Conor D McGuinness
Waterford · Sinn Féin · Ireland
“Vincent de Paul, both of whom, to be fair, are stepping up but that is not the way it should be. I have also spoken to principals who are told to stretch their ICT budgets, and, in fact, that is the response I got from the Minister of State’s colleague, the Minister, Deputy Naughton, when I queried this. Those budgets have been cut.”
“Every July and August, families steel themselves for the cost of children going back to school, including uniforms, books, and shoes, and, as the Minister of State well knows, school transport. Now, for thousands of parents, there is another bill waiting on the kitchen table. It is one for hundreds of euro for a digital device.”
“It is simply passing responsibility on to families and calling it policy. A child's education should never depend on his or her parents' ability to buy a digital device, and no student should be disadvantaged because they cannot afford the device his or her school requires.”
“I dtaobh chúrsaí Gaeltachta, ní aontaím leis an Aire in aon chor go bhfuil dearcadh nó aighneachtaí na ndreamanna éagsúla atá ag obair sa spás seo iniata leis an gcáipéis seo. Is léir go ndearna an Roinn agus an bheirt Airí sa Roinn tithíochta neamhaird air sin.”
“Today is a very important day because the State has finally and formally apologised to the survivors of Bill Kenneally's abuse. Those who should have been protected were instead failed in the most profound and devastating way. No apology can undo the harm that was done.”
“It is a recognition of the persistence and bravery of you men who are here in the Distinguished Visitors Gallery and those who are not here today. Those of you who refused to give up in your pursuit of truth and justice, I thank you for what you have done. I thank you for your courage and for your power.”
The complete record
Every one of 843 lines we hold for Conor D McGuinness, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 17 of 17.
“Tuigeann tuismitheoirí na buntáistí a bhaineann leis an nGaeloideachas agus tá brú ar naíonra, scoileanna Gaeltachta, Gaelscoileanna agus Gaelcholáistí freastal ar an éileamh seo in ainneoin spás a bheith teoranta. I bPort Láirge amháin, mar shampla, tá foirgnimh oiriúnacha de dhíth ag Naíonra Philib Barún sa Trá Mhór, agus breis spáis ag teastáil ó Scoil Gharbháin i nDún Garbhán, ó Ghaelscoil Phort Láirge sa chathair, agus ó Scoil Náisiúnta na Rinne i nGaeltacht na nDéise ach go háirithe. I nGaelcholáiste Phort Láirge, an t-aon mheánscoil Gaeilge i gcathair Phort Láirge, tá na daltaí fós i prefabs cé go bhfuil foirgnimh úrnua ag na scoileanna Béarla mórthimpeall orthu. Bhí Pádraig Mac Piarais lárnach in athbheochan an Ghaeloideachais ón tús.”
“I nGaeltacht na nDéise, tá dhá bhunscoil, dhá naíonra, meánscoil amháin agus coláiste Gaeilge. Is í seo an t-aon Ghaeltacht sa tír ina raibh fás ar chainteoirí laethúla na Gaeilge le deich mbliana anuas. Tá éacht á dhéanamh ag an earnáil oideachais áitiúil i leith chur chun cinn na Gaeilge, ach tá scoileanna sa cheantar seo faoi bhrú i dtaobh maoinithe, spás teoranta agus earcaíochta de. Cosúil le an-chuid scoileanna beaga agus tuaithe, tá Scoil Baile Mhic Airt sa tSean Phobal ag fulaingt de bharr pholasaithe an Rialtais, go háirithe i dtaobh maoinithe agus an deontas caipitíochta. Tá an t-éileamh ar oideachas Gaeilge ag fás an t-am ar fad.”
“Thit líon na ndaltaí atá ag freastal ar scoileanna lánGhaeilge sa tréimhse ina raibh sé geallta sa chlár Rialtais deireanach obair i dtreo an líon sin a dhúbailt. Tá 11 chontae sa Stát seo gan Ghaelcholáiste ar bith. Tá ganntanas múinteoirí san earnáil lánGhaeilge, le 50% de Ghaelscoileanna agus scoileanna Gaeltachta gan a bheith in ann folúntais fhadtéarmacha múinteoirí a líonadh i gcomparáid le 28% de bhunscoileanna Béarla. Níl foirgneamh buan ag 39% de Ghaelscoileanna agus tá géarghá le spás sa bhreis ag mórmhór na scoileanna Gaeltachta agus scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge. Is lag an méid atá sa chlár Rialtais nua a d’aontaigh Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael agus na Neamhspleáigh Lowry maidir leis an nGaeilge sa chóras oideachais, agus laghdú mór tagtha ar an méid a bhí geallta in 2020.”
