Joanne Collins
Agricultural Panel · Sinn Féin · Ireland
“I am going to speak to amendments Nos. 2, 4 and 8. Amendment No. 2 makes it absolutely clear that the strategic emergency gas reserve is exactly that: an emergency reserve. It cannot become another source of gas for day-to-day commercial supply or market management.”
“(3) The Minister must mandate that the CRU carries out an assessment on the impact of the expenses incurred on household bills under this Act and all future Acts relating to construction, operation, maintenance and decommissioning of a Strategic Emergency Gas Reserve.”. I will keep this very brief.”
“I move amendment No. 6: In page 10, between lines 31 and 32, to insert the following: " State-led 5 . (1) The Strategic Emergency Gas Reserve constructed, operated and maintained under this Act and all future Acts relating to its construction, operation, maintenance and decommissioning will be a State-led asset.”
“Yes, I am not going to give out. Regardless of what is said to me I am going to be nice today on our last day. I echo what is being said about everybody enjoying their break and the thanks to all the staff in here. It can be very daunting when you first come in but everybody makes you feel like you can do it. It is great to work here.”
“I move amendment No. 7: In page 10, between lines 31 and 32, to insert the following: " Gas demand 5 . (1) The Minister shall ensure that a Strategic Emergency Gas Reserve established under this Act and all future Acts relating to its construction, operation, maintenance and decommissioning does not lead to an increase in gas demand.”
“I move amendment No. 10: In page 10, between lines 31 and 32, to insert the following: “Decommissioning 5. The Minister shall, within 12 months of the commencement of this Act, outline a plan for decommissioning any Strategic Emergency Gas Reserve constructed, operated, maintained or decommissioned under this Act and all future Acts relat…”
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“Across the border, obviously, it is affecting County Kerry, because there are between 400 and 500 workers in Kostal in Abbeyfeale coming from the two regions, both Limerick and Kerry. This development is devastating for the local area, not only for these positions within the plant but also for the local shops. That is 200 fewer people driving into the town to get their diesel and to go to the shop at lunch. When you see a downward spiral in jobs at this level, it makes you worried as to what is coming. I would like to know what the Department will do. Are the officials going to step in and discuss this with management? SIPTU is meeting with management on 9 October to see if there is any way of saving some of these jobs. There has been mention that some of these jobs could be moved to the company's Mallow branch.”
“I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for coming in. Across County Limerick and the wider region, we have seen a steady erosion of jobs, from Andersen Ireland a decade ago to Irish Dresden in 2021, Rettig in 2023 and, of course, Wyeth Nutritionals, which is closing next March. On top of that, last week we heard the announcement that Kostal in Abbeyfeale will be shutting down one of its sections, which could see up to 50%, that is, 200, of its jobs, being lost. It was confirmed that the company is moving that section of its plant to China. Also last week, Lidl had planning permission in for Abbeyfeale, which was refused, which would have created more employment for the area. It seems to be a downward spiral constantly when it comes to jobs for west Limerick.”
“Our health service depends on migrant workers, as many of my colleagues have said today. Many communities are enriched by newcomers, through small things like families coming over and the increase of children in those communities keeping a teacher in a smaller school because they will up the numbers. It is a good thing; we just need to have the proper resources in place. The Government needs to work and do its job. We need to plan properly, supporting our communities and stamping out profiteering. The people of Ireland cannot continue to carry the weight of the Government's failures. It is time that we put the resources in place and looked after our communities.”
“One company, IGO, paid its directors €4.6 million in 2024 from State contracts. Shockingly, contracts are even being awarded to firms linked to organised crime and fraudulent Garda vetting. Communities are left to cope while profiteers cash in. That is not just scandalous, it is a betrayal of the Irish people. The Government has failed to plan, protect these communities or safeguard the public money. It has created chaos and that chaos has bred division. Sinn Féin is clear: we need a full review of all contracts, an end to planning exemptions and real transparency so taxpayers know where the money is going. We need a migration system that is fair for those who come here seeking safety and for the communities that welcome them. Migration can and should be a positive force for Ireland.”
