Aidan Farrelly
Kildare North · Social Democrats · Ireland
“I thank the Minister. If she will indulge me, it is very rare I get the opportunity to speak about my life experience prior to being in here but I have been a youth worker for about 16 years or the guts of three Dáil terms. The day before the general election I submitted my PhD thesis, which was on professional youth work.”
“In the past year, the number of children admitted to Temple Street with brain injuries from accidents on e-scooters has increased by 50%. I think we have agreement across the House that this is an ever-worsening public health crisis at this point. It is clear that the ban on under-16s using e-scooters has been a monumental failure.”
“It is acceptable that data will be shared with the task force in September but I ask that it be shared more widely once the terms of reference have been agreed. It would be really useful for the academic sector and for those who are in the market of training and professionally qualifying youth workers in the field.”
“Crucially, gardaí must be given the resources and the appropriate training to be able to pursue and enforce what is current legislation. The fourth piece, the bike-to-work scheme, has been an incredible success.”
“Actually, youth work is an occupation and profession that is one of the best jobs to have but we need to make sure the landscape is there for budding youth workers to go through appropriate professional qualification programmes and that the job will fulfil them not just from a rewarding job perspective but also from a financial perspectiv…”
“When the Minister says that advisory group is going to meet in September, who makes up the membership of that? The information the Minister's Department has collected is golden with regard to the sector. Will the Minister publish the findings of that survey? It would be really useful information.”
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“There were 255. I raise this issue because it appears that this has become an acceptable norm in Naas General Hospital. Year after year, the same number of patients receiving care on trolleys. The numbers may fall or rise slightly, but it has become something of a predictable crisis. In the same way that young families have to plan early for basics like crèche and school places in Kildare, I ask the Minister of State, the HSE and hospital management team in Naas to plan better for this predictable crisis. Kildare has a population of 250,000 people. The county has experienced exponential growth in 30 years, more than doubling from the 1990s.”
“Inpatients have told me how thankful they are for the care and medical expertise they experience from a beautifully diverse and wonderfully talented staff team in Naas General Hospital, but to get to that point people must often traverse an excessive wait in the emergency department. Some 255 people were cared for on trolleys in November this year and why I raise this with the Minister of State-----”
“People who are lucky enough to have a GP place need to give two weeks' notice to let the practice know they are going to be sick because capacity is a real issue. When it comes to Naas General Hospital, people pray to whoever it is that they pray to that they or their family will not have to darken the door of the hospital over the coming weeks and months. That is not because of the level of care provided, but the issue of capacity. The toll it takes on people's health outcomes is monumental. I hope it goes without saying that a critique of the hospital is no reflection on the majority of staff who conduct themselves with the utmost professionalism and dedication to their occupation as is humanly possible.”
“Before I speak to this Topical Issue, I wish to commend Deputy Ó Muirí on raising a really important issue in the House. I fully agree with his sentiments, having been a youth worker for so long. I will be the first to stand here and critique, but on this issue I can attest to the improvements the previous couple of Governments have made in this regard. I know the app the Minister of State mentioned has a very place in her heart in terms of the impact it might have. I wish her continued success with the roll-out of that mental health app. When you live in Kildare you begin to plan for certain things at a very early stage. You try to get a crèche place for your child before they are born because they are often full. People try to enrol their children in local schools before they are born because the chances are they are full.”
“The Tánaiste does not need me to tell him about the importance of the DART+ South West project. We have seen now is that the project has been shelved for a minimum of four years before any works will take place. We have heard at length about the impact judicial reviews have on delaying significant infrastructure projects. This project has no judicial reviews. It has full planning permission. An Coimisiún Pleanála approved the railway order back in 2024. Under questioning this week, the Taoiseach said he will speak to the Minister. Will the Tánaiste join him in trying to get this project back on the cards? The people of Kildare need this. The M50 and M7 are all full. We do not want more people in their cars; we want this project. Will he commit to that today?”
