Garret Ahearn
Administrative Panel · Fine Gael · Ireland
“The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 (Section 9(2)) (Amount of Financial Contribution) Order 2025 (Revocation) Order 2026, to be taken on the conclusion of the Order of Business without debate; No.”
“I am very conscious that No. 10 is to be taken at 11.30 a.m. and it is now 11.30 a.m. I will be brief. I will make a note of any contributions relating to debates for when we come back in September. There were a lot of calls for debates.”
“We have been here for a number of years and she is correct; a lot of it has come through in July. Technically, it is for the Leader to set out the timeline of debates but I understand the frustration when it comes late or when there is little scope for debate. The motions, in fairness, were referred to committee for debate.”
“9, whichever is later, and the proceedings thereon shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 75 minutes by the putting of one question from the Chair, which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Government, the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister at th…”
“5, motion regarding Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No. 4) Regulations 2026, back from committee, to be taken on conclusion of No. 4 without debate; No. 6, motion regarding Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No.”
“We will have a busy time coming back in September with an expected by-election to this House, which will create more work for them. To all colleagues across the House, on a personal level, I thank them for the last number of weeks since I took over as Leader of the Seanad. It has been a busy number of weeks for all of us.”
The complete record
Every one of 712 lines we hold for Garret Ahearn, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 6 of 15.
“I have no doubt that we will make sure that this House has ample time to discuss that Bill when it comes through. As the Senator knows, a lot has been done by this Government in support of Palestine, recognising the ambassador and the State of Palestine and supporting South Africa in the court case. I have not seen the Bill yet. When it comes to the House, it will go some way to following through on that judgment. That is important. It has always been the Senator's goal. We will try to do that and come to a consensus. Senator Byrne spoke about the lack of roads funding. This seems to be a continuous issue every year. Wexford has been hit by a number of storms. It is not fair that local authorities have to use their own money in 2026 to spend on something that happened very early on, and they are waiting for money from the Department.”
“Many people there are not massively experienced swimmers, including young children, and it is important that someone is there to oversee everyone's safety during the summer spell. Senator Black raised the occupied territories Bill. I understand her disappointment. She raised the Bill and where it was going to go only a week or two ago. I said it was very close to coming to Cabinet and would be coming through the Houses. It was brought to Cabinet yesterday and will be published at the end of this week. I was on the foreign affairs committee, as the Senator knows. We did an awful lot of work on it. We had views in the committee. We did that work before the Attorney General had given his advice. I understand the Senator's concerns. I know there will be amendments.”
“That needs to be seen on the ground in the Senator's constituency and across the country. We need more investment in it. It is a good opportunity to have the Minister for justice, Deputy O'Callaghan, who is always good to have visiting the Chamber, attend to discuss that. I will try to have that happen. Senator Kennelly spoke about Kerry, beaches and safety concerns. Given the week that is in it, it is a timely opportunity to raise that. Kerry is a popular place to go when the sun is out, with 15 blue flag beaches. There is a responsibility on people and an onus on local authorities to make sure that popular beaches like Banna Beach in Kerry have lifeguards on-site in case something happens.”
“Senator Duffy raised the new strategy for renewable energy. He has raised battery storage numerous times and how much energy is being wasted by not having battery energy storage and energy clouds around the country. Since this strategy has been announced, it is a good opportunity to have a debate with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. I will request that on the Senator's behalf. Senator Andrews spoke of the very sad passing of Alex Coughlan. It is good to see that two suspects have been arrested but let us see how the process plays out. It is not for me to speak about that, but on the wider issue, as the Senator said, people feel unsafe when things like this happen. They want to see more gardaí on the street. That is why the Government has invested in more gardaí and why we expect to have more gardaí at the end of this year than ever before.”
“Regarding the issues the Senator referred to, my view is that we should focus on the person who died first and see what happens. It is not for me to comment on that, with an investigation happening. Senator Flaherty spoke about a garda in Longford. I do not know the details of it. I am not doubting what the Senator aid. I know Senator Brady raised it too. It is an internal matter for An Garda Síochána. We have a new Commissioner. It seems like the person the Senator is speaking to has more confidence in the new Commissioner. Mr. Justin Kelly has hit the ground running and is doing a good job. I hope that things like HR matters are dealt with. I appreciate that the Senator raised it and wants to support a constituent, but a HR issue in An Garda Síochána is not something I can comment too much on.”
