Maria McCormack
Labour Panel · Sinn Féin · Ireland
“I thank the Minister for coming in. I note that the aim of this Bill is to take the current eligibility criteria for social housing and put them on a statutory footing, and to create a new appeals mechanism for those refused access to social housing.”
“While Sinn Féin wants flexibility in the planning rules to allow families to provide freestanding extensions in back gardens for family members, we do not support allowing these structures to be rented out, nor do we support denying people tenancy rights and protections when they are renting them out.”
“Given the complex legal issues involved in appeals such as legal residency, habitual residency and social housing support, it would have been better to have a single, independent appeals office located in the Housing Agency similar to how social welfare appeals operate.”
“I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. This Bill comprises a long, technical and complex series of amendments to the Planning and Development Act 2024. It is unfortunate that it is being rushed through the Houses at breakneck speed and without proper scrutiny.”
“The Minister can talk about viability all he wants but, really, all he is doing is making these developments more profitable while reducing living standards. It will not help to increase supply or bring down prices.”
“Many people living in Graiguecullen are asking the simple question, "What problem is this scheme actually trying to solve?" Residents are worried that a €3 million project could reduce road capacity, increase congestion around schools, make life more difficult for old people and people living with disabilities and negatively impact local…”
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“They will be left in a situation, while the process is happening and they are back and forward trying get everything in line for HSE governance, that they will end up closing their doors. I see that as a real problem here. Can we find some kind of intervention in order that SOSAD does not have to close its doors and the 108 people in one week last week will not be left with nowhere to go in two or three weeks’ time if we have to close while we wait?”
“I thank the Minister of State and I appreciate that this is not her brief. The concern is that the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, met with SOSAD in November 2024 - Deputy Harkin is correct about that - at which stage a promise was made that interim funding would be given while the process of the HSE governance for applying for funding was in place. That promise was made, but it still has not happened. I do not know if that promise is now not on the table anymore. I respect and understand there are processes that need to be followed in order that SOSAD is in a position to be funded by the HSE. It is an organisation based on volunteers, however, and a lot of its volunteers are actively counselling. I visited Portlaoise last week and talked to approximately 33 volunteer counsellors in the county. There is not a lot of admin staff.”
“What happens to the hundreds of people in Laois who rely on SOSAD if the doors close while they wait for their funding? What alternatives exist for those in immediate crisis? There are none. We cannot allow this to happen. This is an issue of life and death. I urge the Government to take immediate action and improve emergency interim funding for SOSAD to keep this life-saving service open. Mental health services should not have to rely on charity alone. It is the Government’s responsibility to ensure essential supports like SOSAD are properly funded. This is not just about budgets or funding structures. It is about saving lives. We must not let SOSAD collapse due to bureaucracy or financial shortfalls when it is out there preventing suicide and supporting our most vulnerable. I urge the Government to please take action now.”
“It has had to suspend its text service due to the lack of funding, reducing accessibility for those who may not be able to make a call or attend in person. This means that some of the most vulnerable people, those struggling in silence, are now left without the immediate support they desperately need. SOSAD Portlaoise operates with skeleton staff and relies on the dedication of 33 volunteer counsellors. They are doing everything in their power to keep the service running but the passion and commitment alone cannot keep the lights on. They cannot do it alone. SOSAD is in the process of applying for HSE governance, a necessary step to secure long-term funding, but this process takes time and the harsh reality is that it may be forced to close its doors before it is complete.”
“It has provided free, accessible mental health supports to those at their most vulnerable. Its work in suicide intervention, crisis intervention and bereavement support has saved countless lives. Despite the growing mental health crisis in our communities, this essential service now faces the very real threat of shutting down due to a lack of financial support. Suicide remains a national tragedy that affects families in every county. SOSAD has been there for people who have nowhere else to turn. It has bridged the gap left by our overstretched public mental health services. It provides immediate access to professional counselling, a service that simply does not exist in a timely manner under the HSE’s current structure. Despite the growing demand, however, SOSAD has been forced to cut back services.”