“Deputies Peter 'Chap' Cleere, Malcolm Byrne - To discuss delays in the school building programme. The matters raised by Deputies Mattie McGrath, Michael Murphy, Conor D. McGuinness, David Cullinane, Peter 'Chap' Cleere, Malcolm Byrne, Danny Healy-Rae, Ruairí Ó Murchú have been selected for discussion.”
“Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty - To discuss funding for Deansrath Family Centre to build an early childhood and family centre. Deputy Barry Ward - To discuss overcapacity and reliability issues on the E1 and E2 bus routes operated by Dublin Bus. Deputy Malcolm Byrne - To discuss delays in the school building programme. Deputy Louis O'Hara - To discuss the continued closure of Dunguaire Castle, Kinvara, County Galway. Deputy Michael Collins - To discuss water supply issues affecting Adrigole. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú - To discuss waiting times for ultrasound scans at Louth County Hospital. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae - To discuss outbreaks of TB in cattle in Kerry. Deputies Mattie McGrath, Michael Murphy - To discuss the delivery of the N24 Cahir to Waterford upgrade project.”
“I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Mattie McGrath - To discuss the delivery of the N24 Cahir to Waterford upgrade project. Deputies Conor D. McGuinness, David Cullinane - To discuss the Irish Coast Guard SAR aviation service. Deputy Joe Cooney - To discuss flood mitigation measures at Ballycar, County Clare. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere - To discuss delays in the school building programme. Deputy Conor Sheehan - To discuss punctuality issues on the 304A bus service in Limerick city. Deputy Séamus McGrath - To discuss the new school building project proposed for the amalgamation of Ringaskiddy and Shanbally national schools, County Cork.”
“Is the Government going to put its money where its mouth is and follow through on its commitment to €200 a month childcare and, most importantly right now, an action plan for the future of childcare and early years education in Ireland?”
“The Tánaiste, Simon Harris, promised voters an action plan on childcare within 100 days and here we are 400 days later with nothing to show for that but more empty words. The Minister does not need me to tell him that this sector is at breaking point for service providers, staff and, fundamentally, young families. The Social Democrats have called for a time-limited special Oireachtas committee to develop a pathway for the future vision of childcare and early years education in Ireland. That has fallen on deaf ears. We have asked for this many times previously. There is still no word, still no action plan and still no future vision for childcare. Now that the Tánaiste is the self-appointed Minister for Finance, there are no more excuses.”
“Deputy Jen Cummins - To discuss the remediation scheme for apartment owners. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan - To discuss the urgent need for investment in Carrignavar wastewater treatment plant. Deputy Darren O'Rourke - To discuss plans for investment in water and wastewater infrastructure in Dunboyne, County Meath. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí - To discuss the escalating arson attacks on playgrounds and public facilities in north Dublin. The matters raised by Deputies Guirke, Cummins, McGreehan, Gogarty and McGettigan have been selected for discussion.”
“Deputy Louis O'Hara - To discuss the continued closure of Dunguaire Castle, Kinvara, County Galway. Deputy Gary Gannon - To discuss unsafe lead levels in Phibsboro's drinking water. Deputy Ryan O'Meara - To discuss ambulance wait times in north Tipperary. Deputy Eoghan Kenny - To discuss building renovations and school accommodation in St. Patrick's College, Gardiner's Hill, Cork city. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú - To discuss the financial crisis at Darver National School, County Louth. Deputy Thomas Gould - To discuss issues with reliability and punctuality of Cork city's bus service. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire - To discuss the need for immediate intervention and humanitarian assistance in Sudan. Deputy Mattie McGrath - To discuss the need to revoke the Dundrum House hotel IPAS contract following a High Court decision.”
“Deputy Pat Buckley - To discuss the proposed construction of a waste incinerator in Ringaskiddy, Cork Harbour, County Cork. Deputy Séamus McGrath - To discuss the new school building project proposed for Ringaskiddy and Shanbally national schools, County Cork. Deputy Malcolm Byrne - To discuss the difficulties facing Wicklow and Wexford commuters. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty - To discuss the need for a full public inquiry into the tendering and construction of Lucan leisure centre. Deputy Louise O'Reilly - To discuss access to a remediation and compensation scheme for homes built with defective block in Skerries. Deputy Erin McGreehan - To discuss the establishment of a community neuro-rehabilitation team in the Dublin and North East regional health area.”
