Catherine Callaghan
Carlow-Kilkenny · Fine Gael · Ireland
“Quite rightly, as the Minister pointed out, the Presidency has highlighted both the importance of international co-operation and the reality that Ireland cannot currently provide every aspect of its own defence and security requirements. However, let us be fair about that.”
“I thank the Minister and fully support that. Ireland's reputation overseas has been built not only on the professionalism of our peacekeepers but also on the confidence serving personnel and their families have had in the supports and protections associated with overseas UN service.”
“I agree that the maritime security strategy is a great document. One of the lessons of recent years is that threats to national security no longer come solely in conventional military forms.”
“I welcome the Minister's response. As someone who has served overseas, I recognise, as the Minister mentioned, that the future of peace support operations may look very different to those that have shaped previous peacekeepers, like me. Looking ahead, does the Minister see Ireland's overseas contribution remaining focused?”
“With that in mind, what capabilities does Government believe the Defence Forces will require over the next decade to fulfil those missions effectively?”
“While the Minister has outlined some specific capability gaps there in terms of increasing the number of ships and helicopters, technology, etc., does she believe that will help us become less dependent on others and more resilient in our own right? Does the Minister have a timeline for when those capability gaps can be closed?”
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“In order to encourage anyone to live, work, raise a family or run a business in this great country of ours, we need to offer people a place to live. We need to have opportunities for our citizens to have a place to call home and at the moment, that is not happening. It is not because we do not have the land or the developers, or the will to do so. It is, in part, because a State-run entity, namely, Uisce Éireann, is preventing the delivery of homes. Ireland is a great country and we have many family-run businesses that, for years, in good times and bad, have built homes here. Such businesses still want to build homes but a State-run entity, namely, Uisce Éireann, is preventing that home delivery. We all know that our country is experiencing an acute shortage of housing.”
“I stand to say what I wrote in a letter earlier this week to the Ministers, Deputies Browne and Chambers, and to express my incredulity at the dire situation coming to light in respect of the Uisce Éireann infrastructure deficits in Carlow town. I implore the Department of housing and the Minister for public expenditure, Deputy Chambers, and his Department to hold Uisce Éireann to account as it is dragging its feet on the development and expansion of water and wastewater infrastructure across our country. We, as elected representatives, are proud of our country and determined to do the best for it. We want to see Ireland as the best place in Europe to live, work, raise a family and run a business. At the moment, however, this vision that we all share for our great country is but a shadow of an idea. Why is that the case?”
“This is not acceptable. It is not fair for people who have paid their taxes for their entire lives to not get the support they need, when they need it. What is the Government doing to ensure that there is an increased focus on recruiting and providing home support workers in rural areas and, in particular, to provide home support at weekends?”
“Many families I represent in rural counties Carlow and Kilkenny have been granted home support services for their relatives, due to illness or advancing age. In theory, these families in Kildavin, Callan, Bagenalstown and Bennettsbridge have State support to care for their family members at home but in reality, in many cases, there are zero HSE staff to fulfil these home support hours. Hard-pressed, full-time working families are left to take matters into their own hands and draw up family rotas for covering the care of their loved ones. The issue is particularly pronounced in rural areas of my constituency, especially over weekends. Families have been told by HSE staff that if their mother was living in a town, she would be have home support but the organisation cannot get the staff to go up long lanes or into rural communities.”
“What is his view on introducing some tax measures specifically for second-hand EVs, allowing first-time buyers of second-hand EVs to also receive a grant towards the purchase and installation of a home charger among other things?”
“I thank the Minister and acknowledge the measures that have been implemented. A lot is often made of the insufficiency of the public charging network. I do not share that criticism myself because I have a home charger and rely solely on that. The Government decision to reduce VAT to 0% on solar installations in 2023 was hugely beneficial to my family and others like mine. It allowed us to invest in solar PV panels, which marries very well with EV driving. I am a strong advocate for EV driving and would like to encourage more people to make the switch. In light of the high input costs of a new EV, does the Minister see any possibility in the current upper limit for VRT reduction being increased? I recently purchased a second-hand EV for the first time.”
“While I appreciate the measures the Minister mentioned, which go a long way to supporting the transition to EV driving, will he share his thoughts on increasing the home charger grant and reducing the current rate of road tax at €120 annually, which is the same as it was when I started driving an EV more than ten years ago?”
