Holly Cairns
Cork South-West · Social Democrats · Ireland
“At the end of the day, there are a few things that we know and a few things that we do not know. We know the commission of investigation found that it is highly likely there are babies buried on the grounds. We do not know why it made that recommendation. Why? Because the archives are sealed.”
“He now seems to be using that as an excuse for inaction, when what he should be doing is moving heaven and earth to find these children and 19 women who disappeared. Two weeks ago, the Taoiseach told me that Cork City Council should have placed a compulsory purchase order on the land.”
“It knows the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes said it was highly likely that burials had taken place on this land. It has all the evidence of abuse, suspicious deaths, disappeared women and children and likely burial, and the Taoiseach is telling us he is powerless to act because legislation his previous Government d…”
“I want to take up where we left off yesterday. When explaining why the Government was not going to buy Bessborough the Taoiseach said: Excavation without evidence of location is neither feasible nor lawful [because] Under the Institutional Burials Act 2022, the Government can only [start an excavation] where it is satisfied that burials h…”
“The decision by An Coimisiún Pleanála to grant planning permission for apartments at Bessborough is disgusting. This represents yet another failure, a betrayal by the State of the thousands of women and children who were incarcerated and abused there and of the 859 children and 19 women who remain unaccounted for and are presumed dead.”
“I take it from the Taoiseach's reply and his talk about respecting An Bord Pleanála's decision that the answer is that the Government will not be issuing a CPO for the land. The Taoiseach may correct me if I am wrong because I hope the Government is going to make moves to compulsorily purchase the land.”
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“As everyone knows, we are on course to miss them by a country mile. The Minister has, for the first time, actually acknowledged they will be missed. Incredibly, he does not seem to want to do anything differently, or nothing that I can see. We are on course to miss our targets and incur billions of euro in fines from the EU for doing so. Perhaps the new Minister for Finance will act rationally and invest that money into climate mitigation, public transport, renewable energy, retrofitting, and sustainable agriculture instead of using it to pay the enormous fines we could have avoided. I could continue for the rest of the day to list areas that need reform and investment because the truth is the country is not working for too many people in too many ways. However, it does not have to be like that.”
“They are, therefore, waiting to get on another waiting list. It is truly shameful. I do not think that anyone in government would actually disagree with me on that but if they wanted to radically change that today, they could have appointed a senior Minister for disabilities, someone at the Cabinet table whose singular focus is disability services and improving them, someone who is going to take on the huge waiting lists for assessments and services, someone who will guarantee that every child has an appropriate school place and, crucially, someone who will ensure disabled people are treated with dignity and can live full and independent lives. Unfortunately, that decision was not taken today. It is a missed opportunity. Will today's Cabinet appointments help us reach our climate targets?”
“What I increasingly notice when I speak to people about housing is the despair that so many people feel. People feel trapped and they feel helpless. They have run out of hope that things will change for the better. Will this change at Cabinet signal anything to them that change is coming or is it just going to be business as usual? The issue of disability services is something that the Social Democrats feel very strongly about. Ireland is a wealthy country but we continually fail disabled people. The treatment of disabled children and their families is simply outrageous. Just today we have had new figures that the number of children overdue an assessment of need has now exceeded 18,000. When those children are finally assessed, what will happen? They will be put on waiting lists of up to 13 years to get critical therapies and supports.”
“Will we see more action to get transparency and accountability for soaring grocery prices? Will we finally see the Government take on supermarkets and force them to publish their profits? Will the scourge of child poverty finally be tackled? Last year the number of children living in consistent poverty doubled. Will those children finally be lifted out of poverty so they have a chance of reaching their full potential? What will it mean for those desperately trying to keep a roof over their heads and the tens of thousands of people who are locked out of home ownership? We had a housing plan last week that delivered more of the same. Will changes to the Cabinet today mean any change in approach there, so the delivery of social and affordable homes is finally turbocharged?”
“Infamously, earlier this year more men named James were appointed to the Cabinet than women. Even with this change, the number of women at the Cabinet has just been restored to where it was at the last Government. That is important to note. It is high time we saw more progress and more diversity in general at the Cabinet table. People watching at home today will see some changes to the Cabinet but will they notice any change in their own lives after this reshuffle? There are so many people out there who are under enormous pressure and they want to know what these changes will mean for them. Will a new Minister for Finance signal a new approach from the Government that intends to take the cost-of-living crisis seriously and provide supports to those struggling with that crisis? Will targeted energy credits now be introduced?”