“I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Michael Cahill - To discuss funding and support for the Killarney innovation centre. Deputy Catherine Ardagh - To discuss the introduction of a national lung cancer screening programme using low-dose CT scanning. Deputy Johnny Guirke - To discuss the contracts homebuyers signed in Ringfort, Rathmolyon, County Meath. Deputy Aidan Farrelly - To discuss the sustainability, resourcing and funding of the early years education sector. Deputy Donna McGettigan - To discuss the waiting list for home help in County Clare. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil - To discuss the reliability of bus services in Kildare North.”
“Nothing is going to change dramatically. I urge the Minister of State to let us take this conversation to the next step as a show of faith in the young people of Ireland and to show we are taking this seriously and mean what we say when we say we trust and value them. I reiterate my thanks to my friends in the Social Democrats for allowing me the time to introduce this Bill and to everybody across the House for thinking about what they would say and saying it so eloquently and respectfully. I also thank the young people and youth workers in the Visitors Gallery and those around this country who devote their lives to empowering, respecting, valuing and trusting the young people of this State. This Bill is a very natural next step. I look forward to hearing from the Minister of State.”
“I mean that with the greatest of respect. We do not need An Coimisiún Toghcháin to tell us how to legislate. There is nothing creative in this. The UK and 15 other countries around the world are doing it. Young people's voices deserve to be heard. Reuben Murray, who has been name-checked already, is in the Gallery. Members might have heard him on “Drivetime” this week. He spoke eloquently and respectfully, but, my God, he spoke with a competency that we would all be proud of. People like him deserve to vote. Young people in this country of 16 and 17 years of age deserve to vote. We, as legislators, should come together. I urge the Government, with all sincerity, to please withdraw the amendment. It has been suggested that we do what we are suggesting in the 12 months until the Bill is read again. Let us do that on Committee Stage.”
“I asked people to vote for me to become a legislator. What we have before us is a very simple, straightforward piece of legislation. It absolutely has consequences, and I do not undermine that for one second. However, we have seen so many attempts to progress this. There is nothing creative in this, and I really mean that. We have all the research that An Coimisiún Toghcháin will be reviewing. That research is comprehensive and very clear. In the context of the Bill and the attempt by the Social Democrats and I to raise this matter today, it is almost as if we have received the baton from Deputy Byrne and other Members of the Oireachtas, including Deputy Mac Lochlainn, Senator Ruane and many others. All we are trying to do is revive a debate. While it is said that we are going to do this again in 12 months’ time, I do not accept that.”
“I thank both Ministers of State for their contributions to the debate, which I appreciate. I thank Deputies from all sides of the House for their important and meaningful contributions. There are a couple of things I would like to say in wrapping up. First, it is that my heart is full that we have had a chance to talk about young people for such an expansive amount of time - two hours - and what I certainly perceive to be universal support for the idea and the purpose behind this. Whatever way it manifests itself in the end, we collectively agree that young people at 16 and 17 in this State deserve the right to vote. With the greatest of respect, like the Ministers of State, only last year I knocked on thousands of doors. Not once did I ask people to vote for me on the basis that I would rely on a third body to advise me how to legislate.”
“It is an opportunity to instigate a process and to allow the people of Ireland to have their say. The Government is proposing to delay this conversation for 12 months - for what, I do not know, and I look forward to the Minister of State's response. I am going to preface it by thinking that whatever is going to happen in that 12 months could happen on Committee Stage and I say that respectfully. I want to say to the 16- and 17-year-olds of this country that they are not a problem for the future. In fact, like many other countries, we believe in their voice and their vote and we trust them.”