“Tá an Ghaeilge fite fuaite lenár n-aitheantas mar náisiún agus mar phobal. Is teanga bhríomhar bheo í le stair ársa agus todhchaí gheal. I mo chlann agus i mo phobal, is í an Ghaeilge ár dteanga laethúil, ár dteanga chumarsáide, ár dteanga thuisceana, ár dteanga ghrinn agus ár dteanga ghrá. Is fíor seo i ngach ceantar Gaeltachta agus, ar ndóigh, in an-chuid clann fud fad na hÉireann. Is ceart bunúsach é an t-oideachas agus, i gcomhthéacs na hÉireann, is ceart bunúsach é an t-oideachas lánGhaeilge ó luathbhlianta go dtí an ollscolaíocht. Tá an ceart bunúsach seo á shéanadh ag an Rialtas in ainneoin éilimh tuismitheoirí agus daltaí agus in ainneoin iarrachtaí múinteoirí, scoileanna agus gníomhaithe teanga.”
“We need to see more urgency from the Department when it comes to affordable and social housing in rural and Gaeltacht communities. We need to see more urgency when it comes to rolling out affordable serviced sites as well.”
“Is amhlaidh an scéal é i nGaeltacht na nDéise. Tá todhchaí an cheantair Gaeltachta seo i mbaol mar gheall ar an easpa tithíochta inacmhainne agus sóisialta. Is géarchéim í anois agus tá beart de réir briathair ag teastáil ón Rialtas. Caithfidh an Rialtas gach tacaíochta a thabhairt don phobal áitiúil, d’Údarás na Gaeltachta agus do Chomhairle Cathrach agus Contae Phoirt Láirge chun tithíocht sóisialta agus inacmhainne maraon le suíomhanna inacmhainne a chur ar fáil. I am asking the Government to use every resource at its disposal and for the Minister and Minister of State to work with Údarás na Gaeltachta, the community in Gaeltacht na nDéise and with Waterford City and County Council to develop and progress the project to develop affordable housing, social housing and serviced sites. Rural Ireland cannot wait any longer.”
“Meanwhile, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil throw numbers around like snuff at a wake in an effort to confuse, mislead and distract from their abysmal performance over recent years. The lack of progress on affordable and social housing means villages and towns are facing demographic cliff edges in many cases as young people from these communities are unable to set up homes and raise families of their own. In my constituency this problem presents itself in Dunmore East, Tramore, Bunmahon, Dungarvan, Gaeltacht na nDéise, Ardmore and many other areas. In the latter there are very serious concerns about the ability of the village to survive as a community due to the inability of families to set up homes there. While there has been some progress in recent months, the slow saga continues and there is still not one affordable or social home built.”
“I wish the Minister and Minister of State well in their roles, especially my constituency colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins. The Report of the Housing Commission declares the current housing situation a crisis of unprecedented scale that demands immediate and decisive action. It identifies the significant and sustained shortfall in housing supply as a core issue requiring a substantial increase in delivery not just in our cities but in our rural communities and remote Gaeltacht areas. On affordability, the report shows urban areas are not the only ones affected. House prices continue to rise across the State, that is, in rural Ireland as much as in the cities. House prices and rents continue to spiral. Daft recorded a 10% jump in rents in County Waterford, which is over double the increase in Dublin.”
“We also need to see action from Government to ensure there are homes and services available within those communities. Our rural areas are being deserted as vacant holiday homes take the place of the farmstead and the fishing village from Inishowen to Heilbhic Head. As the Sinn Féin spokesperson on rural affairs, I will work to hold this Government to account but I will also work with the Minister and with others in this House to offer policy suggestions and solutions to improve people's lives in rural Ireland and to bring our young people back to live on our lands and beside our seas.”
“Regarding infrastructure, I appeal to the Minister to review the regulations of the local authority ports and harbours funding scheme so that councils can apply for funding not just for works like dredging and strengthening works but for the licensing and impact assessments that are required to carry out that work. Currently, they are not able to get funding from the Department for that. This is a very pertinent issue right around the coast but in particular at Cé Heilbhic in my own constituency, where lives and livelihoods are being put at risk. We must promote Irish seafood at home and abroad while adding to the value of the industry and diversifying the economies of fishing communities. Investing in agrifood is critical in keeping our rural communities and our economy alive.”
