Lorraine Clifford-Lee
Nominated by the Taoiseach · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“It is reflective of a strong economy, but the strong economy dictates that we need to have a strong national airport serving the needs of our economy. That is what Dublin Airport does. The carriers dictate the routes. It is not for the Government, the Minister or any individual to dictate how a particular route is formed.”
“I am talking about people who live in the towns of Rush, Lusk, Skerries and Balbriggan and in more rural areas such as Balruddery, Ballyboughal, Oldtown and Naul. They have no other option. They do not have good, developed public transport. They have to travel across Dublin to get to work.”
“In particular, the children of Kilcoskan National School, who have gone through an awful time being suddenly under the flight path, really need to be thought about at this time. I would like to see greater engagement with the residents.”
“I want to touch on something the Minister said earlier in relation to the flight paths and the independent assessment of the flight paths he said he would order on the conclusion of this legislation.”
“We are all worried about the environmental impact of Dublin Airport. I live in close proximity to the airport. I speak to the communities from around the airport nearly daily. I am very much aware of the horticultural industry in north County Dublin and the need to protect it. The Senator has made some very good points.”
“They are decent, honest, hard-working people who just want their situation resolved. They have been living in limbo for many years. They have real concerns. They have engaged in good faith with the DAA. They just want to be treated fairly. They want to be able to replace the homes they have.”
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“If I could get some answers on that, I would really appreciate it. In relation to something that Senator Higgins mentioned regarding noise monitoring, the noise is being monitored. It is something that I keep on top of. I know the residents locally keep on top of the noise monitoring. All of that feeds into ANCA. ANCA has a draft report out for public consultation at the moment. It is something that we should all be engaging on. We should all be making our submissions on that. The closing date is 3 September. I would like all of us here who have sat through this debate and many other debates to engage on that and put our views forward. I would appreciate some information with regard to the independent assessment.”
“I want to touch on something the Minister said earlier in relation to the flight paths and the independent assessment of the flight paths he said he would order on the conclusion of this legislation. I would like to get some more information in relation to that because I have spoken ad nauseam about the flight paths, their impact and the real noise pollution that is going on for the residents who are living directly under the flight paths in places such as Ballyboughal, Lusk, Kilsallaghan, Kilcoskan and all of these areas. I want to know about the independent assessment. When it that going to take place? Who is going to undertake it? How long will the assessment take? Will we, as public representatives, and the residents have an input in relation to the terms of reference of this independent assessment?”
“We are all worried about the environmental impact of Dublin Airport. I live in close proximity to the airport. I speak to the communities from around the airport nearly daily. I am very much aware of the horticultural industry in north County Dublin and the need to protect it. The Senator has made some very good points. I listened carefully to what she was saying in her previous contributions. I have also listened to what the Minister is saying on this. I know he is very aware of it. I have spoken to him a number of times about the environmental impact of Dublin Airport. He, too, lives in close proximity to the airport, so it is something we deal with daily and something we are very aware of. The general power already contained in this Act would facilitate what the Senator is seeking in this amendment.”
“You have this enormous cloud hanging over you and do not know when your home will be gone, how you will be able to replace it and how you will be able to replace the deep connection you have with your community and family living close by. We need to move this on. I know the Minister is listening to us and to the concerns. I look forward to some good engagement after 3 September and we can move this forward. Enough is enough at this stage.”
“I will be writing to the Minister about the issues I consider to be outstanding. For the good neighbour principle to be applied correctly, it also needs to be applied to the voluntary dwelling purchase scheme. It needs to be expanded, it needs to be decent and it needs to be fair. I hope the Minister will engage with the DAA after the public consultation closes. Families have been living in limbo for too long. It is too much stress. I have met the families. I know the pain and suffering they are going through while dealing with all the other daily issues we have to deal with, like illness, death and normal family issues. It is very difficult.”
