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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“Let me say this clearly: we cannot talk about parental choice and diversity in education while ignoring Irish-medium schools. This is not pluralism; it is selective silence. I asked the Minister to go to Gaelcholáiste Reachrann, not for a photo op or TikTok video, but as a show of respect and seriousness, because they are the generation who sustains and grows the Irish language. We must fund and support the schools that do the work every day and show the teachers who are in a staff room in a prefab that we are committed to supporting them. I wish to speak directly to the parents, especially those campaigning for change, whom I met in the audiovisual room recently at an event held by one of the Minister's party's members. I have listened to them and I am hoping to push from the inside. I am not turning my back on their campaign.”
“I am in a group chat - the Minister is well aware of it - of 450 parents who are still banging on the door. I have asked already but will do it again: will the Minister get the Department to reach out to Gaelcholáiste Reachrann before the end of this term? North Dublin needs to be shown that the Gaeilgeoirí in the constituency have the right to a school building. I was very lucky to have a sister who taught me the Irish language, but there are children attending that school whose parents do not have the language. If we want to revitalise the Irish language, we need to give them that choice. Is í ár dteanga dhúchais í, agus caithfimid a bheith bródúil as ár dteanga dhúchais agus an t-airgead a chur isteach inti. Mura bhfuilimid á dhéanamh sin, tá sé uafásach do na daoine óga atá ag fás aníos ag iarraidh ár dteanga dhúchais a fhoghlaim.”
“The previous programme for Government committed to "400 multidenominational primary schools by 2030", a target that has vanished from the current document, similar to other targets in much of this document. It is one of the first programmes for Government to omit this. I understand why, as it means the next Government would otherwise be held accountable. However, if we believe in pluralism and inclusion, we must show it in writing and show a clear commitment to how much we are going to do. The Government amendment rightly acknowledges parental choice and increasing enrolments, but it fails to mention in its amendment key commitments, such as the promise to expand opportunities for students to attend Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí. This is something that I am hearing consistently.”
“I want to be able to hold the Government to the commitments that other Independents, the two parties and I have signed up for. It is a document that we all agreed would say this was what we were going to do. Some 90% of primary schools in Ireland remain under religious patronage, as has been said by everyone in this Chamber, with fewer than 6% being multidenominational. The parents I speak to in my constituency tell me that they do not have the choice. Some parents want non-religious education while some want coeducational schools. The numbers bear this out. As Deputy Gogarty just said, 51 of 52 new schools have been multidenominational. However, the overall pace of change remains too slow for the parents who want that choice.”
“Aontaím go mór leis an rún seo. When we speak about education we do not just speak about education, buildings or the boards of management. We speak about values, choice and identity. I can understand a lot of the stuff behind the motion. I agree with the spirit of the motion but I also signed up to support the programme for Government. I did not do so blindly and uncritically. I had a good look at the programme for Government and there is a clear thing that is not mentioned in this debate. On page 66 it says the Government will "Hold a convention bringing together all stakeholders in education." Will the Minister tell us when this will be done? We need to bring in all the stakeholders. Have communication. Hundreds of parents in north Dublin have spoken to me who want the choice.”
“I welcome the fact the Tánaiste will engage with the universities. As I have seen growing up and going through the education system, mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí. If we do not invest in education and universities and give them the option, they will go. As the Tánaiste mentioned, cyberdefence depends on highly skilled personnel. I welcome the fact the Tánaiste has mentioned this. I have many friends in the Defence Forces and from speaking to them I know they would like to go down this route. An Garda Síochána also plays a key role in this. It is not only international risks as we also face internal risks from crime gangs learning how to send fake texts and emails. A great deal of investment needs to go into this to protect our vulnerable, including the elderly who fall victim to these hacks.”
“I thank the Tánaiste. I would like to see this being done quickly and effectively, given the emerging threats that are ever-growing in this climate.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Tánaiste. Tá sé iontach le cloisteáil go bhfuil an obair sin á déanamh aige. It is great to see the Tánaiste is working collaboratively with the Defence Forces to establish this new unit but we need to see our Defence Forces equipped, trained and empowered to meet these real threats. I ask the Department to meet the universities, one of which, DCU, I just left. They are developing new courses but to develop the talent in our population to work in these new Defence Forces offices we need to introduce new courses which are constantly evolving. As happened when the HSE was hacked, I ask the Minister to look into all Departments across the board to make sure they are running with up-to-date systems that are adequate and working. It is about building long-term resilience at every level of the State.”
