Colm Brophy
Dublin South-West · Fine Gael · Ireland
“The Minister has outlined very clearly our intention in relation to this matter. We have always been very clear that the ARP would be a temporary provision. It was introduced in 2022 as a response to a crisis, always with the view that it would be phased out. That remains the case.”
“It is important to look at the ARP in the context of what is happening here. We are reducing the payment back to the original rate in order to fulfil the original intention. We thank the people for the generosity they showed in opening their homes to Ukrainians who came to live with us here in Ireland.”
“It is important, as the Minister has mentioned, to recognise and thank all of the people who participated in the scheme, and to recognise the work of the Irish Red Cross and the many people who have made the scheme a success. We recognise that there are difficulties with schemes, and that is why this one has been under constant review.”
“What we want to work towards is a solution which recognises that contribution and which examines how, in the longer term, we can work with the Ukrainian people in our country and with the Government of Ukraine in order to ensure that a pathway exists for them to either continue to live here or, if they so choose, to return home.”
“lreland ratified the convention on International Women's Day, 8 March 2019. Zero Tolerance: Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence 2022-2026 is structured around the four pillars of the convention, namely, prevention, protection, prosecution and policy co-ordination.”
“Some of the treaty provisions relate to the justice sphere and, therefore, Title V of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. In light of Ireland’s position under Protocol 21, the court determined that two decisions were necessary, one to cover areas coming within scope of Protocol 21 where an opt-in is required and another t…”
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“Mandated persons, such as teachers, may make a report jointly with any other person, whether that person is a mandated person or not. For example, this could arise in situations in a school where the teacher, the SNA and the principal all have concerns about the same child and wish to make a joint report to Tusla. Notwithstanding this, we can never assume that child responsibility is the sole responsibility of a mandated person or experts. Child protection is a multi-agency, multidisciplinary activity and Children First places strong obligations on all sectors as well as members of the public to safeguard children and report concerns to Tusla.”
“These procedures state that if any member of school personnel, including registered teachers and special needs assistants, receives an allegation or has a suspicion that a child may have been, is being or is at risk of being abused or neglected, they should report the matter without delay to the designated liaison person, DLP, in the school. The DLP is responsible for ensuring that the reporting procedures outlined in the child protection procedures for schools are followed and is the resource person for any member of school personnel with a child protection concern. Registered teachers, as mandated persons, are required to follow additional procedures, which are also outlined in the child protection procedures for schools document.”
“The Minister thanks Senator Kennelly for raising this important issue and for offering her the opportunity to respond. The Children First Act 2015 prescribes a range of professionals as mandated reporters who must report to Tusla child protection concerns at or above a defined threshold. This provision is supported by a range of other measures for the protection of children. Under the Children First framework, the Department of education is responsible for developing and implementing child protection procedures for schools. It is important to note that the Department of education's child protection procedures for schools, which were updated earlier this year, apply to all members of school personnel.”
“The Department operates a confidential animal welfare helpline through which members of the public can report incidents of animal welfare cruelty and neglect for investigation.”
“I will start by acknowledging and thanking the Deputy for the amount of work he has done and his dedication on this particular topic. I agree the issues merit the attention and the Minister, Deputy Heydon, is fully committed to building on the work already being undertaken to tackle the issue. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has lead responsibility within Government for animal welfare and takes its role seriously. It is committed to the policy that animal welfare standards are vigorously applied in a fair and even handed manner. The Department keeps animal welfare legislation under review with respect to developments in the areas of animal welfare and with regard to the practical lessons learned from the operation of the 2013 Animal Health and Welfare Act.”
“Last year, the Department awarded €6 million in funding, which went to 101 animal welfare charities throughout the country, under the animal welfare grants programme. Of that figure, just over €3.4 million was awarded to charities involved in the care and welfare of horses. More generally, the Department recently published a report by Professor Paddy Wall on equine traceability and welfare and has prepared an action plan to implement its recommendations.”
“These projects can foster community leadership and education in responsible horse ownership for young people. An exemplar project of note is the Moyross project, which has been in operation since 2016 and has helped so many young people from disadvantages communities. I will interject here to point out there is a very good project in my own constituency which has also done incredible work in this area and we are all very proud of it. From 2015 to date, over €2 million has been spent on urban horse projects by the Department, with €150,000 allocated for these projects in 2025. The urban horse projects greatly benefit the welfare of equines and young people from disadvantaged communities or backgrounds. There are currently seven live projects.”
