Duncan Smith
Dublin Fingal East · Labour Party · Ireland
“That is three separate roads that are all in one network and are all closed or heavily restricted because of these works happening at the same time. This is impacting thousands of existing residents, and will do so for a significant period. The works are happening and the homes are being built.”
“We have a very small wastewater treatment plant that has been there for 40 or 50 years and which serviced a much smaller town. It is currently being retrofitted and upgraded, but those works are being delayed.”
“I thank Minister of State, Deputy Harkin, for taking this debate late on a Thursday evening, on the last sitting day of this term. I would like to talk about the town of Swords in north County Dublin.”
“We do not have enough schools and we have a wastewater treatment plant that is absolutely buckling under the pressure. We welcome the houses. There were no mass protests about housing development in Swords. The majority of people who live there moved there, like myself, in the past 20 years and love living there.”
“I know you cannot make an omelette without cracking a few eggs, but there is a disconnect in the planning of these projects that is causing havoc in Swords. We have a massive issue with our bus network, from bus stops to bus services, and again, we do not have a rail link yet.”
“I thank the Minister of State for her response, which speaks to the issue I am raising. Again, she will sense the tone in which I am raising it. There is an awful lot happening and being built, but it is the co-ordination of these works that is the problem.”
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“Will the World Food Programme and other UN agencies and NGOs be able to go in and deliver aid and services as they have done for decades in Gaza? It would seem not, or at least it is unclear. What we do know is that since March and the ending of aid into Gaza by Israel, we have seen a degree of psychopathy that is seldom seen in conflicts throughout history. It is the slaughter and murder of civilians while they are queuing for the meagre amounts of aid, food and medicines that are being offered. It is absolutely abhorrent. When we felt we could not be shocked any more, it was, I believe, the slaughter, murder and shooting of people queuing for aid that was key in turning the international mood music against Israel. It has not done enough.”
“Are we going to see moves towards a two-state solution or recognition of the Palestinian State, as Ireland has done, and for that to become real? That sounds fantastical in the current context. What will happen in relation to aid? The naming of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is almost to troll the people of Gaza and the rest of the world. It is anything but a humanitarian foundation. It is a new departure in the provision of so-called aid. The weaponisation of aid to Gaza by Israel and the United States has been one of the foulest elements of this crisis. If there is to be a ceasefire, will we see the re-establishment of the traditional aid organisations? Will UNRWA be allowed to do its work again?”
“Given the slaughter, the genocide and the last 20 months of horror, to wake up to the news, as we did this morning, that perhaps there will be a 60-day ceasefire will be welcomed by most people. Of course we will welcome it if it happens but for a number of reasons it is hard to have confidence in a ceasefire in this conflict. One reason is that the person who announced it this morning, Donald Trump, has a poor record in foreign policy. I will come back to that a couple of times. Let us consider the comments and reaction of Israel to this announcement. They are highly qualified. Is this actually going to happen? If there is to be a ceasefire, what will happen in that space? Will there be a ceasefire with negotiations to take place for a longer term ceasefire and proper peacebuilding?”
“In the context of the MetroLink examinations, it was proven that would not work unless there was a four-track provision along the northern commuter line all the way into Connolly Station. We need MetroLink. We expect a decision very shortly. It is the most vital transport project for Dublin, particularly for the northside of Dublin. I hope we will have a positive outcome for the planning process soon and we can get building that. There is an awful lot to welcome in this all-island rail review, but the northern commuter line needs massive upgrading and investment.”
“I welcome the time to speak on this topic. The northern commuter line is one of the most stressed lines in this country. The plan in the all-island strategic review, which is a long-distance project, aims at four-tracking that line. That is a must for towns like Donabate, the population of which is going to increase by up to 5,000 people in the next couple of years, or 25%. It is the first stop outside the DART line and the last stop on the northern commuter line coming in. They are unable to get on the train at peak times. Where this Government is building houses, it needs to put infrastructure. There is a plan for a spur from Clongriffin to the airport.”
“I reject the fact that the Minister felt she needed to put a countermotion down in order to set out a charter by which she would measure her own progress. As Minister, she has many opportunities to do this. She should be supporting our motion and what Deputies Sherlock and Wall, on behalf of the Labour Party, have put forward here today. We will continue on this. It may not be on the front pages of the newspapers every day anymore but it will be front and centre of what the Labour Party will be pursuing in the health and care agenda for the lifetime of this Dáil and beyond.”
