Joanna Byrne
Louth · Sinn Féin · Ireland
“Irish artists and writers have given their labour, blood, sweat, tears and dreams to creating something uniquely human - songs, stories, music and paintings that mean so much to many - only to see their labour being fed to AI systems without their consent and without being financially compensated for their loss.”
“A couple of days before my tenth birthday, I came home from school to once again find my mother beaten to a pulp and our home smashed to pieces. The bravery of my mother that day changed the course of our lives forever.”
“The basic income for artists scheme was only made permanent after it proved it could boost the economy. Many of our beloved cultural events are based on Irish artists having the backing to be able to hone their craft and share their art.”
“As a nine-, eight-, seven-, six- and five-year-old girl, I used to sit at the top of the stairs and pray to hear my mam scream or cry because it was the only way I knew she was surviving another beating.”
“We have the Presidency at the Council of the EU for the next six months and this is the opportune time to act. Whether by accident or design, putting protections in place has been non-existent or has been moving at a snail's pace.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion on protecting the copyright of Irish artists in the era of artificial intelligence. It is important to note this is a nuanced and targeted motion to protect Irish artists across the entire spectrum of the arts.”
The complete record
Every one of 395 lines we hold for Joanna Byrne, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 8 of 8.
“That is a fact. It gives me no pleasure to say any of this. For the common good, I want every Government housing and homelessness policy to be effective for every single person on the housing list, for every one of the hidden homeless, for every family in a homeless hub, and for all of those in emergency accommodation. I want the policies to work, but they do not and will not. To think they will work is to ignore the facts. The Housing Commission has urged the Government to adopt its proposals for more new homes. We and the other Opposition parties have put forward our proposals to deliver more homes and to put a roof over every citizen’s head. The Government amendment to this Private Members’ motion is more of the same lines repeated, denying facts and again not addressing the issue.”
“It should come as no surprise that Sinn Féin supports the principle behind this Private Members’ motion, as many of the policy proposals are in line with Sinn Féin’s housing policy. Of course, correction is needed. The Government’s overall housing policy has not worked to date and will not work in the future. To think otherwise is to ignore the facts. While the Minister, Deputy Browne, gave his opinion that the Government’s housing policies are working, opinions are simply not the facts. The housing lists are growing in county and city councils throughout the State. Homelessness is growing. The generation of children raised in emergency accommodation or living long term in hotel rooms is growing. Those are the facts. There has been a 35% increase in those needing emergency accommodation in my home county of Louth in just one year.”
“Every move around speaking time in this Chamber has been in service to Michael Lowry and his group, with Government backbenchers thrown in as an afterthought. It should not and does not need to be this way. We could have worked together, Opposition and Government representatives, at the Dáil reform committee to come to an arrangement that suited all, as was committed to by the Government, and ensure everyone had speaking time from the correct side of the House. However, Deputies opposite brought the guillotine down on that, enabled by the Ceann Comhairle. In doing the Government's bidding, she has lost the confidence of the combined Opposition. While we all know the outcome of this motion, she has a mammoth task ahead of her to rebuild the confidence and respect she needs to fulfil her duties.”
“Deputy Murphy all but confirmed everybody's suspicions last week when instead of taking the chance to stamp her authority and show she is truly independent, in what looked like a co-ordinated move between her and the Government, she put aside the rules of this House and sledgehammered through the Government's interests. To compound the fact the Ceann Comhairle sided with the Government and disrespected the Opposition, when her office was contacted by Opposition Whips on the matter, they were ignored. Also ignored was the video evidence that showed last week's vote was not conducted correctly, with her office sticking to the line that everything was done in accordance with the rules of the House.”
“I can stand over everything I say and do here, and previously as a member of Louth County Council, as being for the common good. Unfortunately, when it comes to the running of this House, what the Ceann Comhairle has said and done so far has only been in service to the deal the Lowry grouping of Independent TDs made with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, which made her the Ceann Comhairle. It did not have to be so. She had a chance to prove she was truly impartial, that she was a fit Ceann Comhairle and that the suspicions around the deal that put her in her position were unfounded. This was not done.”
