Conor Sheehan
Limerick City · Labour Party · Ireland
“If a student does not have access to one of these devices or access to one at home, there is often no alternative and that could leave them excluded. Many families are forced to pay hundreds and thousands, particularly with the rising cost of microchips, for these devices.”
“I thank the Minister for her considered response. We need to get rid of voluntary contributions and move to generic school uniforms. This is something that has been done in the UK.”
“This digital divide is resulting in a severe and growing level of inequality where so many communities, students and families are unable to purchase the devices they desperately need for their children's education.”
“I raise the issue of the community access support team, CAST, in Limerick, which has prevented 133 detentions under section 12 of the Mental Health Act and reduced the number emergency department presentations. It has responded to over 1,000 incidents.”
“Do not worry. We need to have a debate this week before the House rises about the imminent report on Aughinish Alumina. There are up to 2,000 direct and indirect jobs at stake in Limerick. We cannot have a situation where the State is inadvertently complicit in the export of alumina to Russia. Where there is a will, there is a way.”
“It is absolutely reprehensible that planning permission has been granted for apartments on the site of the former mother and baby home at Bessborough. We have 19 mothers and 859 infants associated with Bessborough still missing. Now 140 apartments are going to be built on a mass grave. We need statements on this next week.”
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“The fact of the matter is that politics is about choices and this Government has chosen institutional investors and big developers over ordinary working people, renters, struggling first-time buyers and those in or at risk of homelessness. I will quote some analysis from the Parliamentary Budget Office, particularly with regard to the measures introduced in respect of VAT on new-build apartments. The PBO is concerned about the strength of the evidence used to support some of these decisions, and rightly so.”
“In fact, the headline measure with regard to homelessness in budget 2026 refers to €50 million to construct temporary accommodation or hostels. That shows the extent to which this Government has given up the ghost when it comes to homelessness. How depressing. We have had a 25% increase in homelessness in the last year and local authorities simply cannot cope. In fact, in my own constituency office, I cannot cope. I have tens of people coming to me every week about housing and I have absolutely nothing to tell them. In 2024, just 5% of the homeless budget was spent on category 1 homeless prevention. In our alternative budget, we proposed fully costed measures with a 15% funding increase for homeless services targeted specifically at prevention measures.”
“This budget is a budget for property developers and big American fast food conglomerates. In fact, the only PAYE worker who benefits from this is Ronald McDonald. Student fees are up by €500, with no commitment to €200 childcare or a public childcare scheme and no second tier of child benefit. In their speeches, neither the Minister for Finance nor the Minister for public expenditure cared to mention homelessness. That is shameful. In fact, homeless organisations have said that they are invisible with regard to budget 2026. The measures announced in the budget on housing are all aimed at institutional investors and landlords. Where is the clear commitment to additional funding for homeless prevention measures? It does not exist.”
“Further to that, given that the LDA lacks active land-management powers and has no strong CPO powers, is this something the Minister plans to address? The LDA has to negotiate bilaterally with all these State bodies. There was also something very concerning in the report about the possibility of the LDA selling off its assets. I want to know the Minister’s view on that. Given that direct delivery is expected to deliver 6,000 homes and amount to 43% of the LDA’s delivery channel, how does the Minister intend to scale that up in the next three to four years, given that at the moment it is so heavily reliant on turnkey?”
“We know the LDA has delivered 2,054 homes between 2018 and 2024. The biggest issue is that, of that figure, only 281 homes were delivered through direct delivery, with the majority delivered through Project Tosaigh. How does the Minister intend to ensure the LDA is adequately capitalised? What is his view of the current financing model of the LDA? I believe the LDA cost rental model is broken. Rents are way beyond the reach of those for whom cost rental was intended and the financing model is completely different from how cost rental operates in other countries. It is very clear the LDA will not meet its targets unless it continues to buy turnkey assets. Will the Minister clarify his view on the current financing model and whether he believes the LDA needs to refocus its mandate?”
“How does the Minister intend to ensure the LDA meets its housing targets with a sustainable source of funding, especially in light of a recent report from the Department of Finance into sustainable future funding options for the LDA?”
“I thank the Minister for her response. The increase in the cost of developing apartments is complex. We have had multiple interest rate rises and still have not seen the evidence base for these VAT cuts. I would really like to see the publication of the advice from the Department of Finance on this. It is a major transfer of wealth to institutional investors and property developers, with little or no clawback by the State. It is not being combined with use-it-or-lose-it clauses around planning permission or anything to deal with land speculation or land hoarding, which is a big issue in the context of uncommenced apartment developments. This simply will not work. We will be back here again to deal with it, if not next year then in two years' time.”
