Fiona O'Loughlin
Administrative Panel · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“Some 400 remote working hubs were also put in place, particularly following the Covid-19 pandemic, when we all had the realisation that some work - not all work - can be done remotely. The local enterprise boards are doing an incredible job in rural areas. I am speaking from experience.”
“I join the Cathaoirleach in welcoming both the Belgian ambassador and my friends Joeleen and James. Anyone who has visited Chat N' Chew in Newbridge will have met Joeleen. I certainly hope her lunch today will be up to the usual standard at Chat N' Chew. It was lovely to meet with our former colleague Catherine Martin last night.”
“Continuing the theme of Kildare connections, she is a grand-niece of the late Rathangan author Maura Laverty, who wrote many books and wrote the very first soap opera for RTÉ, "Tolka Row". We wish Áine well on her retirement. I wish to talk about a serious issue relating to the blueway.”
“I thank the Minister of State for her positive response. In terms of premises, I had meetings with Jigsaw over the years in Newbridge and we did look at various premises. No later than yesterday, I spoke to the chief executive of Kildare County Council in relation to this.”
“We know young people are showing signs of stress or anxiety and that it is a very stressful and anxious world. Interventions can be made at this stage. The reason I have tabled this Commencement matter is that I have been advocating for a long time for Newbridge to have a Jigsaw service.”
“I always hate talking about these figures, but in terms of the rate of youth suicide, Kildare has the highest rate in Leinster. According to CSO figures, 14 people died by suicide in Kildare in 2023, in 2022 the figure was 26 and in 2021 it was 27. Demand is rising sharply for services.”
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“We need to have the debate the Senator asked for about supporting vulnerable children, those who cannot be with their families. Part of the conversation is how we help the family to keep the children. That is an important part of the work being done. The Senator is right to say children's voices need to be heard. Rather than just those brave young people speaking out after they leave the care system, we need to ensure those in the care system can speak of their experience. There is an over-reliance on ad hoc arrangements. We could talk about this forever but we need a better system in place, while acknowledging the good people giving their very best and the people working in the system who are broken by trying to give so much and not necessarily getting the supports they need either. We will certainly look for that debate.”
“No two families are the same when they are vulnerable or in crisis. There are some young people I have been trying to support, as I know many here have been, both while they are in care and outside the care system. I organised an audiovisual presentation with EPIC quite a few years ago about that vulnerable pinch point when young people are 18 and have to leave the foster home. Speaking to foster parents, they want to give them extra supports for at least another two years. Eighteen is a very sensitive age. Young people are on the cusp of adulthood and of going on to work, education or taking a trade. To have a situation where the State will pay for an apartment or other accommodation but not support them with that supportive element is a huge problem.”
“I have often heard psychologists and psychiatrists say there is never a substitute for a family and we should do more to support families in crisis to stay together as a family that can give support. Senator Rabbitte met Shane Griffin with me a number of times - a young man in care who felt he did not receive the supports he needed. He was in 13 different foster homes. He said his younger brother, who I had the pleasure of meeting too, had a very positive experience and it had worked for him and his younger sister. Shane left at about 14 to care for his mother. He wanted to be with his mother and felt if his mother had been given the supports she needed, he and possibly his brother and sister would have been able to stay at home and that would have been better, certainly for him.”
“Obviously, there are many challenges, which I will go into, but I think of all those people working with Tusla and doing an excellent job of supporting children and families who need it. Many children and families are in very vulnerable situations and, as the Senator said, are coming from trauma and trying to fix that trauma, which is very difficult. At the end of last year, there were 5,879 children and young people in foster care and residential care and 2,985 receiving aftercare support. About 85% of those in care are with foster parents and we always need foster parents and prospective foster parents to step up and provide a home. The vast majority of these do an excellent job in loco parentis .”