“This is causing very real hardship for young farmers and I join the calls already made here today for an urgent resolution of the issue. Government needs to take urgent steps to empower rural communities to diversify their economic base, adding value to their agricultural and fishing output in their locality by processing, branding and marketing their produce and derivatives, and through supporting microgeneration of electricity on farms and delivering dependable broadband connectivity so that family farmers and those engaged in fishing can have some hope of another income stream. Our costal communities, especially those that depend on inshore fisheries, have been neglected for decades now. These brave men and women who go to sea deserve increased support and infrastructural investment.”
“As the newly appointed Sinn Féin junior spokesperson on rural affairs, community development and an Ghaeltacht, I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. As most speakers will have mentioned already, our agrifood sector is the backbone of rural Ireland and rural communities but the industry faces real challenges from market volatility, disastrous trade deals like Mercosur coming down the tracks, unfair fish quotas, tariffs and climate change. Government, in that context, must support and empower family farms and fishing communities to diversify and thrive economically. Farm economies are crucial in keeping the lights on in rural Ireland. I have to mention the delays affecting payments under ACRES. I know it has been brought up here by other Deputies.”
“I ask the Minister not only to add capacity for September, but to meet these parents, as I have asked her before, to hear their stories.”
“Our family have and continue to do everything to ensure our little boy thrives in every aspect of his life. We have created a world around our son that facilitates development, decreases vulnerability and ensures he will become as independent as possible for his future. There seems to be zero expectations for our children and it is just not good enough. We are not asking for special treatment we are just asking that our children are treated the same as every other child in the country - entitled to the highest standard of education to suit their needs. I refuse to accept that my child will not walk through the gates of the special school in Dungarvan in Sept 2025. It is his right. As a parent of a child with additional needs I answer to only one person – he is 5 years old with big blue eyes and no voice - but by God he will be heard.”
“In terms of school spaces, it seems Jay is just a number but to us he is everything. He represents all that is good about the world and has a lot to teach those who are willing to take the time to get to know him. Education is a constitutional right and as his voice I am determined to be the person to fight for that for him because that is my job as his mother. Just as it is the government’s responsibility to protect the vulnerable and to ensure this situation we find ourselves in - is remediated with absolute urgency. Rebecca continued: There are 19 other families in the same situation in the town of Dungarvan, where there is only one school that can provide an appropriate education for our children. This school is at capacity and has been at capacity for the last few years.”
“I want to start by sharing the experience of a constituent of mine who has travelled from Waterford today, alongside other mams and dads, to be in the Public Gallery as we debate this motion. Her name is Rebecca and she is the mother of Jay, one of 20 children in west Waterford who have been left without a special school space. I raised this previously with the Minister of State and twice in the Chamber in recent weeks. Rather than simply repeating my call for urgent action to add capacity in this area, I want to give voice to the frustration, worry, resilience, determination and hope of these 20 families through Rebecca's words. Rebecca stated: Jay is a 5 year old preverbal autistic individual. He requires access to his primary school education for September 2025 in a special school setting.”
“We need that investment. We also need investment in the N24, which links Waterford to Limerick. That road is quite poor in patches, which is an impact on safety. Someone driving from my town of Dungarvan to Limerick has to take the R671, which is the main road between Dungarvan and Clonmel. The road carries traffic of an agricultural nature, heavy goods vehicles and commuter traffic. There are big pharmaceutical employers in both Dungarvan and Clonmel, which provide considerable employment. There are a lot of journeys on this stretch of road. The R671 needs urgent intervention. I am thinking in particular of Ballymacarbry, which my colleague, Deputy Cullinane, mentioned earlier. We need safety improvements at the national school in Ballymacarbry on the R671.”
“I was disappointed by the lack of priority given in the programme for Government to a number of roads that need investment and require action to be taken. I am thinking of the N25, which stretches from Rosslare to Cork and forms the backbone of County Waterford's road transport infrastructure. It is a hugely busy road that a number of years ago was named by The Irish Times as the most dangerous stretch of national road in the State. There are accidents on the road every single week and there was a fatal collision last year. People are injured and damage is caused. I implore the Minister of State and his colleagues in the Government to ensure that when the national development plan, NDP, is reviewed, hopefully later this year, the N25 is restored as a priority. It should never have come off that list in the first place.”