“I rise today to highlight an urgent crisis in mental health services in my constituency of Laois and all across Ireland. Save Our Sons and Daughters, SOSAD, is a vital front-line mental health organisation. It is on the brink of closure due to financial constraints at a time when its services have never been in more demand. Last week alone, SOSAD in Portlaoise saw 108 clients compared to 45 during the same week last year. These are people in deep distress, many of whom have nowhere else to turn. SOSAD's interventions save lives. They prevent suicide, provide emergency counselling and ensure people in crisis receive urgent support. SOSAD does not just support people in County Laois. For nearly two decades, SOSAD has been a lifeline for thousands of people in crisis all over Ireland.”
“This is not a choice; it is a failure of our system. We must act now. I am calling for the plans the Minister talked about to be acted upon. We could introduce specialised centres for endometriosis that would be staffed properly with suitably trained experts; not just gynaecologists, but multidisciplinary teams comprising urologists and colorectal and pain management specialists. There could also be a nationwide awareness campaign in order that young girls, parents, teachers and all healthcare professionals might recognise the symptoms early. Women with endometriosis are missing from our society. They are absent from work, from education and from their own lives. This is not just a health issue; it is a human rights issue.”
“Women go through nine years of pain, missed opportunities and of being dismissed. For many, by the time they are diagnosed, the disease has spread beyond the reproductive system, affecting the bladder, bowels, diaphragm and even the lungs. At present, treatments for endometriosis are outdated and mismanaged and there is a complete lack of specialised care. Instead of receiving gold standard excision surgery, which is the only proven treatment, women in Ireland are being prescribed hormone therapy, chemical menopause or, worse, unnecessary hysterectomies. These are not cures. They are stopgaps, leaving women to deteriorate further. The HSE has promised to provide public clinics but they are oversubscribed and lack trained specialists. Women are left with no option but to travel abroad to London, Romania or the US at enormous personal cost.”
“I congratulate the Minister on her appointment. I am delighted she is here and to hear all her plans. I was really delighted to hear her mention endometriosis, which is what I will talk about today. It was great to hear other Senators discuss it. As Senator Clifford-Lee mentioned, it is a disease that affects one in ten women in Ireland, yet it remains widely misunderstood, underfunded and inadequately treated. These women are not just statistics; they are our sisters, daughters, friends and colleagues, many of whom have been left to suffer in silence. Endometriosis is not just a bad period. It is a chronic, inflammatory and whole body disease that causes extreme pain, infertility and, in severe cases, damage to vital organs. It takes an average of nine years to receive a diagnosis in Ireland.”
“It has been ignored for years. Some families are now in their second and third year of waiting. They are left with no choice but to home school while their children regress. That is not education, that is not inclusion and that is not acceptable. Can the following question be put to the Minister? Will every child have a suitable school place by September, and not vague commitments? Will it be in a timely manner, and not another plan that will take years to implement? We have seen money spent elsewhere. We have seen decisions made overnight when it suits, so why are the most vulnerable children in our country not a top priority?”
“Sophia was forced to quit her job and to home school Isaac because there was no available ASD places last year. She is still fighting this year. This is a mother who wanted to work and who wanted her child to receive an education like every other child in this country but instead was left with no choice but to sacrifice her career to ensure her child did not fall through the cracks. This is not a personal choice; this is a Government failure. This crisis is not just about numbers on a page. Last Friday night 54 parents slept outside Leinster House in protest, not for themselves but for their children who have been abandoned by this Government. These 54 parents who should have been at home tucking their children into bed instead spent the night in the cold, desperate for the Government to listen to them. This is not a new crisis.”
“I stand here today with deep frustration and disgust at the Government's continued failure to address the dire lack of special needs school places for children in Ireland. This is an issue very close to my heart and you are all going to hear me talking about it quite a lot until the time comes that every child on this island has a suitable education place. Every day I receive calls from terrified parents in Laois alone, including a mother with 26 school refusal letters. That is 26 schools saying they cannot take her child. Another father broke down on the phone to me yesterday. His child should be thriving in a classroom but is regressing at home. Today I want to highlight Sofia and her son Isaac. This is a heartbreaking case that speaks to the reality for so many families.”
