Darren O'Rourke
Meath East · Sinn Féin · Ireland
“It is a statement of fact that in recent years we have seen a reduced number of classroom teachers. Budget 2026 led to the removal of 498 classroom teachers, a net reduction of 381 when one looks at the gains. The year 2025-26 saw a reduction of 290 and 2024-25 a reduction of 237. That has a real impact.”
“It has created duplication, inefficiency and a barrier to our natural prosperity. It has left the North underfunded by Westminster’s austerity and battered by the chaos of Brexit while the South has suffered from a fractured market and a divided island. We are both less than we could be. Irish unity is not a burden; it is an investment.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on statements on the fiscal implications of Irish unity. We hear people tell us Irish unity is a cost we cannot afford but the truth of the matter is partition is the cost we have already paid for for a century and more, and it is a price that is too high.”
“I thank the Minister. She said from November that 97% of posts were filled. In real terms at the same time, 996 teaching posts were unfilled, which is almost 1,000. Figures as recent as last week tell us that over 39,000 primary school students were in classes of 30 pupils or more in the past school year.”
“Again, we have those figures from a briefing we had with the Department as recently as yesterday. It is all welcome progress but the question I am asking today is what is the unmet need as things stand? How many children do not have an offer of a school place?”
“I wish the staff and the Minister all the best for the summer. I know it will be a busy summer but I hope that everyone gets a break. I ask the Minister to state the number of children with additional needs who require but have yet to receive an offer of an appropriate school place for September 2026, based on her most recent meeting with…”
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“The task force's power to make concrete recommendations on pollution control and to design vital infrastructure works, from flood defences to public access points, shifts our approach from reactive to proactive. It provides a single accountable engine for improvement. Furthermore, by centralising the water policy functions currently dispersed across various committees and local authorities, it will replace complexity and overlap with clarity and purpose. This will streamline decision making and ensure the Boyne receives the specialised, focused attention it deserves. This proposal is about more than ecology and infrastructure. It is also about people. The functions to promote public interest, access and enjoyment speak to a profound understanding of the river as a public amenity.”
“It makes absolute sense to me. At the heart of Deputy Nash's Bill is the recognition that the Boyne is a single living entity. Its health from source to sea dictates the environmental, economic and social well-being of our entire region. The principle of the task force is that it mirrors that interconnectedness. It combines the roles of environmental guardian, strategic planner and community champion. It will protect habitats and wildlife, proposing policies that embed environmental sustainability and climate resilience into the very fabric of our planning. It will co-ordinate sustainable development, ensuring that progress does not come at the expense of our natural heritage. This dual mandate is important and moves us beyond the false choice between conservation and progress towards a model where they are mutually reinforcing.”
“From a Meath perspective, we are so proud of and connected to the Boyne, Brú na Bóinne, Oldbridge, the Battle of the Boyne site, Bective Abbey, Knowth and Dowth, Trim Castle and so on. There is so much there because it is the nature of rivers that life grows up around them. When I think of the development and the potential of it, as well as the need to protect it, there are so many cross-cutting responsibilities. We can take as an example the Boyne greenway and navigation restoration project. The TII has responsibility for it but there are so many agencies involved in that project that it has almost run aground and may run forever and ever. Meath County Council, Louth County Council and the Heritage Council are all involved but if we had a co-ordinating body like a River Boyne task force, it could just pull all of that together.”
“I heard what the Minister of State said earlier but I was not joking. There is an opportunity in this to harness what I have just mentioned. The Minister of State said there are bureaucratic and administrative forums already established and yet to be established but that does not change matters in my experience. The Government is going to oppose the Bill which is regrettable and a great pity. I urge the Minister of State and the Minister to look at what is positive in this Bill as well as at what the Government itself is proposing and try to marry the two. They should try to take the best of both. The departmental and official response has no life but there is an opportunity here with this Bill.”
