James Geoghegan
Dublin Bay South · Fine Gael · Ireland
“I say, in a non-partisan way, that it would be helpful if other political parties carried out an exercise similar to the one we are carrying out and if they presented different papers.”
“I welcome the opportunity to debate such a significant issue. It is helpful that this debate is being framed from a line Department perspective in that it has begun by looking at the fiscal implications of a united Ireland. It would be helpful if we also had a debate on the implications for education and health of a united Ireland.”
“Obviously, none of that will be sufficient unless we can demonstrate to every community in Northern Ireland that the country will be an inclusive place, but we in Ireland have shown just how inclusive we can be. I am 41 years old.”
“With the passage of time, however, any fair and impartial observer would recognise that institutional benefit of ensuring that Ireland and the United Kingdom had a joint role in the affairs of Northern Ireland proved to be instrumental in all the subsequent peace agreements we ultimately arrived at.”
“However, nobody can underestimate the challenges the State faces in persuading a population that is very sceptical that we would we welcome them to this country and that we could provide a state that would function.”
“He highlighted the euro, which is important. If we think back to the Scottish referendum, one of the biggest reasons it failed was because the Scottish people were not certain whether they were going to have the British pound or the euro.”
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“I thank the Minister for presiding over the opening of Harcourt Educate Together National School tomorrow. It will be a really important day for the people who campaigned for the school in the first instance and for the school community and the people who live within the school's environs. In my constituency of Dublin Bay South, there will be three formal openings of Educate Together schools that I suspect which Minister will attend. Those schools are Shellybanks Sandymount Educate Together, Harold's Cross National School and Harold's Cross Educate Together Secondary School. These new schools will deliver new special school places. For the first time, I have seen a senior Minister for education prioritise this matter. The programme for Government assures the direct delivery of therapists in special schools.”
“There has not been a lot of sunlight in respect of what has taken place. We know it is at interdepartmental group level. I do not know what divisions, if any, are taking place at that level. We have not seen an outcome. Will the Taoiseach indicate to the House whether the recommendations and how they will be implemented will be made clear to the public before the summer recess?”
“One of the issues the NESC compact growth report highlights in Dublin is the scourge of dereliction and what we need to do to tackle it. As the Taoiseach is aware, the Dublin city task force covers this issue at great length. On several occasions I have asked about where the task force is at and about its recommendations. From the replies he has given, I know the Taoiseach is committed to the implementation of the recommendations. Obviously, so is the Tánaiste, particularly as he initiated the report. It forms part of the programme for Government. At this stage, will the Taoiseach tell the House whether it is the case that the recommendations, and how they will be implemented, will be published by the Government before the recess, so that Dubliners and people around Ireland will know where the next steps are to be taken?”
“One of the issues specific to Dublin when it comes to children taking public transport is, of course, the Luas. The Luas is a very busy tram, particularly at peak times. As we have seen, when we expand and invest in the Luas, we grow the passenger numbers. In that context, I would ask the Minister of State to support inquiring into getting the Luas extension from the Point to Poolbeg into the national development plan review. Obviously, the Finglas Luas application has already got planning permission. It is important we demonstrate that there is a continued flow of work that will be made available to the contractors who will ultimately build that extension. It would be excellent for Dublin if, in the context of the national development plan review, we got that Luas extension to Poolbeg included in that as well.”
“We should face up to the policy, which is that it is a good thing we are giving children of primary school age access to public transport and that it does not cost the State that much. The measure itself in the previous budget cost approximately €8 million. It is very worthwhile. We know it is a measure that will work well and I look forward to its continued expansion.”
“I thank the Minister of State for his response. It is good that we have contained in the programme for Government a commitment to expand free public transport for children. It is very welcome that the measure announced in the budget to extend the age from five to eight years and then to nine years of age, will be introduced in quarter 3. There is a certain practicality to all of this. I regularly use the S4 bus route with my seven-year-old and five-year-old. To be fair, the service relies on the honesty of the passenger getting on the bus to identify whether their kid is six, seven, eight or nine years of age. No bus driver looks for ID from nine-year-olds or eight-year-olds.”
“I have already wished the Ministers of State, Deputies Canney and Buttimer, well in their roles but this is the first time I have been here when the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, has been in the Chamber and I want to wish him well. I found him very approachable as a Minister when I was a councillor and I am looking forward to the continuity of service as a TD. What are the Minister for Transport's plans to expand free public transport access for children and will he make a statement on the matter?”
