Anne Rabbitte
Nominated by the Taoiseach · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“On Ireland's most popular pornography website, almost two thirds of the video titles indicate content of concern, including sexual violence, extreme misogyny and material that mimics child sexual abuse. This is not on the fringes of the Internet; this is mainstream, free and one click away from every child in this country.”
“I also acknowledge the role of Deputy Cathal Crowe in the Lower House and that of Senator Rónán Mullen whose Bill, which was before Seanad Éireann last week, spoke to this very issue. It is something we should all get behind and support to ensure we have the law to protect our young people. I also wish to bring up Skyclarys.”
“I am wearing sandals today. Good afternoon to everybody. I warmly welcome the Minister for justice's bringing his memo to Cabinet where he seeks to criminalise extreme violent pornography. For too long, this has been a glaring gap in our criminal law.”
“He said that we should not deny his son the chance to hold onto his voice, even if it is just to be able to ask for a glass of water. That is the parent of a child with Friedreich's ataxia, who has already lost a child to Friedreich's ataxia. We have 200 such patients in this country.”
“Where we have rural depopulation - and there are great reports coming from the GAA - the one thing we want to do is ensure a sense of community. That sense of community circles around a few things. It can be the church, school, post office or the pub.”
“The Senator also said, as did Senator Murphy O'Mahony, that if we can be anything in this world, we should be kind, and that is one thing Martin Naughton was, and it is one thing we should always remember. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam. We think of him today. Senator McCormack raised the issue of active travel.”
The complete record
Every one of 482 lines we hold for Anne Rabbitte, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 7 of 10.
“As a mother, you would do anything for your kids, as would dads and grandparents. However, what the Global Sumud Flotilla demonstrated was the upsurge of wanting to support, and its interception has denied the delivery of that support. I thank the Deputy Leader for the update on the flotilla. It is an evolving situation and I wish all involved a safe return to their families. I recently attended the launch of the foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, FASD, report published by the positive health sciences element of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, RCSI. The report was funded by the Department of children. The reason this report is so important is it is the first time we have done a study on foetal alcohol syndrome disorder. I am delighted this study has been conducted. This is the first stage of getting the disorder recognised.”
“I welcome the comments of the Deputy Leader and her update on the Global Sumud Flotilla. I also welcome that the Tánaiste is engaging with our ambassador and providing consular assistance. I, too, want to stand in solidarity with our colleague, Senator Chris Andrews, and the others who have been detained. I am aware there is a lady from Galway involved. We are all touched and aware of the situation. It is important to also recognise what is happening in Gaza and call it what it is - a complete and utter genocide. With that, I will move on. It seems wrong to move on to another topic when we are talking about starving children and families who are being denied their very basic human rights, such as access to water. What has been portrayed by the interception of the flotilla is the denial of humanitarian aid getting to the most vulnerable.”
“Before I put the question, I welcome Catríona Rogers from the Institute of Guidance Counsellors to the Gallery. She is a tireless advocate for students' well-being. I welcome Deputy John Paul O'Shea and his guests to the Gallery. I know Senator Ní Chuilinn has left. She had transition year students who were here for the entire debate between my colleagues. They are all very welcome.”
“Fianna Fáil has always stood for pragmatic social progress and the auto-enrolment scheme is a shining example of that approach. It aligns Ireland with best practice internationally, addresses a major gap in our pension infrastructure and empowers working people to build a better future. Let us support it, refine it where necessary and, above all, work together to ensure that it delivers on its promise of a fairer, more inclusive and secure retirement scheme for all.”
“Auto-enrolment simplifies that. It meets people where they are at and gently nudges them towards better outcomes. Let us look ahead to the kind of society we want in 20, 30 or 40 years. It is one where those who have worked all their lives can retire with security and peace of mind, not fear or financial stress; one where the State pension is supplemented, not solely relied upon; and one where the burden on future taxpayers is reduced because we planned ahead. That is the Ireland we are helping to build with this policy. This is the future we are securing, not just for today's workers, but for generations to come. I commend the Minister and the Department on advancing this vital reform and I commend the employers, unions and advocacy groups that have constructively engaged with its development.”