“Currently, only the figures relating to quarter 1 and quarter 2 of this year are available, with the number of horses seized in Limerick over this period totalling 22. This number is down from the same period in 2024 where the number of horses seized was 45. This Government is fully committed to supporting sustainable initiatives in line with the programme for Government and Working Together for Animal Welfare: Ireland's Animal Welfare Strategy 2021-2025. As part of this commitment, the Department of agriculture has continued to support urban horse projects nationwide, working with local authorities, charities and community stakeholders. These projects have proven very successful and are aimed specifically at equine welfare and marginalised communities.”
“Primary responsibility for protecting the welfare of equines rest with the owner or the keeper. Under the Control of Horses Act 1996, local authorities may take a range of actions in relation to equines, including prohibiting horses in certain areas, issuing licences and seizing horses in contravention of the Act. These powers can be used in respect of straying horses, which includes horses put on land without the owner’s permission, including public land. Local authorities may also prosecute offenders. The Department provides financial support to help local authorities with the cost of these seizures. The Department collects information from local authorities on a quarterly basis in respect of the overall number of equines seized by them.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this matter in respect of wandering and malnourished horses in urban areas of Limerick. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is responsible for all policy and legislation in relation to the Control of Horses Act 1996. Operation of the Act comes under the remit of the local authorities though. Any reports of welfare issues received by the Department, including breaches of the animal welfare legislation, are acted upon and investigated. Appropriate enforcement action, where breaches or shortcomings are identified, is undertaken by the Department and authorised officers appointed under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, including but not limited to An Garda Síochána, customs agents and local authorities.”
“Supplementary capital funding of over €210 million approved by Government has brought the total capital allocation for 2025 for the Department of Education and Youth to €1.6 billion. All Government Departments are expected to publish their sectoral National Disability Authority, NDA, implementation plans in November. The Department's plan will optimise those outputs from the NDA allocations with a strong focus on maximising existing school capacity, progressing priority projects where local capacity across schools in the area is insufficient, and ensuring delivery that is affordable, offers value for money and meets functional needs.”
“I thank the Deputy. I know this is something he has been very much involved in and is very passionate on. I appreciate his remarks. I reiterate that since 2020, the Department of Education and Youth has invested over €6 billion in our schools throughout the country under the national development plan, involving the completion of over 1,300 school building projects. In addition, over 200 SEN repurposing projects have been delivered, maximising the use of existing accommodation while creating opportunities for inclusion and integration. Government support for this investment, including by way of supplementary capital funding, has delivered real benefits for school communities.”
“As part of this NDP allocation, the Department will place a strong emphasis on provision for children with special educational needs, with a particular focus on meeting annual school place needs. In relation to the project roll-out for large-scale projects and additional school accommodation scheme projects, the approach will be to continue to maximise the capacity of the existing school estate as much as possible in the first instance and provide necessary additional capacity through targeted and prioritised project roll-out over the course of the 2026 to 2030 period to meet the most urgent and prioritised needs. It is planned that circa 80 school building projects will progress to construction across 2026 and 2027 as part of that two-year rolling programme.”
“The design team submitted its amended design options, to include the increased accommodation, to the Department for review, which is currently ongoing. On completion of the Department's review, a meeting of all stakeholders will be held to discuss and agree the preferred option, which can be further developed and prepared to be submitted for planning permission. During the planning application process, requests for further information from the local authority and possible third-party appeals to An Coimisiún Pleanála can occur. Therefore, it is currently not possible to provide a timeline for the completion of stage 2B. In July, the Government announced a capital allocation of €7.55 billion for the Department of Education and Youth for the period 2026 to 2030 under the national development plan.”
“The original brief for the schools was for a 24-classroom school for both the junior and senior national schools, an increase in both schools from 16 classrooms. Stage 1 of this major project was completed in July 2014, with stage 2a completed in March 2016. A complete stage 2b report was received by the Department in January 2019 for review. Subsequent to this, the design team architect withdrew from the project, and was replaced in the summer of 2021 by a new consultant architect. Due to the passage of time since the original brief was agreed and on review of the schedule of accommodation during 2021, the Department requested two special education needs classrooms be added to the brief for both schools. This necessary brief change will require a new planning application along with other statutory approvals.”