“Yet in the middle of all these crises, the Government has imposed migration policies on communities without consultation, resources or fairness. Centres are being opened in areas under massive strain with no proper assessment of services and no genuine engagement with local people, just a top-down approach from Dublin. Instead of planning properly, the Government has relied on planning exemptions and heavy-handed directives that ignore the reality on the ground. Communities are left as an afterthought. Meanwhile, profiteering has spiralled out of control due to this negligence. This year alone, the State will spend an estimated €1.2 billion on IPAS accommodation and hundreds of millions more housing Ukrainians. The average daily rate paid per bed soared by 68% between 2022 and 2024.”
“I thank the Minister of State for being here this evening for what is a very important debate in this House. It is not spoken about very often and some might be afraid to speak about it, but it does need to be debated and we need to set the record straight on what is actually happening here in our wonderful country. At the moment, communities across Ireland are at breaking point. The Minister of State knows this himself from calls and emails to his constituency office. People are just at breaking point. Families cannot find homes, schools are overcrowded, GP lists are closed and public transport is collapsing under pressure. Young people who want to build their lives in this country are instead being forced abroad because there is nowhere affordable for them to live.”
“They must be able to access the legal assistance they need without being forced into a position where justice depends on who can endure the process the longest.”
“Many victims appear on paper to have an income or assets yet, in practice, those resources are controlled or withheld by the abuser. In these circumstances, the victims are locked out of the very protections the legal aid system is supposed to offer because the test for legal aid does not reflect the reality of financial abuse. A person should not be disadvantaged simply because they are working or because their abuser is able to manipulate the financial system. Legal aid must be responsive to the true circumstances of victims, and not just the figures that appear on paper. That is why I am calling for the Minister to review the current framework for legal aid. Victims of domestic abuse and domestic violence must not be overlooked.”
“I echo what we have heard in welcoming Martin Hughes to his new role. Congratulations to him. I also thank Bridget Doody, who always had a welcoming smile on her face to put us at ease when we walked in. I hope she enjoys her retirement. Today I will speak about how our legal aid system can sometimes overlook victims of domestic violence. We must recognise the serious gap that exists in our current legal aid system. A victim of domestic abuse who is in employment can often find themselves excluded from free legal aid. On paper that may seem fair, but in reality, it means that victim, who may be working to provide for themselves or for children, is left to cover legal fees. Sometimes the abuser may control the other household finances. Domestic abuse is not just physical or emotional. It can be financial.”
“It would be nice for him to speak on it some time, or pass on a message with regard to whether it looks like it is going ahead or not. Speaking of County Limerick, we had an opportunity last year to bring the World Rally Championship, WRC, to Ireland, which would have had massive economic turnover for both Limerick and Tipperary and Waterford, which were also included in it. That was put on the back burner because those concerned needed to reassess and review certain things within the contracts. However, it seems to be dead in the water. It would be nice to get an idea as to where that stands and whether we are going to see the World Rally Championship come to Ireland and in particular, to Limerick, Waterford and Tipperary.”
“I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber. I wish to discuss sport in the sense that it is not just elite sport we need to talk about, it is all sport. I wish to discuss one sport in particular, which is swimming. I spoke about this a couple of weeks ago here in the Seanad. Swimming as a sport is not just competitive. A swimming service has young and old people as beginners. It is there for physiotherapy and can be used for so much more than just competitive swimming. That is why it would be ideal to have public swimming pools brought into counties in Ireland. There is one in County Limerick which is trying to go into a public realm, but it seems to be hitting a wall. It is actually in the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan’s backyard in Newcastle West.”
