George Lawlor
Wexford · Labour Party · Ireland
“I commend my colleague, Deputy Eoghan Kenny, on bringing this motion to the floor of the Dáil. One line from his contribution this morning is at the nub of everything, where he said, "Poverty should never determine potential." That is the key component of this motion.”
“The ESRI and University of Limerick found that three in ten secondary schools mandate digital devices, including 17% of DEIS schools - the very schools serving families least able to absorb these costs.”
“Parents who are already struggling with rising rents, food prices and energy costs are now being told that, without a laptop, their child will fall behind. It is shameful that the State's own free book scheme savings are being wiped out by digital demands that schools have no business imposing without the proper funding.”
“We are calling for enforceable guidelines, proper ICT funding, a national loan scheme, the removal of exam fees, the reversal of transport fee hikes, the restoration of the back-to-school allowance and a ban on voluntary contributions that are voluntary in name only. Families cannot take any more.”
“At the outset, I would like to join, as everyone here has, in warmly welcoming to Leinster House Cian and Jordan Adams, the FTB brothers, and also Cian's partner, Helen, who played such a vital and key role in the whole 33 marathons in 33 days. They are most welcome.”
“The programme for Government commitment, in particular the statutory home care scheme, must be something we seriously look at bringing into being following its insertion in multiple programmes for Government.”
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“The perpetrators are often laughing at the authorities because they know it takes years and a massive build-up of evidence before they can tackle an issue. We need that to stop. With regard to CCTV, you nearly have to give away your first-born child to get it enhanced or improved. There are something like 48 steps if you want to do so. I saw this in Wexford. This really must be tackled and we must give the powers to the people who need them.”
“We need to ensure that local authorities go after people who are engaged in antisocial behaviour, especially in local authority housing estates. The private sector also has issues that we need to tackle but we need to support our local authorities and the agencies that provide housing for people and go after people who are destroying their communities. In Wexford recently, we managed to get rid of a drug den that was the cause of antisocial behaviour on a daily basis. The parents of the children who lived in the area said that for the first time ever, those children were able to play and felt safe playing on the local green. That was the level of devastation brought to that area by a handful of people intent on ruining the lives of others.”
“I have seen judges rule in favour of the people who have been evicted on the basis that there was no evidence despite the fact that years' worth of evidence had been stockpiled and the gardaí were there to support the people who were complaining and the authorities. I have also seen agencies that deal with homelessness put people into very nice estates and abandon them. People who suffer from addiction are put into places with no wraparound services and are offered no follow-up. They are left there to create havoc as the result of their addiction or mental health issues. There are no wraparound services or supports and the antisocial behaviour that follows is chronic and criminal. We need to enhance greatly the powers available to local authorities. We need to support them.”
“Despite the best efforts of housing officers, tenant liaison officers and other officials, local authorities are almost afraid to tackle the issue given the hoops to which they must jump to get people who are causing antisocial behaviour out of an area. I am not talking about harmless messing, as has been alluded to. I am talking about threats, drug dens, drug parties, fighting and people who abuse those live around them. There is also abuse of gardaí and the emergency services. This has gone on for years. I have seen cases whereby housing authorities, including approved housing bodies, eventually get to a stage where they evict someone, after many years, only for the person to appeal the eviction. They have gone to court for cases where the housing authority or approved housing body has the backing and support of the Garda.”
“I thank Deputy Gogarty for introducing this motion. The scourge of antisocial behaviour, as people who have served in politics at local and national levels know, has resulted in the ruination of communities, housing estates and neighbourhoods. That is the result of a small minority of people who are intent on creating havoc. This is a time when housing, for instance, is at a premium. This particular motion refers to young people. When they see the older generation being able to get away with what they are often getting away with, it sends out a hopelessly wrong signal. Distress is caused to neighbours and neighbourhoods. People act with impunity because the Garda appears powerless and without the resources to deal with the behaviour, particularly when it is carried out by young people.”
“Is there any way we can expedite the entry of Ukrainian healthcare professionals who are highly-skilled into our health service, given that they are here through no fault of their own but are eager-----”
“I thank the Ceann Comhairle. I recently met a Ukrainian woman who qualified as a GP in Kyiv. She practised for seven years as a GP and six as an intern. She is now working as a healthcare assistant and doing a very fine job in a primary care centre in Wexford. Last week, I met a man working with a drain clearing company in Wexford. He fled the conflict in Ukraine, where, having qualified and worked as a surgeon, he was moving to specialise in neurosurgery. They belong to a WhatsApp group with some 315 other highly skilled healthcare professionals from Ukraine. Their route to working in their discipline in Ireland is long and cumbersome and we employ highly skilled healthcare workers from right across the globe.”