“We are one of the global peoples who make up the European Union and who utterly reject the approach the United States is taking in a whole host of areas, including the rule of law and economically when it comes to trade barriers. Which side is Sinn Féin on? Is it on the side of the European Union or is it just on the side of opposition for opposition's sake, even in this moment of national crisis? What does Sinn Féin believe in and what interests does it serve? Does Sinn Féin serve the Irish people's interests first or its party's interests?”
“You were not on the green side, you were on the blue side." This is what the negotiation is about. Europe does not want tariffs. It wants free trade. It is a beacon for free trade. That is why the European Union was established. We are going to stand proudly in favour of it. This country is going to engage diplomatically, bilaterally and with Europe. We are going to promote agreements that are a monument to free trade. I refer to the Canada free trade agreement that Sinn Féin and much of the Opposition opposed. These are the decisions that we are going to take as a country within the European Union. We are going to stand up for Europe and European citizens. Europeans right across the Continent are horrified at what is taking place in the United States. We are part of that.”
“A previous speaker from Sinn Féin, Deputy Martin Kenny, spoke about the highest standards that the European Union has imposed upon animal welfare in terms of food production. That is who we are. The benefits we have from being a member of the European Union dramatically outweigh the benefits of taking a go-it-alone approach. We must remember that we are talking about a $1 trillion trading relationship between the European Union and the United States. Trading within the European Union gives access to 460 million consumers. This is not to be derided or sniffed at. It is not a battle. There is no battle between Ireland and the European Union. As the German Chancellor said yesterday, we need a common response from Europe. We cannot set up Ireland for a situation whereby if the European Union over-responds, we say "Aha, we told you.”
“Right now, the Tánaiste, Deputy Simon Harris, is engaging with the Secretary of Commerce. He is one of the first European Union trade ministers to meet with him. On Monday night, when I turned on my television I saw Deputy Doherty, the finance spokesperson for Sinn Féin, put it up to Mairead McGuinness, a former EU Commissioner. He asked if she was wearing the green jersey or the blue jersey. I urge Sinn Féin not to adopt this approach. In a moment of national crisis, Sinn Féin should not try to force Irish people to choose between Ireland or the European Union. We are the European Union - the Continent that is now standing proudly as a beacon for the rule of law and free trade, and for reducing trade barriers.”
“This is a very serious moment that deserves a very serious response. I listened very carefully to some of the Sinn Féin speakers earlier when they said what we need is better engagement with the United States and a beefing up of our diplomatic efforts. Does that mean Deputy Mary Lou McDonald will engage next year with the US Administration? When Sinn Féin talks about the all-island economy, does that mean the First Minister of Northern Ireland, purportedly a First Minister for all, is going to engage with the United States Administration? What this Government is doing right now is engaging bilaterally. Yesterday, the Minister, Deputy Heydon, became the first agriculture minister in the whole of the European Union to engage with the Secretary of Agriculture in the United States.”
“I very much welcome that this project has been earmarked for potential acceleration in the context of the national development plan review in July. I will continue to raise it with my constituents. Having an integrated network would not only serve my constituency well; it would serve the whole of Dublin well.”
“If we are being truthful and honest, we will agree that one of the issues that has arisen in trying to develop additional light rail or even the MetroLink is that we have a history in this country of building major infrastructure projects and then stopping. Admittedly, one of the reasons we stopped after the cross city Luas was the challenging financial circumstances the State faced. There is, however, a change of approach now. This Government is focusing very heavily on capital investment. If there is one thing that is in our control in responding to what is taking place in the world right now, it is investing in infrastructure, housing, water infrastructure and, crucially, public transport to enable people to move around the city and get to work and to reflect the continuing demographic growth in our nation's capital.”
“I thank the Minister of State for that very welcome response. Before any of the announcements were made by the Trump Administration, the Government had made extremely clear that there would be a commitment to and focus on investment in infrastructure. Understandably, the focus of that additional investment is on housing and water but we must not forget about public transport. It is so essential for developing integrated cities. I say this not just about my own city but also about the Minister of State's city. We must do this right across the country. One of the benefits of ensuring that we get this to a planning stage is that the contractors building these public transport projects, such as the Luas to Finglas, will know there is a pipeline of delivery into the future.”