“Further changes have been announced at Cabinet today. The Tánaiste, Deputy Simon Harris, becomes the Minister for Finance, his sixth position in Cabinet in nearly a decade. The Minister, Deputy Helen McEntee, becomes the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade; the Minister of State, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, has been appointed to the Cabinet as the Minister for Education and Youth; the Minister of State, Deputy Emer Higgins, has been promoted to Minister of State for disability; and Deputy Frankie Feighan will be Minister of State with the Department of public expenditure. I want to sincerely wish them all well in their new roles. I welcome that the gender balance at the Cabinet table will improve somewhat. I especially congratulate the Minister, Deputy McEntee, on being the first female Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade.”
“At the outset, I express my deep sorrow at the loss of five young lives in a horrific car crash in Louth at the weekend. My thoughts are with their families, their friends and their local communities at this terrible time. I want to use this opportunity to wish the Minister, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, well as he leaves public office. The Minister has managed something very rare in politics, which is to keep a secret and to surprise everybody today. We obviously do not agree on lots but I know the Minister has worked very hard since his election. On a personal level and on behalf of the Social Democrats, I wish him and his family the very best.”
“If we truly believe in democracy, we must make it easier for people to participate, not harder. That means expanding access to postal voting, having polling stations in hospitals, looking at automatic voter registration and recognising the rights of people in the North to have a say in shaping our shared future. The principle is simple: every person who wants to take part in our democracy should be able to do so. Lowering the voting age to 16 is part of that vision. It is a step towards a more open and inclusive republic. We have an opportunity to inspire a new generation of voters and to show them that their voices matter now and not later.”
“I tell the story of winning my first election by one vote quite often to try to energise people because too often, people feel like their vote does not matter and their one vote will never be the one that makes a difference. Having experienced that whole "one vote" debacle, I never want to contemplate not being able to vote myself again. Of course, my baby decided to arrive on polling day last year and like every other person on the maternity ward that day, I could not vote in the general election. It is frankly scary how easily people can be locked out of our democratic process - people in hospital, people on holiday, citizens in the North, long-term residents who just cannot afford citizenship and those who have recently emigrated. All of them have a right to be heard but so many cannot vote. We need to change that.”
“They deserve to see a future for themselves in Ireland where they can afford to live in the communities they are growing up in. Young people deserve the right to vote. Other countries like Austria, Scotland and Malta have already taken this step and the evidence is clear. When young people are trusted to vote, they take that responsibility seriously, they turn out and they stay engaged. We should be racing to follow that example, not dragging our heels. Lowering the voting age is about saying to young people that we see you, we value you and we trust you. This is not just about age; it is about access. I know all too well how powerful a single vote can be.”
“I welcome everybody in the Gallery. It is great to have them here today. I thank my colleague, Deputy Farrelly, for all of his passion and hard work on this issue. Sixteen-year-olds in Ireland are mature enough to work, pay taxes, care for family members and make their own medical decisions. If they are old enough to make those choices and contribute to society in those ways, why would they not be allowed to vote? We should be actively looking for more ways for them to participate in our democracy, not to continue to exclude them from it. The young people I meet are engaged, thoughtful and politically aware. They deserve a say in the fact that they are working for a sub-minimum wage. They deserve a say in the failure to take action on the climate crisis that will affect their generation more than any other.”
“That is why it is going to be so difficult to retain the derogation. Pointing that out was sabotage according to one of the Taoiseach's party's MEPs. That is the way they bizarrely put it, when it is actually just a fact.”
“There is so much spin in the Taoiseach's reply that it is difficult to know where to start. We have less offshore wind production than we did 20 years ago. That is the reality. I recognise that the climate Act was good but it is about delivery. The target was 51%. The Government made a plan to reach 23% and even that did not happen. The reality is that the Taoiseach's Government's record is one of abject failure. When the Social Democrats try to point that out, his approach is to misrepresent our position. That is especially true when it comes to the nitrates derogation, for example. The fact is - we all know it - that applying huge amounts of nitrogen to the land is damaging our water quality. That is not my opinion, that is what the Environmental Protection Agency has said time again.”
“In advance of the protest, will the Taoiseach tell us how he is going to get to 51%? What climate projects is he going to scrap?”