“There was also the former Councillor McGinty, who is joining us in the Gallery, and I will make special mention of Slane-based local area representative Peter Whelan, who really put his shoulder behind the wheel and put a big effort in. He deserves a lot of credit and maith sibh ar fad. The campaign was organic; it was wonderful and it continues. Hopefully, it can be a central part of any river task force. The proposal being made in this Bill is not merely an administrative adjustment but a long overdue commitment to one of Ireland's most historic and ecologically vital landscapes. For too long the stewardship of the Boyne catchment has been fragmented, its potential under-realised and its pressures inadequately addressed. This Bill provides a coherent and integrated response that the river and our communities need.”
“All of us as public representatives deal with controversial planning. I have a number of such cases ongoing at the minute throughout the Meath East constituency, but very rarely are they like this. This was an organic response from the community, but wider than that, in response to the proposal because of the want to protect the environment and the River Boyne, and in recognition of the incredible importance, on so many levels, of the Boyne, as well as an appreciation of it. From a political perspective, not to single anyone out, there was the involvement of the Labour Party, the Social Democrats, the Green Party, Sinn Féin, some Independents and the then Councillor Gillian Toole, a party colleague of the Minister of State. I have to say, I hope she does not oppose this proposal next Wednesday because it is a very positive one.”
“It is an important piece of legislation and it deals with one of our greatest national and natural resources, the River Boyne. It relates to the Save the Boyne campaign and the effort to reject the proposal from Dawn Meats to emit waste into the Boyne. That campaign was successful and I was happy, along with Sinn Féin colleagues, to support that effort and to play our part. However, the real credit, as anyone who was a part of it will know, goes to the activists and volunteers in the community, in the Save the Boyne campaign and elsewhere. I know there are others but people will not mind me singling out for special mention Mog Downey and Tommy Martin of the Save the Boyne campaign for their efforts, as well as the local angling clubs and the local community. This was quite unusual.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on the River Boyne Task Force Bill. I thank Deputy Nash and the Labour Party for bringing it forward. I am sorry I did not speak after Deputy Nash, because I was enthusiastic at that stage. I am now coming after the Minister of State and he has put us on a downer.”
“The Minister points towards possible amendments in relation to the presumption of non-disclosure and the expansion of definitions but I have very serious concerns about anything short of an outright ban. One thing is clear; this legislation in its current form falls far short. It ignores the recommendations of the Oireachtas committee on justice, the calls of Grevio and the united voices of survivors and support services. This section of the Bill is unacceptable and must be fundamentally amended on Committee Stage. We owe it to every survivor who has been forced to relive his or her trauma in the witness box, to every person currently avoiding counselling for fear of these notes being used and to all future victims who deserve a justice system that protects rather than persecutes them.”
“This Bill, as it stands, does not end the practice but institutionalises it. It strips away the victims' remaining shred of autonomy, the right to say "No" to the request and places the decision solely in the hands of a judge. While we all respect the Judiciary, its members are trained to assess evidence but counselling notes are not evidence. They are third-party interpretive records, therapeutic tools created in the context of care, not legal precision. The Minister speaks of balancing rights but this proposal tips the scales further against the victim. It tells survivors that their deeply personal journey through trauma, their rawest moments in therapy are now default material for legal scrutiny. It tells therapists that their notes, written to aid healing, may become fodder for cross-examination. This will retraumatise and deter.”
“They have spoken with devastating clarity about the reality that the mere prospect of their most private, therapeutic conversations being pored over in court forces an impossible choice between healing or justice, court or counselling. This practice has become the norm with devastating consequences, deterring victims from seeking vital counselling and weaponising their healing process against them. The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, chaired by my party colleague Deputy Carthy heard this evidence. They listened and their pre-legislative scrutiny, PLS, report recommended a full ban. What does this legislation offer? It offers a provision that makes a disclosure hearing mandatory in all cases. With respect, this is not reform but a rebranding of the broken and harmful status quo.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important Bill, notwithstanding the well-made points that have been raised regarding its miscellaneous nature and the number and range of proposals and measures therein. The Bill presents itself as progress but on the most contentious issue before us, the use of counselling notes in sexual violence trials, it represents a profound failure of ambition and a direct rejection of the calls of victims, survivors and experts. For years survivors and their advocates have campaigned with one clear, unequivocal demand, which is a full and outright ban on the disclosure and use of counselling notes in these trials.”