“It is unsustainable and the sector must be supported if we are to see people remain in it and see incomes rise. It is vital that the sector receive the absolute commitment and support of the Minister. I acknowledge that, in his contribution, the Minister said he is supportive of the sector but it is crucial that a new tillage incentive scheme is introduced to support tillage growers and that we begin to be more self-sufficient when it comes to the supply of our own native grain.”
“I acknowledge that we may have a better year this year but the tillage sector has suffered crippling losses over recent years. We have seen fertiliser prices increase by up to 300% since the war in Ukraine began. We have seen tillage farm incomes plummet. In 2022, the average tillage farm income was €76,600. In 2024, it had plummeted to €30,000. Tillage farmers cannot take any more of these losses. They need assistance and assurance. Counties like my own county of Wexford are taking a serious hit. The IFA tells us that the economic viability of the sector is very precarious for 2025 and that the sector will be extremely vulnerable in the coming years. Forward barley prices for harvest in 2025 are €185 per tonne. This is well below the cost of production for many farmers.”
“In 2012, an estimated 355,000 ha of land in the country were under tillage but by 2024, that had dropped to 334,000 ha. Tillage plays a vital role in the agricultural economy, particularly in the context of food sustainability. It is essential that we increase the tillage area as a matter of urgency because we cannot depend, as we have already seen, on others due to the global uncertainty that prevails at this time.”
“I thank the Minister and acknowledge his response. As he knows, tillage is a vital part of our food security. Given what is happening globally and the uncertainty that prevails, a reliable and viable tillage sector is required to ensure a food supply. It is also important to speak to the fact that tillage is effectively a carbon-neutral, if not better, area of agriculture and, as such, can play an important role in reducing the carbon footprint of the agriculture sector, if fully supported. In June 2023, the then Minister for agriculture committed to achieving the target of increasing the tillage area to 400,000 ha by 2030. However, figures from the industry at that time suggested that the tillage area was set to decline.”
“That is the least we can do to send a signal to those sailing close to the wind that we are sick to the teeth of profit driving their motives in looking after some of the most vulnerable people in our society. Like every public service that is overrun by the greed of boardrooms, this sector has once again shown that when it comes to the provision of essential services in the State, greed always trumps the good. The ideology we have seen over the years absolutely fosters that approach.”
“She went on to say that these places are called nursing homes, but nobody should call them homes of any kind, because that is certainly not what they are. She had listened with interest recently to a discussion at an Oireachtas committee where someone from HIQA spoke about a care deficit. I agree with her that this is an extraordinary phrase to use when describing criminal offences whereby people have been assaulted or criminally abused. That is not a care deficit; it is criminal activity. How can there be 198 abuse reports about Beneavin Manor in Dublin and 40 reports regarding The Residence Portlaoise, but it takes the work of an RTÉ investigative team before we talk about it here in the Oireachtas? Our motion calls for the nationalisation of the 27 nursing homes controlled by Emeis Ireland.”
“Margaret Kennedy. She is part of a campaign called Equality Not Cruelty. Its campaign is focused on the urgent reform of HIQA and ensuring that ill-treatment and violations of dignity, respect and care in residential nursing homes never happens again. This amazing 72-year-old woman, who lives with a neuromuscular disease, succinctly and articulately summed it up for so many in her situation. She said her group spoke for disabled people and older people in its campaign. She said when she saw the images on her television screen, it was clear that older people were being commodified. She said that older people were being warehoused in these places and that money was the root of all the difficulties. Who could disagree?”
“As someone whose family is lucky enough to be in a position to keep their mother in her home while she requires care, with the help of some wonderful carers and my sister living with her, the spectre of what we saw on our TV screens a number of weeks ago was truly appalling. Families across the country looked on in horror as evil appeared on our screens. I do not need to rehearse all the condemnations that have been rightly chorused, but seeing the footage was a chilling catalogue of all that is bad about the private sector takeover of the care of the elderly in this country. We have a situation where the care of the elderly in some, not all, but a considerable number of units is far from being either caring or considerate. Yesterday, I listened to an amazing, articulate and well informed woman on my local South East Radio, Dr.”
“I ask the Minister of State to re-examine Circular 39/2025 for the benefit of these wonderful schools across the country.”