“It shifts pension savings from an optional extra, often only accessed by higher earners, to something routine, normal and accessible to all. Second, the co-funding model is hugely powerful. For every €3 workers put in, they effectively get €3 from their employer and €1 from the State. Third, the gradual phasing-in of contribution rates ensures neither workers nor businesses are hit with an immediate financial burden. It allows for budgeting adjustment and education. Fourth, the design is inclusive. It actively targets those least likely to be covered by a pension: young workers; those in part-time or non-unionised roles; and women, who are underrepresented in the pension system. Fifth, the scheme has the potential to transform our culture around long-term planning. For many people, pensions are complex, intimidating and opaque.”
“Importantly, contributions will be capped at earnings up to €80,000 and individuals will always retain the right to opt out, though the evidence from international best practice suggests most will stay in. The pension pot will follow the worker throughout their career, ensuring continuity, flexibility and security, even as people change jobs and move between sectors. It will be administered by a new body, the National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority, which will be tasked with ensuring transparent governance and strong fiduciary oversight. I will highlight a few of the many positive aspects of this reform. First and foremost, it represents a proactive move towards financial dignity in later life.”
“That is why the introduction of automatic enrolment is not just a policy initiative, but a social contract that will yield dividends for generations to come. It turns the system on its head, moving from one that relies on people opting in to one where people are automatically enrolled but still retain a choice. To briefly summarise, from January 2026 employees aged between 23 and 60 earning over €20,000 per annum and not already enrolled in an occupational scheme will automatically be enrolled in a new retirement saving scheme. Contributions will begin modestly at 1% to 1.5% of gross earnings, rising gradually over a ten-year period to 6%. Employers will be required to match these contributions and the State will contribute an additional 33%.”
“This auto-enrolment scheme reflects that principle and ensures that people who work hard all their lives can retire with dignity and financial security, not fear or dependency. Today, over half of private sector workers in Ireland have no supplementary pension. They rely solely on the State pension and, while that remains a crucial safety net, we know it is not enough to provide for a comfortable retirement on its own. Fianna Fáil has long argued that early and consistent saving is a key to long-term financial resilience but we also recognise that many people, especially younger workers and those in low-paid or precarious jobs, simply do not have the structures or supports to make that happen.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on the introduction of Ireland's new auto-enrolment retirement savings scheme, a landmark reform that Fianna Fáil in government has helped to deliver and a reform I believe represents a fundamental and long-overdue transformation in how we as a society approach retirement. This is more than a policy announcement; this is about making good on our commitment to protecting workers, promoting fairness and planning responsibly for the future. Fianna Fáil has always believed that prosperity must be paired with protection and the benefits of economic growth should be felt by all, not just in the here and now but across the course of one's life, including into retirement.”
“It was produced in 2018. Professor Coulter-Smith has said that to have a safe service, we need to have it fully funded and to have full implementation. We have not fully implemented recommendations that we should have. This needs to be funded. We need to give the women of the Portiuncula area and the midlands every opportunity to have safe access to services in their locality. Anybody who lives in Galway knows that it takes an hour and a half on a good day to get to Galway city, never mind trying to travel to Dublin. The Minister has been really supportive and it is important for me to acknowledge the work she has done, but I really believe we now need laser focus. Maybe she could bring clarity to communication for the GPs and funding to deliver on the recommendations in the Walker report.”
“I, too, wish to be associated with the best wishes to Martin Hughes. Yesterday at a meeting of the health committee, my esteemed colleague Deputy Martin Daly brought up the issue of Portiuncula hospital. Bernard Gloster brought complete clarity on the months of speculation as to whether the recommendations of the Walker report were implemented fully or partially, or not implemented. The CEO confirmed that they were not implemented. It is on that basis that I raise the issue of safe, high-quality services in Portiuncula, with access. High-risk maternity cases are to be removed from the hospital. If you are from the Athlone side, you will have to go to Dublin, and if you are from around Portiuncula or Ballinasloe, you will have to go to Galway. This is on the basis that the Walker report’s recommendations have not been implemented.”
