Margaret Murphy O'Mahony
Labour Panel · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“The next card is the “Just a Minute” card and is used by people with hidden disabilities who may need just a minute longer than other people to get their stuff together or maybe realise what they are being asked. It is particularly used in banks, post offices and shops and means the person does not have to say they do not understand.”
“I wish to raise awareness of two cards that people who have a lot going on in their lives use. The first one is called a "No Wait" card and it is used by people who need access to a toilet, often very often, but always very quickly. They show this card to business so that they can get access to toilets.”
“No one goes out on a pitch to lose and the commentary, particularly on social media, is just shocking. In a world where you can be anything, be kind. These lads and lassies are feeling it already without people rubbing it in.”
“I dtosach báire, déanaim comhghairdeas leis an Seanadóir Garret Ahearn mar Threoraí nua an tSeanaid agus leis an Seanadóir Cathal Byrne mar Príomh-Aoire an tSeanaid. Tá súil agam go mbeidh an t-ádh leo beirt. Sport is very topical at the moment. There is a lot going on in the GAA and also in the world of soccer.”
“I move: That the proposal that Seanad Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Planning and Development (Licensing of Outdoor Events) Regulations 2026 Regulations 2026, a copy of which was laid in draft form before Seanad Éireann on 2nd July, 2026, be referred to the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage, i…”
“I move: That the proposal that Seanad Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No.5) Regulations 2026, a copy of which was laid in draft form before Seanad Éireann on 2nd July, 2026, be referred to the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage, in a…”
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“A single extension may be granted, and in exceptional circumstances a further extension can be approved. These extensions, however, are strictly time-bound. All adult wards must have a capacity declaration no later than 25 October 2027. This ensures both flexibility and certainty. The Bill also deals with another important group: those who will turn 18 shortly before or after the deadline. As practice has shown, six months is often not enough time to gather appropriate evidence to make a capacity declaration for young people transitioning from childhood wardship to adult arrangements. To address this, the Bill gives the court discretion to extend the deadline for these young adults as well, again with a clear maximum of 18 months. It is worth remembering the broader reform we are continuing here.”
“This is not due to a lack of effort or commitment but reflects the complexity and sensitivity of these cases, many of which involve individuals whose needs are profound. Without legislative action, we would face legal uncertainty for hundreds of people still in wardship who will not receive a capacity declaration by the statutory deadline. Today's Bill provides the essential safeguards needed to protect their rights and ensure legal continuity. The core purpose of the Bill is straightforward: it allows the wardship court to extend the period for making a capacity declaration where good reason exists and where meeting the 26 April 2026 deadline is simply not possible. Importantly, the court will retain full discretion to determine what is necessary and proportionate in each case.”
“No better man. Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2026. Fianna Fáil welcomes this debate and supports the Bill. This legislation is narrow in scope but vital in its purpose. It addresses a serious and imminent issue arising from the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, which, following its commencement on 26 April 2023, required that every adult ward of court have their capacity reviewed within three years, that is, by 26 April 2026. While significant progress has been made across the Courts Service and the decision support structures, the reality is clear: not all wards have yet had their capacity reviewed.”
“I want to talk about the topic of loneliness. It is often conflated with being alone but it is actually a totally different feeling and thing. Recent surveys have shown Ireland to be one of the loneliest places in Europe. Twenty percent of Irish people surveyed admitted they regularly felt lonely whereas the European average was 13%. That is a big difference. I would like to ask the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, to come to the House and debate the topic. Someone can be lonely in a big crowd, so it is hard to see it in someone to deal with it. If we opened up on the topic, we might see the signs in someone who is feeling alone even in a big crowd. It can lead to major depression and isolation. It is a very important topic. I will conclude by wishing Ireland all the best tonight.”