“The success of the children of Our Lady of Fatima special school when they leave school is proof of how it works. There is a strong chance that these students would not have been able to achieve this in a mainstream setting. Our Lady of Fatima special school is a model that works and the feeling now is that this model is at risk and that the education of the children who are content and anxiety free is at risk. Darryl Cogley, the chairperson of the school parents' association, has a daughter who originally attended mainstream school and then moved to Our Lady of Fatima special school. He said that children like his daughter require a specialised school and educational environment, and dedicated support. She got it at Our Lady of Fatima special school and continues to flourish on a day-to-day basis.”
“The students receive the same as they would in a mainstream school but the difference is the number of students is smaller. The anxiety they would have felt in a mainstream school has been taken away. Our Lady of Fatima special school can attend to their needs. As a result, the students in this wonderful school and wonderful schools like it across the country are successful in accessing the curriculum. The argument that no child should pass the school that is right beside their house is understood, but schools such as the one I have mentioned should be an option for parents who want to send their children to them. The policy outlined in Circular 39/2025 creates the risk of students being very unhappy in an environment in which they do not flourish.”
“Under the Department's new plans, pupils may be required to attend mainstream schools in their locality rather than travel to the likes of Our Lady of Fatima special school for their education. We need to stand up for the children with a mild, general learning disability because they thrive in places like Our Lady of Fatima school. They thrive in what these schools offer them. Children who attend special schools like Our Lady of Fatima special school would definitely struggle for many different reasons, including mental health or high anxiety levels, if they were compelled to go to a mainstream school. The students in the likes of Our Lady of Fatima in Wexford town flourish. This school offers the primary curriculum, junior certificate level and level 3 subjects, and has started senior cycle level 2 and the leaving certificate applied.”
“I thank all the stakeholders in this review. I will speak to the proposed changes to the special school system. Circular 39/2025 in part refers to the designation of special schools under the plan. The Department and the NCSE have said they intend to commence work on reviewing the designation of existing special schools to ensure that all special schools respond to the needs of children in their local region. I will use the example of Our Lady of Fatima special school in Wexford town, which caters for children with mild, general learning disabilities. The school has recently offered leaving certificate applied exams to students. This has seen some of its former pupils go on to third level and be accepted to apprenticeship programmes locally.”
“We have Rosslare Europort in the county of Wexford, one of the most strategic ports in the country, pulling Garda resources from right across County Wexford given its 400% increase in traffic since Brexit. It is the gateway to Europe with people coming and going so it is essential that security is a factor and a key feature there. We have seen when resources were made available that the impact is unmatched. Last August, we had in excess of 600,000 people descend on Wexford town for Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann. It was a wonderful weekend where the presence of extra gardaí made it such a wonderful family occasion. We need more Garda resources on the ground to combat these issues.”
“The more brazen the better for many of the perpetrators. It would appear that many of the people who are engaging in public order offences on our main streets made these their playgrounds during Covid and have never left. However, if we look at the most recent Garda probationers who were dispatched around the country in June - 120 of them in all - in the Wexford Wicklow division, four went to Bray, one went to New Ross, zero went to Enniscorthy and zero to Wexford town, the biggest town in the county. A county with a population of 164,000 people got no new Garda probationer. The constituents of Wexford and Wicklow-Wexford, with a population heading for 250,000 people, got one Garda probationer.”
“The anonymity provided by online interactions can embolden those with extremist views making even rural communities susceptible to radicalisation. In that context, I certainly believe the renewal of these emergency provisions is very necessary. The area of criminal justice is also showing shocking levels of increase. The alarming impact of low Garda numbers right across the country is an issue that is having a profound impact on communities. It is draining the soul from many towns and villages. This is not merely a bland statement; it is a reality that affects our daily lives, our safety and our sense of security. In my own town and county of Wexford, we have seen a persistent creeping of antisocial behaviour on the streets; people intent on causing as much disruption as they can, often in broad daylight.”
“In recent years, the landscape of Ireland has begun to shift, with concerns about terrorist offences increasingly emerging in areas that were once considered safe and isolated. While Ireland has historically been associated with a relatively low level of terrorist activity, particularly since the Troubles ended, given the changing global landscape and the rise of various extremist ideologies, we have had to have a re-evaluation of security measures across the country, even in remote regions. One primary factor contributing to his heightened concern is the increasing connectivity brought about by the Internet and social media. These platforms not only facilitate the spread of extremist propaganda but also enable individuals in rural areas to engage with radical groups, often leading to the recruitment of vulnerable individuals.”