“That is a smaller issue but there is a reason there are parking bays for people with disabilities close to facilities, which is ease of access that the Senator or I do not need. We should always be aware of that. A 60-second walk is not that stressful and there is loads of parking in this places where we see parking bays. Senator Keogan spoke about the sad passing of that gentleman outside Arnotts. I am not doubting what she said but we have to remember that someone died here and it is a very sad situation. There is an investigation, which is being carried out at the moment. It is not for me or the House to talk about it. I am not aware that anyone in these Houses called security guards murderers. If they did, no one knows the full story. Let the process happen. A person died and there are grieving people.”
“As we always say, a family home on a farm is a workplace too, and something can happen very easily. We always need to be conscious of that and do as much as we can to raise awareness regarding the safety of family farmers. Senator Boyle raised an issue that can be frustrating for people with disabilities. When they are going to the local shop in their town, a supermarket, or anywhere else, all of the disability bays have been taken up. I do not understand how people who are not entitled to take these parking spots can take them. Even now, there are parking spots for people who have young families, which are bigger for a reason, to let mothers and fathers take young kids out, and they are just randomly taken by people.”
“Senators Stephenson and Higgins spoke about taking Nos. 12 and 13 before No. 1. I have no problem with that at all. We had a debate with the Minister, Deputy McEntee, about international relations and development, and we discussed many of the issues that the Senators raised. There is no problem with doing what the Senators requested to change the Order of Business. Senator Paul Daly congratulated Deputy Seán Kyne and then spoke about farm safety, which was raised by a number of Members yesterday. It is a good opportunity to have statements on farm safety, considering it is a week when we are off. Any of us who live in rural Ireland at the moment are seeing more tractors on the road. All it takes is one accident, whether on the road or on the farm, to have a massive impact on a family.”
“I acknowledge, as the Senator did, Kathleen and all on the Tidy Towns committee and the work they do. We see that across the country. People often do it when they are supposedly retired, yet seem to work harder than ever before. Senator Collins spoke about the Bloom Festival, which has been so successful for the past ten years or more. She raised a key point, which is that when we have a festival like this, which is being sponsored heavily by Bord Bia, we have to make sure that most of the products there are Irish products, or if they are not, it should be clearer than it normally is. She spoke about merino wool, which is a popular type of wool for clothing. Much of that is imported. We have labelling issues, whether in wool or in food products, that have been highlighted in these Houses a number of times. It needs to be improved.”
“It is important that this be recognised. Senator Scahill spoke about more parking being needed in hospitals. That can be seen that right across the country. Roscommon is at a critical stage and there is nothing worse than people going to hospital, having appointments, or an emergency, and not being able to find parking. It happened to my father last week in Clonmel. We had to drop him simply because parking is difficult to find. It is frustrating as a public representative. Councillor Valerie Duffy is working hard at this but when people are just fobbed off and told that some sort of master plan is happening at some point, but with no detail or information, and they are expected to go back to their constituents and tell them that something can be done, it is very frustrating.”
“It is good to see the clubs are working with the local authority on a car park, because it always seems to be a big issue in urban and rural areas. The team is a third space. When we talk about communities, we talk about home and work, but amenities and facilities are critically important, particularly for kids. Senator Boyhan spoke about the survivors of institutions. Senator Harmon raised the matter yesterday too. Senator Boyhan talked about the sad stories of people who lost contact or had broken links between brothers and sisters while in institutions. There is a good opportunity, considering that recommendations have been brought forward, which we have debated previously in this House,, as Senator Harmon said yesterday, for us to have a debate on it. When we talk about redress, we are talking about justice too.”
“I thank the 20 Senators who made contributions to the Order of Business. Senator Clifford-Lee spoke about St. Peter's GAA club in her area. She mentioned that three football clubs that have come together and are working together to try to increase and improve facilities for many kids in that area. It is good to see that that has happened because there is limited funding available across the whole country to fund sports facilities for sports clubs. We often see sports clubs going separately looking for funding. It is often to the detriment of the full area. To see three clubs come together to try to look for funding is critically important. It is good that the Senator has raised it. I think the Minister is on record as saying that local authorities can step up as well and play their role.”
“64, motion 1, Private Members' business, motion regarding rents to be taken at 6.30 p.m. with the time allocated to this debate not to exceed two hours.”