“I thank the Minister for his response. I have been an EV driver since 2015, a so-called early adopter, and I am on my third EV. When I purchased my first EV, there were a number of incentives such as the SEAI grant that covered the entire cost of the charger. That has been greatly reduced in the intervening years. There was also free public charging and low road tax, as the Minister mentioned, as well. I realise that free public charging was not sustainable in the long run but combined with the grant that covered the full cost of the home charger, it made the transition to the EV much easier for me and my family.”
“I would like to ensure that the essential need for humanitarian aid to flow to citizens of Gaza is also met, with all the hostages to be released. I concur with what the Tánaiste said about strengthening our support for Lebanon and its new government, particularly with our Irish soldiers who, as he noted, are serving over there, and about keeping the men and women who are proudly serving our country by protecting Lebanese civilians and keeping them safe and out of harm's way.”
“Another airstrike overnight has claimed the lives of a further four Lebanese citizens, including one woman, and injured seven people. How can we strengthen our support for Lebanon and its Government when the ceasefire is so fragile?”
“I think I am safe in saying I am the only Member of the Dáil who has completed a tour of duty with UNIFIL. I concur with the Tánaiste's statement of support for the 300-plus men and women of Óglaigh na hÉireann who are currently in Camp Shamrock and other areas of southern Lebanon, which is an area with which I am very familiar. The Tánaiste will appreciate why matters relating to peace in the Middle East are of huge interest to me. I have been a proud member of the Defence Forces. I have worn the blue beret and provided the vital service of peacekeeper, alongside my UN colleagues, to the citizens of Lebanon. The Tánaiste can imagine my horror to see Israel carry out, last Friday, its first attack on Beirut since the ceasefire came into force in November that put an end to more than 13 months of conflict with Hezbollah.”
“As the Minister of State says, the €100 million is very welcome, but the €250 million would be more than twice as welcome.”
“That is very welcome news. I thank the Minister of State. It is very clear to see then that the allocation of the extra €100 million is having a significant impact and providing vital support for Ukraine as it continues to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity, support that, as the Minister of State himself says, is needed now more than ever as Ukraine continues to defend itself against the continuing attacks and to be in a position of strength for ongoing negotiations. It is vital that we in Ireland, together with our European partners, play our part in supporting Ukraine as it continues its defence against Russia. The Minister of State mentioned the €250 million, the initial allocation we had pledged, but it is being blocked by Hungary. What can be done, and what is being done, to ensure that money, that aid, gets to Ukraine?”
“What steps are being taken to ensure the procurement partners chosen have the capacity to supply non-lethal military aid quickly and the items that are being delivered are items that have been identified by Ukraine as areas of need?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. I share his deep concern in relation to the situation on the ground in Ukraine and I welcome the additional allocation of €100 million that was announced last month. It is imperative this non-lethal military aid will be used to procure items that are identified in co-ordination with Ukraine as we need the aid that has been allocated to be delivered into the areas that have been identified as being most needed on the ground. We need to collaborate with the people on the ground in Ukraine. I would like to know how the €100 million is being split between the two key channels the Minister of State mentioned, namely, the de-mining and ICT procurement partnerships.”
“The Tánaiste mentioned non-lethal aid that is being provided to Ukraine, including the additional aid that was recently announced. I ask how this aid is being used and if he will make a statement on the matter.”
“We must own up to the fact that the current way we look after children with dyslexia with resources and SET is not sufficient for children with dyslexia. Between 5% and 8% of our population have dyslexia, but 30% of entrepreneurs have dyslexia. Children with dyslexia can be incredibly bright, but they are not able to access the information because they need extra support with reading classes.”
“To follow on from what I was saying, we only need to look at the transformative educational experience that children with autism are experiencing in Ireland due to the introduction of many more special educational classrooms. Reading classes in a mainstream setting would allow these targeted supports that I have mentioned to be delivered to children with dyslexia. It would also allow them to stay in their class in their local school with their friends and siblings. Every parish could have a reading class in the local school. Children with dyslexia often have very good social skills and they do not find the social side of school challenging. I invite the Minister to visit the school in Kilkenny that is already fighting this fight. She can meet the children, including John and Katie.”