“I thank the ten Senators who contributed to the Order of Business. Senator Rabbitte started with some observations and a request in relation to children in care. She referred to a report from the Irish Association of Social Workers about the system being reliant on ad hoc placements. I have been thinking about it a lot over the past 24 hours since a lot of these reports came out. We have so many good people working in Tusla. I find now when I meet somebody working with Tusla they are shy and reticent about saying they do so because, unfortunately, Tusla has such negative connotations. People think automatically that things are going wrong all of the time. They are not.”
“I add my welcome to the ambassador and our distinguished guests from the Netherlands. It is an honour for us to be able to mark the Dutch national day. The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding the proposed approval by Seanad Éireann of the State's participation in a Council decision to resume vehicle registration data exchange with the United Kingdom for the prevention and investigation of criminal offences, to be taken at 11.45 a.m. and to conclude at 12.45 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed five minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed five minutes each, all other Senators not to exceed five minutes each, and the Minister to be given no less than five minutes to reply to the debate.”
“We need to see more of that and provide opportunities for people to be able to express themselves in different ways. I welcome the discussion and I hope we will have the opportunity to discuss this again on an ongoing basis.”
“Regarding employment, and someone having the dignity of having a job and being able to work, we cannot speak highly enough about the Oireachtas work learning, OWL, programme we have here. Ours is the first and only parliament in the world to bring it in. Some 75% of those who have come through the OWL programme have succeeded in getting a permanent job. We have to look at ways to expand and develop that, and encourage other parliaments to be able to do it because it is a really good case. Independent living and active participation in social, cultural and sporting life are hugely important. I saw the film that the Senator was speaking about earlier by the group from Celbridge, which was absolutely excellent and really good to see.”
“I welcome the opportunity to say a few words. I thank the Minister of State for being here to listen to us. It is important that we spend time, even during our Order of Business, raising specific areas about those living with disabilities. Always, we are talking based on the lived experience of people we know or people who have contacted us on these issues. I acknowledge that this is a key issue for Government. The Taoiseach has established the disability unit within his own Department to bring about a renewed focus, accountability and urgency. We have to look at the whole person. We have to look at education and inclusive learning. We all got an invitation today from the Minister, Deputy James Lawless, to a presentation about two specific schemes for third level access which is hugely important.”
“It is important that the Minister of State for sport has a matrix in relation to the population base when trying to match resources and land that local authorities or other State organisations may have. I would like to see a debate on that within this House.”
“It would be very opportune to bring the Minister in on this matter, but also to learn about the efforts going on at EU level to identify some of the perpetrators. This is really important work that needs to be done. Last night, I hosted a meeting in the Keadeen Hotel in Newbridge, with the Minister of State, Charlie McConalogue, on the upcoming sports capital grants. I thank all those who came. We have wonderful volunteers in my county of Kildare, but also around the country, in terms of supporting many different types of sport. It is incumbent on us to help and support them. One of the big issues, particularly in Dublin, Kildare, Meath and possibly Galway – in areas where there are developing populations - is the scarcity of land.”
“Looking at the statistics in Northern Ireland, over the past 11 years, 134 arrests were made but there were only five convictions. We need to see what the statistics are here. We need to have a debate with the Minister for justice in relation to this. I want to give a shout out to Ruhama in particular, which does a lot of really good work in this area. It supported almost 1,300 women last year. Some 36% of those had sought its help for the first time, and many of these had been trafficked. Ruhama has opened a house, called Rose’s House, which has been open for approximately two years now. It is an accommodation space for those who can be rescued out of human trafficking. The Minister, Jim O’Callaghan, has done a lot of work in this area. Only this March, he had a review of exploitation and prostitution. He is considering recommendations.”
“I want to raise a report that was issued yesterday in Northern Ireland in relation to approximately 500 women, many of whom were trafficked, who were available for prostitution on legal websites. While the selling of prostitution is illegal in Northern Ireland, as it is here, the websites are not illegal. Obviously, many of these women are very vulnerable. Many of them have come into the country through trafficking and some, sadly, have turned to prostitution because of addiction, poverty and other issues in their lives. It is really important that we help and support these women. However, we cannot see this a situation isolated to Northern Ireland. Obviously, it is happening every day in our towns and cities and on our streets. We must do more.”