“We know that the changes we have made when it comes to transport in Dublin, particularly when it relates to high-frequency bus routes, have been hugely successful. The numbers are through the roof. We know that if we build additional public transport, those numbers will follow. We could have 3,000 people every single hour travelling up and down on the Luas. I ask that this project be given heavy consideration in the context of the upcoming review of the national development plan in the summer.”
“Surely it is common sense that when Dublin Port will be building this bridge, which, assuming planning gets approved in the next month or two, could be within the next two to three years, at the same time that the NTA will be working lock, stock and barrel with this Dublin Port expansion plan, the NTA will be ready to put forward to An Bord Pleanála its application to extend the Luas. We are really talking only about anywhere between 2 km and 4 km, depending on how the route would be done. It would connect the north inner city to the south inner city. The red line would go across the Liffey and we would be developing the kind of integrated transport network for Dublin that we all want to see.”
“There is a lot of criticism in this country about how we deliver major infrastructural projects, but one project that was delivered on budget and on time was the last major extension of the Luas, the Luas cross city. I ask the Government to consider, in the context of the review of the national development plan, progression of the Luas Poolbeg extension to a planning stage in the lifetime of this Dáil. The Luas to Finglas is already before An Bord Pleanála. The Luas to Lucan is at an option stage. This relatively minor extension is a third Luas extension project which has a lot of merit. It could transform the area, link in the high-frequency bus routes and the DART+ in the area and, most importantly, serve the future transport needs of the more than 10,000 people who will be living in the area.”
“As the Minister of State will be aware, one of the largest housing projects in Dublin city is under construction in Poolbeg, on the famous glass bottle site, with already 500 homes built there and 3,500 homes to be ultimately constructed. There are also plans for a hotel in the area, which have been put forward by the planning applicant. Potentially, there could be 10,000 people living there. To put that into perspective, the population of Ringsend and Irishtown in 2016 was 10,000, so we are talking about doubling the population in an area that has not had many people living in it. It is essential that we have joined-up thinking when it comes to our housing and that people have the public transport infrastructure they need.”
“I thank the Minister of State for attending. This Topical Issue is very straightforward and I hope he will see the practical sense in what I am proposing. Dublin Port is carrying out a major expansion plan that will meet its future needs. In the context of what is taking place in the world right now, never has investment been so important to ensure we have access to ports for trade. The planning application that is before An Bord Pleanála includes the construction of a new bridge alongside the toll bridge over the Liffey. That bridge is able to facilitate a Luas to go across it. When Dublin Port was bringing its planning application to An Bord Pleanála, it consulted with the NTA to ensure that its application would meet the future needs of public transport in that area.”
“There is a fear out there that it is being mothballed. Will the Taoiseach allay this fear and give a clear timeline on when the recommendations will be brought to the Government?”
“A very important infrastructure project is before An Bord Pleanála at present. This is the expansion of Dublin Port. Part of this expansion includes the construction of a new bridge alongside the toll bridge. Part of this bridge will facilitate the extension of the Luas from the Three Arena to Poolbeg via Irishtown and Ringsend. Does the Taoiseach agree it would be common sense that we proceed now with this extension of the Luas to Poolbeg, where 3,500 homes are being built to facilitate a growth of population in the area by 10,000? Connecting the Luas between Ringsend and Irishtown would provide a level of connectivity between the DART and the bus which would make a massive change for the area. Will the Taoiseach give an update on the interdepartmental group on the Dublin city task force?”
“I am not suggesting that this is the route we should go down. However, in conjunction with identifying and fully funding the type of programmes at local level that work in terms of getting people out of crime, we have to take a serious look, from an operational point of view, at how we can ensure An Garda Síochána can engage with children who are below the age of criminal responsibility but who are being used as drug mules in some cases or who are involved in pernicious and consistent antisocial behaviour and who know they will not face arrest or charges because they are underage. These are the matters that require review and consideration. I have asked the Minister to examine all three.”
“At the very least, that situation should be excluded and the Minister should make regulations in that regard. The final matter I will touch on is the age of criminal responsibility, which has been 12 in Ireland for a long time. There were commissions that talked about raising this. I go back to my first point, namely that if you talk to the people who act in the area of youth diversion, the one thing they will say is that they are dealing with younger and younger children. The reality is that unless it is a criminal matter, there is only so much An Garda Síochána can do. Many community gardaí go around to parents and talk about antisocial behaviour orders and what might happen. However, if a child is under the age of 12, there is not much An Garda Síochána can do. In the UK, the age of criminal responsibility is ten.”