“I move amendment No. 1 to Amendment No. 47: After subsection (1), to insert the following: “(1A) The holder of a permission shall notify the public of the application by way of a site notice. (1B) In order to ensure adherence with the State’s obligations under the Aarhus Convention and the principles of good planning and development the relevant authority shall provide for public participation in the certification process by way of inviting written submissions on the application from interested persons or organisations, the relevant authority shall provide no less than 4 weeks from the date of the application for written submissions to be made as advertised in a relevant newspaper and on the authorities website, the relevant authority shall have regard to any submissions made when making a final decision on the request.”.”
“(b) The regulations may include provision for: (i) the publication of public notices, on site, in newspapers and on digital platforms, of any request for an extension of duration under this section; (ii) the publication, on the planning authority website, of all documents relating to the request for an extension of duration; (iii) an appropriate time period for the making of third-party submissions for consideration by the planning authority when considering the request for an extension of duration under this section; (iv) any other matters which the Minister deems relevant in accordance with the obligations of the State under the Aarhus Convention and the principles of proper planning and development.”.”.”
“I move amendment No. 46: In page 13, between lines 30 and 31, to insert the following: “(10A) (a) The Minister may, by way of regulation, provide for third party observations to the planning authority on any request for an extension of duration under this section.”
“Our amendment seeks an explanation from the developer and six-monthly reports on extensions for the same reasons. We just want that bit of transparency. Amendment No. 56 is very similar. It just ensures regular reporting on extensions to improve monitoring and to keep an eye on extensions to planning permissions.”
“I move amendment No. 34: In page 12, between lines 23 and 24, to insert the following: “(b) an explanation as to why the development has not yet commenced, a viability assessment setting out what has changed that would allow the development to commence if an extension of duration is granted, and a detailed schedule of works setting out when the various stages of development will occur,”.”. I will speak on amendments Nos. 34 and 56 together to save time. These amendments relate to the extension of planning permissions where development has not commenced. While these delays can be caused by genuine viability challenges, proper monitoring is needed to ensure that requests for extensions are actually genuine and are not being used by speculators who are deliberately sitting on land.”
“Reducing minimum apartment sizes means renters will pay higher rents for smaller and darker apartments and that does nothing to increase the supply of housing or reduce the cost of rent, which is a huge issue throughout the country at the moment. It is likely to increase the value of the land and push up construction costs. The Irish Planning Institute has showed its disquiet, as many of my colleagues mentioned, and its concerns about the proposed changes. I will leave it at that as I do not want to take up too much time. We are opposing amendment No. 47.”
“I will speak on amendment No. 1 to amendment No. 47. Like the rest of our amendments, this one is out of concern about public participation in all these changes. The Government's changes to apartment sizes are madness. They are a repeat of past failures and will not work. It is rushed legislation, which could be open to legal challenge down the line. Public consultation was skipped. This will most likely have unintended consequences. The Minister of State should have sat down with Opposition parties and gone through pre-legislative scrutiny of this Bill. There is nothing in the rules that will reduce the cost of building apartments. That has been said by many sources. They will just allow more smaller apartments to be put into the plans. Experts are saying the cost will not be reduced.”
“I move amendment No. 19: In page 11, between lines 19 and 20, to insert the following: “(e) The Minister may, by way of regulations, provide for third party observations for consideration by the planning authority to ensure compliance with the State’s obligations under the Aarhus Convention and the principles of good planning and development.”.”.”
“I will take amendments Nos. 19 and 46 together because they both speak to third-party observations. When a planning permission is paused, it can often be that many years have passed since the original planning permission was granted. There has to be some consideration for what might have changed within that time. There must be another opportunity for public participation in that part of the extension request. The State needs to be compliant when it comes to obligations under the Aarhus Convention, and the principles of good planning and development. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it also protects against future legal challenges that may come down the line. Amendment No. 46 calls for public participation and for the Government to be mindful of the State's obligation to the Aarhus Convention.”