“We need to have the Minister in to speak about what we have learned from 100 years ago and how we need to move forward. I raise the growing issue of nitrous oxide misuse. That is commonly referred to as laughing gas or fast gas. Across towns and communities, we are increasingly seeing the impact of this problem, with discarded canisters littering everywhere. It is not just an environmental problem. It is a clear indicator of wider use and that is a concern. It is not classified as a controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act. It can cause serious health problems. We need to have a debate about this for two reasons. We need to be concerned about the safety of our young people but we also need a very clear policy about how these canisters can be disposed of because the local authorities cannot do anything. There is not a policy.”
“That is by far the biggest growth in any county. I thank Councillor Suzanne Doyle for putting some of these figures together. Bearing that increase in population in mind, it is a fact that 100 years later, Kildare County Council receives lower national funding per capita than any other county. We receive approximately €715 per person annually. To put that in the context of a large county and a small one, Dublin City Council receives €1,900 and Leitrim receives €1,256. We also have a high number of large towns. We are the fourth most populated county, after Dublin, Galway and Cork, and they have cities for a lot of investment. We need autonomous and equitable funding. We need resources based on the metric of need and sustainable growth, which allows for strategic planning and development.”
“We were all very excited last week when we saw the release and celebration of the 1926 census on its 100th anniversary. By yesterday, there were 20 million hits. Everybody was having great fun and learning an awful lot about those who went before us. It gives us a small window into the country we had and all those who lived there. It is wonderful the exhibition is travelling around the country. Ten centres have been chosen. I am happy Naas Library and Cultural Centre is one of them. It is an excellent service for the local communities in those areas. It shows what living in a newly independent Ireland was like 100 years ago. One of the most interesting facts that came out was that Kildare, the county I am proud to be from and live in, has seen a population increase of 327% since 1926, from 58,000 people to nearly 248,000.”
“I will certainly let the Minister of State know when that information has been put in, because I know he takes a personal interest in these matters.”
“I appreciate that. I thank the Minister of State for his clarification and for his support. I suggest that he come to visit St. Anne's some day, either on his way up or back down to the wonderful metropolis of Coiscéim. He would be most welcome to come just off the Curragh roundabout to see St. Anne's and the very dedicated and committed staff. The current situation is not sustainable. The students of St. Anne's deserve to be educated in a safe, adequately resourced and fit-for-purpose environment. I take on board what the Minister of State said in relation to the outstanding information required and I commit to working with the principal and board of management to ensure that it is submitted as quickly as possible.”
“Mark's Special School and the fact that another new special school will open in September in Monasterevin. That is all incredibly welcome. It is essential, however, that along with that progress, we have progress at St. Anne's school. I am, therefore, looking forward to the Minister of State's update today.”
“They are overcrowded and there is a lack of adequate accessibility. There are safety concerns. There is only one accessible toilet available for up to 40 senior students. Heating systems are unreliable and parts of the premises are unusable. Indeed, the school was forced to close during a cold spell last winter due to heating failure. Planning permission for a new school building was granted by Kildare County Council in March 2022 and that is valid until next March. However, the project has yet to progress beyond stage 2B. We know the school is included in the national development plan pipeline but we still need to have a timeline for the project moving to tender and then from tender to construction. It is a very urgent situation. I acknowledge the excellent work that was done with St.”
“It provides an essential service not just to families within the Newbridge-Kildare-Curragh catchment but also further afield. The conditions within which the students are being educated are absolutely unacceptable. One issue is funding. The current funding is no longer sufficient to meet even the school's basic operational and utility costs. As a result, some of the funding and resources intended for educational supports are being diverted to cover core expenses. This has led to shortages in critical classroom materials and sensory requirement, together with reductions in cleaning services. There are also the challenges that every school now has, namely, the rising cost of energy and insurance. The school building itself and the existing facilities are not fit for purpose.”