“In the annual review, for every single year of the monitoring of the diversion programme, the reports of the various offences of the thousands of children who have been diverted into the programme can be seen, which include very serious crimes such as homicide and sexual offences. The Minister should carry out a review into whether now is the time for regulations to be initiated that would exclude certain offences. It is not appropriate that the director of the juvenile diversion programme is vested with the responsibility of determining, in the case of a person who is 18 or under and has killed somebody, whether he or she should be admitted into the programme. It should be left to the Director of Public Prosecutions to decide whether that person should be prosecuted or not.”
“Young people are entered into the diversion programme if they admit criminal responsibility. For people under the age of 18, no matter what crime they have committed, their file will be referred to the director of the juvenile diversion programme. The director has to make a decision on whether to admit that child to the programme, but an absolute statutory must is the child must admit to the crime he or she is alleged to have committed. One of the challenges of the programme is that while the legislation, which has been in place for a lengthy period, provides for regulations whereby the Minister can exclude certain offences that would not be eligible for the programme, no Minister has ever excluded any offences.”
“The Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, will be very familiar with the St. Andrew's Resource Centre in my constituency, which does extraordinary work to bring young people from south and north inner-city areas together. They work on projects together and are brought on trips together to try to de-escalate where conflicts have arisen, especially among young people, including antisocial behaviour and other types of crime. These are run by amazing people and youth workers. These need to be funded and to continue to be funded, but there is a lack of lessons being learned at a national level regarding what is taking place at local level and how successful programmes could be emulated in other parts of the country. That prevention side is something the Minister of State should carry out a review into. The legislation is very clear.”
“I marvel at Deputy Boyd Barrett's success in naming all the clubs in his constituency. I will add Ranelagh Gaels, Clanna Gael and Templeogue Synge Street to that list of clubs looking for pitches. In fairness, the point was well made. It is one most people in the House would agree with. I will touch on three matters. The first is youth prevention. I am not talking about the diversion programme, when somebody is entered into that programme and a JLO is appointed. I am talking about avoiding young people engaging in criminality in the first place. The second issue I will talk about is the legislation, its operation and things that could be done to update it. The final matter I will touch on is the age of criminal responsibility. There are some superb projects, outside of the diversion programme, that act in this area.”
“Investment in infrastructure is a key part of the programme for Government. Housing and water infrastructure are key in that but public transport is too. Dublin Port is carrying out an expansion plan and is going to build a new bridge alongside the toll bridge that would facilitate the extension of the Luas to Poolbeg. I ask that in the lifetime of this Dáil we get that project at least to a stage where there would at least be planning permission sought for a Luas extension to Poolbeg via Ringsend and Irishtown, and we could build on the extensions already happening for Finglas and Lucan.”
“I thank the Minister. There is no sugar-coating the tariff announcements made yesterday evening. We are only beginning to understand their effects. It is now the reality that the United States, which started globalisation, is seeking to bring an end to it. We in the European Union need to be proud of what we have done in developing the largest single market in the world. We need to ensure we do more in Europe to better enhance in particular our banking market and the impact this can have. The history of Europe has always been forged in crisis. The response to these crises has always made Europe better and led to more prosperity and more peace. We need to ensure that Ireland remains at the heart of this. We need to take measures at domestic level. Most of this will be in the form of investment in infrastructure.”
“My question relates to the policy response to tariffs that were hypothetical when I tabled it and that are now real. I am concerned about a creeping narrative emerging from certain quarters within the Opposition, and Sinn Féin in particular, which seeks to pitch Ireland against Europe in the response. Does the Minister agree that in our response to this we need more, and not less, Europe? The Single Market now stands as a shining light for free trade and the rule of law. What we need in response is Europe working together.”
“A lot of the people who are attending those parks to sell their goods are selling organic produce and perhaps there is more the Department could do to fund smaller projects like that.”
“I thank the Minister and it is great to hear that. It is important to reiterate the importance of the funding for projects right across the country, including ones that will take place in my own constituency in Merrion Square. Ultimately, if we want to have a successful, thriving food culture and a thriving restaurant sector in Dublin, it is about promoting these farmers' markets everywhere. It is something the Department could perhaps look at to not just target the major events like a park in Merrion Square that everybody is visiting but perhaps the smaller parks. In the Dublin City Council area, lots of markets take place every weekend such as in Herbert Park or St. Anne's Park, which are not in my constituency.”
