Cathy Bennett
Cavan-Monaghan · Sinn Féin · Ireland
“It is important that we are having this discussion but that we will have many more discussions that must be had if we want to achieve a united Ireland in a planned and structured way.”
“I welcome this debate on the financial implications of a united Ireland. I acknowledge that the Tánaiste and so many other Members in this House see its merits in the future. I would have hoped that in this House we would at least have moved past the time of framing this without casting a value judgment.”
“As a person from a Border county, the North should never have been treated any differently from Cork, Kerry or Dublin. Irish unity is an opportunity to move beyond very real consequences that were inflicted upon the North, by a dysfunctional British State, and one that is totally disinterested in the needs of our people.”
“Most recently, we had a situation whereby the Government's refusal to adequately fund our schools led to cuts being imposed on every Government Department. If the Government wishes to work towards truly free education and to avoid being the cause of stress and financial hardship in the year ahead, there are a few things it should do.”
“The idea that education in Ireland is free at any level is a myth, whether it is the so-called voluntary contributions or a student contribution fee that costs more even though the Government claims it is reduced. It is utterly galling for hard-pressed families who shell out hundreds or even thousands of euro a year.”
“I welcome that we have recently seen progress on a number of important measures relating to domestic abuse, but what is of crucial importance is that we get the legislation and policy right.”
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“This Bill will better protect employees’ unpaid wages and entitlements if their employer becomes insolvent. I would commend the Government on introducing it but let us be real. It is a matter of obligation more than choice. The Government did not push to protect worker entitlements when they were denied on foot of the Vita Cortex insolvency in 2011, nor did the Government spring into action when the Clerys insolvency saw 460 jobs lost and workers denied their due in 2015. Not even when it was thousands of workers in the case of the Debenhams closure in 2020 did Government efforts exceed empty platitudes. Quite literally, the State left those workers out in the cold. No, the reason this Bill is before us is a Supreme Court decision dating back to 2018.”
“If this apology is to be meaningful, it is incumbent on the Government to change the laws and ensure that we have a system that works. How can we be certain that no other family will go through what the O'Farrells have gone through? My judgment will be guided by the O'Farrell family, who are working tirelessly in the name of justice for their son and brother Shane. They have done more than Minister, any judge or report to ensure that no other family goes through what they have gone through again. I commend and thank Lucia, Jim, Gemma, Pia, Aimee and Hannah.”
“The man who killed him did not and he was a career criminal with a dozen convictions in Lithuania. He racked up more than double that in offences here on his crime spree across the north east. It is simply not credible that the series of events that surrounded and led to the death of Shane O'Farrell can be explained away as a litany of errors. While this overdue apology is welcome, it can only be the beginning in answering what this State did when it denied the O'Farrell family their right to grieve in peace, when they were forced to fight every single step of the way against the State, which often said all the right things in public, denying them the truth, justice and the opportunity to grieve in privacy and peace at every opportunity.”
“The death of any person on our roads is a tragedy. The death of a child is a tragic hardship that no parent should have to bear. Shane O'Farrell was just 23 years old when he was struck and killed while out cycling near his home in Carrickmacross. The driver fled and while the man who took Shane's life handed himself into An Garda the next day, it seems as if in the intervening 14 years there has been a broad flight from justice and accountability on the part of the State. I welcome that Shane O'Farrell and his family have received an apology today. Despite questions remaining unanswered and crucial reports being denied to the O'Farrell family to this day, it is an acknowledgement that the State has done something for which it must apologise. Shane O'Farrell had every right to be on the road that night.”
“In 2009, then Sinn Féin TD for Cavan-Monaghan Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin described Fianna Fáil's closure of the accident and emergency department at Monaghan Hospital as a "mortal" blow for the people of Monaghan. He warned that lives "will undoubtedly be put at risk" as they then had to travel for up to an hour to Cavan hospital. The average wait time at Cavan hospital's accident and emergency department this year is more than eight hours, nearly double the 4.4-hour wait time in 2015. The situation is worsening every single year. With the best will and staff in the world, the minor injuries unit can only do so much. The people of Monaghan want to see the services, that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael cut, restored. Will the Taoiseach finally admit that Fianna Fáil was wrong to take away the accident and emergency department?”
“It is wrong that the Government will oppose it, particularly as RTÉ receives significant public money and has displayed woeful stewardship of that money. I again ask that RTÉ should be accountable to the Comptroller and Auditor General. It should be brought before the Committee of Public Accounts. The Oireachtas has mandated this responsibility to ensure that we have efficiency as regards our public expenditure. I ask the Minister of State to do this as soon as possible to ensure we have no more scandals.”