“The factors that contribute to high apartment costs, which include the cost and availability of finance, land, regulation and so on, are complex. Cash subsidies such as this are not actually going to increase the supply of apartments or make apartments more affordable. Like night follows day, we will be back here again in six months or a year with something else, the next thing that institutional investors and Pat Farrell are looking for. Developers are already getting huge cash subsidies through a variety of schemes. If these cash subsidies have failed to increase construction, why does Government think that this tax break will work?”
“If this VAT change is deemed necessary, why is it not targeted at a cost incurred on the development of apartments for affordable rental or purchase? This VAT represents a saving of about €18,000 on a €500,000 apartment. It might marginally improve viability, but it certainly will not do anything for affordability. Earlier this year, the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, came out on national radio against what he termed Celtic tiger-style tax breaks, which he said had done more harm than good. How is this different from the Celtic tiger tax break? If not, what has changed between what the Minister said then and announced today and why is this measure not time limited? Where is the sunset clause and why is it not tied to output? This should not be a permanent windfall-gains measure if the Government is going to introduce it.”
“This was not in either Fianna Fáil's or Fine Gael's manifesto at the general election, nor was it mentioned in the programme for Government. The Government has no mandate for this. This change in the VAT rate for certain costs incurred in the construction of apartment developments might lead to an increase in the development of build-to-rent apartments, provided there is enough demand for these high-rent units. It certainly will not lead to a single additional apartment being built anywhere outside of Dublin and possibly Cork. The Minister said the measures would help address the viability gap. However, this viability gap has not been clearly quantified by Government. If the viability gap still exists, why do the apartment guideline changes that were supposed to address the viability gap not work?”
“When is the Minister for Health going to outline exactly when the Government will make a decision on this and move towards giving the people of the mid-west the health service we deserve? We need a pathway towards a model 3 hospital in the region, not more delay.”
“Today, there are 105 people on trolleys at UHL. On Monday, there were 147. The people of the mid-west have been let down by successive Governments. Yesterday, the HIQA review into emergency care capacity was published. It has taken 16 months for a review that states the complete obvious. The question for the Government is what it is going to do about it. I believe the outcome of this review was predetermined and that is why its publication was delayed. As public representatives, we were essentially told by the HSE earlier this year that it did not favour the establishment of a model 3 hospital in the region. Can the Minister confirm what I believe to be true, namely, that a site has been identified in close proximity under a shared governance model, as in option B, and that will go ahead?”
“Applying for carer's allowance, as all of us as Deputies know from dealing with our constituents, is a very intrusive experience. People have to explain in incredible detail the level of care they provide. Frankly, it is ridiculous. A constituent said to me recently that carers are forced to jump through endless hoops to justify the work they do. To refuse them carer's allowance, or to offer them a reduced payment due to their income, is an insult. I welcome the fact that the Minister is looking at increasing the income disregard, which has been increased previously. I really welcome the commitment in the programme for Government to get rid of it, but we need to see a timeline for this. My concern is that this commitment is one of those things that could get pushed and pushed and will eventually fall off the agenda.”
“Family carers save the Government approximately €20 billion each year and yet they are penalised if their family income is too high. The means test actively discourages a family from trying to increase its income. If a person works hard and wants to provide more for their family, if they earn too much they will lose some or all of their carer's allowance. This really disincentivises people from going out to work. In a country with full employment and skills shortages left, right and centre, we need to actively encourage and support people to enter and stay in the workforce. We should not be penalising them by reducing their benefits. Carers make an enormous contribution to this country. At best, they are invisible; at worst, they are actively ignored.”
“I too thank the Social Democrats for bringing forward this motion. According to Family Carers Ireland's State of Caring report, which was published last year, 69% of carers report that they find it difficult to make ends meet. Some 29% of those struggling financially are cutting back on essentials such as food and heat, the cost of which has gone through the roof in recent years. Some 23% missed a mortgage or rent payment in the previous year. Some 71% of carers provide care for over 120 hours a week. The means test for carer's allowance is outdated. It is also deeply gendered because the majority of carers are women. My mother is a carer to my 89-year-old grandfather. She has had to step out of the workforce and does not qualify for carer's allowance under the income disregards that are there for her and my father.”