“Could I specifically raise the issue this time round in relation to the design of the scheme? The question specifically relates to the redemption and realisation of the council equity. I do not think people are aware of the fact that there is a premium on the council equity. If it is 10% on a house costing €405,000 today, the percentage relates to the current market value. If I am in that property for 30 years and I am looking to draw down on the council equity, if the property is worth €450,000 or €500,000, I am required to pay 10% of the current market value at that stage, and I have to pay in lump sums of a minimum of €10,000. They are very significant issues. It is a cruel aspect of this scheme. It is a premium on the council's equity. I do not think people are aware of that fact. Why did the Minister design the scheme in that way?”
“Affordability is the single biggest housing issue in County Meath. So many people who are working are above the social housing threshold but they cannot get a mortgage. The numbers the Minister talks about are nowhere near enough. In addition, they are not affordable. I can give the example of Foxwood Park in Kells that is about to come on stream. I am sure they are fine houses and the people who get them will be absolutely delighted to have them but they are far too expensive. They are not affordable. They are advertised as three-bedroom terraced houses with a minimum purchase price of €322,500 but with an asterisk on it. The asterisk is doing a huge amount of work because the actual price that someone will pay to buy and own that property is €405,000. That is simply not affordable. Does the Minister agree?”
“It calls for significant investment in the wastewater treatment plant itself, including by constructing a new storm tank. There is a number of other significant proposals that have not been actioned six years later. These are not minor projects. We must have a twin track investment strategy that addresses both our surface water and wastewater systems in an integrated way. The solutions are there. What we need is the commitment and funding from the Government to implement them.”
“While the promised remedial works at these four locations are urgently needed, they are only a start. We need a full town audit of the antiquated network in Kells. This is essential for future-proofing the town against increasingly frequent deluges, like today, and for supporting responsible development. We cannot look at surface water in isolation. The wastewater infrastructure in Kells is also under severe strain, as detailed in the Kells sewerage scheme network upgrade report from January 2020. The report makes clear that approximately 13 km of our existing sewer network requires intervention to meet modern standards. In its recommendation, it recommends decommissioning and removal of the Blackwater flow combined sewer overflow, CSO, and conveyance of flows downstream to the wastewater treatment plant.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak today. Priority or urgent areas of focus for me include the need for new water mains in Dunboyne and Duleek but with the limited time available to me, I will restrict my comments to the urgent need for investment in surface water and wastewater infrastructure in Kells, County Meath. These issues are long identified but the responsible authorities from top to bottom and bottom to top have failed to address them. As confirmed to my council colleague, Councillor Michael Gallagher, at a recent council meeting, specific local failures during storms include the culvert in Riverside estate, the pipe crossing on the R147 at the local graveyard, the gully on the R164 Athboy road and those in the back lanes at Headfort Grove. These are not isolated problems but symptoms of a failing decades-old infrastructure.”
“We need real progress on rail and a complete overhaul of bus services to deliver a public transport system that works; one that is accessible, affordable, reliable and safe.”
