What is happening in Gaza is absolutely appalling. I noted a quote earlier from a Dr. Potokar in Gaza who said that "if Cambodia was the killing fields, then Gaza now is the slaughterhouse." What is happening to innocent civilians in Gaza is beyond any moral compass, particularly the children who are being slaughtered and the children who are starving. It needs to come to an end. The weaponisation of aid is a war crime and I said that. It is very regrettable that the Deputy says the Irish Government is funding genocide. I cannot really comprehend why the Deputy says things like that. I argue the Deputy does it for politics but it smacks of that only. It lacks sincerity. The Central Bank operates under European regulations. It does not have the authority to do what the Deputy says it should do. It is fundamentally wrong to take the tactics the Deputy is taking.
Sentiment score: -0.24
I find it morally repulsive as well.
Sentiment score: 0.27
As the Deputy knows, at UN level we have been doing quite a lot working with other like-minded countries, particularly co-sponsoring the motion that led to the ICJ's advisory opinion in respect of the illegal occupation of Palestinian territories. We intend to continue to work with like-minded states. There is a conference coming up in June in New York, organised by a number of countries - France, in particular - and Ireland will be there to support the initiatives that will be taken at that particular conference. We have been involved in the International Court of Justice. The Attorney General, on behalf of the Government, made a submission to the court in respect of that advisory opinion. We have also co-sponsored a resolution, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 18 December, seeking to implement the court's advisory opinion. The Minister for foreign affairs is progressing the occupied territories Bill and has made comments in respect of the timelines for that some weeks ago.
Sentiment score: 0.26
The Deputy said he supported the Housing Commission's report, and the Housing Commission report recommended changes to the rent pressure zones. I do not know why he is condemning the Government for even considering the recommendation of the Housing Commission in respect of that issue.
Sentiment score: 0.35
Regarding real investment in dwellings, the Irish economy registered the fourth largest increase across the 27 EU countries between 2020 and 2024. The House may be interested to know that a recent Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, publication in 2024 comparing housing supply across Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales found that Ireland and Northern Ireland had the highest rate of housebuilding per capita and that Ireland and Scotland had the highest rate of publicly built housing. There is significant investment but it simply is not enough. That is why we need the private sector investment. I know the Deputy is against pension funds and institutional funds, but I do not see how we can get to the €20 billion investment required if we do not bring in substantial private sector investment to supplement record levels of public expenditure on housing, the likes of which we have not seen since the 1980s.
Sentiment score: 0.25
Renters are not being ignored by this Government. That is just a false statement. Over the last number of years, we have brought in a series of protections, regulatory and otherwise, to protect tenants and give greater security. We have also continued to keep protecting renters as a high priority of Government. I cannot commit to emergency legislation on the blind. If the Deputy sends me the details of the particular case and estate, I will engage with the Minister for housing about it and see what action can be taken to help the tenants in that situation.
Sentiment score: 0.22
We keep bandying words about the place, but the expansion of health services in recent years has been exponential. We need to get a sense of perspective in how we describe things. I am not saying there is not challenges but the bottom line is €25 billion is being spent on our health services. The HSE has significant resources. I was involved in setting up the PHECC and so on 20-odd years ago.
Sentiment score: 0.03
What I am saying is that an additional €8 million was provided in 2025 for new service development in terms of an additional 180 posts. The total staff numbers have risen to 2,407 up to the end of 2024. That is an increase of 25% or 476 extra-----
Sentiment score: 0.11
-----since the start of 2020. Therefore, we have had close to 500 extra staff over the last number of years. That does not mean we do not need more; we probably do.
Sentiment score: 0.03
Let us not pretend-----
Sentiment score: 0.00
I thank the Deputy for raising what is a very important issue. Although regulations were introduced in 2024 to allow for the legal use of e-scooters on Irish roads, I believe they need to be kept under constant review because there are clear dangers and vulnerabilities in regard to their use. Those regulations extended the rules of the road already in place for pedal cycles to include e-scooters, provide for technical standards and conditions for safe use and set a minimum age of 16 and a speed limit of 20 km/h. Also An Garda Síochána can issue a fixed-charge notice of €50 to e-scooter users. As the Deputy knows, the 2023 Act which he referenced deals with dangerous driving and antisocial use of scramblers and quad bikes via three key measures. Dangerous driving has become an offence everywhere. Gardaí have powers of seizure. Under section 11(b) of that Act there is a new power to provide in regulations for the prohibition or restriction of the uses of classes of vehicles in particular places. These regulations are currently being prepared by the Department of Transport. I will follow that up with the Minister and alert him to the Deputy's interest in this.
