Máire Devine
Dublin South-Central · Sinn Féin · Ireland
“We women need to have the opportunity to know this, to be informed and to walk away before it is too late. I wholeheartedly commend Jennie's loving brother, Jason, for his dedication and tenacity pursuing the establishment of this domestic violence register. We also had David French in here a couple of weeks ago as well.”
“It is an emotion we all have - falling in love. It is a promise. It is life-affirming, with a possibility of leading to a life partner. It is a wonderful human emotion.”
“The original proposed scope of convictions to be included on the register was too narrowly limited to only physical violence. We know there are many other types that are committed in intimate relationships.”
“I concur with them and therefore I support Committee Stage amendments Nos. 5, 6 and 7, as submitted by my Sinn Féin colleague, which extend the length of registration to five years. I also support amendment No.”
“This is a sensitive, vitally important piece of legislation and has the potential to affect for the good everyone on our island. Jennie was a young, vibrant woman; a daughter, a mother and a sister who believed she had found a life partner but suffered the heartbreak of knowing that he was not who he seemed to be and he took her life - a…”
“There is a timed amendment on this legislation, which would allow a simple and practical issue that somebody cannot live next door, on the same street or in the same neighbourhood as their abuser. It is a no-brainer.”
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“This is a sensitive, vitally important piece of legislation and has the potential to affect for the good everyone on our island. Jennie was a young, vibrant woman; a daughter, a mother and a sister who believed she had found a life partner but suffered the heartbreak of knowing that he was not who he seemed to be and he took her life - a murderer. Cuimnigh uirthi.”
“I concur with them and therefore I support Committee Stage amendments Nos. 5, 6 and 7, as submitted by my Sinn Féin colleague, which extend the length of registration to five years. I also support amendment No. 8, which gives the court the flexibility to specify a longer period before an application for removal from the register may apply with regard to the nature and seriousness of the offence and the need to protect the safety and well-being of the victim or any children or dependants. I commend my colleague, Deputy Carthy, who chairs the committee on justice, for his careful stewardship of this Bill. I hope survivors, victims and their families are comforted in some small way by the care shown in the progression of this Bill through the House.”
“The original proposed scope of convictions to be included on the register was too narrowly limited to only physical violence. We know there are many other types that are committed in intimate relationships. The Bill now includes murder, manslaughter, rape, sexual assault, assault causing harm, threats to kill or cause serious harm, harassment and danger, false imprisonment and intimate image abuse. What a litany of horror visited on many women. We need to examine the inclusion on the register of financial abuse and coercive control and ensure that the people of Ireland are protected from those convicted of all kinds of abuse. During pre-legislative scrutiny, witnesses testified about the concerns regarding serial perpetrators. Three years is a very short period for a domestic violence offender register.”
“We women need to have the opportunity to know this, to be informed and to walk away before it is too late. I wholeheartedly commend Jennie's loving brother, Jason, for his dedication and tenacity pursuing the establishment of this domestic violence register. We also had David French in here a couple of weeks ago as well. Everybody needs brothers like these men. These are men. Unfortunately, we are seeing many family members of victims of intimate partner violence having to shoulder such a heavy burden in pursuit of justice and of suitable preventative measures, so no future families and victims will have to be subjected to such outrageous and upsetting violent acts. We should not limit the scope of this Bill to convictions for physical violence. The offenders' register must include convictions of all types of intimate partner abuse.”
“It is an emotion we all have - falling in love. It is a promise. It is life-affirming, with a possibility of leading to a life partner. It is a wonderful human emotion. It has the promise of finding a sense of home, of trusting somebody, with finding a soul mate - an eye on building a future together where each person has the other's back. Then the insidious gradual picking can start, seemingly innocent, the undermining, leading to the odd slap, and be followed by the express remorse that makes one stay. There is a promise that things will get better. It does not. Little does a person know or even imagine there is a past form of violence perpetrated, overwhelmingly by men, that was brutal and life-threatening and that they were convicted in court - that this man who loves them will destroy them or end their life.”