“Not every single person who is on carer's allowance will have that many in the house but there will be a few and the current provision seems to push these families into poverty. Perhaps it is something we could have a debate on.”
“I raise the issue of carer's payments in families where more than one person has qualifying care needs. As the Leader will know, carers currently receive half a carer's allowance on top of the full carer's allowance for any additional people they care for. Some families may have two, three or four children with qualifying additional care needs. Much of the time, the position of these families does not allow the person who is caring for those children to go to work, leaving the household with one wage. In the case of a single-parent family, the family can be left with no wage and dependent on that one and half carer's allowances. Is it possible for the Minister for social protection to review this issue? I am not talking about a blanket measure but a mechanism to address exceptional circumstances.”
“However, all of these projects, and others such as MetroLink in Dublin, are seemingly forever out of reach due to the design, planning and construction timelines. Something has gone badly wrong with our delivery of infrastructure. The timelines are out of control, taking decades in some instances. The processes are broken and with every brand-new Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Government, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Sinn Féin is clear that we will back the M20 to completion, deliver a cohesive regional aviation strategy and fully restore the western rail corridor. Real regional development is not about one-off projects; it is about a connecting vision for Ireland's future.”
“Why has Dublin Airport been allowed to reach the crisis point it has, while the airports in Knock, Shannon and Cork remain underutilised? A smart all-island aviation policy would redistribute traffic, support tourism, enhance national connectivity and relieve pressure on Dublin but this would require vision and a Government that sees the entire country and not only the east coast. Let us speak about rail, the forgotten piece of our national transport puzzle. The western rail corridor from Galway to Sligo and beyond is not a pipe dream. It is a strategic asset and it is high time we treated it as such. Reopening the line as part of a wider Atlantic economic corridor would help to tackle regional imbalance, offer real climate action and unlock the true potential of the west and north west.”
“Beyond safety, the M20 is about regional transformation. A Cork to Limerick motorway is not only tarmac; it is the backbone of a twin city powerhouse that could support 300,000 new jobs in the region. This is how we reverse rural decline. It is how we attract foreign direct investment, empower local businesses and build balanced prosperity throughout Ireland. Yet, this vital project is progressing at a painfully slow pace. The proposal to toll the entire motorway undermines the project from the get-go. The Government needs to think seriously about the approach to the M20 project. Let us turn to regional airports. Last summer's High Court stay on Dublin Airport's passenger cap was not just a legal event; it was a damning symbol of a broken aviation strategy.”
“It is great to have the Minister here. I will speak on a number of key areas in transport that would begin to address the great regional imbalance that is choking Ireland's potential. The regions outside Dublin must finally be given a fair share of investment and opportunity. The M20, the motorway between Limerick and Cork, is not a luxury; it is a necessity. This stretch of road, at present the N20, is not only outdated and dangerous but it is actively stifling the economic potential of the entire southern region. Towns such as Charleville are choked with congestion while dangerous bends and poor road conditions have resulted in far too many lives lost. The figures are stark. Every year, 118 accidents could be prevented and €12.4 million could be saved. This is the human and economic impact of inaction.”
“We need to look at building a tourism plan off the back of the Ryder Cup to ensure tourism is boosted, not just around the time of the Ryder Cup but also in the future. We need to look at OPW sites to see what we can do to get them back up and running all year around. In somewhere like Adare they could be open all year around because it is a big tourist village.”
“As the House knows, the Ryder Cup, a world renowned event, is coming to Adare, County Limerick, in 2027. It would be remiss of us not to look at the tourism prospects this could bring to Ireland. In County Limerick, we have what is called the Desmond trail. It has Adare Castle, Askeaton Castle and Desmond community centre in Newcastle West. Adare Castle only opens from June to September, with limited space so you will see minibuses going in there. Askeaton Castle has been closed for the past three years until further notice, even though we opened a new parklet a couple of weeks ago in Askeaton town. Askeaton also has an impressive Franciscan friary which would bring an awful lot of tourists to the town.”
