Johnny Mythen
Wexford · Sinn Féin · Ireland
“Using data sets that use artists' works without their consent or authorisation to train large language models is not a fair use as claimed by many of these generative AI platforms. We would like to see regulation that mandates these platforms and organisations to ensure synthetic text generated by LLMs is watermarked and thus detectable.”
“I welcome this motion and thank my colleague, Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh, for tabling it at this important juncture in the era of generative AI.”
“This motion calls for the Government to use its influence in our Presidency of the European Council to force attention on the protection of copyright of artists from generative AI. State funding for art must not be used to fund or spent on generative AI artifacts that use artists' creative works without their consent.”
“The primary care service operators in County Wexford are creaking at the knees. Occupational therapists, OTs, in the community health organisation, CHO, 5 south-east area are burned out and under enormous pressure due to the current workload from a long list of clients waiting for appointments and treatment.”
“Will the Tánaiste investigate these unacceptable delays and seek an explanation as to why this is happening? These are children who require an immediate intervention. The longer the delay, the more they will regress. The sooner the treatment starts, the sooner they will progress.”
“Providers themselves are under severe pressure, with many folding and others barely hanging on. That is why core funding supports must be reviewed to reflect what is happening on the ground.”
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Every one of 166 lines we hold for Johnny Mythen, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 2 of 4.
“As one farmer in my own county of Wexford put it, if the manager has lost the dressing room, it is time to go. That is the case here. The stakes are high. The reputation of our beef and food industries is on the line. We call on the Minister to do the right thing. He has the power to do so under section 18(1) of the An Bord Bia Act. Now is the time to stand firmly behind our Irish farmers. I ask all TDs to support this motion tonight.”
“The longer he remains, the more damage will be done to Bord Bia and to Ireland's reputation as the producer of the highest quality meat and drinks in Europe, if not the world. Bord Bia's code of ethics should require that stakeholders and the reputation of our meat, drinks and horticulture be protected to make them the best on the world markets. The Minister must recognise that the backbone of our beef, drink and food industries are the farmers and small producers. He must also recognise that the primary link between the Minister and his Department and the board is the chairman himself. This raises the question of whether the Minister was aware of the chairman's company using Brazilian beef as raw material for products it supplies. By anyone's standards, this is a conflict of interest and a breach of ethical standards.”
“I am sure the Minister will agree that the chairman of Bord Bia is responsible for upholding accountability, managing conflicts of interest and maintaining high ethical standards. Surely, if the chairman of Bord Bia is importing Brazilian beef through his own company, that is a conflict of interest and a breach of ethical standards. This is a serious matter. It is a matter of utmost importance to the reputation of Ireland's food and drink exports and our domestic market. Bord Bia holds Irish farmers to some of the highest and most stringent standards and conditions in the world through its sustainable quality assurance scheme. The same Irish farmers are now insisting that the chairman of the board meet the same standards and leave his post. His position has become untenable and has undermined public confidence.”
“I also call on him to immediately extend the date of the emergency response payment scheme beyond the closing date of 4 February, simply because it will take a least a couple of days before anyone can return to their homes or sort out their belongings, including businesses. I again ask the Minister to get the ball rolling and to immediately call in the Office of Public Works, OPW, Government Departments and Wexford County Council and to sort this out once and for all and to get the planning application safely across the line.”
“The flood relief scheme for the Slaney was first put forward over 20 years ago and is still unresolved. The latest flood relief scheme was rejected as recently as 2022 on the grounds of a freshwater pearl mussel. For God’s sake, that is little comfort or consolation to the people without a home today or facing enormous refurbishment bills or to the workers who will not get paid or to the businesses who might never open again. People in Enniscorthy are hurt and totally frustrated. This situation is soul-destroying. Businesses have been ruined and families are trying to restore their homes. I call on the Minister to act now to speed up the process of the new planning application.”
“I would like to bring up the very important and very relevant infrastructure deficit in my town of Enniscorthy. Enniscorthy has borne 16 floods since the year 2000. Homes and businesses have been destroyed by water and raw sewage. Time and again, the people of Enniscorthy have picked up the pieces. It is heartbreaking to watch families being forced out of their homes and small businesses the same by something that can be fixed and remedied. The latest flooding is one of the worst I have seen in years. Over 35 homes and 50 businesses, including two main hotels, have been affected by this force of nature. Most, if not all, cannot get insurance due to the frequency of the flooding. Some premises are reporting damages up to €70,000 or €80,000 while others are talking about closing for good.”