“In my maiden speech in December, I emphasised how I am a young woman who prides myself on breaking down barriers for women in worlds traditionally dominated by men. Verona Murphy, too, has done that as the first female Ceann Comhairle of this House. She had a chance to dispense with the old boys' club, the back-room deals, the wink-and-nudge politics and, indeed, the stroke politics. She had a chance to steer the ship straight and avoid partisan decisions, as her position demands her to do, but, regrettably, she chose not to do so. I have prided myself throughout my career on being able to work with everyone across political divides, always seeking what is the common good and not being driven by partisan views or political point scoring.”
“Not only that, will he commit to a concrete timeline to give the survivors some hope that their need for truth and justice will finally be met?”
“This morning, I hosted a briefing here in Leinster House with Dignity4Patients, an organisation that supports victims of sexual abuse and inappropriate sexual behaviour in medical settings. For decades, the great and the good of Irish politics have pledged their support to this organisation and, in particular, to the survivors of Ireland's most prolific paedophile, Michael Shine. Yet, survivors still have to come here in 2025 and relive their pain and trauma in order to elevate their campaign for the establishment of a commission of investigation. I acknowledge and thank Larry, Cianan, Gerard, Peter and Ian for their bravery this morning. I understand the Taoiseach will be meeting this group on 16 April. With that in mind, with comes healing. Will the Taoiseach commit to delivering the commission of investigation?”
“That delay has put people out of the homes that, in some cases, have been rented for years or even decades, and in turn causing homelessness. This decision by Government will cost the taxpayer more in the long run, as those who will have to leave their homes will most likely end up in emergency accommodation. The Minister must provide local authorities with their capital allocations and targets for 2025 as a matter of urgency, allow them to process all outstanding applications and reopen the tenant in situ scheme, without restrictions, to new applications. This is the Minister's first big policy decision and I urge him not to oppose this motion or back the Government amendment, as the proof in what Government policy delivers is clear. That is a 35% increase in those needing emergency accommodation in my constituency in just one year.”
“As a former county councillor and chair of Louth County Council's housing strategic policy committee, I know the impact and real-life positives the tenant in situ scheme had for those lucky enough to be approved, and still the requests by tenants who have been served notices to quit by their landlords who want to sell their properties are coming in thick and fast, daily and weekly. For some reason, this scheme, which has actually delivered and allowed people to stay in their homes, has been suspended since the end of last year due to the failure of Government to agree the funding and targets for 2025. Hundreds of applications have been left pending without a decision due to uncertainty and lack of funding.”
“Despite Government assertions that it is tackling the housing crisis and adequately fighting to end homelessness, the reality on the ground tells a far different story. In one week in January 2024, there were 172 adults accessing emergency accommodation in Louth. In the same week in 2025, that had jumped to 232 adults. That is a stark 35% increase in those needing emergency accommodation in the space of just a year. By any definition or metric, that paints a picture of abject failure by this Government to tackle homelessness in Louth.”
“She is my mam, dad, best friend and mentor, and I would not have achieved anything I have in my life without her. I dedicate this to her today.”
“I am also the youngest chairperson. It was an honour for me to be appointed chair of Drogheda United Football Club, the club I love so dear, in November 2022. Anyone who knows me knows I wear my colours with deep pride and am very proud of the club for being so progressive in appointing a female leader and making history in doing so. If me being in this role helps break down barriers for women in a male-dominated world, I have no doubt it will in time pave the way for further opportunities for like-minded women throughout the League of Ireland. While my late grandad fuelled my passion on the pitch and my involvement with the Drogs, one person has been my greatest inspiration in everything I have done and continue to do. That is my mam, Martina. She is a survivor. She is strong, brave and resilient. She is my driving force every day.”