“What I find particularly galling about the station's practices is that while spending recklessly on itself, it was operating as a rogue employer and taking money out of the pockets of its workers through the practice of bogus self-employment. This is something we want to investigate at the Committee of Public Accounts. As a new member of that committee, I want to ensure this happens. Bogus self-employment should not happen anywhere in our country. RTÉ misspent taxpayers' money, on the one hand, and denied payments due under the Social Insurance Fund, on the other. It also denied staff their holiday pay and pensions and then had the gall to drag out the fight against those who were simply seeking what it had immorally denied them. It is right that this Bill should proceed as soon as possible.”
“I acknowledge the work of Deputy Ó Snodaigh in preparing this Bill and Deputy Byrne for proposing it today. Those in RTÉ have wantonly squandered the public moneys with which they have been entrusted. They have spent money lavishly entertaining themselves. They have spent the money of ordinary people on flip-flops for themselves. RTÉ has paid so-called stars obscene salaries based on the tall tale that broadcasters abroad were knocking the door down to secure the talent in RTÉ. When rocked by scandal, which seems to be a quarterly occurrence these days, RTÉ pays lip service to accountability. Lessons need to be learned as soon as possible. It is the same sorry mantra all the time, the one near certainty being that the organisation will be knocked by scandal anew in the period ahead.”
“I acknowledge and welcome the pending opening of the interim special school in Monaghan and that we have 18 additional places we did not have before, but we need to see rapid progression on the opening of a permanent school. We also need rapid progression on the delivery of additional special classes. I hear too often from school principals that they feel they have done the work at their end. They have the space and have done the administration, and view the reason for the delays in getting classes up and running as lying within the Department of the Minister of State. I also acknowledge the work of our school secretaries, school caretakers, SNAs, bus escorts and bus drivers. They are essential to the functioning of our schools. I appeal to the Minister of State specifically in terms of the secretaries and caretakers.”
“Once ring-fenced funding is taken into account, each school is left on a shoestring budget of perhaps €20,000 to €30,000 to run the school for the year. How are schools to function on this level of funding? I ask the new Minister of State to examine and seriously consider progressing legislation co-sponsored by my constituency colleague, Deputy Matt Carthy, during the last Dáil that would mandate adequate funding for our schools. We must invest in reducing our class sizes. Over 51,000 primary school children were in classes of more than 30 last year. Overcrowding in classrooms reduces the quality of education, places an undue burden on educators and is, of course, a contributing factor in the recruitment and retention crisis. The shortage in special schools and special classes is shameful.”
“The running of a school community is no easy task. We are fortunate in Ireland to have incredibly talented, committed and highly educated teaching and management staff who are passionate in their roles as educators. They do so too often in challenging circumstances not of their own making. These are challenging circumstances of the Government's making because successive Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil Governments have chronically underfunded our schools. The INTO has called for a 20% increase in schools funding and a review of school finances. I recently reviewed the finances with one local school principal. It was apparent that there is a dire need. I was asked to pose the question as to why the ICT grant has not been paid yet this year and where that school's minor works grant is.”
“Over many years local development companies across the State have run incredible programmes to protect and enhance biodiversity. However, their ability to do so has been hampered by a shrinking budget which has not been restored to the levels that were in place before the financial crisis. In Monaghan the annual allocation is only 10% higher than it was under the programme from 2014 to 2020. Inflation during that period has wiped out that small increase twofold, meaning a real term loss for local development companies. I appeal to the Government that, as negotiations on the new EU budget gather pace, it should support farmers and our local development companies and argue for a reversal of the cuts it has overseen for the past 15 years.”
“That is one reason it is regrettable that during the last CAP negotiations the Government did not throw its weight behind Sinn Féin’s proposals that eco schemes would be a new third pillar of the CAP, crucially with a new funding model. Instead, farmers were asked to do more to secure the funding that was already in place. To assist our farmers to meet the challenges they face in the years ahead, I encourage the Government to seriously consider Sinn Féin’s proposal to establish a €300 million national restoration fund. If the Government wants farmers to do more, we should once and for all stop asking them to foot the bill for climate action from their already small margins. Dwindling European funds for regional development have already damaged our ability to abate biodiversity loss at local level.”