“We have the chance to do something different, to choose community over cuts, to choose investment over neglect and to put public service and social cohesion at the heart of our national priorities. Let us not let another 257 post offices close. Let us protect what is left and build a stronger and more connected future for our communities.”
“We are calling for a public service mandate for the post office network, to be backed by sustainable funding, strategic investment to ensure long-term viability, a modernised contract model that recognises the real value postmasters bring to their communities and a vision to expand services rather than stripping them away. I commend the Irish Postmasters' Union president, Sean Martin, and its secretary general, Sandra Tormey, on their advocacy and leadership. We know the consequences of inaction. What we need now is political will. Those in the Government cannot continue to ignore the crisis in our post office network. Every time a post office closes, the State becomes more distant and abstract and people feel it. They feel forgotten and communities slowly become invisible.”
“Just last month, postmasters warned that 40% of post offices could close unless the Government steps up with meaningful investment. The contract model is not fit for purpose. Long-serving postmasters are retiring but new entrants are not coming forward. We are at a tipping point. If we do not act now, the network will continue to shrink. With each of these closures, a little more of rural and local Ireland disappears. The damage to social cohesion, local economies and community identity will be profound and long-lasting. The State has failed to grasp the urgency of the situation and communities are paying the price. That is why we in Sinn Féin have consistently called for a new approach.”
“My own county of Limerick has lost 12. These closures affect not only the delivery of services, but the cohesion and well-being of entire communities. Let us be clear; the local post office is not just a place to send parcels or to buy a stamp. It is where people collect their pensions, access social welfare, use banking services and stay connected to Government Departments. For many people, particularly older people and those in remote areas, it is also a place of routine and of human contact. It reduces isolation, fosters connection and provides security not in an abstract way, but in a real, human, day-to-day sense. These post offices are not just businesses; they are public services and must be supported as such. Despite this, we are watching the system unravel before our eyes.”
“I am sharing time with Senators Tully and Andrews. I will take four minutes and they will take three each. I welcome the Minister of State. I welcome the opportunity to speak today on an issue that goes to the very core of Irish communities: the future of our post office network. As has already been said, over the past ten years 257 post offices have closed across the country. That is a shocking figure. Behind that statistic, there are 257 communities, both rural and urban, that have lost a vital public service, a trusted institution and, for many, the last tangible expression of the State in their daily lives. The figures are stark. Cork has seen the largest number of closures, a total of 34 including 22 in rural areas. Galway has lost 21 rural post offices, Dublin has lost 21 and Donegal 19. The list goes on.”
“As my colleagues have said, one in every four women experience miscarriage, but I truly believe that the number is a lot more. If every women in this Chamber who has stood up so far was to be counted, 99% of us have said we have gone through this. We have never been a policy built around that reality. This Bill is about dignity, fairness and recognition. It is about making space in our systems for the kind of grief that does not get spoken out loud. I support this Bill not just for myself but for every person who has suffered in silence, gone back to work too soon or never seen the loss recognised. This Bill sees them and I am proud to stand here and say that I do too.”
“There is another part of that silence that I want to speak to. The first time my miscarriage was ever formally acknowledged was not at the time it happened but when I became pregnant again with my son. In the maternity hospital, I was asked not how many children I had but how many pregnancies I had. For the first time it struck me that this was not my third pregnancy but actually my fourth. In that quiet question of how many pregnancies, I realised my loss was seen. It was known and counted, not just by me or my family but by a system that understood that it did matter because it does matter. This Bill will give people the choice to have that acknowledgement through a certificate, paid leave and data that can finally tell the full story of miscarriage in this country.”