“They will not be allowed into their facilities to organise their staff to ensure there are safe staffing levels, proper pay and proper terms and conditions. I thought Deputy Charles Ward's contribution as a former worker in this sector was really interesting. He highlighted the tensions between private and public staffing and how the HSE, when it finds out that a staff member is performing well and has a good reputation in a private nursing home, will go in and hire them. More often than not, that worker, for understandable reasons such as pay, pension and standards of care, will move to the HSE. Deputy Ward mentioned his own case, where he would not be moved because he cared for and was committed to his residents. This model is broken.”
“He is in his 80s; his wife is older, she is unwell and she is being let down by this system. This system for older people and their care is almost completely broken. There are elements performing better than others. One element that is performing better and has done for the last number of years, though not perfectly, is our HSE-run and publicly owned and funded care homes. We need to be reinvesting in a public model of care. We need to be taking over private homes such as the 27 Emeis nursing homes that are performing so poorly. What these private nursing home conglomerates will welcome is our money. They will welcome the Minister's money and the State's money but what they will not welcome is trade unions. They are not welcome.”
“Two weeks before the "RTÉ Investigates" programme, a man in his 80s came to my clinic. He makes a bare minimum of 14 trips a week to the nursing home in which his wife is living. He visits in the morning to make sure his wife's day can begin with care, dignity and love. It is not the nursing home's job to provide love but it is its job to provide care and dignity. He goes again at night to make sure her day ends with care and dignity. He visits a number of additional times during the week when his children cannot make the trip. He stopped short of saying there was abuse but what there is in that nursing home is neglect. There is neglect because there are not enough staff, and the staff are not there to provide the work that is needed to care for his wife.”
“Public transport is under huge stress, and we are getting no sense whatsoever that the Government is getting a handle on it.”
“That is all eating into all of our time. It eats into the time of all of us who are coming behind. I intend to use only one minute of my time. Public transport is under huge pressure in our city and surrounding areas. BusConnects, where we desperately need it in north County Dublin, in Donabate and Portrane, has been delayed yet again until autumn 2026. A service there, the 33B, is provided by Go-Ahead Ireland. In May, there were cancellations on 18 of 31 days. This is not a regular bus. It only runs once an hour. Cancellations mean that people miss caring appointments and doctors' appointments. They are late for connections because the service only goes as far as Swords. It is desperate. It is a microcosm of what is happening all over Dublin and the surrounding areas.”
“This is a very serious issue and we have compiled the data. I will send it to the Minister and I ask the Minister of State to do so also. We will be back on this issue. It is different from other areas, which is why I am setting it out here. With a bit of planning it could be resolved by the Department.”
“A greenway is being built from Baldoyle through Portmarnock, going up the village on its way. It will be a wonderful active travel facility. This is a natural place for parents to be able to walk, cycle or scoot their children up to the existing St. Marnock's primary school, or a little further on to St. Helen's. This is why it is about the provision of capacity in the village, which is where these houses are. When applying for planning permission for these houses, the developer mentioned up to eight schools in the area that could cope with the increase in children these houses would bring. However, the vast majority of these schools are not in Portmarnock and have enrolment policies that preclude children from these estates attending. There are schools in Sutton, Howth and Bayside.”
“I thank the Minister of State. I sit on school boards, as the Minister of State probably does or has done. I am aware of the matter of duplication. This is why we have presented the data in its baldest form. Duplication is not an issue. I know it sometimes is an issue in other towns but it is not an issue in Portmarnock. The development and provision of a large new school building for Malahide Portmarnock Educate Together is very welcome but it will not solve the issue with regard to Portmarnock alone. The enrolment policy of Educate Together is not geographically based. The school will serve kids in Malahide, Kinsealy and Portmarnock. The new estates being built in the south end of Portmarnock right beside the train station are high density, as I outlined. There is a very young population.”
“The two existing brilliant primary schools in the area have a combined capacity of 120 to 140 children based on the catchment size data.”
“Extrapolating the same logic for Drumnigh Manor, where there is a total of 278 units of which approximately 100 were sold around the time of the April 2022 census, leaving 170 further units, that would be an estimated 174 children within these households. That is a total of 1,136 children estimated to be residing in these estates alone once complete, a sub-population of the total Portmarnock area which is not taking into account families that are moving into the older houses of which there are many. Not all children are the same age, of course. It is estimated that over the next two to seven years, there will be a need for approximately 220 to 230 junior infants placements each year for the children of Portmarnock.”