“I thank the Deputy very much for raising this matter. I join him in expressing my sympathies. This project is included in the Department of Education and Youth’s construction programme, which will be delivered under the national development plan as part of the Project Ireland 2040 framework. The Divine Mercy Junior National School and the Divine Mercy Senior National School are co-educational, Catholic schools under the patronage of the Archbishop of Dublin. This joint school building project will deliver a new extension and refurbishment of some of the existing accommodation to provide two 24-classroom primary schools with classrooms for children with special educational needs to cater for the junior and senior schools.”
“I will state part of my original answer again, in that the URDF support for the Cork city library project demonstrates this Government's understanding and the critical important part of it in the regeneration of the Grand Parade quarter. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage will continue to engage with Cork City Council on delivery in that context. The Department looks forward to the receipt of the preliminary business case and we will review it in a timely manner once it has been received.”
“I understand a revised preliminary business case that will set out the council’s preferred options is expected to be submitted to the Department in the coming weeks.”
“The city library service is an important component of the cultural, literary and recreational infrastructure of Cork city and its community now and into the future. Providing a new city library of scale and substance is a priority for the council and a key objective for the city. Overall, the Grand Parade quarter project is progressing very well, with Bishop Lucey Park and the bridge at Lambley’s Lane substantially complete. The official opening of these redevelopments is taking place tomorrow. Multiple options have been considered for the new library by Cork City Council. There has been a significant level of engagement between Cork City Council and officials from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in relation to the project.”
“The proposal will bring about the regeneration of the Grand Parade quarter, an underutilised area of Cork city. Furthermore, this redevelopment will be transformative and will combine with other complementary developments in the area to create a vibrant quarter where culture and learning acts as a catalyst for business and tourism. Other elements of the proposal include the rejuvenation of Bishop Lucey Park and the completion of a number of bridges to enhance access to the quarter. The Grand Parade has traditionally been the home of Cork's city library, but the existing library is currently limited in its capacity to achieve the potential for a library in a UNESCO learning city. It is proposed to develop a new library in a well-designed iconic building that embraces its riverside location as part of a vibrant mixed-use quarter.”
“As applicant-led projects, responsibility for the composition of any applications for URDF funding and their advancement through the various stages of planning, development and completion is, in the first instance, a matter for the relevant local authority, which in this case is Cork City Council. With regard to the Grand Parade Quarter proposal, a successful application was submitted for funding under the first round for the first phase of the Grand Parade Quarter project proposal. Funding of €916,000 was allocated for this project to regenerate the area of the Grand Parade Quarter through completing preliminary design works for future projects. Under URDF call 2, a further €46.5m was provisionally allocated to build upon the design works developed under call 1. The city library is one element of this overall proposal.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The urban regeneration and development fund, URDF, was launched in 2018 as one of the flagship elements of Project Ireland 2040. URDF is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Browne. It provides up to 75% funding for applicant-led projects to support a programme of significant transformational capital projects that will contribute to the regeneration and rejuvenation of Ireland’s cities and other large towns, in line with the objectives of the national planning framework and the national development plan.”
“The Department of Culture, Communications and Sport is working to deliver on this and an enhanced amount of more than €15 million per annum is to be allocated for supporting the network, subject to Government approval.”
“The board of management is doing all it can to maintain the company's sustainability and relevance to customers into the future. The Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, and the Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, as well as their officials and Cabinet colleagues, are working to support the company to that end. The Government is committed to a sustainable An Post and a post office network that is a key component of the economic and social infrastructure throughout Ireland. The programme for Government states that the Government will continue to provide the nationwide network of post offices with the funding to ensure their sustainability and enhance the value they bring to local communities.”
“As I indicated earlier to the Deputy, and I will repeat again, decisions in relation to post offices and operational matters are a matter for An Post and not a matter in which the Minister has any statutory function. The Deputy will appreciate the Minister cannot intervene in such matters which we, as the Oireachtas, have given An Post the statutory responsibility to manage. An Post has an independent board. It has a clear mandate. I trust, therefore, that the Deputy understands that it would be inappropriate for me or the Minister to comment further on operational matters relating to proposals for specific post and delivery offices. Obviously, An Post plays an important role in serving the needs of business and domestic customers and communities. This is to the forefront of An Post's mandate.”