“Again, I ask for a commitment to a 24-7 acute mental hospital adult unit in Wexford and for the ten-bed unit promised by consecutive governments since 2010 be facilitated in Wexford General Hospital. I welcome that the Government is not opposing the motion.”
“There are currently 1,400 children in the Wexford-Wicklow area waiting to be seen by CAMHS. What is even more disturbing is they are waiting over 52 weeks for their first appointment. The Minister of State knows, and indeed everybody knows, that emergency departments are not a fit place for people experiencing emergency mental health problems, especially people who may have suicidal tendencies. The least that should happen is that every model 3 and model 4 hospital must have a separate emergency mental health room with appropriate specialist professionals. Investment in mental health crisis assessment and intervention must be copper-fastened and ring-fenced.”
“My home county of Wexford has been left behind in many facets in the past two decades, especially when it comes to mental health services. As far back as 2009 or 2010, St. Senan's Hospital was no longer permitted to take in new acute mental health patients, which immediately resulted in the closure of ten mental health acute beds. Mary Harney was the Minister for health at the time and ten new acute mental health beds were promised in the five-year plan, A Vision for Change. They were to be located in Wexford General Hospital as a new acute mental health unit. Some 16 years later we are still waiting on that broken promise. County Wexford still does not have a dedicated, 24-7 acute adult inpatient unit despite a population of almost 180,000 citizens.”
“If not, will the Department outline how the school is expected to meet the level and complexities of need presented in a mainstream setting? This needs immediate ministerial intervention on the assessment timelines which are beyond the control of families or the schools concerned. These must be addressed, extended and made more flexible.”
“I have been contacted by a very distraught principal of a primary school in County Wexford. The principal has two vulnerable pupils with complex additional needs. Both pupils received confirmation of a diagnosis after the NCSE portal closed on 1 October. Therefore, the pupils have no formal letters for the special educational needs organiser, SENO. I understand this is a position many principals are finding themselves in. They are asking for a definitive response from the Department and the NCSE and an unequivocal confirmation of whether these pupils meet the criteria for admission to autism special classes. If so, can this confirmation immediately be made so they can proceed with admission plans in a timely, lawful and child-centred manner?”
“These options must be seriously considered as the traffic on our motorways has reached full capacity. It is a major reason we are missing our carbon emissions targets. It is time to fully fund our public transport for the betterment of future generations. Sinn Féin fully supports this motion.”
“The positives for society are obvious too, with fewer vehicles on the road, less congestion, a drop in carbon footprint, less pollution, less waste and less energy demand on the grid. We have all witnessed the long commuter delays on our major roads, especially on the M50 and N11. Alleviation of this problem must include more frequent services on the DART and an overhaul of the timetable, particularly the trains from rural parts, such as the County Wexford Rosslare to Dublin line. The cost of public transport must be reduced. Many European countries, such as Luxembourg, have introduced free public travel. Other countries have adopted a monthly pass note worth up to €9, while others have €3 daily passes. Some cities, like Montpellier in France, have free public transport within the city.”
“I thank the Labour Party for bringing this motion forward today. Flexible work, where practical, is of benefit to all sectors of society. The obvious benefits to employers are improved efficiency, fewer sick days, savings on transport, energy bills, facility provisions, car parking and security. Considering the modern and fast pace of life, and the rapid advance of AI technology, flexible hours and remote working make sense. The influence of remote working on the workforce has added greatly to the quality and value of family life by creating a positive work-life balance. It is a known fact that when workers are happy in their workplace, they work more efficiently and are more likely to go the extra mile for the company and their customers.”
“Operators must provide transparent notifications regarding data storage, ownership and sharing practices. We must also insist that data centres publish their electricity and water consumption figures and develop new and innovative cooling systems. As has been said, these are very challenging issues. AI will have a positive effect on many mundane and repetitive tasks, but it must be accompanied by civil rights, the rights of children and the rights of those sections of society that are most vulnerable.”
“I ask the Minister to consider placing an AI joint committee on a permanent footing to provide ongoing parliamentary oversight and ensure democratic accountability. This is a very important recommendation as it would have the effect of holding these platforms accountable to the public and provide a forum for all of our citizens and any organisations that find themselves being denied due process to deal with these platforms. Approved terms of reference must be established for any advisory bodies placed on a paid, permanent footing, ensuring clarity and mandate and accountability. The obligation on platform owners to provide the use of AI recommender systems for misinformation campaigns aimed at destabilising society should be included. I ask the Minister to address these issues. All bots must be clearly identified to users.”
