Barry Heneghan
Dublin Bay North · Independent · Ireland
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an bPáirtí an Lucht Oibre. This highlights what many families are experiencing right now. Many people have been in contact with me. Even today, I met parents who were under enormous pressure because of the cost of uniforms, books, transport and school activities.”
“I refer to the hundreds of vacant spaces over shops in Dublin, the capital city in which I grew up. I welcome the above-the-shop grant but could we re-examine it in terms of microcompanies or SMEs availing of that grant? It can be difficult for them to avail of the above-the-shop grant.”
“They deserve to know how that supplier was selected, whether public procurement guidance has been followed and why students cannot use an equivalent device that they may already own. Technology undoubtedly has an important role in education. I do not dispute that fact. I came through education while the technology was developing.”
“Anois sa choiste fuinnimh táimid ag caint faoi plug-in solar. In 2024 there was a consultation done by the Department in which Bord Gáis Energy said that plug-in solar systems should be mounted on roofs where possible and hardwired into a dedicated circuit.”
“That contradiction leaves parents and students whom I represent caught in a middle ground. On one hand, the Department is saying they are not mandatory and, on the other, schools are telling parents that they must purchase one. I understand that the Minister of State was in north Dublin.”
“My granny drank raw milk and she lived to 98. We need to look into alternative ways to have locally sourced food. In that regard, I will point to what is happening at EU level and how it ties into this.”
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“I recently saw that some apprenticeship pathways can be designed to take 228 weeks, yet the mandatory eligibility period means apprenticeships at each phase take far longer than intended. That is something we need to look into. If the time is longer, it will deter people from apprenticeships.”
“I am glad the Minister of State has visited the training board at St. Andrew's in Dublin. Having gone through the points race in the leaving certificate, apprenticeships were never really an option and were not discussed among my peers because we were not shown and educated about the trades route. I now see a lot of people going into it when they move abroad, or if they come up, but they need to be shown more. We need to do more advertising to show people because with the development of housing or offshore renewable energy, we will need these skilled workers. It would be much better if we had a native workforce that could be here to continue with any infrastructure project we have. We have a lot of projects to do. On these skilled workers, it is important to mention that the system bottlenecks are holding the workforce back.”
“I, too, wish the Athenry camogie team the best of luck. We need to change the public perception of trades. I am aware that Jim Hargis, at the education and training hub in St. Andrew's Resource Centre, Dublin, is playing a key role in designing and running community-focused education. For the construction industry, the skills programme and the future of our offshore renewable energy, we need more trades and skilled workers. We need to change the public perception to show this is a very good option for people to go into.”
“Chris Joyce and all of the parents involved in the Killester Raheny Clontarf school campaign are working tirelessly to show the Department what is needed. They have submitted a report to the Department but feel they are not being listened to. I appreciate what the Minister of State said about the volume of work involved. I understand the number of enrolments is huge and that everything must be processed but the campaign has done the work. Of 1,800 parents interviewed, 89% want co-education.”
“I appreciate that. It is very important that Education Equality is invited to the national convention on education. It represents a large cohort of parents and a large cohort of the future generation. It needs to be replied to. We can be assured that representatives from State bodies and patrons will be there to fight their cases. It is important that Education Equality is there to show the other side on behalf of people who want change. I thank the Minister of State on the record of the House for all the help he has given me in my work in Dublin Bay North with regard to Stapolin Educate Together National School in Baldoyle and for everything he has done in relation to special education. It is really appreciated. His visit was brilliant. Will he provide an update on the current assessment of projected enrolment figures for the area?”
“It wishes to discuss the ongoing issues around children's rights and the need for schools to uphold freedom of religion and belief in practice. With the new generation of parents and the new generation coming up in Ireland, it is very important that we provide this option. We can see the statistics. We need to act on them.”
“I appreciate that every child has a space but these spaces are not where parents desire to send their children. It is bananas. I was recently at an event with a load of up-and-coming parents, the new generation, and they were unanimously for this. The report submitted to the Minister's office shows a community that is ready for change and parents who are willing to support that change. Is there an indication of whether the Department is actively considering the establishment of new co-educational secondary schools in the area because there is clearly a demand? I would appreciate clarity as to whether Education Equality will be included in the national convention on education. It has emailed the office but has not got a reply.”
“I ask for an update on post-primary capacity planning in Clontarf, Killester and Raheny, including the current assessment of projected enrolment pressure and the steps the Department is taking to ensure an adequate supply of secondary school places, particularly in co-educational schools as a survey has shown that 89% of parents in the area want co-educational education.”