“Anne's Special School was established in 1967 by Elizabeth Bermingham and her husband, Michael, who did wonderful work to help to set up KARE for the young people of Kildare, parts of Offaly and parts of Wicklow, with intellectual disabilities. The school moved to its present location in 1974. Generations of young people have gone through the school, including my own brother, Cathal. Cathal and I, as well as another brother, Brian, went to a fundraiser for the parents' council on Friday last in Newbridge. It was lovely to catch up with very dedicated parents and the school community there. St. Anne's is a vital education facility. As I said, it serves children and young people aged four to 18 with moderate to severe and profound general learning disabilities.”
“I add my voice of welcome to our distinguished guests. I note that we have representatives from New Jersey. The small town I am from, Rathangan, has officially twinned with Freehold because Bruce Springsteen's great grandmother came from Rathangan. I look forward to catching up with them later and perhaps helping to organise a visit to Rathangan, which is a great little spot. I will turn to the question at issue. I appreciate that the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, is here. He is doing an excellent job in a very difficult situation with particular constraints. I want to talk to him about St. Anne's Special School in Ballymany, The Curragh, and to request a clear and definitive update on the timeline for its long-awaited rebuild. St.”
“We are trying to support people and encourage them to use public transport, particularly as the price of fuel goes up, so we have to make it easier for people and look at all these things. I totally support Senator Duffy on this. He had a response from Irish Rail. Sometimes, it is difficult here because we cannot put in direct Commencements when it is Irish Rail but it is something we will approach the Minister for Transport about. That is the end of the Order of Business. I thank everybody.”
“We will request a debate with the Minister for Health on that. Senator Duffy spoke about the need for a shelter at Manulla Junction where two trains meet. He is right to look for it. I read an article recently where it was said that Irish Rail is getting €15 million - I will not say per year but it got it last year - in parking fines and about €0.5 million in clamping. I raised this during the week and said that this money should be put into facilities at train stations. It should be put into extra parking where it is needed and toilets at our main stations. It should absolutely be used to do exactly that at Manulla Junction. We have a good rail structure in our country. Fares have gone down and that was important to see.”
“I requested that document be circulated in order that we could look at it. Senator Scahill spoke about an incident, a small fire, on a train he was on last week. I am really glad it did not get any bigger. I completely understand the sense of panic there might be when you are sitting on a train and you realise something like that has happened. I echo his gratitude to Irish Rail, the fire services, An Garda Síochána and the ambulance services. As he said, it is a relief to know that all of these are in place and that there is a rapid response. It is really important. He also made the point that some of the ambulance personnel raised concerns about how a number of counties are not getting the full service. Again, it comes down to that geographical disparity which should not be there.”
“In August 2024, the Minister of State, Deputy Thomas Byrne, launched Ireland's first ever national swim plan dedicated to ensuring everybody in Ireland has the opportunity to swim, with a strong focus on access, inclusion, facilities and long-term athlete development. It is a very ambitious plan and has great vision. We have not seen enough action on it yet. We are only a year and a half into it. We will request a debate on this. I thank Senator Boyhan for his pragmatism, which he clearly outlined. We spoke about this yesterday. I acknowledge that the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, has spent 18 and a half hours on this, which is a record for any Minister in terms of their own area. I hope we will get to the business and do a lot of business. A lot of the amendments are very technical in nature or are just replacing words, etc.”
“It is very clear we need to do something. Jay Bobinac and Senator McCarthy had a briefing in the audiovisual room. I regret I could not attend it because I have no doubt it was a very interesting one. It is absolutely something we need to look at. The Senator asked that we look for support for a small pilot scheme and evaluate it. That is very worthwhile and is something we will bring to the Minister for justice. We have to be serious about reducing reoffending. Senator Ní Chuilinn spoke about Swim Ireland and the fact there is only one swimming pool for every 81,000 people, 57% of which are in hotels. She raised a very valid point.”