“I know the Minister is listening to this because he has said on a number of occasions that the scheme which is there is not good enough. I already spoke about the general power to direct the DAA for any purpose. This is one of the issues I would like the Minister to direct the DAA on. I know the ANCA decision is out for public consultation and that is going to close on 3 September. I encourage everybody to put in submissions relating to noise or any other issue because it is a really important public consultation. The engagement after that is really important. I hope the Minister will direct the new chairman of the DAA. Hopefully we will have a new CEO who will take public engagement to a different level. There needs to be a changed attitude towards the voluntary dwelling purchase scheme.”
“That uplift one would expect on an open market is not in play, so we need to look at that. As for replacing the houses, many of them are unique, one-off designs and dwellings. As it is often hard for a comparator to be found in the locality, a quantity surveyor needs to be engaged to put a proper value on it and to look at what it would cost to replicate that house someplace else. That is really important. Families should also be reimbursed for reasonable professional costs necessarily incurred through the scheme, including valuations, BER certificates, legal fees and land registry costs. People should not be out of pocket because they live next to the airport and because the airport's expansion plans require them to leave their area. This is just common decency and fairness.”
“When we talk about being treated fairly, they need to be given a reasonable valuation for their homes. The scheme, as currently constituted, does not take into account a lot of things. Those families, for example, need to be given a premium higher than the premium currently on offer. For example, they need to be given a premium above what is currently being offered. Anybody who is selling a house will get a valuation. We know Dublin is a competitive market and, all around the country, houses are going for far in excess of what they are valued at. However, if you have only one prospective buyer, there is no capacity for competitive bidding to increase the price. Are people really being given a fair valuation unless there is a significant premium on the valuation given to them?”
“They are decent, honest, hard-working people who just want their situation resolved. They have been living in limbo for many years. They have real concerns. They have engaged in good faith with the DAA. They just want to be treated fairly. They want to be able to replace the homes they have. They have been living in Dublin for generations and want to remain living in Dublin. They want to be able to purchase an equivalent house in Dublin. It is as simple as that. As the scheme is currently constituted, they would be unable to do that. The Minister is on record as saying, as he has said today, that this scheme needs to drastically improve. A small number of people are affected. We are talking about a major piece of infrastructure. It would not take much for those people to be treated fairly.”
“I want to speak to this amendment because it concerns an important issue that I have raised directly with the Minister. I have also raised it in this House and at the transport committee. The Minister said that a small number of residents have valid issues with living next to Dublin Airport. They deserve to be listened to and catered for. The people living around St. Margaret's have been living there for generations. Many of them are living in family clusters and we all know the importance in Irish society of intergenerational living and family clusters. I am thinking particularly of the McDonnell family in St. Margaret's. Adrienne McDonnell and her husband, Noel, are in the Gallery. I have been engaging with Adrienne and many of her neighbours on this issue for a number of years.”
“It is something on which I have engaged with the Minister. I thank him for that engagement and I will continue to engage with him on it, but it is really important that we think about the residents. Yes, we support Dublin Airport and we support the economic impact Dublin Airport gives not only Dublin but the whole country, but we cannot forget about the residents. I will have the opportunity to speak on the voluntary buy-out scheme later as we are discussing other amendments. I just want to emphasise that this power is already in the Bill and I would like to see the Minister use it.”
“In particular, the children of Kilcoskan National School, who have gone through an awful time being suddenly under the flight path, really need to be thought about at this time. I would like to see greater engagement with the residents. I know, and the Minister alluded to it, that a new chair of the DAA has been appointed and we are awaiting the appointment of a new CEO. I would hope that a serious turnabout in relation to the level of engagement will occur. The Minister has a general power under the Bill we currently have to direct the DAA for any purpose. Therefore, while I agree with the sentiments of the proposed amendment, it is probably unnecessary, given that the Minister has that power under the Bill currently. I would like to see him use it, however, and direct the DAA to have proper, decent engagement.”