“Chronic overcrowding and cancellation are the norm, not the exception. Even where buses run, passengers too often wait without bus shelters and dignity. We know from media reports that senior Department of Transport officials warned that the Government's transport budget for 2026 will not be enough for any new services. That is simply not good enough. This is not about inconvenience. It is about connectivity, opportunity and quality of life. The right to work from home must be considered in this context. Regardless of that, Meath deserves and has paid for a modern integrated transport network. We need urgent, concrete action from the NTA and the Government to deliver it.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion and thank the Labour Party for bringing it forward. The people in County Meath are in a daily battle for reliable transport. Our infrastructure is failing to keep pace with our growing population, leaving commuters stranded and communities isolated. Motorists are crucified with increasing costs of petrol and diesel and toll charge increases. The infrastructure deficits are comprehensive and critical. Since 1994, we have had a long promised yet undelivered Navan rail line and our public bus network is in serious difficulty. Routes from the 103 and 109 are systematically failing. Services in Navan are inadequate. There were 20,000 fewer trips taken on the town bus service last year than there were the year before. Areas like Bellewstown have no service at all.”
“We can all imagine scenarios where someone's carer, support or transport provider, such as a family or friend, is not available because they are sick, away or so on, which has a knock-on impact. I ask the Minister of State to look at this issue, specifically at Noah's case, and at Meath, but also in a wider context at transport for people accessing adult day services. No two cases are the same. There are individual merits, for example, and if a needs assessment was done, a transport need might be identified in an individual case.”
“I thank the Minister of State for the reply. I know she understands the importance of these services for Noah and everybody else who accesses them for fulfilment, engagement, development and independence. She has articulated here and in the responses I have got before that a unique set of circumstances exist in Meath. It is a frustration for us in Meath that they were there. It is different now for people coming into the system. The wider point is about the need for an integrated system that can ensure that, where people cannot access public transport for whatever reason, a transport system is in place to allow people to have independence and not to be dependent on individuals.”
“In this case, that is not happening. Noah's mum, Jennifer, has done her very best to secure safe and secure transport for her son, but every door is closed and, as a result, she is bringing him to and from his day services in Prosper every day. That is not a long-term solution and it runs directly contrary to the policy of giving people their independence.”
“He left school last year and has since been attending Prosper Meath in Navan. Noah is a full-time wheelchair user. He has cerebral palsy, autism, intellectual disability and scoliosis. He is not independent and cannot use public transport to get from his house to Prosper and home again daily. These services are really important. The response we have from the HSE locally is that, unfortunately, no space is currently available on the route for a second wheelchair, as the bus can only accommodate one at a time. The HSE Meath transport manager advises that Noah continues to be wait-listed for transport provision. It is important that there is no defined timeline for the waiting list. That is really frustrating in this case. The policy objective, which we share, is that people can live independently and be provided with supports to do that.”
“Specifically in relation to Meath, it reiterates that day services do not have a separate budget for transport. It says that transport in Meath is managed in a combined way between service providers and the HSE transport manager, who contracts Transport for Ireland, TFI, to supply some historical transport. That is significant. There are 217 service users accommodated on this historical transport to adult day services but there are currently five others on the waiting list for particular transport routes. There is a gap in funding but also in the transport service provision. I want to raise a specific case of one of those service users who is on a waiting list. I have his and his mother's consent to raise their case in the Dáil this evening. It is the case of Noah Gibney from Slane in County Meath. He is 19 years of age, going on 20.”
“I welcome the opportunity to raise this matter and thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting it. This is an issue I have raised consistently and to which I have had numerous responses at a State-wide level from the HSE. The HSE points to the number of people, over 22,000 adults, in receipt of HSE-funded disability day service supports at 1,200 locations, working with 97 service providers. It acknowledges that many people with a disability need access to transport to enable each person to attend a day service but that the provision of transport services is not part of core services within disability services. The HSE encourages people to use public transport options and to be independent, understandably, but it recognises that public transport options are not always available to many people throughout the country.”
“There is a key finding in the report in relation to the dependence on the private sector and hotels, but also local authorities essentially stepping away from this work and passing it over to the private sector. As a result of that, there is closure of swimming pools or pools being available on a reduced hours basis, although not to swimming clubs. Swim Ireland referenced an alternative model. Is that something the Minister of State will consider as a potential to increase access?”