“When we speak about road safety, speed is one of the key talking points. Undoubtedly, one of the major causes of accidents on our roads is people driving too fast. However, we cannot ignore the impact on road safety of the quality and standard of our roads. In my constituency of County Waterford, I see it all too often. A major contributing factor to accidents, including very serious accidents, is the condition of the road. There are stretches of road where adjustments to junctions are needed. Dangerous bends need to be taken out of roads. There are places where the road surface leaves a lot to be desired. I was a county councillor for many years before being elected to this House and I know that there are areas where the potholes and the surface of the roads force the traffic into dangerous predicaments. We need to address that issue.”
“I welcome the commitment to keep an open mind on these things. I think we all acknowledge that local authorities are the first port of call, especially for minor works. I understand from the representations I have received that Waterford City and County Council wants to do these structural works. However, the Office of Public Works has not recommended structural works at this location. That is incorrect. I urge the Minister of State to visit the location as soon as possible to see how things are on the ground and speak with the residents there because they have a very different perspective.”
“Some structural works need to take place to increase capacity in that catchment area so flooding does not occur again. Another point of note is that Tallow did not receive any visits from the Minister of State's predecessor. People are sore about that because businesses and property in the area suffered huge damage. I ask the Minister of State to consider visiting Tallow, meeting the residents of West Street and letting that feed into his future responses.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as an bhfreagra sin. I thank the Minister of State for that answer but it will be cold comfort to residents of West Street in Tallow who are grappling with the fact that no structural works are proposed by the OPW to the Glenaboy and the Bride rivers. We are all aware that the ferocity and frequency of these winter storms and severe weather events are increasing. People on West Street have begun to put their lives, businesses and homes back together after that flooding event in late 2023. While they welcome that dredging will take place after a very long period of engagement with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Inland Fisheries Ireland, the OPW and Waterford City and County Council, there is much to do.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis na hAirí. Déanaim comhghairdeas leo beirt ar a gceapachán. What plans, schemes or supports do the Minister of State and the Office of Public Works have in place to offset the real risk of damage to life and property in areas prone to flooding in severe storm conditions, such as Tallow, County Waterford? I reference Tallow because during Storm Babet in 2023 flooding occurred there that had a very serious impact on homes, families and businesses in that area. Thanks to representations from my colleague, Councillor Donnchadh Mulcahy, and me, dredging work will take place in the Glenaboy river but some structural works need to take place on the Glenaboy and the Bride rivers and the wider Blackwater river basin.”
“The only option for those children if a space is not created for them is to sit at the kitchen table at home or to go without an education. It is not fair in 2025 in a modern country like ours for a child to forgo their right to an education, not just an education where they sit and wait but an education where they can thrive and fulfil their potential as human beings.”
“The Minister of State has stated the need for additional school spaces and capacity in County Waterford will be kept under review but September is coming quickly for these families. There is no certainty and they have no information. The Minister of State has stated they should contact the SENOs and the NCSE. They are blue in the face from doing that. They have them on speed dial. There could not possibly be more engagement but what they need are answers and certainty. I implore the Minister of State on behalf of these families for the Department of Education and the Minister of State to take every resource they have available to ensure there are spaces for these children because, as Deputy Cullinane said, there will be children left without a space.”
“Projects in Ballycurrane National School and Garranbane National School have been delayed, further adding to pressure, while bureaucracy and capacity constraints are frustrating efforts in more schools across Waterford, both at primary and secondary level. There is an urgent need for additional capacity in St. John's Special School, Dungarvan. While temporary accommodation might be a solution for September, ultimately there needs to be an expansive and ambitious project to deliver a new extended school campus in Dungarvan. For now, however, parents need certainty. Their children deserve an education, not just a place to be but a place where in the words of one parent, they can thrive and achieve their full potential, whatever that might look like.”
“John's Special School, Dungarvan, is a fantastic school and is utterly embedded in the community. It caters to children with mild, moderate and severe levels of need. Its catchment area does not just include Waterford but also parts of east Cork and south Tipperary. This is on top of the more general constraints on special class spaces to which Deputy Cullinane referenced within mainstream schools across Waterford. While a special class in a mainstream school will suit some children and others will thrive in a mainstream class with the right support, some children need a special school setting. The 20 children impacted in west Waterford need a special school space. Deputy Cullinane and I have been engaging with parents, the NCSE, SENOs and school principals to push for a resolution to the crisis across Waterford city and county.”
“The shortage of special education spaces across Waterford city and county did not happen overnight but it has now reached crisis level. As I have outlined in correspondence to the Minister and the Minister of State, and by way of parliamentary questions when that resulted in no response, there is an alarming situation in Dungarvan where 20 children have been told there will be no space for them in St. John's Special School this September. Given the limited spaces and high demand, the school was forced to pick names at random through a lottery and to create a waiting list. No school, principal or team should be put in that position. The families of these children have been left reeling and uncertain as to how, where and if their children's right to education will be vindicated. St.”