“Inniu ba mhaith liom caint faoi rud éigin atá i mbéal an phobail faoi láthair. What steps are being taken to strengthen Irish cyberdefence capabilities, especially in the environment we are in at present? Cyberattacks are no longer hypothetical. They are a real and growing threat to our economy, our national security and our democracy. The Tánaiste has spoken about this before but I want to know what steps have been taken since the formation of the Government to protect the Irish people and to protect our economy and our national security.”
“Children still have to go into bushes to get changed or to use the bathrooms. Significant things need to be done. I thank the Minister for State for his engagement with this so far.”
“I welcome the fact that the Minister of State said that. Regarding the lack of running tracks and the number of Olympians, maybe northsiders are just better runners. I ask that the capital plan that, please God, will go to Raheny Shamrock Athletic Club not be a one-time investment. If Dublin City Council could do this, it could charge people, which would build revenue for the council. We would also prevent further use of hospital services because people would be fitter. Like the significant fines we are facing from the EU, a stitch in time saves nine. We need to invest in youth and our clubs. I welcome the fact that the Minister of State has engaged with me and I thank him from the bottom of my heart on behalf on all the parents whose doors I knocked on who are looking for this. St. Anne's Park needs the investment.”
“Anne's Park to be used by future Olympians? More than 90,000 people live with 4 km of St. Anne's Park. Is there any chance that the Department would investigate that?”
“It is great to hear that the Minister of State will be coming to the club. Raheny Shamrock Athletic Club has a significant history of producing Olympians not just for the northside but for all of Ireland, such as Dick Hooper, Mick Clohisey and Sophie Becker as well as paralympians Orla Comerford and David McNally, and Brian Fay, who I went to school with. With over 850 members, the club still has a waiting list for juveniles. There are way more running tracks on the southside. I believe the estimate is six or seven public tracks compared with two public tracks on the northside of Dublin. I do not know if this is because previous northside politicians did not raise it enough with the Department. Will the Minister of State commit to possibly looking into Dublin City Council adding a 400 m running track to St.”
“I wish to raise an issue on which the Minister of State has engaged with me regarding Raheny Shamrocks Athletics Club and a development that the board of the club has been working really hard on. I welcome the fact the Minister of State has been speaking to the board. I ask him to comment on the fact that the northside needs more investment in this club and in running tracks across the board.”
“I would also like to draw attention regarding abuse to a young lady whom I met outside the gates of the Dáil when I was going to attend a meeting in Buswells. This was brought up by another Deputy. It is the case of Katie Byrne, date of birth 19 November. I would like to ensure that this can be looked into. She is currently being abused. She has been waiting for 14 years to get an assessment and the care that she critically needs. I urge the Department and Government to give this young woman the care that she needs rather than failing again. Gabhaim buiochas leis an Aire. I know the Minister has a huge job ahead of her. She has engaged proactively with me on other issues. I hope that she can look into this case. I thank her.”
“Second, we need to ensure that the voices of people with disabilities are central to safeguarding. Grace could not speak up for herself and when she did, no one listened, but others can. We need formal supporting mechanisms of self-advocacy, complaints and whistleblowing that are accessible, protected and listened to, like what happened with St. John's Ambulance. Third, we need a full review of how the HSE and Tusla respond to allegations of abuse. There were delays, files were not followed up and concerns were not acted on. This cannot be allowed to happen again. Fourth, we must commit to resourcing community-based supports, with real alternatives to long-term institutional settings or any abuse.”
“I thank every Member for everything they have said about this. I do not want to repeat what we know is wrong. The real question is what we are going to do to make sure it never happens again. This case really exposed more than individual failure. It exposed the culture of silence and of institutions more focused on protecting systems than protecting people. When the person who is failed is someone with intellectual disability, the failure cuts even deeper. Today, I want to ask what we must do right now. First, we need to guarantee permanent independent oversight of care placements for vulnerable children and adults. This means giving higher legal power to oversight of such placements, whether public, private or foster-based, and ensuring that no complaint and no red flag is ever allowed to sit unanswered again.”