“My commitment to this is probably what led me to being an unintended politician. I have been fortunate to have a platform to voice these causes through community activism, many years on Louth County Council and, hopefully, my work in this House. While International Women's Day tends to focus on women, understandably, it is important to note the role men play daily in breaking down barriers, working towards gender equality and helping to break bias, stereotypes and discrimination. While much has been done, there is much more to do. The "Accelerate Action" theme of this year's International Women's Day is more important than ever. In my downtime and when not wearing my political hat, I take great pride in being the first female chairperson of a League of Ireland club throughout the history of all 20 clubs in the country.”
“Gender balance is important in all walks of life but especially in any organisation that leads our society. I am a firm believer in national and local politics being reflective of the times we live in and am proud to speak on my first International Women's Day as a TD for Sinn Féin, a party that champions real change and prides itself on elevating women. I am lucky to be surrounded by capable and committed women on the Sinn Féin benches, none more so than our formidable party leader, Mary Lou McDonald. When we as community leaders inspire others to understand and value women's inclusion, we forge a better world. When women are inspired to be included, there is a sense of belonging, relevance and empowerment. I have always been passionate about breaking down barriers for young women.”
“The fate of our senior international teams, both male and female, relies on our delivering a fitting future for every boy and girl who enters their own field of dreams. I implore the Minister and the Minister of State to make their mark, be the voice for youth football in Ireland and continue to support the FAI in its endeavours to harness the academies to develop a full-time football industry. I look forward to working with them both in the future to that end.”
“The FAI has worked tremendously hard in recent years to enhance its reputation as a trusted and respected brand. It has an ambitious facilities development and investment strategy that commits to raising standards within grassroots and recreational football. With nearly 1,200 grassroots clubs and more than 220,000 registered players over 75 leagues, the numbers speak for themselves. Participation and the potential are ever growing. I welcome the Minister of State's contribution today, but kicking the ball down the field and delaying State funding for League of Ireland academies, as was referred to in an interview with the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, last week, is not an option. As a nation, we are falling short on all fronts when it comes to recognising the potential League of Ireland clubs and grassroots football can bring.”
“Alarmingly, staffing levels for our academies are among the lowest in Europe, with ten full-time staff across 24 academies here, Poland boasting 376 staff across 16 clubs and Portugal with 315 over seven academies. Croatia, often hailed in comparison to Ireland due to its having a similar population, has 190 full-time academy staff across ten clubs.”
“Despite football being the biggest sport in Ireland, I feel it has been overlooked for too long in this country, in particular our footballing academies. The future of Irish football relies on investment, resources and infrastructure to support, build and evolve youth football. Historically, resources have not been there to give players the contact hours with coaches that are necessary. Irish clubs as a whole are fighting to survive and they need support from all relevant stakeholders, including the Government. Statistics outline the difference in training hours for a kid at an Irish club compared with its counterpart category 3 club in the UK. They fall way short. As the ages rise from under-14s to under-17s, so too do the disparity and the imbalance.”
“I ask the Minister to give an update on and a timeline for the creation of football academies with the FAI and the League of Ireland, as contained in the programme for Government, and to make a statement on the matter.”
“It is interesting that the Minister asks me where I would get the figures from. I have read the Minister's brief and, in the sections that detail the agencies under the remit of his Department, the annual budget for Coimisiún na Meán is blank. No figure is provided. Is the Minister considering reforming the TV licence before providing this figure or where is he at with it? It is a serious matter. Just because the TV licence is not as prominent in the headlines as it once was, that does not mean the Minister should not be paying it any attention.”
“Both of these bodies made these recommendations after long and considered discussions and consideration of all of the information required to make such a decision. They were not knee-jerk reactions to the multiple scandals - which are still unresolved in some cases - around governance and spending in RTÉ. In fact, the Future of Media Commission recommendation was made before any of the RTÉ scandals were unearthed. The RTÉ scandals did have a knock-on effect and there was a total reduction in revenue generated by TV licence sales for the 12-month period between July 2023 and June 2024 that amounted to a reduction of €29 million compared with the year before, prior to the scandals being uncovered. When will the reform happen? We need to get timelines on this from the Minister. I appreciate his response but this issue is not going away.”