“The free fuel allowance is a fantastic targeted allowance which now reaches 470,000 households. I acknowledge the increase in the budget so that it is now €38. This is substantial. The duration of the allowance is 28 weeks, usually from the end of September to April. Today, particularly with the increase in fuel prices and all that is going on in the world, I call on the Minister, Deputy Dara Calleary, to extend the period. We are nearly into April now and I would like him to extend the period, even for this year, by maybe three or four weeks. It would be a huge help. I know there are other people in society such as the squeezed middle and they must be helped as well, but I just think this is a very easy and targeted help to many people. I call on the Minister to increase the duration of the free fuel allowance.”
“Ba mhaith liom Seachtain na Gaeilge a phlé. Muna bhfuil Gaeilge líofa agat nó nach bhfuil ach cúpla focail, tá sé an-tábhachtach í a úsáid. It would be great if all Members of both Houses made some bit of an effort, even if it is "Go raibh maith agat" or whatever. It is very important. It is our national language. When we were younger, it was probably not taught in a very nice way and turned a lot of adults off but it is a language we should be very proud of, and I think most people are. I ask everyone to bain úsáid aisti. Whether you have cúpla focal or Gaeilge líofa, bain úsáid as agus bain taitneamh as.”
“Let us continue the work and progress and let us continue building an Ireland where every woman and girl can thrive, not despite the system but because of it.”
“We will publish an updated national strategy for women and girls, advance gender budgeting, strengthen leadership pathways and support women in finance, STEM, business, the Defence Forces and An Garda Síochána. We will build an Ireland that protects, includes and uplifts, an Ireland where equality is not something we aim for but something we live. International Women's Day is not only a celebration; it is also a reminder – a reminder of how far we have come and how far we have to go. One hundred years after Constance Markievicz led our first meeting, her voice still echoes. The fight for freedom is the fight for equality. Today, we honour her legacy not only with words but also with action.”
“Parity in funding for Gaelic players has also been achieved and we are supporting coaching, leadership and visibility so young girls can see themselves in every arena. If you can see it, you can be it. In agriculture, 2026 marks the international year of the woman farmer. Ireland is leading the way, being one of only two EU states to explicitly support women farmers through the CAP, with initiatives from the women farmer capital investment scheme to accelerating the creation of rural nascent start-ups, ACORNS, programme. Women have always been central to rural Ireland. Today they are central to its future. As we mark our centenary, Fianna Fáil renews its commitment to empowering women and girls in every community, profession and generation.”
“Under the zero tolerance strategy, funding for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, DSGBV, services has reached almost €80 million. We are delivering new refuge spaces, expanding safe accommodation and strengthening our laws, including through removing guardianship rights from those convicted of killing their partners, establishing a domestic violence register under Jennie's Law, restricting the disclosure of counselling records in trials and ensuring schools are informed when a child has been exposed to domestic violence. Safety is not a privilege; it is a right. In sport, we are closing the gender participation gap like never before. Women's participation now stands at 47% and the difference between men and women is less than three percentage points.”
“Services such as those provided by Ashleigh House and the new trauma-informed centre at Merchant's Quay in Dublin show what is possible when we design supports for women with dignity, stability, childcare and wraparound care at their centre. We are increasing investment in drug treatment services, with an additional €2 million in 2025 and €11 million announced in budget 2026, ensuring women receive treatment that understands their lived realities. A gender-neutral approach simply does not work. Women deserve better and we are building better. We know that, despite progress, some men still hold beliefs that are rooted in control, beliefs that manifest as coercion, intimidation and violence. These views have no place in Ireland, and Fianna Fáil will never shy away from confronting them.”
“For the first time, Ireland recognises what women have always known, that women are the most reliable narrators of their own symptoms and pain. Today, specialist centres in Tallaght, Cork, Limerick, the Rotunda and the Coombe, and soon Galway and the National Maternity Hospital, are giving women the care for which they have waited for far too long to receive. When women are listened to, believed and supported, their health outcomes transform, and so does their quality of life. We must recognise the challenges faced by women whose experiences of addiction are intertwined with trauma, poverty, domestic violence and homelessness. Women are often the hidden homeless, and traditional treatment centres do not always meet their needs, especially when children are involved.”