“We cannot sit back. This is too urgent for over half the population in this country. The exclusion of HAP and RAS from the protocol is also concerning. As Deputy Ó Broin said, 50,000 households would not be eligible if they were to try to avail of this. It is incumbent on us to care for our communities and society and give very basic care so that someone who needs to is able to say: “I am out of here. I am gone. I do not want to leave a trace behind me. I want to go somewhere where I will not bump into this person.” Kids will be traumatised as well. That person will be able to avoid bumping into someone who means them harm and has probably harmed them for years. I urge the Minister of State to roll back on that. Committee Stage is the place to battle all this out.”
“There is a timed amendment on this legislation, which would allow a simple and practical issue that somebody cannot live next door, on the same street or in the same neighbourhood as their abuser. It is a no-brainer. It is about trying to get away to settle somewhere, to feel safe somewhere and to add to another community that will promote family life, safety and the joy of living from day to day as opposed to always looking behind in terror at what has been done. It could be a simple thing. I have taken the differences throughout the councils throughout the country into account. Surely that is what Committee Stage is there for. I am not sure about the 12-month delay. It will still have to go to Committee Stage regardless, so maybe we should do a robust Committee Stage on this. I urge the Minister of State to introduce this.”
“We know the time when women leave is often the most dangerous time for them and their children. The refuges are often very full and oversubscribed. They often turn away people. I think they turned away several hundred women and their families in the last few months. It is concerning. Housing is a human right. Protection of bodily integrity, of mental well-being and of safety is a human right. We need to act with that lens. It is so heartbreaking for me and everybody in constituencies who come across it. I am trained, to some extent, with my previous profession, but most of our staff are not. I have made sure a lot of Sinn Féin office staff have been trained in how to deal with it because it can be overwhelming as it is on the increase.”
“Again, as my colleague, Deputy Ó Broin, has said, it needs to be in the Statute Book. A protocol is a bit wishy-washy - no offence meant. It does not give robustness and comfort to those trying to flee terror and flee those who would harm them and, in some cases, take their lives. I think three women have lost their lives in this country in the last week and a bit. That is significant. That shows that we need to be urgent about it. A timed amendment of 12 months does not cut the mustard, to be honest. There are often years of trauma and violence. Every one of us in our constituency office will deal with women coming in and I see the terror on their faces. It takes them a good few visits before they actually say that they need to leave and that they do not know how much longer they can stay safe there.”
“I think the Minister of State should welcome this legislation. I think in some of what he said, he has, but this timed amendment of 12 months is disappointing. We live in a society in which we have seen, in the last decade and a half or two, the explosion of harm against women and often their children. It has become quite scary for women in this country and worldwide. It is to keep us in our boxes and to make sure we do not go any further. The guys want to have their say still, albeit in an aggressive and violent manner. Being the spokesperson for domestic and gender-based violence in my party, my concentration will be on those fleeing or attempting to flee domestic and gender-based violence. I acknowledge the recent introduction of the protocol for transfer by the Minister, Deputy Browne. I think it was last week.”
“The State must invest in our people, our families and our working-class communities. That is the priority. We deserve better.”
“Those streetscapes are our urban gems and they are being diluted and dismissed regularly. This has been concentrated in inner cities over the last decade. Affordable housing is a linchpin that sets the groundwork for a stable living environment for families. It is crucial for personal and communal growth. Stability nurtures people and protects their well-being. Government policy must prioritise this and not be an indifferent bystander to the experience of inner city communities that have long encountered deliberate neglect, disinterest and abandonment. The Minister, Deputy James Browne, got some insight into this when, albeit pushed, he visited the Liberties. That visit was welcome and propelled the decision to answer to the locals and replan the generation that was parked.”
“It must be front and centre and the cornerstone of Government policy. Access to affordable housing enables broader social cohesion and strengthens communities, something we desperately need to encourage, support and nurture in these days of sometimes turmoil across our cities and Europe. This legislation should include and encourage site visits so as to give a helicopter view of the context of what is being proposed when assessing large developments, or at least a real-time video of the area and a virtual walk-through to gain a perspective on and understanding of the visual impact, scale and impositions of developments of this nature in the inner cities. They have swallowed up and bulldozed a lot of traditional streetscapes, and with them a lot of our communities in the inner city.”