“Ahead of every election, young people are talking about candidates, parties, manifestos or pledges but, more importantly, they are talking about the issues that face them in the same way they face the Minister of State or me but we can use our vote to express our opinion. Electoral reform, as is proposed today, would be a seismic attempt to increase civic participation and, ultimately, voter turnout. The Taoiseach said this year that he was not against it. He did not have an issue with reducing it to 16 and he said that the Government would give that serious consideration. Here we are. It is time for that serious consideration. The first report of the Convention on the Constitution in 2013 recommended lowering the voting age to 16 and here, in 2025, we have that opportunity.”
“First, where young people at 16 have a vote, there has been no impact on the election results whatsoever. Second, young people at 16 are more likely to use their vote than if given it at 18. The Bill before us today, if passed in a referendum, would have no significant impact on the results of any election. More importantly, we all have a bigger elephant in the room. Turnout at the most recent presidential election was just 45.8%. The general election turnout was 59.7%. The local elections in 2024 were 49.4% and this is in sharp contrast to the energy and enthusiasm for all elections I see when I visit schools around this country and when I work with youth services and youth groups.”
“Too many, however, are frustrated and disempowered. They are frustrated at being seen as a problem for the future, and disempowered in that their voice does not matter until they turn 18. What do we know? We know that at 16, young people can work and pay taxes. Yet they have no way of choosing how those taxes are allocated. People like us go to the ballot box. Young people do not have that opportunity. They can consent to medical treatment offered by the HSE at 16 years of age. At 17, a young person can drive an eight-seater car. The question before us today is not one of maturity; it is equality. It is not a question of competency. It is about fairness. Research in countries that have facilitated voting rights for 16-year-olds tell us two really important things.”
“Now, more than ever, young people need champions in this House. They deserve advocates across this House who believe in them. Let us look briefly at some of the ways young people have shown leadership in our country. These include the Fridays for Future endeavour, an example that awoke in us a critical consciousness about the reform needed when we are facing the most existential crisis in climate change and climate justice. More recently, young people have been at the forefront in advocating for disability rights, access to services and therapeutic assessment. I have been a youth worker for nearly 17 years. In that time, I have worked with thousands of young people. These are young people who have opinions and ideas and who are political and hopeful. They are informed and care deeply about their community and society.”
“Research tells us we should avoid partial enfranchisement. It is therefore incumbent on us to seize this opportunity to ensure voting rights are extended to 16-year-olds. Adolescence is often a time of transition, a time of changes and a period of progression from childhood to adulthood. Some of the recent discourse in this House about young people focused on challenges associated with this time of our lives, whether about a lack of access to services or punitive discussions about antisocial behaviour orders, ASBOs, crime and fear. Many in this House are guilty of undermining the competency, maturity and resilience that young people are capable of possessing and, in doing so, risk categorising this demographic only as anti-social and impulsive. This could not be further from the truth.”
“As the Minister will know, some 14 other countries have extended voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds, for municipal, European and-or general elections and referendums. Countries like Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Estonia, Germany, Scotland, Switzerland and Wales - the UK will soon join them - have extended the franchise to those aged 16. This is a list I would love Ireland to join. I take this opportunity to commend Senator Ruane and former Senator Warfield, Deputies McLoughlin, Byrne, McGreehan and former Deputy Thomas Pringle, who all introduced similar Bills on extending voting rights to those aged 16 in recent years. The Bill before the House is a little different, however. The advice from the Office of the Parliamentary Legal Advisers, OPLA, tells us we cannot differentiate between local and general elections.”
“It is an opportunity for us in the Thirty-fourth Dáil to make provisions for the most significant piece of electoral reform in recent history and allow the people of Ireland to have their say as to whether 16- and 17-year-olds can vote in future elections. I believe in young people. Together, we have the time to develop a legislative pathway towards a referendum, which makes this Government's proposed timed amendment, lodged today, quite disappointing. In July, the UK Government confirmed its intention to legislate for the reduction of the voting age there to 16 in time for the next general election. This means that approximately 48,000 young people in Northern Ireland will be entitled to vote in that election. As we know, that opportunity is not afforded to their counterparts in the Republic. The UK is not alone.”