“The climate and biodiversity crises are utterly linked and cannot be underestimated. This is often overlooked and siloed in different parts of the Government. Rather than taking a whole-of-government approach it often seems that parts of the Government do not talk to each other at all. I recall one unit in the Department of housing proposing that hill farmers fence-off all watercourses, an action that the National Parks and Wildlife Service for which would never give the required consent. It is symptomatic of an approach to both crises where the Government mandates without due consideration of other impacts, whether emissions, biodiversity, family-farm incomes, fuel poverty or poverty generally.”
“A review is nearly 19 months too late. How long will it take for the Government to wake up? It has been investigating the legal transit of genocide-bound weapons through Ireland for nine months. Where is that report? It is time to recognise Israel for what it is, namely, a rogue state that has to be sanctioned as soon as possible.”
“In this case, it is relative to those who have provided political cover and weaponry of genocide to Israel and morally superior to those who in the past week have just woken up to the genocide after more than 50,000 people have been murdered and with 80 days of total siege. It is only now, when 14,000 babies are at the brink of death, the Government believes it is warranted to conduct a review of Israel for breaking human rights obligations. While I acknowledge the Government has joined the ICJ case, the Government believes this leaves it as the most pro-Palestinian in the world. It is a sad day for Ireland.”
“First, I extend solidarity with the people of Palestine. What we bear witness to in Gaza is a starvation of a nation. The response of many world leaders over the past 19 months has been non-existent. It has been the actions of millions of ordinary people the world over who, at every moment, have challenged their governments’ failures. The Government has failed meaningfully to defend international law and to deploy, in most cases, meaningful sanction in the face of humanity. It has provided political cover for the genocide that has unfolded before our eyes. In the worst instances, ordinary people have challenged the Government for arming the rogue force. The Taoiseach and the Tánaiste want to laud themselves as being one of the most pro-Palestinian governments. I caution them that their moral superiority is relative.”
“The carer's means test needs to be abolished and the pay and conditions of workers needs to be regulated to address, recruit, and retain workers in these care settings. We need to begin respecting, delivering and caring for our carers.”
“A total of 72% of home carers never receive respite. Nearly half of carers are paying for products or services privately that should be paid for publicly. A total of 69% are struggling financially while nearly a third were cutting back on essentials such as food and heat or missing mortgage payments and 76% reported moderate to severe loneliness. Some families cannot get carers and we wonder why when we look at the conditions they have to work under. The Minister of State needs to take action. It is within his power to address these failures. I want to acknowledge the work of my party and constituency colleague Senator Pauline Tully for having consistently brought forward concrete proposals in this regard.”
“I thank all the carers of Ireland for all the great work that they do in performing essential work for our communities. They allow people to live at home in dignity, they help ensure better outcomes for those that they care for, they contribute considerably to people's health and well-being and they reduce the pressures on an already-stretched health service and care homes. In doing that, they make incredible savings to the taxpayer. Unfortunately, this is not acknowledged and the praise they receive in this House is not always matched in practice. As of last year, 5,556 individuals were on waiting lists for home support. While we have the thanks, we need to commit and we need to work to ensure the lives of carers are made better. A report from Family Carers Ireland last year laid bare the true impact.”
“What the Government must do is take emergency action and make funding available to Cara's fund; set a specific target date by which the Government aims to comply with its legal obligations; deliver a longer term, sustainable solution including an urgent workforce plan to recruit, train and retain enough staff; fund special needs services, including speech and language, physio, occupational and behavioural therapies; and provide appropriate school places for children with special needs.”
“I do not know how Government Members can stand up and make statements in this House when more than 15,000 children are waiting for assessments of need and, by year end, there will be a projected 25,000 children waiting for assessments of need. A task lies ahead for the Government. The united Opposition has brought a motion to this House asking the Government to clear the backlog, comply with the legal obligations and provide all children with an assessment of need within six months.”
“Today, the combined Opposition will put a motion forward in solidarity with Cara Darmody. Today, the Government does not cherish the children of our nation. It is in breach of the law because it has denied children their rights. This Government of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the so-called Independents has denied children their rights. This has a real impact on the lives of parents and children. Assessments of need are needed, otherwise parents are out of pocket because they have to pay privately. The outcomes for their children are not optimal and the situation is getting worse. In September 2020, 5,083 children were on a list. In June 2024, there were 11,131 children on a list for AON. In September 2024, there were 12,722 children on a list. Today it is embarrassing for this Government.”