“This includes, among other things, diversifying and growing the financial services products it provides for individuals and SMEs. An Post is also providing agency banking services.”
“An Post then disburses this funding across the post office network, with all contractor post offices benefiting from Government funding with the objective of securing the stability of the network. An Post then disburses this funding across the post office network, with all contractor post offices benefitting from the Government funding with the objective of securing the stability of the network. The funding is being paid monthly for each 12-month period. To date, over €25 million has been claimed by An Post for the network. The current funding provides time and space for An Post to accelerate the transformation and commercialisation of the network to ensure relevant, viable network delivery. An Post has over the last number of years been transforming its business by delivering new products and formats in the way it operates.”
“The Government is committed to a sustainable An Post and post office network as a key component of the economic and social infrastructure throughout Ireland. The programme for Government states the Government will continue to provide the nationwide network of post offices with funding to ensure their sustainability and enhance the value they bring to local communities. The Department of Culture, Communications and Sport is working to deliver on this, and an enhanced amount of €15 million per annum is to be allocated for supporting the network subject to all legal requirements being satisfied. A sum of €10 million per annum is currently being provided over a three-year fixed term, from 2023 to 2025, to An Post.”
“An Post notes all postal staff begin and end their working day in Castlerea while conducting their local deliveries throughout as normal. Additionally, An Post states the site is also the base for 20 of An Post's rapidly growing electric vehicle fleet, part of the largest EV fleet in the country, and the site has been fitted out for further EV post vans to be pressed into service throughout the north west. An Post also advises that the cases of both Barnatra and Ballyhaunis represent an opportunity to plan for and organise this important piece of local infrastructure to reflect the changing nature of its business, including the huge growth in parcel numbers and the rise in e-commerce and home shopping. An Post notes both potential moves are part of a national transformation plan agreed with the Communications Workers Union.”
“This is a significant investment in the area and is in line with the national transformation plan the company agreed with the Communications Workers’ Union. An Post advises that it can confirm outline plans to amalgamate its mail operations in Ballyhaunis and Castlerea as part of An Post’s ongoing investment in and planning for the future of the mail infrastructure in the region. An Post further advises that, in all, 47 staff – 12 from Ballyhaunis and 35 from Castlerea – will jointly work from An Post’s current delivery office in the Castlerea business park. An Post states it is likely that the staff complement at the newly unified base will increase as a result of the merger. An Post advises that the move is likely to take place in the second quarter of 2026.”
“An Post has advised that the suggested move of An Post delivery operations from Barnatra delivery office – not a post office – to Ballina in quarter 2 of next year is currently under consideration. An Post notes it should be stressed that the move of the delivery office in Barnatra is still being considered locally and no formal decision on the move has been made at this stage. As noted, this is a matter for the company and as no decision has been made, it would be inappropriate for the Government, as a shareholder, to comment on or prejudice decisions that are for the board and management of An Post to consider. An Post states it is worth noting that its mail delivery facility in Ballina, which was recently visited by the Minister, represents an investment in local infrastructure and planning for the future of just over €2 million.”
“I welcome the opportunity to outline the position on this matter today on behalf of the relevant Minister, Deputy O’Donovan. An Post is a commercial State company with a mandate to act commercially and, as such, day-to-day operational matters, including decisions in relation to the size, distribution and future of the network, are matters for the board and the management of the company and not ones in which the Minister and Minister of State in the relevant Department, namely, Deputies O’Donovan and McConalogue, have a statutory function. However, the Ministers and Government are very aware of the impact that decisions relating to changes in An Post operations can have on communities and individuals in both rural and urban areas.”
“In that regard, I look forward to the Electoral Commission's research on the matter and to all the contributions from Deputies here today.”
“If someone had told me I was going to be one of those in 20-something years' time, I would have laughed at them, to be honest. I would not have believed them. That is the real importance of participation for young people in the democratic process. It is about being involved in youth organisations, including political youth organisations. Having a say and having it heard is important. I just wanted to put forward my own experience on that from a personal background. I thank Deputy Farrelly for tabling the Bill, which I have no doubt will help generate a positive debate on what the minimum voting age in Ireland should be. I believe the debate is a really important one. A decision in this area requires considered research and analysis before it can be made.”