“That is something else we need to regulate. I am running out of time. I wanted to speak about the need for stronger enforcement online, public awareness, literacy programmes in schools and a transparent view of how the recommendations of algorithms impact young people. It is not just about regulation but, rather, protecting our future generation.”
“The framework to regulate harmful content online has been good, but it should extend beyond just filtering out extreme content. We need to demand better algorithms, as other Deputies said, transparency and age verification for what people are viewing online, especially young children. The framework offers a platform to tackle cyber-bullying, which I welcome. I heard some other Deputies talking about what they have experienced online. If you cannot face criticism online, you definitely should not become a politician. All issues that impact mental health, especially among children and teenagers, need to be looked at. I will not mentioned the people by name, but I spoke to a parent in my constituency whose young son has had to come off all social media because he is really struggling with his mental health due to bullying.”
“As all the previous speakers said, we are experiencing a mental health crisis, with recent studies showing high levels of mental health problems, especially among young teenagers. The algorithms behind these platforms are adding to that. These algorithms are not designed by people with the intention that people do not stay on the phone. Rather, they are designed to keep people addicted and give them a dopamine hit. We are rewiring the next generation’s brains. Looking at the generation that is growing up, they are constantly comparing and looking. Social media is always about comparison. It is an online image. I looked at the Act in this regard. Coimisiún na Meán matters and I welcome the fact it has been doing a lot of work.”
“I concur with some of the other younger Deputies. I was brought up with this. I remember going to school when the first phones came out and growing up through the smartphone era. I remember my first time having that urge to check the phone and feeling like I was tied to it. I currently have a blocker on my phone that restricts my social media access but kids are not very aware of what they are doing. We also have to put parents on notice not to give their children phones at such an early age. I do not encourage another phone pouches incident, however. Parents should be liable for their children. We are living in an age where social media is not simply a place to connect. For many of the young people in my constituency, it has become a daily reality that shapes self-image and relationships.”
“Clontarf. Does the Taoiseach not know I am a Clontarf man? The flood defence is critically needed. Will flood defences be included in critical infrastructure with the recent announcement last week? This needs to be fast-tracked and people and businesses need assurance.”
“Ba mhaith liom ceist a chur ar an Taoiseach faoin flooding we saw in Clontarf yesterday. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Boxer Moran, for coming down and sorting out the dreaded sandbags, but households and businesses were very worried yesterday. I had tens of people-----”
“The more people with disabilities we have near policymakers, the better we will be at dealing with and fighting for people with disabilities. If the wage subsidy scheme could be extended to Members of this House, it would really help us with that.”
“I am not asking for more supports. I know there have been a lot of them, and I am proud of some of the supports in the budget. I am asking whether the Department is examining a tiered tax system based on turnover per business, say, €300,000 to €400,000, based on the differentiation in their turnover. The Minister spoke about supporting entrepreneurs. The current wage subsidy scheme needs to be reviewed for self-employed people with disabilities and self-employed entrepreneurs who are employing people with disabilities. Such a measure would be very welcome and long overdue. As I have stated in the House, my PA, Michael Reynolds, has a disability, but I cannot avail of the wage subsidy scheme to support him. It has not held him back. However, we need to review that for those in this House.”
“I would support a graduated tax system based on business size and turnover - a tiered system, like in other EU countries. I would particularly support small family-run SMEs. Is the Department examining such an approach to providing meaningful relief for community businesses? Are alternative measures being developed to ease the VAT burden on smaller enterprises? The Minister referred to this in his statement. I also raise the issue of the burden of the cost of renewing the general employment permit after two years. It is €1,500. For a small SME, that is a lot of cups of coffee and scones to be sold to reimburse the cost. I do not think it should be as high to renew the general employment permit after two years. I can understand the initial cost, but it should be reviewed for SMEs.”
“Create the family navigator role, which I am cautiously optimistic for due to the Government's announcement today, and peer-led paid supports so that families are not lost in the system. Some kids have parents who can do this, but some do not. We need one clear way. Embed accountability by defining the senior responsibility framework. Do not let people away with not being held accountable. As Deputy O'Toole said, we must listen to children not as a token gesture, but as primary right holders whose voices force and inform policy and design. The early years sector is already doing this. The people there are qualified to do so. I spoke to Ms Elaine Dunne from the Federation of Early Childhood Providers. They are not being paid but they are willing. We are going to lose a workforce.”