“By ensuring that performers receive the compensation they deserve, we honour and value their contributions and safeguard the future of our vibrant artistic community.”
“This could include grants, funding opportunities or mentorship programmes. Campaigns to educate the public about the importance of supporting artists and the impact of equitable remuneration on the cultural landscape would be a most welcome move. The quest for equitable remuneration for performers and copyright owners of sound recordings in Ireland is an issue that requires collaboration, advocacy and reform. By studying and learning from the experiences of other countries and engaging in meaningful dialogue among stakeholders, we can create a fairer and more sustainable music ecosystem. It must be remembered that music is not merely a product. It is an expression of us all, a reflection of our culture and a source of joy and connection.”
“From our discussions here today, it is clear that the introduction of legislation guaranteeing a fair share of revenues for performers from digital platforms is vital. This could evolve, creating a system of equitable remuneration akin to those in France and Sweden, which I have mentioned. We must encourage the establishment and strengthening of collective bargaining agreements that empower performers and their representatives to negotiate fair terms with record labels and digital platforms. We must push for greater transparency in the distribution of royalties from streaming services to ensure that performers receive clear and timely information about their earnings. It is also imperative that we invest in initiatives that support emerging artists and provide them with resources to navigate the challenges of the industry.”
“I look forward to welcoming tens of thousands to Wexford to see traditional musicians at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in August. Musicians contribute significantly to our national identity and cultural expression. By fostering an environment where performers receive equitable remuneration, we not only support individual artists, but also preserve and promote our cultural legacy. Equitable remuneration can lead to increased investment in local talent and the creation of new artistic works. When performers are fairly compensated, they are empowered to invest in their craft, to collaborate with others and to take creative risks, which is essential. In turn, this can lead to a flourishing arts scene that benefits not only artists, but also audiences and both local and national economies.”
“It also requires the active engagement of artists, industry stakeholders and advocacy organisations. Groups such as the Musicians' Union of Ireland and Irish Equity have a crucial role to play in raising awareness of the challenges faced by performers and in pushing for the necessary reforms. By fostering dialogue among performers, record labels and streaming services, we can work towards creating an ecosystem that values and compensates artistic contributions fairly. This collaborative effort will not only enhance the livelihoods of performers, but will also enrich our cultural landscape, ensuring that diverse artistic voices continue to thrive. As we discuss equitable remuneration, it is essential to consider the broader cultural implications. Ireland has a rich musical heritage that is steeped in tradition and innovation.”
“While these platforms provide unprecedented access to music for consumers, they also create new challenges for equitable remuneration. In Ireland, performers often find themselves at the mercy of algorithms and payout structures that prioritise volume over fairness. The fraction of a cent received per stream can make it nearly impossible for many artists to sustain a living solely from their recorded music. This situation calls for a re-evaluation of how digital platforms compensate both performers and copyright owners. Advocacy for fairer distribution models, transparency in royalties and direct licensing agreements could pave the way for a more sustainable music economy in Ireland. The journey towards equitable remuneration for performers in Ireland is not solely the responsibility of us as policymakers or of legal frameworks.”
“The US operates under a more fragmented system with significant disparities between the rights of performers and those of copyright owners. The Music Modernization Act, passed in 2018, aimed to address some of these issues by improving royalty distribution for songwriters. However, performers still face challenges in securing fair compensation, particularly in the context of streaming. This highlights the importance of ongoing advocacy and reform, a lesson Ireland can learn from the US experience. As we navigate these discussions, we cannot overlook the profound impact of technology and digital platforms on the music industry. The rise of streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube has fundamentally altered how music is consumed and monetised.”
“This is encapsulated in the droit d'auteur or author's rights system. In 2016, France implemented laws mandating a fair share of revenues for performers from streaming platforms and other digital distributors, thereby acknowledging their essential role in the creative process. This approach has not only benefited performers, but has also led to a more sustainable music ecosystem. Such legislative measures could serve as an inspiration for us here in Ireland and prompt a re-evaluation of our current copyright laws to ensure they adequately protect performers' rights. While the United States is a global leader in music production and distribution, it presents a different scenario with regard to equitable remuneration.”
“In particular, we can look at the approaches taken to address equitable remuneration by countries like Sweden, France and the United States. In Sweden, the concept of equitable remuneration has been embraced through a combination of collective bargaining and legislation. The Swedish artists' rights alliance plays a pivotal role in advocating for performers' rights, ensuring they receive a fair share of revenues from sound recordings. This model promotes transparency and accountability, allowing performers to negotiate better terms and conditions in respect of their contributions. The success of Sweden's system suggests that collective action can yield positive outcomes for performers, providing a potential roadmap for us to consider. France presents a more robust legal framework for performers' rights.”
