Louis O'Hara
Galway East · Sinn Féin · Ireland
“There are significant concerns about the reform that is being proposed to have CAP sit alongside a range of other policy areas. In particular under the Commission's proposal, CAP funding for Ireland would be cut by over 20%.”
“Absolutely, and that is why it is critical we get a fair allocation. In particular, the future of CAP will have a significant influence on how EU member states can support young farmers. Last year, the Department of agriculture published a report from the commission on generational renewal in farming.”
“No parent should have to worry about what will happen to their child when they can no longer provide care for them, yet years of underfunding and a failure to plan has left our residential support system in crisis and families are left carrying the responsibility even as parents themselves age into their 70s, 80s and beyond.”
“Adults with intellectual disabilities have the same right as every other citizen to live with dignity, safety and independence and the Government has a legal and moral obligation to provide these services. There are so many basic things we are not getting right.”
“I raise the case of a constituent in County Galway who has experienced lifelong difficulties and trauma as a result of historical abuse at the hands of a member of the Christian Brothers who was his primary school teacher. The individual who carried out the abuse has since been convicted.”
“They cannot just be uprooted into an emergency placement down the line. The parents need to be there for the transition to ensure that it works properly and does not cause challenges for that person or, indeed, those who will be caring for them.”
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“The consequences of the crisis in childcare are well known. Many parents who want to work are prevented from doing so. They have to leave their jobs or reduce their hours and stay at home with their children instead. This is preventing many people, women in particular, from returning to the workplace. It impacts hugely on low-income families. At present, we have some of the highest childcare costs in the EU. Thousands of parents cannot find places for their children or are forced to travel very long distances to access childcare, particularly in rural communities. They are being put under enormous pressure as a result. Most importantly, this is a place where children go to learn, develop and grow. That is why it is vital that we get it right and ensure that it is high quality, accessible and affordable to families.”
“To reflect these changing working patterns, the Minister must deliver a code of practice in respect of remote working. Such a code would clearly outline the responsibilities of both employees and employers in respect of working remotely, while also clarifying the right to disconnect. The Government must take steps to ensure this. I also call on the Government to take the steps needed to improve the resilience of the broadband network. Three months after Storm Éowyn, I am still receiving correspondence from constituents on the lack of broadband access, and this highlights the need to improve our infrastructure, especially if the Government is serious about facilitating remote working.”
“Sinn Féin previously introduced legislation that would abolish this wage inequality, but Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have opposed it. I therefore call on the Government to reconsider its position on sub-minimum wage rates and put an end to the discrimination. I also call on the Government not to row back on its commitment to introduce a living wage for workers. As Deputy Guirke rightly pointed out, its excuses on this are a smokescreen. As a representative of a rural constituency, I believe the ability to work remotely has provided an opportunity for people to live in the communities in which they grew up without jeopardising their employment prospects. This ability to work remotely brings its own challenges, such as the right to disconnect and the need for adequate broadband infrastructure in rural areas.”
“International Workers' Day is not only a time to celebrate the strides that have been made in improving workers' conditions and pay; it is also a time to reflect on the areas that need significant improvement. Sub-minimum wage rates, in particular, remain an issue. These rates mean young people under the age of 20 are legally allowed to be paid less than their fellow colleagues for the same work. These rates are exploitative of young workers, and the State should recognise the principle of equal pay for equal work for all age groups. Workers, whatever their age, pay tax, PRSI and the USC at the same rates. There is no reason discrimination should persist. This is the same generation that is particularly exposed to extortionate rents, inflation and education costs.”
“Overall, the tone of the document reflects a missed opportunity to deliver the strategic needs of this island. I call on the Government to reconsider the policy objectives, especially from a rural connectivity and energy perspective, and to direct the development of the State in a way that is more regionally balanced.”
“The development of this island's regional airports should be viewed as a clear, strategic priority, especially in the delivery of balanced regional growth. More than 84% of all flights in the State are processed through Dublin Airport. This imbalance reflects an underutilisation of regional and western airports, such as Shannon and Knock airports. Addressing this imbalance requires investment in both bus and rail links to regional airports, yet this document does not signal any intention to prioritise such strategic development. This planning framework is vague in its language around the re-powering of existing renewable energy projects. Such re-powering projects can extend the lifespans of already existing renewable energy projects and reduce the need to develop these in new areas.”