“In my last two minutes, I want to show the Minister of State some of the solutions that I hope she will grab the HSE with and tell it what she wants it to do - not ongoing evaluations, not measurements, but what is working and what is not. One thing I want to talk about is the guarantee of assessment. The assessment of need cannot remain a door that opens to nothing. I have heard multiple Members say this. Assessments and interventions must be funded and delivered together, not years apart. We must establish a national and research function; a team with the responsibility for caseload data, waiting list transparency and independent evaluation so that decisions are driven by evidence.”
“She should tell it what everyone in this Chamber wants it to do. The lack of accountability is not acceptable. Thousands of families are still fighting across the island, including in my constituency, for their children's legal entitlement under the Disability Act. Parents should not have to become full-time advocates just to secure the basics. Therapists should not be left trying to deliver services in the system. I want to acknowledge and thank FUSS Ireland who came to the cross-party committee focused on autism. There are Members in the House who were on that committee. The honesty and strength of the FUSS Ireland representatives in that meeting was very informative, and it was solution focused. That is what I always strive to be in this House. I do not want to just give out.”
“I thank the Minister of State for her visit to the CRC in Dublin Bay North. It was great to see her and long may her visits to north Dublin continue. This topic was one of the first things I spoke about in this House as well. When we were in discussions on government formation as regional Independents, it was big part of our negotiations. We made a clear commitment in the programme for Government that every child in this State deserved timely assessment, timely intervention and the right support to thrive. The Minister of State is just into her new remit. I congratulate her and wish her the best of luck. One of my predecessors sat there and was in the same Department. Now that she is in her role and given that assessment of need is in the HSE's remit, I hope she lets it know what she wants it to do.”
“Gabhaim buíochas as sin. Is infheistíocht an-mhór é €4 milliún. Táim fíorbhuíoch as sin. Tá an tAire ag cur go leor airgid i mBaile Átha Cliath thuaidh so tá sé iontach é sin a fheiscint. Is iarmhac léinn mé de chuid Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath. Bhí mé ann dhá bhliain ó shin. Tá sé iontach. Bhí mé sa Chumann Gaelach ann. Tá mé fíorbhuíoch as sin. Mar a dúirt an tAire, tá mic léinn a thagann go Baile Átha Cliath ó gach tír in ann an Ghaeilge a fhoghlaim. Tá sé sin iontach a fheiceáil. Táim fíorbhuíoch as sin. Gabhaim míle buíochas le mo constituency colleague, Deputy Ó Muirí.”
“Tuigim é sin. Tá brón orm ach tá go leor eolais ag an Aire faoin ábhar seo. Tá fearg orm faoi. Táim 27 mbliana d'aois. Tá glúin nua ag teacht anuas agus iad ag foghlaim an rud céanna a d'fhoghlaim mé féin. Ní bheadh Gaeilge agam gan mo dheirfiúr. Nílim ag cur aon shade ar fhilí. Is file í mo dheirfiúr ach caithfimid an rud a athrú. Tá sé sean. Níl sé don ghlúin seo. Bhí mé ag caint leis an Aire faoi seo. Má fhéachann tú ar an teanga nádúrtha sa Bhreatain Bheag, is léir go bhfuil siad ag déanamh an rud ceart. Tá siad ag athrú sa roinn agus is é sin an rud is tábhachtaí. Caithfimid caimiléireacht a dhéanamh ar an rud seo agus an méid atá ag obair sa tír eile seo a dhéanamh leis an teanga dúchasach anseo. Tá a fhios agam nach hé an Teachta Calleary an tAire oideachais.”
“B'fhéidir go bhfuil go leor daoine á iarraidh ach caithfidh daoine a bheith ag labhairt na Gaeilge. Tá sé beo. Níl sé sa leabhar. Ba chóir féachaint ar an rud a rinneadh sa Bhreatain Bheag.”
“Táim fíorbhuíoch as sin. Tá na daoine atá ag obair le Gaeilge 365 ag déanamh obair na gcapall. Maidir leis an rud faoina raibh mé ag caint leis an Aire níos luaithe, níl sé greanta i gcloch. Tá a fhios agam nach bhfuil an tAire sa Roinn oideachais ach tá go leor eolais aige mar gheall ar an ábhar seo. Táim ag iarraidh an rud a dúirt mé a shoiléiriú. Nílim ag iarraidh dhá ábhar. Táim ag iarraidh an t-ábhar a athrú. Tá a fhios ag an Aire nach bhfuil an Ghaeilge i leabhair. Tá pop-up Gaeltacht sa teach tábhairne, tá Féile na Gealaí i Ráth Chairn agus tá go leor initiatives eile ann. Tá an fuinneamh atá sa Ghaeilge anois craiceáilte. Maidir leis an rud atáim ag iarraidh a dhéanamh, cén fáth go bhfuilimid ag foghlaim "An Spailpín Fánach"? Is cuma le gach duine faoi sin.”