“Sular toghadh mé anseo go dtí Dáil Éireann, bhí onóir orm a bheith mar chomhalta boird ar Fhoras na Gaeilge. Prior to my election to this House, I was vice-chairperson of the board of Foras na Gaeilge so I share the concerns raised by Deputy Moynihan regarding the crisis of funding that is threatening €800,000 of cuts to community language projects all across this island. During my time as vice-chair of Foras na Gaeilge, I had occasion to meet and engage with the Tánaiste's predecessor, the current Taoiseach when he was Minister for Foreign Affairs, alongside board members and chief executives of the various all-Ireland bodies set up under the Good Friday Agreement. As a supplementary to Deputy Moynihan's question, will the Tánaiste continue that engagement? It was a very worthwhile one. I raise the Foras na Gaeilge ceist-----”
“Cuireann sé díomá ollmhór orm nach bhfuil sé seo léirithe sa chlár Rialtais agus nach bhfuil aon dul chun cinn le tarlú faoin Rialtas seo. Tá mé ag impí ar an Rialtas agus ar an Aire Gaeltachta nua dul i ngleic leis an ngéarchéim seo agus, cé nach bhfuil sé sa chlár Rialtais, cinnte a dhéanamh go bhfuil sé mar sprioc ann.”
“As a Government Deputy said earlier, it seems the NTA has been utterly rudderless politically and that this will remain the case if we are to take our lead from the programme for Government. An rud eile a chaithfidh mé labhairt faoi ná tithíocht inacmhainne i nGaeltacht na Déise. Tá géarghá le tithíocht inacmhainne ar mhaithe le clainne óga ó Ghaeltacht na nDéise atá ag iarraidh maireachtaint ina gceantair féin, Gaelainn a labhairt agus a gcuid páistí a thógaint trí mheán na Gaelainne. Tá an ceart sin acu ach níl na tithe ann chun gur féidir leo é sin a dhéanamh. Níl faic sa chlár seo mar gheall ar thithíocht inacmhainne i gceantar Gaeltachta ar bith agus tá géarghá leis. Is teip ar theip ar theip atá sa chlár seo.”
“The N25 runs from Rosslare to Cork and forms the transport spine of County Waterford running from east to west. It seems to have totally fallen off the radar when it came to negotiating this programme for Government. Were the two Waterford negotiators simply not paying attention or did they believe that this national primary road is not in need of safety upgrades? The Irish Times named the N25 as the most dangerous national primary route in the State. In fact, two of the five most dangerous national roads in the State, the N25 and N24, pass through Waterford. Both were mentioned already in these statements. There are frequent crashes on numerous stretches of the road, in particular in the middle of the county and in west Waterford. The statistics speak for themselves.”
“That promise, as yet unfulfilled, seems to have been quietly dropped as the new programme for Government contains no mention of cardiac care at UHW, let alone a commitment. Despite the fact that two Waterford TDs, as they took every opportunity to tell everybody, were centrally involved in negotiating this programme for Government, this is a failure in anyone's terms. Weak promises built upon policy that is already there is not good enough. The people of Waterford have waited too long for around-the-clock 24-7 cardiac care. It is not surprising that even though the county had two TDs involved in negotiating that programme, it still has not materialised. The programme for Government also fails when it comes to transport. The N25 was allowed to quietly slip off the funding agenda on the last Government's watch.”
“The promise of 24-7 cardiac care at University Hospital Waterford has gone unfulfilled over the last two Governments, despite the glaring need for such a service and the huge campaign that has galvanised opinion across the south east. As things stand, emergency cardiac care is not available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This level of service has been available in other regions as a given for many years. The attitude of the Government is clear. If you are going to have a heart attack in Waterford or the wider south east, you had better schedule it between the hours of 8 a.m to 8 p.m. This is simply not good enough. The Taoiseach stood outside UHW eight years ago during an election campaign and promised that his party in government would deliver 24-7 cardiac care in UHW.”
“This programme for Government offers absolutely nothing new or different from what we have come to expect from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil in coalition. It is almost a carbon copy of the programme for Government that was presented to us five years ago, a copy-and-paste job majoring in previously unmet targets and unfulfilled commitments. The lack of vision, ambition or urgency is a charter for failure. It seems the only thing that the coalition parties have learned from their last term in government is to avoid that failure or to mitigate it by setting the bar as low as possible. The few commitments that are made in the document are so vague as to be meaningless. The word "review" gets a fair outing and is much used throughout it.”