“This consultation, along with the comprehensive work of the 2015 expert review group and more recent engagement with the Mental Health Commission, the HSE, the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland and many others, has resulted in a Bill that informs the inclusive rights-based approach. I look forward to working with the Minister of State as the Bill progresses through its various Stages.”
“It no longer fully reflects the values or practices that underpin modern mental health care, particularly the shift to the community-based services, a recovery orientated model of care and the vital role of service users’ partners in their own treatment. The Minister of State’s approach has been one of insistence on listening. The public consultation initiated by her in 2021, at a time when the country was still grappling with the effects of Covid, gave people with lived experience, their families and the front-line professionals the opportunity to shape the future of mental health law in this country.”
“I will fully support the Mental Health Bill 2024 as it proceeds through the Seanad. This legislation represents a significant and long-awaited step forward for mental health in Ireland. In addition to acknowledging the content of the Bill itself, I acknowledge the leadership and dedication of the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, under whose guidance this work has progressed with care, compassion and clarity of purpose. Since she published this Bill back in July 2024, she and her Department have been engaging in serious, thoughtful work and have been consulting widely, listening deeply and responding constructively to a diverse range of stakeholders. The Mental Health Act 2001, while progressive for its time, is now nearly a quarter of a century old.”
“Clondalkin also has the opportunity with primary care to do equine therapy. We also need to look at Toghermore, which will cover where Senator Scahill and I are based as well as Mayo as a regional hub for equine therapy.”
“It is hard to believe that in Liskennett in County Limerick, on the Cork border, 1,000 hours of therapeutic intervention is done weekly but not recorded and nor is a value placed on it. The HSE is not gathering that piece of information. The same goes for Kilcloon in the Minister of State’s constituency. The reason I mention this is that we can do pragmatic alternative therapies. When you have one OT, six horses and six healthcare assistants, you are delivering a therapeutic intervention times six with one qualified therapist. It is the best value for money going. This can have a regional spread, particularly in a growing area. There is Stewarts Care in the Minister of State’s constituency, while St. Joseph’s Foundation has Liskennett and I think Kanturk is coming on stream. These are phenomenal interventions.”
“I do not fault the Department by any means but it is giving €2 billion to Uisce Éireann for it to write a letter in July when there has been dialogue with the Department and we need an intervention at the level of the Minister of State to assist the process. Turning to disability, I am delighted the Minister of State is in front of me on this because she will clearly understand what I am going to talk about, namely, Stewarts Care in her constituency. It does wonderful work with horse therapy in Kilcloon. Sometimes agencies do not inform Departments on really good value for money. Maybe they do not collect and quantify the detail the way they should. When children go to equine therapy, it is a therapeutic intervention, not just fun. It is fun but it has a value.”
“It is something that we as a Government need to address, particularly at the moment as county development plans are going back out. We need to ensure that this issue is addressed. Turning to wastewater, I again raise the issue of Galway County Council. Two and a half years ago, it was awarded €10 million for Clarinbridge and Craughwell to upgrade the sewage treatment plant. In July, Uisce Éireann wrote to the local authority to say that it would have to make a contribution of 15%. Between the VAT and the cost of the contribution, Uisce Éireann is looking for €5 million from the local authority. We talk about value for money or trying to be progressive but, two and a half years on, nothing has happened. It is at a standstill.”
“I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I welcome the opportunity to have a few moments to speak on this very important issue. I will be very focused on housing, wastewater and disability. In my remarks on housing I will focus on Galway County Council, which has only 66 acres of land zoned for housing. At Monday’s meeting of the local authority, the director of services informed the councillors that 70% of the 66 acres cannot be built on because it does not have infrastructure and if the council did build on it, it would cost €76 million. There are 3,000 people waiting on a housing list and the director of services is saying that 70% of the 66 acres cannot be built on. This is not a shortage. They should know that this €76 million in infrastructure funding is required. The councillors were not expecting that response.”