“As the Minister knows, I have been engaging with communities for a long time in relation to the issues they are experiencing around Dublin Airport, whether that is the voluntary dwelling purchase scheme, the insulation scheme or the issues the residents in St. Margaret's The Ward have in relation to the development of their community and the lack of investment into the community. As the Minister knows, the northern runway has been presenting huge problems since it opened in August 2022. The residents are feeling ignored and neglected in relation to this. The northern runway suddenly saw flights flying over parts of north county Dublin that were never supposed to be under the path.”
“I do not think limiting the number of people going through Dublin Airport will shift that out to the regional airports. There are two different offerings. We should focus our efforts on trying to improve the situation around Dublin Airport for the residents near Dublin Airport and look to the wider the economy and the benefit of Dublin Airport to the economy and the needs of the local community. We should not get distracted about a completely separate issue, which is the regional airports.”
“It is reflective of a strong economy, but the strong economy dictates that we need to have a strong national airport serving the needs of our economy. That is what Dublin Airport does. The carriers dictate the routes. It is not for the Government, the Minister or any individual to dictate how a particular route is formed. I can understand the frustrations of some people who have to travel for a number of hours before they can reach the airport and travel on to their onward destination. That is something that needs to be addressed, but I do not know whether it is for the Government to address. The Government supports regional airports. I disagree with Senator Collins on this matter. I do not think raising the cap on passengers at Dublin Airport will give rise to a reduction in the number of people going through the regional airports.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak to these amendments. I come at them from the point of view of somebody who lives very close to Dublin Airport. I support Dublin Airport, the jobs it creates and its input into the economy. I also support the communities around the airport. It is important to point out that what is proposed here does not take away from the development of our regional airports. I am familiar with our regional airports and the necessity of them. It is also worth pointing out that the passenger numbers going through our regional airports have actually increased. This is something that the Government supports. We have a growing population. Therefore, we need greater connectivity. It is good to see that.”
“This is a fantastic festival organised by Rush Community Council. There will be beach volleyball, historical walks, a sandcastle competition, which my kids love every year, a didgeridoo rave, which is something I have not experienced before but am looking forward to, a food and drink fair and yoga on the beach. Senators should come to Rush over the August bank holiday weekend.”
“I am talking about people who live in the towns of Rush, Lusk, Skerries and Balbriggan and in more rural areas such as Balruddery, Ballyboughal, Oldtown and Naul. They have no other option. They do not have good, developed public transport. They have to travel across Dublin to get to work. I call on the Government to intervene in respect of this matter and to speak to TII about it in order to ensure that the workers of north County Dublin are not punished and the toll is not increased. I invite all my colleagues to the Rush festival, which will be taking place on the August bank holiday weekend. This is a fantastic family event that takes place over three days. The highlight is going to be the Fingal Rush air display, which will take place at 3 p.m. on Sunday, 2 August. It will be a fantastic weekend. I love it every year.”
“People need housing, and I do not have a problem with that. However, I do have a problem with commuters from north County Dublin being punished by a State body, namely TII, suggesting an increase in order to deter these people from using the tunnel. People do not want to use their private cars, but they have no other option because the public transport infrastructure in north County Dublin is so underdeveloped. Housing is being built, which, as I said, is welcome, but thought is not being put into what people have to go through on a daily basis in the context of dealing with traffic congestion. No one wants to pay €13 to use the port tunnel. People are not the tunnel just because they want to; they are using it because they have no other option.”
“As already stated, TII is recommending an increase in the toll from €13 to €14 in order to discourage overuse of the tunnel by non-commercial vehicles. The toll was increased to €13 in January 2025 from the previous amount of €12. In January 2024, it rose from €10 to €12. The level of the toll has been rising incrementally over the years. The use of cars through the Dublin Port tunnel has also been increasing year on year. The incremental increases to the toll are not reducing car use. The reason that there is such a heavy volume of cars going through the Dublin Port tunnel is because the population in north County Dublin is increasing. If anything is unsustainable, it is the lack of decent public transport in north County Dublin. A lot of housing is being built there, which is welcome.”