“However, the actual distribution of revenues generated from sound recordings often raises questions of fairness and equity. Performers who bring artistic works to life frequently find themselves in a precarious position. Although they may receive an initial payment for their performances, the distribution of ongoing revenue generated from streams and sales tends to favour copyright owners, leading to significant disparities in income. This imbalance has sparked calls for reform and advocacy for a more equitable system that recognises the contributions of both parties. To understand the situation in Ireland better, we need to draw comparisons with other countries that have grappled with similar issues.”
“Artists and musicians are not merely commodities to be used for our benefit. They are the essence of what we are. They bring us together, inspire us and often force us to think about things differently. They challenge us to see the world through different lenses and to embrace new ideas. When we support fair remuneration for artists and musicians, we are not simply advocating for their financial rights. We are investing in our culture and our communities and all around us. As it stands, the legal framework governing copyrighted sound recordings in Ireland is primarily based on the Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000. This legislation provides a foundation for the rights of copyright owners - in most instances, record labels - while also recognising the rights of performers such as musicians and vocalists.”
“At its core, equitable remuneration refers to fair compensation for the contributions of both performers and copyright owners in the production and distribution of sound recordings. In Ireland, as in many countries, this balance remains a contentious issue, particularly as the industry navigates the complexities introduced by streaming services, digital downloads and the ever-evolving landscape of copyright law. Despite their invaluable contributions, many performers and musicians struggle to earn a living from their craft. The platforms that allow their voices to reach us often fail to provide fair compensation, leaving them vulnerable and financially underappreciated. This is not just a matter of financial survival, however. It is about recognising the worth of their talent, creativity and dedication.”
“The Labour Party will not be opposing this Bill but we feel we need to look more closely at the whole area of copyright in this country. With our myriad of talent, this is an issue that affects not only the music industry, but the broader landscape of creative arts and cultural expression in Irish society. The matter of equitable remuneration for performers and owners of copyrighted sound recordings in Ireland is rightly discussed and decided upon in this Chamber. It is a topic that resonates deeply in an era when digital technology and globalisation have transformed the way we create, consume and distribute music. To set the stage - no pun intended - let us first define the context of equitable remuneration.”
“There are wonderful organisations right across the country working with people with disabilities but the State has really let them down. As I was saying, two in five people with disabilities are at risk of poverty, one in five lives in consistent poverty and one in two lives in deprivation. The additional costs of living for people with disabilities are well documented in the 2021 Indecon cost of disability report. This report stated that the additional cost associated with managing a disability fell between €11,579 and €16,285. That is an additional €233 to €313 per week for people with a disability. This Indecon report was published in 2021, but we have moved no further along. We are still the laggard of Europe. We still fall consistently below where we should be.”
“At the same time, our disability employment gap is the highest. Among people who are unable to work due to a long-standing health problem or disability, two in five are in poverty. We really need serious action.”
“I thank the Minister of State. While I welcome his comments, we really need serious action in this area. As he will know, we are a laggard in terms of our performance. The figures speak for themselves. The right of persons with disabilities to work on an equal basis with others is enshrined in international, EU and national policies including the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It has also been enshrined in the past two programmes for Government. Significant obstacles still remain to the development of pathways to employment for people with disabilities. Disabled people are only half as likely to be in employment as others of a similar working age. At 32.6%, the employment rate among people with disabilities in Ireland is the lowest in the EU, comparing poorly with the EU average of 51.3%.”
“Will the Minister of State outline the targeted actions his Department is taking to improve the employment rate of people with disabilities in Ireland given that Ireland consistently lags behind the EU average in this area? Will he also comment on Ireland's constrained labour supply, our obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the absence of a Government strategy from 2026 to address this issue?”
“Their actions did, however, bring about the banning of all South African goods by the Irish Government in 1987, making it the first western government to do so. We need to show the same courage and solidarity with the desperate people of Palestine today. The people of Ireland demand we take real action and do all in our power. While this may be a small, symbolic signal, it is a symbolic signal to the world that Ireland will not stand idly by in the face of genocide.”
