The events of last evening are extremely serious and very grave. As the Deputy quite rightly said, our thoughts are about the well-being and welfare of the child involved and with the entire family. It is the fundamental duty of the State to protect the children of the State. Irrespective of the complexity, acuity or severity of any particular case, that duty has to be fulfilled and on this occasion, that duty was not fulfilled. This case will be referred to the national review panel. Legislation will be introduced to put that review panel on a statutory basis but the more fundamental point is that a review will take place. The Minister for children has asked for an interim report - certainly within six weeks. I have to be careful as there is a live criminal case and a person has been arrested in respect of the alleged sexual assault of this ten-year-old girl, so I do not want to say anything that in any way compromises the conduct or progressing of that case but the Minister for justice has asked his Secretary General and the Department for a full report in respect of the management of the application for asylum case since the person first arrived in the country. There are issues there that certainly need review more generally. I acknowledge the concern, anger and worry of many people throughout the country at what has transpired or alleged to have transpired here. The concerns are legitimate. The concerns of people generally across the country and within the specific location are genuine and I acknowledge that. We will put the full rigours of the State behind this case in all facets and all respects. I do not want to conflate this with other cases. I do not think that is fair. The other cases are equally very difficult and grave. This has nothing at all to do with the case last evening but the Deputy mentioned last week in north Dublin. The number of unaccompanied minors presenting is increasing at a very rapid level. Those young people were not in the care of Tusla. They were being provided with housing - essentially emergency accommodation. That is an important context for that case, so we should not conflate all the cases. There are different backgrounds to each case. The State has a fundamental right to protect the well-being of a ten-year-old child. I would like the review to look at all aspects of the care of the child in question and to bring forward recommendations, because we need to challenge existing restrictions or potential restraints on care agencies in terms of looking after young children. This is a particularly complex area. It will be fully reviewed. The national review panel is independent of Tusla, which is important. We need an interim report as quickly as possible. Admhaím go bhfuil imní faoi leith ar dhaoine agus pobal na tíre faoin méid atá tar éis tarlú. Táimid chun gach aon chóras tacaíochta a thabhairt don leanbh atá i gceist agus do chlann an linbh agus, mar aon leis sin, tuarascáil a fháil ó na hAirí agus na Ranna speisialta.

Sentiment score: 0.05

I agree that there needs to be a specific review of this case, but we are not ruling out a wider review of all aspects of how we protect children. We use language like "children in care". That is used in a formal legal sense where a child is in care. However, this child was not necessarily in statutory care because there is an age limit in terms of that. These are important points because the Act is clear in the context of the age at which a child can be formally put into care. All these issues need to be reviewed. They are complex and important, and the legislation governing this area needs to be reviewed as well. I do not want to pre-empt anything here because a review is going to take place. However, my initial sense is that the agencies and authorities need maximum flexibility within the legal framework to do the right thing, namely what is right for a child at a given time.

Sentiment score: 0.41

Clearly, there has been failure of the State's obligation to protect this child.

Sentiment score: 0.25

The execution of a deportation order very much depends on the country involved, the potential country involved or the country alleged to be involved, that is, the country of origin, being in a position to receive a person. There can be a variety of reasons as to why that is not possible.