“I mentioned my experience as a child going to school in Kells. We had pretty unique access to Kells Swimming Pool, which is a public swimming pool. There are a number of important findings in the report. I am glad the Department commissioned it. I hope it pays attention to those findings and acts on them. The important piece is access. I talk about Kells, and we think of areas in Leinster, Connacht and south Munster where it is very stark. The issue with hotel pools is they mask a greater problem. I talked about my experience, which is a very wide experience in terms of access to lessons for kids. In County Meath, 100% of the swimming pools have a waiting list. It is a very significant issue. I will ask about something in my supplementary question that the Minister of State touched on.”
“I thank the Minister of State for that response. I was prompted to submit this question, in the first instance, by the Swimming Pool Gap Analysis Report, which the Minister of State will be familiar with, published in December and commissioned by Swim Ireland and, second, as a parent trying to access swimming lessons for my kids. I recognise the picture on the front of this report. It is of Kells Swimming Club, which is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary this year. I went to school about 20 yards away from it and had access that very many children across Ireland do not have when it comes to swimming pools. One of the key findings of the report relates to access to a swimming pool. In Ireland, we have just one public pool per 81,000 people compared with Scotland, for example, which has one per 14,000.”
“Coimisiún na Meán must be empowered and resourced to act decisively. The European Commission must follow through on its warning and use every enforcement lever the Digital Services Act provides, without delay, including by imposing dissuasive fines and sanctions. Platforms that wilfully enable the generation and distribution of child sexual abuse material cannot be allowed to operate with impunity.”
“The very ability of this tool to create such vile images represents a profound failure of corporate ethics and a direct assault on the most vulnerable in our society. This case exposes a toxic culture emanating from the very top of X, where the pursuit of profit and a warped sense a free speech are placed above human dignity and the law. When the company's CEO openly ridicules legitimate concerns and regulatory efforts, it fosters an environment where abuse is facilitated. Therefore, this scandal must be the catalyst for immediate and forceful action. We have laws in our Statute Books, from Coco's Law to the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act, and the EU Digital Services Act. The critical deficit is enforcement. Legislation alone is meaningless without the power and will to apply it.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on these statements. I would like to have the opportunity to talk about the potential benefits and the approach we need to take to reap those benefits and mitigate the potential negatives. This debate will have a significant focus on the real negatives. We did not have to imagine them because they presented in very clear terms. The Garda confirmation yesterday of 200 active investigations into child sexual abuse material generated by the Grok AI chatbot is not just alarming; it is a damning indictment of the despicable conduct of X and its owner. This is a platform and leadership that has shown a blatant disregard for basic decency and the safety of our children, treating both Irish and EU regulations with contempt. I say that even in light of the partial row-back overnight.”
“Uisce Éireann also said it has medium- and long-term fixes. That is welcome but it begs the question as to why these were not delivered before obvious problems arose. Uisce Éireann is infuriatingly casual and non-committal in relation to immediate fixes for Dunboyne. It has nothing to say in relation to interim supplies, additional pumping capacity or anything else. Like so much with Uisce Éireann, it is not good enough, it is unacceptable and it has to change. Sinn Féin and I will keep pushing until it does.”
“In Meath East, we need urgent investment in wastewater infrastructure in Kells, we need urgent investment in mains water infrastructure in Duleek and we desperately need urgent investment in mains water in Dunboyne. Residents in whole swathes of Dunboyne were without water over Christmas and the new year – no toilets, no showers, no washing machines, no dishwaters, no nothing. Communication with Uisce Éireann is disgraceful. It is completely unacceptable and the Minister needs to address it. The Sinn Féin legislation would help. When Uisce Éireann did answer in relation to Dunboyne, it said low pressure was due to increased demand. This screams about the need for critical infrastructure to be delivered with or before new housing development, of which there is a significant amount in Dunboyne, as the Minister knows.”