“I stand in full support of Sinn Féin's [ Pregnancy Loss (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025 ], not just as a legislator but as someone who has lived the reality that this Bill seeks to recognise. I commend my colleague, Senator Ryan, on the work she has put into this Bill and the thoughtfulness that is in it. Miscarriage is common, painful and too often invisible. I know this because I went through it myself. When I miscarried, I was in a job where I did not have the option to leave my post. There was no system, no cover and no policy in place to say you are experiencing loss so you can go and will be supported. So I stayed and miscarried while I worked because there was no other option. That is the silence this Bill seeks to end: the silence in our workplaces, in our systems and in our State.”
“County Limerick needs public and publicly supported community swimming pools along the N69, the N21 and the N20 routes as part of investment in our communities and in our future.”
“In the east of the county there is no public or community partnership provision for swimming pools. Swimming pools are an important part of active healthy citizenship. It is a sport that can save lives as well as an important skill for schoolchildren and adult beginners. Swimming pools are an integral part of occupational therapy and for those needing relief from pain or maintaining and rebuilding strength, but time and again we are told that swimming pools are costly and do not make a profit. Libraries do not make a profit, schools do not make a profit and neither do Garda stations or greenways. All of these services are vital to our communities and to society. Swimming pools are the same. Even though they do not make a profit sometimes, they are vital to our communities.”
“I wish to address an issue related to the provision of public swimming pools in County Limerick. On the N69, Askeaton swimming pool, which has been closed since 2023, is scheduled to reopen, thankfully, this autumn under the management of Swim Ireland. Other than that, the county has been without a swimming pool for the past two years due to this issue. On the N21, where there is a large population centre of almost 8,000 residents, west Limerick sports complex is run by a not-for-profit enterprise which is looking to begin a partnership with public bodies to develop its facility. The voluntary committee is running at a profit, which is no mean feat. This surely calls for serious discussions with all levels of the Government to progress its development plans.”
“We call for the creation of an independent oversight body for the Sea-Fisheries Protection Agency, SFPA. Sinn Féin will also push for a full fuel support scheme, which is needed, fair quotas for distribution, investment in apprenticeships, training and sustainability, and a complete ban on the supertrawlers and factory vessels that do untold damages to our seas and waters. We owe it to our fishing families, coastal communities and the generations who have lived by the sea to fight for fairness, sustainability and for their future and ours. Sinn Féin is committed to rebuilding a fishing and seafood industry that works for the people, not for foreign fleets nor bureaucrats in Brussels and political insiders who have failed them for decades.”
“The deal that has now been extended is not acceptable. Ireland must demand a fairer deal before this new agreement is ratified, and if the EU will not do it, then this Irish Government must do it. Sinn Féin has a plan to rebuild, reform and renew. We call for the establishment of a fish Ireland office in Brussels to conduct a full review of the Department of the marine and all State bodies under its remit, assessing their performance, transparency and delivery. We call for the launch of an independent root-and-branch review of the fishing and seafood industry to shape a long-term rebuilding strategy. We demand that the senior departmental officials appear before Oireachtas committees and are fully accountable. We would like an audit done of all harbours and investment in the infrastructure sought by communities.”
“Representatives of this sector have appeared before the agriculture and marine committee pleading for basic crisis funding but they have been ignored. Sinn Féin has repeatedly called for a fuel support scheme, just like other EU states have done, but there has been no response. Our aquaculture sector is mired in outdated legislation, red tape and a lack of vision. The system for aquaculture licences remains clunky, bureaucratic and unfriendly to growth. Sinn Féin has called for the full implementation of the 2017 independent aquaculture licensing review and we will keep pushing until this is done. Earlier the Minister of State spoke about the EU-UK deal. It was an absolute hammer blow to Ireland because 40% of our quotas were transferred from the EU to the UK, without our say so or consultation.”