“The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding the appointment of members of An Coimisiún Toghcháin, to be taken on conclusion of the Order of Business without debate; No. 2, address to Seanad Éireann by MEPs representing the European Parliament Midlands-North-West constituency, to be taken at 2 p.m. in accordance with the arrangements set out in the motion agreed by the House on 13 May 2026; No. 3, Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) (Amendment) Bill 2025 - Second Stage, to be taken at 5 p.m. and to conclude at 6.30 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes, all other Senators not to exceed five minutes and the Minister to be given no less than ten minutes to reply to the debate; and No.”
“I also congratulate the former Leader of the Seanad, now Deputy, Seán Kyne, on his election. It is wonderful that so many Senators got to know Seán over the past 18 months and saw what a decent person he is and how he works across the aisle regardless of political views. It is lovely to hear them mention that. It reinforces why we in Fine Gael thought he might be transfer friendly - people respect him and acknowledge the good work he has done. There was great work done particularly in Galway by the Galway Members and Galway councillors, as Senator Cathal Byrne mentioned. We are all in this profession and we know we have our ups and downs, and it is always lovely to see someone who has had one or two downs succeed and get back again. We will miss him here, obviously, but we all wish him well.”
“I understand the Senator's views on it and her concerns and the concerns of the group she talked about. We can have a debate with the Minister about it. It is disappointing that the uptake is not as high as we would expect. I do not know whether that is because it needs to be promoted more or whether it is about people just not being aware of it, but the package is there. It does not include everyone, as the Senator said. That was a decision that was made by the Cabinet at the time. I will see if there is a possibility of having a debate on the matter. Finally, every colleague spoke about the two by-elections in Dublin Central and Galway West. I congratulate Daniel Ennis on taking his seat as a TD for Dublin Central and wish him and his family all the best.”
“Senator Kelleher raised farm accidents. He mentioned Embrace FARM, which is a wonderful organisation in County Laois that has done great work on awareness of farm accidents. Senator Martin Conway also referred to farm safety. He mentioned that the Seanad Public Consultation Committee did a good lot of work on this issue previously and made some recommendations. It has been a long time since that was done. He suggested a supplementary report. It would be no harm at all to consider that, considering the week we are in. Senator Harmon spoke about survivors of institutional abuse. Obviously, that matter has been discussed a lot in both Houses over the past number of years. The things that went on in those facilities were outrageous and that is why the Government is committed to a redress package.”
“It can be very frustrating when neighbouring counties have supports like Jigsaw. I know this because the Jigsaw facility in Thurles, County Tipperary, is wonderful for young children who suffer from anxiety or mental health issues and need supports close to them so that they do not have to travel a long distance. They have it on their doorstep and it is available for them. As the Senator said, there are a number of recommendations in that report. There could be a good opportunity for the Minister of State, who is very passionate about this, to have a discussion on the report and the recommendations put forward in it. We can see in other counties that when these facilities are put in place, they have benefits for the people of the area. I will ask the Minister of State's Department to see if that is possible.”
“It is always important that we highlight the responsibility for safety that they have when they drive them. Some 25 lives were lost last year in farm incidents. Anyone who is from or grew up on a farm, as I did, is always aware that the family home is also a workplace. Accidents happen all the time in workplaces. You need to be so vigilant on a farm because it is a workplace where young children want to get out and see tractors and combine harvesters. That is something we always have to be conscious of and remind people of. If something happens, as Senator Gallagher said, you will be reminded every single day when you go out to the farm that a terrible accident happened on it. We do not want that to happen to anyone. Senator Cosgrove highlighted the launch of a CYPSC report on a youth support facility that is needed for Sligo.”
“To see their lives turned around by the work that is being done – much of this work is done voluntarily or with very little funding – is fantastic. The Senator has asked for a debate on how we can do more. We hear from Senator McCarthy on an almost weekly basis about the work that is done by Tiglin to support people who have had a knock-back in life and need a bit of support and receive it from organisations. Senator Gallagher mentioned that this week is Tractor Safety Week. It is a timely week to have this campaign because of the weather and the sunshine. Many farmers are out on the roads. When you drive on rural roads at the moment, as I was this morning when I brought my kids to school, you come across tractors every kilometre or two. Obviously, it is very dangerous. The majority of people driving these tractors are young people.”