“These reports shine a light on inequalities that were once invisible, and make it possible to fix them. We know the disparities are often driven by who gets to lead. Women make up more than half of the workforce in most Departments yet remain far too absent from the top tier. That gap must close, not in another generation but now. One of the greatest steps forward in recent years has been in women's health. Government has invested more than €180 million since 2020 to radically reform services. We have opened postnatal hubs, expanded menopause clinics, rolled out free contraception for women between 17 and 35 and are working towards eliminating cervical cancer by 2040. Perhaps the most important change, however, has come with the national endometriosis framework, built on the principle of presumed diagnosis.”
“We stand firmly behind the recommendations to strengthen security, monitor online abuse, protect the privacy of candidates and ensure that every party has clear codes of conduct and support for members who encounter harassment. Women should never have to choose between safety and public service. Equality is not simply a principle. It must be visible in every payslip. Ireland's gender pay gap in 2024 was 8.3%, which is lower than the EU average but still unacceptable. Women continue to be over-represented in lower-paid sectors, carry more unpaid work and face barriers to senior roles. Transparency, investment and accountability are essential. That is why all Government Departments, State bodies and now private sector employers with over 50 staff must publish gender pay gap reports.”
“We ran 34 female candidates in the 2024 general election, which is more than any other party has ever run. However, progress cannot make us complacent. Alongside this, Councillor Rachel Hartigan from County Clare, who was elected at the age of 22 in the latest local elections, is the youngest female councillor in the country. We, as a party, are very proud of her, and I would like to pay tribute to her today. Women still face disproportionate barriers, from online abuse to unequal representation in corporate and political life. The task force on safe participation in political life has warned that abuse is prevalent, targeted and deeply damaging, particularly for women and minority groups. This cannot be accepted as part of the job. It is a threat to democracy itself.”
“A century ago, in 1926, Countess Markievicz chaired the very first Fianna Fáil meeting at La Scala Theatre on O'Connell Street. She was already a giant of equality. She was the first female Member of the Dáil, the first woman elected to Westminster and Europe's first female Cabinet Minister, as Minister for Labour in 1919. She broke the glass ceiling before it was even a term. She fought battles no one had asked her to fight, and she imagined an Ireland that values fairness, dignity and opportunity for all. As we mark 100 years of my party, Fianna Fáil, our mission is to continue building the Ireland she envisaged; an Ireland of which she would be proud. Fianna Fáil is committed to ensuring women have a meaningful voice at every level of public life. In recent years, we have made real progress.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. I would like to start by wishing everybody a happy International Women's Day, both men and women, because working together we make the world go around. I wish everybody a happy International Women's Day. This week, ahead of International Women's Day, we come together to celebrate the strength, resilience and extraordinary leadership of women and girls across Ireland and around the world. It is a moment to honour the achievements of women past and present, acknowledge the progress made and reflect on the work that still lies ahead. This year carries a special meaning for us in Fianna Fáil because 2026 marks the centenary of our party's founding, a moment that brings us right back to the footsteps of a woman whose courage still lights our path. That woman is Countess Markievicz.”
“I wish to invite the Minister in and ask if he is aware of what is happening and what he is going to do about it. It is hard to believe in this day and age that someone would not be replaced when they are on annual leave. Annual leave is planned. If it was sick leave, even that would be hard to comprehend, but annual leave is planned far in advance. It is not good enough that postmen are not being replaced while they are on annual leave. I would like the Minister to come in to discuss this.”
“I rise to speak about the inadequate postal service that is happening at the moment. Stamps recently went up 20 cent to €1.85, which is very expensive to post a letter. It is not beyond reason to expect a very good service for a €1.85 stamp. A lot of councillors and people from the public have contacted me. I have done a bit of research on it. One delay that I sussed out involved some people who were getting no post. When I rang the local sorting office, I was told that a postman was on holidays, which he is entitled to be on, but there was no replacement. He was off for two weeks. People in that area had no post for two weeks. Our older people deal a lot in paper. Like anyone else who pays €1.85 for a stamp, they should expect a normal and good service.”