“Along with Deputies Ó Broin, Guirke and Gould, Sinn Féin and I introduced the Water Services (Amendment) Bill last year with the specific aim of holding Uisce Éireann to account in cases of water outages and disruptions in supply. It is good legislation. The Government should enact it. It would mandate Uisce Éireann to have a dedicated response for vulnerable domestic and business customers, have a detailed communication plan for all customers, public representatives and local authorities, including two-hourly updates, provide emergency replacement water within agreed timeframes, and have short-, medium- and long-term plans to address problems.”
“I want to raise the issue of access to judicial review and costs. We all appreciate the need for the delivery of critical infrastructure, housing, transport and all the necessary infrastructure we need for our communities. There is a consultation going on at present on the issue of costs for judicial review. This could potentially mean that where local communities and individuals take a judicial review, they would be liable for costs in the region of tens or possibly hundreds of thousands of euro even where they win the case. Will the Taoiseach ensure this does not happen?”
“Will the Taoiseach immediately publish a full and detailed account of all legal, political and diplomatic actions that the Government has taken or intends to take to oppose the ratification of the Mercosur trade agreement and outline definitive steps to ensure that Mercosur beef cannot enter the Irish food chain under any circumstances? Will he actively and publicly support the legal action taken by Members of the European Parliament against the ratification of the Mercosur trade agreement?”
“Given the clear State obligation to provide an appropriate school place for every child with additional needs, can the Tánaiste explain why parents who applied after the NCSE's 1 October deadline are being excluded from the process of securing a school place for next September? There is silence from the line Ministers and a standard response from the NCSE telling parents who applied after the 1 October deadline: "The NCSE is no longer in a position to issue letters of eligibility." This is simply unacceptable. Every child with additional needs has a right to an appropriate school place. Nothing less will do. Will the Tánaiste instruct the NCSE to reopen the portal and start issuing letters of eligibility again? Will he ensure that every child has an appropriate school place for next September?”
“This ban is a step but it is only a small step on a journey the Government is taking at a snail's pace. Our young people need us to run. They need a comprehensive strategy that tackles availability, marketing, flavours and packaging in one coherent, robust piece of legislation. We cannot allow another year to pass when a new generation is lured into nicotine addiction by flavours of bubblegum, rainbows, unicorns and whatever you are having yourself. Sinn Féin will support this Bill but we demand the Government follows it immediately with the comprehensive action our children deserve. Enough with this piecemeal approach. Let us protect our young people.”
“We need to fairly examine and then implement strict regulations on flavourings and packaging to break this direct marketing line to children. As Deputy Cullinane has said and as some have suggested, this does not mean restricting flavours to tobacco only. That would be excessive and counter-productive for adult smokers seeking a less harmful alternative. It does mean banning the clearly child-oriented flavours and garish toy-like packaging that serves no public health purpose. Public policy must be balanced. It must ensure that vaping remains a route out of smoking for adults, not an attractive gateway in for non-smoking young people. It must protect our children from predatory commercial practices while supporting informed adult choice.”
“Young people who have never touched a cigarette are now addicted to nicotine, believing they are inhaling harmless water vapour, not a cocktail of chemicals whose long-term effects we are only beginning to understand. This Bill bans one type of product, the single-use vape. What about the reusable vapes that come in those same child-friendly flavours and packages? What about the online advertising that still finds its way to young eyes? What about the retailers who, despite the law, continue to sell to minors? The Government's approach of addressing this issue one Bill at a time every year or so is failing our young people. We do not need another piecemeal intervention in 2026 and another in 2027 and so on. We need modern, comprehensive and dynamic legislation now.”