“Táim fíorbhuíoch as a bheith sa Chamber arís. Táim chun ceist a chur ar an Aire faoin Clondalkin Irish language network agus Gaeilge 365 idir 2025 agus 2028 agus faoi na targets, the number of innovative projects to be developed each year, the number to be mainstreamed agus an líonra atá ann idir na ceithre local authorities i mBaile Átha Cliath. When talking about giving constituencies stuff, I urge the Minister not to forget north Dublin.”
“Ní raibh mé ag an gcruinniú sin; bhí mé ag cruinniú eile. Táim fíorbhuíoch as an €2 milliún sin d’Fhoras na Gaeilge. Bhí mé ag caint le hionadaithe aréir nuair a chuir an tAire an fógra amach. Gabhaim buíochas leis as sin. Agus muid ag caint mar gheall ar an nGaeilge agus Foras na Gaeilge, ba mhaith liom ceist eile atá ag goilliúint ar phobal mo dháilcheantar a ardú. B'fhéidir nach bhfuil an tAire in ann caint faoi. Tá mé ag caint faoi deighilt a dhéanamh idir an bhéalscrúdú agus ceist na gramadaí. Tá go leor daoine i mBaile Átha Cliath atá líofa sa Ghaeilge nach bhfuil in ann aon rud a chur ar pháipéar. An bhfuil éinne sa Roinn oideachais ag smaoineamh mar gheall ar an nGaeilge mar ábhar scoile a roinnt idir an bhéalscrúdú agus an ghramadach?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. Tá sé go deas é sin a cloisteáil. Maidir leis an maoiniú le haghaidh Foras na Gaeilge, ba mhaith liom míle buíochas a ghabháil ar son mo Dháilcheantar agus ar son muintir na Gaeltachta. Bhí mé ag caint le hionadaithe agus tá siad an-bhuíoch. An féidir leis an Aire an €2 milliún atá beartaithe d’Fhoras na Gaeilge ó mhí Eanáir ar aghaidh a mhíniú? Can this funding be channelled directly through Foras na Gaeilge from that date? What interim or alternative solution has been designed so that community groups do not lose time or opportunities?”
“Cuirim ceist faoi fhorbairt an phobal Gaeltachta. Cé go bhfuil an tAire le moladh as an ardú suntasach a baineadh amach i mbuiséad 2026 don Ghaeilge agus don Ghaeltacht, an bhfuil socrú déanta i dtaobh an €2 mhilliún a gealladh d’Fhoras na Gaeilge?”
“It is the most hypocritical thing when I hear TDs across this Chamber say we need to build more houses, yet they have objected to 50 units here or 100 units there. This is NIMBYism because they are afraid they will not get elected in the next election. I am not afraid. I am supporting the Government to get things done. These TDs need to do that as well. I see it constantly and it is the most annoying thing coming into this House.”
“I welcome the fact of the engagement we had on this plan. The affordable housing scheme is something that needs to be prioritised. It is my generation that is facing the consequences of the decisions of past Governments. I am supporting this Government in the hope it will listen to me. I know it has in regards to the cabins of the back of gardens but the other thing that really needs to be done is to address the red tape and bureaucracy. It is said across this House but are we just saying words or are we actually going to remove it? I welcome the judicial review proposal. It is great that people will not be able to stop developments as easily, but one of the things that needs to be done is that we need to get local authorities and developers all together to stop these mass objections.”
“As everyone will know, private wires was a key priority for me in Government formation talks. I have heard Members of the House talking about this. It is not privatising our grid. It is not like when we changed out from telecoms. It is about removing the monopoly from the grid. It provides an alternative when grid constraints or inefficiency block renewable regeneration of energy. In the right context, they can be used to lower energy costs but it is crucial that private wires serve the public interest and eco-villages. If they are used for corporations, we must make sure they are not used as greenwashing tactics.”
“At the moment, every day, on average €2.7 million worth of unit cost of electricity is being wasted due to curtailment and dispatch down. I was at a solar farm recently where the owner told me he has to turn off his farm regularly due to the grid not having the capacity to take the energy being added. I do not understand why we cannot fast-track long-duration energy storage to tackle this, to add to the grid and store the energy so as to level out the efficiency when there is a lack of wind or sun. Gigawatts of wind energy could be added to this country but we do not the grid capacity right now. We have had the ESB and EirGrid in before us. I know they have a huge job ahead of them but I urge that this be done. The legislation proposed today might help them with that.”