“Instead of scrapping projects and missing targets, we could be developing new technologies and championing green industries. We could turbocharge investment in offshore wind and protect our waterways. We could become the gold standard in sustainable agriculture. This Government is failing at all of that. We see a lot of short-termism in politics but this is the area in which it is most irreversible and, therefore, most unforgivable. Failing to take real climate action is a betrayal of future generations who will ultimately end up paying the price. There will be a climate protest this Saturday, starting at 1 p.m. in the Garden of Remembrance. I ask everybody who cares about this issue to come out and make their voices heard because this Government is not listening and we are hurtling towards climate chaos.”
“The previous Government committed to a reduction of 51%, but then it made a plan that would at best give rise to a reduction of 23%. On what planet is that in line with what he said at COP? Separately, in a recent discussion with John Collison, the Taoiseach suggested that some climate projects will have to be shelved because they risk polarising society. However, he failed to outline which projects are going to be scrapped. I want to give him an opportunity to clarify those comments and tell us which projects are not going to go ahead. Will it be public transport projects, renewable energy projects or those involving investment in native forestry? What exactly is the Government going to scrap? Climate inaction represents a missed opportunity for Ireland. We are a small country but we could be a world leader in this area.”
“Longest term friends. In her inauguration speech yesterday, Catherine Connolly said climate change is one of the greatest challenges of her time. President Connolly intends to make this a key focus of her Presidency, and I really welcome that. This is especially important given that climate change has fallen way down the Government's agenda. I am sure the Taoiseach will deny that but the facts are the facts. This Government is on course to spectacularly miss its climate targets. I read the speech the Taoiseach delivered at COP30. I agreed with much of it, but I found it hard to square his climate rhetoric with his climate inaction. He implored world leaders to "tell it as it is" and told delegates "we have to go further", but failed to admit we have no hope of meeting our own climate targets.”
“There has been no action on offshore wind. The Government is trying to hang on to the nitrates derogation for dear life and, predictably, we are about to miss our emission targets again. Target after target is being missed. You would have to wonder what is the actual point of Government targets, whether for housing, spinal surgery, emissions, you name it. They only exist in the Government's PR strategies. The Government's clear pattern is to promise everything, do nothing and then blame everybody else. Will the Minister please tell me what the Government is going to do to turn this around? Take responsibility and tell us what the Government is going to do to meet its emission targets.”
“It feels like I may as well be talking to the wall. We are nowhere near reaching our targets. It does not feel like the Government really understands the consequences of that. The Minister is talking about the huge amount of work on offshore wind but the reality is we generated more energy from wind 20 years ago. The climate crisis could not be more serious, and it is very obvious that it is not being taken seriously by this Government. There are no new ideas or no meaningful attempt to address it. There is absolutely no ambition. Climate action could be an enormous opportunity for Ireland. We could be leading the way. We could be developing offshore wind potential and become a net exporter of energy. We could be held up as the example of sustainable agriculture and food security. Instead, it is business as usual.”
“What new measures and emergency options is the Government going to take to meet our climate targets before it is too late?”
“In my own local area, Bantry was once again hit by floods yesterday, devastating homes and businesses that have barely recovered from floods last October. The long-promised culvert works to protect the town will not even begin until next year. This Government tells us that it is taking the climate crisis seriously. I wish I could sound more hopeful about this, but what we and future generations are facing is truly frightening. We need to recognise it and address it because soon we will reach a tipping point, which will mean abrupt and catastrophic consequences that cannot be reversed. We still have time to act but only if plans are turbocharged, fast-tracked and, crucially, implemented. The current approach is not working.”
“The world will become an even more unstable and dangerous place. Even the EU, which claims to want to counter this threat, is failing miserably. This morning, member states agreed to cut emissions by 90% by 2040. However, this comes with a broad acceptance that 2030 targets will be missed by a country mile. That is the stark difference between climate rhetoric and climate action and it is something the Government is guilty of too. The Government said it would reduce emissions by 51% by 2030. Then, incredibly, it put forward measures that could at best add up to a reduction of only 23%. Shamefully, zero offshore wind is being generated, with none likely in 2030 either. Our waterways are choked with pollution, primarily from agriculture run-off and wastewater. None of us has to look very far to see the impact of the climate crisis.”
“First, on behalf of all of the Social Democrats, I extend a very warm welcome back to Deputy Boyd Barrett. It is great to see him back. We are hurtling towards a catastrophe. A new UN report published as COP30 is about to begin makes that clear. Plans to limit global warming to 1.5°C have failed. That threshold will be breached in the next decade. We are now on course to see temperatures rise by 2.3°C to 2.5°C. This is an existential threat to our very existence on this planet. Too many world leaders either do not recognise this threat or refuse to take it seriously. We know that 1.5°C of warming will have unthinkable consequences. It will lead to increased drought, famine, flooding and countless deaths. It will see large-scale food insecurity, increased migration and economic shocks.”