“This is a campaign of attraction aimed at children and teenagers. We are not talking about subtle marketing. We are talking about a full-spectrum assault on young senses. Vapes come in flavours that belong in a sweet shop like bubblegum, tutti-frutti, or ice cream sundae. They are packaged in lurid, neon colours with designs that would not look out of place on a gaming console or toy. They are small, sleek and discreet. This is not by accident, it is by design. It is the playbook of big tobacco repackaged for a new generation. They are creating a gateway, hooking young people on nicotine with a product that feels harmless, fashionable and sweet. It is working. Talk to any teacher, parent or youth worker and they will describe the alarming prevalence among young people.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill from my perspective as Sinn Féin's spokesperson on education and youth. Sinn Féin supports a ban on single-use vapes. We have called for a ban for years. They are an environmental scourge and a public health concern. Their proliferation has been a testament to regulatory failure. While we support this specific measure, we must criticise the Government's entire approach to this issue. The Bill in isolation is akin to using a plaster to treat a major wound. It is emblematic of a reactive, piecemeal and painfully slow strategy that is constantly years behind the curve. My primary concern is the deliberate and cynical targeting of young people by this industry. All we have to do is to open our eyes and look at these products and how they are promoted. We can see it clearly.”
“Under no circumstances can we stand over a situation where in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis additional costs are being heaped on vulnerable people and putting them at medical risk. It is totally unacceptable.”
“It knocked her confidence in her ability to stay at home, which she can do with the aid of blister packs. I listened to the Minister on the radio at the weekend and read her press statement. We should not be in this position at all. She will say, no doubt, that it is a complicated system that contains anomalies and that some people were drawing down different funding streams that were not intended for this use. However, the reality is that she has caused major anxiety among a vulnerable population. She has provided no reassurance in her public utterances since then. She needs to act on this Sinn Féin motion and get to the negotiating table, if that is what it takes.”
“I thank Deputy Cullinane for bringing forward this motion. The value of blister packs is far beyond the monetary cost of the plastic. They provide independence, confidence, reassurance and safety for patients and their families. They bring reassurance that patients will be safe and will be able to manage their own medication. Last week's announcement has had an impact on many people across the State. It has caused huge frustration and anxiety. Numerous people have contacted my office. A good example was an elderly couple in their early 90s. They know the value of blister packs. When the lady did not have a blister pack, she overmedicated, took the wrong medication and ended up in the emergency department at huge cost to the health services and the State.”
“One of the most effective ways we can reduce emissions is by encouraging people on to public transport. I want to raise the lack of public transport in Bellewstown, County Meath. A 13-year-old boy, James Black, has started a campaign there and has hundreds of petition signatures calling for a public bus services for the village of Bellewstown. Fair play and well done to him for that. He has got an amount of media attention about it. He is very articulate and very clear in what he is trying to achieve. The Connecting Ireland scheme in the Department of Transport is a very good one but it is underfunded and Bellewstown is not included in it. Will the Taoiseach increase funding to the Connecting Ireland scheme and will he include Bellewstown, County Meath in it?”
“I want to raise the issue of child homelessness. In October there were 5,274 children in emergency accommodation. More than 150 of those were in my county, Meath. There is an expectation that at Christmas there will be more than 5,000 and that almost 1,000 of those will be in emergency accommodation for their second or third Christmas. Are there specific measures the Government will take in advance of Christmas, now a handful of days away, to minimise the number of children in homelessness this Christmas?”
“I fully support Deputy Crowe on this. A solution has to be found. The Department has a role to play here, as have the school, the patron body and the religious authorities, but a solution must be found.”
“It needs to be matched with increased funding. I said to the Minister of State at committee that youth services are the poor relation within the Department and in government. The incredible work done in communities and the benefit for young people and the wider community are immeasurable. Maybe that is part of the difficulty. Investment is returned in spades. Please continue to invest in young people and youth services and increase that investment. I want to ask about the implementation plan for the national strategy for youth work and related services 2024 to 2028. We are coming into 2026 and that plan has not been prepared. It is an indication of delay and a lack of prioritisation. Please focus on it, deliver on it and, importantly, engage with the stakeholders doing such great work in our communities.”