“We know the challenges the restaurant sector right across Ireland faces and that is why this Government has committed to reducing the VAT rate to 9% in the lifetime of this Government. That will be a very important measure as they deal with their cost of business. Equally, it is about promoting the philosophies that underpin these restaurants as well.”
“I thank the Minister of State and I welcome his support for the funding of farmers' markets and organic food fairs. In all seriousness, these fairs are a very good way of bridging some of the differences and divides between rural and urban Ireland and fostering a greater understanding and appreciation of rural Ireland in urban environments but crucially, there is a real economic value to this. Most of the new restaurants that emerge in Dublin or Cork or wherever are built off the ethos of farm to fork. That is where the punters are going. That is where they are spending their money. Other European countries are very proud of promoting the food manifesto. In particular, one of the ways the Nordic countries have to encourage people to visit is the thriving restaurant sectors they have.”
“I congratulate the Minister and all the other Ministers on their roles and wish them well in their brief. They might not see me here much but this is an issue of interest to me. It is about the farm-to-fork philosophy. A very successful organic food fair was run in Merrion Square last year. My question is on whether it will be funded again this year. Second, can the type of funding that went towards that fair be extended to parks and other urban areas, not just in Dublin?”
“The Irish people overwhelmingly support integration with our European partners but some parties here have resisted EU-level co-operation at every turn. With the threat of tariffs, a retreat from multilateralism and belligerent revisionist powers on the rise, now is not the time to turn away from our partners. There is nothing to be gained from standing back and not having an Irish voice heard. If we are to provide our citizens with the security and prosperity they deserve in a more uncertain world, an unrelenting focus on the ingredients of our success, namely, fiscal responsibility, pro-enterprise economic policies and a commitment to multilateralism, must be the mission of this Government over the next five years. I am confident it will meet the scale of challenges we face.”
“I was disappointed to see the First Minister of Northern Ireland, who professed she would be a First Minister for all, boycott the St. Patrick’s Day proceedings in the US last week while the deputy First Minister attended. Is signalling and gesture politics really more productive than engaging and advocating? Does it do anything to advance the interests of our citizens and of those we are seeking to help abroad or to advance peace on this island? This is not the kind of mature multilateral approach that has allowed Ireland to punch above its weight in the past and where US diplomacy has played such an important role in supporting the Good Friday Agreement, nor is the Euroscepticism we have seen from some quarters of this parish.”
“The outcome of the latest election demonstrates the public still values a responsible approach to managing the economy. Of course, our position within the world is not just economic. Ireland is a country perhaps best known for its commitment to multilateralism and constructive engagement with partners. Any discussion of international security, trade and investment would be incomplete without discussing the importance of investing in our relationships. Some here have demonstrated they would abandon their duty to invest in our relationships for political reasons. This fortress Ireland approach whereby we do not engage with those we disagree with is another example of how some in the Opposition do not take our place in the world seriously.”
“We are now putting away billions of euro every year to provide for this uncertain future and to invest in our infrastructure. These funds are just one example of how responsible economic management will facilitate continued investment as the world becomes less secure. These choices really matter. History shows governments cannot escape the reality imposed by bond markets, irresponsible management of the public finances always ends badly and all profligate governments run out of money. What some parties promised in the election is precisely the opposite of what our country needs if we are to sustainably meet the needs of our people over the coming years. With their approach, we would end up spending more money on debt and would be less able to provide the security and services our citizens deserve.”
“While there are real problems that need to be addressed, it is better to face them from a strong position rather than one burdened by debt. We are also an example of how economic openness and a commitment to trade can lift a country from poverty to wealth in a short period. There are endless statistics I could list to demonstrate this. I could simply point to the Docklands in my constituency of Dublin Bay South as a microcosm of the success and security our pro-enterprise policies have brought. However, we are all aware the real headwinds are coming as we seek to address our housing and infrastructure challenges. Ireland has enjoyed record corporation tax receipts in recent years and that is why we created the Future Ireland Fund and the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund.”
“Higher interest rates also make it more expensive to invest in our infrastructure as our population grows and to support our population as it ages. Fine Gael has always emphasised the importance of a well-run economy and sound fiscal management for these reasons. A country that cannot afford to invest will not be secure for long even if times are good now. Our approach has borne fruit and Ireland is a beacon of strong public finances in a sea of ever-growing debt. For example, recent NTMA figures show Ireland is one of the very few countries that has significantly improved its debt position since the pandemic. We have reduced our debt-to-GDP ratio by almost 15%. In practical terms, this means we can devote more money to bettering the lives of our citizens as opposed to repaying our debts.”