“These housing developments are of course welcome but they need to be paired with increased infrastructure. I have worked up a couple of examples for the developments and the estimated and expected number of children need primary school places from these estates alone. The Skylark development has 982 units proposed, providing mainly three- and four-bed family units. Nationally 69% of households in Ireland are families, based on the 2020 figures. The Fingal county average for the number of children per family is 1.42, a conservative value based on anecdotal evidence from the Portmarnock area. Using these conservative estimates of these 982 units, there would be an expected 962 children in this one estate alone.”
“I thank a number of residents in Portmarnock who have assisted in gathering this data for me. Based on publicly available data from the CSO and the Department of Education and planning permission websites in respect of new estates, the 2022 census captured the under-5s population to be 602 children. These children would have been in the area by April 2022, the time of the most recent census. Taking an even division of ages zero to four, that would equal approximately 120 children requiring junior infants placement and subsequent primary school class places from September 2022 to 2026. However, since the latest census there have been several large housing developments in the area, namely Dún Sí, Skylark, St. Marnock's Bay and Drumnigh Manor, increasing the population in the area rapidly.”
“The reality on the ground is very different from the version the Minister has outlined in her response to my parliamentary question. Primary schools have only been taking children up to the November birthday in the first round and the December birthday in the second round, which is becoming earlier and earlier this year. Essentially, children born after December are being told that there is no room at the inn when it comes to primary school places in Portmarnock. Children are beginning to have to start school at age six. This is before the crisis has reached its peak. I will throw a lot of figures at the Minister of State. We estimate that there will be a 120-place deficit per year for children in the area in the very near future. This is likely to be a bit of an underestimation.”
“I thank the Minister of State for being here this morning. I represent Dublin Fingal East in north County Dublin, which has a very young and fast-growing population. There is a lack of primary school places in the village of Portmarnock, which is an issue I have been raising for a number of months. I have tabled parliamentary questions to the Minister. Unfortunately the responses have been most unsatisfactory. I tabled a parliamentary question about primary school places and get a response about post-primary school enrolments and the pressures in that space. That is the not the question I was asking, which is why I am bringing the matter to the floor of the House. I will continue to raise it because I feel strongly, and the data will back this up, that we are in for a crisis that is manifesting itself in Portmarnock.”
“Since the latest meeting of the Business Committee, we have seen the new rules from the US on J1 and other visas. The Taoiseach has described them as excessive, but does he have any words of comfort for the thousands of young Irish people who have to give over five years' worth of social media usernames? This is having a chilling impact on our young people and other applicants for visas. What is the Government going to do about that?”
“Will the Taoiseach engage with Irish Water and bring his powers to bear in order to ensure that it re-engage with local politicians in order to help us solve issues and allow us to communicate effectively with our constituents?”
“I want to raise an issue that is having an impact on many of us on both sides of the House but is manifesting quite acutely in my town of Swords. I refer to the deteriorating nature of the public engagement on the part of Irish Water with public representatives, both local and national. At Swords wastewater treatment plant, intermittent outages are impacting a lot of residents and Fingallian's GAA club. I have been trying to engage with Irish Water but I have not been getting answers. I have been trying to get an on-site meeting for six months. I was told that the company does not do such meetings, even though I have attended two over the past ten years. It does not do the reputation of Irish Water any good. We are solutions focused in trying to solve these problems.”
“I support Deputy Mac Lochlainn's request. There is also an issue of workers' rights within our very House in terms of the broadcast unit workers who are being paid well below the average pay for skilled work in that industry and who, in the summer recess and at Christmas, do not get paid and have to sign on or get alternative employment. This is something a majority of the Members in the House support and-----”
“That is encouraging but, again, when commercial interests impact critical public services such as what should be operating out of Baldonnel, the State needs to act and look at those structural problems. One of them is the Coast Guard contract. It has been well debated here and in committee in the last Dáil and will be again. We have nearly €750 million of public funds helping to underpin a commercial enterprise at the expense of Baldonnel. That will need to be looked at. I accept, and I think the Tánaiste accepts, that this cannot be done in, as he put it, a whack-a-mole scenario; it has to be done strategically. This has highlighted a structural problem which needs to be resolved in the coming months and years.”
“As per our manifesto, we do not understand why a publicly run Coast Guard service cannot operate out of Baldonnel or Dublin Airport, as previously spoken about. That is the structural issue at play here.”