“A vibrant, diverse, financially sustainable and independent media sector is critical to any well functioning democracy. Across Europe, the TV licence model is being phased out because it is outdated and does not work. The Minister is aware that in 2022 the Future of Media Commission recommended the TV licence fee be replaced by direct Exchequer funding in 2024. The Minister's Government chose to ignore that recommendation and kicked the can down the road by means of reform. The Minister is aware that in the previous Dáil term, just last year, the media committee also officially recommended the TV licence fee should be abolished and replaced with Exchequer funding. The Government sat on its hands, again, and did nothing to progress this.”
“Will he confirm that he has received this? What response does he have to give to this group of activists who have asked me to raise this today?”
“It is very clear the people of Ireland stand with the Palestinian people and oppose Israeli aggression and apartheid. There are groups holding events, protests, vigils and collecting signatures the length and breadth of Ireland to try to get the Government to finally pass the occupied territories Bill. The Drogheda Stands with Palestine group has mobilised in solidarity every Saturday since 7 October 2023, which is 17 months this Saturday. On 1 February, it ran a vibrant three-hour campaign and collected 1,002 physical signatures and 167 online, calling for the occupied territories Bill to be enacted without delay. These signatures have come from people of all ages and all walks of life. I understand the Taoiseach’s party colleague, Deputy McGreehan, met the group last week and collected a petition pack to present to the Taoiseach.”
“If we are to reduce the waiting times I highlighted earlier for driving tests in Navan and Dundalk, then a driving test centre must be opened in Drogheda as soon as possible. The Government and RSA need to meet their commitments and provide driving tests within the statutory waiting time. Drogheda has been sidelined for too long, There are no excuses that will suffice any longer. A permanent test centre for Drogheda has to become a priority for all stakeholders.”
“Can anyone in the Government or the RSA really state, with a straight face, that there no traffic issues around any of the other driver testing routes throughout the State? In another one, the reason given was the presence of speed ramps. Traffic and speed ramps are a fact of life for all drivers, so it beggars belief that the RSA would not want drivers to be prepared for them. At present, there are 45,000 people living in Drogheda, as the Minister knows, as he does not live too far away. The population is set to increase by around 20,000 in the next five years under the northern environs plan, with 5,000 new homes forecast or under way. We need a driving test centre to serve a large population in a large geographical area spanning south Louth and east Meath.”
“In some cases, towns far smaller than Drogheda have two test centres. People in Drogheda do not begrudge this, but it is genuinely farcical at this stage that a permanent driving test centre site cannot be found in Drogheda, the largest town in lreland, after seven years of searching. Up and down the country, there are driving test centres operating out of offices and rooms in hotels, yet the Government cannot seem to locate a single building in Drogheda that is suitable for a test centre. According to the RSA, 14 sites were inspected in Drogheda last year. Of those 14 sites, seven were deemed to be not suitable but no reason was given. Traffic was given as the reason for not allowing a centre at other sites.”
“The statutory maximum waiting time for a driving test is ten weeks and no test centre in the country is meeting that or even coming close to it. There is no driving test centre in Drogheda, the largest town in Ireland and the sixth largest urban centre in the State. What will become the next city in the country has no driving test centre of its own. People in south Louth and east Meath have to travel to do their driving tests, usually to Navan or Dundalk, but sometimes to Dublin, due to waiting times. They have to drive on unfamiliar roads with no local knowledge and it may be the only time they drive those roads. To add to the inconvenience of having to travel for driving tests, the waiting time in the Navan test centre is 35 weeks, while in Dundalk it is 23 weeks. There are 76 test centres around the country.”