“Likewise, the aparthotels that cater for this, the premier tourist trail in the country, have resulted in what we call a tourist paradox, a phenomenon that is growing worldwide where tourism and transient visitors destroy the cultural environment that is necessary for tourism activity in the first place. The recent protests at Thomas Street's aparthotel development proved to the be tipping point for locals, who are furious at yet another planning permission for a bland, featureless and cheapening development while their community is scattered to the wind, along with the exodus of home-grown businesses and community facilities. Unaffordable housing is divisive. Tensions are rising and discontent is wholly understandable. The affordability crisis represents a social challenge that must be addressed.”
“Before I start, the Housing Agency was tasked with researching and monitoring housing-based interventions that sought to strengthen social cohesion. I am wondering if that report informed this Bill, or if there is yet to be a report. If you ask the people of Dublin South-Central, they will clearly tell you that affordable and social housing is key in addressing the fragmentation and displacement of their communities, as vulture funds, student accommodation and transient accommodation smother their area. Swathes of high-rise, transient accommodation have been imposed on their communities. The historical community of the Liberties is choked with eight-to-12-storey blocks of student accommodation that have forever changed the small streetscape and skyscape of Dublin's oldest settlement.”
“The former Sinn Féin Senator, Fintan Warfield, introduced a Bill to ban it, as did Sinn Féin Minister of Communities, Deirdre Hargey, in the Six Counties. This legislation is the antidote to the barbaric and medieval practice of conversion. There is much to be positive about. A debate was part of a Pride event on Monday. It discussed statistics showing that we have evolved from a dark place of fear to an LGBT community that is more accepted and we are up there with the top countries in Europe. There is an accepting and welcoming involvement by all of us in shaping our society and island and respecting an Ireland for all.”
“Those glorious days which were celebrated and embraced seem to have dwindled since then, with Trump and his cohort and Brexit and xenophobia playing their part as civil rights are being rolled back. Bród has come a long way. June is the month of celebration and Pride continues its success. More work is required. Nothing is ever done and dusted. Things evolve, damage is repaired and wrongs are corrected. Ireland's transgender healthcare is a mess. The National Gender Service is not fit for purpose. Trans people deserve care based on international best practice. Everybody has the right to safety, integrity of identity and happiness. Conversion therapy, which is abhorrent and has inflicted so much suffering, is another breach of human rights.”
“The rise of hate crime and anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric worldwide by bad actors is calculated to reverse hard fought human rights gains. It is a hateful and destructive narrative, fed by some world leaders. It is divisive and damages the human spirit. The manosphere narrows the mind and seeks to regress human civil rights and dignity. It is amplified by the increase in online and offline hate. It is a mammoth task to counteract this as a global political shift to the right is happening. Homophobic and transphobic rhetoric is seeping more and more into the public domain. We can never let our guard down. It needs to be called out. In 2015, marriage equality was a momentous and proud moment for Ireland, the first country to legislate for this by a referendum of the people.”
“I am a member of the Oireachtas rainbow caucus and we are progressing plans to mark the 40th anniversary of ICTU's progressive role in promoting equal rights. It was the beginning of a safer work environment, which made a huge difference to the lives of LGBT people of the time. Decriminalisation, led by the indomitable Senator Norris and others, including my pal, Kieran Rose, went on for 16 years but did not expunge prior convictions. My colleague, Deputy Ó Snodaigh, introduced legislation to do so, known as the disregard Bill. It has passed all Stages in this Chamber and is working its way through the Seanad. It will be enacted in the next few weeks before the recess. It is another milestone in righting wrongs.”
“I welcome the groups in the Gallery who have come to listen to this debate. I hope it proves inspiring from all of us to you. Pride, or Bród, month began with the bravery of a demonstration in Dublin in 1974. A group of men and women protested against the archaic laws of the 1800s that criminalised homosexual relations. It was not until 1993 that it was decriminalised, marking a significant step towards LGBTQI rights in Ireland. Another significant step towards equality was taken by ICTU in 1986, which produced and implemented a radical policy for the time regarding lesbian and gay rights in the workplace. This paved the way for progressive legislation, including the hatred Act, equality in all public sector employment, sexual orientation on the basis of equality in 1993, the Equal Status Act 2000 and many other laws.”