“Precious little. The Minister of State continued to evaluate the CFP but, in plain and simple English, it is time to do something; evaluation time is over. The CFP is broken. It must be scrapped and replaced. Sinn Féin will lead the call for root-and-branch reform at EU level. Ireland has 12% of EU fishing waters but we get just 5.6% of the quotas. That is not just unfair; it is indefensible. We support the call to block Norwegian access to Irish waters until our own fishermen are treated fairly. We also demand a level playing field in monitoring and enforcement. Right now, Irish boats face a two-tier system of regulation and they are being punished for it. On the inshore and aquaculture sector, as much as 95% of our total inshore fleet is being left to sink. These boats fish for crab, lobster and other non-quota species.”
“Lough Neagh, Ireland's largest inland water, remains under ecological siege. Eel fishing has been suspended, the seasons are shortened and livelihoods are under threat. The Executive's Lough Neagh action plan must be resourced and implemented without delay. Meanwhile, Sinn Féin MP Chris Hazzard has rightly demanded assurances from the British Government that County Down fishermen will be included in the £360 million fishing and coastal growth fund. Brexit devastated fishing in the North and this fund must redress the damage. We have an offshore crisis. Irish fishermen are being shut out of their own waters. Brexit and a broken Common Fisheries Policy, CFP, have cost our industry €140 million in just four years, with 39 fishing vessels having been decommissioned at a cost of €56.5 million. What has this Government done so far?”
“One of the fishermen who participated said he had fished all this life, that his father had fished before him but that he did not want this son to take it up. He said it was too hard and too unfair. That is not just a personal story but a warning. There has been some improvement. We welcome the appointment of a dedicated Minister of State with responsibility for fisheries, which is long overdue. We also welcome the re-establishment of the dedicated Oireachtas Joint Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, which Sinn Féin chairs. That committee must mark the beginning of a serious reset in the industry here and in Europe. However, we are not naïve. Talk is cheap and what we need is real action. The view from the North is that fishing communities face unique challenges.”
“We are failing the industry, failing our coastal communities and failing generations of fishermen who have built their lives around the sea. Sinn Féin recently launched a comprehensive report into fishing and the seafood sector. Hundreds of fisherman, workers and businesses from across the country took part and the results were stark: 90% of respondents believe the fishing industry has declined over the past decade and not a single respondent said it had significantly improved. That tells its own story. Respondents spoke with deep pride in their intergenerational connection to the sea, but also of the hardship, economic strain and mental health toll caused by being locked out of their own waters and ignored by their own government.”
“I welcome the Minister of State. Ireland is surrounded by some of the richest and most bountiful fishing waters in the world. Despite this, our native fishing and seafood industry is in a steep decline. What should be a cornerstone of our coastal economy is now a sector in deep crisis that has been battered by quota cuts, fuel price hikes and increases in costs, all compounded by decades of neglect, mismanagement and weak negotiating by successive Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael governments. Not long ago the Taoiseach stood and addressed the UN Ocean Conference in Nice declaring Ireland’s ambition to lead global maritime policy. He spoke of Ireland’s vast marine resources with pride, but here at home we failing to realise even a fraction of that potential.”
“As the leader knows, the cost of living has increased, and the cost of fuel and diesel has increased. They think it unfair that they would be put through a means test to get these children back to school and to ensure they have what they need going back to school. Is that something that could be looked at and maybe an allowance made? They are taking a huge cost from the State by providing the service, in the same way carers for older people take the cost from the State. It would be nice to see something go back to them.”
“I raise an issue that has been coming across my desk the past couple of weeks. It concerns parents of foster children and the back to school allowance, which is going to means tested. They have made the argument to me that they do not just put a roof over these children's heads. They give them love and stability and make them a part of their family. A lot of these children end up in State care through no fault of their own. A lot of them could be born into addiction or in houses where there is domestic abuse. There are a lot of other costs involved with these children. Do not get me wrong, I know the State covers the cost of sending them for play therapy and to therapists. However, the foster parents of these children have to get them to and from these appointments.”
“I ask because Newcastle West needs to be up on the list because it is the only tier 2 town in County Limerick. Also, County Limerick is the third largest county in the country, yet we do not seem to get the fair share of the pot that goes around.”