“It stated that such remarks are not grounded in credible, scientific evidence and risk promoting a deeply medicalised, stigmatising and ultimately harmful view of autistic people. Autism is not a disease to be cured. Neither Irish health advice nor international scientific evidence link autism to paracetamol. It has been definitively established that there is no link between autism and vaccination. There is no evidence of overdiagnosis in Ireland either. Staying silent and not speaking on it would be to condone what is going on. We need to have statements on this issue and it would be important to bring the Minister to the House for us to have a fair and open conversation, to reassure parents and the neurodiverse community that we are listening and we have their backs.”
“Out there, there are women who are silently making a pact with themselves to struggle through pregnancy, their pelvises expanding painfully inside them without pain relief. Another mother secretly decides to skip the MMR vaccine but not tell anyone. This will cost lives. I have no solution to the problem being created across the Atlantic but what I would urge is that Members of this House commit to sticking to facts and science rather than vague speculation on what might or might not be causing the autism crisis. Autism is not a crisis. The crisis is the lack of support. The crisis is the lack of respect and the crisis is the failure to listen to autistic people themselves. Last night, AsIAm, issued its second press release in recent days.”
“I, too, want to be associated with the remarks to the Maltese ambassador. Today, I am asking for statements on autism to be held. I ask for this due to misinformation in the past number of weeks. It is not wrong to want to understand autism. Research is good, curiosity is good, and we should always try to learn more about the human brain. However, where it goes wrong is when people pretend they have found a solution to autism, as if the problem is the person. That is not science. That is fear dressed up as fact and it is dangerous. The real issue here is not autism; it is the international leaders trying to win votes through falsehoods. This may seem trivial, but it will cost lives. Autism is not caused by the lack of vitamins or by any paracetamol.”
“Of those, 1,159 have left the State voluntarily and 278 orders have been enforced. I was really amazed by the number of instances of doorstepping at Dublin Airport of 4,154. Let us be clear and transparent. We think that everyone who comes in is being processed. That is 4,154 who were actually dealt with at Dublin Airport. The most staggering figure that I found out at the committee this afternoon was that 87% of people make their applications to the international protection office here in Dublin. That in itself is telling. They are not presenting at the airport or at the ports. One would have to question or just work out where those individuals are arriving from. It would appear to be across the Border. I wish the Minister of State well in his work.”
“I welcome the transparency that the Minister has brought to it. I welcome the fact that the renegotiation of all the contracts is taking place. It is fantastic to see that 100 contracts have been renegotiated and €46 million has been saved since the Minister of State and the Minister came into office. I also want to speak about the fact that 5,000 people who have citizen status currently reside in what we would call IPAS centres. Those people need to be accommodated within our own housing for the simple reason that, if we are to bring efficiency to the system, we have to ensure that those who can remain and those who must be deported are in very condensed areas. Earlier, the Minister said that deportation orders for 3,129 people have been signed since he and the Minister of State have come into office.”
“I thank the Minister of State for taking time to be here this afternoon for this conversation. It is very welcome to have a very open conversation about it. I acknowledge the good work of the Minister of State and that of the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, in the area of immigration. It is also important for me to acknowledge the work that the former Minister, Deputy Roderic O'Gorman, undertook while this area was under the aegis of his Department. I welcome the transfer of it from the Department of equality, as I would call it, to the Department of justice. I acknowledge the clarity and transparency that the Minister of State has brought to immigration. Now we can have an open and honest debate because there is a real understanding from the Minister of State and the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan. I have just left the committee.”
“In the following week he was told the meeting had been cancelled and it would take place in October, but the council wanted to see who was involved in his team. There has not been engagement at any stage. There is an issue in regard to how local authorities engage on strategic infrastructure projects with landowners. This is no way to treat a person. This takes a mental toll on families. This man is fortunate in that he is prepared to challenge they system but for those who cannot afford to do so, their land is being taken and they are not being compensated.”