“Since taking up employment, my parliamentary assistant, who has a disability, has had his travel allowance and disability allowance removed. There are key steps in the programme for Government. Will this Government provide for a universal, non-means-tested payment in respect of disability allowance? We all know the cost of disability. There are huge costs to people with a disability. We need there to be a universal, non-means-tested payment so that when people go back to the workforce or enter the workforce, they do not have their benefits removed.”
“They are unbelievable but they need a visit from the Tánaiste and the Minister to show their commitment. All I am asking for is a commitment - not more lip-service and delays. Will the Tánaiste and the Minister commit to a visit to Gaelcholáiste Reachrann before the end of the school term to set in motion a process that finally ends this injustice?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Tánaiste agus an Aire. Yet again - and I see why people get frustrated - the Tánaiste did not answer my question. Will the Tánaiste and the Minister commit to a visit to Gaelcholáiste Reachrann before the end of the school term? Will they commit to that? That is all I am asking for - a commitment. The school is waiting. I will drive them there; it is 25 minutes away. It is very simple. The children are in prefabs which are freezing. Children are trying to go to school. They are in north Dublin, an area where we need to be encouraging the Irish language. I am just asking for a commitment. That is all I want from the Tánaiste and the Minister - a commitment to visit the school and the teachers in the next two months.”
“I welcome the fact that she has been engaging with me on this matter. I ask the Tánaiste directly not for a briefing or a phone call but for an in-person site visit before the end of the school term. If this Government is serious about the Irish language, this is the test. On a broader point about being serious about the Irish language, Foras na Gaeilge is still operating on a 2003 budget. In 2003, it had €17 million while in 2025, it has €17 million. Meanwhile, the Arts Council went from €44 million to €140 million. I am delighted to see that the Arts Council got this increase, and I welcome that, but if the Irish language matters it is time to prove it.”
“With full respect, it does not seem to me or to those of my constituents who are trying to send their children to be educated through the medium of Irish that this project is a priority. The founders of our State would turn in their graves if they thought that a school providing education through our native language is still looking for a permanent building. There are Gaeilgeoirs in north Dublin. The highest number of speakers of the Irish language live in Dublin, and we are not providing some of them with a permanent secondary school building. In the winter, the kids attending the school are freezing. It is ridiculous. The school has pupils enrolled,and there is demand. It has leadership and an unbelievable track record. The one thing it does not have is a proper school building. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, is here.”
“There have been temporary buildings in place since 2001, with no timeline, no delivery and no answers. Let us be honest, 24 years is not temporary; it is permanent. The school is not fit for purpose. No student should spend their entire school life in a prefab. No family should be expected to tolerate that, and no Government should allow it. I have raised this matter three times in the Chamber. I continue to get the same response. The most recent update from the Department indicates that the project is at stage 3 and that a new grant of planning was received in December 2023 and is still being examined by the design team. The update ends by stating that the project remains a priority.”
“Táim ag labhairt inniu ar son na dtuismitheoirí, na ndaltaí agus na múinteoirí i nGaelcholáiste Reachrann i nDomhnach Míde. Tá an scoil ag feidhmiú i bhfoirgnimh shealadacha le breis agus 20 bliain. Tá sé ráite go minic ag an Rialtas go bhfuil an tionscadal ag dul ar aghaidh ach níl sé. I raise yet again a matter that is a key priority for me. I spoke about it during the negotiations to form the Government. Gaelcholáiste Reachran is a school I know well. Many of my friends attended this school and their brothers and sisters are attending it now. The frustration of those involved with the school is growing day by day. They have been promised change for 24 years but they are still waiting. Currently, only 56 students are enrolled in first year. This represents a collapse in confidence. Why would there not be such a collapse?”
“I welcome the fact the Minister of State is engaging with these industries and he should continue to do that. I would also like his Department to examine the fee migrant workers are paying. Off the top of my head, it costs €200 yearly. It is an unfair fee and should be reduced because these people are struggling. They are coming here to work. Workers should not have to choose between leaving a bad situation and risking their legal status. We can and must do better and I welcome that the Minister of State's Department is doing that and I thank him. The real question is, will we see legislative reform in this area in 2025? Will the Department commit to a clear set of reforms that put mobility, workers' rights and transparency at the centre of the work permit system?”