“I am thinking of projects affecting my own constituency, such as the western rail corridor, the double tracking of Athenry to Galway and the Galway ring road. These projects have not been delivered. Plans are one thing, but delivery is where the west of Ireland has always been let down. Going back to the plan, it is disappointing to see that there is no national policy objective that addresses regional connectivity and transport. This sentiment is shared by many stakeholders, such as TII. While the revised planning framework puts great focus on the growth and resilience of rural communities, this is wishful thinking without a policy commitment to rural connectivity. Similarly, there is limited reference to the role that the State's regional airports will play into the future.”
“This framework will have a significant influence on the development of major strategic projects in the State. It should show ambition for future balanced regional development. As a TD from the west of Ireland, however, I think this development plan fails to address the current regional imbalance between the greater Dublin area and the rest of the country. If anything, the population growth targets contained within the document further cement this imbalance against the western region. This is a missed opportunity for the west. It demonstrates the hollow commitments of this Government towards regional balance and development. Future development in the western region will depend on the delivery of major infrastructural projects, especially in the area of transport. We need serious transport infrastructure investment in the west.”
“This is an absolutely unacceptable situation where children with additional needs will be left without the supports they need and without an appropriate school place. I ask the Minister to address this in her comments and to look into the specific case of Lisheenkyle National School. I ask her to ensure that a drastic cut in SNA support does not happen in the school and that it receive an adequate allocation or appropriate special classes. It would be an absolute failure of these children if that does not happen.”
“One parent, who was recently able to go back working because their son was doing so well in school, feels they will have to leave their job if this goes ahead. This is absolutely disgraceful. The parents have a number of concerns about the process of this review and its timing. Why has it been left to May, at the very end of the school year? Behavioural care needs of children are not being taken into account as part of this review, only primary care needs. The impact on children with autism and other conditions is not being considered. According to the NCSE, the school is not a priority for opening a special class as there is no demand known in the area. How is demand known to an area? There are many children already in the school and in the local area who would avail of special classes.”
“I thank the Labour Party for bringing forward this important motion. I want to use the opportunity to raise an ongoing allocation review in Lisheenkyle National School in my constituency, which is due to be completed in mid-May. The school currently has ten SNAs, who are a fantastic support to the children there. Parents have been informed by the SENO and school staff that the review is likely to reduce the number of SNAs in the school to just three or four. This school has a significant number of children with special educational needs. Needless to say, parents are extremely concerned at the prospect of such a drastic cut in support. I have had parents in touch with me saying that if supports are cut to this extent, their child will no longer have an appropriate school place.”
“Government needs to put this contract on hold and engage with people in the local community. The Minister, Deputy Foley, or an Taoiseach should come down to Kinvara and explain to the local community how this is not a hotel and explain to the Ukrainian residents why they cannot provide any clarity to them on their future. I ask that this be taken back to the Minister, Deputy Foley, and Minister of State, Deputy Brophy. I agree that it is very disappointing that the Minister left before this.”
“Engagement is no good after a decision is made. That is not consultation. Communities cannot be kept in the dark on these proposals and treated with utter contempt. It is a recipe for disaster. Stating that the sole hotel policy does not apply to hotels like the Merriman is a cop-out. It is a hotel. It is the only one in the village. This is a tourist village, and the loss of this hotel is having a serious economic impact. There is no clarity for the Ukrainian residents - 40 people are still there, by the way. Shame on this Government for treating these people in this manner and leaving them in limbo and in this uncertain situation. There should be a practical plan put in place to keep these people in the community and in the hotel until that is achieved.”
“How can that be justified? It is a disgraceful way to treat human beings, especially people who have already been forcibly displaced from their home country. Now, the Government is going to put them through that again. The only people whose interests it is acting in here are the owners of the hotel who have received a very lucrative contract from the State. The community in Kinvara want a pause on these plans to allow for meaningful engagement with them and for clarity for the Ukrainian residents on their future. Will the Minister of State provide for this?”