“I have been passionate since that age in my life when I used to - and perhaps one of the other Deputies also mentioned it - sit and have those arguments at the family table with my dad. My dad and I never agreed on the same politics and I think it really hones your argument when you come from a family where you can have those discussions that actually cause you to break out and be challenged in your thinking. I believe this is done really well in family environments, when people are teenagers, and when people have opportunities to engage. I went to the local community school in Cabinteely and we used to organise brilliant civics weeks. We would put candidates up for election from all political parties. We had the local TDs and Ministers come in and deliver speeches.”
“There has been more time since other jurisdictions lowered their minimum voting age and lessons from their experiences can be used to inform our debate. Civic education in Ireland has increased and expanded. Leaving certificate students can study politics and society, which is something they could not do ten years ago. We also have lessons from the education system's experience in teaching secondary school students matters relating to citizenship, democracy and related matters. As someone who joined a political party at 13 or 14 years of age, I have absolutely always believed in the importance of youth participation. I had the honour of heading up the political youth movement of my party. I believe in getting involved early and in the importance of having your voice heard. It is something I can see all the arguments on.”
“Other points made were that it was not a panacea for the lower turnout rates among younger people than among other age cohorts or that the motive for such reform can be partisan, as there is a perception sometimes that younger people tend to vote for left of centre parties, although I do not think this last is borne out by the research in the few countries where the voting age has been lowered to 16. Whatever the different views on this issue, I suggest that we are better placed to have this debate now than we were when the convention had its deliberation. We now have the Electoral Commission, which is well placed to look at issues like this, which are complex and nuanced, and to engage with international comparisons.”
“On the other hand, among the arguments used for maintaining the current age of 18 were: that 16- or 17-year-olds may not be mature enough to make decisions on who should represent them or govern them; that other rights are gained at 18 years of age; that lowering the minimum voting age to 16 or 17 is an arbitrary decision about when young people are ready to vote; and that maturity is a process rather than something someone obtains at a certain age. It was mentioned that telling 16- or 17-year-olds that they had the responsibility or duty to vote was viewed by some as an additional expectation on teenagers.”
“Among the arguments used at that time for lowering the minimum voting age were: the fact that people of 16 and 17 enjoy other legal rights and that it is important that they have a say in who governs them; that if lowering the voting age coincides with better political awareness and education, voter participation among young people would increase - research has shown that if voters vote in the first elections that they are eligible for, they are more likely to form a voting habit and vote throughout their lives; that initial political engagement is best placed happening within the stable environment of schooling rather than during college years, when there is great change in people’s lives; and that the increased civic education of young people through the school curriculum prepares people at an earlier age than previously for engagement with the political process.”
“In 22 of the EU’s 27 member states, the minimum voting age in last year’s European Parliament elections was 18. Here in Ireland, the issue of lowering the minimum voting age to 17 was debated by the Convention on the Constitution back in 2013. At that time, a slim majority of the assembled citizens and parliamentarians, 52%, favoured reducing the minimum voting age for all elections. If the minimum voting age were to be changed, 48% of participants supported lowering the age to 16, compared with 39% who favoured lowering the age to 17. A sizeable majority, 68% of participants, opposed lowering the minimum voting age for some types of elections but not all and 28% of the participants supported lowering it for some electoral events but not all.”
“This debate has happened within the context of change in other countries, including, as has been mentioned, in Scotland and Wales, where the voting age is 16 for the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly and their respective local elections. Scottish 16- and 17-year-olds were able to vote in the 2014 referendum on independence, as was mentioned. The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands have also lowered the voting age to 16 for elections. The voting age for national elections in EU is 18, with the exception of four countries. Austria and Malta allow 16-year-olds to vote in national elections. Greece allows 17-year-olds to vote in such elections. At the next national elections in Cyprus, due in 2026, the voting age will be 17.”
“My colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Browne, is of the view that it would be premature to progress the Bill at this time in advance of the commission having considered and reported on the issue. One of the reasons we need to consider in this debate is the issue of parity of minimum voting age between the different electoral codes. At present, the minimum voting age for all types of elections and referendums is 18. The proposed change also raises the issue of parity of minimum voting age between all codes. In political, civic and academic circles in Ireland, the issue of lowering the minimum voting age has been debated for a number of years.”