Sentiment score: 0.00

May I first of all say that I think the CSO should be the standard statistical body that we should adhere to for any analysis and comment, and pin those on it, because there are all sorts of groups coming forward every now and again with indeterminate statistics? There is no question but that inflation has been a very significant issue over the last number of years. In fact, it was close to 10% following the pandemic and the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. It has eased considerably since then but, of course, prices are at that elevated level. Real wages are now increasing by about 3.5%, if we take out inflation. That said, food prices are a significant pressure on many families. However, the Government has responded. We have put in permanent measures that have eased the cost of living for many families. The free schoolbooks scheme, for example, was a very significant measure that we took, and it is permanent. Free hot school meals are very significant. Some 26% of families now benefit from the fuel allowance, which is a very significant enhancement. We targeted supports to the child support payment. For those over 12 years of age, it went up by €16, and by €8 for those under 12. That helps many lower-income families but many middle-class households with children will also benefit. The working family payment threshold increased by €60 a week, which allows more families to qualify and get more support. There was an expansion of the back-to-school clothing and footwear payment to include younger children of two and three years old. Of course, we have the pension auto-enrolment scheme, which is a very significant scheme that will benefit well over 700,000 workers in time. These are more permanent, sustainable measures that will improve working people's lives and quality of life into the future. We targeted our resources in this budget. We also extended the rent tax credit, which has been increased over recent years. We have extended the reduction in the VAT rate on electricity and kept it at 9% for the next number of years. We will continue to do what we can in terms of supporting families. The budget is not as the Deputy has described. That is just a cheap headline grabber. The budget is very significant in terms of the public expenditure and the increases in services for disability, and for education in terms of capitation grants, with €50 for primary schools. These are very significant interventions. One has to make choices in the budget. I recall the Labour Party consistently criticising the Government's tax packages over the past five years and now when there is not a tax package on personal income, it turns around, reverses and criticises us for not including one.

Sentiment score: 0.26

We decided to invest in capital in terms of more roads, more schools, more public transport and better rail services. That is what we are doing right across the board. In terms of disability and child poverty measures, we have significantly enhanced the allocation to those respective areas.

Sentiment score: 0.10

We need to get prices down sustainably over the next number of years. That is the key target. Some of the Opposition's proposals would have added 2% to the inflation rate, which would have exacerbated the problem for many families out there. The International Monetary Fund, IMF, is forecasting that among the euro area, Ireland will have the third lowest inflation rate between 2025 and 2026 at 1.7%. We did not want to do anything. For example, if one wanted universal energy credits, one would bump up inflation and consistently exacerbate the problem. We cannot keep on doing once-off packages forever. I am sure the Deputy would acknowledge that. What we wanted to do was to improve services, particularly in disability, which has a 20% increase in the allocation. That is important. We have an awful lot more to do there in terms of respite places, residential places and so on. It is the same in special education where we need more resources for more teachers, more special needs assistants and more classes for next September onwards. These are very important investments and allocations of resources. What the Deputy said about the hospitality this year is about €250 million. That would not index anything, and the Deputy knows that. Indexation would be well over a billion-----

Sentiment score: 0.09

First of all, I appreciate the Deputy raising what is a serious issue, without question. I read part of that report yesterday. I cannot say I was aware of that as Taoiseach back then but there was a lot happening. The Deputy has just asked me right now. Having looked at the report yesterday, obviously the Garda must have put this individual forward for the Scott medal of bravery in respect of the kidnapping of Don Tidey, which, as the Deputy knows, resulted in the murder of Private Kelly and a Garda recruit who was just a recruit from Templemore, Garda Sheehan. They were murdered by the Provisional IRA. In fact, the murderers were subsequently lauded too by that organisation and by their political supporters, which does not excuse what happened here but that should also sometimes get mentioned in reference. We owe a tribute to Tommy Conlon and Ronan McGreevy who wrote a very honest book about the kidnapping of Don Tidey and the brutal murder of a garda and an Army person. That said, I too would question. I do not want to talk about an individual who is not in the House, but there are factors that the Deputy has articulated in respect of the Morris tribunal, which we are all very familiar with. That tribunal was the catalyst for a lot of change within An Garda Síochána. Some appalling acts were uncovered by the Morris tribunal, no question about that, and the conclusions were very stark and grave indeed. So, in the context of that, yes, I think it is a fair question to ask. That is a matter that happened quite a number of years ago. I think it has surfaced now because of the presidential election, if we are all honest. It was written in such a way to target an officeholder at the time. There are nonetheless legitimate questions. I would accept that. Obviously, a person is dealt with in terms of either a tribunal or subsequent actions to a tribunal, but then in relation to other acts of bravery that a person may have committed separate altogether from the misdeeds that the person may have committed, is the person entitled to that award? Particularly in the context of domestic violence and the horrific nature of the violence in this case, I think that is a very fair point to raise. I certainly would have issues with that myself as well.