Sentiment score: 0.05
As the Deputy knows, the Minister, Deputy Browne, is committed to establishing a new towns and cities infrastructure and investment fund to replace the urban regeneration and development fund. Hopefully, we can make it a bit more flexible for some towns that may not have qualified for the URDF. The detailed arrangements for the implementation of these funding streams will be clarified further following completion of the national development plan review. That will enable a clear line of sight as to the level of additional capital funding for infrastructural investment. We believe that review will be completed in line with the summer 2025 timeline set out in the programme for Government.
Sentiment score: 0.25
I will pursue the matter. I do not know whether an application has gone in under the summer works scheme. Is it too big for that?
Sentiment score: 0.01
Yes. I will alert the Minister for education to the specifics and ask if she could respond to the school authorities and to the Deputy.
Sentiment score: 0.35
I thank Deputy Ó Cearúil. Obviously, the quality of Maynooth University Crèche must have been of a very high standard given the manner in which the Deputy has come through ever since, right into Dáil Éireann.
Sentiment score: 0.18
I have just been informed that building blocks have now been suggested. In any event, I will talk to the Minister, Deputy Foley, and to the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, about Kildare and its needs. It is probably one of the fastest growing counties in the country and clearly it is no surprise to me that the demand is quite high there.
Sentiment score: 0.07
Again, I will talk to the Minister involved. Has the Deputy spoken to the HSE authorities locally or regionally there about why the service was suddenly stopped? There is normally a background to these issues. Certainly, we will enquire with the HSE and with the Minister.
Sentiment score: 0.03
If the Deputy gets the background information, we will see what we can do.
Sentiment score: 0.00
Part of me would say these agencies, the Garda and so on need to get this sorted out. The Government cannot be intervening left, right and centre in every organisation it establishes that has statutory duties and functions. We need to create a culture in this regard. I fully appreciate the Deputy raising this issue and I will talk to both Ministers in respect of this issue. These organisations have been established by law and there is an obligation on the leadership of both organisations to ensure issues are ironed out and that these arrangements and memorandums of understanding operate properly, efficiently and effectively. That would be my initial response to this. There should be no personality issues involved here and the organisations should work properly in the interests of the citizens and the country. I will raise this issue with the two Ministers.
Sentiment score: 0.22
There are two things. First, many local authorities do a lot of good work in terms of voids. The Deputy has sat on a council. I think all of us have complained over the years where a house, which has been vacated due to tenants leaving for whatever reason, has remained unoccupied for an inordinate length of time. That system has to change. That house should be very quickly reallocated to other tenants on the housing list. In the housing crisis we are in, there is no excuse for not doing that. That is my view. Second, local authorities have powers under the Derelict Sites Act and I often-----
Sentiment score: -0.08
There is a lack of application.
Sentiment score: -0.32
There is a lack of resource application and a lack of desire, in that it is said it is too cumbersome and too difficult. It is there for a reason. The law is complex but you need to be tenacious and you need to persevere. Third, the Deputy will be glad to know that St. Kevin's Hospital in Cork has been taken over by the LDA-----
Sentiment score: -0.02
-----and a very good housing scheme is now being developed there.
Sentiment score: 0.49
Finally, the Deputy is right in one respect and that is why we asked the LDA to acquire some more of these properties from the HSE and others, that is, to get them used for housing.
Sentiment score: 0.48
The Government was formed on 22 January. The general election was at the end of November. A number of Opposition people habitually equate the general election date with the formation of Government date. It is a clever ploy but it is not the truth. The Government has only been in office since 22 January. It is a very short while. It might seem like longer to the Deputy but that is how short it has been. In many instances, during the previous Government, the junior Ministers were not all sorted within two to three weeks. By any yardstick, it took much longer. There were some fundamental changes in Departments, with tourism going to enterprise. That led to a broader change. Quite a number of the junior Ministers have delegated powers. Not every Minister of State gets a delegated legal authority. A mistake is often made that one requires legal delegations in order to perform certain duties. That is not the case. For example, the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs historically has never had delegated authority-----
Sentiment score: 0.03
-----but everyone understands their role, function and purpose. It has been a very effective one. Deputy Thomas Byrne has performed excellently in the role as have his predecessors. The Taoiseach: -----but everyone understands the role, function and purpose of the Minister of State with responsibility for European Affairs.
Sentiment score: 0.29
Likewise, with regard to the Third World, the Minister of State with responsibility for Irish Aid has very clearly delineated functions, policies and initiatives-----
Sentiment score: 0.46
-----without requiring a dedicated Department.
Sentiment score: 0.46
I thank the Deputy for raising this issue in the manner he has done so. I understand fully, as he eloquently articulated in the House some weeks ago, his personal experience of this entire situation in respect of his own child. That is a valuable input into the debate on this issue. I anticipate and expect a report to be published at the end of the week. It is important it is published and that in parallel with the publication of the report, it is accompanied by a very robust and comprehensive response from the entire health system. That is what is required here in the interests of the parents and children affected. We have to put the children and families at the centre of our response and at the centre of how we deal with this.
Sentiment score: 0.30