“We have made changes and commitments, particularly in the next budget on the 9% VAT rate in the hospitality sector. That does not cover every single rural pub - it only covers pubs which serve food - but it makes an impact. We are well aware that no matter whether we are talking about pubs, post offices, schools or small businesses, any closure has a massive impact on a rural community. We need to make sure we invest in rural Ireland as much as possible. That is why we have a Department solely responsible for investing in rural Ireland. Senator Nelson Murray spoke about the support provided by the Joshua Community at its centre in Navan and the work it does for unemployed people who have unfortunately had addiction.”
“It is extremely challenging and very frustrating for beef farmers when they see their own price dropping but the price in a retail shop increasing. It is very difficult for people to understand how and why that could be the case. It is a good opportunity for Senator Brady to raise this issue and highlight the inconsistency of that. Senator O'Reilly spoke about rural pubs. Anyone from rural Ireland is well aware of the number of rural pubs which have closed over past number of years. It is happening because of a changing rural way of living, particularly in young people. You just do not see it. Back in our day we went to the rural pub first on a Saturday night before going into the town. We always looked after the rural pub. That just does not happen as much as it used to.”
“The Senator welcomed and outlined the exact biggest issue for big infrastructure projects, which is dialogue with communities. The communities want these projects, but they also want consultation on when these projects are being built, so that their own lives and normal day-to-day business are not totally uprooted. There is going to be a real impact on the community for several weeks or months with road closures. It is a good opportunity for the Senator to put down a Commencement matter with the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, regarding that consultation for homeowners on the roads that are going to be closed. Senator Brady spoke about beef prices. He knows very well that beef prices go up and down. Farmers always have to budget not on an annual basis, but almost on a five-year basis for where beef prices will be.”
“I always find with these things that the more you speak about your outrage, the more publicity the person gets from it, which is totally contrary to what we want to happen. Unfortunately, some people like this get elected around the world and we have one or two in our own country. It is our job, even when we are on different political sides, to work together on issues. As the Senator said, it is about trying not to create a divide or influence or mislead people. That certainly seems to be what he suggested is happening in this video. Like the Senator, all normal public representatives would not condone that sort of carry-on. Senator Duffy spoke on the flood relief schemes, particularly the one in Crossmolina and Ballina.”
“He spoke about what many of us who were knocking on doors in recent weeks would have realised, which is that tax is a real issue. People working full time with good jobs are still struggling at the end of the week or month to pay their bills. I will speak to the Minister for Finance to try to have a debate in this House and for him to outline his priorities in the upcoming budget, to make sure people who are working hard every day can take home an income that can last a full week or month. Senator Andrews spoke about a video by a Dublin city councillor. I have not seen it myself, but I have no doubt it is as shocking as the Senator suggested. It is probably best that I do not comment on it.”
“It is currently progressing quite well and we are hoping to have it before the Houses by autumn. He outlined in his contribution the reasons it needs to be done and gave a very good example of the people coming home from peacekeeping this week. These decisions have to be made by the Irish Government as to where people who are peacekeeping will go. There will obviously be a discussion on that in both Houses when it comes to the floor. There have been many discussions in the House on it already. The committee on defence has discussed it also and people have separate issues on it. Certainly, with the background the Senator has and his understanding of the Irish Defence Forces, he outlines exactly the reason the Government wants to introduce this. Senator O'Donovan also outlined the triple lock and the importance of it.”
“She asked people in Dublin to get out to support them, which is very important. Senator Scahill also raised Jordan and Cian and mentioned he ran with them. I am not sure how many kilometres he did, but he certainly did not do 32 days and 32 kilometres and he is a keen runner. The Senator also spoke about access to education and disabilities. Money has been put aside for that. It has always been an issue for people with disabilities that if they go into the workforce and get a job, they lose their disability allowance. That can have a real impact on that person and their family, particularly if it is a young person. We need to ensure there are no barriers for people to have a job, a full education and go into the workforce. We can have a debate on that. Senator Craughwell spoke about the triple lock and where we are with it at present.”
“In fairness to Senator Tully, in her two-minute contribution she had at least 15 or 20 questions she is looking for clarity on. As public representatives, we all know families looking for early intervention for people to be assessed who might have autism. There are 22,000 people still waiting for early assessment. A lot of money has been put into it. A lot of publicity was brought to this by a girl from my parish in Tipperary, Cara Darmody, who has done an awful lot over the last number of years in launching Cara's Fund. It is timely that we would have a debate in the House with the Minister and I will request that on behalf of Senator Tully. Senator Fitzpatrick also spoke about Jordan and Cian Adams, the amount of money that has been raised and the work they have done.”