“The Government now has a deliberate strategy of depicting international protection applicants as scammers gaming a lax system-----”
“The Social Democrats have been pleading with the Government for weeks to moderate its language, to ensure what it is saying is accurate and that tensions are not further enflamed. Instead, the inflammatory language from the Government has increased. Shamefully, the Tánaiste chose to amplify half-truths to paint migrants in a negative light. He made those comments fully conscious of the volatile atmosphere that is out there. It is not just irresponsible; it is reprehensible. Now we see where rising hate naturally leads - a man pouring petrol on the stairs of an IPAS centre in the hopes of burning women and children alive. If this horrific event is not enough to prompt the Government to engage in some reflection, then I do not know what is.”
“Where is the emergency meeting to discuss how to counter the dangerous lies being peddled by far-right agitators online? This Government has failed miserably to deliver on its own commitments on housing and critical public services. Instead of taking responsibility for that, however, it is now pointing fingers at immigrants-----”
“It has been to ratchet up its use of inflammatory language and stoke further fears. Mere days after rioting broke out in Citywest, Simon Harris suggested migration numbers, including the number of people here on work permits, were too high. Then, after the despicable arson attack on Friday night, the Government moved immediately to talk about charging those in direct provision for accommodation. You could not make it up. That is not to mention that a callous proposal to reduce accommodation entitlements for people from Ukraine to just 30 days has also just been signed off. Where is the emergency stand-alone meeting on safety concerns for people in international protection? Where is the emergency meeting about increasing levels of violent hate in our communities?”
“Little children who came to this country seeking sanctuary are now terrified, traumatised and living in fear. This is where anti-immigrant and racist rhetoric has led us - a violent attack on vulnerable people that could easily have led to children being killed. I commend the emergency services in Drogheda for their quick action. I also acknowledge that the majority of people in Drogheda and across the country are disgusted by what happened, because this attack is a new low, but is anyone surprised it has come to this? There have been 30 arson attacks on IPAS centres, or proposed centres, in recent years. We have witnessed rioting on our streets and there have been numerous public order incidents and protests outside IPAS centres. What has the Government's response been to this increasingly volatile atmosphere?”
“For decades, Sr. Stan was a campaigner and advocate for the most marginalised in our society. We could all learn from her. Our thoughts are with her family today. I congratulate President-elect Catherine Connolly. She will be a President for all and will be missed in this House, but we know she will serve with the same integrity, diligence and compassion she served with here. “The house is on fire ... Please answer". This is what a terrified 12-year-old child texted to her mum on Friday after an arson attack on her home, an IPAS centre in Drogheda. In total, 28 people lived in that IPAS centre, the majority of them women and children. Four children, including a two-week-old baby, had to be rescued from the top floor of the building.”
“I am not saying that we cannot discuss the asylum system; we absolutely have to do so, but it should not be too much to ask that we do so in a fact-based way and that we shut down racist tropes. This is something we all have to do at every opportunity. I hope the Taoiseach will do it too in the future. What plans are there to counter those false narratives?”
“I genuinely welcome the Taoiseach's comments. I also hope he will practice a bit more of what he is preaching today because they are welcome. In comparison to yesterday, when Deputy Fitzmaurice raised increasing knife crime in the same breath as concerns about the asylum system, the Taoiseach's response was to thank him, and I quote, "for raising the issue in a responsible and fair way." Then when my colleague, Deputy Quaide, later pulled him up on that and said we had a duty not to use that kind of language which inflames tensions, the Taoiseach accused him of being intolerant and asked him to reflect on his comments. The Taoiseach should reflect on that. He should show leadership and counter false narratives like that rather than indulge them.”
“What measures are being put in place to ensure that vulnerable men, women and children in Citywest are kept safe, and have threats been made against any other IPAS centres?”
“Last night's rioting was orchestrated by far-right actors online. They pedal racist myths that international protection applicants are more prone to crimes against women and children. They openly incite violence and celebrate it when it happens. While they spread their dangerous and divisive disinformation online, there is an onus on everyone in this Chamber to counter that rhetoric. We must use language carefully and factually, continue to point out there is no link between migration and crime, counter racist innuendo about asylum seekers and highlight the vast majority of deportation orders have nothing to do with public safety concerns. They are issued because people do not meet the very narrow criteria to make a successful asylum application.”