“We are seeking a debate regarding the 2020 death of 87-year-old Liam Farrell in Leitrim in the context of whether an independent inquiry is necessary in light of the many unanswered questions, the Garda peer review and the RTÉ "Prime Time" programme.”
“This route at one stage had a security van following the bus through a local estate. This is extremely concerning. We know that instances of attacks on transport workers have gone through the roof in recent years. I want greater urgency from the Government on this issue. People should have an assurance that their morning commute will be safe and peaceful, just as drivers and staff should be able to go to work in dignity and safety.”
“All of us, me included, were shocked when we saw the Netflix film "Adolescence", which was clever in drawing attention to this issue. Antisocial behaviour is leaving many communities living in fear. We must be clear about what we need to do to remedy the situation. We need to invest more in youth diversion and community policing. We also must ensure, as the commitment in the programme for Government states, that we see the establishment of the public transportation police. I know the Minister of State is working on it. We in Limerick have had a spate of issues in recent months, particularly with the 303 bus in the city. Windows have been smashed. Drivers have been subjected to verbal abuse and threats. One driver was even shot at with a pellet gun. SIPTU has threatened to pull its drivers from this route a number of times.”
“We in the Labour Party are clear that it is absolutely vital we protect our children and young people with effective regulation to keep them safe online. Of course, there is no silver bullet to the problem of antisocial behaviour, but Deputy Gogarty is correct to point out the role that social media and harmful algorithms are playing in driving the disruption we see in our communities. I see, for example, young people who are going on TikTok and having things pushed on them that are inherently harmful. They are having things pushed on them that I, as somebody in his early 30s and not that old, struggle to understand. That is important. We need the Government to drive investment in digital literacy to ensure that young people and their parents become fully digitally literate.”
“While additional gardaí were recently allocated to Limerick, we still have fewer gardaí than we had 17 years ago, despite a population growth of 23% in the intervening period. We need to invest and recommit ourselves to community policing. People want to see gardaí on the streets. They want to know their local community garda. They want to feel safe in their communities. We also have issues in the context of youth work. We need a commitment from the Government in the budget to invest in and value youth work. We need targeted investment and better support to hold onto the talented staff who work each day to support the young people in our communities. This motion also touches on the influence of social media in driving antisocial behaviour. I referenced this point during the debate on migration.”
“The shoplifters are often aggressive and extremely abusive. There was a recent incident in a local shop whereby a prolific shoplifter who is well known ran at a retail worker, screaming, "I will belt you with a Stanley blade." In March 2024 in Limerick, there were 22 community gardaí, which is a whopping decrease from the 92 we had in 2008. Hallowe'en is of particular concern in that regard. It is clear that something has gone wrong and that the current systems are not working to keep our communities safe. If we are to tackle this issue, we must be clear about what is driving the crisis. Years of Government inaction has left us with hollowed out community policing, an overstretched court system and persistently underfunded youth work organisations.”
“I thank Deputy Gogarty for bringing forward this motion and for bringing much-needed attention to this issue. Antisocial behaviour is a real and growing concern in all communities across this country. Far too many families, residents and businesses are living in fear of some of the behaviour that they see on their doorsteps. I want to talk not so much about antisocial behaviour as a nuisance; I want to talk about crime. I recently met a group of shopkeepers from right across the city of Limerick who are concerned about a spate of shoplifting that has become endemic. There was a 180% increase in shoplifting in Limerick between 2003 and 2024, with a particular issue with repeat offenders. Some shopkeepers have said to me that shoplifting happens every 30 to an 60 minutes each day. It extends beyond mere theft.”
“It is frightening because so many buildings around this country have been burned down with little or no consequence for those who did it. We need a well-managed migration system - that is a fact - but we also need to ensure, as politicians in positions of leadership, that we are careful, measured and responsible with the language we use. I have been in this Chamber a number of times since last December and I have heard people say things and make statements. I have heard them use Leaders' Questions as a forum to stoke anti-immigrant sentiment. It is not acceptable and people, if they do not, should know a hell of a lot better. All across the world, the right is on the rise. Anti-immigrant sentiment is on the rise. We need to ensure that whatever we do in this House and this country, we do not make the situation worse.”
“We need full implementation of the national action plan against racism. There are some welcome commitments in respect of integration in the programme for Government. They include references to the need for more investment in State-owned centres for staffing and providing emergency accommodation to everyone. However, the majority of commitments in respect of immigration and migration in the programme for Government are restrictive. A focus on restrictive measures will not solve the long-standing issues we have. The fact of the matter is that this county is at boiling point. I do clinics every week, as do many of my colleagues. I deal with housing in the vast majority of cases. The amount of misinformation and disinformation I have to tackle, day in and day out, is frightening.”