“I read with great concern yesterday reports to the effect that Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, is concerned that tailbacks of traffic heading to Dublin Port through East Wall and the Dublin Port tunnel are so great that they may force the closure of access to the port for heavy goods vehicles, HGVs. TII is so concerned that it has suggested increasing the peak toll from €13 to €14. The number of cars using the port tunnel is rising so quickly that TII is recommending this increase to deter private car drivers from using it. The volume of such traffic is increasing by more than 8% a year. TII has indicated that this is unsustainable and could undermine the purpose of the tunnel, which is to give HGVs access to the port.”
“We are insecure in our energy supply - there is no two ways about it - but I am glad that the Government is addressing it. It is the mature, responsible thing to do to protect the good lives that we lead in this country. We are doing so in conjunction with developing renewable sources of energy as well. This is not a question of putting all of our eggs in one basket, but resilience requires us to develop this LNG storage facility. I commend the Minister of State on the work that he has done. I look forward to the debate and all Stages of this Bill progressing because we need to move swiftly. The Government has moved swiftly since taking that decision. This is a positive step but we need to get going on it because time is of the essence.”
“I thank the Minister of State for comprehensively outlining this important legislation that we are here to discuss. The Minister of State has my full support in this legislation. It is timely. The Government made a decision in March 2025. When that decision was made, we clearly understood the need for resilience and the need to protect the interests of the State, but the Government could not have foreseen the situation that emerged, particularly over the past couple of months, when the energy supply has been weaponised by those who seek to destroy this country and our peace, security, stability and prosperity. We need to be mindful of the risks that are out there. We are a neutral country but we are part of the European bloc. There are very strong forces afoot that are trying to weaken and destroy us. Energy security is a part of that.”
“We are getting the metro but that is some time away. We really need to look at all the other issues there and move forward collectively. I thank the Minister of State for listening to me.”
“He engaged positively with the Committee on Transport and I am hopeful we will see resolution of many of these issues. We understand the airport cap needs to be lifted, but it cannot be done in a vacuum. I will not stand in the way of the airport cap being lifted, but I certainly will be standing four-square behind all the local residents for them to get what they deserve once and for all. I would like to touch on a point the Minister of State made when he was talking about the airport cap and its legacy. He said it was a condition imposed when terminal 2 was being developed. He also said there have been significant upgrades to the roads and public transport but that is not the case. The Minister of State can come out with me someday if he wants and I will bring him around the local roads, where he will see the lack of public transport.”
“As I said, a public consultation is currently under way about the northern runway flight path, which will conclude in approximately 11 weeks, but we need one on the noise levels as well. I would like the Minister of State to bring that point back to the Minister. It is a point I have made several times to him and I hope there will be action when this Bill passes. We need, at all times, to keep in mind the health impacts of prolonged noise, particularly noise at night. That is what the residents in north County Dublin have been facing. I have been working with stakeholders and I am a resident of north County Dublin and a neighbour of Dublin Airport. All these issues are ones I am experiencing. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, has met various stakeholders.”
“We all appreciate the airport and many good things about it, but we need to come to a solution. It cannot operate in a vacuum with residents' rights being trampled on constantly. We need to look at funding for community-led initiatives and the DAA needs to step up to the plate substantially in relation to that, particularly for the planning for real community plan for St. Margaret's and the Ward. It is an excellent and realistic plan. A lot of time and effort by the local residents went into developing this plan and the DAA needs to be a good neighbour and step in to work closely with the communities to deliver it, along with the Minister and the Government as a whole. The independent assessment of noise is needed promptly.”