“I congratulate the Ceann Comhairle on how yesterday was dealt with. Fair play to her. Bhí sé iontach. We all know that families are struggling and I heard from across the House, when I was upstairs in my office listening to this debate, about the soaring energy costs and the thousands of people in arrears. I want to push something towards the Minister of State. I am on the climate and energy committee and EnergyCloud came before it. EnergyCloud will try to use the surplus or wasted renewable energy on the grid to heat up a boiler in a house for someone who is struggling. I ask the Department to look into this. I have spoken to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, about this and the Department is looking at it, but it needs to be fast-tracked.”
“We now have a potential with our offshore renewable energy to use the curtailment to make green hydrogen, sell it to the growing market and make it benefit the Irish people. I will say this again, if any other country had this potential, it would have been done 20 years ago. I look forward to this Bill progressing and I look forward to working with colleagues to refine it further.”
“The public needs to know that this Bill is not about blocking wind energy - far from it. The Bill would create the conditions for sustainable growth and community partnerships. Climate change demands action, but climate action must be taken in conjunction with people. We saw how people reacted when the previous Government brought in stuff without listening to them. An entire party was decimated. We cannot allow that to happen with the current parties and Independents here. We need to listen to the Irish people, conduct surveys and have community engagement. This is about fairness, planning and sense. It is also about ensuring Ireland leads. We did not lead when it came to our oil and gas.”
“I welcome the work the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and his Department have been doing on this. I look forward to the legislation coming before the House in the new year. What I would focus on when it comes to private wires are quasi-local projects and eco-villages that could benefit from offshore renewable energy. Deputy Stanley has made provision in his Bill for community benefit, community ownership and a fair share. This is one of the most important parts of the Bill, and I commend the Deputy on it. As I was reading it, I was very impressed with provision relating to the purchase of 10% of projects. Trust is built, not by ignoring people but by sharing benefits. As I have always said, if you put out a contract to the public and stick by it, they will not break that contract.”
“Solar farms and wind energy facilities - and I have heard other Deputies mention this - are turning off their renewable projects because the grid cannot take the energy. When representatives from EnergyCloud came before the energy committee, they proposed that this wasted energy be used to heat up boilers and be given to areas affected by disadvantage and socioeconomic difficulties. That is something we need to push for, because wasting this energy is absolutely ridiculous. One of the things I mentioned securing in the context of the programme for Government was private wire legislation. Germany has done it, Denmark has done it and the UK has done it. We clearly do not have the capacity to reach what the grid demands. We need to allow private wire legislation to be fast-tracked.”
“I feel like a broken record talking about this because everyone agrees with regard to what we should do in the context of long-duration energy storage, creating a grid that is decentralised and protecting from curtailment and dispatch down. When you hear stories to the effect that €2.7 million worth of electricity is being lost every day due to dispatch down and our grid not being able to carry the load, it is absolutely heartbreaking. When I knock on doors in my constituency and talk to young mothers and parents who are struggling with the cost of electricity, I come to the conclusion that it makes no sense that we have the second or third highest energy cost per kilowatt hour in Europe when we have the capability of generating so much energy on our little island. Deputy Fleming mentioned the sale of energy to France.”
“If this was Germany, this would have been done years ago. When I looked back through the Dáil records, I discovered that we had plans for this before the crash. Sadly, the economic crash happened and we were left on the back foot. We did not set up a national fund like other countries, such as Denmark or Norway, built on the basis of publicly owned success stories that create wealth. We are now reliant on foreign direct investment. We cannot change the past, but we can change legislation to make onshore and offshore benefit the Irish people as much as possible. We cannot repeat the mistakes of the past. I am on the climate and energy committee. We have had many groups in.”
“I am not here for sound bites; I am here for actual engineering being put down. Wind energy must be part of our future, that is clear. In that context, however, local communities cannot be an afterthought. I commend Deputy Stanley on bringing this Bill forward. With regard to onshore and offshore wind, it is a strategic choice. It is very important that the public know the difference in size of offshore and onshore wind farms. It is colossal. In the context of onshore generation, as other Deputies have said, turbines can be 165 m in height Offshore turbines can be 260 m high. The efficiency is what we should be focusing on. Onshore is, on average, 2.5 MW while offshore can get up to 12 MW, which is huge for Ireland in the context of energy generation. If any other country had the capability Ireland has, it would be seizing upon it.”