“In order for him to pursue the payment, he has had to engage a barrister, a solicitor, a valuer, an independent engineer, a senior planner and another engineer. He has made four offers. He has gone out of his way four times to give an amount he was prepared to accept and he asked the council to work with him. The last time he had a meeting with Galway County Council was this time last year. While he was at the meeting he was more than willing to close the door on this and to move on, but he got a letter saying the case was going to arbitration. He has never been offered anything by Galway County Council. Only in the last month he got another letter saying the date is fixed for 25 July, still without an offer.”
“This morning I raise a particular issue for probably the third time. It relates to compulsory purchase orders, which are a very serious issue for any community but in particular for the farming community. I raise an issue that is ongoing for ten years. It is ten years since the first liaison officer was appointed by Galway County Council to inspect a person's land on 10 September 2014. In that period, there have been numerous communications. The road has been developed and completed but a number of landowners along the N63 have not been paid. Notice to treat was served on 25 January 2016. It stated that when the notice to treat was served, reimbursement would take place within a 12-month timeframe. Now, it is the middle of July and that landowner has still not been reimbursed.”
“I asked for statements and have probably put a lot on the table but at the end of the day, it is about participation and retention. One of the biggest issues I have with sport going forward - Senator Conway talked about gambling - is social media. Our safeguarding policies in all our clubs and organisations need to be reviewed to ensure social media is taken into consideration.”
“The national development plan will soon be released and will show what we are doing regarding sports halls in our schools. Some of the first opportunities to participate at an equal level are in school, yet 40% of all our post-primary schools do not have a PE hall, and certainly not in the west of Ireland. We do not have a PE hall so where is that collaborative piece between schools and various Departments? The last piece relates to looking at what the strategy is for swimming pools being rolled out. We need to ensure it has been reviewed to eliminate the idea that if a town has only 6,500 people, it does not get a swimming pool. Sometimes, the population is wider because the communities and parishes around it support the town.”
“It is interesting to look at one or two of the statistics in it. On average, boys start parasports at the age of 12 while girls do not start until the age of 21, or an entire decade later. Some 54% of all Irish people participate in sport weekly. Among Irish people with disabilities, only one in three regularly take part in sport. People with a disability are almost twice as likely to be sedentary, and 40% less likely to have a club membership. I compliment Steven McNamara, Neasa Russell, Lisa Clancy and Clíona Horan on the work they have done to ensure we can have quality conversations on Paralympic sports. Moving on from that, I wish to understand what the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media is doing with the Department of Education and Youth.”
“If you have correct accessibility and inclusion, you have equal participation for all. Licence service agreements have been signed between the various organisations, including disability organisations and women's and girls' organisations, to ensure that applications made by clubs are validated. I want the Department to do an audited check. We have to follow the money to ensure that the need for accountability, participation and inclusion is not a matter of lip service but is understood at a grassroots level. This brings me to the Paralympics, the wonderful success of which we saw last year in Paris. Since then, a collaborative research project by Paralympics Ireland and the University of Limerick, "The Athlete and Coach Experience of Paralympic Gateways and Pathways in Ireland" was launched in Limerick University last month.”
“If it was €100,000, there was €25,000 based in each criterion because that was the points scoring system involved. I want to ensure that over this Seanad term - I do not expect it today or tomorrow - the Department will be able to ensure the funding drawn down by the various clubs, organisations and major bodies actually hits those marks. We do not want to have clubs coming back and saying that because of inflation, they were able to put in the fencing and the grass, but the accessible walkway was left aside. I need to hear from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media that its prioritisation for the clubs is to ensure that all four criteria are upheld. What projects do we see as priorities to be done within clubs? To me, it is accessibility and inclusion.”