“Article 16 of the Constitution states that those who have reached the age of 18 shall have the right to vote at an election for Members of Dail Eireann. Article 12, relating to the President, Article 47, relating to referendums, and Article 28A, relating to local government, state that citizens eligible to vote in Dail elections are eligible to vote in such polls. A reduction in the voting age in Dail elections would have a consequential effect of reducing the voting age at presidential and local elections, including Limerick mayoral elections, as well as at referendums. The reason the Government is proposing a deferral of the Second Stage reading of the Bill is that the issue of the voting age is currently being examined by the Electoral Commission as part of its research programme for the period 2024 to 2026.”
“Ireland is one of the longest continuous democracies in the western world. We do not and cannot take our democracy for granted, and we should acknowledge the fact that we have had 103 years of continuous democracy. Voting is central to democracy. The laws around voting and eligibility to vote should always be taken seriously. We must be open to new ideas but careful in how we respond to them in equal measure. This Bill proposes to amend Article 16 of the Constitution to lower the age at which persons would be entitled to vote in Dail Eireann elections from 18 years of age to 16. At present, a person must be aged 18 years or over to be eligible to vote in any electoral event, be it a general election, presidential election, local or Limerick mayoral election, European Parliament election or referendum.”
“Tairgim: Go scriosfar na focail go léir i ndiaidh "Go" agus go gcuirfear an méid seo a leanas ina n-ionad: "mbeartaíonn Dáil Éireann go measfar an Bille um an Aonú Leasú is Daichead ar an mBunreacht (An Aois Vótála a Laghdú go Sé Bliana Déag), 2025 a bheith léite an Dara hUair 12 mhí ó inniu, le tuilleadh breithniú ar an mBille a cheadú.". I move: To delete all words after "That" and substitute the following: "Dáil Éireann resolves that the Forty-first Amendment of the Constitution (Reduction of Voting Age to Sixteen Years) Bill 2025, be deemed to be read a second time this day twelve months, to allow for further consideration of the Bill.". I am pleased to participate in this debate. I thank Deputy Farrelly for bringing forward the Bill and for raising this very important issue. Democracy is an essential component of our country.”
“If the centre is willing to work together to do the reforms that are necessary to have a better system, what we will have is not just a firm, fair and effective system for dealing with international protection, but, through the people who have come in here and are living and contributing in our country, we will have a better Ireland. With that, I thank all of the Deputies for their contributions.”
“We now have people coming here because we have a country - and I acknowledge there are still problems - that in so many ways is successful, prosperous and has grown. We need those people. We should always remember that. As the political leaders in our country, we need to be willing to stand up and say that. At the same time, I will always respect people's right to say there are problems with the system or that the Government has got it wrong on a certain point. That is absolutely the case because you can never get anything 100% right.”
“We also want to recognise that Ireland has changed and that it is not going back to some version of non-reality that certain Deputies seem to think will happen. Many of the people here are not international protection applicants but the people who are building the modern Ireland. They are the people who playing in our GAA clubs, on the soccer pitches and with our kids in the school playground. Their parents are working flat out to build and supply the services we all need. That is the new Ireland. We need to be proud of that. When I left school in 1984, if you were lucky, you got into college for a few years. Even if you did, you still most likely left. We were the migrants. We went outward. The important thing is a good lot of us came back, and we should be proud of that fact.”
“That is what will really take the cost out of providing international protection services. It gives a firm, fast and fairer system, which is better for the people who are going through it and also for this State. While criticising the Government, one Deputy said that we should introduce a system that would take six months. We are introducing a system that will take 12 weeks. That is coming in next June. It is important that people make sure they are aware of the facts. As a Government, we want to see things change. The Minister and I are bringing this change through this Chamber and the Seanad, so we will have a new, better system. We want to see a system that is fair to everybody.”
“They are paying the taxes that contribute to providing the social services that we need to provide, including pensions. We have an issue with international protection and it is what this debate was about. We need to be honest and truthful about that as well. Our international protection numbers were too high. They went from the low to the high thousands. That was unsustainable. I agree with the Deputies who talked about the billion euro bill for running international protection services. That is not sustainable, but if you want to make that point make the other point too, namely, that the migration pact, the International Protection Bill 2025 which we are bringing through the Houses, will take the processing time down to 12 weeks, including the appeal.”