“The Taoiseach has informed the local community council that this does not apply to the Merriman Hotel because it has been out of use as a hotel. This is an absurd response. The building has been in use accommodating Ukrainian refugees, and if Government is moving away from providing refugee accommodation in sole hotels, then why does this not apply to the Merriman? Most concerning, there has been a failure to provide any clarity for the current Ukrainian residents on what their future is. We are told there is a freeze on moving Ukrainians at the moment but that this could change at any time. These people are well integrated into the community. They have built their lives there. The work there and go to school. They have made Kinvara their home, and any day now they could be told that they will be moved elsewhere at short notice.”
“Public representatives were made aware of a contract having been signed to provide international protection accommodation at the Merriman Hotel, Kinvara, on 18 March. This was the first anybody had heard about this. It has caused enormous anger in the local community. I need to stress that the people of Kinvara have always been very welcoming to refugees from different parts of the world over many years. However, in this instance, there was zero engagement with the community in advance of this proposal, which could have allowed for potential issues to be identified and addressed, but no respect was shown to the community and no engagement took place. There was a failure to follow the Government's stated policy of not locating new IPAS centres in the sole hotel in a town or village.”
“This failure to deliver infrastructure is stalling housing development in the towns and villages. The Government is missing its housing targets and we are nowhere near the 40,000 units promised last year. The failure to invest in the infrastructure is one of the key reasons for this. If the Government is not willing to invest in wastewater infrastructure, it is not serious about tackling the housing crisis, certainly in my constituency. We need investment in infrastructure in towns and villages across County Galway and the rest of the State. I ask that the Government act by providing investment and accelerating the delivery of projects if it is really serious about tackling the housing crisis.”
“That a town of 5,000 people was left without any water whatsoever and no explanation was utterly unacceptable. I ask that the Government and Irish Water act on these failures of communication. In particular, I ask that backup generators be put in place at pump houses to prevent a repeat of the outages. I want to raise the failure to invest in upgrading wastewater infrastructure in towns and villages across my constituency. Funding has been allocated for projects in Craughwell and Clarinbridge but we are told it will be years before upgrades are complete. There are many other towns and villages in Galway, such as Abbeyknockmoy, Ardrahan and Corofin, that do not have adequate wastewater infrastructure. The Government has no plans to invest to address the lack of wastewater infrastructure in these areas.”
“One of my greatest frustrations with Irish Water is the difficulty in accessing information or getting a response to representations. I am aware this is a major source of frustration for my constituents also. It was particularly an issue in the aftermath of Storm Éowyn, when very little information was provided by phone or email on disruptions to water supply. In recent weeks, I have been getting responses to representations that I made in the week following the storm. A response is not much good to me or my constituents one or two months on from the storm. It is totally unacceptable for a public body to be uncontactable by public representatives. During the storm, the town of Athenry in my constituency had no water supply. In the aftermath, requests for a water tanker in Athenry were ignored and not responded to.”
“Even if it does not support the Bill, water charges will ultimately be rejected again by the Irish people, if it comes down to it.”
“That shows it is not about water conservation but, rather, about finding an excuse to put another bill on top of hard-pressed households which are already crippled with high energy and fuel costs, insurance costs, childcare costs and rent. The list goes on and on. People already pay for their domestic water services through general taxation. Introducing a domestic water charge would be a form of double taxation that would do nothing to improve conservation but would simply punish workers and families across the State who are already struggling. If the Government really does not intend to bring in water charges, it should support and enact the Bill to put this issue to bed once and for all. That it is not doing so speaks volumes.”
“Funnily enough, this was not mentioned during the general election campaign because the Minister knows this is something the Irish public does not support. This has never been about conservation or tackling excessive use from the Government’s point of view. It is simply an attempt to bring domestic water charges in through the back door. If it was about conservation, we would have proper investment in our water infrastructure and underground network. The Government should ensure that Uisce Éireann has funding to address these issues and to accelerate its leakage reduction programme to address the biggest cause of water loss in the domestic water system, but it fails to do that.”
“No one trusts the Minister on this issue, given what has happened in the past. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael cannot be trusted when it comes to water charges. The fact that the Minister is opposing this Bill confirms we are right to have those suspicions. Water is a human right. Water charges punish the likes of pensioners and people on low incomes. They push people into water poverty. We have a cost-of-living crisis and there is no justification for charges. We have discovered, however, that the Government is working behind the scenes to introduce charges. That is in the public domain.”