“Gary Owens, and I look forward to working collaboratively with him to solve some of these issues. I hope a good approach will be made to the local communities and local representatives. We are awaiting the appointment of a new CEO and again I hope the attitude will improve because the good neighbour principle has certainly not been adhered to well in recent years. I look forward to working with the new CEO when she or he is appointed, and with the board, the executive and the local communities. I have been speaking to the local communities since my very first days in public office, for well over ten years. It is the same issues. The people living there have been facing intolerable situations over a prolonged period. I live in the vicinity of Dublin Airport. I absorb the airport noise as well.”
“People have been living in a terrible limbo for all these years, trying to deal with it, trying to get a fair deal. These are people who have lived in the area for generations, who fought the Battle of Ashbourne for our independence. They are very entwined with the local community so it is a big thing to ask them to leave it. They need to be relatively close to where they are living at the moment so they can continue to live their lives. We need to get a better scheme up and running for them as soon as possible. They need to be able to get an equivalent home. The good neighbour principle must be adhered to at all times. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, also referred to this in the Dáil. It has not been the case and that is regrettable. There is a new chair of the board of the DAA, Mr.”
“The families who qualify - and we are talking about a relatively small number of people - are in an impossible situation because they want to be able to replace the houses they have. If they give up their houses and move from the area, they want to get replacement houses, but the valuations and offers being made are below the amount that would buy a house locality. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, has said improvements to the voluntary dwelling buy-out scheme have to happen, but when will they happen? People entered the assessment phase of it because they were coming up against a hard deadline in August. That deadline has been extended, which is good and I welcome it, but we still do not know when the improvements to the scheme will take place.”
“The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, stated on Second Stage in the Dáil that an independent assessment would take place at the appropriate time. When will that appropriate time be? There was some suggestion it would be when a final decision has been made about the night-time flights to get a more accurate assessment of the noise impacts. However, I would like the Minister of State to find out when that independent assessment will take place because this has been going on for almost four years and it is a difficult situation for people who find themselves under a flight path and have built houses and got planning permission to do so specifically because they were away from the flight path. Suddenly, the DAA started to fly aeroplanes over them. I will also make reference to the voluntary dwelling purchase scheme, which needs to be improved.”
“Dublin Airport is an important piece of national infrastructure and a large employer in north County Dublin and many ancillary businesses are dependent on the airport. It is vital for our connectivity as a nation. However, we need to look at it in the context of where it is, its development and supporting the communities that live around it. The flight paths currently operating contrary to the planning permission granted for the northern runway need to be sorted out. They are affecting communities in Ballyboughal, Lusk, Coolquoy, Kilsallaghan and Kilcoskan. Since August 2022 when the northern runway opened, the children of Kilcoskan National School have been unable to learn in peace and quiet because these flight paths are being operated illegally. It is completely unacceptable.”
“I thank the Minister of State for coming to discuss this important legislation. He will be aware that I use every opportunity I get to advocate for the communities of north County Dublin and tonight is no different. I am a member of the Joint Committee on Transport. I sat through the pre-legislative scrutiny and heard all the witnesses the Minister of State spoke about. We had a thorough examination of this Bill. First, I put on the record that I support the airport. I support the jobs the airport generates for the local community in north County Dublin and for the country, but I also support the communities there. It is about gathering the stakeholders, as the Minister of State said, and striking the right balance.”
“I point out that we have had two Ministers at the Department of Transport here this evening to represent the Government. They deserve respect for their office and for their work. They regularly show up here, as does the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. I think the Senator has some sort of personal vendetta against the Minister. It is unfair. I note that the Senator is not going to withdraw her statement but, to be honest, I think it is really shoddy behaviour. I will leave it there.”
“The Minister of State outlined the Government position very carefully. I listened to all speakers so far very carefully. I understand the sentiment and place this is coming from. I sympathise with the position but I heard a lot of hyperbole from the proposer and seconder. The allegations of the contravention of law and the carriage of munitions of war on civil aircraft began in August 2024 following some media reports. The Department of Transport has begun examining these allegations in detail. I believe a report to the Minister for Transport will be prepared and presented once these allegations have been examined. We should wait to see that. I know the Minister will very much protect our neutral status as a country. This position that the Government is taking is right and appropriate.”