“I take the Senator's concerns on board and take them as genuine, but it is a matter for the Department and the Minister. Senator Keogan made a comment in relation to Fianna Fáil colleagues. It is not for me to answer for Fianna Fáil, but in this House we have and should always have that respect between both sides. That is something that the former Leader had, as was mentioned today. We can have a robust discussion but we can do it in a respectful way. I think the majority of colleagues in this House have always acted that way. Hopefully, that can continue. Senator Tully raised the issue of autism and the new autism assessment. She is right that it is a good opportunity for the Minister to come in to the Seanad to outline it.”
“Senator Boyle spoke about a drug that has been mentioned a number of times in this House and needs to be approved by the HSE. I know it has received a proposal from the drug company in respect of that illness. It needs to be brought forward. Senator Boyle could put down a Commencement matter on that issue with the Minister for Health. Senator Keogan raised the issue of the Iranian ambassador receiving their credentials to Ireland. As she said, it is a decision by the Department and the Minister. It is always important that we have some sort of dialogue, even with countries that do not agree with us on certain things. There are a lot of countries that have questionable human rights issues; Iran is one. There are many others for which we have ambassadors in this country.”
“I thank colleagues for their contributions. I will say a few words on former Senator Kyne at the end. Senator O'Loughlin spoke about the 32 marathons in 32 days by Jordan and Cian Adams. The amount of money they have raised for dementia is phenomenal at over €1 million. It is really to be recognised. As the Senator outlined, there is a good opportunity to have a debate in this House with the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, on resources for people with dementia. We will see if that is possible. She also spoke about the importance of reading and investing in libraries. It is so vital, particularly for young people. I see with my own two young boys how much they benefit from reading. The last contribution of the former Minister, Paschal Donohoe, in the Lower House was about investing in libraries and reading. We need to do more of that.”
“The Order of Business is No. 1, statements on student accommodation and supports, to be taken at 4.45 p.m. and to conclude at 6.15 p.m. if not previously concluded with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes, all other Senators not to exceed five minutes and the Minister to be given no less than ten minutes to reply to the debate; No. 2, International Co-operation (Omagh Bombing Inquiry) Bill 2026 - Report and Final Stages, to be taken at 6.15 p.m.; and No. 3, Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill 2026 - Committee Stage (resumed). to be taken on the conclusion of No. 2 and to adjourn no later than 9 p.m. if not previously concluded.”
“Senator Craughwell spoke about being over in Westminster with Mr. Liam Conlon, MP, for an event concerning the Untold Museum in Belfast, which explores 350 years of Irish military history. This is very important and I am aware that it is very close to the Senator's heart because of his time served in the Irish Defence Forces. He has encouraged everyone to visit the museum in Belfast. It is important for people to visit, given the great history. There are great stories of people who served their country well. The more we can promote that, the better.”
“I wish them well. I know nothing about Everest other than what I have seen from documentaries. The most dangerous part is the descent, so we wish the team as safe a descent from the summit as possible. It is a wonderful achievement and, as the Senator said, for a really good cause, namely, Mayo Mental Health Association. Senator Eileen Flynn reminded us today that it is Traveller Pride Week, which is very important. It is another good opportunity to talk about inclusivity, equality and giving people opportunities to be who they want to be. The Senator herself is a prime example of someone who can achieve great things regardless of her background. It is important that the Oireachtas Traveller committee work with her and those behind Pride Week to promote it as much as possible.”
“Patrick's school and Rachel Harper. It is great to see young children taking a leadership role on smartphones because much of the time people in this building talk about the matter but really do not have a full understanding of the impact of smartphones on children. I often worry about the impact that smartphones will have on my two children, who have just started school or are in crèche. I am aware that the media committee is doing a lot of work on this. Hopefully, the Minister will bring through legislation, but it is wonderful to see children taking a proactive role. Senator Mark Duffy spoke about the team from Mayo who climbed Mount Everest. The Senator looks like he was climbing it himself and fell. It is amazing what the team has achieved and it is also amazing to think it has not been done for 20 years by an Irish team.”