“It is about choice, because people who have had a lifetime of working on their feet in hospitality or doing hard labour on construction sites simply cannot be expected to continue working into their late 60s and beyond. People who have worked hard and given all they can at the age of 65 should have the right to retire on a full pension. At the same time, there must be flexibility for workers who wish to continue working beyond the pension age, but it should be on their terms. That would be a fair and pragmatic approach. It would respect the right of workers to retire with dignity at 65 if they so wish, while also respecting the contributions of those who wish to remain active in the workplace. It gives maximum choice to workers, which would benefit the economy and society.”
“As such, this conversation is very welcome. Sinn Féin has previously brought forward proposals on this issue. We have long called for the removal of retirement clauses in employment contracts. Thousands of workers who turned 65 this year will have their working lives cut short and be forced into retirement because of delays in enacting this legislation. There needs to be urgency in implementing this so that workers have the choice to continue on, if they so wish. The Minister must go further and restore the right to a full pension at the age of 65. After a lifetime of work, people deserve the right to retire on a full pension or to continue to work if they choose to do so. They should be given the freedom to make that choice.”
“As we know, many workers who have a contractual retirement age lower than the pension age are being forced out of their jobs and this can lead to significant drops in income for workers. It is also insulting to people who have worked their entire lives to be forced out of their jobs before they can access the full pension. This has caused significant hardship for many older citizens. Many people find purpose in their work. They enjoy going to work every day and they want to continue contributing to society. They enjoy the social aspect of being in the workplace with friends and colleagues. Being forced to retire can leave people feeling isolated and suffering with their mental health. We know that older workers have a lot to offer, a wealth of knowledge and skills built up over a lifetime of work, and that should be recognised.”
“The Government promise to businesses and farmers, many of whom suffered enormous damage, was that they would be supported, but those promises have proven to be empty words. Despite our calls, nothing has been put in place for businesses or farms. That needs to be looked at. The Minister needs to recognise all of the issues with this scheme, ensure people who had their applications refused will be reviewed, and that something will be issued to the people who deserve support. The reality is many people do not want to beg for a payment and they are not going to request a review. For any applications that have not yet had a decision made on them, especially at the later stages of the HAS, please ensure they are assessed fairly and that people are adequately compensated. Please ensure there is proper preparation for future weather events.”
“It has now been suggested that loss of food is not covered under the scheme or that the applicant must specify that he or she had to spend money on things like eating out rather than just losing the contents of the fridge or freezer. This is a very cruel approach caused by the failure to issue clear guidelines on this scheme even though the Department was repeatedly asked to provide them. If people are without electricity and have lost the contents of their fridge and freezer, they will face additional food costs. They have to eat out or they have to eat somehow. As suggested by the Minister, they cannot claim for it under their home insurance. Policies have excesses and people do not want to increase their premiums. There was an attempt to close the scheme without anybody being informed. That caused huge confusion.”
“The approach to this scheme has been unnecessarily petty and insulting to many of my constituents who suffered enormously after Storm Éowyn, particularly elderly and vulnerable individuals who were left to fend for themselves in many cases. Many in my constituency feel they were abandoned despite the assurances given by Government that everyone would be looked after. I have been inundated with queries from people whose humanitarian assistance scheme, HAS, applications were rejected. I have had people who cannot understand how their neighbour who lost electricity for the same length of time as them and faced the same additional costs as them had their application granted but theirs was refused. An individual was in touch who went 16 days without electricity and had their application refused. How can that be justified?”
“Some of them have endured severe financial hardship, had to give up work and so on, and this should be acknowledged. It only applies to a small number of people, as was said. The legislation is welcome but we need it enacted quickly. Too many people are being left in precarious financial situations, struggling to make ends meet without the support they need. We need to ease the pressure on these people, get the legislation enacted as quickly as possible and ensure a compassionate approach to support for people awaiting the enactment.”
“The household income was slashed completely and she no longer has a secure income. She even lost the household benefits package when her partner died. Above all else, she wants the Government to get this Bill enacted as soon as possible to provide for the pension that she needs and deserves. Deputy O'Reilly outlined a number of changes to the legislation that should be examined, including ones affecting certain separated partners and I hope the Minister will take these on board and work constructively. In particular, expanding retrospection to before January 2024 must be considered. This discrimination against bereaved partners did not start on that date. It existed long before that and families were impacted financially before the O'Meara judgment.”