“Local authorities have also been asked to protect unrecorded burial sites throughout their development plans. These are the right mechanisms for sites where excavation is not warranted. The Institutional Burials Act was crafted with sensitivity, survivors' engagement and careful legal consideration. It provides an evidence-based proportionate framework for intervention that respects the dignity of the deceased and the complexity of Ireland's institutional past. The Bill before us would create uncertainty, lower the threshold for intrusive action and open the door to broad speculative interventions across the country. It would remove necessary safeguards and introduce requirements that are impractical and potentially divisive. For these reasons we cannot support the Bill on Second Stage.”
“This discretion is an important safeguard. It allows the Government to weigh the importance of burials, the unique circumstances of each site and the diverging wishes of families. The 2022 Act sets out clear, robust criteria for determining whether burials were manifestly inappropriate and whether they were not coffined contrary to burial regulations, lacking dignity or collective in a manner against common decency. The standards provide clarity, legal certainty and public confidence. Diluting them would undermine the careful balance of the Act. Work on memorialisation continues to advance. The working group's forthcoming report will provide guidelines on how local authorities should engage with survivors and communities at an appropriate local level.”
“Excavation is not only complex and intrusive but also deeply sensitive. The cost implications would be significant but, more importantly, these amendments raise legal and constitutional concerns. Allowing speculative intervention would undermine fundamental tests of proportionality, public necessity and property rights. The Bill also proposes that presumed relatives must indicate that making an order is their preference. While engagement with families is vital, we know that survivors and families hold different views on excavation versus memorialisation. The idea of achieving consensus across all families is unrealistic and risks frustrating necessarily intervention. Furthermore, the Bill removes the Government's ability to refuse an order where memorialisation is the more appropriate course of action.”
“We know from the commission of investigation that high infant and child mortality was tragically common in historical institutions, often due to infection and the conditions of the time. We also know that many private burial grounds were never legally required to maintain burial registers. If missing records or high mortality alone became triggers for excavation, the State would face calls to excavate numerous large sites nationwide. The 2022 Act includes a very broad definition of "institution", including former residential settings far beyond mother and baby homes, and mental health facilities and prisons. Lowering the threshold for excavation would result in interventions on a scale that is neither proportionate nor in the public interest, particularly where manifestly inappropriate burials have not been identified.”
“This shows the 2022 Act functioning exactly as intended, with targeted intervention where clear evidence justifies it. The Government's broader response to the legacy of mother and baby institutions is set out in the action plan for survivors and former residents and further work on local memorialisation is being progressed by a dedicated working group under the Minister for housing. The amendments before us would alter the core architecture of the 2022 Act. Instead of requiring evidence of manifestly inappropriate burials, the Bill would allow intervention where such burials are simply reasonably likely to have taken place. This could be based on missing burial records, high death rates or incomplete documentation.”
“The Institutional Burials Act provides the legal basis for the State to intervene where people who died in residential institutions were buried in a manifestly inappropriate manner, allowing for their recovery, analysis, identification where possible and respectful re-internment. Crucially, the Act requires that the Government must have evidence that such burials have taken place before appointing a Director of Authorised Intervention. This evidence-based threshold is essential given the sensitive nature of disturbing human remains. Under the legislation, the Government directed the establishment of an independent office to undertake a full forensic excavation at the site of the former mother and baby institution in Tuam. Work began in summer 2025 and the excavation is expected to take up to two years.”
“While engagement with families is paramount and is provided for in the existing Institutional Burials Act 2022, it is a deeply sensitive and personal issue and it is difficult to see how consensus across all families could be achieved as there is presently, and understandably, a significant divergence of opinions.” I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill. The Bill seeks to amend the Institutional Burials Act 2022 and the amendments proposed would fundamentally change the purpose and scope of that Act. For this reason Fianna Fáil will oppose the Bill on Second Stage.”