“When we look at the people who left this country, we should be fighting for the people who are coming to this country to have the same rights. We have heard countless stories, one of which I just mentioned. In some cases, migrants are left waiting for too long for decisions and feel as if they are trapped. In the worst cases, people are left vulnerable to abuse by employers because the employers know these people do not have another option.”
“I welcome the fact there is movement on this, but at the heart of the issue is a simple question of fairness. Workers who come to Ireland on employment permits are legally present in the country, paying taxes and contributing to our essential sectors, such as those mentioned by the Minister of State, but once they arrive, they find themselves tied to a single employer under rigid rules that limit their ability to change jobs. I spoke to one of these migrants who was a mushroom picker about the conditions the workers were working in and how they felt they were stuck with the job. It is not acceptable. If we go back to where Ireland was, we are a proud nation and we emigrated and worked in these types of job.”
“I am asking for an update on the commitment in the programme for Government to examine ways to make it easier and more transparent for people on work permits to change jobs legally. Last week, I visited the Migrant Rights Centre. I had a great discussion with it and met many people who had come to this country with the intention to work. There is a matter of basic fairness and of upholding our international reputation as a country that respects the rights of workers.”
“There are more than 10,000 residential units in this area but not one single community service where residents could leave their children and allow them to do anything other than hang around on the streets. It is no wonder we have antisocial behaviour in these areas. A stitch in time saves nine. We should put a community centre, library and other facilities for children in north Dublin on the L-shaped land in Belmayne. We all know what happens to young adults who not have an option. I hope the Department will look at this because it is really important. We need an idea that would allow people to access key services within a short walk or short cycle of their homes. That is not an aspiration but a requirement. Planning is the most powerful tool we have. It is proactive rather than reactive.”
“The NPF is a critical tool in how we shape our housing infrastructure, services and communities. I welcome the revision placed before the House following public consultation and a comprehensive review. However, we need a plan that reflects the major changes our country has seen in recent years. Planning is not just about numbers and maps; it is about the kind of people and communities we build. Too often, especially in north Dublin, as I have seen time and again, including in the examples of Belmayne and Clongriffin, we have built thousands of new homes but we do not have public amenities to match them. I have gone to multiple residents' meetings since being elected to this House and while I was a councillor.”
“We are told it is being streamlined but schools are still waiting too long for decisions. When support is recommended, too often the recruitment process is blocked due to funding constraints. I thank the Minister of State for engaging with me regarding Belmayne Educate Together and the plan for a special school there and for the effort he made with the Department. We do, however, need transparency in the allocations, we need faster reviews, and we need funding to follow the needs not the headline. Every child in this country deserves this. That is the standard we should be aiming for.”
“When I raised this through a parliamentary question on 10 April, I welcomed the Government's commitment to special needs assistant numbers with new posts by 2025 but good intentions are not enough. I asked the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, how the numbers were proposed to be distributed, and specifically for me how they would be allocated to schools in Dublin Bay North where families continue to face serious delays. Hundreds of people are getting in contact with me and my office about this. Behind the national figures are real children, many with autism and many complex needs, who are still without appropriate school places. Parents in my constituency and across the country are exhausted from fighting the system that should be there to support them. I also highlighted delays with the Minister of State.”
“Right across Dublin Bay North and, indeed, the entire country, vacant and derelict buildings are sitting idle while people are crying out for housing. Hundreds of people email me weekly. They are dying to get into these houses on the same street they are in in north Dublin. Local authorities are struggling with enforcement. I urge that there be an investigation into Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council regarding the amount of funding that is going into derelict and vacant sites investigation teams. Will there be a commitment to the radical overhaul of our approach, penalties put in place on a long-term vacancy, the streamlining of our CPO powers and finally giving communities in Dublin and across Ireland the power to bring these sites back to life?”
“Given that the locals objected very strongly to a proposed berm that was going to completely remove the promenade and make it unsafe for people to walk at nighttime, we need to know if Uisce Éireann is planning to do that again. We just had the cycle track opened up for Fairview and now it is planned to do another one- to two-year development, ripping up the cycle track again. There must be another solution. Let us not plan for the next election in five or ten years' time. We must work collectively to make water infrastructure a top-tier national priority. We owe it to our constituents. I owe it to mine. I got elected on this mandate. Dublin Bay deserves to be clean for our future and for future children.”