“No one wants to see TB eradicated more than the farmers who fear their herd will be breaking down in the next ten years. Farmers are more than playing their part through their labour, financial contributions and compliance with the incredibly onerous regulations the Government has placed on them. Now the Government needs to play its part and put in place a workable framework that actually delivers eradication.”
“The Department's 2021 annual report states: "In line with co-funding programme criteria and reflecting consecutive years of deteriorating disease metrics, the EU imposed a 20% penalty on Ireland’s co-funding claim for 2020." Compounded by year, the Government's failure to tackle TB cost the Irish farmer more than €7 million per year in European funds. That is not because the EU had other priorities but because the European Commission thinks the Government's policy and programme is a failure. The Commission thought that by giving Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil Governments any more money, they would be throwing good money after bad. The Government is out of ideas and falls on the old, burdening farmers with greater regulation to cover up its failures.”
“I am deeply concerned that there is a pattern of disingenuous approach across agriculture where co-operation with Europe is involved and the blame can be shifted. In response to a parliamentary question yesterday, the Minister informed me that the level of financial support from the European Union for Ireland's TB eradication programme "was steadily decreasing in recent years, largely because of other animal disease threats becoming more prominent at a European level". This is simply not true.”
“The Common Agricultural Policy has unfortunately been viewed as a soft touch by successive European Commissions when they wish to divert funds elsewhere. This is not to say any given projects are unworthy but they have been funded by taking money out of the pockets of farmers. In real terms, Irish farmers received less under this CAP than its predecessor. I always find it frustrating when Ministers laud the budget of programmes such as CAP as the largest ever, as if inflation or other pressures on input prices are irrelevant. In real terms, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael negotiate and sign off on EU budgets that leave Irish farmers worse off and have the gall to tell farmers they are better off when they receive lower payments to do more work under greater regulation.”
“The worsening situation is not surprising given we have 50% fewer testers today than we had at the beginning of 2023. There is currently just one sole tester in County Monaghan. We need more testers and more centres. By the summer’s end in County Monaghan, and in every county at this rate, we are on track to see a dramatically increased number of people waiting up to six months for a driving test. They will be out of pocket and their lives will be negatively impacted, and the Minister will ultimately be responsible. What I ask of the Minister, and it is bizarre that it must be asked of him, is to take ownership of this issue, accept that, as Minister for Transport, he is ultimately responsible, and take on board and implement Sinn Féin's proposals to tackle the backlog. What is needed now is urgency from the Minister for Transport.”
“The Minister for Transport should want to intervene to address the ever-growing backlog relating to driving tests, a backlog that prevents people from being able to drop their children to school, drive to important appointments, take up employment in all areas, go to college or simply go about their ordinary day-to-day business. Let us take stock of the impact the Minister has had to date. In the past two months, since Sinn Féin brought forward the Private Members’ motion, in County Monaghan, to give an example, the waiting time grew from 20 weeks to 22 weeks and the number of tests carried out decreased by 27%. It is not surprising, therefore, that the waiting time for tests has grown by 12% while the number of tests scheduled decreased by over one third.”
“In February this year, I addressed the House during a debate on a Sinn Féin Private Members' motion in relation to the driving test backlog. We outlined our proposal to address the backlog, not for the first time. I ask the Department to redouble its efforts regarding the recognition or exchange of international driving licences. This would decrease the number waiting, whether it be the long-term diaspora seeking to return home or those arriving to work in the health service. With a shortage of carers, this has to have the potential to alleviate the backlog while contributing positively in other areas.”
“With the leniency of the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach, I also ask that the Minister look to plan GPs in the towns of Cavan and Monaghan. People are struggling to get GP access. Will she look into that also?”
“This is needed in Monaghan for the restoration in full of each service taken away by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael with the promise of an efficient health service, which the Minister's party has failed to deliver. Will the Minister make a commitment? Finally-----”
“I appreciate the Minister of State is new to her office. I hope she can consider what I say to her today. She always says to bring solutions to the problem, so I am bringing one. The people in Monaghan and across this State cannot afford to endure more broken promises from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, which have not tackled any of the waiting lists. I heard the Minister for Health conducted a spot-check in the emergency room in University Hospital Limerick recently. I would like her to do the same in Cavan and Monaghan. She should come and do a spot-check and see how overcrowded the hospital in Cavan is and how doctors and nurses are at their wits' end. It is unsafe. Something needs to be done. I am giving the Minister a solution to the problem - put the proper equipment into Monaghan hospital and that will reduce waiting lists.”