“Tairgim: “Go léifear an Bille don Dara hUair anois.” I move: “That the Bill be now read a Second Time.” I thank my friends in the Social Democrats for the opportunity to bring what I believe to be potentially momentous legislation to Second Stage this evening. Before I continue, I am thrilled to welcome so many young people and youth workers to the Gallery, representing organisations like the National Youth Council of Ireland, Foróige, BeLong To and the Irish Second-Level Students' Union, ISSU. I thank them all for taking the time to come here today to witness what is a really important debate. On a given day, colleagues across this House debate an eclectic mix of issues, with varying degrees of opinion and agreement. Today, I present this House today with an opportunity.”
“If we do this right, chances are it would not even be done by March of the following year. If the Minister is going to do this, I implore her to do it right.”
“The organisation is not in a position to offer any sort of follow-up services because it is already working with a huge number of children and young people in crisis. This week I asked Tusla to provide the details of how many children and young people are in its care that it cannot verify the age of. The organisation could not tell me what those statistics are. That is an area of Tusla that needs resourcing. My real concern, from a place of real sincerity, is that what we are calling a welfare check will not be one. We will not know about the welfare of these children and young people. We might know they are there. We might know that they exist, but that simply is not enough. If we are going to do it, we need to do it meaningfully. We need to accept it is not going to be done by March.”
“I want to stay focused. I thank the Minister for providing some information regarding the costs. That works out at approximately €76 per child. If we are looking at 42,000 children, that is what has been allocated. Will each child be spoken to or will a member of their family be spoken to? Kate Duggan told us in committee that the first phase of this will be an automated check to see if children are enrolled in school or services. Is that it? Is that when we deem that the welfare of a child is okay? Given that 100,000 children will be referred to Tusla this year, is it not fair to say that it is a knee-jerk reaction to ask Tusla to conduct a review of 42,000 children? What happens if 1% of those children need follow-on services? Never mind 10%; if the figure is 1%, that is 4,500 children.”
“In a year when it received 100,000 referrals, how is it possible within three or four months for Tusla to speak with 42,000 children? Is it not time to call this what it is? It is a proof-of-existence check; it is not a welfare check.”
“I think we all, as the Minister rightly says, share in the concerns about the tragic cases that have unfolded in this State in recent months and years. I am really concerned with the Minister's reply. How do we think it is possible for Tusla to conduct a well-being or welfare check with 42,000 children by March of next year? We have not seen the methodology for those checks. I ask the Minister to publish what those checks will look like. Tusla has more administrators than social care workers. It has more managers than family support workers. The questions that arise for me are as follows: who will be doing those checks? How many children have been participating in those checks so far? The Minister said that phase 1 is under way. How much has been allocated by the Department for Tusla to do this?”
“Margaret Donohoe told Kfm news this week that she loves her job and does not want to quit it but she cannot face another bill. Margaret minds six children in her home and is a childminder, so you can imagine her surprise when a representative from Tailte Éireann arrived at her door to evaluate her home for commercial rates. Amidst a crisis in accessibility and affordability in childcare, is now the time to be chasing childminders for commercial rates?”
“I wish to draw the Minister’s attention to a situation that has unfolded in Craddockstown Special School, Naas. Twelve pupils were offered a place to begin in August this year back in March or April of this year and they turned down other places that were not as appropriate as a special school place. It is November and they have not been able to start. It seems the planning application for that site was only submitted in October this year. There is real confusion among parents regarding this site. Can the Minister and her officials look at this and make some inquiries with Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board to see what that progress is and ultimately, if and when planning permission is sorted, that this project be pursued as ambitiously as possible?”
“I will cut straight to the question. We have seen reports this morning of 50 IPAS contractor locations with significant fire safety concerns. What does the Government intend to do to ensure the health and safety of every bed, whether that is State-run or State-funded? These contracts were signed with contractors by this Government. What steps will the Minister take to ensure the safety of every child and vulnerable adult in an IPAS setting or any State-run setting is secure?”