“I am weary of this debate devolving into partisan discussions about defence spending, neutrality or the idea focusing on our security is a zero-sum game. Not only is this kind of thinking maximalist and misleading, but it obfuscates broader and more important points about our security. When thinking about international security and our place in the world, we must constantly remember that, as dull as it might sound, our capacity to provide security rests on our ability to finance public spending. This capacity is a function of our economic strength and competitiveness. Debt repayment is not optional. Strong public finances are the foundation on which a strong economy and the capacity to invest are built. Interest rates play a huge role in the provision of housing, especially apartments.”
“The antidemocratic suggestions are not being put from this side of the House. The world around us is changing as we speak. In recent weeks and months, the postwar system that has brought us peace and security unknown to any past generation has been called into question. Our European friends and allies recognise this. Policy changes that would have been unthinkable a decade ago or even a year ago have been initiated in short order. It is in this context I welcome the opportunity to discuss Ireland’s approach to international security and international trade. Our approach to navigating a more turbulent world must be guided by two principles, namely, that economic strength is the foundation of our security and that multilateralism and engagement are always our best option.”
“-----for the very simple reason that we do not want our peacekeepers and where we carry out peacekeeping missions to be vetoed by China, Russia or any other major power. The extraordinary proposal from the Social Democrat Deputy was that his role as a legislator would somehow be transposed into some makey-uppy vote of the general public unrelated to our Constitution. It is only when our Constitution has to be changed that we have a referendum. The Deputy wants to remove the powers of this Dáil and have some form of plebiscite. That is undemocratic.”
“During this debate we have, quite rightly, heard references from both sides of the House to preserving the international world order and the rule of law. However, a Deputy from the Social Democrats - I do not know whether he was enunciating Social Democrat policy - said there should be a plebiscite on the triple lock. This is a matter both parties that formed the Government had a very clear position on when they went to the electorate. They told the electorate that if they got elected and entered government, they would remove the triple lock-----”
“One in four women in Ireland experience domestic violence in their lifetime, a statistic that should shock us all into action. This is not just a societal failure; it is a crisis. We cannot turn a blind eye. We cannot accept this as inevitable. It is within our power to change it and we must do so, and when men take an active role in fighting gender-based violence, supporting women's leadership and ensuring equality in the workplace, we move from words to actions. As we mark International Women's Day 2025, let us commit to a future where gender equality is not a battle to be won, and where we build an Ireland that is fairer, safer and stronger for everyone.”
“Figures such as Andrew Tate peddle a world view that is not just misogynistic, but dangerously influential. The impact is real. Young men are absorbing these messages and their perceptions of women are being warped by them. I have no doubt that many in the House have themselves seen or heard about this disturbing shift. We cannot afford to be passive in the face of this. It is imperative that we equip young men with the critical thinking and moral compass to challenge these harmful narratives, and we must do so quickly. Research shows that attitudes formed in our formative years are difficult to unlearn, so the time to act is now. The urgency is not abstract and it is not distant. It is happening in homes and communities across Ireland today.”
“It will expand refuge spaces, strengthen support services and ensure a zero-tolerance approach to gender-based violence. It is self-evident that a large amount of work is still to be done. Women in Ireland face a gender pay gap. Women are still underrepresented in business and politics. One in four women in Ireland experiences domestic violence. This is not just a women's issue. It is a national issue and men must be part of the solution. It is vital for men today to reflect on the example set by those who have championed gender inequality before us but I am deeply concerned by some of the trends we are seeing emerging among young men here in Ireland and around the world. We are witnessing the rise of toxic ideologies about gender spreading rapidly through online spaces and shaping attitudes in troubling ways.”
“Closer to home, Garret FitzGerald, as Taoiseach, took on the challenge of workplace inequality, helping to dismantle the laws that once forced married women to leave their jobs. These men understood that their role was not to speak over women but to amplify their voices, challenge injustice and use their influence to break down barriers. Today, we must do the same. We have made progress. Ireland is taking great strides in gender equality, from repealing the eighth amendment, when male allies played a role in standing up for women's rights, to the introduction of gender quotas in politics, the fight for equal pay and better representation in leadership. Just this year, we saw the launch of Cuan, Ireland's first dedicated domestic, sexual and gender-based violence agency. This is a game-changer.”