“When a person passes away, the surviving partner faces significant emotional and financial challenges. Denying them access to the pension is an additional burden during an already painful time. This week I spoke to one of my constituents who has been affected by this. She lost her partner a couple of years ago. They had been together for 16 years and they were a couple until the day he died. She says she felt like a nobody after he died - it was as if the relationship did not matter because there was no recognition of it. She said it is tough to be classed as a nobody on top of all the grief and emotional trauma of having to come to terms with her partner's death. Had she got the pension, she could have worked part time. As she could not, the only option for her at 63 years of age was to claim jobseeker's payment.”
“This legislation is long awaited and much needed for bereaved partners who have been discriminated against for a long time. While it is very welcome, it is regrettable that it took a grieving partner to take a court case to make this change happen and recognise the changing make-up of modern families and relationships. We know that many couples choose to live together without formalising their union through marriage. This choice does not diminish the love, the commitment and the partnership that these couples share. Many build their lives together, sharing financial responsibilities, raising children and supporting one another through thick and thin. It is only fair that they are afforded the same protections and benefits as married couples, particularly in times of grief and loss.”
“The Government made this promise during the election campaign and it is now time to deliver on it. Carers cannot wait any longer. We have heard today from those who are directly affected by this. I call on the Minister of State to do this as a matter of urgency.”
“Anne cares for her elderly parents who are both fully dependent. She and her sister put in more than 100 hours work per week caring for them. They both work full time to facilitate paying for private help in order that they can go home to their families and sleep in their own beds some nights. Anne is overwhelmed, exhausted and has not had a break in years. If she could get some kind of payment, she believes she might be able to save something. The voice of carers, young and old, must be heard and the Government must take action in response. It must increase respite, payments and investment to make sure that people are allowed to stay in their own homes, if that is their wish. The Government must scrap the means test for the carer's allowance.”
“If she was getting the full amount, it would greatly ease the burden when it comes to rising costs and would enable her to get help with other things, such as cleaning, which she cannot do because all of her time is spent caring for her husband. Lorraine cares for her two children with autism and cannot get services for them. She is spending a huge amount of money on private services. She is on carer’s benefit. When that runs out, she does not know what she will do because she has bills to pay. Her hands are tied. She cannot work and, therefore, is considering emigrating. Pauline cares for her 88-year-old mother who needs care around the clock. She was contacted by the Department yesterday. It wants to know what is wrong with her mother and why she needs care. She says the Department made her feel like a criminal.”
“I thank the Labour Party for bringing forward this motion. The work of young carers in particular has not been recognised. That needs to change. They need to be supported in order that they can pursue their education and live their lives as young people. I am going to share the experiences of some carers in my constituency with whom I have spoken in recent days. While this is just a small sample, all of those I have spoken to feel forgotten and totally unsupported. Frances told me about her mother who cares for her father. He has Parkinson’s disease and needs full-time care. She is only entitled to half the carer’s allowance, which is demoralising for the amount of work she does daily.”
“Shannon Oaks is not on that register so there are no penalties for the owners of this site, Brian and Luke Comer, who are very wealthy individuals, that would encourage them to bring the hotel back into use - this is what the people of Portumna want above all else because it was the only hotel in the town and crucial for the area - or, at least, address the safety concerns and encourage them to give it to somebody who will bring it back into use. Will the Government finally get its act together on dereliction and empower and resource local authorities to deal with this issue and enforce the derelict sites register?”
“I wish to raise the issue of dereliction. The former Shannon Oaks hotel in Portumna, County Galway, has lain idle and derelict for close to 15 years. The site is an eyesore and is attracting antisocial behaviour. It is a serious health and safety issue because the site is not properly secured. It is being entered very regularly, which is very concerning because it is a very unstable structure that has been damaged after a fire. It is an accident waiting to happen. Galway County Council is not willing or equipped to deal with the issue of dereliction. The last time I checked, there were only four properties on the county's derelict sites register, which is nowhere near an accurate reflection of the situation on the ground.”
“I ask the Minister of State to look at the specific case in Loughrea, to take the funding issues that the council has into account and to engage with it on that request for €3 million for development of facilities.”