“We have a Bill before this House. I would urge the Government, again, to bring that before us to continue to move it forward. It will require a referendum and a national conversation about youth participation and about young people's voices, opinions and, ultimately, right to engage in the most civic action. We met hundreds of young people who wished they could vote on Friday and we are also hearing the dichotomy of that where so many people are planning to not use their votes. I would encourage everyone to use their vote on Friday.”
“We have seen the young people of Ireland motivated by one candidacy. We have seen a mobilisation and a movement towards one candidate that, I believe, has been inspirational, so to those who portray it as no candidate is speaking to a huge cohort, if they do their research and look up who the different candidates are, they will find something motivational, certainly about one of the candidates. I will use the opportunity with the 30 seconds I have left to speak, once again, about what I believe is the most significant electoral reform that we should be talking about in this Dáil, that is, my Forty-first Amendment of the Constitution (Reduction of Voting Age to Sixteen Years) Bill 2025. It is before the House currently. In the UK, we will see young people aged 16 and upwards given the opportunity to vote in their next general election.”
“As my colleague Deputy Rory Hearne has said, we in the Social Democrats are certainly open to a conversation because we, too, are hearing in the campaign that there is that sense of exclusion, certainly, when there is a small number of candidates on a ballot paper, but we do not throw the baby out with the bath water. The legislation has in many ways worked for many successful presidential elections we have had and the irony of Aontú calling for diversity is not lost on me. We have had a diverse range of candidates in successful presidential elections. This election was seven years in the running. Parties' candidates had a long time to prepare their candidacies and for a diverse set of reasons, we have ended up with two candidates. What we are hearing on the doors is clear.”
“I thank Deputies Tóibín and Lawless for bringing the motion forward this morning. It is always meritable to have a conversation, not only about the processes for nomination but, ultimately, as we are hearing from many contributors this morning, the merits and importance of the office itself. Notwithstanding the context, which is important in terms of when we are having this debate, it is no way to legislate to try to change the rules to reduce the thresholds because the rules did not help us get our nomination onto the ballot paper. There needs to be an evidence-informed approach to that. That is what I would be calling for today.”
“We have seen the media reporting today that there is yet another delay in the delivery of the national paediatric hospital. This is the 16th delay. Over 2,100 bedrooms are currently not compliant. There are 63,000 issues on the snag list. When does the Government envisage that the keys of the paediatric hospital will be given over? What impact will yet another delay have in terms of workforce planning and development for patients who will be coming to the hospital?”
“Today was an opportunity for this Government to show its dedication to children and young people and their families. It was an opportunity to fulfil its pre-election promises. I would love to be standing here applauding the Government for meaningful attempts, whether they be in childcare, child poverty or young people's rights. As sure as night turned to day, however, it reverted to its original playbook. It has still managed a giveaway budget. Not to children or hard-pressed working families - of course not - but obviously to big business and vested interests.”
“That is where we could really get into the meat and bones of this. Page 51 of the Government's expenditure report tells a very worrying story to the thousands of children waiting on an assessment of need in this country. It reads: “... legislative changes to the Disability Act will be advanced to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Assessment of Need (AON) process.” Why is that in the budget book? It serves only to show the families - 25,000 by the end of this year - where the Government's priorities lie. At the first opportunity to show advocates like Cara Darmody or the thousands of parents waiting on a date of assessment that it is listening to them, the Government has told us that it is more committed to changing the law than changing the waiting list. That is shameful.”
“It begins by ambitiously acquiring all existing and new empty childcare facilities that lay idle in our communities as a vivid reminder of a failed Fine Gael planning policy that asked house builders to manage the future of childcare in Ireland. It commits to taking 20% of the staff wages of those working in the sector in each of the next five years. It would know this if it listened to the families. It does not listen to the providers, it does not listen to the workers and it most certainly does not listen to us. If it did, it would see a clear, ambitious but costed way to make the system work. I appeal to the Minister of State once again. We have seen no financial commitment to a public model of childcare. Maybe the collective agreement is not there yet. The Government should establish a special Oireachtas committee on public childcare.”