Sentiment score: 0.07

I am not justifying what happened. I have made that clear. Certainly, in her time in government, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, did a lot of work as Minister for Justice in respect of domestic violence and gender-based violence. We now have the establishment of Cuan and the new strategy, which I strongly supported as chair of an interdepartmental Cabinet subcommittee, as Taoiseach at the time. The Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, is continuing that and is bringing in further measures and allocating further resources to this area, in terms of a zero-tolerance approach to domestic violence. We do not prosecute in this House. We have a separation of powers in respect of the criminal justice system. It is not within my powers to revoke particular awards but certainly it is a matter on which we will reflect. I am not in a position to commit to any line of action in respect of this. I think it is a fair matter to raise. There has to be zero tolerance of domestic violence and gender-based violence more generally.

Sentiment score: 0.17

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue in a responsible and fair way. I acknowledge that. People are worried and anxious. The Deputy made a fair point at the outset that he is not criticising migration generally or the fact that we now have a country and society that have evolved, with many people of different ethnic origins living in the State who are as Irish as sure as the next man is. We need proper tolerance and equality on that front. As the Deputy correctly said, in our hospitals, our healthcare facilities and our technology companies, the fact that we have absorbed and can draw on a lot of human capital has been a very important ingredient in societal and economic development. That needs to be acknowledged. The process of seeking asylum in this country has come under huge pressure in recent years. Particularly post the Covid-19 pandemic, the numbers increased dramatically. Side by side with that, there was the war in Ukraine, which caused the displacement of about 12 million Ukrainians. There is also the weaponisation of migration by Russia. The Deputy instanced Poland. On the borders of Lithuania, Latvia and so on and right across Poland, Russia is weaponising migration, sending migrants into those countries as part of its wider war effort. To get back to Ireland specifically, I agree we need a faster and firm procedure in dealing with those seeking asylum. The majority - I think 60% or 70% - are adjudged to be economic migrants as opposed to seeking refuge if some of the outcomes of the process are taken into account. The International Protection Office is processing much faster and the accelerated cases are within the six months. Yes, the appeal system can take a bit longer, but the Minister is working with a set of proposals to speed up the appeal process. About 3,500 deportation orders were signed this year, compared with about 2,400 last year. Of those, about 1,600 have been confirmed as having left the country, either through voluntary departure or through deportation flights and other mechanisms. Overall, I think the number seeking asylum is down this year by about 30%, maybe.

Sentiment score: 0.06

Sorry, it is about 38%. There can be different factors responsible for that. We need fast, firm procedures in managing the migration issue. That has to be consistent and sustained. This Government took the decision to bring all this back within the Department of justice, which was the correct decision, in my view, and progress has been seen in that respect. I agree that there would be no harm at all in having a proactive debate on these matters and that we should do so.

Sentiment score: 0.17

All those seeking asylum are fingerprinted when they come into the country under the Eurodac system. In 2024, 67% of completed appeals were rejected, and so far in 2025, more than 80% of applications have been rejected at first instance. I accept the Deputy's point if people are here. It is neither fair to the person nor to the country if this system is allowed to drag out for years and years. The focus in the past number of years has been on tightening up and speeding up the process itself. We have more than doubled the number of deportation orders signed over the same period last year. The specifics are that 3,583 orders have been signed in 2025 compared to 1,792 this time last year. That is what it says on the note I have but I thought it was a higher figure. There has been about a 40% reduction in the numbers of people arriving here claiming asylum. However, there are issues we need to tighten up on.

Sentiment score: -0.07