“AI, including generative AI, is the most challenging issue of our time. It is architecturally composed of a mixed blessing, with both good and ambiguous components. We were all shocked and disturbed by the recent revelations regarding Grok and how AI can manipulate and destroy a person's reputation in a split second. Therefore, it is incumbent on all of us to ensure proper regulations and that laws governing AI platforms are complicit with human rights, the protection of citizens' intellectual property and GDPR, and, above all, that they encompass the rights of children. As a member of the Oireachtas committee, I welcome the establishment of the national AI office in August and the AI observatory. However, I believe it would best serve the nation if it was a separate independent entity, with a dedicated commissioner and its own budget.”
“I ask that the Government consider a one-off targeted payment of €400, with an estimated cost of €145 million. Considering the surplus billions of euro that is in the coffers at the moment, it is a very modest ask for the most vulnerable people in the country. As they say themselves, they are 22% of the invisible minority.”
“Yesterday, the Irish Wheelchair Association and other disability organisations had a session in the audiovisual room. They gave some stark facts and figures to us. Sometimes, we all get lost in statistics and figures. The reality for people with disabilities is that they are affected far more by the high cost of living - approximately 16% more. They are in need of some form of a one-off payment now. This winter and the next few months can be severe and extremely cold. At present, they are receiving huge electricity and gas bills, some up to €500. They told us they were in a position where they had to give up a few meals a week to heat their homes and stop their home dialysis treatment and go to their local hospital to save on their electricity bills. There are a few cases where they stopped recharging their mobile wheelchairs.”
“We call on the Government to mandate its parties' MEPs to vote against this anti-farmer deal, to publicly and fully support the legal action taken by MEPs and to stop ratification of the Mercosur trade deal before we realise the true meaning of Oscar Wilde's quote. Nowadays, we know the price of everything but the value of nothing. I call on all Members to support the motion.”
“We believe this is a breach of EU treaties. This must be challenged. We ask the Government to stand by rural communities and farmers and to mandate its MEPs to vote against this bad deal. The importation of 99,000 tonnes of beef and 180,000 tonnes of poultry will depress the markets and introduce unregulated meat of lower quality, with a high risk of banned pesticides, hormones and antibiotics entering the nation's diet. Combine this with 75,000 ha of rainforest wiped out in 2025 alone, and much more to come, destroying the lungs of the Earth and trampling on indigenous people and their way of life. Surely these actions will lead to a huge carbon footprint, increased climate change and, most of all, depletion of our beef and poultry sectors.”
“As stated by my colleagues, the Mercosur deal is a deal with consequential pitfalls that far outweigh the notion that, somehow, Irish farmers and poultry farmers will be better off. Let us face it, in that the trade-off for cars and pharmaceuticals is at the core of this anti-farmer deal. Make no mistake about it. The Government's handling of Mercosur was feeble and weak. It only decided to vote against it in the dying moments when backbenchers and some Ministers of State revolted and the Italians capitulated. Commissioner von der Leyen and the EU are not playing with a full deck of cards either. Their political manoeuvring to change the Mercosur agreement from an associate to a partnership agreement was a coercive manipulation of the democratic process that removed the power of each nation to vote individually for or against the deal.”
“The Irish fishers accept the scientific findings, but they are rightly infuriated by the inflated quotas given to countries that are not members of the EU, yet these countries benefit while our own Irish fleet are the ones paying the ultimate penalties for something they did not do. Fishers across the country, including my own maritime County Wexford, want to know what is plan B. Is there any plan B? What life supports are being put in place? What legal actions, if any, are being taken on the Hague preference agreement? Will there be an investigation on how the big five are able to influence EU policy?”
“The influence they wield in European Union circles is not questioned, yet they hold more sway than our own Government. Has the Minister or the Tánaiste questioned this or called for an investigation into these nefarious lobbying practices? Will the Minister seek legal advice and legally challenge the dismissal of the 49-year-old Hague preference agreement that protected and recognises Ireland's right to its territorial waters and the fish that is caught there as a natural resource belonging to the Irish people? Surely there is a clear case of custom and practice here. Surely there is a case to bring this before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.”