“Particularly in a position as privileged as the one we are in, we should not be stoking anti-migrant rhetoric. Repeatedly questioning the rights of people who have come to Ireland to seek international protection or for other reasons has real and harmful consequences for real people who live among us. People should not feel emboldened to harass or attack others based on their perceived race or ethnicity. I am calling on the Minister to fully enforce the hate offences Act of 2024, which provides for increased sentences for offences aggravated by hatred, based on characteristics such as race, religion, sexual orientation and other protected characteristics. As I said, we must update the Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act to reflect the realities of online hate speech.”
“Since the nineties, immigration has transformed this country into one in which one fifth of the population were born overseas. Is that not miraculous when compared with a country that, 40 years ago, was the sick man of Europe? Unfortunately, the housing crisis, which the Government has perpetuated, is fuelling misdirected resentment towards immigrants and asylum seekers. We need to be better at tackling this. We need proper anti-racism education. We also need proper hate crime legislation, which the Government has parked. People need protection from verbal and physical abuse based on ethnic, religious and cultural background. It is for us, as politicians, to show leadership on this. Every individual elected to the House has a responsibility to not perpetuate the spread of hate.”
“I am sick and tired of seeing a minority of people take our national flag and seek to bastardise it. They cannot be allowed to do that in our name. Our flag is a symbol of unity and peace and should not be used to sow hate and division. I urge everybody and all of us to take back the flag because the immigrant community in this country are afraid. There was a well-documented case in Dublin, in the Minister's constituency. I know of a concerning recent case where a Pakistani doctor working at University Hospital Limerick was subjected to a racially motivated physical assault. Our hospital is built on the backs of these people. If they decide to leave, we will be in serious trouble. The doctor was left feeling very vulnerable and abandoned after the attack.”
“On no less than four occasions since last December we have had a literal ring of steel around this place due to far-right, anti-immigrant protests, with people looking for us literally to be hung outside this very door. It has been terrifying at times. The fact of the matter is that these protests are organised on X and TikTok. There is a call to action and they are often live-streamed for hours. Yet, there are no consequences. Until we take on these social media conglomerates, we are at absolutely nothing. We need the EU Commission and Commissioner Michael McGrath to use the forthcoming democracy shield legislation to force social media companies to dismantle the recommender system that promotes hate and disinformation. They are actively pushing this at people.”
“Local communities should be clearly informed of the additional resources, funding and services that will be put in place to support refugees and international protection applicants. We also need a robust campaign to combat fears, stereotypes, tropes and racism amongst the public in general. We need to see a national counter-disinformation strategy, which is in the programme for Government. We need action in regulating social media and digital platforms. They are breeding grounds for hate. Minority communities are relentlessly targeted online and there are no consequences for those responsible. TikTok and X are consequence-free sewers for those who want to perpetuate racism and hate. We have also had at least 31 buildings burnt down with little or no consequences. I was only elected in December of last year.”
“The numbers have risen from just under 5,000 in 2019 to more than 13,000 now, yet the direct provision system remains in place despite a commitment by the previous Government to abolish it. Many communities throughout Ireland have been strong in the welcome and support they have provided for refugees but many of these communities, including communities I represent in Limerick, have been targeted with misinformation or disinformation. This has been worsened by a failure of both Government and State agencies to communicate properly with communities. Let me state first that nobody has a veto over where anybody can live, but we need to see local authorities, elected representatives and community representatives included early on in the information-sharing process.”
“I agree with the Minister on the need for a proper and transparent rules-based system. However, the reality is that people move. They move for a variety of reasons: some for work, some for love and some for safety. They move to make a better life for themselves and for their families. All of us as human beings want the same things: a good job, a secure home and most importantly, a safe life. Global forced displacement is at a record high. Almost half of the people who flee globally are actually children. Most of those who are forced to move are not in or anywhere near Ireland. They are in poor and developing countries, which have shouldered the majority of the brunt of forced displacement. Global instability has contributed to a substantial increase in the numbers seeking international protection in Ireland.”
“I join the Minister in condemning the spate of racist attacks that we have seen in recent weeks and months. I am concerned across the political spectrum in many ways with respect to the approach to migration and immigration particularly and about some of the language being used. It sounds to me that we are almost in an arms race to the right in this regard. By legitimising the language and the modus operandi of the political right we are never meaningfully going to address any of the issues or concerns that people might have in respect of migration or immigration. My party was one of the first political parties to bring forward a policy paper on migration in 2023. Migration has always existed and always will. The question we face as policymakers is how best to manage it to ensure a well-functioning, regulated system.”