“I am working alongside a DEIS school in Kilkenny, which says that 10% of pupils in the school have dyslexia, but they have no extra support other than the standard learning supports that are in every school. Children with dyslexia need specific supports, however. The Wilson programme is the gold standard. It works by teaching phonics to dyslexic children in a way that dyslexic children can understand. We only need to look at the transformative educational experience that children with autism have experienced. I will come back in in my second contribution.”
“It is John who pretends he is not listening when the teacher asks him to answer a question on the whiteboard, because he does not understand what is written on the whiteboard. It is Katie who goes out on a break and is aggressive and angry in the school yard because she just spent two hours in a classroom when she did not know what was going on and could not understand what the teacher was putting on the board, so she feels frustrated and powerless. It is John who feels sick to his stomach at the thought of being asked to read out loud. Can you imagine what that feels like? Can you put yourselves in the shoes of John or Katie? We need to do better for our children with dyslexia in primary and secondary schools.”
“I would like to add to the great points that Deputy Currie made. If you look up online the difficulties that children with dyslexia face, you will often find something like the following statement: Dyslexia causes difficulties with reading accuracy and fluency, spelling, writing, working at speed, holding information in mind while working on it, and processing verbal information. It can impact maths and other curriculum areas, and many dyslexics feel exhausted and challenged every day in school. As a former SNA, I know what a struggle with dyslexia looks like in a mainstream classroom. It looks like this. It is John who misses school a lot. It is Katie who never has her homework done.”
“Táim ag caint faoi fhocail shimplí cosúil le "Tóg amach do bhosca lóin", "bróga" nó "Seo é cathaoir" because I think it would be very beneficial to tuismitheoiri cosúil liomsa nuair atá siad sa bhaile. It would open an opportunity to demystify the perceived difficulty i scoileanna in learning ár dteanga, even if it is only for a dedicated leathuair nó uair gach lá.”
“Ní Gaeilgeoir mise. Táim beagnach neirbhíseach a bheith i mo sheasamh san áit speisialta nuair nach bhfuil Gaeilge perfect agam ach creidim gur fíor an seanfhocal "is fearr Gaeilge bhriste ná Béarla cliste". Tá a lán daoine sa bhaile cosúil liomsa. Ba mhaith liom labhairt go minic ach tá eagla orm go ndéanfaidh mé botún. Níl mé líofa ach tá mo thriúr páistí líofa. In fact, thiomáin mé 120 km san iomlán gach lá chun iad a thabhairt go dtí ár local Gaelscoil. Bhí an bealach ar fad tríd na blianta completely worth it mar tá Gaeilge blasta acu. Tá brón orm, I will have to revert. I ask the Government to please consider introducing even basic Gaeilge to the proposed State-funded childcare facilities.”
“Will the Taoiseach please provide an answer to the parents of Ballon, Rathvilly and Clonegal on the status of the planned phasing out of the nearest school rule for the school transport scheme, and the timeline for the abolition of the rule so pupils in Ballon, Rathvilly and Clonegal do not have to spend the summer worrying about how their hard-working parents will get them to school and themselves to work?”
“In advance of the new school year starting in September, many parents of sixth class pupils are faced with the dilemma of how they will get their child to their new secondary school when there is no school bus route available to them. I am particularly concerned about students in Ballon, Rathvilly and Clonegal, who have all made representations to me in recent weeks. I welcome the measure in the programme for Government to expand the school transport service to include 100,000 additional students by 2030, as well as expanding eligibility for more students, particularly those in rural areas, so they can get to school on a school bus.”
“I welcome the strong focus on disability in the programme for Government. When will the new disability unit in the Department of An Taoiseach be established and what will it do?”
“Tá mé chomh bródúil a bheith anseo i mo Theachta Dála ar son mhuintir Cheatharlach agus Chill Chainnigh. As this is my maiden speech in this historic Chamber, I sincerely thank the people of Carlow and Kilkenny who put their trust in me to represent them in the Thirty-fourth Dáil. I remember my late parents, Jo Jo and Kathy Roberts; my uncle, Martin; agus múinteoir den scoth, Eamon Whelan, who all had such a positive influence on me. I especially thank my husband, Dean, and my children, Alex, Lissie, and Pippa, and all my family, friends and supporters. Déanfaidh mé mo dhícheall ar ár son go léir. As a former carer, and the first ever special needs assistant, SNA, elected to Dáil Éireann, the Taoiseach can imagine that support for those who need it most is a top priority for me in my role as a Teachta Dála.”