“I ask the Minister of State to raise with his colleague, the Minister for Education, the urgent need to increase special school capacity in Dungarvan and west Waterford to ensure all children can access an education appropriate to their needs now and into the future.”
“Let us end the neglect and instead invest in sustainable and safe communities that are equipped to withstand the challenges a changing climate and the Atlantic throw our way. I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise a very pressing issue affecting a number of families in west Waterford. Twenty children have been left without a space for the coming academic year in our fantastic local special school, St. John's. Their families have been left reeling and uncertain how, where or if the right to education of their children will be vindicated. This lack of special school places did not happen overnight, but it has now reached crisis point.”
“This situation was well flagged with the previous Minister, and I implore the incoming Minister to take action before life is lost. Lismore in County Waterford is yet another example of Government inaction and indifference. This is a heritage town in urgent need of a new water system. Homes, businesses and schools are frequently left without water with no notice. These outages last for days, disrupting businesses, causing schools to close and leading to very real hardship and distress for households, particularly those with medical needs, older people or people with disabilities. Works should have been carried out years ago to deliver a sustainable water supply in Lismore, but it is never too late to make a start.”
“One cannot imagine the anxiety they feel every time a storm is forecast, not knowing if the River Bride will burst its banks again and if their homes will be destroyed once more. Over a year on and they have received nothing from this Government - no delivery, no plan and not so much as a visit. Is féidir Cé Heilbhic, cé iascaireachta i nGaeltacht na nDéise, a lua mar shampla eile. De dheasca gainimh agus siolta, ní féidir le báid iascaireachta nó an bád tarrthála imeacht nó filleadh ar an gcalafort. Tá saolta á gcur i mbaol de réir an easpa infheistíochta anseo. Cé Heilbhic, a fishing harbour in the west Waterford Gaeltacht, urgently requires the Government to fund dredging works as fishing boats and the local lifeboat are prevented from leaving or returning to port in low tides. Lives and livelihoods are being put at risk.”
“Every storm that comes our way, with increasing frequency and ferocity, exposes the shortcomings in infrastructure investment in our rural communities. The people I represent feel forgotten and left behind. Take the town of Tallow in my own constituency, where people whose homes and businesses were flooded during Storm Babet in 2023 have yet to see any movement from the OPW on works to prevent further occurrences.”
“The neglect by the Government stands in stark contrast to the huge effort we see from council staff, emergency personnel, GPs and their surgeries, public health nurses, community pharmacists, postmasters and their staff, ESB personnel, Civil Defence, community volunteers, Defence Forces personnel, farmers and small local businesses. Time and again we see the value of their service and we owe them our thanks. Storm Éowyn and other recent storms, from Eunice, to Babet, Darragh and more have exposed the inadequate levels of funding in investment for essential public services and infrastructure. Lives and livelihoods are put at risk across Ireland due to the negligence and indifference of successive governments that have been unwilling to look beyond the Pale. Our councils are not adequately resourced.”
“As a new TD and somebody who is raising a young family, my focus is very much on the future. However, I take great inspiration from my predecessors and heroes, two republican activists, Cathal Brugha and Caitlín Brugha, who served as Sinn Féin TDs for County Waterford a century ago. A decade of neglect has left many of our public services under-resourced and on the back foot. This is particularly true of local authorities, which have yet to recover from the austerity measures that saw central government funding and staffing levels cut to the bone. The decisions of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael in various configurations over recent years have left communities across Ireland extremely vulnerable to severe weather events.”
“Is mór an phribhléid í dom seasamh anseo mar ionadaí tofa do mhuintir Phort Láirge agus labhairt ar a son. Táim fíorbhuíoch de gach uile dhuine a thug tacaíocht dom san olltoghchán agus déanfaidh mé mo dhícheall gach uile lá chun freastal ar an dúshlán agus ar an bhfreagracht mhór a tugadh dom. Beidh mé buíoch i gcónaí de mo bhean chéile, mo pháistí, mo chlann agus mo chomrádaithe. It is a great honour for me to speak here this evening for the first time as a Teachta Dála for Waterford. I want to thank my wife and children, my family, my supporters and my comrades in Sinn Féin for their support. I am deeply grateful to the people of Waterford for placing their trust in me in the election two months ago. I will work every single day to advance their interests and to fulfil the mandate they have given me.”