“Indeed. The fact that this had to take place outside of collective agreements highlights how unusual it is, and I acknowledge the Tánaiste's action on this. However, the reason this has happened is underpinned by a structural issue in terms of our airfields in the Dublin region, specifically Weston aerodrome. The Irish Times has reported that we have been losing technicians to the privately owned Weston aerodrome, which operates the privately run Coast Guard service. A ten-year, €670 million public contract underpins Weston aerodrome. We now know that some Garda operations are taking place out of Weston and we are having a brain drain from our public service from Baldonnel into Weston. We are fighting an uphill battle because of that. We talked about manifestos earlier.”
“What urgent actions will the Tánaiste and his Department take to ensure that the 505 squadron at Casement Aerodrome at Baldonnel is fully staffed and will not be forced to continue to operate at 50% capacity and at a reduced flying schedule?”
“Again, this is all about bringing tangible sanctions against Israel for its actions. It was not lost on me, the Tánaiste or anyone else who heard it that the Palestinian people see allies all over the world. They mention Ireland and Algeria, and it should not be lost on anyone on either side of the House that our actions here make a difference to the Palestinian people.”
“That is interesting. Is it the Tánaiste's hope or expectation that the Commission will bring some options to the Foreign Affairs Council meeting on Monday week? The occupied territories Bill will be coming forward. I am sure the Tánaiste's attention has been drawn to the legal action that has been taken by a transnational group of lawyers against Airbnb due to its operation of services in the occupied territories. Senator Frances Black hosted a briefing in the audiovisual room on Tuesday morning. There was a very strong legal opinion that under the definition of trade we cannot separate goods and services. I am sure the Tánaiste's attention will have been drawn to that in the spirit of wanting to get this Bill right, and he knows our position in terms of including services in it.”
“Senior operations people gave an absolutely stark vista of Gaza, the West Bank and everywhere in terms of Palestine and Israel's actions. This pattern we are witnessing in terms of peacekeepers is just one of a host of aggressive actions by Israel against Palestinians and peacekeeping.”
“I thank the Tánaiste and I welcome the swift and stern diplomatic response we had to this incident through the United Nations. As the Tánaiste has said, this is a pattern of behaviour. There is no sense this pattern will stop. We are lucky there were no injuries or loss of life but if, God forbid, we see further instances such as this or an escalation, what is open to us as a State in terms of escalating actions against Israel? Will we continue to démarche through the United Nations? We know that legislatively we have the occupied Palestinian territories Bill coming through the foreign affairs committee and we will debate it there but what else can be done? We had a delegation from the Palestinian Authority meet the foreign affairs committee to discuss issues such as planning and water services.”
“We do not need to rush into removing the triple lock as part of the legislation. A process of reform is ongoing in the United Nations and we should lead on that. We should try to improve the United Nations. We fundamentally believe in it, and any future of peacekeeping outside the United Nations is not something we can take a punt on at this point.”
“I am disappointed in how the heads of the Bill have been presented. I think there is support for 80% or 90% of what needs to be achieved in terms of our national security, or we could at least reach accommodations, such as on the extraction of our citizens from war zones. The Tánaiste will launch the national maritime strategy today, which I welcome and is much needed. There is an emotive element to the triple lock, which will envelop all of these issues politically. Issues will be conflated. The Tánaiste said in his first contribution that they are separate, which is the case, but he knows the reality of political discourse in this country. We need to have a sophisticated discussion on all elements of national security and the triple lock, but they should be done separately.”
“In the programme for Government, there is a commitment to publishing a national policy on adult safeguarding in the health and social care sector. The Taoiseach states a considerable amount of work has been done. Given the revelations in "RTÉ Investigates" about our older and more vulnerable residents in nursing homes, can we please have a debate this Thursday on the issue, when the Taoiseach can outline where he is with this and when we will see legislation? Can we please all acknowledge that the outsourcing of our residential care for older, vulnerable people to international conglomerates has been an absolute failure?”
“The United for Peace Resolution 377A(5) passed by the UN General Assembly in 1950 provides a mechanism for the UN to act in the absence of a unanimous decision by the UN Security Council or get around a veto by one of the latter's five members. This is a chance for more than a symbolic gesture. The UN has become paralysed by the competing interests of the permanent members of the UN Security Council. A resolution must note the failure of the UN Security Council and the international community to act to end Israel’s war in Gaza. It must also call for collective measures to enable the development of a lasting ceasefire, a sustainable peace agreement and the creation of an international peacekeeping force for Gaza to allow the delivery of humanitarian assistance.”