“I acknowledge Deputy Stanley for bringing forward this Bill. It is constructive legislation that seeks to strike a balance. As other Members stated, delivering clean, renewable energy will ensure fairness. As I was sitting here, I heard a Deputy say that the regional Independents are against renewable energy. I was in negotiations for Government. We secured key steps for private wires and renewable developments relating to data centres. As a qualified engineer with a master's degree in sustainability, while we were in negotiations, I pushed for this. In the context of people saying that the regional Independents are against this , when I was at a committee meeting I heard a member of one party state that residents are worried about boiling their kettles. If you do the calculations, you will find that it costs five cent to boil a kettle.”
“I welcome that the Minister of State has been addressing this in his travels around the globe and I thank him for that. Sudan cannot be allowed to disappear from global attention. Again, I welcome the fact that we are having statements on Sudan in this House. If the world continues to look away, millions more will suffer. We must keep pushing for a humanitarian ceasefire to end all the suffering. Ireland must keep speaking out, it must keep pushing for Europe to act and it must keep standing with the people of Sudan who are fighting for survival, dignity and peace.”
“Satellite images show entire communities erased, villages burned, blackened earth where families once lived and developed and communities once stood. The ethnic cleansing of local populations is systematic, and we are seeing this across the globe. We must confront the truth of what is fuelling this horror. External actors are driving this conflict. Such conflicts have been massively expanded through weapons, funding and logistics funnelled from outside states. These interventions are about influence and obtaining critical mineral resources, including gold. Where foreign governments arm militias, civilians always pay the price. Ireland may be small but our voice, values and political strength are how we show our humanitarian leadership.”
“The war in Sudan is the forgotten war. It is just like the conflict; it has slipped from public consciousness. I am really grateful we are doing these statements today as it is something we should be focusing on. The Minister of State has been giving his attention to this and I have spoken to him about it. I am very happy he has been addressing it in the way he can but this is one of the worst humanitarian disasters occurring at the moment, in line with the genocide in Palestine. A total of 13 million people have been displaced, 25 million people are facing hunger and famine and 4 million children are malnourished. I welcome that the Minister of State's Department is looking at this and I look forward to him addressing this afterwards but the genocide is visible from space.”
“I will also mention I have visited some of the refugee centres and spoken to refugees. I urge the Government to enable refugees to get their work permits and work. They want to work. We should allow them to do so.”
“The funding can also be given towards technology and upgrades for our security measures. I will also mention that this funding could strengthen Garda capacity and enhance co-operation on anything that could go wrong in that sense. The reason I say we should be going towards this is if and when we opt in, it will ensure Ireland keeps influence over the EU's justice and migration policy rather than just being a spectator. As everyone in this House will know from me over the last year, I would much rather be on the pitch than shouting from the sidelines. In light of us drawing down the hundreds of millions of euro that would otherwise go elsewhere, opting in is the smart and responsible choice. It supports vulnerable people, strengthens national security and protects democratic values.”
“I am also delighted to speak on this. When I went for election this time last year, I was one of the only TDs in north Dublin who mentioned immigration and migration on my leaflets. In that, and the mandate I was elected on, was a fair, compassionate immigration system that led communication with communities and the Government and had no tolerance for racism. The people of north Dublin elected me on that mandate and I have continuously worked on it. Ireland has always participated in these funds. They have helped us fulfil our humanitarian commitment while reducing the financial burden on the State. We should support this because it will give better services to vulnerable people and stronger communities, and Europe will help us pay for it. These supports mean a much safer Ireland as part of Europe's security framework.”
“Bhí mé ag caint faoi seo dhá sheachtain ó shin agus an tseachtain seo caite. An rud atá i gceist ná Stapolin Educate Together National School in Baldoyle, which has a petition. Children from the school were in the Dáil last week. It needs two autism classrooms to be sanctioned by the Minister. There are eight children in mainstream classes with eligibility letters and a further 30 in the catchment area who are on waiting lists. This is a huge priority for me and I would love it to be addressed.”
“Regarding the cross-Border organisation Foras na Gaeilge, if it had the same growth as the Arts Council, Foras na Gaeilge's budget would now be €50 million. Instead of that, níl sé ach €17 milliún. I welcome the raise in the recent budget to Foras na Gaeilge's funding, but how will the Taoiseach ensure that this additional funding is made available, given that 25% of it is from the North?”