“A meeting is to take place next Monday with the Department of Transport regarding funding of the final phase, the crucial piece that will open up the area entirely. Will the Government, after 19 years, finally commit to funding the final phase and the completion of the port access northern cross route or will Drogheda become the biggest cul-de-sac in the State for years to come?”
“The port access northern cross route in my home of Drogheda has been planned since 2006. Funding applications were refused by successive Governments right up to 2022, when phase 1 was funded by Louth County Council, Housing Infrastructure Services and developers. Phase 2 is about to commence and is to be funded by Louth County Council through development levies. Phase 3, the crucial section that crosses the Dublin to Belfast railway line, is flagged as a strategic priority for Louth County Council in terms of road infrastructure with the Department of Transport. It needs to be funded by central government. The Departments of Transport and the Housing, Local Government and Heritage have both refused to fund this road to deliver homes to 5,000 people by means of schemes that delivered roads and homes elsewhere in the country.”
“All procedures will be thorough and due process will be followed. However, SOSAD will not have time to do that if we cannot keep the doors open, and lives will be lost.”
“It is organisations like SOSAD that play a significant part in preventing many tragic losses. The question is whether these lives are worth saving. If they are, then that intervention is needed now. It is my understanding that the interim funding discussed by the Minister of State and SOSAD was immediate stopgap funding until the compliance and governance procedures that the Minister of State outlined could be met with the HSE. SOSAD is doing that. The downfall seems to be this stopgap funding. I urge the Minister of State to at least engage in dialogue with SOSAD immediately, advise it on what steps can be taken next and seek out, through her colleagues and counterparts, something to keep its doors open. I have got the commitment from SOSAD and I can guarantee her that the requirements on compliance and governance will be met.”
“I thank the Minister of State for her response. It was very heartfelt. I believe she understands the sentiment and the urgency of this. The stark reality is that this organisation is in a very vulnerable position. Its closure would be a devastating loss to thousands of people. What is more, I do not believe the HSE and other service providers would be able to fill that gap in its absence in the long term and certainly not in the short term. Mental health issues and suicide are so prevalent in our society that most people in any room at any given time have been impacted by it in some way, either themselves or through their nearest and dearest. It is, without a doubt, a dark cloud hanging over us and it is never too far away. Lives lost through suicide are probably one form of death that is preventable.”
“A further 25% are aged between 26 and 35, so almost 57% of these people are under the age of 35. Approximately 65% of SOSAD's clients are female and 34% are male. Its helpline offered approximately 250 hours of support last year. It is simply unthinkable and unacceptable that any Minister or Government is prepared to gamble with such vital community-based mental health supports. The interim emergency funding that was promised must be urgently provided. The Minister of State has an opportunity to intervene here, at the eleventh hour, before it is too late. I plead with her to engage with SOSAD as a matter of urgency and make good on her commitments.”
“Other colleagues around the country have done the same. I have met with SOSAD several times in its Drogheda offices, where I saw the importance of the service at first hand. For context, I will quickly put on record some of the statistics that will prove, if it was ever in doubt, how invaluable this service is to my home town of Drogheda, throughout Louth and the north east, and nationwide. In 2024, the service offered more than 23,000 counselling sessions to more than 1,900 individual clients from 28 counties and 150 different nationalities. The office in Drogheda facilitated more than 8,000 sessions; in Meath nearly 5,000; in Cavan nearly 3,000; in Laois nearly 3,000; in Dundalk more than 2,000 and in Monaghan more than 1,200. Almost 4% of its clients are under the age of 18. Some 32% are younger than 25 years.”
“Since then, unfortunately, the group has had no contact from the Minister of State, no answer to phone calls or emails and no word on the delivery of the promised funding that is desperately needed to keep SOSAD going. SOSAD's first meeting with the HSE took place in January 2025 and the group is now actively engaging with it and planning for sustainable future funding. However, this will not be possible if it cannot keep the doors open in the meantime. With only a few thousand euro in the bank today, the hope of continuing to firefight is looking more bleak by the minute. Interim funding is essential for SOSAD's survival until it can secure long-term sustainable supports from the HSE. I have written to the Minister of State since November, as has my party leader and our party spokesperson on mental health.”