“Over 55,000 people have been killed in Gaza to date, including more than 15,000 children. A further 290,000 are on the brink of death. What about the UN Security Council's responsibility to prevent that? It failed in its responsibility and, through its inertia, has facilitated warmongering and the destruction of Gaza. The Government yesterday opposed a Sinn Féin Bill on the basis of the belief that it would not align with EU law. That is not a risk with our motion. We heard the Tánaiste commit yesterday to using every lever the Government has to help end the war in the region. This is an opportunity for the Government to back up those sentiments.”
“The United Kingdom, Germany, France and Canada have all made public statements pushing back against Israel in the past week. The international community has been too slow and has done too little, but the Government does not have to follow that course. The belated move by the EU to review the association agreement with Israel is welcome, but so far it is an exercise in circling the wagons. Our Government can take direct action, pass the occupied territories Bill and support the motion before the House. It is not enough for the Tánaiste to say that the Government will not oppose the motion, we want him to state that it will action what this motion is calling for, namely a special emergency session of the UN General Assembly. The Palestinian people cannot wait for a review; they cannot wait any longer.”
“We may be a small country, but nobody can doubt the impact we have made on this world. We need to utilise our diplomatic strength and history to help the Palestinian people. Israel's intentions are clear; it will move to take Gaza and it will not stop there. All the pretence of pretending that Israel only cares about Hamas and wants the Palestinian people to live in Gaza free of Hamas has been dropped. This is a systematic removal and destruction of a people unencumbered by other nations. This behaviour cannot be normalised. While leading from the front can be treacherous, we have shown time and time again that we can do so and that others will follow. We need to be willing to lead the international community once again. The first signs that other countries are willing to follow is there.”
“It is important to highlight the words of UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, who, when speaking about the crimes Israel has committed, stated, “I am not someone who says history will judge them. They will have to be judged before then.” It is our responsibility to hold those in the Israeli Government accountable, and that is why we in the Labour Party have so strongly supported the International Court of Justice’s case and Ireland's support of it. The Irish Government has done more than many for Palestine. The recognition of statehood is important. Providing medical care to individuals who have got out of the region is vital. We have sent aid supplies to the border for delivery. Unfortunately, these have been blocked. However, better than others is not good enough.”
“We in the Labour Party echo the view that the UN and aid groups should push back against this new abhorrent system of delivering aid. We agree that Israel is trying to use food as a weapon of war and that a new system will not be effective. I have met with senior members and officials in UNRWA who have the experience and who know how to move rapidly to deliver aid within Gaza. The only blockade they face is that of Israel. No act of terror or ideology can excuse what Israel has done. Many in the Israeli Government claim it is at war. This is not a war; it is the systematic destruction of a people. This is collective punishment, and it is a crime that Netanyahu and his Government need to answer for.”
“It has become a way for the international community to hide from its own failure to force Israel, as an occupying force, to lift its illegal blockade on humanitarian aid and halt its offensive actions. In respect of aid, what is happening with privatisation and weaponisation of aid into Gaza is an utter disgrace. Israel and the United States have moved to create their own private body, protected by private security, to control aid distribution in Gaza. This is being done to the horror of trusted, long-standing aid organisations, chiefly the United Nations. Following the resignation of the executive director of the organisation set up by Israel and the United States because it could not fulfil its mission in a way that adheres to humanitarian principles, it is abundantly clear that aid should be handled, delivered and led by the UN.”
“We often talk of Ireland having a unique perspective on world events due to our history. We see events in shades other than black and white but this issue, as it stands, is as black and white as it gets. Israel is carrying out a genocide against the people of Gaza, facilitated by the United States and others. Israel is responsible for mass displacement, famine, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The attacks of 7 October 2023 were heinous. At every opportunity, they should be condemned. All remaining hostages need to be released. We need to be clear, however, that this confrontation did not begin on 7 October 2023. That date is unfortunately being used by Benjamin Netanyahu as a shield for his actions to this very day.”
“I do not have to tell the Tánaiste or anyone in this House that thousands of lives - those of children, mothers, fathers and whole families - have been obliterated by Israel's actions in Gaza and the international community has failed to act. Homes are in ruins and schools and hospitals have been turned to rubble, yet the international community has failed to act. Israel has brought starvation, disease and endless suffering upon the people of Gaza and still the international community is failing to act. We need to act now. The Irish people have not stayed silent. They feel a deep sense of cause with the people of Palestine because Ireland knows occupation and Irish people know what it means to be told your land is not your own, your identity is not your own and your future is not yours to decide.”