“Without additional SET resources, the school risks failing to meet the diverse needs of its expanding population. I ask the Minister of State to please intervene with the NCSE on this matter.”
“This is even after a review by the NCSE and an increase of 0.5 of an SET on the original allocation for this year. Basically, there are equivalent DEIS schools in Limerick where the ratio is in the low to mid 20s. For example, last week the Minister of State visited Le Chéile primary school in Limerick. It serves a very similar student profile. It has 20 more pupils than St. Mary's but it has four more SETs. The fact of the matter is that St. Mary's current SET allocation will have significant repercussions on the school's ability to support its student body, especially people with additional needs. Basically, the school cannot buffer this with mainstream teachers. This will undermine its ethos, hinder parental trust and challenge its ability to maintain the high standards it has.”
“I thank Sinn Féin for tabling the motion and I thank the Minister of State. I want to speak in particular about a special education teacher allocation for a particular school in my constituency. It is St. Mary's national school on Bishop Street. I contacted the Minister of State directly about this in recent days. According to the Pobal social deprivation index, it serves the most disadvantaged area in the entire country. It is the electoral area of John's A. The school has been rejuvenated and has grown its student population by 76% in the past four years. With this increase in enrolment, it has opened a second autism class and enhanced its commitment to inclusive education. The allocation the school had in 2021-22 equated to a ratio of 25.3 pupils per SET. The September 2025 allocation equates to a ratio of 33.9 pupils per SET.”
“I ask the Tánaiste to make it clear that the Government will not capitulate on the inclusion of services in the occupied territories Bill and that we can come back here and sit in August to finally pass this legislation.”
“I too thank the staff and wish everyone well for the summer break. It is very clear that IBEC is trying to manipulate the Government to exclude services from the occupied territories Bill. We have had more than 21 months of genocide. The EU is now saying that it will keep a "close watch" on Israel, so a close watch on genocide. The EU is worse than useless. At the same time, the EU said that member states should consider the legal opinion of the International Court of Justice in the context of trade with the occupied territories. It is very clear that we need sanctions now. We should not bow to domestic or international pressure on this. The fact that Mike Huckabee, a horrible racist, accused the Irish of falling into a vat of Guinness makes me more resolute that we are doing the right thing.”
“We are going to have monolithic, one box, very small, single aspect, quite depressing and dark yellow pack apartments that either social housing tenants or transient renters will be forced to live in.”
“I thank the Minister for his reply. A number of Ministers over a number of Governments, including from my party, have tried to do this or have done this with apartment standards. It did not work in 2015, 2016 or 2018 and it is definitely not going to work now. We need to see the LDA's evidence for how this will cut the cost of developing an apartment. Some of these apartments are going to be as small as 32 sq. m and no putative buyer on the private market is going to buy an apartment that small. There just is not a market for it. We are talking about a portion of a tennis court or the size of a very large car. These apartments are going to be build-to-rent, they are going to be built in Dublin and Cork only and they are not going to be affordable or they are going to be used for social housing.”
“I do not think the cost savings will be what were presented in the media and the press release from the Minister's Department last week. The savings will be nowhere near those figures. They will probably be one fifth of the headline figure that was quoted. That these revised guidelines are being presented as a fait accompli is incredibly regrettable. My colleague Deputy Ó Broin spoke about the Aarhus Convention and our need to comply with our obligations under it. In the way the Minister is doing this, we are going to run into trouble on those grounds.”
“It says a lot about the LDA, its role and the policy direction given to it if it is the main voice looking to remove this provision for community space. The LDA lobbied hard for these apartment design changes because allowing it to cram further small units into the existing building that will be built will enable it, at least on paper, to improve its performance. The loss of size and mix is going to lead to mono-tenure towns and cities. We are going to have tiny apartments and people paying extremely high rents. It will not be sustainable or long term. Going back to what I said at the beginning, the report presented to us at the briefing the other day was a summary of the LDA's research. We need to see the LDA's research because we need to be clear as to exactly what the cost savings are.”