“We can all agree that the decision to vote against Ireland on the Hague preferences by the so-called EU member states is a statement of intent. With a stroke of a pen, they have devastated the Irish fishing industry. Off the coast of my own County Wexford, Irish vessels are left with 28 tonnes of sole, while Belgium has 450 tonnes. In fact, in one week, the Norwegian fleet caught 40,000 tonnes of mackerel, the entire quota allowed for the Irish fleet. The trend goes on. Fishers are getting a raw and unjust deal. The facts are in black and white. Number one is the devastating quota cuts - 57,000 tonnes less in 2026, an estimated loss of €200 million a year, and the threat of a loss of 2,300 direct jobs. Number two is the Hague preferences were undermined. Number three is the monopolisation of the fishing industry by the so-called big five.”
“What most of our vulnerable citizens need now is clarity, protection and a guaranteed assurance that their blister packs will continue to be funded on a permanent basis. I urge every Member of the Oireachtas to support this motion.”
“The daughter has a genuine fear of her mother ending up in hospital or being harmed due to taking the wrong medication. It is genuinely creating a high-risk health and safety issue for both mother and daughter. Another woman, Mary, wrote: My husband has been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer which ultimately went to his brain in 2024. My husband was quite unreliable about taking his medication. I asked for trays for three reasons: one, to ensure he was taking his tablets correctly; two, to reduce the mental load of being carer for myself; and three, to reduce conflict in the home. My husband was an intelligent man, but his illness affected him mentally and physically as all illnesses do to everyone. The decision to postpone funding for blister packs is a diabolical one and must be reversed, not postponed or put on the back burner.”
“The first statement that funding for blister packs was being withdrawn sent shock waves into the hearts of the most vulnerable section of people in society, their families, carers and close relations. The second statement, that the Minister is pausing them until 2026, has added further to the confusion for thousands of people who mostly subsist on disability pensions and occupational injury pensions. The severe impact of withdrawing funding for blister pack medication is quite evident in the many emails and complaints I have received in my office from across County Wexford. I received correspondence from an 82-year-old woman's daughter, who is her carer. This woman is blind and has Parkinson's disease. She is on six different medications a day.”
“As a member of the AI committee, I welcome the establishment of Coimisiún na Meán. However, it must be well resourced, with firm enforcement procedures, so that our children, older people, small businesses and communities are protected and safe from exploitation, manipulation, scams and harmful content.”
“In my own county of Wexford, we have seen the human cost, from teachers dealing with phone disputes to bullying online resulting in serious mental health issues and, in some cases, suicide. Parents, An Garda Síochána and schools in Wexford are doing their best, but they need more robust enforcement legislation to curtail recommender algorithms with more accountability and transparency. Platforms must be made to reduce exposure to content with violence, self-harm, bullying and intimidation. Robust appropriate age checks must be part of these regulations. We need to step up and challenge these platforms now. The stakes are high, as our young people are exposed to overwhelmingly complex and sophisticated tech industries that are driven by super profits and powerful individuals.”
“Overseas youth organisations are standing up and speaking out, saying the older generation is letting them down. Some of them complained about their attention span and concentration abilities correlating with the 30-to-40 second TikTok or Instagram clips. They are asking how we could let this happen when we were the adults in the room. I fear for the future of our youth, including the young people of my county of Wexford. As the Government and Opposition, we have a duty of care. We see the Australians are taking a robust approach, being the country to impose the world's first ban on children under the age of 16 years using TikTok, Alphabet's YouTube, Meta, Instagram and Facebook. However, we believe this is not the solution.”
“Online safety must be a priority for us all. Self-regulation is not a deterring factor in addressing online safety. The competition alone between high-tech companies will drive these companies and platforms to use their lobbyists and power to comply with as little regulation a possible and the dilution of the same. We have witnessed the very destructive nature of the so-called recommender algorithms. The simple answer is to turn them off. We have heard the story of young people and minors in our communities being coerced and manipulated and being brought down rabbit holes into self-harm, eating disorders, cyberbullying, grooming, pornography and suicidal ideation, and older people being scammed and, in some cases, losing their entire life savings.”
“These men and woman endanger their own lives to save ours. Please support our search and rescue crews across the country by supporting this motion and by withdrawing the Government's amendment.”
“The aviation safety experts and unions have deemed the use of this method to measure working hours as not fully compliant with safety standards relating to EU law and the working time law and increases the risk of fatigue. Fatigue in these high intense and often chaotic, hazardous circumstances could cause crew members' concentrations to drop, affect their reaction time and distort decision-making capabilities. This is why we in Sinn Féin are calling for variable recording of actual working hours, adherence to Irish and EU law, including a fair rostering programme and rest standards, and introducing independent audits. The Minister must hold the IAA to account and recognise that the IAA's approval of systems that allows reduced log hours is creating a serious risk element of fatigue in our search and rescue crews and must be addressed.”