“I move: That Dáil Éireann: condemns the actions of the Israeli Government in Gaza, and the destruction and conditions of famine they have wrought on the Palestinian people, resulting in starvation, disease and death; repeats its condemnation of the brutal attacks by Hamas in Israel on 7th October, 2023, its declaration that the taking of hostages is unconscionable, and its call for the release of all hostages by Hamas; deeply regrets the failure of the global community to intervene to force the occupying force to lift its illegal blockade on humanitarian aid in place since 2nd March, 2025, and notes that the trickle of aid trucks now being allowed in over the last week is totally insufficient; condemns the move by Israel and the United States to create their own private body to control aid distribution in Gaza that will not be impartial, neutral, or independent; agrees that the Israeli Government is carrying out a genocide in Gaza, and is responsible for mass displacement, famine, ethnic cleansing, war crimes and crimes against humanity; welcomes the belated move by the European Union to review the Association Agreement with Israel, and further calls for its immediate suspension; recognises that the United Nations (UN) Security Council has failed in its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security in Gaza, with over 55,000 people killed in the war to date including over 15,000 children, and a further 290,000 children on the brink of death; recalls that the "Uniting for Peace" resolution 377 A (V), passed by the UN General Assembly in 1950, provides a mechanism for the UN to act in the absence of a unanimous decision by the Security Council, or a veto by one of the five permanent members; and resolves therefore, that Dáil Éireann mandate the Government to call for a new Emergency Special Session of the UN General Assembly, where Ireland should table a resolution to: — note the failure of the UN Security Council and international community to act to end Israel's war on Gaza; and — call for collective measures to enable the development of a lasting ceasefire, a sustainable peace agreement and the creation of an international peacekeeping force for Gaza, to allow for the delivery of humanitarian aid through the UN, and the protection of the safety and security of the Palestinian people.”
“Notwithstanding the announcement that the occupied territories Bill will go for pre-legislative scrutiny soon, the timeline articulated by the Tánaiste whereby this would not be passed until later in the year is, quite frankly, unacceptable. I ask for this to be revisited and that time be made at committee and in the Dáil to ensure this is put through before the summer recess.”
“It could have major ramifications in the private rental sector if more Ukrainians have to find accommodation there and, as internal Government memos show, there is a real risk it could result in higher costs if more commercial accommodation is needed. In a world of great uncertainty, I urge the Minister of State not to add to it but, instead, to maintain the payment. The ARP is a model scheme and has worked well. The Minister of State must also outline to us the long-term plan for the supports in place for Ukrainians and continue to pledge Ireland's solidarity for their cause.”
“Nearly 25,000 Ukrainians are at work and over 17,000 children are in school. They are helping small schools across the country stay open. They are contributing to our economy and providing vital skills and filling jobs in every sector, addressing a shortage of labour in our economy. This scheme is supporting mostly women, children and older people who have fled their home country because of the Russian war of invasion. The cost of living is not coming down in this country. It is the opposite; costs are going up. Electricity, grocery prices, insurance - you name it, the costs are rising. The cut will impact host families and change the basic economics for them. There will not be a once-off cost-of-living package in this year's budget, thereby piling further pressure on families. The Government is taking a huge risk by cutting this payment.”
“However, I refer the Sinn Féin Members to the survey of hosts by the Irish Red Cross which showed that the vast majority of hosts, 91%, are not landlords, have never been registered with the RTB and do not wish to become landlords. Some 86% of hosts reported that their ARP is important for them to continue their hosting arrangements. We all know the solution to the housing crisis is to build more homes and renovate and restore thousands of derelict properties across the State. We should also look at measures to bring holiday homes back into use. How many empty homes are there right now across the State, whether second homes or being used as Airbnbs? Putting the blame on Ukrainians is cynical and exploitative. Across our communities, they have worked hard to contribute and play their part.”
“It embeds people in their local communities through their hosts. A price cannot be put on those benefits to Ukrainians and local Irish communities. The stated reason for reducing the payment is that it will facilitate the winding down of the scheme in an orderly way in advance of the temporary protection directive ending in March 2026. The Minister of State should clarify what will happen later this year and into 2026 if the directive ends next March. What is the transition plan? Is it to end the scheme entirely next March? If the war continues with Putin showing no sign of ending it, what is the Government prepared to commit to support the thousands of Ukrainians now living here? Sinn Féin's amendment refers to the impact on the private rental market.”