He did.

The Minister can go ahead and I will come back in.

A part of that question focuses on the development in the Gaeltacht areas. Obviously, the Gaeltacht is the well of the Irish language. The Gaeltacht is currently at such a level where it is at the edge of continuance. This could be the last generation with the Irish language as a community language within the Gaeltacht. One of the big elements of the Gaeltacht has obviously been the ability to raise families in the Irish language. Housing is a very important element of that and there are significant campaigns curre…

To illustrate the idea, if there are ten people in a bar in the Gaeltacht and one is an English speaker, there is a tendency for the other nine to default to English to make sure that the English speaker is not left out of the conversation. One of the big threats in Gaeltacht areas is often high numbers of English speakers. Once it gets past a certain threshold, it significantly changes the language in that local area. It should be a prime objective of the Government to create a strong, vibrant, Irish-speaking area…

There has been a big increase in the numbers of deaths and serious injuries caused by the use and misuse of e-scooters. E-scooters are now the biggest cause of traumatic brain injuries among children. Children are being killed and gardaí working in the area have been injured. CHI has reported that six children have been admitted to intensive care in Temple Street with traumatic brain injuries, following accidents involving e-scooters in just two weeks. What steps is the Government taking to prevent these injuries a…

I appreciate that it is the job of the accident and emergency departments to treat patients, but I also believe that you cannot manage if you cannot measure. The collection of data on public health issues is a key element to track the development of a public health crisis through society. I also understand that some of the issues around this are not necessarily under the Minister's Department's direct responsibility, but we do have a crisis in this country. I myself have seen children as young as ten or 11 whizzing…

I agree that it is important to focus on the outcomes of these tragic and serious accidents and the fact that many of these injuries are brought to the grave and are lifelong injuries that completely negatively impact the development of these children through their lives. It is time we looked at the registration of these vehicles. These are powered vehicles that can travel at speed. They should be registered in the same way motorbikes are registered. Nobody would think a person should be able to get on a motorbike …

Adina Constantin, aged 50, was found dead in her home in Portlaoise on 5 July. Jamey Carney, aged 43, a mother of a teenaged girl, was found dead in her home in Killarney on 7 July. Masumeh Manojan, aged 31, was murdered in Clifden on 28 May. Eight women have been killed in this State so far this year. There has been a shocking increase in the rate of murder of women in Ireland and genuine alarm is taking hold. Boys are growing up on a diet of hardcore and violent pornography. The Government has the brains to stop …

I too commend the amazing work of Jordan and Cian Adams on their incredible journey. Doing 33 marathons in the space of 33 days is an incredible feat. I have done one marathon in 52 years and it is more than enough for me. Raising that level of funds and awareness throughout the country is absolutely amazing, and it reminds us that in this country, people have the power and one or two individuals can change the world in a range of different ways. Sometimes we forget individuals can be the source of major change in …

Commuters woke up this morning to the news that Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, is considering putting up tolls on the Dublin Port Tunnel. It recommended an increase from €13 to €14 and said it was modest. On what planet is a €14 toll modest? We are told that the increase is to stop congestion. Why is it that when it comes to congestion the only tool in the Government's toolbox is a stick - a toll hike to beat people off the road? What about providing more public transport? This year, the Government will pro…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an mBille seo. Self determination is the most important political and democratic right. We in Ireland have learned that lesson hard. London rule has cost this country dearly. Millions of Irish lives have been lost through famines and wars and millions of people have been forced to emigrate as a result of that right. In case anybody has forgotten, Brexit has reminded us again. It proved without a shadow of a doubt that London does not give a tuppenny damn about the North of Ireland. The North of …

I move: That Dáil Eireann: notes that: — Ireland is an outlier regarding the spiralling cost of living, and a Eurostat report this week showed we are the most expensive country for housing, health, energy and alcohol, overall prices are 36 per cent above the European Union average, with health costs in Ireland being 85 per cent higher than the European average; — a study by Barnardos found that more than one-third of households went into arrears on energy bills in the last 12 months, with the Commission for Regulat…

The data centres are doing that.

The Aontú Private Members' motion is designed to reduce the cost of living for families. It is designed to reduce the pressure on families across the country. The Minister of State is right to some extent. There is no doubt that the wars in Ukraine and in Iran, for example, have increased the cost of living for families. However, this Government is the main architect of the rip-off Ireland that is hurting this country at the moment. The Government can list a range of different supports it is giving to families, suc…

In the past there was a system of phased dispensing that was paid for by the State. It evolved into patients getting blister packs. In disadvantaged areas and areas of low income many people who had blister packs had the cost covered by the Government. The Government recently brought in changes to the way this is to be paid for. It did this without discussing it with pharmacists on the ground and there was no consultation with doctors or patients. Now there are no payments for phased dispensing or blister packs for…

The vast majority of data centres in Ireland are owned by American technology multinationals. As the Taoiseach knows, data centres are swallowing up increasing amounts of our electricity. They are putting the grid under enormous pressure. The costs in relation to constraints and bottlenecks are so high now that energy companies have to switch off their turbines and energy users have to pay those energy companies to switch off their turbines. Network stabilisation is now one of the biggest elements of electricity bi…

Ireland's energy system is a mess at the moment. We have the highest domestic electricity prices in the whole European Union. We are enormously exposed to shocks. Our grid is falling apart at the moment. It is not able to handle the electricity that is coming onto the system at all. It has happened as a result, in large part, of an absence of investment since the crash. We have had infrastructure capital depreciation at an enormous rate, which has not been filled with investment, as a result, in large part, of the …

Gabhaim míle buíochas leis an Teachta Charles Ward agus leis an bhfeachtas atá ann mar gheall ar defective blocks, agus de bharr an rúin atá os ár gcomhair faoi láthair. Communities have been battling for years in relation to the very basic premise that the house they have paid for should be of a standard that they can live in and that can stand. Communities have been battling for years in defence of the basic premise that the house they paid for should be of a standard they can live in and that can stand. Aontú ha…

One of the most basic responsibilities of a Government is to keep water in the taps and keep the lights on, yet in County Meath our water infrastructure is that of a developing country. County Meath towns are regularly without water and new housing estates are being delayed as a result of the water infrastructure. I know of one housing estate that has to wait more than a year for Uisce Éireann to connect it to the water infrastructure. Last month, Ballivor was without water for so long that the school had to close.…

Yes.