“I thank the Minister of State. It is disappointing to see that the Minister is not here today. I would love to see these issues raised with her. I am leaving it with the Minister of State and the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach to ensure these issues are raised with the Minister. To be clear, the substantial investment the Minister of State talked about is not enough. The minor injuries unit and the MRI scanners are only examples of what we have to deal with in Monaghan. Similarly, both CT scanners for Cavan and Monaghan Hospital are in Cavan. The people of Monaghan have been left behind. The provision of an MRI and a CT scanner in Monaghan would contribute to alleviating the huge waiting lists in Cavan. I am giving the Minister of State a solution. I could also speak of the many other services in a similar situation.”
“Over 1,000 people whom a consultant has determined to be in need of a scan are waiting three months to a year. Some 58 people are waiting for more than 12 months and we are told there is not a need to examine the possibility of a machine in Monaghan Hospital and the impact it would have. The gall of circular logic is utterly astounding. Does the Minister of State accept that the approach of successive Governments to strip services from Monaghan Hospital has been a failure? I appeal to her to finally commit to restoring services and investing in County Monaghan.”
“However, the waiting list in Cavan is significant, with more than 500 people waiting for over three months, an additional 500 people waiting for six months to a year and 58 people waiting for over a year. The HSE assures me that all referrals are vetted by a consultant, but I genuinely struggle to believe it. Does the Minister of State think it is credible that any referral is issued with a view to an MRI being carried out at some vague, indeterminate stage somewhere down the line? That does not sound like adequate access to me. The Minister of State cannot tell me that an MRI machine would not be impactful or give value for money. The HSE tells us it cannot determine this without a feasibility study, but that there is not a plan for a feasibility report because there is no service requirement, as people have access to Cavan.”
“However, the standard we expect can only met by them when they have access to the equipment we expect to be available. Some weeks back, a former town councillor, Tommy Hagan spoke to Northern Sound radio and to me outlining that he had to be referred to Cavan General Hospital because the minor injuries unit in Monaghan could only do X-rays below the knee. At the same time, people presenting at the accident and emergency department in Cavan can wait up to 24 hours. Does the Minister of State believe this situation is acceptable? How has she examined the need for more services in Monaghan Hospital? There is no MRI machine there and the HSE informed me that patients from Cavan and Monaghan have access to MRI services in Cavan.”
“The people of Monaghan deserve adequate health services, the same as anybody else in the State. We are fortunate to have a hospital in Monaghan, given closures in other communities across the State under previous Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil Governments. We are fortunate to have incredible, hard-working staff in our local hospital, staff who provide among the highest standards of care, all too often in challenging circumstances not of their making. Monaghan is one of the areas where successive Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil Governments have not only failed to deliver adequate services but have callously ripped crucial health services from the heart of our community. The care provided by workers in the minor injury unit is of a standard we expect from our healthcare professionals.”
“It is no surprise his party refrained from any such caveat while lauding it in its pre-election manifesto. His Government colleagues in Fine Gael actually promised to abolish fees, and we know what promises from the Tánaiste are worth. Families and students continue to live with the cost-of-living crisis, and as the Government refers to when delaying measures that benefit ordinary people, there is compounding economic turbulence. Pre-election promises from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael of reducing or abolishing third level fees have, in practice and in government, to mean an increase of upwards of €1,000 for as many as every second student. If there is one consistent trend to Fianna Fáil in government, it is clear that it is ordinary workers' families, and students too, who will get screwed.”
“It is right and positive that we debate the power of higher education. It is simply a shame that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael consistently see it as a soft touch, something to be cut. If there are any consistent trends to Government's approach to higher education, they are inconsistency, pretence and speaking out of both sides of their mouths. In recent weeks in this House, we have discussed all manner of promises to benefit ordinary people that will be broken. We are told, because of economic turbulence, extending sick leave to ten days is delayed. Pension auto-enrolment is delayed. A living wage is delayed. Yet, when it comes to a €1,000 reduction in student fees the Minister is at pains to stress it was a temporary measure in response to the cost-of-living crisis.”
“A survey earlier this year found that nine out of 10 businesses reported the childcare crisis had impacted their ability to recruit staff. I commend my party colleague and Sinn Féin's spokesperson on children, Deputy Kerrane, for tabling this motion and Together for Public for pressing the Government to finally take meaningful action. The draft terms of reference of the public consultation need to be published. There needs to be real engagement with Together for Public on those terms of reference. We must see the Minister's timeframe for a detailed action plan to deliver on childcare because families and parents simply cannot afford another Minister who sits on his or her hands and fails to deliver on either cost or capacity.”