“I thank Deputies Cullinane and McGuinness for bringing forward this motion. In 2024, the Coast Guard and rescue service responded to 2,554 incidents and 752 missions by helicopter. It provided critical assistance to 537 citizens and 134 air ambulance flights to offshore island communities, including some off the Wexford coast. I am sure this year's statistics when completed will tell a similar story. The Minister of State will agree that the search and rescue crews, first and foremost, must be protected by safe and fair working conditions. On examination, this does not seem to be the case. The under-recording of 24-hour shifts under new rules are being recorded as 16 and a half hours through what is known as a factoring mechanism.”
“I raise with the Minister the urgent need for an immediate intervention to avoid an imminent serious disruption to Caredoc services over the Christmas and new year periods, particularly in Wexford and the south-east region. Up to as recently as 2022, Caradoc’s doctors were paid as public servants. However, since then, Caredoc nurses have missed out on 14 pay rises between public sector and sector 39 pay rises. For example, a Caredoc nurse covering night shift gets 25% less pay than nurses in district hospitals, community hospitals or general hospitals. I ask the Government, through the HSE, to address this pay disparity issue, as was done for the section 39 sector in recent agreements.”
“Deforestation is not only destroying the Earth's natural resources of oxygen but also trampling on the human rights of the indigenous people of that area, with some paying with their lives. The farmers in my county of Wexford are bitterly opposed to this deal. They are fully supported by the Wexford IFA, including the current deputy president, Alice Doyle, and Jer O'Mahony, who stated on South East Radio that farmers are totally and utterly opposed to this deal. I welcome this Sinn Féin motion and I hope it will receive full support from all the TDs in the House.”
“It will result in huge losses of income and undermine the prospects and any ambitions of young people to continue farming into the future. The people of Ireland are not naïve. They know this imported beef and poultry will not be subject to the same high standard as the Irish produce, bringing with it a high risk of banned pesticides, hormones and antibiotics being used and entering our food chain. There is a real possibility of long-term health problems down the line. This is why this deal must be scrapped. This deal is being done with one of the biggest beef barons in the world, JBS, which has been trading on the New York Stock Exchange since June of this year. Coincidentally, it also contributed over $5 million to the Trump presidential campaign. Over 75,000 ha of rainforest has been cleared this year alone.”
“I welcome all the farmers who are here tonight. If the Mercosur deal is ratified by the European Union, it will sound the death knell for thousands of farmers in Ireland and across the European Union. The European Union's mission statement is to promote the well-being of its citizens by providing freedom, security and justice. This deal is contrary to these principles. Freedom is democracy. Democracy is not being served here. The deliberate splitting of the deal into two takes away the majority vote, thus undermining the process of natural law. Changing the deal from an associate agreement to a partnership one is underhanded, deceitful and a betrayal of the Irish farmers. The importation of 99,000 tonnes of beef and 180,000 tonnes of poultry will wipe away financial security from every family farm in Ireland.”
“Sinn Féin's affordable uniforms Bill would go a long way to help families and guardians to reduce the cost of school uniforms, and particularly to help large families to cope with this expense in their children's education. The Government amendment is an affront to parents and families throughout our country. The Government said eight years ago, in 2017, that it was going to review a circular and establish a working group, including representatives from the National Parents Council and educational partners. Not one thing has been done in the past eight years to alleviate the exponentially increasing cost of school uniforms. The answer is already under the Minister's nose. He should simply agree to pass Deputy O'Rourke's Bill, and stop wasting time with reviews and bogus amendments.”
“There is a double cost attached to these uniforms because, as sure as night follows day, voluntary contributions will also have to increase. In fact, the Irish League of Credit Unions has found that almost 80% of schools rely totally on this surcharge. We know that schools throughout the country have a uniform policy that mandates parents to purchase specific design-crested uniforms, including gym wear and jackets. More often than not, the provider of these uniforms is a single entity with a sole contract cutting out any form of competition or any chance of reduction on the items, which means that uniforms will increase in cost each year.”
“This Bill has been proposed by my colleague, Deputy O'Rourke, and by Sinn Féin at a time when the cost of living is on everyone's lips. It is a very aptly called the Education (Affordable School Uniforms) Bill 2025. During the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, the cost of school uniforms has become a huge financial burden on families. The average cost of a full school kit, including gym gear, can be up to €420 per pupil. If there are three siblings, the cost becomes €1,260. According to the ESRI, as a result of the recent budget the overall earnings of average workers will go down by 2%. Food and grocery prices have risen by 27% between 2021 and 2025. Property tax has gone up by 23% since 2021. Fuel, home heating and electricity bills are the highest in Europe.”
