I thank the Taoiseach for the report. I note that in the conclusion of the European Council meeting in March competitiveness featured largely. I would like to hear more about what discussions were had about keeping the Commission honest in terms of following the simplification agenda. We know from the Draghi and Letta reports that there is a need for an impetus towards the simplification agenda that is not just the deferral of regulation but involves looking at how we ease the burden on businesses in the EU to allo…

Without doubt the shared island initiative is one of the signature achievements in taking forward the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement and ensuring there is reconciliation and also that we see this shared island as our common home place. I am struck also by the Taoiseach's mention that sports governing bodies have been engaged by applying to the various funds for activation across the island. I wonder whether he could say more about how his Department and the Department of foreign affairs are pro-actively engagi…

As I have said in the House in the past, I represent Dublin Mid-West, one of the fastest growing constituencies in the country. I wish to ask the Tánaiste about secondary school places for the people of Newcastle, which is the fastest growing town in Europe. At the county development plan stage in 2022, it was forecast that by 2028, 5,000 people would be living there. However, the most recent census in 2020 showed 4,500 people living in the town, meaning there will be over 6,500 people in Newcastle by 2028. The pri…

As we have discussed previously, 51 years have passed since the dreadful events of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings in which 33 people lost their lives and hundreds more, including family members of constituents of mine, were injured both physically and mentally. In a week when we spoke in the Dáil about the importance of seeking truth and answers for loved ones, it is very much a fact that the families of victims of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings do not have justice and do not have the full truth. I look forward…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Tánaiste as a fhreagra. As he noted, four all-party motions were passed by the House, in 2008, 2011, 2014 and 2016, urging full co-operation from the British Government. It seems the citation of national security as grounds not to enable that co-operation is held up as a flag. He mentioned Operation Denton, which is a welcome development in terms of investigating unresolved killings during the Troubles. I note that An Garda Síochána has co-operated with Operation Denton. It is important tha…

The Tánaiste is entirely right. Government and Members of the Dáil owe it to the victims of those attacks to continually press the British Government on its use of national security as a shield for withholding that documentation. Will the Tánaiste directly challenge the British Government in his interactions with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and other members of the British Government on its use of national security to withhold documents? Will he give an assurance that victims' voices remain central …

Cuirim fáilte roimh ráiteas an Taoisigh gur ardaigh sé an t-uafás atá ag tarlú i nGaza agus an cogadh san Úcráin leis an Uachtarán Trump agus gur chuir sé teachtaireacht na hÉireann in iúl go soiléir dó. I am also encouraged by the fact that the Taoiseach raised the US Administration's interest in Northern Ireland with the president. I would like to hear more from the Taoiseach about how his Administration is actively engaging not only with the Northern Ireland Executive but, indeed, wider Northern Ireland society …

The Taoiseach and I have discussed in the past the importance of recognising the efforts that go into sustaining and growing a business. As an important thing, it should be a feature of our political discourse. Core to our growth as a country in the future, as Deputy Dolan said, is the growth of indigenous enterprises, those that move from start-ups to scale-ups, and thinking about how we in government can support and assist the environment in which those businesses operate. Therefore, will the Taoiseach consider a…

In my constituency, in the past two weeks, we have seen an injury involving an e-scooter on a cycle lane because the user of the e-scooter broke a red light and severely injured a ten-year-old boy. We saw a fatality involving a scrambler bike in the Citywest-Saggart area three weeks ago. Time and time again, I am getting complaints and representations from people across my constituency about the use of e-scooters and scrambler bikes. While e-scooters in particular are a welcome addition to the active travel agenda,…

One of the most consistent issues raised with me during the general election campaign was the lack of delivery on the long-promised Lucan Luas line. At doorway after doorway, people spoke with frustration, not just about the delay but with a sense that our area, Lucan, is often overlooked when it comes to major transport infrastructure. This is a wider issue across the constituency of Dublin Mid-West. What strikes me is that I can count on one hand the number of times the Lucan Luas line was raised in this Chamber …