“I find it ironic that just as the local democracy task force is getting under way this week, the Minister is running roughshod over local authorities here. Disrespect was shown to Dublin City Council, as a local authority, in this regard. It had no warning of these new guidelines. It was not consulted and had no opportunity to give any input. I do not think that is acceptable. It is clear from talking to colleagues on Dublin City Council that they feel the biggest objector to this community provision has all along been the Land Development Agency, LDA. It has had some success with to the community provision. Some developers have got on with it. They have factored community and cultural spaces into their developments. They have partnered with local arts organisations and community groups to make this work.”
“The gains, if they could be described as that, are also modest at best. They do nothing to deal with the core issue, which is the cost of land and land speculation. There might be some changes in headline viability but they will be undermined by an increased number of judicial reviews and will also be undermined by the fact that we are going to have more delays. I am also concerned about the provision of community or cultural space, particularly in respect of the 5% provision that was brought in as part of Dublin City Council's 2022 to 2028 development plan. This was a hard-won provision to deliver more space for artists and community groups. It was also intended to help to build sustainable communities.”
“With the proposed planning law changes whereby there will be a fast-track process, adding these new guidelines to already-approved units could end up in court. These amendments to allow developers who have already secured permission to build more and smaller apartments in the same space without submitting a fresh planning application means there will be more delays because developers will have to resubmit planning applications. There is also a challenge that this could all get challenged in the High Court. It could lead to JRs. I am also concerned that parts of this could be unconstitutional due to a lack of public consultation on what could be a significant change to a developer's building plan. Any permitted modification decision could then be challenged in the High Court by way of judicial review.”
“I support the amendment tabled by my colleague Deputy Ó Broin. When I read what the IPI said, I thought it was very stark. In its usual mild-mannered way the IPI set out clearly why as professional planners they believe these changes will not work. We will end up with monolithic blocks like we had in the past and that we said we would not build anymore. These are lower quality solutions. They are driven by this need for short-term expediency. It does not follow the work the Department has been doing for the past couple of years on trying to build sustainable, long-term communities and long-term apartment living. These apartments are not going to be long-term homes for people. It will make apartment living much more transient. It will push people further out of our urban core. The unintended consequences of these amendments are concerning.”
“If this was to come to Limerick and the mid-west, what a testament it would be to the progress made in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights. Imagine, the year after the Ryder Cup, if we hosted another landmark event that could bring 100,000 people to Limerick and Clare. It would be transformative for the mid-west culturally and economically. I am looking for the Government and the Minister of State to place their support for this bid on the record of the House.”
“The fact is that, in this country, we force trans people to go through a dehumanising and humiliating process. I want to speak about the need for much stronger hate speech law. We need the Government to clarify its position because there is a gulf between, say, the lack of legislative action and the stated commitments in both the national LGBTQI+ strategy and the programme for Government. We need to see a full assessment of the legal gaps and the Government's response to the concerns raised by the European Commission and a legislative roadmap thereafter. In the time remaining to me, I will speak to an issue that is close to my own area of Limerick. Limerick Pride, QuareClare and The Outing have been shortlisted to host the 2028 EuroPride. This is a pan-European event hosted by a different European city every year.”
“Pride is political and Pride is protest. It is a reminder of how far we have come but how far we have yet to go. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the marriage equality referendum but also the passage of the Gender Recognition Act. In that time, we have seen a deliberate and provocative attempt to marginalise, undermine and dehumanise trans people. As has been said by my colleagues, we have the worst system of trans healthcare in Europe. People have come to me and told me that the wait time is 13 years at the moment, and there are 2,000 people waiting for care. The fact of the matter is the Government is not following the World Health Organization's guidelines regarding trans healthcare. We need to move to a model of informed consent. That is the way we deal with other gender-related healthcare such as HRT.”
“Eight months later, however, the Government is rushing through amendments. In 20 years' time, when we are dealing with the consequences of large housing developments built without community or cultural space it will be too late. The plan to allow developers seek modification certificates to change existing planning permissions in line with the proposed new rules does not allow for any appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála when such certificates are issued. Does the Taoiseach accept that this is likely to be a further recipe for judicial review?”
“At the behest of developers, the Government is committed to reducing apartment sizes and removing the minimum 5% community and cultural space. The Minister claimed this will reduce the cost of apartments by between €50,000 and €100,000, but those savings could only be achieved if every single measure were applied. We have had no detailed evidence for this claim, just an internal summary of the LDA's research. At the housing committee, the Minister told me the research will be published. When will the evidence for these drastic changes be provided in full? Will it be after the emergency planning legislation the Government is ramming through the Dáil and Seanad this week? We were told a couple of months ago that the Planning and Development Act was a once-in-a-generation reform.”