“Following this, on the floor of the House our spokesperson for mental health, Deputy Mark Ward, raised the crisis facing the organisation directly with the Minister of State. He sought urgent Government intervention. Collectively as a group, we then wrote to the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, and asked her to meet the group and to facilitate a meeting between the HSE and SOSAD. A positive meeting took place between the Minister of State and SOSAD in early November 2024. This gave the group hope and, crucially, its members were given a personal commitment by the Minister of State on the provision of interim funding to keep the doors open while the group explored sustainability options with the HSE.”
“For 17 years since its inception in 2007, SOSAD Ireland has provided a crisis lifeline for people struggling with suicidal ideation, self-harm, depression, bereavement, stress and anxiety through the provision of free confidential counselling in-person and remotely, a 24-7 freephone helpline and an online messaging service. This work is supported by a team of 206 volunteer counsellors across Ireland but, without core funding and promised Government intervention, this service - as the Minister of State is aware - is at risk of imminent closure. Last year in October, during mental health awareness month, a Sinn Féin delegation of which I was a member, met with SOSAD representatives here in Leinster House.”
“The Tánaiste, the Taoiseach's partner in government and leader of Fine Gael, needs to make a statement to the Dáil regarding his party's investigation into Senator Martin Conway for inappropriate behaviour towards a female staff member. We know there was an investigation by Fine Gael; what we do not know------”
“If I may, a Cheann Comhairle, I urge the Government to immediately and without delay expand the assistance scheme to recognise what sports clubs need. The fact sports clubs were not mentioned in the Government amendment is deplorable.”
“Bishopsgate, home of League of Ireland club Longford Town, suffered significant damage during Storm Éowyn, with estimates of between €75,000 and €100,000 in damage to the club's grounds. In the very week the League of Ireland's new season commences, this club has had to close its north stand indefinitely. As well as additional costs of chartered engineers, health and safety assessments and a decrease in capacity leading to a loss of revenue, the damage has also forced the club to cancel one of its major annual fundraisers, the bank holiday car boot sale. That event brought in thousands for the club.”
“One week later, at a time of dire straits for so many, on 6 February here on the floor of the House, the Minister made the same statement, stating it "will be a matter for discussion”. A week further on and despite all this discussion, no intervention has commenced and no work has been done to assist. In fact, the Government's amendment to this motion, issued this afternoon, does not even mention sports or sports clubs. That is how much of a priority sport is to the Government side of this House. The Government failed its first test and the Ministers failed their first test. Their inaction is failing sports clubs and community facilities desperately seeking financial assistance to get back on their feet, back open and serving their members and wider communities.”
“The storm hit in earnest on 24 January and to date the Government has done nothing to assist clubs affected, except to administer a drawn-out survey of the damage to be collated by Sport Ireland. I contacted the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media swiftly, within days of the storm, when catastrophic damage to facilities such as Longford Town’s stadium or the Connacht GAA air dome in County Mayo was surveyed and flagged. The response I received from the Minister on 31 January stated: During previous extreme weather emergencies such as Storm Babet in autumn 2023, the Government introduced an emergency relief scheme for community, voluntary and sporting bodies, administered by the Red Cross. Whether such a model is followed this time will be a matter for discussion and decision by the Government.”
“Storm Éowyn was forecast and was expected to be one of the most dangerous storms on record in Ireland, and it was. Warnings went out days in advance and, in turn, sports clubs and community sporting facilities of all sizes and statures throughout the country prepared as well as they could. Equipment was brought inside, anything that could be locked down ahead of the storm was locked down and secured. They all did what they were supposed to do. The Government also knew what was coming. Ample warnings were given. Despite the best efforts of the clubs and facilities across the country, it was inevitable there would be damage, but the Government failed to prepare. No provision was made for sports clubs or community facilities in the fallout.”