“I welcome the Minister of State's willingness to engage with the local authority. Galway County Council has asked Government for support of €3 million to assist it in developing proposals for swimming pools, including project development, site design, and planning permission, to put it in a position to access capital funding. Will that be considered? Can that form part of the Minister of State's discussions with the county council? Like I said, Galway County Council is a particular case and raising the local property tax will not address the significant funding challenges that we have. On a bigger scale, we know that money is available. Investing in the health and wellbeing of our communities is a worthwhile investment.”
“That is a particular challenge in County Galway because our local authority has serious funding issues. The Government has consistently underfunded our council. Will this be looked at and will a specific funding stream for pools be considered? A total of 35 out of 96 is not sufficient for the demand in our communities.”
“I thank the Minister of State. There is a huge need for this in Loughrea. There is no pool within 25 km of the town. The town itself has a population of 6,500, with a further 15,000 or so people in the hinterland. There are five schools in the town and many children who cannot access swimming facilities on an ongoing basis. We know all the health and wellbeing benefits that this kind of project can bring to people with disabilities, the elderly and everybody in the community. There are specific challenges for the swimming pool committee in Loughrea in accessing funding to get a project like this up and running. Significant funding is needed for the initial stages of project development. As it stands, the LSSIF requires a huge contribution from the local authority and it does not assist with project development.”
“What support can the Minister of State and his Department provide to support the development of public swimming pools, particularly in the town of Loughrea in my constituency? The Minister of State might be aware that there have been efforts for some time to develop a public swimming pool there but there are challenges with funding to get this project off the ground.”
“There needs to be a particular focus on policing in rural communities and a rural Garda plan is needed to address those gaps where we have stations that have closed, or in areas where Garda numbers are down. We have a rising population, and we desperately need more gardaí in our communities. The intake capacity for Garda training must be increased to get to where we need to be in terms of numbers. We must also tackle the root causes of crime such as inequality, addiction, mental health issues and so on if we are to fully address these problems.”
“This does not include the number of gardaí not available for work due to career breaks, maternity leave and so on. A huge number of Garda stations have been closed, particularly rural stations, leaving no permanent presence in these areas. In my home town of Athenry, which has a population of 5,000 people, the Garda station is rarely open. It opens from time to time. There is no certainty as to when it will be open. People locally tell me that if you call the station, you are often transferred over to Clifden Garda station on the western edge of County Galway, about two hours' drive away. That is not good enough for a town of Athenry's size. This lack of gardaí and Garda visibility has serious consequences. It impacts on people's sense of safety, on deterrence and on crime prevention.”
“The lack of Garda presence and visibility in our communities is having a serious impact. Many people in my constituency are living in fear, particularly elderly and vulnerable people and those in rural communities. People are having to take drastic measures to increase security in their homes. We know that burglaries are on the rise. There were 386 burglaries reported in Galway in 2023, an increase of 8%. The most recent figures published this week show levels of burglaries continuing to rise across the west and across the State. Antisocial behaviour is also a serious issue, and the lack of Garda visibility in our communities is contributing to this. We do not see gardaí on the beat and they do not have a sufficient presence. Yet, in the Galway Garda division the number of gardaí actually decreased last year by 2% from 618 to 604.”
“Did I pick up the Minister of State correctly on the timeline? Did he say he expects the project to commence in 2030? Is there a clear timeline?”
“I thank the Minister of State. The benefits of this project are clear and well-known. I know that the Minister of State knows the benefits very well. I recognise that he has been a long-time supporter of the rail line. I hope he will now deliver on it in government. It is critical for economic development in the west, people's mobility, taking cars off the road and addressing the chronic traffic problems in Galway. There are significant numbers of commuters in our constituency, including students and people attending hospital and so on, who are stuck in traffic for hours each day coming into and leaving Galway. This project would benefit them. It is critical for economic and balanced regional development, as the Minister of State knows well. We need State investment in our infrastructure to address that deficit.”
“I ask the Minister of State to outline the progress that has been made towards the reopening of the western rail corridor. Will a decision be made in respect of that rail line in the near future? As the Minister of State will know, it is a long-awaited project that is absolutely critical to the west of Ireland.”