“Senator Conway spoke about welcoming the President of Moldova to Leinster House last week. I had intended making it, but because of traffic on the day I did not get here. It was good to see her. Obviously, Ireland is supporting the accession of Moldova to the EU. Senator Murphy O'Mahony spoke about CAP reform. It is welcome that Mr. Barry Cowen, MEP, is one of the key negotiators on CAP and held a very important meeting in Mullingar last week in relation to it. The Senator is right in saying that it is absolutely essential to keep the current level at this point. There are concerns because we know funding has gone down 20% between tier 1 and tier 2. The Minister, Deputy Heydon, will be here next Tuesday, I think, so there will be an opportunity to raise that. Senator McCarthy spoke about the 50% of people who go to jail who reoffend.”
“We expect the grants will be open in summer. He is right on that because costs have gone up we should look for a higher percentage. Having said that, we are very conscious that we do not know how long this war will go on. If it stopped tomorrow, the impacts would be felt for at least six months on fuel prices and other elements of it. I hope the Government is in a position to be able to escalate the sports awards but we will have to have a wait-and-see approach. Female participation was mentioned. When Deputy Thomas Byrne was Minister of State, he put in very strong recommendations - really more than recommendations. We saw the FAI being called to heel when it was not implementing these. I have no doubt that the Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, will continue that.”
“Genuinely, we would not have food or other supplies on our shelves if the Government did not step in and help them as well as stepping in for the farmers and agri-contractors who grow that food. We need to do everything we can to support the agrifood industry. It is really important. The Senator also spoke about the peat situation. I am very familiar with it coming from Kildare. A number of us, and Senator Boyhan was very active in that, tried to do quite a bit to help those in the horticultural sector on peat. Sadly we did not succeed. It is an ongoing issue. It is also a cultural issue for our country but European regulations have to be respected. Re-wetting is important and we need to support that. Senator Cathal Byrne spoke about the upcoming sports capital grants and looked for a debate in this House. We will look for that debate.”
“We have seen horrific results across the water in the UK as well as around Europe and the world where public representatives have been in horrific situations with fatal consequences. We have to support one another in this always. Senator O’Reilly spoke about the price of kerosene and how hauliers and farmers were looked after in the recent Government announcements. It is not fair to say that just hauliers and farmers were looked after. The price of diesel and petrol for everybody has come down significantly. Ensuring farmers and hauliers can operate means we have security of food supply. Hauliers have been in a very difficult situation for some time.”
“We were to have two hours on Tuesday but regrettably, with the activities in the Dáil, that did not happen. The Senator signalled that she may call for a vote on the Order of Business. Senator Flynn spoke about the hatred she has received in relation to what she said on the motion of no confidence in the Government. She said she has been targeted as a woman and as a member of the Traveller community. She is also targeted because she is a public representative and there is not one person in this House who has not received that type of vile language and hatred. I stand with Senator Flynn – I know we all do – on this. We all have to support one another on this. I am glad she is going to the Garda. I have gone to the Garda myself on occasion because it is important that we put it on record where this happens with these individuals.”
“A lot of this is down to personal behaviour but we have to make sure our local authorities have the adequate financing and resourcing to ensure the hard work is done around collecting rubbish, etc., but also to support the groups of volunteers, the unsung heroes, who are involved in Tidy Towns all the time. Senator Collins spoke about the protestors getting fixed penalty fines. Gardaí did a really good job and I want to thank them for their engagement and ensuring that finally we did have a end to the blockade particularly in the city centre. The Senator also raised the Mental Health Bill as did Senator McCarthy. It is fair to say the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, has given 18 and a half hours to the debate and is giving almost four hours more today.”
“Senator Dee Ryan spoke about funding for local authorities cleansing departments and looking for road sweeping and new bins. It is a new one on me; it is not what we call that department in Kildare but it is a good way of naming it. We all have concerns about rubbish and fly-tipping as well as vapes and the laughing gas canisters we see. There seems to be no safe way of disposing of those. It is an issue. There are great Tidy Towns groups in all our communities, villages and towns who do a brilliant job - it was wonderful to see photographs of the awards they were getting yesterday or the day before – and it must be very disheartening for them when they see very bad personal behaviour by those who do not care for the community in which they live or are visiting.”