I thank the Minister of State for that response. I note that Lucan is the largest town in Dublin without access to light rail, so when I talk about this extension, it is not just about transport but about fairness and inclusion. The Minister of State referenced the public transport connectedness that exists across parts of the infrastructure currently. There is a very large public transport deficit in Lucan as well. BusConnects has taken some steps towards the catch-up that we need to play, but there is a huge oppo…

As this is my first opportunity to speak, I want to take a moment to mark the sad death of Garda Kevin Flatley and extend my deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues in An Garda Síochána, including those who knew him in O'Dwyer's GAA club in Balbriggan and St. Finian's GAA club in Newcastle. As other Deputies have done, I will begin by acknowledging that waiting times for tests are far in excess of what is acceptable and it must be a priority, as has been set out by the Government and other Deputie…

The Tánaiste, as a dad of young children, like me, will appreciate the importance of public health nurses and the community health checks they perform. Could he give the House an update on the progress being made on the priority allocation of the 26.7 WTE community nursing posts that are currently being recruited by the HSE? Is there a timeframe for their being filled? We are aware of the importance of childhood development checks but we also know about the important role community nurses and public health nurses p…

I am delighted to have this opportunity to speak in support of the revised national planning framework. I welcome the revision. It also acknowledges the changed context of the need to accelerate housing construction. It is important to emphasise the equal importance of infrastructure and all the associated services that need to be delivered. The revised framework represents the step-change that we need. I hope that, in tandem with the full commencement of the Planning and Development Act 2024, we will see that step…

As a dad of three in a constituency that has one of the fastest growing communities in the country, childcare and the services that underpin our childcare system are crucial to many of the working families. My question for the Minister is regarding the planned review of core funding, the timeframe for that to be rolled out, the process that will underpin it and give certainty to a number of providers who at this stage are starting to leave the childcare system because of the financial pressure they are under.

I thank the Minister for her response. Without a doubt, I welcome the huge progress that has been made in bringing the costs of childcare back down. It was certainly raised with me by parents throughout the campaign and we are keen to maintain that progress and see it persist throughout the lifetime of this Government and to achieve that aim of a monthly cap of €200 in childcare costs for every family in the State. The trick with core funding is - and I fully understand the challenges - about getting the balance ri…

I recognise the huge progress that has been made in giving stability to that sector and shoring it up. That public investment is extremely welcome, not only because of the relief it gives working parents, but also ensuring full participation in the labour market for men and women, that they do not have to worry about the cost of childcare. One of the hallmarks of how core funding has been improved in the previous four years - which has been very positive and I am keen for it to continue - is that engagement between…

We know that Dublin's buses operate on very strict timetables and that reliability is a key element of operating a bus service but safety also needs to be a consideration. To keep delays to a minimum, we often hear of cases of bus drivers pulling away from bus stops five or ten seconds after passengers board but for individuals with mobility or balance issues, like those public transport users with cerebral palsy, this can be extremely dangerous and distressing. While I acknowledge the importance of keeping these b…

Like other colleagues, I welcome the adoption of the ministerial committee on national security. I am particularly keen that this would be up and running and meeting as soon as possible given the current debate about tariffs and trade wars demonstrates Ireland's strategic location from an economic point of view but now, also being on the western side of the European Union, very much from a military point of view, notwithstanding the prevalence of subsea cables and other vital infrastructure around our coasts. My qu…

I am taking this question on behalf of Deputy Brendan Smith, who cannot be here this evening. He is a long-time advocate on this particular issue. Next May marks the 51st anniversary of the tragic events of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings where 34 innocent people lost their lives and over 300 people were injured. I ask the Tánaiste about the engagement he has had with the British Government on the very credible allegations of collusion with elements of the British security forces. What sort of reciprocation has th…