“It should also be noted that there was no legal obligation on private burial grounds to keep a register of burials, and that high mortality rates could sadly sometimes be a feature of historical congregated settings; - it would, therefore, provide for speculative interventions as opposed to evidential interventions as under the present Act, at numerous large sites. This could not be considered proportionate or in the public interest, particularly where manifestly inappropriate burials have not been identified; - the Bill requires the consensus of family members by providing for presumed relatives to indicate that the making of an order is their preference.”
“I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after “That” and substitute the following: “Seanad Éireann declines to give the Bill a second reading for the following reasons: - it would create an unclear basis for an intervention by providing for circumstances where burials are ‘reasonably likely to have taken place’ and for evidence of such burials to include missing burial records, records that indicate an unusually high death rate at an institution and records which indicate the presence of manifestly inappropriate burial sites; - in this regard, it is noted that the Institutional Burials Act 2022 is very wide-ranging in its definition of institutions and already allows for interventions where evidence and records indicate the presence of manifestly inappropriate burials.”
“I would like to invite the Minister for agriculture, Deputy Heydon, to the Chamber to give us an update on the bluetongue virus. It very important that we be proactive rather than reactive. As the Deputy Leader knows, there was one case and we thought it would be confined to that, but and all of a sudden there were three more. It is spread by midges, and as soon as the weather gets warmer, they will be more active. I am very concerned that we are going to leave it too late. Perhaps we should discuss a vaccination programme. It is also very important to discuss the moves we make so that this will not effect trade with either the European market or the non-European market. It is important that the Minister come here and lay out his plans.”
“It gives us space to align this Bill with already advancing work on pregnancy loss legislation to consider payment mechanisms to avoid creating unintended inequities and to ensure that any policy change is workable for all sectors. The intention behind this Bill is honourable. It reflects compassion and seeks to support parents in the most unimaginable circumstances. What we must do now is ensure that we get the detail of the Bill right and that the final legislation is fair, coherent and capable of being implemented consistently and effectively. Fianna Fáil remains committed to improving the supports available to parents who experience loss. We support the spirit of this Bill and the Government's timed amendment as the best way to deliver considered, comprehensive and compassionate legislation.”
“However, pausing maternity leave due to medical need is fundamentally different in nature from pausing it for bereavement leave, and this distinction needs careful consideration. I realise the Bill was developed in conjunction with the INTO to reflect the entitlement of public servants to 20 days' bereavement leave, but the Bill proposes a postponement period far in excess of that. If unpaid, this could create significant income gaps for teachers and public servants and even greater challenges for workers in the private sector who may not have contractual bereavement leave at all. These are precisely the kinds of complexities that justify the Government's 18-month timed amendment.”
“The Bill amends the Maternity Protection Act 1994 by inserting a new section 14D providing for the postponement of maternity leave following the death of a child. However, there are several areas where greater clarity is required. For example, the Bill does not specify whether the postponed period should be paid, nor whether payment should come from employers or the State. Without that clarity, we risk creating unintended consequences, financial uncertainty for families and administrative burden for employers. The Bill also appears to mirror provisions introduced in the Maternity Protection, Employment Equality and Preservation of Certain Records Act 2024, which allows maternity leave to be paused for medical treatment related to serious illness.”
“A major study, resulting in the PLACES report, has also been completed. It examines the workplace experiences of parents who experience pregnancy loss prior to 24 weeks' gestation and asks whether we need national policy interventions to better support them. It is important to note that parents who experience pregnancy loss after 24 weeks can already avail of existing maternity and paternity leave provisions. This work is reinforced by commitments in the National Strategy for Women and Girls 2025-2030, particularly the objective to advance sexual and reproductive healthcare and related leave provisions. The action plan for that strategy will include a specific action on developing miscarriage leave legislation. This is not just an exercise; it is live, ongoing work with real legislative outputs expected.”