“It was always about the Defence Forces equipment that would be needed to ensure that some of the very heavy trucks that were blocking access to fuel and to Foynes Port could be moved. That has been clarified a number of times. There was never a question of soldiers being out on our streets. Senator Keogan also spoke about the Tricolour. I want to acknowledge the Cathaoirleach of the Seanad has done a lot of work on this and has issued booklets on how we should respect, honour and fly our flag. That is the important element. Senator Flynn gave a very passionate response and I stand with her in what she said on how our Irish flag stands for diversity, equality and unity and should never be used as a weapon of oppression and hatred. Unfortunately, all too often, we see it being used as that. I really respect what she said.”
“It is great to see so many of our young people here now and to know there are opportunities like this where foreign direct investment as well as indigenous employers are giving opportunities because they recognise that the education in Ireland is second to none and our workers are keen to work and learn. It is important that they be supported. It is really is good. There are 4,500 people working in the Galway plant at the moment. It is great to see it going from strength to strength. Senator Keogan spoke about the fuel protests and mentioned the deployment of the Defence Forces. It has been very clear and articulated so many times since but I will say it here again that there was never a question of Defence Forces personnel being deployed.”
“However, if we are talking about legitimate protest and blockades, many of those should have been around the American Embassy and I did not see any around there because, after all, a lot of this is because of Trump’s war on Iran. Senator Ollie Crowe spoke about a good news story – and it is always good to get a good news story in this House – about a €75 million investment in Boston Scientific in Galway, Clonmel and Cork. This is a huge boost for all the SMEs in those three areas. Boston Scientific has been in Galway alone for 30 years and manufactures about 30 million devices every year. It is a vote of confidence in Ireland and particularly in our young people.”
“People have a constitutional right to do that but they do not have a right to blockade. We saw so many situations over the few days of the blockade where people were prevented from getting to hospital for really vital, life-saving treatment. People were prevented from getting to work, getting supplies and getting fuel to be able to travel to care for those who are older and vulnerable in their own homes. That is wrong. That is not something in the spirit of trying to do the right thing. Certainly, attention was drawn to the cause. We all accept there was need to bring in more supports and thankfully the Government has done that. It is a very difficult time.”
“To be fair, the Minister for housing has a huge portfolio and whoever were in that position would not have the opportunity to meet everybody who wished to meet him or her. We have to absolutely acknowledge that. There is also a Minister of State in that Department so if Senator Andrews has specific questions, particularly around Pearse House, he should submit a Commencement matter on that. Senator Ruane spoke about being in Hungary after the elections and looking back at the protests over here and made the point that protests are designed to be disruptive. Protests are legitimate and hauliers, farmers and agri contractors had a very legitimate protest last week. As I said here yesterday, a lot of good, decent people we all know supported them in that. The right to protest is something that is held very dear.”
“We need to ensure that it is monitored and the regulations are kept to. Most definitely, the broader Government policy continues to treat live exports as a legitimate part of Ireland's livestock sector. We will have the Minister for agriculture coming to the House next week; I think it is next Tuesday. It will mainly be to debate the agri-supports that have been announced but there probably will be the opportunity to raise issues like this. I agree that we have to be very strong on animal welfare. Senator Andrews spoke about the Irish Glass Bottle site and Pearse House. He said the Minister for housing has not met representatives of either site and has had repeated requests for same.”
“Senator Martin Conway also spoke about the election, welcoming the results, and we know Senator Ruane was there as an election observer. Senator Fitzpatrick also spoke about the Five Lamps Arts Festival taking place until next Sunday, praising the creativity of the artists and the artisan creators and producers involved. Senator Joe Conway spoke about the neglect of animals and his concern about live animal exports, not just around the live cattle themselves but the stress that workers at ports feel. It is fair to say live exports remain a vital competent of the livestock industry here and the programme for Government supports maintaining live exports as long as strict animal welfare and transport regulations are met. Having and ensuring strict animal welfare regulations is key. I take on board what Senator Conway is saying.”