“Fianna Fáil opposes this Bill at Second Stage. Ireland has a well-established procedure in place for the diplomatic clearance of the overflight and landing of state aircraft. This diplomatic clearance is subject to strict conditions with full respect to Ireland's policy of military neutrality. These conditions include that the aircraft must be unarmed and carry no arms, ammunition or explosives. The aircraft must not engage in intelligence gathering and the flight in question must not form part of military exercises or operations. These requirements are well understood by all parties and our partners, including the United States. The Bill is very far reaching. There is an extensive suite of aviation law which could potentially be impacted, but it has not been appropriately considered.”
“I suppose the tiny light at the end of the tunnel is that the HSE continues to review expansion needs. I am going to be advocating and making a very strong case until we deliver a minor injury unit for Balbriggan.”
“I am very disappointed to hear the response from the Minister of State. I know there are no current plans to open a minor injury hub in Balbriggan. The Minister of State referred to Tallaght, Athlone, Carlow and Ballina, but we need to look to the future and the population demands. For the people of Balbriggan, the Smithfield rapid injury clinic and Connolly Hospital are even further away than Beaumont Hospital. It is completely unacceptable that a large population in north County Dublin is left without a basic service promised back in 2018. It is no good to the people in Balbriggan, Lusk, Rush or Skerries to hear that Tallaght, Athlone, Carlow and Ballina are getting minor injury units. We need one. I am going to engage with the Minister of State and the Minister to make sure Balbriggan is put on the agenda for the next review.”
“For the convenient provision of healthcare in the community, a minor injury unit would work well in the town of Balbriggan and to serve the population of 63,000 people in the other towns in its hinterland. This unit needs to be delivered. We need to take people out of the likes of Beaumont Hospital and out of emergency departments; cut down on costs, ultimately; and deliver healthcare in the community.”
“It is one of the core principles of Sláintecare, as the Minister of State would know. The reduction of unnecessary hospital trips is a core aim, with as much healthcare delivered close to home in the community and patient-focused, which will also reduce costs. We know fractures are increasing as the population gets older. If an older person suffers a fracture, it could be very distressing for them to have to travel 32 km to the emergency department in Beaumont Hospital to get it taken care of when they could attend a primary care centre with a minor injuries unit in their own town. That is what we want delivered for the people of Balbriggan. As I said, Balbriggan is the youngest town in Ireland. We know young people get all sorts of bangs and fractures through sport and playing.”
“The minor injuries unit would be ideally located there to look after sprains, broken bones, minor burns, sports injuries, cuts and wounds. That was promised for the primary care centre in 2018. Other services are located in the primary care centre but there is spare capacity. GP services, a public health nurse, physiotherapy, community mental health services, speech and language therapies and a number of other services are currently provided in the building but there is capacity. I believe the children's disability service is moving from this location to a separate location because it is expanding, which is very welcome. That will free up extra capacity within the primary care centre building. We know healthcare delivered closest to the community is best for people. It is the most cost-effective way to deliver healthcare.”
“The Minister of State is very welcome to the Seanad, as always. Balbriggan is the youngest and fastest-growing town in Ireland. It has a population of over 26,000 and is expanding. A lot of housing is going into Balbriggan at the moment. The wider catchment area has a population of over 63,000, including the towns of Skerries, Lusk and Rush. It is the furthest town in Dublin from a hospital, sitting at 32 km from Beaumont Hospital. A minor injuries unit is badly needed in the town of Balbriggan. I attended a very well attended public meeting on Monday night in Balbriggan organised by Balbriggan Community Council. The strong message from the people of Balbriggan is that a minor injuries unit is needed without further delay. A primary care centre was opened in 2018.”