“More recently, we witnessed the power of the bond markets to impact on the most powerful of political actors. When the markets rejected the budget proposals of the former British Prime Minister Liz Truss, her Government fell. Even Donald Trump was required to change course when the cost of US borrowing shot up after his liberation day declarations. While I have no illusions that any action by this State will have such dramatic impact, we must do all we can. In this case, standing against barbarism will no doubt come at a cost. Waiting for others to give leadership in order that we can more safely follow is morally unacceptable. When the Dunnes Stores workers refused to handle fruit from apartheid South Africa in July 1984, they knew their actions would not by themselves bring down apartheid.”
“It is deaf to any voice of humanity urging it to halt its unconscionable assault on the innocent. Many millions of people around the world look on in horror. I have stood in Wexford town with ordinary people of every political persuasion simply to bear witness and to stand in solidarity with the suffering people of Palestine. We stand with a sense of importance. The discussion is that there must be more we can do. We, the Irish people, have known oppression and endured famine. We know well the abuse of power by the dominant over the weak. History places an obligation on us to do all we can. As the Minister knows well, our recent economic history has also educated our people in the power of the bond market. When Ireland was shut out of the international bond markets after the financial crash, we saw the catastrophic impact on our country.”
“We can all recite the litany of the dead. We watch nightly the systematic destruction of an entire people. By design, the current Government of Israel is ethnically cleansing the Gaza Strip, making life impossible to endure there. There can be no doubt that the Government of Benjamin Netanyahu is well advanced in implementing a plan to remove the Palestinian people from their historic homeland through bombardment, terror and famine to ultimately replace them with Israeli settlers. We have witnessed nothing like this in recent world history. A member of the United Nations is in defiance of the basic principles of the UN Charter, which recognises the principle of self-determination of peoples, a core concept in international law and an obligation on member states. Israel acts with impunity.”
“These people have simply no hope of ever accessing either a social house or purchasing a house themselves despite working hard day in, day out to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads. I will give a real-life example of the damage the Government's policies are doing. A family whom my office and I are working with, a husband and wife with three children with additional needs, were forced to leave their home last year and move into a damp, 30-year-old mobile home just outside Wexford town. What was their crime? He was a hardworking father with a wage that put them €625 above the Government's ridiculously low thresholds. These are the real-life results of the policies of the Government and how they have devastating impacts on hardworking families. It simply has to stop.”
“In fact, they are deemed to be well in excess of the threshold, preventing them from receiving any assistance. They are both earning the minimum wage and are deemed to be earning too much. What happens to these hardworking people who happen to have a job? They are forced into the private rental market and in many cases condemned to poverty as a result. They are forced to pay thousands of euro every year in rent to the private sector because their low wages are deemed to be too high. These people are plunged not only into despair but into poverty as a result of the policies that have been foisted on them by this Government and the previous Government when it comes to the provision of social housing in this country.”
“The targets for County Wexford, with nearly 3,000 households languishing on the housing list, are 189 homes for 2025 and 193 social homes for 2026. These are absolutely paltry numbers when we consider the number of families crying out for a roof over their heads, a place to call home for life and security of tenure. Of course, the real figures of the housing crisis are completely masked by the fact that so many hardworking families and individuals are prevented from accessing the housing list in the first place because of the insulting income thresholds. I will give an example of the ridiculous reality in my county. A couple, both earning just the minimum wage, are prevented from accessing social housing supports or going on the housing list in County Wexford because they are deemed to be in excess of the threshold.”
“The current housing crisis in this country can only be described as a catastrophic failure of leadership and policy, leaving countless families in despair and homelessness while developers and landlords profit from the misery. The Government's inaction and ineffective measures have turned the dream of so many of getting a social house or owning a home into a cruel joke. In my county of Wexford, as of yesterday, there were 2,818 households on the housing list. That number is households, not individual people, and the response of the Government can only be described as ambitionless. In the recent announcement for social housing across the country, the Minister, Deputy Browne, declared that the reason there was no allocation for Wexford was, effectively, that it was doing grand and was meeting its targets.”
“In the process, they also short-changed the Exchequer in terms of tax and PRSI contributions. It is hard to believe that the clarity offered by the Supreme Court on these issues will not have some impact on the processing of historical claims dating back several decades. Is the Department prepared to deal with a set of claims that will occupy not just its redundancy and insolvency unit but may also take up the time and resources of its scope section? It is at least foreseeable that some individuals would not have regarded themselves as employees due to views prevailing at the time they lost their jobs but, on fresh examination, and applying the more recent Supreme Court tests, would now have an argument that they were indeed employees and that this Bill should apply to them. Will the communications campaign make this clear?”