“In advance of the general election, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil were content to trumpet commitments in their manifestos to deliver childcare at a cost of €200 per month to parents. The programme for Government will have disappointed those parents, as will the Minister and her inaction over the first 100 days in the lifetime of this Government, when we have seen no action taken to reduce the cost of early years education. The inadequacy of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael governance has had very real consequences for ordinary families left to pay what often amounts to a second mortgage. Parents are forced to choose between working themselves or staying at home. The Government is rowing back on the improvement to workers' conditions. There seems to be little impetus for action when businesses are impacted by the Government's poor administration.”
“There are additional regulations on peat farmers, often among the most sustainable farmers, while the Government remains a bad debtor to farmers on ACRES. This Government of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil has yet to come across a problem where it does not see a solution in more regulations of farmers or withholding their money. Europe was once a level playing field with the Common Agricultural Policy at its heart. That is not the case today - neither with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil or with their partners in the Commission. I will be critical of Europe where it is appropriate but the Government parties undermine Europe when they seek to replace Irish producers with less environmental and more intensive alternatives or regulate them out of business entirely especially when they are not upfront about it.”
“While the programme for Government commits to defending Ireland's interests in the terms of the deal, only last month Fine Gael MEPs voted against an amendment supported by Sinn Féin mandating that the European Commission abandon the deal, which could result in the European market being flooded with upwards of 100,000 tonnes of beef and nearly twice as much poultry. This would involve meat and chicken produced to lower standards than Irish farmers must meet, and beef produced at the cost of extreme deforestation while the Government continues to fail to implement a workable afforestation regime for our farmers. All the while it continues to hurl new TB regulations at Irish producers to account for the fact that its TB eradication scheme continues to fail.”
“Is Europe Day a day to celebrate? It is certainly not for Irish farm families who have weathered a tough decade with Brexit, the pandemic and increasing input costs compounded by the energy crisis. It is unforgivable that uncertainty is thrust upon them by their own Government as has been for the case for nearly a decade regarding the Mercosur trade agreement with both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil being seemingly either in favour or against it depending on how close an election might be.”
“These are the sorts of measure that would help address the cost of doing business while also allowing delivery on the commitments we need for workers. We need to see progress on joint labour committees in the hospitality sector. While the programme for Government commits to developing well-paid careers in the tourism industry, responses to parliamentary questions indicate the Department of further and higher education as yet lacks even the concept of a plan. As a €6.2 billion sector that supports more than 250,000 jobs, the tourism sector deserves greater than sloganeering and platitudes to roll out at election time and in Government documents. It is well beyond time that this Government began taking workers and businesses seriously. If we want to increase our tourism industry, we should start with our workers.”
“Increased sick leave is also delayed until some as yet undefined point. A secure retirement, being lifted from poverty and being able to take a day off when one is sick are not things that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael believe all workers are entitled to. The ongoing global economic turbulence cannot be used as an excuse by this Government to abandon the commitment to improve terms and conditions for workers. The Government can and should support businesses through complementary measures. The implementation of a 9% VAT rate for the tourism sector would make a real difference, as would real measures to reduce the cost of energy. Sinn Féin has always called for the implementation of an employer's PRSI rebate.”
“International Workers' Day should be a celebration of the advancement of workers' rights; a celebration of those who have made great sacrifices to better the condition of ordinary workers. It is also an opportunity to reaffirm our demand for workers' rights fit for a modern era. It is a day to reaffirm our demand for the Government to improve workers' rights and conditions, and especially to demand that governments are held to their related promises. Unfortunately, indications are that this Government intends to break its promises to workers. Workers feel the pinch with the cost-of-living crisis. We are told that the pension enrolment due in September of this year is to be delayed for a few months. We are also told that commitments on a living wage next year are delayed until 2029.”
“Following representation from families, I appeal to the Minister to adopt a whole-of-life approach to additional needs supports and to plan for each child.”
“When will the Minister be willing to commit to ensuring that every child in counties Monaghan and Cavan will be able to access an appropriate school place in their own community? I will also highlight what is often a source of frustration for families, namely where gaps exist in services that are entirely foreseeable. We know the number of students who are due to transition from primary to secondary school every year. We also have an idea of how many will require ongoing support after they complete post-primary education. Families in Cavan and Monaghan whose children use special schools should not have to resume campaigning for day services when primary and secondary school education is completed. We need more planned services in both Cavan and Monaghan.”