“I thank all 18 Senators who contributed to the Order of Business this morning. We started with Senator Fitzpatrick, who is convenor of the Irish-Hungarian Parliamentary Party Friendship Group and spoke about the elections in Hungary over the weekend, where we definitely saw democracy in action. We absolutely welcome the election of a pro-European Prime Minister who is progressive and forward looking. In terms of how Europe deals not just with Russia but with America as well, it is a very welcome result. Senator Fitzpatrick also made the very valid point that we need to thank Viktor Orbán for agreeing to a peaceful transition. That is important. I know many of us would never have agreed with Viktor Orbán's views or the views of his Fidesz party but it is important to acknowledge that a peaceful transition will happen there.”
“The Order of Business is No. 1, Mental Health Bill 2024 - Report and Final Stages, to be taken at 11.45 a.m. and the proceedings thereon shall be brought to a conclusion at 3.45 p.m. by the putting of one question from the Chair which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by Government.”
“I would like a debate with the Minister for Health on how we can regulate these products better. It is a concern when social media is driving image so much. We can all fall under the spell of that.”
“It was really interesting and there were also some interesting articles in the Irish Independent . It has brought renewed attention to a growing and concerning issue; the rise in cosmetic procedures in children under the age of 18. Obviously, we are living in a world of treatments, plastic surgery, supplements, etc., and adults can make their own choices. I make no judgment on that as long as people make sure they go to the right person for these types of surgeries. Unfortunately, there are too many unregulated operators in the market. It was very concerning to listen to a young man who said he started getting these treatments at 16. He literally became addicted to it and was spending €1,400 a month on different types of plastic surgery. The problem is that there is no regulation.”
“I accept they were stopped for a period but were brought back in about three days before the oral examinations started. Students were told if they could not pay, they could still do the orals but they would not get the results until the fees were paid. I am concerned about that. We have to ask whether any of these increasing costs are fair and sustainable. Are they in keeping with our commitment to equality of opportunity? At a time of a growing cost of living when households are grappling with rising rent, higher grocery bills and increased energy costs, the reintroduction of these costs is not insignificant. I would appreciate if the Minister could come for a debate on it. The night before last, I watched the playback of Kathryn Thomas's documentary, "Young Forever: The Death of Ageing?".”
“I congratulate the new Hungarian Prime Minister and I welcome the results at the weekend. It is very clear that the people of Hungary decided to choose liberal democracy and a pro-European party. This election really mattered. It was probably the most important election in Europe in 2026. It solidifies the European response to Russia and to Putin and is a very clear rejection of Viktor Orbán. I pass every good wish to the new Prime Minister, Péter Magyar, and the Tisza Party. I ask for a debate with the Minister for education. I am concerned about increasing financial pressures being placed on families across the country specifically in relation to rising school transport costs and the reintroduction of State examination fees. A parent contacted me the week before Easter about these fees which were brought back in.”
“I propose, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders or the Order of the House today, the statements on fuel protests will conclude at 7 p.m. if not previously concluded; and No. 2, the Health Information Bill 2024 - Report and Final Stages, shall be taken at 7 p.m. or on the conclusion of No. 1 whichever is the earlier. Is that agreed? Agreed.”
“One individual who had run in a general election previously announced that children as young as 12 had been pepper-sprayed by regime forces at the Whitegate oil refinery. Again, this was completely false. All of these need to be called out and the decent, good, genuine people of Ireland need to see this for what it was. I certainly hope that in some way we are going to be able to get the true story out. A lot of people's true story, as I mentioned, is frustration, anger and hurt in relation to the cost of living going up, with the majority of this obviously tied in with the war against Iran. Something else seismic happened as well. There was an element of trust being lost between the Government and the people. We need to work hard to restore that to assure people and ensure the supports that are badly needed are put in place.”