“It makes absolutely no sense that children should have to pay for school transport when the circumstances they are in are not their fault. We have introduced many measures in the area of education, including free meals, free books and free travel in most cases, but when something is not your fault it does not seem fair that you should be charged for it. Senator Tully raised the same issue last week in relation to people on medical cards. Through no fault of their own, they are having to pay. This should be addressed and clarified in the budget, perhaps. Actually, this should be done before the budget because the school term starts in September. I urge the Senator to talk to the Minister about that to see if it is possible. It seems fairly obvious to me that it should be done. Senator Aubrey McCarthy spoke about St.”
“The prices of medical wigs are very high and it is important that people are not charged VAT on such products. It is also important that they do not have to go through hoops to buy a medical wig. It should be quite simple to buy something without having to pay VAT. The Senator is right that we must align ourselves with other EU countries in this regard, which is important. Senator Cathal Byrne spoke about school transport and bus passes. He gave the perfectly good example of where children who, through no fault of their own, cannot go to their closest school, which they are trying to go to, because it is full meaning they have to go to the next closest or an alternative. The Senator mentioned New Ross in this regard.”
“This would be important because most of us know someone - the Senator spoke about her father - who has suffered from the condition and know the impact it has. The Senator spoke about donating the brain. Donating organs was raised yesterday. We need to circulate more widely the message on how impactful donating your organs or brain can be for others with the same disease. A discussion on Parkinson's as part of a discussion on organ donation would be timely, so I will see if it is possible in the coming weeks. Senator Garret Kelleher spoke about the VAT charged to people who must use medical wigs owing to various conditions, whether alopecia or cancer. I am quite familiar with this as my mother had cancer years ago and had to buy and wear a wig. I am aware of the impact it can have to go into a shop and explain why a wig is needed.”
“Senator Lynn Ruane spoke about early-onset Parkinson's disease. It is not talked about enough. People just assume Parkinson's comes when a person is 60, 65 or 70, but it can happen much earlier. Someone quite close to me has it and it has a massive impact on him. The disease is different for everyone but people's capabilities can decline very considerably and quickly. It is not just a question of the impact on the individuals with the condition because there is also an impact on their dependants, families, husbands, wives and children. There is an impact on the wider family. As the Senator said herself, I am not sure this has been discussed very much. We could have statements or a debate on it in this House.”
“There was a postponement from 2025 to 2027 and now the date has been pushed back to 2028. This has a massive impact on a city like Limerick, where people, businesses and communities are dependent on public transport. The Senator gave the example of Annacotty, a business area with more than 3,000 people working and absolutely no buses to collect them. This means everyone has to drive, which is just not the way we should be moving. It is not just in Limerick that this is happening. I experienced it in Galway last weekend when I was there. People were talking about the lack of the public transport that they would want to use. People want to change their ways but we need to make sure we are investing in that as much as we can. I will contact the Minister for Transport, Deputy O’Brien, on this.”
“Senator Eileen Lynch spoke about a solar farm in her area in Aglish. It can be very upsetting for locals when, after their concerns about a project are taken on board by Cork County Council and planning is refused, An Bord Pleanála, which does not have the same understanding of their area, agrees on appeal that it can go ahead. We are aware of the importance of solar farms and of reducing our energy dependency, but it is fair to say we need to have an open discussion about where these go. They cannot be put in every second field all over the place. There needs to be some sort of national plan. Senator Scahill raised this last week, so there could be a good opportunity to have a debate on it. Senator Maria Byrne spoke about BusConnects in Limerick and the delay in moving forward on this. A delay can be very frustrating.”
“We can be thankful that the figures for the first quarter of 2026 are good, with an increase of almost a third in the number of houses being built across the country. That is obviously not enough, though. I know the Senator's party tabled a Private Members' motion in the Lower House yesterday that proposed rent freezes and eviction bans. The Government just does not agree with that. We have seen that happen in other countries. There were rent freezes in Berlin and, within 12 months, 50% of landlords had left the market. That law was then ruled out of order by the German court of justice. It just does not work. That is just a different perspective on it, but we agree that more houses need to be built and more priority needs to be given to the matter. It is certainly not a case of a lack of funding invested in the area.”