“Peter's fills this role in these communities. It will bring three thriving rural communities together and ensure all in the community have access to a place to gather and form bonds. All three communities have grown in population in recent years and are set to grow further. I would like a debate with the Minister of State with special responsibility for sport, Deputy McConalogue, on the provision of sporting facilities for rural communities and their importance in community development, community cohesion, belonging and collective action.”
“The children and young people of Ballyboughal, Naul and Garristown deserve excellent sporting and community facilities. I am fully behind this development and will do everything in my power to deliver it for the communities. When discussing this development we also need to look at the concept of the third space. The third space is a social environment separate to the two primary spaces in people's lives, which are their home and work or school environments. It allows people to connect, relax and build community. There are many important friendships and learning environments people need to have access to in order to exchange ideas and decompress. These are very important to keep community cohesion, but in rural communities third spaces can often be lacking. This multisport community facility proposed by St.”
“There is a clear need for a community all-weather facility serving the communities of Naul, Garristown and Ballyboughal. I recently met representatives of St. Peter's GAA on their proposal to develop a multisport community facility for all three communities. They have identified council-owned land ideally located between Ballyboughal and Naul. They have also developed a concept and plans contained in the document I am holding, which is really well-developed. Stage 1 of the proposal is to develop a car park and all-weather pitch at an estimated cost of €2.5 million. This is a very reasonable cost when you consider the huge benefit of the facility to the three communities and the kids of St. Peter's. All three GAA clubs are committed to the development of this multisport community facility and there is huge support for it locally.”
“St. Peter's GAA is a juvenile amalgamation of three Gaelic football clubs in rural north County Dublin, namely, Clann Mhuire, Ballyboughal and Garristown. All three clubs have a rich and deep tradition of football. When the players reach minor level, they go back to their home GAA clubs to continue playing at a very high level. St. Peter's GAA is going from strength to strength, but with changing weather patterns it has become apparent the current facilities are not fit for purpose. They are not available when the local juvenile teams need them and the local availability is very limited. This year alone St. Peter's GAA has had to contend with frequent pitch closures and cancelled training sessions. It is very difficult for the club to provide consistent, safe and structured training for the children and young people.”
“The ICA guilds in Lusk, Balbriggan, Garristown and Swords have been doing fantastic work for generations. They keep women connected, educated and supported in rural Ireland.”
“Over the years many studies at a European Union level have been done on countries that have thriving agricultural and rural communities, which show that such countries do better overall in terms of social cohesion and societal expectations. Therefore, it is important for all of us that farmers are supported and particularly women farmers. I would like to pay tribute to the many organisations that support women farmers and have supported rural women down through the years. I want to mention the Irish Countrywomen's Association, which has advocated for women farmers and women in rural Ireland down through the years. I pay particular tribute to the ICA guilds in my own area. I deal with them a lot and have many friends involved in the ICA.”
“Senators have mentioned that some men have felt obliged to stay on the family farm, and how succession is held over them in that the farm is not signed over until a very late stage and some are well advanced in years but there is always that threat that they could lose everything. We need to have a cultural conversation as it would benefit women, men and this country because agriculture, even though it is diminished in terms of its importance in this country when we consider tech and pharma exports, agriculture is still very important and in particular in respect of food security. It is culturally important to have agriculture at the heart of communities. Whether these are communities in north County Dublin, Donegal, Westmeath or Cork, they are different but the same and we value and respect them.”
“We know that just over 13% of farm holders registered in Ireland are women farm holders but that does not reflect the reality on the ground and the many women engaged in agriculture, horticulture and food industries. Access to land and succession are issues that have been touched on. Both leave many women very vulnerable within marriages and if they ever seek to leave a marriage and divorce. We all know of situations in which women have been left very vulnerable and unable to leave, perhaps a very abusive situation, because of the situation around the holding of land. Many men have also been left in vulnerable situations.”