“He was not in Citywest last night but innocent men, women and children were. Vulnerable international protection applicants who have every right to be here, all would have been terrified by the riot outside. Many are now no doubt living in fear. After the last riots in Dublin, many children of colour did not turn up to school across the city the next day. They were afraid to leave their homes, afraid their skin colour would make them a target. You have to imagine that is happening again today. People of colour, all over the city, now scared and on high alert. I wonder how children who are living in Citywest are feeling today. I wonder how many of them felt safe enough to go to school. It is disgusting that an alleged sexual assault on one vulnerable child has resulted in other children being terrorised.”
“I condemn the awful scenes we saw in Citywest last night. One far-right account in advance of the riot posted online that "Citywest IPAS centre needs to be stormed." That was the clear goal last night, to overrun the accommodation centre. This was not done to protect children or the community, even if that is what the organisers claimed to the people they brought along with them. The organisers were intent on sowing chaos. It was done to whip up fear, create division and terrify vulnerable people. I commend gardaí for containing the violence and bringing it under control. The alleged sexual assault of a ten-year-old girl who was supposed to be in the care of the State is shocking on so many levels. My thoughts are with her and her family. People across the country are rightly horrified. The alleged perpetrator is now in jail.”
“This would entitle them to free travel for three months while they try to rebuild their lives. This is a small measure that would make a huge difference. Does the Government support this Bill and, if so, why is it delaying it by 12 months?”
“I am hugely impressed by the courage shown by Niamh Kelly. Last year, she was viciously attacked by her ex-boyfriend and stabbed 50 times, leaving her with life-changing injuries. Yesterday, he was jailed for 14 years and Niamh has bravely spoken out. She has encouraged other women in toxic relationships to leave and get help. I welcome the measures the justice Minister brought to Cabinet today, including plans to create a domestic violence register, which I hope will include stalking and coercive control, as well as physical abuse. I would like to know why the Government is putting a 12-month pause on legislation that my colleague, Senator Patricia Stephenson, has introduced. Her Bill would create a safe passage travel scheme for survivors of domestic abuse and their children.”
“While I welcome that, we have had report after report that have highlighted failings and issued recommendations but they have either been ignored or implementation has failed. The question must be asked: what is the Government doing today to ensure children with spina bifida and scoliosis are treated swiftly and appropriately? Given its abject record of failure, can we really rely on the Government to deliver the reform and change that is needed?”
“Last October, just before the election, the then Minister, Stephen Donnelly, vowed that the number of children waiting more than four months would fall to 20, in part he said because every child waiting for longer than four months for treatment would be offered treatment abroad. Twelve months on from this commitment, what has happened? Just eight children have been approved to travel. We now have yet another Minister, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, who has vowed to get to grips with this crisis. I welcome her announcement that CHI will be folded back into the HSE by 2027 and that the Government will set up an inquiry into the care of children with spina bifida and scoliosis. That inquiry must be public and parents and advocacy groups must be centrally involved in setting the terms of reference.”
“He endured years of pain and trauma that could have been avoided if he had just been given the healthcare he needed. What Harvey endured is not an aberration; it is the norm. Today, as we speak, there are 226 children on the CHI's spinal surgery list; 135 of these children are actively waiting for surgeries but do not have a date. This is up from 108 since the start of the year. Of these, some 40 children have been waiting for six months or more. The Minister, Deputy Harris, should never have made that promise back in 2017. I think he accepts that. There have been other health Ministers since Simon Harris who have also failed to keep promises on this issue.”
“Fine Gael has been in office throughout all of this, with Fianna Fáil propping them up since 2016 before entering coalition in 2020, yet neither party will take responsibility and are instead spending the whole afternoon in the Chamber praising themselves on the things they are doing. Harvey Morrison Sherratt was just one year old when the Tánaiste made the promise that no child would wait for longer than four months for surgery. Instead of being cared for and treated quickly, his father Stephen said Harvey was "abandoned". He waited for years for surgery before finally getting it last November. By then, the curve on his spine had reached 130 degrees, crushing his rib cage and putting pressure on his lungs and heart. Harvey tragically died on 29 July. We do not know Harvey's cause of death but we know that he needlessly suffered.”
“Can those on the Government benches now understand why families of children who rely on CHI for critical treatment have lost all trust in it, and in this Government, to address the dangerously threadbare disability services that it has responsibility for delivering? We have a mountain of reports gathering dust on Government shelves, none of which have been acted on in any meaningful way with the result that generations of children are being failed. There have been repeated promises that waiting lists would be addressed and services would be improved. Those promises have been made for at least 12 years; it has never happened.”