“I appeal to him again to negotiate new fishing quotas and to use the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund to support our fishing industry and coastal communities.”
“We in Sinn Féin, through our spokesperson on fisheries, Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, and the Chair of the fisheries committee, Connor McGuinness, are asking the Minister of State to create an emergency financial rescue package for the next couple of years. We believe the Minister of State has a vital role to play in supporting Irish fisheries in this. We ask him to work towards establishing a stand-alone "Fish Ireland" office in Brussels, to consider real-time closures, to examine the Brexit adjustment reserve and unspent funds, and to vigorously negotiate the quota allocations. My county of Wexford is a seafaring country, with fishing villages totally depending on the industry, from Rosslare to Kilmore Quay, Duncannon, Slade Harbour and Ballyhack, and these are villages that need the Minister of State's support and help.”
“This begs the question: who exactly are the Europe-based fishing corporations, which make millions of euro and benefit from the reciprocal access to the fish in Norwegian water? Maybe the Minister of State will use his office to investigate these corporations and publish the findings. We know this is a very difficult situation and by no means an easy task. The fishers of Ireland are sending out a clarion cry for the Minster of State to call on the Commissioner to invoke Regulation (EU) 1026/2012, under which the Commissioner has the power to legally address and respond to unfair competition through trade and market restrictions. The irony of this is that the Irish fleet has followed the science and played by the books, yet these countries outside the EU are rewarded while our fishing industry is facing financial ruin.”
“The Irish fishing industry is in a state of flux and is on course for a full-scale collapse if the proposed 2026 quotas are accepted and implemented. These crippling quotas represent a 70% cut in mackerel, a 41% in blue whiting and a 22% cut in boarfish. These quotas will financially sink every fishing boat in Ireland, whereas on the other side we have non-EU fleets from the likes of Russia, the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Norway continuously overfishing. Not only that, but they are being rewarded for it through the unilateral setting of quotas. For example, in one week, the Norwegian fleet caught 40,000 tonnes of mackerel, equivalent to the entire quota allowed for the Irish fleet.”
“We have far more to gain by planning a way forward in a mindful and meaningful way to bring together all sections of our little island, to create a new and prosperous nation and a new future that belongs to us all, where everyone has a decent opportunity to live in harmony and respect and to rear their families in whatever way they choose. I believe we now have a gifted opportunity. The Irish Government should be taking the lead on this. The time has come to build a better place for all; to plan, engage and secure a date for the referendum on Irish unity, as outlined in the Good Friday Agreement. I would like to finish on a quote from Abraham Lincoln: "You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today."”
“I have listened to Government academics, officials and Government Ministers most of my life, and when they are asked about a united Ireland, their answer is, as always, that it is not the time for a united Ireland. This is exactly why we need to prepare for a united Ireland in establishing a citizens' assembly, a dedicated Oireachtas committee and all-island forums. It is time now to unite and consign partition to the past and build a strong economy, an inclusive democracy and an equal society for all. Michelle O'Neill has demonstrated how this can be done as a First Minister for all. We are a small island of just 32,595 sq. miles. Partition makes no sense. It never has and never will.”
“The history of our country is one of partition, division, imperial dominance and military occupation. For centuries, Irish people have borne the yoke of oppression - oppression of our language, our culture and our own birthright. That said, the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 was agreed to by all parties, to provide through peaceful democratic means a referendum on Irish unity. It is incumbent on the Irish Government to be prepared for such an event. Brexit has changed the economic dynamics and, in many ways, has made the relationship between the North and South more interdependent on trade, commerce and all-Ireland social institutions.”
“I have received hundreds of emails from parents, teachers and SNAs complaining that the new NCSE guidelines for the review of SNA allocations for 2025-26 are unsatisfactory. These mainly consist of four demands. Those who sent them are calling for: a suspension of the guidelines until proper consultation with schools, SNAs and parents is carried out; fair criteria for defining level 3 complex care needs; assurances SNA supports will not be reduced; and that the six-week window for application for additional SNA supports be scrapped. Will the Tánaiste and the Department consult with the parties concerned to plot a better way forward, particularly as this issue has far-reaching consequences for many parents, teachers, SNAs and, especially, children with special needs?”