“In recent years, working life has been transformed by remote and flexible working arrangements, by lessons learned during the Covid-19 pandemic and by new EU-driven family-leave obligations. The State has significantly expanded parental, paternity, adoptive and medical care leave, and introduced domestic violence leave under the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act. With every new entitlement, we must ensure coherence, fairness and a clear understanding for both employees and employers. Work is already progressing in this regard. Following the Pregnancy Loss (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025, the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, together with the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, is developing legislative proposals on pregnancy loss and miscarriage leave.”
“It proposes a postponement ranging from a minimum of five weeks up to a maximum of 52 weeks, with the option of a second postponement within that same timeframe. These are substantial changes with far-reaching implications, not only for employees but also for employers, the benefit systems and existing leave structures. Under existing law, an employee is entitled to full maternity leave if she experiences a stillbirth or miscarriage after 24 weeks’ gestation or if her baby has a birth weight of at least 500 grams. These entitlements are kept under continuous review to ensure that they remain appropriate to the needs of working parents. It is important to acknowledge the wider context.”
“The loss of a child is one of the most devastating experiences any parent can endure and it is incumbent upon us as legislators to ensure that the law reflects compassion, clarity and fairness for families at such a vulnerable moment. Fianna Fáil welcomes this debate and we support the Government’s timed amendment, which proposes to defer the second reading of this Bill for 18 months. This is not a delay for the sake of delay. It is a necessary period during which the issues raised in this Bill can be carefully examined alongside the significant work already under way on pregnancy loss and miscarriage leave. The Bill seeks to permit a pregnant employee, or an employee already on maternity leave, to pause that leave following the death of a child.”
“I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after “That” and substitute the following: - “Seanad Éireann resolves that the Maternity Protection (Child Bereavement) (Amendment) Bill 2026 be read a second time on this day 18 months, to allow for further examination of the issues raised in the Bill, alongside existing work to develop legislative proposals for pregnancy loss and miscarriage leave.” Curaim fáilte roimh an Aire. I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Maternity Protection (Child Bereavement) (Amendment) Bill 2026. I also want to acknowledge the deeply sensitive nature of the subject before us today.”
“I am sorry to hear about the Minister's dad. His mum was obviously a very strong and committed woman. He did not pick that up off the stones. Fair play to her. I thank the Minister for his commitment. As he said, he saw first hand what women in agriculture can do. Nothing changes if nothing changes. What is frightening is that where a successor is identified, that successor is predominantly male. In this day and age, that has to change. I thank the Minister for his commitment.”
“What further measures will the Department introduce during the year of the woman farmer to promote equality of access to land, training and financial supports? Will the Minister's Department commit to expanding gender-disaggregated data collection to better capture women's roles, their incomes and farm decision-making? How will the Minister's Department ensure the national women in agriculture action plan is fully implemented, with clear timelines and accountability?”
“The Government's women in agriculture initiatives, which I welcome, the national dialogue on women in agriculture and the emerging national women in agriculture action plan all underline a clear commitment to gender equality within the sector. Furthermore, Ireland's active co-sponsorship of this UN-designated year demonstrates leadership internationally. The International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026 aims to highlight the essential but often overlooked roles that women play throughout the agrifood systems and to promote action to close gender gaps. The Department has committed to amplifying the visibility of Irish women farmers throughout the year, recognising the persistent barriers regarding land access, finance, training and representation.”
“Additionally, female farm holders tend to operate smaller farms, often in areas with lower land values, and remain disproportionately represented in lower income farm systems such as mixed field crops and specialist sheep. This is consistent with broader research showing that female farm incomes are consistently lower than those of their male counterparts. As we celebrate the year of the woman farmer, it is vital to ask how we ensure this year becomes not just symbolic but a catalyst for lasting change. The Department has already recognised the importance of increasing the presence of women in the agricultural field.”