“An independent audit revealed that nearly 80% of hip surgeries on children at Cappagh, and nearly 60% at Temple Street, were not clinically indicated. This means that potentially hundreds of children have undergone invasive and traumatic surgeries they may not have needed. A separate report into CHI raised huge concerns about a negative and toxic culture which impacted service delivery and staff experience and had the potential to put patients at risk. It does not end there. We are currently waiting for the publication of further reports into CHI, including one on paediatric orthopaedic surgery.”
“The report detailed how the uncertainty surrounding Ivy's surgery impacted every aspect of her life, physically and mentally, and caused huge distress for her and her family. That report found numerous failures of governance and communications within CHI. In 2024, a follow-up to the Ivy report revealed that Ivy's surgery was delayed for so long that she was no longer operable. That report also noted that grave concerns have emerged around the safety of some children with scoliosis being treated within CHI. This year alone, there have been three further damning reports into CHI. We have learned that non-medical grade springs were inserted into children without their parents' consent or knowledge.”
“It raised "huge concerns about the serious and ongoing violations of the rights of children waiting for scoliosis treatment". It concluded that there was "an onus on us all to act and for the Government to fully and meaningfully address all of the issues raised." In response, the then Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris, promised no child with scoliosis would wait for longer than four months for surgery. That promise was never kept. In 2023, the Ombudsman for Children published the Ivy report into the care of a child with scoliosis by CHI. Ivy had been waiting for spinal surgery for scoliosis for five years, during which time the curve in her spine went from 30 degrees to over 135 degrees.”
“The current Minister for Health was recently asked in this Chamber about the treatment of children waiting for spinal surgery. She said, "We are making some progress, but I acknowledge that it is too slow, and too many children are still waiting." That sounds benign and reasonable at first, until important context is provided. For that context, we can start in 2013, when Fine Gael had been in office for two years. Back then, 12 years ago, a report into services for children with spina bifida found major defects and a lack of co-ordination at a national and local level. That report made recommendations for how services could be improved. Those recommendations were not implemented. In 2017, a damning report from the Ombudsman for Children, Waiting for Scoliosis Treatment: A Children’s Rights Issue, was published.”
“to defuse the risk of a debate on disabilities during [these weeks] ... of presidential campaigning." The Government parties are clearly horrified at the thought of a brake being applied to their negative campaigning and a focus being placed on the manner in which it is running the country and its appalling treatment of some of our most vulnerable citizens. It is no wonder if you look at the Government's record on disability, its failure to even acknowledge the cost of disability in the budget, the highest unemployment rate for disabled people in the EU and the failure to provide long-awaited justice to thalidomide survivors, who were promised a State apology and access to medical cards. That is not to mention children's disability network teams and personal assistance hours. I could go on and on.”
“At a time when this country has such major issues in disability services, housing, the cost of living, healthcare and climate action, it is incredible that the Government is choosing to spend its time this way. It speaks to a complete lack of confidence on the Government benches. It is an acknowledgement that the Government's record is simply not defensible. It also goes to show where the Government's priority lies, that is, with itself. It will drop everything and go to war, not to improve services for children with disabilities but to defend and shield itself from criticism. The Irish Times was clear about the reason we are enduring this farce today. Its news pages, not opinion pages, stated today, "The Government is [expected] to force through a vote of confidence ...”
“Instead, it cobbled together this motion and ripped up the Dáil schedule so it could tell the rest of us how well it is doing and how good the Government's record is when it comes to the treatment of children, the provision of disability services and, indeed, other issues, such as foreign affairs. It really is incredibly cynical. It is a political stroke to avoid legitimate criticism of its failure of children with disabilities and their families for years. This exercise in sheer cynicism will go on for two and a half hours. Is the Government so afraid of debate and scrutiny of its own record that it has to sink to the level of pre-empting a confidence motion that has not even been written yet?”
“We got word last night that the Dáil schedule was being ripped up, not to address any of the crises gripping the country or to enact some critical legislation, but to spare the Government's blushes and to try to prevent a spotlight being placed on the Government's shameful treatment of people with disabilities. Aontú signalled yesterday that it was going to put down a motion of no confidence in the Tánaiste next week and within hours, the wagons circled. The Government did not even wait for the text of Aontú's motion to be published because it was so terrified at the prospect of that debate.”