“People who host events, whether gigs, sporting events or anything else, should have good consultation with the community. The community is used to dealing with these big events. In fairness, I do not think they are asking for very much. They just want an ambulance in the town centre in case anything happens there. I do not know the price of tickets but, if the concerts are running over two days, I suspect that it would not be much to ask for €5 out of that price. That was an important thing for the Senator to raise and I hope the organisers will take it on board. Senator Andrews spoke about the rising cost of rents. That is a challenge for people. It always comes back to the need for more housing. We need more housing.”
“That is obviously a very important issue in his area because, in rural areas in Donegal and across the country, a taxi is often the only form of transport people can get, especially people with disabilities and wheelchair users. The Senator has asked for a debate about changing the qualifying criteria so that people who can provide this service are prioritised for funding. Senator Keogan spoke about the Slane concerts, which are now to be held over two days instead of one. I was at one or two concerts up there. They put on a great show but it has a massive impact on the community. The community has been supportive of these concerts for more than 30 years, although they always have an impact. The increase from one to two days will have a massive impact on that small town.”
“Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee spoke about the former garda, Paul Moody, who was convicted yesterday. She spoke about complaints that were made back in 2017. It is amazing that nothing was done about those complaints. There was a massive delay. He still remained a member of An Garda Síochána. The Senator's colleague, Senator Comyn, spoke only yesterday about the number of people who contacted the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre last year. It was 24,000, an increase of one third in two years. These things need to be called out. It is not acceptable that, as far as we can see, nothing was done in the space of six years about the complaint that was made prior to the complaint people will know about from yesterday's news. Senator Boyle spoke about wheelchair accessible vehicles.”
“A number of days ago, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, spoke about trying to get some sort of consensus within the EU to make decisions collectively. That is very difficult. A year or a year and a half ago, only two members of the EU, Ireland and Spain, wanted to review the EU-Israel association agreement. That would have a very severe impact on Israel from a trade perspective. There are now 17 or 18 countries that are willing to review that agreement but we need all countries to agree. If the EU does not agree on what to do about Israel, Ireland will still follow through on the occupied territories Bill. It is on the priority list. The Senator knows my own personal views on this. I hope that will be done as quickly as possible and certainly within this year.”
“This has been condemned by the Irish Government, including the Taoiseach and the Minister for foreign affairs. This is an incredibly stressful time for those people and their parents. Members of this House and the Lower House have experienced the kind of aggressive abuse that can happen when you are captured. It is not acceptable. It goes against every law. It needs to be called out and it has been and will be. The only comfort I can give those families is to say that we have had this situation before and were able to bring home all of the Irish citizens captured by Israel. The Department of foreign affairs and our embassy are working very hard to make sure that is done as quickly as possible. The Senator also asked for an outline of the occupied territories Bill. That is on the priority list at the moment.”
“The Minister for foreign affairs and for Defence is due to come to the House shortly. That will be a good opportunity to speak about defence and national security. Senator Joanne Collins spoke about nursing home care, how her own family cares for her mother, who has dementia, and the cost associated with that. It would be good to have a debate on the pressures put on families when someone goes into a nursing home. We obviously have the fair deal scheme but the extra costs on top of that can be very impactful for families who cannot afford them. I will talk to the Minister's office to see if a debate is possible. Senator Frances Black spoke about the 11 Irish citizens who are still detained, having been captured illegally in international waters.”
“We need to recognise that it is a disease and that further issues arise when people get involved in drugs, such as debt or crime. It all stems from getting into drugs in the first place. We have not had a debate on the issue for quite some time, so I think it would be timely. Senator Clonan spoke about Caleb's House in Donegal. This is a healthcare facility that the HSE is not willing to fund at the moment. I suggest that the Senator table a Commencement matter on the issue. I am not familiar with the facility. It seems strange that there would be a healthcare facility in Donegal that is ready to go but is not being funded by the HSE. Perhaps tabling a Commencement matter with the Minister for Health would be the most appropriate thing to do. The Senator also spoke about the Dublin and Monaghan bombings.”
“In fairness to the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health, Deputy Butler, she has done an awful lot on this, particularly with regard to the Mental Health Act. She is very passionate about the issue. However, more needs to be done, particularly in cases like this. Senator Scahill spoke about drug treatment. The number of people receiving treatment at the moment is over 15,000. The Senator said we needed to have a debate on drugs. That is a very important debate we could have. He spoke about how this can happen right across the country. It is not just confined to cities like Dublin, Cork or Galway. It is in every local community, every local area and every parish. We need to take it more seriously. We need to do more with regard to education.”