“I thank the Chair and welcome the Minister of State to the House. I thank him for being here. Several weeks ago, I said I would like to have the Minister with responsibility for sport to come to the House for statements. The whole purpose of my request was that over the past five years, more than €500 million has been handed out to clubs up and down the length and breadth of the country. This has been fantastic and transformative, as we all will acknowledge. I want to know from the Minister of State and his Department how exactly he is observing and scrutinising the clubs that made the appeals and were successful. There were strict criteria, based on factors like community, women and girls, disability, inclusion and climate. They were the four criteria.”
“The farmer is looking to see what the next steps after the local authority gives permission only for the TII to object. Overall, the officials handling Ceannt Station and the people on the ground in Local Link are doing phenomenal work in supporting people who sometimes feel forgotten. They are not forgotten at this stage.”
“It is not only that, though. It also provides flexibility. They do not need to buy that first car straightaway only to get down to Limerick or Athlone. When we talk about good roads, the N65 leads into Portumna but we have been on traffic lights at Heathlawn for the past 12 months because we are waiting for the TII to draw up a little bit of a design to put into a proposal. We need consultation to move that project along. I compliment the Minister on the positivity of his opening contribution as regards. We also need to tell the TII to stop making objections. Where the local authority grants planning permission to a young farmer on the road to Kinvara where he or she is developing the business but the TII will not allow the farmer to build a house on his or her land with his or her own gate, that is wrong.”
“It is unfortunate that a big bridge will need to be constructed at Ballyglunin but I have no doubt that the Minister's team is looking at this as part of the report that will come back to him. The part of east Galway that I come from does not have BusConnects, airports or much rail. I depend on good road infrastructure and the Local Link. Local Link makes a significant difference a significant difference for the young people of the area going to college in Limerick, Athlone or Galway. It was great to get the news yesterday of the Local Link connection from Loughrea to Ballinasloe and straight on to Athlone. That gives choice to people. That service runs four times a day. That is the sort of service that is needed. Where children decide they are doing third level, they have choice. They can continue to stay at home.”
“It is a turn-off for people to bring in the CEOs of their companies. While they have great transport coming in, either to Shannon Airport or Ireland West Airport Knock, the trouble is they might meet them in a hotel in a surrounding area or try to bring them in earlier in the morning or later in the evening to visit their sites because of the congestion. Whatever the Minister and his Department and officials can do would be greatly welcome. I will lend my voice in support of the western rail corridor. I will not rehash it, but it needs to happen. Covid taught us one thing, namely, that what we need to do is reinvest in the rail. This is definitely the case as regards the connection from Claremorris into Athenry. That connection is there and ready.”
“That would be the one piece that I would really like to see happen. There is no doubt that we are completely congested at this stage. I will share the following little anecdote with the Minister. I love it when Ministers come to Galway We have to go into the university hospital to meet them and then they ask me for the quickest way to get out to another part of the city. There is nothing like putting them across the Quincentenary Bridge to get them caught for at least an hour to experience what every other person living in the city is experiencing on a daily basis. Anything the Minister can do in this space would be welcome. It is regrettable that it is stifling from an economic growth point of view. I worry about that because we have fantastic hospitals and universities but it is a turn-off to go into the city.”
“If all the critical cases and high-risk care are removed, what is the capacity to retain the staff to ensure their skills are kept up while the review is ongoing? At the same time, in terms of what fell short in 2018 in relation to governance and oversight, I have to query where the governance and oversight from the clinical side fell down on this particular case. The programme for Government commits to a review of the maternity strategy. I would like to hear from the Minister as to where we are going with the maternity strategy. When will it be brought forward to be reviewed? I also acknowledge the support of the Minister for Portiuncula in the past six months since she came into office. There are critical concerns and a lot of upset today on our side of the county.”