“Where is your voice, your presence in marching with us demanding protections, in addressing your mates' behaviour and in calling out cringeworthy attitudes and actions? Take a leaf from Mr. French's book whose dignified determination shows how our men and boys can be, how they respect their loves, their mothers, wives and daughters, who make up over half the population. He stood firm and this will inform his nephews - Valerie's sons - how to carry their heartache while living their best lives as equality advocates in their community. Maith thú, Daithí, we owe you much.”
“The Guardianship of Infants and Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2026 will always be known as Valerie's law. Thanks to Valerie's brother, David French, this is a very proud moment for all of us and especially for him and his family. His tenacity is to be admired given the arduous journey over the years to get to this point, with many occasions appearing to be confusing. I would say that trying to find a way has been exhausting for him but sibling love and loyalty spurred him on. As a Sinn Féin spokesperson on gender and domestic violence, with the support of the agencies that support women, we are always calling on men - our brothers, husbands, sons, fathers and uncles - to stand with us; to stand with women. Often men say, "We are not like that; you have our support".”
“As the Minister of State can imagine, I am gobsmacked and very disappointed. I find the response very disrespectful to me as a family member of an individual who spent over 700 hours doing the roof of Kilmainham Gaol. It is extremely disrespectful to us, the families and the volunteers who are still around. The late Garret FitzGerald at the time said that the trustees were to provide advice, and to organise events and commemorative ceremonies to honour those who suffered and died in the prison. That is what the board of visitors are trying to do. We are being given the flipping finger by the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, the OPW or whoever has made that disgraceful decision. Surely they would be honoured to actually be part of what is our history and to pass it down to the next generation and the generation after.”
“This has gone on for almost over two years, and we are trying to gather the families. As the Minister of State can imagine, there are very few volunteers left. There is only one I can think of, who is the chair, and that is Damien Cassidy. I ask the Minister of State to please give a nudge to the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, and the OPW.”
“There were a lot of politics going on at the time but he decided to establish it to represent the interests of the trustees and voluntary workers who had restored the prison. As a member of the board, having been appointed for two consecutive terms - it is a five-year term - I and the board have approached the Minister of State, Deputy Boxer Moran, and the OPW for an event, which is what we are tasked with and is in our terms of reference, to honour those volunteers and their families. We reprinted the book, Ghosts of Kilmainham , which details the activities from 1963 onwards - and the prisoners - within the walls of that at-times fairly scary place. However, I feel we have been treated quite disrespectfully. We have had no communication from either party.”
“I thank the Minister of State for the opportunity. This matter is obviously about Kilmainham Gaol and the board of visitors. I am not sure if the Minister of State knows the back story to all this, but Kilmainham Gaol itself has witnessed so much of modern Irish politics and history. It has covered everything from the United Irishmen to the Fenians, the Invincibles, the Famine and the Land League. It has a place in all our hearts and in hearts abroad. A committee of trustees and voluntary workers, including my uncle Charlie, aka the suicide roofer, broke down the gates in 1960 and restored the prison from a state of complete ruin between the years 1960 and 1986. At that time, the then Minister of State, Brian Hayes, set up a board of visitors to take over from the trustees.”
“I refer to the Save Stephen's Green and the Save the Cobblestone campaigns, and all those issues on which local communities gathered around and managed to make a difference. We need this old town. It needs respect. The whole of Dublin needs to support it as it affects all Dubliners. I ask that the vision for our old town would not be aparthotels, hotels and transient accommodation. Let us rebuild the community vibrancy that the working-class Liberties always offered to the entire city of Dublin.”
“The Liberties has reached a tipping point. Even the judge in the Ardee House pub occupation case is sympathetic to the occupiers and their demands and has given them extra time. The Vicar Street Hotel and the Molyneux Hotel developers are coming in and building. I do not know if the Minister knows John's Lane Church but the steeple there is very high. It is a top tourist attraction as is St. James's Church. They are going to block that out. They are going to block and box in our flat complexes. You just see cranes all around them. The Minister knows the controversy around Oliver Bond House recently but all the other inner city flat complexes in Dublin 8 are going to be blocked in by tourism. The Liberties needs all of Dublin behind it. I put out that cry and ask everybody.”
