggart, Citywest, Rathcoole and adjacent areas today got a huge slap in the face. In very arrogant, dismissive behaviour by the Government, it issued a press statement and then the Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, and the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy went out onto the plinth and said the State was purchasing the Citywest Hotel. This came with no notice to any of the local elected representatives, not least Deputies Shane Moynihan and Emer Higgins on the Government side. On 22 May last, it fir…

Regarding the State's requirement to have a number of large-scale IPAS centres, I see the logic of the State trying to buy somewhere rather than pay rent. I believe, however, that such centres need to be purpose-built rather than trying to call a former hotel a suitable campus. I mentioned this to the Taoiseach before. Obviously, we are a welcoming country and many people are fleeing persecution and need our support. Equally, as I pointed out, there are economic migrants abusing the asylum process and these people …

I wish to focus on one aspect of this motion I support, namely, the reference “to honour Ireland's obligations under the Genocide Convention and to fulfill the duty of the State to use all means likely to have a deterrent effect on those suspected of preparing genocide or reasonably suspected of harbouring specific intent, and work to prevent the genocide.” We have had a two-faced approach. I will acknowledge, as I said to the Tánaiste before in discussions, that Ireland has played a role in holding Israel to accou…

I want to talk about something that is ongoing. It is not specific to today but it has been happening every single day and every single year since this State began, and anecdotally, it appears to be getting worse. I am talking about antisocial behaviour and, in particular, antisocial behaviour by those aged under 18. Young people are invariably good. We had a discussion a while back about the fact that only 2% of young people ever come before An Garda Síochána. However, a lot of our young people are now under threa…

There were 15,813 referrals of 12- to 17-year-olds to the Garda youth diversion programme in 2023. They are the ones who end up getting into the system but I am more concerned about the ones, the hangers-on of the ring leaders, who should not get into the system in the first place. Are there any further plans for consequences? I raised the issue some months ago with the Tánaiste, Deputy Harris, of the need to put in place some sort of ban or restriction on social media for 11- to 13-year-olds because of the Andrew …

As the Taoiseach said, the schools are doing a great job. It is mainly female teachers in primary schools, and they are the ones who are getting misogynistic abuse at sixth-class level. We have had different debates about that. The Taoiseach mentioned the community safety partnerships. I wish they would hurry up and get them set up because there is a deficit there, including in communities that are not designated as disadvantaged but have areas of disadvantage within them. They need to be widespread to cover that a…

Ireland's associate membership of CERN is a fantastic step forward in science, technology and innovation in this country. As a TD, I was happy to be able to offer a pairing to the Minister during his recent visit. Great thanks is due to the Minister and his team for facilitating this associate agreement. Well done to all. As an associate member we will have access to what is one of the world's most advanced research institutions in particle physics where, without over-exaggerating, the building blocks of the univer…

It is now six months since the Government was established and we have seen very little. We now have a moderate and small-scale proposal on the hikes on the price of rent. The Minister said it is an effort to get a balance between keeping rents down and getting investors in. Different lobbies have different statistics to throw out but in places such as San Francisco, for example, rents have risen where rent freezes have been abolished. Even if we get in the supply, it will take longer so many people will be put unde…

We know that the use of cheques in this country has declined dramatically, especially since Covid. The current rate of use is now half what it was in 2023, and has probably declined more. I do not have the up-to-date figures. Many people do not have chequebooks anymore or if they do, they are stashed away in a box somewhere and are not used that much. Equally, there are many older people who do not have bank cards because they do have bank accounts. In this context, what are the Minister's views on postal orders as…

What I am more interested in is the Minister raising it with the agencies. For example, South Dublin County Council has cash offices in Tallaght and Clondalkin, but many people who rely solely on public transport find it very hard to get to those places. I wish to give a specific example regarding resident parking permits for an area that have to be paid through South Dublin Parking Services. When a resident tried to make an arrangement to do this by phone, they were told, "Sorry, cheques only, we are not accepting…

Do not rub it in.

On this occasion, I would like to offer my personal condolences to the family and welcome the apology given on the record to the late Shane O'Farrell. I used to say that the period between my previous tenure as a TD in 2011 and being re-elected last November was a very long time. Compared to what Shane's family has had to go through even to get this acknowledgement, I feel for the family on a personal level. As a family, they possibly have not got closure. They certainly have not got justice from the apology, but I…

We talk about Gaza every week in this Chamber. It is right and proper that we do. One can get emotional about it because every time a child dies it is a harrowing experience, but one has to look at it in a more balanced way in terms of trying to get something done. That is what this Bill is attempting to do; it is trying to put pressure on the Irish Government to make the Central Bank of Ireland do something that the State and our European partners do not want us to do. I will get to this in a while, but sometimes,…

The Minister of State's colleague and my constituency colleague, the Minister of State, Emer Higgins, said a while back that efficient use of public resources contributes to better delivery of services for our citizens. Obviously, the Minister of State present cannot disagree with that. It makes a lot of sense. The Minister of State, Deputy Higgins, mentioned she had launched a public consultation in March to ensure all those with an interest in the future direction of public procurement have an opportunity to info…

I also wish to raise the paltry bonds payable by developers for estates to ensure they are finished so that they can be taken in charge. It is such a small amount that in some areas of my constituency, 15 years later some estates have still not been taken in charge. Similarly, the bonds payable by companies for large-scale contracts are often not worth the paper they are written on. There is no incentive at all. In my county of South Dublin, several tenders have collapsed because the local authority had discretion …

Without carers, especially family carers, the burden on the State would be far greater. Over the years we have heard stories of people being placed inappropriately in geriatric wards or people who need more intensive care being sent home early because of insufficient spaces. Carers play a valuable role and unless we totally change our definition of what constitutes society in Ireland, it will never be every family for themselves and every individual without a family around them for themselves. We do see the value o…

Will the Government review the Adamstown and Clonburris strategic development zone plans? The last Adamstown review was 12 years ago. There is a major issue arising now due to insufficient carparking spaces. Planning permission has been granted on the basis of 1 to 1.25 spaces per unit but we now have one development near the train station, The Sidings, where there are no parking spaces provided whatever. There are growing families, workers with vans renting houses together and insufficient childcare facilities and…

Today marks 80 days since the humanitarian aid blockade of Gaza began. This regime has long since passed the threshold for what would constitute legitimate defence following the horrific and condemnable Hamas attacks on October 7. This was already genocide before the deliberate and inhumane blocking of lifesaving food, medical supplies and shelter, not to mention continued bombing, but new lows continue to be reached. The UN says no aid has yet been distributed in Gaza despite a few lorries starting to cross the bo…