“I raise the issue of Portiuncula hospital and the moving of high-risk pregnancy and antenatal care from Portiuncula to University Hospital Galway or to the Midlands hospital in Portlaoise. While I understand that we must put the care and protection of the mum and the baby and the risk elimination front and centre at all times, it is important that I also raise that we were in this situation in 2018. A report in 2018 identified an awful lot of the same issues then as were raised yesterday by the Saolta group. I have my concerns as to why we have found ourselves back here again. I have concerns regarding the capacity of other hospitals to be able to cater and support high-risk pregnancies and antenatal care. I also have a query.”
“Post offices provide a valuable service and are the social fabric of all our parishes, whether they are urban or rural, whether during the Covid-19 pandemic, Storm Éowyn or other pandemics. At the end of the day, the one trusted part of our social fabric priority is our post office network and we need to recognise its value. Sometimes when we lose a bus service, we argue there is a public service obligation, PSO. I would argue the same is required to maintain our post office network in our communities. I certainly do not want at any stage to find that it is already too late to argue to retain a post office. I do not want to be in a community centre begging a Minister to support my local post office. I have done it once before in Eyrecourt when there were 770 people. The figure that was required will always ring out for me.”
“I thank the Minister of State for attending and the Cathaoirleach for facilitating this debate. It is appreciated that we are having this conversation. I am glad to be joined this evening in the Public Gallery by my postmistress from Portumna, Sinead Salmon, and my former postmaster in Mountbellew, Peter Kitt. Listening to all the valuable contributions, and having a financial head myself, I was looking at the statistics. An Post assists in gathering €400 million when it comes to fraud, believe it or not. There is a logical argument to be made for collecting 1.5% from the funding gathered in fraud prevention - that would be €6 million - and giving it back to postmasters. Then we would not need to have this conversation at all.”
“It is quite technical as it covers various aspects within the legislation. There are a number of moving parts, some coming in and others going out, but at all times the Bill ensures we are changing the wording and recognising that the loss is bereavement. That is very important. I support and acknowledge the work of the Minister and the Department. I also acknowledge the role John has played and the work he has done in making such a substantial difference for others in a similar situation.”
“With this legislation we will ensure that a significant financial support is available to grieving partners equally. Those who have lived together with their deceased partner for two years or more and who have had children will qualify, and those who do not have children will qualify where they have lived together for five years or more. The contributory pensions will be backdated. I very much welcome that. The entitlement will not just begin when the legislation comes in but it will be backdated to the decision of the Supreme Court on 22 January 2024. Access will be provided for qualifying cohabitants to the bereaved parent grant and the bereaved partner's contributory pension. We got the Minister's script a little bit late. I would like to have underlined it as he was speaking.”
“The Bill is a wonderful testament to his partner Michelle and to the children. We welcome and support the Bill, which gives effect to the Supreme Court decision and extends access to the widow's, widower's and surviving civil partners contributory pension to qualifying cohabitants for the first time. Once enacted, this legislation will provide surviving qualifying cohabitants with access to the bereaved partners contributory pension. This is an important financial safeguard for individuals and families who are grieving. The loss of a loved one does not discriminate between those who are married and those who live together in committed relationships. The Supreme Court recognised that such distinction was unequal when it came to the widower's contributory pension.”
“I do not mind at all. I thank the Minister. He is very welcome to the House this afternoon. I also welcome his opening comments. I thank John O'Meara for the tremendous effort he made and the diligence he showed at a time of great loss to him and his children. He found the composure to address the loss and he had the state of mind to recognise how more people could benefit and what the lack of recognition in legislation could mean. I am a person who had a loss also, but we were married. I cannot imagine what it is like for a person to discover he or she does not have the same rights as someone else who has reared children. I compliment the courts system and the Supreme Court. I also compliment the Minister on his prompt reaction and for taking the ruling on board and meeting and working with John O'Meara.”
“Before I call the Minister, I welcome guests of Senator Fiona O'Loughlin in the Gallery. They are a group of ladies from Kildare who are celebrating International Women's Day. You are all very welcome here today. Women are the main topic of what we are discussing.”
“We want to go forward and there is a lot of development happening but where landowners have been waiting more than ten years for a payment, there is something radically wrong.”