“Once the election result was over, the Tánaiste’s ambition completely dissipated. It does not cut it to say that the Government has a five-year term and progress can be measured at the end of that term. As Mr. Fintan O'Toole asked this morning, what is another year to a two-year-old who is starving? At the very least, the Government could today have made a start on the development of a public model of childcare. It could have done this in budget 2026 but, once again, this Government chose to forget its words. It chose to row back on its commitments and bury its head in the sand when it came to the major issues facing this sector. The Social Democrats presented the Government with a pathway to achieving a public model of childcare.”
“Early years education and childcare are an inherent public good - that is non-negotiable - yet the Government ignores the reality of the failures of core funding and watches as providers leave the programme in their droves. It is essential, at a time of budgetary surplus, that it invest in the necessary social infrastructure for families and communities to thrive. If the Government is not doing it now, then it is certainly not going to do it at a time of any sort of fiscal precarity. On the eve of a general election last year, this Government was awash with promise. The Tánaiste, Simon Harris, said: “I want us to develop a childcare system that works for every parent.” We know that the system does not work now. It is not working for families or providers, and it most certainly is not working for the workers.”
“We proposed a costed, evidence-informed solution by investing €770 million to implement a second tier of child benefit payment. The Government could have done this. Today, its announced measures simply will not work. When it comes to early years education and childcare, this budget is an abject failure. The Government has focused on one of the three Cs affecting the childcare sector. It has made a feeble attempt at addressing the issue of capacity with ghost places, which no one will find, but it has ignored the other two, those being cost and the conditions for workers. Why would the Government abandon one of the most important occupations of the State?”
“The effects of living in persistent poverty as a child last for life and affect everything from emotional development, mental health and physical well-being to educational attainment. No doubt over the next couple of days we will hear one of the Government's representatives say that the Opposition does not have a monopoly on care for children, and we do not. Right now, however, the Government has the monopoly on power and look what it is choosing to do with that. Small increases in universal payments have coincided with an unacceptable rise in child poverty in recent years. The Government's measures simply do not work. It could have implemented a second tier of child benefit payment. The Minister of State knows it; we know it. The Government even said it wanted to do it but, collectively, it baulked at the last minute.”
“One in five children in this country experiences poverty. Children, in fact, are the most likely cohort in our society to experience poverty in Ireland and despite Simon Harris telling the voters in September 2024 that there was a roadmap to get to a second tier of child benefit payment, we have seen nothing today that will meaningfully address the problem. They say it is a priority for this Government, but they act in the opposite fashion. We have seen that big business is the Government's priority. If it cared about child poverty, it would have implemented the proposed changes from the many experts who have been saying it, as we know that universal measures have been proven to leave no legacy for anybody.”
“There is something quite disingenuous about saying one thing and doing another, which is exactly what this Government has done in budget 2026. At election time, it promised the sun, moon and stars. Today, it has delivered nothing, and it will tell us it is our fault. Its words will not pay the bills, and now its actions continue to ignore the problems. What is regrettable is that it chose to ignore countless fully costed, evidence-informed alternatives. “Ending child poverty is not just the right thing to do, but is essential if we are going to prepare for the future and build the society that we all want to live in.” Those were the words of our Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, speaking in advance of a summit on child poverty, a summit to tell us about the cause and effect of child poverty as if we did not already know.”
“Faced with a choice of a radical measure to tackle child poverty or dramatically boost the profits of large corporations, for this Government, it was a no-brainer. It has come down on the side of big business without hesitation. This budget awards multinational companies like McDonald's and Starbucks millions of euro in extra profits while families choosing between eating and heating are denied targeted energy credits. The Government could have lifted 40,000 children out of poverty, targeted energy credits at 800,000 households, abolished the means test for carers, reduced the cost of childcare for families while rolling out a public model, introduced a weekly cost of disability payment, and turbocharged the delivery of affordable housing. Instead, it of course chose to side with vested interests.”