“According to the Farm Structure Survey 2023 conducted by the Central Statistics Office, CSO, women make up just 13.2% of farm holders in Ireland, accounting for 17,519 out of 133,174 farm holders. A related study funded by the Department of agriculture and published in March 2025 found that a similar figure of 13.4% of farm holders are women, a figure that has shown little increase since 1991. The picture becomes even clearer when we look beyond ownership to overall labour. The CSO notes that women account for 34% of all farm workers in Ireland, highlighting that while women participate widely in farm labour, they are far less represented in positions of legal and marginal authority.”
“I thank the Cathaoirleach for choosing my Commencement matter. I also thank the Minister for coming in. I am very grateful that he is attending here himself. As the Minister will know, we would be lost without women. I just wanted to say that at the very start. As we mark 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, it is timely to reflect on both the significant contribution of women to Irish agriculture and the steps still required to recognise and strengthen their role. Women are central to the sustainability, resilience and viability of our agricultural sector, yet despite their immense contribution, they remain persistently under-represented as farm holders.”
“This year is the International Year of the Woman Farmer. It is a celebration and a call to action to improve visibility, opportunity and leadership for women in agriculture. Only approximately 13% of farm holders in Ireland are female, yet they make up approximately 34% of the agricultural workforce. This shows that many women work in significant roles on Irish farms, but that is not reflected in the ownership statistics. Where farmers have identified successors, over 80% of the identified successors are male. The cycle will continue. I would like to ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Heydon, to come into the Chamber to talk about how he intends to celebrate the women in farming year and to have a debate on women in farming in general. I am not knocking male farmers at all. More power to them.”
“At the AGRIFISH Council on 26 January Ireland repeated its call for a resolution of the issues relating to mackerel in the north-east Atlantic. The Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Mr. Costas Kadis, assured Ireland and other concerned member states that the EU was using all technical, diplomatic and political measures to find a satisfactory solution. An Taoiseach, Deputy Martin, the Minister for agriculture, Deputy Heydon, and the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, have met with the fishing industry regularly and have listened carefully to its views. I urge the Minister of State to keep up the good work. We are a small country with a big heart and we very much depend on our fishing industry.”
“The Minister of State often gets abuse, especially online, but many of the people engaging in that abuse would not know a fish if it hit them across the face. What is very interesting is that the fishing organisations never abuse him, which shows the respect they have for him. They acknowledge and believe that he is doing his best. I will finish by acknowledging the stakeholder engagement. The issue of unsustainable fishing of key pelagic stocks such as mackerel by certain coastal states outside the EU has been raised by Ireland repeatedly. This Government has, through the AGRIFISH Council, called for urgent EU action to save the north-east Atlantic pelagic stocks and further called for the EU to send a clear message that actions that threaten the sustainability of our shared stocks are not acceptable to the EU.”
“Over Christmas, when many people were nursing hangovers and kissing people under mistletoe, the Minister of State travelled to Castletownbere and Killybegs, a long distance from County Clare.”
“Our party's commitment to fishing is evident by the re-establishment of a stand-alone Minister of State. A few weeks ago I had a coffee with a fisherman from Castletownbere who is very near retirement. His father and grandfather fished before him, as do his son and grandson. He summed it up very well when he said, "Before, we used to be afraid of drowning but now our main fears are quotas and regulations.". That just sums up how fishing communities feel. I want to acknowledge the work the Minister of State does and did on the international stage. He held many meetings about the Hague preferences and total allowable catches. On the national stage, I would like to acknowledge his regular availability to the fishing sector.”
“I will start by noting how much the Chair suits you, Senator Costello. Maybe it is something you should think about in the future. I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank him for giving up his time and for his engagement. Fishing is of huge importance to many of our communities and it often goes under the radar because of the numbers involved in fishing compared with agriculture, for example, but to the communities involved in fishing, it is everything. It is often the main source of employment, directly and indirectly. Senator O'Donovan and I come from Cork South-West where the communities are very involved in fishing. I also know from dealing with councillors whose local electoral areas, LEAs, include fishing communities how important it is to them.”
“Pensioners cannot understand why, months later, there is still no indication of when the increases will be applied or when arrears will be issued. They have waited long enough and deserve certainty.”