“I again call for small businesses, especially in the communities that bore the brunt of this, to be added to this scheme. I hope we can now plan for the future, learn from Storm Éowyn and put effective measures in place.”
“Like Senator Craughwell, I call for a national resilience plan whereby we put investment into energy infrastructure in advance to make the grid more resilient, particularly in rural areas where the outages last longest. Too many businesses, schools and homes remained without power for far too long following Storm Éowyn. We were not lucky enough to have a community response hub in Laois. As others have mentioned, it would be great to have fully equipped backup generators in surrounding areas for vulnerable people who are left without heat, food or medical support. There should also be a fast-tracked compensation and support scheme. Although the humanitarian assistance fund was fantastic, it was slow and only available to homeowners.”
“I will keep it local to Laois because many of the points have already been covered. In rural areas like Laois, power cuts do not just mean the lights go out. They mean that families lose access to heating, water pumps and vital medical equipment become unusable, and farmers struggle to feed or milk their livestock. Small businesses that are already under pressure lost trade and stock. We need to look at this more. I welcome the humanitarian assistance fund but it must be expanded to small businesses in our community. Storms like Storm Éowyn are not rare freak events anymore. Climate change is making extreme weather more frequent and more severe. We need a plan that is proactive rather than reactive.”
“In urban areas like Portlaoise, we must address drug-related crime and antisocial behaviour with a combination of policing, youth engagement and safer public spaces. We know that poorly designed urban areas contribute to crime. Abandoned buildings, poorly lit streets and neglected parks become hotspots for illegal activities. Revitalising these spaces can make them safer for all. Community safety is not just about crime statistics; it is about the people. It is about the woman fleeing domestic violence who finds no available refuge bed. It is about the child in an area where gangs and drugs seem more accessible than opportunities. We need more investment in domestic abuse services, youth intervention and education programmes, and a national strategy on urban design and community. I would welcome all of these.”
“In Laois, we already have strong neighbourhood watch and community alert groups and we have excellent community policing, but there needs to be real funding and support. CPTED should be a key part of local government planning and strategies, ensuring safety is designed into the community rather than being an afterthought. For rural communities, crime prevention is often a challenge due to isolation and a lack of Garda presence. In places like Ballyroan and Stradbally, we hear of farms being targeted for theft, of illegal dumping and of people left feeling vulnerable. CPTED can play a role here too, with better road layouts, strategic lighting and CCTV in key rural areas. These measures, alongside strong Garda resources and rural crime task forces, can protect our vulnerable communities.”
“We have seen successful examples of this across the world, where simply improving the built environment leads to significant reductions in crime and antisocial behaviour. Why are we not embedding this into our development plans in Ireland? If we are serious about crime prevention, we must give communities the power and resources to design safer spaces. This means requiring all housing estates and public developments to integrate CPTED principles; investing for urban design for town centres, including safer public transport hubs, parks and pedestrian areas; and providing grants to community groups for local safety initiatives such as CCTV, improving lighting and crime deterrent programmes.”
“I have talked in detail to our crime prevention officer about this. It is a resource that could really make a difference in crime prevention, community safety and our community. It is not just about security cameras or stronger policing. It is about smart urban planning that makes crime harder to commit. It is about better street lighting to deter antisocial behaviour; well-maintained public spaces that promote community pride and reduce opportunities for criminal activity; natural surveillance through urban design, ensuring sightlines are clear so there are no hidden areas for crime to take place; and secure, accessible infrastructure, including proper pedestrian routes, well-lit carparks and safer residential layouts.”