“It is a deliberate neglect, with its problems, poverty and addiction but also the joyousness of its community in regard to what it offers. The Liberties, our old town, is in decay and that decay is built by the glass cages growing up around us. Hats off, in a way, to the guys who occupied the Ardee House pub recently in protest at vacancies, voids, dereliction and the lack of community centres. We do not have a community centre in Dublin 8. It was burned to the ground and still has not opened five years on. Last week, I organised, along with the Bridgefoot Street Residents Association, a protest outside a granted aparthotel, the edifice of which is faceless, featureless, bland and adds nothing to the Liberties. It is a unique space that could be incorporated into the vision of what our old town could be.”
“I thank the Minister for taking this. I represent Dublin South-Central, the premier tourist route in the country. Others might disagree with that but the facts speak for themselves. You start at Trinity College and walk a straight line that brings you through Trinity College to the Iveagh Markets, St. James's Hospital - the old South Dublin Union - Roe and Co. and Guinness. Then you find yourself at the Royal Hospital, and then onto Kilmainham Gaol - where I am a member of the board - and the Phoenix Park. All of these are in Dublin 8, apart from the starting point at Trinity. I am here as a bit of a grouch, I suppose. I am not normally a grouch but I refer to decisions over the past number of years in relation to the Liberties, our old town that has been neglected for so long.”
“I will ask the Minister about his position on recommendation 7, which sought to safeguard that this legislation could not be applied in cases where a person is convicted of manslaughter when acting in self-defence or where there has been a history of domestic abuse towards the alleged perpetrator. I would appreciate if he would address these matters in his closing remarks. Sinn Féin welcomes the progression of this legislation and stands ready to work with the Minister to ensure it is as robust as possible. We hope it will see a swift but detailed passage through committee. I pay tribute to Valerie, a woman, mother, caregiver and professional therapist dedicated to affirming life and love. Cuimhneoimid uirthi. To Valerie.”
“We need reassurance that it will be competent in this instance to act on this legislation as laid out without delay and to act in a fair and equitable manner, given its remit and terms of reference as the Child and Family Agency. Recommendation 4 advocates that a register of guardians be established to aid State bodies. I know that in recent weeks campaigners have been highlighting an issue whereby widowed parents must provide death certificates to the passport service every time the child's passport is renewed. I ask the Minister if this is a matter he may be willing to review, in conjunction with his colleagues, as something that could bring greater benefit. To bring a death certificate every time is a painful and reminiscent requirement. It does not make sense to do it for the length of a child's life until he or she turns 18.”
“Some concern was expressed by the committee regarding the resourcing of Tusla, in particular in relation to the terms of applications generally being time-bound to six months. As such, I think that recommendation 6, which was that a specialist unit be established within Tusla that would have the responsibility of submitting any applications, could bring multiple reassurances in terms of the successful operation of this Bill. It is widely known and accepted that Tusla is under enormous and severe pressure from unprecedented child protection referrals, severe social work shortages and a crisis in emergency placements. Reassurance is needed that it will be competent. At times, it has been found not to be competent.”
“I welcome the Bill that now reflects the concerns of recommendation 2 of the committee's report and provides for a review process in case of a later acquittal of the guardian. That makes sense. However, a number of other areas were touched on in the report and I do not see them reflected in the Bill. Recommendation 3 suggested that parties beyond Tusla, such as relatives, should be able to submit applications to the court. It would be useful if the Minister were to outline his rationale for limiting this to only Tusla. While recommendation 8 does allow for relatives to seek leave to be joined as a notice party, it falls short of the committee's report recommendation that they would be a notice party.”
“The testimony, alongside the written submissions received by the committee, provided for a report on pre-legislative scrutiny that identified a number of areas in need of consideration but which can serve as the basis of a strong and robust piece of legislation. I also commend my party colleague and Sinn Féin finance minister in the Executive in the North, John O'Dowd, who has committed to progressing similar legislation known as "Jade's law". I hope we will have tied-up all-Ireland legislation to enact. What this law will do is to recognise, as David French told the committee, that to murder a parent is to grievously abuse a child. It would facilitate the restriction of guardianship rights from those who kill their partners or the parents of their children.”