“We need to work together because at the moment it seems that there is no communication. It is as if we are all acting in our own way. Everything needs to be done together. I welcome this debate. We should fast-track the upgrade of our water infrastructure. I urge Uisce Éireann to do that. With the new sensitive planning developments, it needs to be done correctly. I have heard rumours that there is a plan for an Uisce Éireann pipe going down the promenade in Clontarf - the same pipe that was planned 14 years ago, to which the locals strenuously objected. Does the Department have any information on whether it is intended to do that?”
“There was a €300 million loan from the European Investment Bank and while I get a bit of confidence from that, it is just a start. We need sustained investment from the Government and the EU to really deliver what is required. Many people were without power and water during recent storms. We must make every single part of our infrastructure a top priority, be it the grid or water. We cannot wait for the next storm to highlight the fragility of our systems, because we know for a fact that when it comes, we will be given out to again by the same people who just poke holes and never offer solutions. We need joined-up thinking. As a councillor, I saw what happens in local authorities. There must be clearer communication between local authorities, the planning bodies, the Department of housing and the Department of the environment.”
“I welcome the current capital plan, which is a step forward. I am not just going to give out because it would be easy to do that about Uisce Éireann. I understand that it has a long-term vision. I encourage Members to work with it. We need to put in the framework, the funding and the policy, put the political will behind it and really push Uisce Éireann on this. Let us be honest. This is a multi-decade project and it is going to cost billions of euro. I saw in a recent estimate from Uisce Éireann that it is going to cost over €60 billion in the next 25 years to modernise our national water infrastructure but it needs to be done. When we compare that to the economic cost of inaction, we need to do it now. Similar to the climate goals that I referred to earlier, we need to face this now.”
“Whether it is wastewater treatment capacity or connection timelines, outdated systems are limiting our ability to deliver homes at scale. As we have discussed in this debate on Uisce Éireann, in many areas Ireland’s water network is decades behind where it needs to be. Some pipelines that are still used were laid in the 18th or 19th century. That is not just an issue for Dublin; it is for everyone, and Deputy O'Flynn spoke of the situation in Cork. This is a public risk. It means leaks, people getting sick and burst pipes, and it will continue to increase maintenance costs. A recent article suggested that we lose approximately 37% of treated water every single day. That is treated, pumped and purified. Money has gone into this water but it is gone; it is lost. That is ridiculous.”
“I would like to see investment by Uisce Éireann and the Government in oyster farms that can be used as a filtering system, and after the oysters have lived their cycle, we can grind them down for fertiliser. We need to provide real, organic solutions that can give encouragement and improve Dublin Bay. We cannot talk about housing, which is the biggest issue that the Government will be judged on, without talking about water. It does not work. We need to plan our water services and modern investment or we are not going to reach our housing targets. We simply cannot do it. I welcome that Uisce Éireann is currently enabling delivery through targeted infrastructure upgrades, which is progress, but demand is far outpacing supply. I welcome the contribution of Deputy Ó Muirí and I agree with him for the most part.”
“I know of multiple residents who swim in Dublin Bay at Dollymount beach and Howth and who have been getting ear infections or getting very sick. We need to look into this. Dublin Bay is not just for north Dublin but also for south Dublin. Sadly, due to the development of the port, as I saw in simulations, when there is a run-off, the water gets pulled out with a plume of E. coli, and when the tide comes back in, this circulates and hits the north strand, which is where everyone swims. It is very sad to see. Other countries have changed the way the water gets taken in and out by the tides. We need to look into this in order to save and protect Dublin Bay and the swimmers.”
“I was endorsed by the family of Seán Dublin Bay Loftus, who did great things in the past to protect Dublin Bay for us right now. Otherwise, it would have been filled in, which was the plan at the time. In another question, I asked if the Taoiseach could provide a clear timeline for the completion of the upgrade works at the Ringsend wastewater treatment plant, given the ongoing public health and environmental concerns arising from its capacity issues, and to outline the immediate measures the Government is taking to prevent the continued discharge of untreated wastewater into Dublin Bay. I measured this myself and could see from the levels that E. coli was at 3,000 ppm, which is six times the safe limit for people to be swimming.”