“Yet, across the country, including in my county of Laois, too many people no longer feel that sense of security, whether it is businesses in Portlaoise facing vandalism, rural families experiencing home break-ins, or elderly residents in Portarlington who just this weekend have been in contact with me, afraid to open their doors at night. The message is clear. We must do more our communities safer. While increased Garda numbers and resources are critical, policing alone is not the answer. We need to be proactive rather than reactive. This is where crime prevention through environmental design, CPTED, comes into play. It is a proven evidenced-based approach that reduces crime by designing safer workspaces. This is a resource that is not currently being utilised to its full ability.”
“I thank the Minister for coming back to us. I welcome that he will look at sentencing. The family of Joe Drennan lives in my constituency. Joe Drennan was a 21-year-old fourth-year student in journalism who lost his life by someone with 46 previous convictions. I quote his dad in the court, who asked whether that person would not serve one day for killing his son. I would welcome the opportunity for the Minister to speak to this family. Overall, we need to look at concurrent sentences, and where a fatality is involved, sentences should not run concurrently. Community safety is an issue that affects every town, village and rural community in Ireland. It is the right of every person to feel safe in their own home, in their streets, in their workplaces and in public areas.”
“In light of what has been raised in relation to Fine Gael Senator, Martin Conway, can I ask the Leader of the House to request that the Tánaiste, Simon Harris, make himself available to this House so he can make a statement regarding his party's investigation into Senator Martin Conway for inappropriate behaviour towards a female staff member?”
“We need investment in social housing, increased protections for renters and a fairer housing system that prioritises those who are most vulnerable. I am excited to work alongside my colleagues on the Sinn Féin team of 45 Members, to bring real, meaningful change to Laois and to Ireland. We are a party that stands up for people and I am determined to ensure the voices of women, families, carers and communities are heard in this House.”
“People in Laois deserve modern, accessible facilities that can cater for the needs of this growing, diverse population. As a member of Sinn Féin, I am deeply committed to building our party in the constituency of Laois. We have rich history in activism, republicanism and community-driven change. It is essential that we continue to foster these values and strengthen our presence at local level and overall here in the Seanad. I will work tirelessly with local communities to address their needs and to ensure that our message resonates with the people I represent. Housing remains one of the most pressing issues in Laois and throughout the country of Ireland. Too many families are struggling to secure affordable housing and the State must do more to ensure that everyone has access to a safe and secure home.”
“Domestic abuse is another area that has been too long underfunded and under-prioritised. I will continue to advocate for stronger support systems, better prevention programmes and more funding for women's refuges and services across the country, particularly in rural areas such as Laois, so that it is not forgotten. In the first eight weeks of this year seven women were killed. I want us all to take a moment to remember that and remember those women. We are here with a job and we must represent everyone all over Ireland. In Laois we are witnessing a rapid population growth and with this growth comes an urgent need for community resources and facilities. Our schools, healthcare facilities and public services are stretched thin. It is critical that we match the population growth with investment in these services.”
“I stand here as a proud representative of Sinn Féin, the party that supports women, with 42% women in the party. I begin by acknowledging the party for placing its trust in me. I vow to work tirelessly to represent the needs and aspirations of all the people in my constituency of Laois. I stand here with a deep sense of responsibility and am determined to bring their voices to the heart of the Seanad. There are many issues on which I will focus. I hope to work with all Members throughout my term here. However, there are issues that are both urgent and close to my heart. First and foremost I am committed to championing women's health and domestic abuse services. As we know, women's health is often sidelined in policy and healthcare. We cannot stand idly by while our sisters struggle in silence.”
“I do not need a microphone. I congratulate the Cathaoirleach. I am looking forward to working with everyone here. It is great to hear such positivity and inclusion in the Chamber. I hope it can stay like that and we can work together to share our visions for a better Ireland, a united Ireland. It is with immense pride and gratitude that I stand here today as a woman elected to represent Laois. I do not think there is anybody else from Laois in the Seanad. It is lovely to hear frequent references to the fantastic former Senator Norris who did some great work here. I have big boots to fill but it is a great privilege for me to stand here as a woman, as the first and the only female Oireachtas Member from Laois. It is not only a personal achievement but a historic moment for our community and for the women of Laois and Ireland.”