“French was an integral witness before the Oireachtas justice committee when it conducted pre-legislative scrutiny of the Minister's general scheme. My party colleague and Cathaoirleach of the Oireachtas justice committee, Deputy Carthy, highlighted that it was essential that the committee should hear directly from those ordinary people with real-life experience of the matters being discussed, rather than just from the statutory agencies, NGOs, academics and Government Departments. The insights that Mr. French gave to the committee in respect of the impact that this legislation would have had for his family and the welfare of his nephews were invaluable.”
“I thank the Minister. I send a céad míle fáilte to the people in the Gallery, including Valerie's brother and sisters, and to SiSi, which is a collective of women survivors of intimate partner violence. I thank them for their unceasing work. Sincere thanks resonate from this Chamber for its protection of women and children as a priority. Sinn Féin welcomes the progression of legislation to restrict guardianship rights in situations where a person has murdered a child's other guardian. I commend Mr. David French, brother of Valerie, who was murdered by her spouse. His love for his sister and nephews, his tenacity and relentless campaigning are largely why we are having this debate today. Déanaim comhghairdeas le David agus a chlann. Mr.”
“If someone gets an offer but the monthly cost is extortionate, then the barrier to accessing a mortgage will remain. It is a kind of catch-22. This issue is sometimes kicked around between the banks and the insurance companies; hands off, Mexican stand-off and it is somebody else's problem. The insurance company will say that where they will not insure, there are exemptions under section 126 of the Consumer Credit Act. While banks will say that insurance companies should be providing insurance, people are denied mortgages for not having mortgage protection insurance and are quoted extortionate premiums. Many people do not know that they can argue their case with the bank. I welcome this legislation and commend my Dublin South Central colleague and former Seanad mate, Deputy Catherine Ardagh, and well done to her for bringing this forward.”
“I believe that eventually, due to the woman bravely speaking out and to political pressure, she was offered cover but nobody should have to go down that route and that is all on an individual, desperate basis, putting your life story out there and begging and pleading for somebody to listen so they will act and give cover. This leads me to another area. It is not often that lending is the greatest barrier. As I mentioned in the story about the women with the difficulties with an eating disorder, the issue is often accessing the mortgage protection insurance. This is where we need to be careful to ensure the legislation has the intended effect. Not only must people not be denied cover but we also need to ensure they are offered fair and affordable premiums.”
“We have to think about why we are only talking about cancer. There are many serious medical conditions that mean people cannot access mortgages either because the banks will not lend or the insurance companies will not provide the insurance banks require to issue a mortgage. My party colleague Deputy Conway-Walsh was dealing with a case a couple of years ago where a woman who had previously suffered from an eating disorder was denied insurance. She was denied precisely because she was continuing therapy to ensure she did not relapse. She was effectively being punished for doing the right thing, for seeking help and staying healthy and investing in her own health.”
“If this is to pass, they want it to be as narrow as possible, with the wait time for a fresh start as long as possible. A year after the first all-clear from a doctor should be more than enough. We need to understand that very recently, in the past decade, healthcare treatment and options have been revolutionised, as has the treatment of serious illnesses with the rapid positive results that were always promised. This needs to be taken into account. Survival rates from cancer have quadrupled and it is no longer necessarily the big C scary stuff we thought it was perhaps a decade or so ago. Healthcare has moved on and has been revolutionised so I do think a year being clear from a doctor should be enough. People need to be able to move on with their lives, especially with lives they felt had been threatened.”
“I hope the Government will be sincerely open to looking at how we could go further than what is set out in the Bill. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have a long track record of siding with the banks, including allowing them to send up to 100,000 mortgages to vulture funds, many for no reason, and without consent. The families deserve justice there. The banks are allowed to enjoy corporation tax relief while boasting a combined profit of €5 billion last year alone and despite never fully repaying the Irish people for bailing them out. This is an opportunity for the Government to show is it on the side of ordinary people and not the banks. Ordinary people deserve so much more. Make no mistake, banks and insurance companies do not want this even if they would not say it publicly.”