“The question was disallowed, however, because, under the Water Services Act, the Minister cannot give directions to Uisce Éireann. On 19 February, I asked a question of another Minister with regard to ensuring that Dublin Bay is protected, considering the urgent environmental need to address pollution and the issues of continuous run-off, and it was again disallowed under the same Act. Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives but when I contact it online, it takes five or six weeks to get a response. It is not acceptable, especially having being elected by the people of Dublin Bay North to look after the bay, which was a huge part of my mandate.”
“I thank Uisce Éireann for coming in to meet me recently. It was a very good and informative meeting. I understand that it plays a critical role in managing one of the most essential services that we all rely on every day. Uisce Éireann had a huge portfolio when it began ten years ago, including the treatment of infrastructure and environmental standards. It is really doing its best. However, since being elected to this House, I am not happy with the fact that, as Deputy O'Flynn noted earlier, no one is accountable. In a question on 5 February 2025, I asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications about the investment that is planned to modernise the Ringsend wastewater treatment plant to prevent pollution in Dublin Bay, and if he would make a statement on the matter.”
“I understand that it is very hard for the Department to put millions into ports because there is an issue there. Can that be removed so that the Government can pump money into the ports? We do not have the infrastructure to take in the equipment. If we are serious about changing the LNG plant to a green hydrogen plant, we need to make the investment such that there will not be a bottleneck for this energy.”
“I welcome the fact the Minister has been engaging with me on private wires legislation and I know he has a huge job ahead of him. I wish him the best of luck in his phost nua. The Government is currently paying for research, funded by Research Ireland and conducted by Dr. James Carton, my previous professor in sustainability engineering at DCU, and his colleagues at UCD. What they are telling us is that we now need to invest hundreds of millions, if not billions, to ensure this is done. Will the Minister's office release a statement outlining what is going to be done? This is not just a chance to decarbonise our energy system. It is also a chance to save ourselves billions that could be invested in schools, hospitals, Gaelscoileanna, disability services and so on. It is going to save the Exchequer millions.”
“It is not going to be a one-time thing. This is going to be our future if we do not reach our targets. We will be fined again and again. We need to solve this now, at the start of the Government's term, rather than in five years' time.”
“In the context of the climate action that we need to take, there is really only one show in town for Ireland, and we all know that is our offshore renewable energy. While I welcome the fact that there has been a €90 million investment in Cork port, it is not enough. We need to be investing hundreds of millions of euro in our ports because we need to extend them out and widen them. Otherwise, the giant vessels that are going to be delivering the components for the future of offshore renewable energy development will not be able to get into the ports and will not be as efficient as possible. I know the Minister is well aware of that. Will the Department commit to investing hundreds of millions of euro right now to prevent us facing billions in fines in the future? It is the young people in the Gallery who will be paying taxes on this.”
“Go n-éirí leis an Aire ina phost nua. Has the Department carried out any cross-simulation or cost analysis of the potential fines that we are going to face if we do not reach our 2030 climate targets? Does the Minister agree that we should put the equivalent investment into our country rather than paying other EU countries, as a tap on the back, for the hard work they did? I want to know what the Department is doing because we need to do it now, at the start of this programme for Government, rather than in five years' time.”
“I look forward, as I have said, to the Tánaiste's response on his return. I urge us to continue to look for and foster open, fair trade across continents. It is not too late to change course and I urge President Trump to do just that.”
“I welcome Deputy Gogarty's remarks about our potential for green hydrogen and offshore renewable energy. I have spoken about this before. It is something we really need to do. I will speak about it more tomorrow. I welcome the Government's continued engagement with the European Commission and our EU partners. We must remain united, strategic and calm but never passive. When the Tánaiste comes back I will be encouraged to hear how he got on in those negotiations. Ireland needs to take a leadership role in pushing for a renewed US trade dialogue. Here at home, we need to plan seriously to support Irish businesses most at risk. Whatever our historical relationship might have been, that is not the case with the current US Administration. This is a moment for leadership, not isolation.”