“Insurance companies can choose whether they adhere to a code in each individual case. The longstanding default of self-regulation has not served us well. That voluntary code only applies to mortgage protection insurance and not to other types of insurance. That said, the fact we are looking at this policy area raises many more questions. Is after five years of being cancer free a fair threshold to be set for the right to be forgotten? We have to add the difficult years of battling cancer. Only when people are finally cancer-free does the clock start and then they have to wait for five years to apply for mortgages. I do not think that seems right. We need to look hard at that and perhaps the Minister of State will do so on Committee Stage.”
“Sinn Féin welcomes this Bill. Ensuring the right to be forgotten is essential for people who have overcome cancer. For people who face a diagnosis of that kind, and we all know somebody who has, purchasing a home will not be the first thing on their minds but shelter and owning your home is so important to recovery and the quicker we realise the difficulties people are facing - the battle with cancer, even when they are on the far side of it, it is an battle to simply be treated like everybody else by the banks and insurance companies, which are the modern gatekeepers of home ownership. The Government can be assured of Sinn Féin's support for this Bill. In many ways, it is long overdue. In Ireland we saw a voluntary code recently adopted by the insurance industry.”
“Respectfully, this is not a sensible decision being made by the HSE. The Minister of State's response will be used in the WRC. The PNA is to meet and to discuss this with the HSE on 24 or 25 May to try to get a resolution. Keep the ten Fairview beds open and keep Linn Dara and the 20 beds in the National Children's Hospital. She should engage. There has been no engagement with the PNA or its members who are the experts on the ground.”
“There is also the waiting list. We know we have failed in terms of CAMHS. We also know we have failed our children in the past. Look at Kerry and at lots of issues. Linn Dara closed in 2018. I was on the Joint Committee on the Future of Mental Health Care with former Senator, Joan Freeman, and we visited it. It opened again and then it closed again. I would like clarification.”
“This decision is inconceivable. As a long-time member of the Psychiatric Nurses Association - I stopped nursing at the last election - I am well aware of the shortages on the ground and of the crisis management we are forced to do - dissipating some of the therapeutics and trying to keep patients safe. It is inexplicable that it has been decided to shut the section 38 and to transfer everybody to Linn Dara and that it will be happy days. That is not going to happen and it will not be as smooth as people think it will be. From talking to nurses on the ground, who are my colleagues, two are in favour moving while the other 20 fear they will be lost to the adult services because they are desperate. We are short 6,000 nurses across the Twenty-six Counties. They will be lost to the adult services as will their expertise with young people.”
“I guess Zionists are delighted with Europe's inaction, grovelling and meekness, which is further damaging the strength of the European Union. On sportswashing, UEFA and football, the majority of Irish people do not want the games in September, either home or away in Israel, to take place. Imagine playing alongside soldiers when some of them have murdered your teammates. Some 500 Palestinian footballers have been murdered, as have some of their families. Imagine the atmosphere on the ground. Sport is supposedly not political; it is political. We need to stop these games and act on what the majority of the Irish people feel. I cannot imagine standing beside someone who is guilty of genocide against my people, my family, and my teammates. Ireland will have the EU Presidency.”
“The world remains silent on this, allowing impunity to the bully, the murderous Netanyahu, who has taken a leaf out of the book of his friend, the other bully, Trump, by suing The New York Times . The columnist in question is the respected and renowned Nicholas Kristoff. Our solidarity goes to him. Regarding the soft influence of the Eurovision, how the hell did Israel get into the Eurovision? It confounds me. Maybe I do not understand it. Israelis are not Europeans. Eurovision is a musical whitewash. I do not often praise RTÉ but fair play to it for doing its public service and acting in accordance with the public's intuition that this is not on. The AI Israel is using to influence votes costs hundreds of thousands of euro and is skewing the vote. What is Israel doing in Europe in the first place?”
“Israel has never been held accountable for its historical crimes or its more recent crimes against humanity. Indeed, the genocidal slaughter of more than 75,000 people, with hundreds of thousands seriously injured, and the levelling of Gaza, seem to be a natural progression of Israel's war crimes, as the world looks on and allows the Israeli regime to work faster towards its ultimate goal of stealing the maximum amount of Palestinian land without the Palestinians. It is doing the same now in Lebanon and beyond. The machine is operating at full throttle. I will make a few points about more recent occurrences. A couple of days ago, in The New York Times , a journalist wrote about the sexual violence and rape of men, women and children in Israeli prisons.”